Hello out there

So it’s been almost six months since my last post.

I decided against pursuing the wish posts, partly because it was unmanageable and also because it seemed likely that those of you who read The Reall Battle might not be that interested in your feeds being clogged up with them!

So I’ve now spent six months out of the classroom, in a job I absolutely love, working with some fantastic people and on a steeper learning curve than I’ve been climbing for many years. Hasn’t left me much time for blogging and many of the things I used to blog about are no longer priorities for me.

I considered stopping this blog altogether, but have decided I am still in a daily battle against many things, not least of which is the battle between keeping my thoughts and ideas as an inner monologue – often while I’m in the shower! – and sharing my thoughts online via Twitter, Facebook and (although rarely now) Google+

So I’m going to continue this blog, but it will be less specific than before, more a place for random musings that I feel need to be extracted from my head. Learning will still be a major focus as that’s still a pivotal element of my life both in and out of work, but it may not be the only thing I focus on here.

So if you wish to unsubscribe, I quite understand. It seemed only fair to give you a warning. And I’m afraid I’m no more likely to be regularly posting than I ever have been before – my life often doesn’t seem to leave much room for it – sometimes the only time/ space for monologues is in the shower – and I really don’t think any of us want to contemplate joining those!

So we shall see what happens… Thanks for listening.

Wish #10 – to visit Dartmouth

Photo: Matthew Verso

As a child, many of my family summer holidays were in Devon, generally staying in Dartmouth. I have fantastic memories of the steep streets, harbour, crabbing, Dartmoor and the Red Arrows and fireworks during the regatta.

I’ve not been back for years – not for any particular reason, but mainly due to the length of the drive and the holiday traffic. But now that I don’t have to go during the holidays, this might be the year to go and explore for a long weekend…

Wish #9 – to learn to code

When I was 10 I was given my first computer – a Commodore VIC 20 (20 meaning it had 20k of memory…!) that plugged into the TV. As well as enjoying playing a few games on it (loaded up from its tape cassette drive of course, although a couple were cartridges that plugged in the back) I learned some very simple BASIC programming.

I never got very far with that, but I do remember enjoying getting the computer to ask me what my name was and getting it to create pretty text patterns using the repeat command.

So now I’ve enrolled with the free online Code Academy and have completed the first few sessions. I thoroughly recommend it.

Wish #8 – to get control over my daily body clock

Photo: Myphotosshare

Well this one links with Wish #5 but it’s part of a bigger picture.

I think the real issue here is that my body clock is far too firmly aligned with natural light. It doesn’t want to start till its properly morning and it’s pretty much ready to shut down my dusk. My sunrise alarm clock definitely helps with the waking up, but it’s not a real solution.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated but I think I might just have to grin and bear it…

Wish #7 – to reawaken my love for piano playing

Photo: Fire Bird Flame

Now this one has been on my list for many a year. I’ve never been an amazing pianist, but I have loved playing, I do have a very underused piano and I did pass Grade 7 with distinction about 20 years ago!

Probably what would make the difference is to have some new repertoire to learn – not so tricky that I’ll never get there, but not so easy that I can do a decent job of sight reading it so there’s not much incentive to work at it properly.

Fortunately/unfortunately (I really haven’t decided which yet…) I’m going to have to work at it a bit over the next couple of weeks as I may be needed to cover for one of the pantomime performances in two weeks time so will need to be prepared. Kill or cure I guess!

Wish #6 – to make sensible decisions about sleep

I know I need a decent amount of sleep, so why do I put off going to bed some nights until I cam barely keep my eyes open…

Wish #5 – to write a song

For my music GCSE and A level I had to do modules on composition. And again for my degree. I wrote songs, instrumental pieces, even an orchestral piece.

One of my degree modules was ‘how to write for the musical theatre’ and the professor teaching the module had written a book on Sondheim’s musicals. I have had lots of experience of song writing but I don’t do it any more.

And I should.

Wish #4 – to teach abroad

Every so often over the past few years I’ve considered teaching abroad. When I was younger I didn’t feel I had the confidence to leave my support network, but I’ve come to realise that if I’m put into a situation then I’ll rise to the challenge.

Conversations with teachers in many countries have strengthened my wish to experience other education systems. As has research, documentaries (thank you Teachers TV) and – although clearly idealised – films and dramas.

Particularly strange is the realisation that I’d be interested in working in the US, somewhere that my younger self would never have wanted to visit let alone live.

I’ll stick with the current job for the time being though…

Wish #3 – to make cheese sauce

Photo: Victor Mayer fotopedia.com

A quick one today.

I have made cheese sauce on a couple of occasions but I always avoid it, even though macaroni cheese is one of my favourite comfort meals. I think it’s the potential lump issue that puts me off.

But I do wish I could just be bothered to make it sometimes.

That is all I have to say about that.

Wish #2 – to play the guitar

Photo: Ian Britton – FreeFoto.com

Well this is one I’ve actually started on!

I’ve had a guitar since I was 16 (not quite 25 years, but close enough with rounding). It was a present from my mum for doing so well in my GCSEs. I’d wanted to play the guitar for ages; I liked the idea of an instrument I could just pick up and play wherever and whenever and with whoever, rather than the piano which always seemed quite an antisocial instrument (I’ve since learned that’s far from the truth after many raucous evenings with friends singing songs from the shows).

I never really got anywhere. I remember teaching myself a few chords, but I wanted to be able to play without working at it! When I was 17 I started going out with an amazing classical and electric guitarist. Now that was inspirational, but also frustrating as I wanted to be able to play like he could and to do it straight away, without any practice or other effort! I think he gave me some lessons, at least I remember I learned to play a relatively simple classical piece, but I didn’t get very far.

And as part of my PGCE – as my specialism was music – we had guitar lessons. All I remember is the teacher was kind, old and blind and that around a dozen of us sat in a semi-circle. I don’t remember what we learned but I’m fairly sure there was some sort of ‘test’ at the end of the year…

A couple of years later my guitarist broke off our engagement and I didn’t really play again. I could now blame that all on him and my broken heart but no, I just didn’t put any effort in – disgraceful! However, the guitar has always come in handy when teaching sound in Year 5 science lessons – you can get so much learning about vibrations, pitch, amplification etc out of a guitar!

Which brings us to now. When I packed up my office at the end of term I brought home the guitar. It (and my psaltery – look it up!) sat on the floor in my very small hall with the bags and bags of books, resources, cards and presents that I had brought home and left there till after Christmas. (Actually most of the stuff only made it upstairs into the spare bedroom, but that’s on my to do list…) When I started to sort through things I knew that the instruments could just go in the loft or maybe in my wardrobe. Or the cupboard under the stairs so the guitar could come out on party nights if we wanted a break from the piano or the Wicked karaoke.

And then I realised that actually if I left the guitar out, tucked in at the side if the piano, I might just think about playing it sometimes. So I did.

And yesterday, when I should have been sorting and storing all of the stuff from the bags and boxes that only made it to the spare room, I got the guitar out of the case, tuned it and decided to learn 3 chords (I went for D, G and A as I seem to remember not getting on well with C. Or F. Or maybe both. To be honest I’m struggling a little with G so maybe it’s all down to lazy fingers!)

I started with D and A as they looked the easiest on the chord chart Google found for me. I did lots of strumming, some arpeggios, and tried to go between the chords without having to stop and say “Wait there” like I used to as an 11 year old who’d just started to play the piano and wanted to play for her mum. And then I added G. And more practise ensued. And I had a go at singing Leaving on a Jet Plane as that was the first song I liked on the ‘Easy Songs with 3 Chords’ web site. And then my brain realised that the opening verse of Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues would also work with those chords so I tried to remember how that went too.

And then I just sat and played with the chords and improvised a few wordless melodies. Which was great fun. Now if I’d decided to take that approach 20 odd years ago I might actually have had the motivation to learn more…

So now I have to hope that the guitar doesn’t just sit keeping the piano company for the NEXT 25 years… Although at that point I may be heading for retirement so the timing might be right!