{ Write More Music! }

Well, Monday’s post seemed to be fairly popular, so I’ll empty my mind of some random comments that have been floating around this week. With classes starting, working a 20-hour assistantship, taking on some freelance transposition work, I’ve felt particularly pressed for time lately, partially because this is the first week and life is crazy and all that. But I know that with homework and required reading and all the things that come with classwork, my schedule will still be insane. And, I’m beginning to realize that this won’t get better after I get this degree, or the next one, or after I get a job. This is, for all intents and purposes, life. One comment from musictranscriber@yahoo.com suggested that I not sleep. Looking back at my final semester of undergrad, I have to agree. There were times where I would stay up all night and “binge-compose.” In fact, that’s how I finished my senior seminar project. I pulled a couple of all-nighters and told myself I was going to have things written by six a.m. Binge composing is also fun when you have more people, but make sure they don’t fall asleep at your desk at three in the morning. Dugan.

Where was I? Oh yeah. I’m still adjusting to a less-than-I’d-like sleep schedule, and once I get used to it I’m sure things will get more manageable.

Mary Lean shared that the best time for her to compose is after a live performance. That’s something I have never tried, but I may. Of course, my rehearsal schedule is not what it was at Drury, but the live performances are more numerous.

Here is my current solution for finding time to write. Due to parking here at OU, I have found it easier to just treat my assistantship and classes like a normal 9-5 job. Well, 8-5 really. In the middle of the week I usually don’t have class until 1030 or 11, so that gives me a few hours in my office (or wherever I choose to hide) to use for whatever. This week it has been transposition. Next week, hopefully, it will be composing. Mary Lean also suggested limiting the non-composing things I do. And to a certain degree, I do that. There is quite a bit of computer stuff that I would like to do, such as learn Linux better. But I am a composer, not a full-time computer guy, and I try to not get caught up in such things. I’m not sure how well that works…