The Axe in its many forms

  Getting cut back sucks. If you are heavily involved at the state and regional level in music education , it sucks even more, as you hate to cut back on the volunteerism that makes things run ultimately.

I really wish that I could say the cut was inevitable, with good faith all around.
One piece of information changed my view. I was informed , from a totally credible source, that there had been a $300,000.00 surplus at the end of the year for our school.
You can look at that lots of different ways,
But my being cut back by $13,000.00+ , a lot of money to me, certainly  seems less necessary in retrospect.
 So obviously, and from all reactions I get, this belongs in the "Are you kidding me?" blog.
  I do hope to be back to 100% next year. In the meantime, its-

      Saturday piano lessons. 930-230. Once wedding season ends its not as bad, as that makes for a 14-15 hour day typically with a nasty 2 hour drive at 2 AM. And if there was Nectars the night before till 2am, well then.
      I've filled up the gig calendar such that between school and gigs, I may not have a day off for 2 or 3 weeks. Add in the Irene flood benefits played, sleep has been more at a premium than in years past. If I do happen to have a Sunday off, Im pretty useless past chauffeuring.
Im thankful to be in a  position to have gigs, but exhaustion has a price. With me its usually a dip in attitude. Sometimes I think, "well, I did fine with this at 27 but after all Im 55 "  but I was never this busy at 27.
This state of affairs IS a direct result of being cut back . I dont have a choice.
 
 So what to do to stay positive ?
 
I've embarked on a Masters degree in composition , studying with exactly the person Ive wanted to study with for years - Andy Jaffe, who's head of the Jazz program at Williams. The Masters is through the VT College of Fine Arts.I've already written/arranged/transcribed lot of new stuff. Its  VERY rejuvenating.

I will in fact have the CD "3 days in August " up to CD Baby soon. Thanks to Gerry Beaudoin and Sam Krotinger for moral support.

Bruce Sklar.com is up, though need more functionality.

 Reading a  Thelonious Monk biography (excellent)

Practicng a bit.

BTW, John Rivers, Dave Grippo and myself at the Marriott in Burlington tomorrow Friday 14 at 830.