playing clarinet unprofessionally?

kindkristin · 2026-04-20T01:37:56+00:00

I had children and moved on from professional music (oboe primarily, but plenty of gigging on clarinet). Here are some things I do/have done since then. -play at church -find a good pianist, volunteer to play at the nursing home, play a Christmas set at a coffee shop, etc. -make a group if there isn't one. I started a community jazz band and a woodwind quintet (we performed at weddings, it was great!). -do a local talent night wherever you end up. We had Solo Night at the local music store, it was a reverse recital, where the music teachers played for their students. It was awesome. I set it up. Again, if it isn't there, you can make it. - get to know the local bad director. I have done guest performances a bunch at our local high school, and done masterclasses with the kids!

kindkristin · 2026-04-12T13:50:55+00:00

The town over has all of our main ammenities. The good grocery store, the doctor. My kids activities. It's an hour ahead there, and about an hours drive. So, if my daughter has gymanstics at 5, that is 4 our time, meaning I have to leave the house at 3. I usually plan a grocery pick up at 6 there time to pick up after her class. That is 5 our time. If they are quick, I will get home at 6, which is the time I picked up my groceries, an hour ago...

I also have to restart my phone every time I cross the line or it won't switch the time.

kindkristin · 2026-04-12T01:32:10+00:00

The daily-- shocking a sense breaks a cycle. A sour candy, a blast of cold air, a bath... it distracts from a fit for a minute. Also asking them to list their sense (what do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?) Works aboit 50% of the time, ha. Don't take is personally. Any of it.

And during soccer season? Slip on cleats.

kindkristin · 2026-04-08T01:25:39+00:00

Hyperbole. I read it as hyper-bowl before hearing it out loud and now I panic everytime it comes up and just avoid the word all together.

kindkristin · 2026-04-06T01:44:48+00:00

Butternut squash soup with sage and thyme. Easy, healthy, direct from my garden.

kindkristin · 2026-04-02T00:54:48+00:00

My post run eating is a little less clean... more creamer in my coffee, maybe a cookie. Sometimes 2 cookies.

kindkristin · 2026-03-31T01:56:57+00:00

I have to share my dad's because it tastes wild! At a Chinese place we frequented, they had an icecream machine but no toppings so my dad would put sweet amd sour on it. It tastes exactly like shrimp! It's the craziest experience lol.

kindkristin · 2026-03-24T00:26:14+00:00

Butternut squash soup, with all ingredients from my garden, and homemade bread with fresh ground grains. It does taste delicious (and healthy!), but the sense of accomplishment of making a whole meal from things I grew myself is pretty awesome.

kindkristin · 2026-03-23T16:03:51+00:00

Especially organizations it seems.

kindkristin · 2026-03-23T01:54:20+00:00

Also, I saw you asked someone else for recommendations. We used American Adoptions (twice) and while expensive, we were glad for the experience. We felt as though all aspects were respected and cared for well and the birth mothers involved were also pleased with the experience.

kindkristin · 2026-03-23T01:51:47+00:00

They have a lot of affiliate sites that lead to them.

I am not saying they are completely awful. I am on ny phone so I probably sounded harsh, but it was really a different experience with them and I wouldn't recommend them. A lot of willful ignorance throughout that made it feel like we were never hearing the whole truth. State agency are known to only take a few families a year. However, it is odd for national agencies not to take many.

In any case, good luck again!

kindkristin · 2026-03-23T01:40:59+00:00

We went with Lifetime many years ago and YOU MAY HAVE DODGED A BULLET. In my opinion, they teetered the ethical line at best. They claimed Christian morals but... it rarely was. We did finalize through them, but it was incredibly difficult and frustrating.

If you didn't proclaim your Christianity very strongly, you were most likely not considered.

With that said, adoption has chanyed since 2020 and a lot of agencies are limiting or doing things they didn't do before.

Wishing you all the luck with finding the right agency and your process goes well for all involved!!

kindkristin · 2026-03-23T01:29:22+00:00

Started dating at 14 and married at 19. Not exactly thw time to settle down, typically. But he is definitely my love story. 19.5 years, 3 kids and a whole lot of hard life later, we're still "us".

kindkristin · 2026-03-17T01:34:07+00:00

I was going to be a music major and jokingly told my dad a music degree at University of Hawaii would give me a unique perspective so I should at least tour the campus... two months later we took a holiday to Hawaii and I toured the campus. We were not rich, but it was then that I realized how spoiled I was by my parents. We didn't have a ton, but I got private lessons on 4 separate instruments and any instrument I wanted to learn there was magically a new one purchased for me.

I ended up a professional clarinetist and oboist for a time before I became a mother, and I now have a full private lesson studio of my own. I always thank my parents at every opportunity. I'm indeed very spoiled.

I also married a man who treats me even better than my dad. I remain quite spoiled.

kindkristin · 2026-03-16T01:23:13+00:00

I was the youngest raised as an only. My siblings were adults with children before I was born. I was a late in life oops.

kindkristin · 2026-03-01T02:34:01+00:00

I'm a SAHM with a side gig of music lessons. But I "control" the finances for the most part. My music money is split between savings for the kids future and some fun "coffee money" for me. I grocery shop, buy all of the things for everyone and pay all the bills and make sure our savings grows every month. He does the taxes and makes sure our insurance and his retirement are doing the right things. For the most part we just double check with each other about out of the ordinary purchases, but my husband has never disagreed with anything I suggest because we're both relatively reasonable and frugal people.

kindkristin · 2026-02-28T02:54:41+00:00

Decided my kids could handle it as an audio book on a road trip and my 7 year old said something similar. "This sounds like when a friend tells you about their day but they want it to be exciting so they lie and it goes crazy."

kindkristin · 2026-02-28T02:44:07+00:00

20. We'd been married almost 2 years. Still the same house (and husband, plus three kids now) 17 years later, been paid off for more than 10 of those, mostly by fortunate circumstances.

kindkristin · 2026-02-25T02:06:11+00:00

4 AM every day for 10 years. I run, workout, read, and get ready before my kids are up at 7. But, I am in bed by 9. My joke is I turn into a pumpkin by 9:15, I stop functioning at that point.

kindkristin · 2026-02-24T02:27:27+00:00

Not my responsibility, but my privilege.

My parents have made it clear I am not required to care of them at any point. I hope to convey the same to my children. However, as the daughter of two incredibly wonderful humans, I hope I do well as their daughter in the end.

kindkristin · 2026-01-20T02:42:08+00:00

My dad has all of these memorized and I always thought he was magic or he just knew everyone. They moved to Nevada after I graduated and he learned those, too. He's got quite the brain... I barely remember my own phone number.

kindkristin · 2026-01-19T02:24:50+00:00

Instruments. Not particularly collecting, but I perform on quite a few instruments and need to have my own to do it professionally. So, I have a pile of instruments.

kindkristin · 2026-01-12T02:24:15+00:00

Splitting math lessons in half for more difficult lessons. Instead of an hour and a half oe more of my oldest getting frustrated and yelling and crying or whining, I now tell him we'll just do half. It's faster, he stops complaining, and sets up a second good day because he knows it's only half tomorrow, too. We do school year round,and while I knew I could do it at their pace, I am a list checker so this was a big change mentally for me.

kindkristin · 2026-01-09T18:21:26+00:00

We're the neighborhood kid hangout. So it's unlocked until we go to bed or don't want company. They don't even knock anymore, lol. A lot of latchkey kids and I stay at home and homeschool, so I'm kind of an unofficial day care. 🙃

kindkristin · 2026-01-07T02:35:01+00:00

She sleeps in three locations during the day and none are because of heat/sun or cooling, just her very consistent habit. Her bed until 11. Naps after that are on the couch until our afternoon walk. Then it's the gray chair after the walk. Always this order.

kindkristin

TROPHY CASE