Summer's a-comin...

To everything there is a season, and
a time to every purpose under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

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Summer's a-comin'...

It is the end of teaching season, concert season, choir season, school season. It is also the beginning of an adventure into new territories.

Most of my students will be travelling. Most of my friends are taking a break from school or work, except one who is back to full-time summer graduate school.

As for me, I won't travel this summer. I plan to go back to school full-time as well; only it is my own private boarding school.

Here is the curriculum of the school:

A. Physical Education

I am so tired of being passive and lethargic. Get off the couch, potato!

1. Conditioning for Dance class
I am going to take a stretch, strengthen and body alignment course for the non-dancer and dancer. It combines techniques from dance, body therapy (e.g. yoga, pilates, and exercise) to improve flexibility, strength, balance, posture, circulation, and relaxation.

2. Swimming
I better take advantage of the community pool. Swimming is also good time for meditation.

3. Hiking.
I have done enough research on the hiking trails in Orange County; Now it is time to face my mountain lion.

4. Biking
First, I need to buy a bike...

5. Beginning Horsemanship

I was born in the year of horse. I love horses. I still think about the two-day horse-back riding and camping trip in Jiuzhaigou, China back in college years. I would love to re-live those memories once again.

I signed up for beginning horsemanship phase one in a Riding School. It includes 3 lessons on ground work (haltering/leading, grooming, tacking up of horse) and 1 lesson on the basics of mounting, dismounting and steering of the horse.

The ranch is only ten minutes away from my home. The owner/instructor has been running that place for thirty-eight years. I am surprised that I live close by for sixteen years and do not even know that it exists, until my student told me about it.

I am so excited for this opportunities and will follow up in my blog later.

B. Academics

1. Art theory
I am taking an art theory class in a community college this summer. I looked up my teacher in ratemyprofessor.com and she got very good review.

2. Piano
I will have to study more in piano performance and literature. I am sending my students to a piano competition in LA this summer. I myself have to prepare for this event as well.

3. Violin
I am still with my teacher, who is so patient and kind and encouraging. There are so much new repertoire to explore.

4. Japanese Language
I found a private tutor who will practice Japanese conversation with me and guide me in reading some Japanese literature. I need to keep it up after two years of language study so it won't go down the drain just in one summer.

5. Reading
There are no end to the books, for knowledge, for inspiration, or for pleasure, that I want to read...

It seems to be a good curriculum. If only I would preservere till Autumn returns...