2019

Happy New Year, everyone!

Reading everyone’s wrap-ups of their 2018  has inspired me to reflect, as I am so fond of doing. I’m grateful for the traveling and the new people I’ve met this year. I’m excited to follow through with the many changes I’ve made to the more physical aspects of my playing. I’m thrilled to enter the new year after a run as a split chairholder on an iconic show that has brought happiness to so many families and friends. I feel satisfied and in shape.

Mostly though, I’m tired of being angry and bitter. I’m tired of being hard on myself for not having what I think I deserve. I’m tired of feeling guilty for never truly being happy for anyone who is successful, musician and civilians alike. This year, I’m going to be happy with what I have because, outside of my career, I am pretty satisfied with my life! To go a step further, I’m actually not all that disappointed in what I get to do on the horn until I hear about an opportunity I don’t have.

I am fortunate and grateful to have a beautiful family, a nice place to live, and money to buy food and clothes. I have a network of loving relatives that are actively involved in my childrens’ lives, and we even have a cousin on the way. I have friends I can talk to if I feel lonely or sad, and I have a great horn to play. I know any one of these things is more than some people have, and I am going to spend this year working on celebrating those things. 

I hope you all will join me in taking stock of the many gifts you have and using that positivity to make you stronger. Every person that reads this gives something different to the world with the gifts that they have, and I want to be a person that helps others offer their best everyday. So bye bye 2018: it was great knowing you, but I think it’s time for a new year with less posting and scrolling, more concerts and plays (watching, not working!), more practicing, shorter blog posts, and more happiness. ❤️