Laps

I am not a very healthy person.

Try as I do to just forget about eating healthy and keeping my body in shape, it's just not something I can "forget" away.

I was brought to the abrupt realization that I need to change the way I live by my doctor, who told me that if I didn't change, I might one day have diabetes, heart problems, and all sorts of other nasty medical issues.

I've heard some people say that, in order to be a Christian, you have to eat right and exercise daily. I don't believe that. I do believe that my body is a temple for Christ, and I have not been giving it that respect.

Some people are naturally good at sports or being fit. Not me. I don't like exercise. Maybe because, for my entire life, exercise has only been something to improve you. So when I exercised, it seemed to me like that said, "You're not good enough." And I hated that. Especially when I didn't see immediate results except fatigue and time wasted that I could've been doing something else.

I'm a picky eater too. I was fed all manner of high-calorie, high-fat foods when I was little to get me on the growth charts, and I'm sorry to say that my "high-calorie, high-fat" tastes have not worn off.

I like comfort food - fried chicken, mashed potatoes, pizza, that kind of thing. I don't like many fruits and vegetables - something about the texture of them unsettles me. On top of all that, one of my favorite things in the world to do is bake. Bake cookies, bake brownies, bake cakes, make ice cream. And being "healthy" says that I can't enjoy any of those things, that those things I enjoy so much are "bad."

So I've had to compromise. I've made some resolutions. No dessert except on weekends. At least one fruit and one veggie a day. No pizza or chicken for breakfast (generally I'm not a huge fan of breakfast foods). And I've started swimming laps. Every day. I swam 40 laps today, and my legs feel like jelly.

And, I've had to come to the conclusion that I may not see immediate results. It may be weeks, or months before I see or feel any changes. But I'll have to get through it.

And, who knows, maybe in time I'll learn to enjoy it.

Ah, the Difficulties of Disney Songs

So, I found this old Disney songbook of piano music and I was absolutely determined to learn a Disney song for Evan.

First, I tried to learn the one I liked best ("Beauty and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast). But, it was hard (well, hard for someone with really small hands), so I decided I'd find a different one.

Then I tried to learn the first one I knew in the book and go from there ("When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio), but that one was hard too.

So then I decided to learn the one that looked the easiest ("Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid), but that one was STILL hard.

I was quite at a loss. They were all really hard.

I've come to the conclusion that, not just in piano music, you shouldn't just stop because things are hard. Things will always be hard, and you're just going to have to grin and bear it. But, the end result, will be worth all the struggles.

For instance, after I can play "Beauty and the Beast", "When You Wish Upon a Star", and "Part of Your World", it will be so fulfilling. I learned those songs. I can play them.

Even though it might be hard, don't give up, it'll all be worth it in the end.

It's Been Fun!

Well, this has been one of the most exciting weeks I've had in quite a long time. Me and my friend learned quite a bit about each other and quite a bit more about ourselves. For instance, this week I learned about myself:

In baking, when in doubt, I add milk (not the best decision I've ever made. Our shortbread was a little off).

When writing romance novels, I enjoy the old "damsel in distress" situations.

Jennifer Higdon (the classical composer) is to me what Rihanna is to other teenage girls.

We had a whole lot of fun and grew a lot closer to Christ and to each other.

I also had the pleasure of going to the symphony last night. The symphony is one of my favorite places to go (we get in free through a special offer to homeschoolers). I've been about five or six times this past semester.

Last night, there was an incredible violinist there, Hilary Hahn, who was performing a piece that was written especially for her by contemporary classical composer Jennifer Higdon. It turns out that the composer was actually there and that they were both signing autographs afterward. I told Ms. Higdon that I wanted to be a composer too when I grow up. She was very enthusiastic and supportive about it and told me to "just write, write anything, just write it down."

I don't think people realize just how much that meant to me. A REAL, LIVE composer who writes classical music for a living. I got to MEET her! AND she was supportive of my dream of writing music! To me, that was better than meeting and having a conversation with the president or Johnny Depp or Rihanna or anyone else. It meant so much. And I am so thankful that God put her in my life last night.

Usually, I tend to give up on my music because it doesn't sound as good as John Williams or Hans Zimmer or anyone I want to write music like. But Ms. Higdon told me it didn't matter what it sounded like, whether it was good or bad, just to write. So I think I will be writing much more music. I will probably be posting a lot of it on here, along with music I've written before but have never posted. Wish me luck!