I had plans for today. Rehearsal doesn’t begin until mid-afternoon, so I thought it was a perfect day to run some errands. But I woke up at 5:30 AM. WIth a screeching ear. We had rehearsal last night and I neglected to get a sound shield. I guess I’m paying for that today, even while I did wear my earplugs during the D’Rivera, when I was sitting on stage but not playing. (The D’Rivera is extremely loud, and today I’ll leave the stage like the smart people would do!) Oh well. My fault for not requesting that sound shield. My fault for not leaving the stage. But so much for getting the car washed and shopping. Instead it’s a diphenhydramine and back to bed, in hopes that I can avoid any dizziness to go along with the ear (sometimes a screeching ear is a warning that I’m heading to DizzyLand™).

When my ear speaks. I listen!

That being whined about, I continue to love the Stravinsky. Such a fantastic piece of music! I’m trying very hard to forget that the last time we worked with Leslie Dunner, the maestro for this set, was when i bombed the first night of the Mahler. So far I’ve not been very good at forgetting.

I was talking to Dan about this the other day.

I rarely remember my good moments. I know I’ve had them. I know I’ve played well. But all I seem to recall strongly are my mistakes! The F# I played at the Opera Gala some years back (it was an F&#9838!). The time in 1976 or 77 when I came in wrong in the Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. The water in a key during Berlioz’ Roman Carnival Overture back in the late 70s. The 2 seconds of pain and agony in the Mahler last year. (Of course that last one is even more vivid because someone told me what some of the French horn section had said about it … that hurt!)

Anyone else have this issue or am I alone in this “remembering the bad” issue? Hmm?

Okay, enough negativity for the week. I’m going back to bed, and when I wake the ear will be better. Right?!