2012 Favorite Things: Taking Piano Lessons

Last year I did something I've wanted to do for a long time: I started taking piano lessons.  I took piano off and on for about 3 or 4 years when I was a kid.  I stopped taking lessons when I went into 7th grade because I was in the band and I thought it was too much to do both.  But I kept playing.  I've always loved playing the piano.  It is a total relaxer for me.  I used to play when I was stressed in high school or waiting for a date.  But I'm just ok and I really don't like playing in front of other people.  I had a traumatic recital experience when I was little.  I was in the middle of my memorized piece and my mind just went blank.  I hadn't brought the music so I just stopped and went back to my seat in the audience.  I was very embarassed.

Anyway, the girls have been taking for a couple of years now from a lady in our ward.  She is super nice and they love it.  I also visit teach her and when she told me she was going to start teaching adults I was very tempted.  When I went home and told John, he encouraged me to take them so I did.  And I have LOVED it.  It is the best thing I've done in years.  I love practicing.  I love playing.  I love the techniques I'm learning.  I'm learning to play a few hymns and I learned a beautiful piece for Christmas.  I also learned one of the themes from the Gwynneth Paltrow "Emma".  Sometimes I play for an hour a day.  Sometimes when I want to yell at my kids, I just go play the piano instead.

Here's some pictures of our piano.  It's about 100 years old and a little out of tune.  But it has great sound, is beautiful (though well-used), and has a lot of character.  My friend sold it to us really cheap probably 10 years ago.  It is finally getting used.  Best purchase ever!!  I can honestly say that taking piano lessons has changed my life for the better and I'm grateful that I have such an awesome teacher. I think my kids are grateful I'm taking piano too.  Piano music is so much better than yelling.