Taylor Smith

“I’m staring at the asphalt wondering what’s buried underneath where I am.”

The band I direct is playing its concert in a few weeks. I am nervous/excited which makes me extra sensitive about everything else, I think.

Gah! Cars! I wish I could figure out how to get by without one (let alone two or three). Mine are both hanging by a thread right now and it’s so stressful to try to figure out what to do about it.

I am looking for a new (to me) car. I was hoping to wait until after my hoped-for sabbatical happens. Then, I would just start anew when I got back, but it’s looking like our current cars are both going to die before then (I hope to leave in July). Bummer. Suggestions?

Got this done. Now I wait until February to find out if I will get it or not. I hope so. I need this.

I took a break, explored some other online communities, but am hoping to make this one work for me again!

Hello.

Today’s Worldle was an easy one. I have gotten it right everytime so far, but not usually without some help. Today’s was a breeze.

It’s been many years since I have watched, but the Sesame Street I remember was better than any of us deserved:

Furry Happy Monsters

Current annoyance: once you reach a certain stature you no longer have to/get to advance your own PowerPoint/Keynote slides. “Next slide, please.” This is so silly.

Yesterday? 86ºF. Today? 56ºF. Such a bizarre weather situation over here. (The 56º is much closer to “normal.”)

I rode my bike to work today. First time in a few months or more.

I am already so far BEHIND in my online History of Jazz class. It’s only week two. My students are getting a raw deal. I wish this wasn’t the case.

Everything all of the time. It all feels so futile.

A nice day at Balboa Park.

Two upcoming concerts canceled ☹️

I went to college with the hopes of becoming a jazz musician and to learn more about the art form. I got into college on a scholarship in jazz performance.

This semester, I am scheduled to teach History of Jazz (the first time in my 13-year tenure!). But, the current political environment—both in society in general and on our campus specifically—has me terrified.

I am supposed to be excited about this. This is why I went to college, yet I am dreading it. I am supposed to like my job, but I am hating it more everyday.

(The reasons I haven’t taught this class yet are a little complicated, but, basically, we try to give the GE classes to the part-time profs, and have the full-timers [like me] teach more of the “core” music classes.)

These are the ones I managed to finish last year. Like I said, I am a pretty slow reader.

I’d be happy to discuss any of these :)

My wife’s cousin posted this to his Instagram page. He is deeper into the conspiracy theory universe than anyone I know. Anyway, I wanted to respond and ask him if he realizes these words all had/have meaning before and outside of a virus.

People exhaust me.

Some charcuterie action tonight. I might not make it to midnight, though.

I took a long hiatus away from micro.blog. I am not sure why I am trying it again, but here we are.

A nice mountain bike ride with a friend this morning.

A movie and a fire in the backyard. A nice end to a crazy day. Happy spring :)

Fully vaccinated! Fingers crossed that we can move forward and return to something resembling “normal,” soon.