Day 1

Today is Day 1 of my new regimen for the rest of the spring semester.

It is in three parts:

1. Be awake by 7:30 am every week day from now until April 29th (the last day of the semester).

2. On the days where my day doesn't begin till after 9 am, practice at 9 am until first scheduled event of the day.

3. If I have a less scheduled day, practice for two hours. This means if I can sleep a little more and not start practicing till 10 or 11 am, but two hours in the day must be accomplished.

There are several reasons for this:

1. Mostly because I have no other time to practice during the day and usually no time in the evenings either.

2. The older I get, the less inclined I am to practice at the end of the day, and the better and better I practice at the BEGINNING of the day.

3. I have come to realize that when my sleep schedule is consistent, and more importantly, I get up at the same time every day, I am less tired during the day.

4. If I get up at 7:30 am every day, I will actually want to sleep at 11:30 pm instead of 2 am - and then will be able to get up earlier the next day - its all obviously a cycle.

5. I have a sh**-load (pardon the language but its true) of music to learn, from my recital rep, to my orchestra rep, to my work/gig rep, and I am determined to be well prepared for all of it.

There are a rare few cases where I will need to be at a determined location BEFORE 9 am - those days obviously I will not be practicing at 9 am, which is why the regimen is in three parts.

It would be wonderful if my life was structured as such that I had a regular time all the time in which to practice, but every day is different - and my life has become busier than ever before. I am blessed to have work, but hopefully with a better scheduled practicing/sleeping regimen, I will feel less stressed and more accomplished.

I am persistent. I shall conquer!