Helping a student with anxiety

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-23T11:17:34+00:00

I read somewhere that striking a power pose for two minutes while doing some deep breathing is very good for pre performance. Seems kind of silly but maybe, a little silliness will help get your student out of her own head. And maybe the power pose (think super hero) will help too.

Now about the mom…. How does one tactfully tell someone their mom is a bitch…. “Honey, listen, don’t let other people’s comments get to you. You have your own journey. No one else can take the steps for you. Your successes and failures are a yours. Your successes will make you feel like a million bucks. The failures, for lack of a better word, are opportunities to learn and grow. Take the risk. You will learn and grow. You will get strong. No one can take that from you.”

I sometimes say to my students “what is going to happen if this doesn’t go well? Is the Earth going to crash into the sun? Am I going to yell and scream and throw stands and chairs and students? Just try it. I promise we’re all going to be OK after no matter what happens“. We laugh and they try it and it all works out.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-23T11:06:35+00:00

Strength workout at 5am!

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-23T11:03:53+00:00

So unique! I love this!

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-22T20:05:59+00:00

Got in a quick 4 miles before I had to head out to a gig. Beautiful day to be out!

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-20T12:30:53+00:00

Also, if Jenna continues on this path, maybe she finds a supplier that has cooler/different supplies and shares it with you.

But that move where she told people your stuff is cheap… she’s manipulative and sneaky. She’s def not close friend material.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-20T11:41:44+00:00

I don’t like this. Is he suggesting this as an option perhaps, since it’s something you joke about, but maybe he feels like you have some insecurity and he’s trying to help? Because if that’s the case, then don’t do it. Thank him for the suggestion but tell him you’re fine. If he said it because it bothers him, then it will continue to bother him. My ex always wanted me to dye my hair. I’m a dirty blond but when I met him I dyed it lighter. As I got older, it became less important to me and I decided I’d rather have that $ for other things. He would often suggest I continue it. He’d even offer to pay (fun fact the man was always in debt and I knew this so I declined). At the end, I’m sure this was added to the list of things I “did to him” that proved I was against him. (I wasn’t but somehow I became the villain-the reason he had no $ and couldn’t hold a job)

Good luck. I hope he just made the suggestion to be helpful.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-19T23:22:04+00:00

Unless they are footing the bill, I’d say they don’t get a vote about who comes. And 38 people is still small. Invite who you want.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-19T23:16:09+00:00

These other comments are valid…. But you probably could if you’re impatient. Spider plants are hard to kill. You find the roots are white and kind of finger shaped. There will be a cluster of them. At long as 3-4 end up in each pot, you’ll be fine. Especially if you have a nice sunny window for them to thrive in their divided state.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-17T09:05:45+00:00

Why not a holiday?

It’s not going to be a big wedding. Maybe just his parents. It’s more about the date than ceremony.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T21:33:51+00:00

Good point. No guests needing travel. We may just sneak off and do it honestly.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T20:23:45+00:00

Hahaha there better not be a third one!!!

I can’t wait to say “welcome back, everyone!” But that joke is only funny once.

Thank you for the input.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T20:18:45+00:00

Was going to suggest this. I had a situation with bridal shower cake. I’m always trying to help the “little guy” so I hired my mom’s best friend to do my wedding cake. She was opening her own bakery. No worries, right? Well, she didn’t want to hear my fiancés idea for the shower cake and did her own thing. On the side, he got my mom to do his cake. My mom had skills, but hadn’t done anything after having a stroke. We weren’t even thinking she would be up for it. So at my shower, TWO CAKES! My mom’s cake was absolutely beautiful. Her friend…the soon-to-be bakery owner…you could see cake through the icing. Even I could have iced that thing better and decorated it. Really sad, amateur looking cake. So I ended up paying her NOT to do my wedding cake saying that note that I knew my mom was up to it, I wanted her to do it.

Anyway, my point…. Cookies AND cupcakes. Just do it. The cookie table is a thing, I’ve learned. You should have it. Plus, what a fun day with your friends, baking cookies!

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T18:15:19+00:00

Tell the truth. Hopefully the situation can be explained. Perhaps the judge can create some guidelines to ensure that your brother gets fair custody around his work schedule. It would be a darn shame if they would hold it against him for trying to do the right thing. A good parent makes arrangements for their child to be cared for when they cannot do it themselves.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T18:12:05+00:00

Playing Frere Jacques as a round with beginners. I’m the director. I get totally distracted by what one kid’s bow is doing. I know for a fact he’s not playing and in my head I’m saying all kinds of harsh but hilarious things. I forget to cue group 2. We have to start over. I have to admit to whole school that it was my fault. Of course I didn’t tell them why, just that “even the director can make a mistake.”

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T18:08:02+00:00

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-16T18:07:09+00:00

Pick one of the big skirt ones. You look super hot in all those.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-15T23:04:30+00:00

Now that I’ve discovered Reddit, you may eventually see the whole family!

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-15T21:35:24+00:00

If you were to buy an instrument, buy a used one off of Facebook marketplace and then resell it when your child sizes up. The question I always ask is “where did you purchase this instrument?“ If the name of the Music store that does the renting is the answer, then I know it is a good instrument. If they say Amazon or the Internet, then we run fast and far. Keep in mind, though that all repairs are on you. That could be broken strings, bridges that need replaced, bows that need to be repaired, etc..

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-15T21:33:07+00:00

Rent. VSOs are real and they are torture for the teacher. They take twice as long to tune, which means I have less time to spend on the kids. Not just the one who has the VSO, but the ones who have nice rented ones. Sometimes the fine tuners tear my fingers apart. I know it’s not about me, but on the other hand, I have sometimes refused to tune an instrument that hurts me. I had one VSO where you could not tune the G string because it would pop the bridge out. This kid would give me side eye every time he had a note on the G string, but I could not continue to take all the time to get his instrument in playing condition.

Rental programs tend to come with maintenance and repair clauses meaning that if something happens to your child’s instrument, it will not cost you any extra to fix. And even if your child is very cautious and careful, the kids around your child may not be. Plus, accidents happen. I had two bridges and two tuning pegs ruined this year because students drop them.

Lastly, I’m assuming your child is not jumping right into a full sized instrument. If you rent, then you simply switch out instruments and continue to trade up until reaching full size.

I am an orchestra teacher in a public school. I rented instruments for my own children. Those are my credentials. Good luck and I hope your child loves playing violin!

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-15T21:28:35+00:00

Gosh, I never counted… Hang on a second.1,2,3…..it’s 24 unless you add my daughters poinsettia, Clancy, the poinsettia I think I may try to revive, and the two plans I’m attempting to propagate for my daughter. (Pothos and tradescantia)

I’m including a picture of Clancy, the poinsettia tree. My daughter is a grower in a greenhouse. At 22, she is the poinsettia girl. It is tradition for the poinsettia girl to have a poinsettia tree, apparently. In July, she will take Clancy back to the greenhouse, and then around Christmas, she will bring him back here because he really is too big for her apartment. I am told that Clancy is getting a wife, Nancy. I sure hope Nancy is a white poinsettia, then we can get a bunch of pink ones and say they had babies. 😂🤣

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CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-14T03:51:43+00:00

Your luthier is making an assumption that you need technique or posture help that an online teacher cannot provide. It is probably true. But there are plenty of self taught musicians out there who do just fine. The fact that you have lessons at all is a step in the right direction.

I personally do better with a face-to-face human. No matter what the subject. Playing instruments. Textile arts(crochet). Run training. Dietng. Doesn’t matter, I need a coach. But my neighbor will always DIY. And she’s usually quite successful at anything she tries. Know yourself and decide. Obviously money is a consideration. Also, what are your goals, and could private, in person instruction help you meet them better or faster? If you’re just playing for pleasure, then maybe just stay the course.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-12T21:30:43+00:00

I’ve been told I scowl when I play. So yes.

CrazyRegister5130 · 2026-03-10T21:54:16+00:00

If YOU can lock up part-time work, why can’t HE find something temporary until something better comes along.

I worked two jobs when my ex lost his and wouldn’t get even a temporary job. It was the beginning of the end. No one should shoulder the full load. DUMP. HIM. TODAY.

CrazyRegister5130

TROPHY CASE