Bicycle Riding - "City of Angels"

At the beginning of this movie, "City of Angels," Maggie, played by Meg Ryan, is riding her bike to work in Los Angeles. She rides into a busy section of town around a lot of traffic. When I saw that scene, I knew she would be dying by "bicycle crash" sometime later in the movie. Being an avid bicyclist myself, I can understand Maggie's love of riding that bike everywhere she goes. Unfortunately, traffic limits the safety and availability of roadways, and automobile drivers tend to only gasp at bicyclists because they are "hardly seen" and "appear out of nowhere." So, how to see bicyclists...  Media awareness? Advertisements? Jingles about noticing bicycles similar to "Spot the Tot?" I suppose any or all of these may help. I am hoping, however, there could be a more sure, long-term solution to protect this method of commute.

Bike paths began to be considered in the US first in California in 1971-1975. The design of them, however, didn't provide safety for a bicyclist. Since then, bike paths have continued to be constructed, or I should say drawn, on the streets in many cities. A path was drawn on Center Park Drive coming out of Jordan Landing near my home (which I never use, by the way), which has since been re-drawn to accommodate the cars that always drive onto it. And as populations increase and traffic becomes more intense, bike paths are eliminated to make room for another lane of traffic. I know I don't look for them or see them when I'm driving a car, and most traffic doesn't consider them.

Bicyclists move at a rate so much slower than cars and motorcycles that putting them together seems illogical and has proven to be dangerous. Their speed, however, much more matches a pedestrian's. Thus, bikes are found, more often than not, traveling along a sidewalk. This works for those lackadaisical cyclists but not for those who really make it a mobility method.

As I was looking into solutions, I found that some areas actually partition off a section of the road for bikes. They construct a median so that cars cannot drive into the bike path. I also saw that some areas have managed to enforce the non-use of those bike paths by anything other than a bike. Well, those sound like good ideas. And by the way, I'm sure when I was younger the law was to drive against the traffic, not with the traffic. I think that came with the creation of "bike paths."

Notice the regular car/bus traffic on the far right side of the photograph separated by safe-hit posts in a no-flow zone, then the green bicycle lane, again a no-flow zone, followed by tram rails. Finally, the center yellow line indicates directional flow change. On the other side of the yellow line there are tram rails, the bike lane, and then a regular traffic lane.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has been adding safe-hit posts and creating the impression of greater safety and dignity for cyclists. The SFMTA took that process a few giant leaps forward by adding vibrant green paint to the protected lanes to further distinguish the bicycle-only space. The lanes are part of the SFMTA’s Sustainable Streets division, which has secured permission from Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to experiment with various pavement colors and treatments in bicycle lanes, the Market Street Calm the Safety Zones, and other areas of the city.

This photograh shows a bike lane, located in Vancouver, Canada, that encompasses two-directional movement, and, for safety, the bike lane is separated from faster traffic by planter boxes and a 2-foot cement strip.

Take a look at these pictures from around the world. There are many ideas for bike lanes.

France

New York City

Utrecht, Netherlands

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark

England

Copenhagen, Denmark



How about those bike racks?

Copenhagen, Denmark

"Dr. Anne Lusk at Harvard’s School for Public Health studied injury rates on cycle tracks in Montreal, comparing them to injury rates on comparable streets with no bike lane. Her study, published in the journal Injury Prevention, found not only that cycle tracks attracted 2.5 times as many cyclists, but also that injuries were generally more rare.
Not a terribly surprising result. But it’s an important one because the most influential guidelines for American traffic engineers discourage the use of cycle tracks. Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland has more:

It’s my hunch that this study was done just as much to make a policy point about America’s current traffic engineering guidelines as it was to gather statistical data. Here’s a key excerpt from the study: 

“Contrary to AASHTO’s [American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials] safety cautions about road-parallel paths and its exclusion of cycle tracks, our results suggest that two-way cycle tracks on one side of the road have either lower or similar injury rates compared with bicycling in the street without bicycle provisions. This lowered risk is also in spite of the less-than-ideal design of the Montreal cycle tracks, such as lacking parking setbacks at intersections, a recommended practice.”

There is no way this could be true. AASHTO is an organization whose purpose is to promote more driving, more spending on highways, and more overbuilding of transportation infrastructure. For some reason, I can't understand why, this organization would not promote the inclusion of bike lanes in our highway infrastructure. An inclusion would involve tearing up and re-doing every single road in the United States, thus employing people for years to come. Are they just lazy? Or what is the purpose in fabricating the truth. The article continues:

"Will this study end the debate here in the states about whether or not separated facilities are the best way forward? Maybe not. But it’s likely to add fuel to the fire of “Cities for Cycling” a collaboration of planners and engineers from major U.S. cities working to establish their own guidelines so they are able to construct a wider range of facilities — including ones that physically separate bicycles from motor vehicle traffic."

Unfortunately, our United States society has evolved into a place where automobiles take us everywhere we need to go. There are so few bicyclists that it doesn't seem to be a pressing problem, however, the benefit to fitness and cardiovascular health is enormous. Obviously, not everyone can embrace this form of transportation, but we would be much more apt to use it if it was safer and easily accessible with safe paths, locking racks, and how about bike stations where you can quickly fix a flat. The bus/TRAX systems in the Salt Lake Valley, wonderfully, embrace this alternative form of transportation probably because they, themselves, are alternative forms of transportation (all of my children and myself have benefitted from both at one time or another), and the buses are equipped with a rack on the front that holds two bikes. As I watch the buses move around the city, I see that those racks are always being used. Also, TRAX allows bikes in their cars, so bikes ride along with the passengers.

I don't know if any of the suggestions made in this document will ever be implemented around Salt Lake City, but it is hoped that we might consider some improvements to the way we move around because they are needed.

"Groundhog Day" illustrates the Science of Repetition

I'm back. Back from where, you wonder? From a month of performance preparation. About five weeks ago I was asked by Stephanie Smith, one of the piano teachers at SLCC, if I was interested in an accompanying job. I said that I was. At the same moment I found out that one of our piano teachers had resigned before this semester had started. I didn't find out any of the details of her resignation, but I did find out that another piano teacher was hired and given all of her students. I wondered why the two piano teachers at SLCC couldn't have been given her students to first ascertain whether or not another piano teacher was needed, especially considering the limited number I have carried during this semester, a total of three. Okay, well, if they didn't think I was the caliber of piano teacher that could take on her students, then maybe I needed to show them, maybe I should make my accompanying skills known. After all, no one of importance had ever heard me play.

A few days later, I was contacted by Robert J. Bedont, a SLCC adjunct faculty member, DMA, specializing in bassoon and saxophone. He wanted to know if I could accompany for his friend and colleague from Texas. He would be performing on November 14. I would have four weeks to prepare. He emailed the music to me, four pieces, so that I could look them over. So, I played through the music from my laptop; it was challenging. I then prayed about whether I should agree to do this, and the thought came to me, "you know you can do this." I'm glad someone knew this because I wasn't sure, but it did buoy me up. And where would I find the time? The next Monday I printed all the music, and a few days later Martin VanKlompenberg, the performer, emailed me a fifth piece. So, began practice.

I started with the four short Vaughn-Williams' pieces, sightread them, and determined that I could probably play through three of the pieces twice a week and could call them good. The fourth piece would need daily practice at slow, medium, and final speeds and constant reinforcement of the fingerings. Then, there was the problem with the left hand trill that I couldn't seem to execute. My left hand has had issues with coordination ever since the episode of 2005. Which fingers could move fast enough to play the trill? I tried different fingers every week, and I finally settled on 2-3 and 2-4, depending on which day it was.

The Bozza piece - I picked out several trouble spots during the sightread. There were three sections to this piece that each had practice issues. Everyday I spot drilled, and when I finally learned the speed of each section, this piece became tamed. All I had to do was continue spot drills and practice it at slow, medium, and final speeds so that I knew it perfectly. In other words, I had to know it so well that I could miss notes and keep going without skipping a beat. After two weeks, I had two pieces down and three more to go.

The piece by Larsson scared me. I had sightread it, fingered it, and was becoming more familiar with it. I listened to a recording of it (which is actually an orchestral piece) and the speed freaked me out. I wondered if I should find someone else to take it on, since I had so many others to work on. There is a section right off the bat that is repeated two other times later in the piece that I couldn't get. On the third week, I finally tackled that section slowly about 50 times - I'm serious - and I got it, never had troubles with it again. And that's the secret: slow loud repetition with absolutely flawless fingerings, notes, and attacks so that clear and accurate paths are constructed in the brain. This piece had many sections that needed spot drills. So, everyday I would do the spots. The middle section with a metronomic speed of 138 to the half note alluded me, however. The speed was disconcerting, so I put this piece aside for a few days only because I had two other pieces that were just as difficult. Coming back to it, I was able to get it performance-ready by repetition and slow practice. As I did this, the speed became a non-issue. I was just needing familiarity.

The White Rock Sonata looked easy (because of how it was printed), but it ended up being a difficulty. There were the usual three movements to this sonata. I worked out the fingerings and found the spots for drill. Unfortunately, I did this while I was sitting in a rocking chair watching TV because my back had had enough of sitting on the piano bench, and some of the fingerings didn't work well, so bad idea not using a piano. I took the music to Sorenson and even practiced while I was on calls. Now, tell me that isn't the most extreme multi-tasking you've ever heard of. The first few days I started doing this I couldn't play but one hand at a time in my head. Eventually though, I was able to practice both hands together. Sounds odd, but it helped to solidify fingerings and gestures, and as I studied the music, I found patterns that I didn't see while at the piano.

I loved the second movement because it was slower and pretty. At the speed indicated, I missed notes, but rehearsing with the bassoonist the day before the recital, I was pleased that he took it slower so I was able to enjoy the beauty of the piece. The first movement had two solo phrases that were difficult. I could play them, but if under duress to perform, I would miss them. There were also several sections of triplets in the right hand against simultaneous syncopated eighth notes in the left hand. The bassoonist actually complained about having to play triplets and consecutive eighth notes. Don't get me wrong, he had mastered his instrument. It's just that pianists have always performed cartwheels around every other instrument. I was a little frantic about this section but finally realized that if I let each hand play their particular rhythm without thinking too much about where to put each note, it would all fall in place - and it worked. I had a hard time getting the third movement to come together, perhaps because it was always practiced last. Finally, I spent a few days slowly and repeatedly practicing it, and it finally came together. I had difficulty with some of the black key arpeggios that I couldn't grab, and like a performer on the balance beam, sometimes my balance wasn't sure.

The Villa-Lobos was going to be the most difficult. I started it later; it looked daunting. Early on, the spirit told me to "leave out notes." All of these pieces were orchestra reductions (every part of the orchestra is put in the score and written as a piano arrangement), and they are often impossible. So, I left out what I couldn't play in the sightread (difficult to do because I am somewhat of a perfectionist, which tends to tamper with my ability to play with speed). This piece had four sections to it, and each had unique difficulties. With continued practice, I focused on the difficult spots, and leaving out notes happened in shifts. The spots again required a lot of slow repetitive drill, gradual acceleration of the speed, as well as head drills at work. In the final analysis, I loved this piece, and it ended up being easier than the Lussier and the Larsson.

I would have liked to have had a month more to feel completely confident about the music (every "spare" moment was used as well as 14 hours that I took off-work), but in the final analysis, I knew it. I practiced with the bassoonist twice before the recital - Thursday and Friday. We rehearsed each piece two or three times, not enough times to really get a feel for the soloist's reactions, inflections, and speed changes considering the difficulty of the music. One thing I was remiss about was that I should have spent more time listening to recordings of the music to become more familiar with the soloist's part.

I was nervous about the performance; I had never accompanied for an entire recital, and I hadn't performed anything difficult for years. My performance was less than perfect, as performances tend to be; thus, confirming the need for a month more of practice. It turned out that no one but Dr. Bedont's family came to the performance - advertising failure. But I was relieved. Yes, I had gone to a lot of work and had earned $200 for my time and effort, but my nerves were not up to the task after so many years of being away from such performances. My memory is failing, requiring even more repetitions to make the learning stick, and my technical abilities have waned, but I loved practicing, and I loved learning the music. Perhaps more performances will be in my future so that I can get back into the swing.

In his book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell says it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field. This theory is brought up in a fascinating essay by Simon Gallagher analyzing how many days Phil Connors (Bill Murray) spent in his time loop in the film Groundhog Day.

The total comes to 33 years and 350 days! The essay’s conclusions can be inspiring to know that learning new skill sets or even transforming a negative mindset into a positive one is achievable. Just remember that it takes time, perseverance AND repetition.

"Nearer, My God, to Thee"

This is a beautiful piece of music, and the singers do an immaculate job. The soloist, James Stevens, arranged this version, which was taken from the hymn, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." The verse to the hymn was written by Sarah Flower Adams in 1841, and was based on Jacob's dream as found in Genesis 28. The tune we usually associate with this hymn was written by Lowell Mason in 1856. He was an influential musician of early church music, wrote over 1600 hymns, and replaced choirs with congregational singing. He was also an important music educator by introducing singing schools in the New England area, which eventually led to the study of music in public schools. He would be disappointed by the removal of choirs, bands and orchestras in our primary schools today.

A favorite line in the song is "Angels to beckon me/Nearer, my God, to Thee." I know as Sarah Flower Adams knew that there are just that as we battle this world and strive to live as we have been directed. About 2/3 into the song a repeat of a partial chorus "Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee" ends on a very high held note. Listen as that note's timbre changes, though the pitch is held unchanged, amidst many chord changes in the other voices. Enjoy this inspiring piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyxXGdG3-Io

In articulo mortis (At the moment of death)
Caelitus mihi vires (My strength is from heaven)

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me.
There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven
All that thou sendest me
In mercy given.

In articulo mortis (At the moment of death)
Caelitus mihi vires (My strength is from heaven)
Deo adjuvante non timendum (God helps, nothing should be feared)
In perpetuum (For ever)

Dirige nos domine (Direct us, O Lord)
Ad augusta per angusta (To high places by narrow roads)
Sic itur ad astra (Such is the path to the stars)
Excelsior

Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,

Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee! *

Or if, on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upward I fly (die),

Excelsior

Getting the Job Done OR Why I Stay at SIP

“Commitment unlocks the doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives us the "right stuff" to turn our dreams into reality.”

Sorenson pays their lowest tier of employees a reasonable $10-$11/hour, which, to some, seems pretty good, especially compared to the $7.25/hour minimum wage.  The pay attracts many people to their doors, but the work environment turns people away.  The big question is, "Why Do I Stay At SIPRelay?" 
 

With the government/economy in such a mess and getting worse, Sorenson is one of the few places that continues to grow amidst all the conflict.  Several times in the nearly five years that I have been there, they have had hiring surges.  As a part-time employee, I was always able to increase my hours by picking up shifts for people who wanted the time off.  As a full-time employee, the hours are steady. 

I looked into Sorenson back in September of 2008 because I needed $500 more to pay my bills.  A former piano student who happened to enroll for my music theory class at SLCC mentioned he was working at Sorenson and that my son should apply.  Wasn't he surprised when I did instead.  When I began at Sorenson, I worked a regular 14 hours/week.  I also worked at SLCC teaching three classes, and I had a whopping 26 private piano students.  Then, in 2009 with the bailouts, the economy started to teeter, people lost their jobs, and I lost piano students.  It didn't happen all at once, but gradually families found they couldn't afford piano lessons anymore.  Fortunately, I had Sorenson to take up the slack.  I picked up 14-15 more hours per week.  Then, when Obamacare was passed in March 2010, and companies had to adjust health insurance and other benefits, the private health insurance I had informed me that the premium would be skyrocketing.  That same month I was approved for full-time 32 hour employment with benefits, including health insurance coverage (which is a subject for Tithing Tales.)  Sorenson has provided a stability for me that my private piano studio and SLCC, by nature, have not been able to promise. 
 

Yes, the stability is wonderful and necessary for my mental health, but couldn't I have found that in most places? 
 

My two sons have worked at Sorenson.  They didn't last longer than several months.  Brad worked from September 2012 to April 2013.  Jay worked from June 2012 to May 2013, nearly a year. They quit to pursue or find other work.  They left on good terms, fortunately, gave their two weeks' notice, which deems them as rehireable.  In the few months at Sorenson, they experienced what I had put up with - mindless routine, the caging of an animal to a tether (the computer, the phone).  Jay has said that if he returned, he would kill himself.  On occasion I actually found myself wishing I could do the janitorial work around there because that job allows them to move.   To give SIP its due, every now and then there is something different going on that peaks my interest, and of course, each person's conversation adds a little bit of variety, but it is the same procedure and routine day in and day out and a pile of rules to walk around.  And if I have slept poorly the night before and am especially tired, I can't help but sleep between sentences of the conversations.  What keeps my interest more than anything else is what I do at Sorenson besides the required work. 

 

 

Since I work at Sorenson, SLCC, and have my private piano studio of 10-15 students, my workload is heavy.  I work 32 + 20 + 8 hours per week.  That is approximately 60 hours per week.  That doesn't account for the time I spend preparing lessons and grading papers as well as keeping track of each of the student records, which might add up to 10 more hours a week, depending on which time of year it is.  Fortunately, Sorenson does not add to my workload after hours.  Rather, I am able to complete a lot of the after hours work while I take calls.    There are not many jobs that would allow me to do that, and if I found a different job that would allow me to do that, it would probably be something similar.
 

So, while I sit there, I grade papers (I have figured out a system for grading the concert reports very quickly), plan and review lessons as well as organize what announcements and pre-lesson information I need to present, send out emails to students, research new ideas, prepare my Sunday School Gospel Doctrine lesson, write my family history, add to my blog and my journal, read a book and look up any number of things on the internet, stretch my neck daily, exercise my eyes daily, sometimes walk in place, breathe, and other routine exercises.  I try to do as much as I can so that when I return home, I can attend to my children and my house and yard as well as some of my own interests. 

Besides the fact that they pay me money, the least amount of the three jobs at this point in time, and give me health insurance, a tenuous subject right now, I have sick leave and vacation pay for the first time in years.  Even while managing my own business (piano studio), I never had the privilege of getting sick without having to make up those lessons somehow.  I am also able to pay all of my bills, without which I would be crazy stressed.   Everyday I would rather stay home, and why not, I am a died in the wool "stay-at-home mom."  There are so many things to do at home, but with this job, I can do some of those things while I'm there. 

There is a mindset out in the world that I see more and more that there is not a need to do steady, regular work or stay at a job or...   I can't even put it into words because I don't understand it.  Is it a deficiency in math skills that people can't add up whether the income equals or exceeds the expenses?  Or is it the thought or hope that someone else will pick up the slack?  Is it that in looking around they see people who have reached a lifestyle of leisure through their choices and hard work that appeals, and they think they should be a part of that?  Is it that they are trying to find something that works for them, something they enjoy, something that produces success?  Regardless of all of this, life has to be paid for.  I've told my son, Brad, who is quite musical, composes and performs, that if he really wants to do music, he needs to get an education and job in something that can make him some substantial income.  By maximizing his daytime income, he would then be free to do what he wants in his off work time. 

I know there are people out there who wouldn't do this job for anything, but in doing it I have found a silver lining of all that the job provides to me.  The main goal is to provide for my family, and even though it's less than interesting work, I am getting the job done. 

Tithing Tales - II

It was wonderful!  I was given three sections of private piano class during the Spring Semester of 2013.  This could bring in a lot of money.  Ohhh, where to put all the students?  That was the problem.  (I had more than I could receive.)  How many would stay registered for the class?  Would any of them show up for lessons? 
 

I hadn't had much success in a previous semester, so these were valid questions, and I had seen some extra money when I had a class previously, but nothing significant.  These classes, however, turned out to be a good collection of students.  I taught all of them the Jon Schmidt method of reading notes on the first meeting with each of them, and they made good progress.  Everyone performed at the final semester recital, which I participated in for the first time, so I felt like I finally was a part of the private instruction group.
 

I made many friends and acquaintances amongst this group of students that I will remember all my life.  One girl got married during the semester - Melissa Perry.  Another got engaged - Sharlene Jacob.  Another tried on several occasions to break up with her boyfriend, but I talked her into staying with him - Carla Pintado.  And there were two music majors who needed to learn how to navigate the piano - Josh Norman and Thomas ??.  And four other students just learned because they wanted to - Joel Oliva, Rachael Dick, Kyle Keyes, Miranda Indra-Winterowd, and Lori Tonge.   Sharlene made the most progress.  She finished the entire book and learned to play with a lot of beauty. 

  

By the end of the semester I had earned quite a bit of extra money.  I wondered what to do with it.  I added some to savings to be ready for the summer months.  I established an emergency fund according to Dave Ramsey's system.  The rest was open for suggestion:  tile my kitchen floor, travel, add to my retirement fund, carpet several rooms, repair things around the house, pay off debt (my car, Erin's braces).  It wasn't long before it was made known to me what it would be spent for.  One day my furnace quit working.  The repair cost would be $2461.  Shoot!  All of it gone in one fell swoop. 
 

How miffed I was, but how grateful I must be as well, to be able to take care of that emergency.  We will spend the summer in comfort as well as subsequent years to come, and I didn't go in debt to take care of it, nor did I lose my emergency fund. 

"Lover Come Back"

"Lover Come Back" is an oldie starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson.  Both of them work as advertising agents and set up a series of comical/romantic events that only the likes of Day and Hudson can find themselves in. 


Nearly a year ago I posted a blog about having to step up my salesmanship.  This past year I've found an easier way.  I've had two students whose parents have referred me to other people.  Those people then call me, and I don't have to sell myself at all.  They are eager to set up an appointment to meet me or to just begin lessons.  These people who are calling me are from an area of town that is expanding, people moving in from other states, so they are open to suggestions and trying what's here. 


When I think about it, I had this situation several years ago.  A Christian Anderson came to me for lessons.  He brought his two sisters, and his mother referred me to many people:  the Perkins/Warenskis, the Hendersons, the Lintons, the Thorups, the Lees.  Eventually, all of these people grew up (or moved away), and no one of school age was left in that neighborhood.  I struggled to find a significant amount of new students for awhile; students came and went until I finally have some referrals again. 


So, I must be grateful to those people who advertise for me. 

"The Music Man"

I think I've got it down.  Beginning in 2008 with the bank, mortgage company, car dealership bail outs which affected the economy nationwide, I started feeling a crunch on my own piano teaching business.  It had not seemed an issue before, but suddenly I was having troubles getting piano students.  Suddenly teachers with little to no education or musical experience were able to attract the students.  I considered charging less money, but the idea was revolting, considering I felt I was charging too little already. 

The problem was how to convince people that paying a higher price for piano lessons would be worth it to them.  I experimented with different angles, different techniques, several failures, and a few successes.  Basically, I had to figure out how to meet with the parents and students and "close the sale." 

What it came down to was a strategy where I present to the customer (musician) how my studio is organized and run - what they can expect.  I go over my studio policies statement and explain it in detail.  This is not anything new.  I've used this statement for years.  I include my business card and my credentials:  B.Music, M.Music, NCTM, MTNA, UFMC.  I make sure they know that I have the knowledge behind me to do the job.  That is what's different.  Previously I hadn't advertised my credentials enough. 

Then, and this is a very new part, I sit the potential student at the piano, they play for me what they can, and I critique their performance.  I compliment them on what they can do well, and I make sure they know I recognize their efforts in good musicianship.  Then, I teach them things they've never heard of before:  balance, evenness, steadiness in playing, slurring, voicing, etc.  I drop as many performance terms as I think will let them know what I can do for them. 

Despite my aversion to salesmen, I have become one myself.  The difference between me and the ordinary salesman out there is that I am honest with them.  They are always doing something right in their playing, and I always can do something for them.