“Larissa Smith began her piano studies at the age of four and made her public debut two years later at the Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw, Poland. An active chamber musician and solo recitalist, Ms. Smith has performed publicly throughout the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Germany…blah blah blah … Ms. Smith served as the director […]
workout
TBT: Peak week, YOUR ten, that is enough…
I was recently inspired by a friend of mine who was competing in the Arnold Bodybuilding competition in Columbus, OH. She placed in the top 10! WOW! It reminded me of how crucial that final week before a competition is. The infamous “peak week.” Let me shed some light on the subject… A TBT “ironbikini” […]
First comes love, then comes marriage, then…
…no, I’m not pregnant. (though people keep asking because the assumption seems to be that 3 months after our wedding, we’re pregnant … LOL! We’re not in that much of a hurry…) BUT we are in the process of another step after marriage … buying a house! It’s very exciting. And slightly stressful. Because we […]
The value of a good education … and my current piano world.
I started playing the piano when I was 4 years old. I was blessed to live in countries where classical music was a huge part of the culture. Poland. Germany. Russia. Music oozes through the cracks of the streets. (in front of the Moscow Conservatory) (in the Chopin Academy) (at the birthplace of Chopin) It […]
Guilt-free pleasure
I would categorize myself as someone who can be a little rigid at times. Disciplined. Routine. Someone who likes a schedule. Someone who likes to be on time. It has its perks. And it is certainly something that has allowed me to achieve all the goals I have set for myself. If not THE reason. […]
Set point … embracing the “fluff”
We all have defaults. Or set points. What feels “normal” to us. So does our body. I’m realizing that my body has a set point body weight. A number that, if I work out consistently and eat relatively healthy yet still enjoy some wine and a few calorically dense meals, the number doesn’t change much. […]
Taking time to rest
It has finally happened. One of the occupational hazards of working with children all day is that they are GERMY. And love to high five. And hug. And touch your door knobs. And instruments. It’s a humbling reminder that we are NOT superhuman. And that I am not Super Woman, as much as I want […]
My latest trick … and “duh” moment.
As I walked through the door this morning, my husband asked “How was your workout?” (actually, he technically asked me after I had had more coffee and breakfast in my tummy…LOL!) “Hard”, I said. Which it was. It gets long. And mind numbing. 10 sets of anything can get rather mind-numbing. I have to put […]
I’m with the band(s)
That’s right. I’ve been working with bands more. No, not that kind of band. I know in my last post I talked about music. No. This is something completely different. THESE bands. My latest BFF. I’ll be honest, I did not think highly of bands before. I didn’t know how to properly use them and […]
Hanging out with the “other” men…
Pyotr. Geroges. Franz. Ludwig. George. Alberto. These are the men I am currently hanging out with. Don’t you worry. My husband knows aaaaaall about them. Who on earth are these guys?!?!? And why is my husband OK with me spending time with them?!?! Let me give you a hint. Their last names are… Tchaikovsky. Bizet. […]