It's better.

I find myself quite busy this semester, but a little pause and reflection is a cheering thing.

On a Wednesday a year ago at this time I would probably be at saga, enjoying a bro-sis dinner, but dreading the rest of the evening of attempting aural skills dictation. Wednesday nights were agonizing. We'd have to listen to say, twelve to twenty measures of music, and then notate it. Prof Leigh wouldn't so much as tell us what key it was in, much less what note it started on until I went to his office to beg his reconsideration. I'd stay up far into the wee hours of the morning. It makes me shudder just to remember. (Some people found dictation easy, perhaps even fun. I consider this further proof that being an English major is a good idea for me.)

Yesterday was Tuesday. I'm pretty sure I had piano lessons with Mr. Zimmerman on Tuesdays last year, making that a rough day too. (Incidentally, I also had piano lessons on Tuesday in high school, but that made Tuesday a very good day back then.) This year I have organ lessons with Dr. Zimmerman (a totally different man) on the Edman Chapel organ, way up by the pipes. (If I were a good organist, I'd remember what that place is called.) It's pretty sweet.

Today was a beautiful day in the low seventies. I went for a long walk with Barnabas, happily kicking up fallen leaves, and hung out with him on Blanchard lawn for longer than I probably should have. I wouldn't have enjoyed that so much on November 5 last year, when temperatures were the lowest they had been in seven months. (Seriously. I looked it up here.)

In a little under an hour, I'll be headed to Bible Study, but when I get back I'll be facing another terrifying creative writing assignment due tomorrow at 8:30 am. I'm just glad it's not dictation.