Leftover hobbies

I used to teach singing. Oh, wait. I got paid for that. Maybe it doesn't count as a hobby, then. I did, however, also have a children's choir that I didn't get paid for, so the hobby thing still applies somewhat.

I did those things.

Past tense.

I'm not likely to do them ever again, as far as I can tell.

It's not that I didn't enjoy them. Well, the teaching bit got a little old, but that was partly because I was doing it on weekends after a full work week (as full as a part-time job gets, anyway) when I just wanted to not be working.

That, and the vocalises. Spending your Saturday mornings listening to vocalises and other exercises and marking theory papers is about as fun as it sounds.

Anyway. The point of this was that I did do those things, but I don't now.

The problem is that the leftovers don't just go away once you're done.

My room -- and former studio -- at my father's place is filled with music. There's a filing cabinet full of choral music (as well as all the binders that I'd put the currently-used music in) and a shelf full of teaching stuff. And that's not even mentioning the pile of books on the piano.

Um, yeah. My bedroom at my father's place is full of music AND a piano. And it's not like it's a big room, either.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what to do with all of it. With the exception of the piano, although I suppose I think of that, too. I'm not saying that I'd get rid of it all, especially since I still use a lot of the books for my own personal singing, but the old Conservatory books aren't doing me much good anymore (and wow, is their website ugly), and the choral music is being wasted just sitting there.

I feel a bit guilty about it just sitting there, to be honest.

And while I feel guilty, the cat is thinking "why are you taking photos of music on your unmade bed, doofus? And why is there a duck behind me?" I'm not entirely sure on both counts, really. I do at least know that the photo on the shelf is the U of A Mixed Chorus, circa late 80's, of which I was a member.

I'm standing behind the duck.

Um, anyway. About the music. I'm thinking very seriously about donating the choral music to the church that lent me practice space when I still had the choir. I don't think they have a junior choir at the moment, but they might in the future. A lot of the music -- especially the holiday pieces -- would do for the adult choir, anyway. At any rate, the music's more likely to get used if it's out in the community, so it sort of makes sense.

I think.

Maybe I should phone them first. You know, rather than dumping a few boxes of music and running.

As for the rest... oh, I don't know. I suppose I'll find something when the time comes that I need to find something. It's just too bad that leftovers don't automatically poof away when the hobby's no longer a hobby, is all.

And as for the cat? I'm assuming that he'll keep being judgemental. It seems to be his forte.





And as for the duck?...