I may as well titled this post, “Changing Hats.” Or how about “Juggling Balls.” Or try this one, “The Ultimate Multitasker!” It’s been quite a week!

Last Saturday I was cheering on my former student, Sophia Stark, as she starred in a Disney-themed concert with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra concert at the Waikiki Shell. Sophia was absolutely fantastic! Her clear voice soared above the orchestra and sounded so natural! She is definitely headed for a star-studded career! Hey, we can all say that we knew Sophia back when …!

I have to admit, though, that I was pretty tired going into that concert. That day I had practiced the St. Mark’s organ for two hours, in preparation for the Sunday services in addition to a concert on October 4th. I’ll be playing Anna Lapwood’s transcription of the theme from Intersteller by Hans Zimmer, as well as the Prelude and Fugue in G minor by Marcel Dupré. I also taught an organ lesson and had absolutely no time for lunch before going back to St. Mark’s for a three-hour choir rehearsal. (That’s because the previous Thursday night, the night God made for choir rehearsals, was taken up with an Assumption of Mary Solemn High Mass.) All that before going to the concert!

By Sunday morning, I had to switch to my organist hat, as I had to get through playing three completely different church services, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 4:00 pm. with completely diverse repertoire and styles. Oh, I’ve been doing this song and dance for nearly a year now, but every Sunday afternoon I have to admit that I am completely exhausted and wiped out.

Mondays are my prep days, when I plan on which repertoire I will be playing for the next few weeks… and realistically, decide how quickly I can learn or relearn music. I wish it would be so easy to just play music I’ve played before! Nope, it doesn’t work that way!

But then I quickly had to switch hats because I got a message from the printers that my file for the Early Music Hawaii season brochure needed adjustments, so I had to turn my attention to making the corrections.

Just then I heard a knock on the door. It was three building inspectors, part of my building’s plan to inspect every apartment for high-risk components such as frozen shut-off valves, leaks, other anomalies, and so forth. My apartment will need several remediations, unfortunately.

I then got an email from the condo board president that he wanted me to produce a newsletter, which I have just finished writing and editing. Whereas most editors would just use other people’s stories, I have to write most of the newsletter myself, in addition to laying it out and finding graphics to make it look interesting.

This week, of course, I put on my Organ Teacher hat to teach six organ lessons. I’m happy to report that most of my students are making progress, in spite of my crazy schedule.

I also put on my Travel Coordinator hat this week, and I actually booked my tickets (as well as those of my friend Marsha) for our trip to Iceland next March. She’s coming from Salt Lake City and I from Hawaii, and somehow I had to find flights where we could travel together. As it turns out, we’ll meet in Denver, and then stop in Washington DC before continuing on to Reykjavik. We now have ten travelers which will make a nice group.

Of course, I am still involved with learning Spanish with Duolingo and Cada Día Spanish! It’s been more than five years using Duolingo every single day without a break! In Cada Día Spanish, my online Spanish class, we’ve started reading Distancia de rescate, by Samanta Schweblin. When do I find the time?

Oh, I also had to update the Early Music Hawaii website to insert all the concerts for the current season, and move all of last season’s concerts to the past. I also had to set up a new ticketed event for our upcoming concert on September 14, and design a postcard.

And you call this retirement?! Help, stop the world and let me get off!