Project 2012 - Learn the Violin

My challenge for January will be to learn the violin (start to anyway). In June, I will begin taking my ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) tests for music theory, piano, violin and possibly clarinet. I am pretty comfortable on the piano and clarinet, but I have only held a violin a handful of times in my life.

So, according to the ABRSM violin syllabus, I will need to know the following:

Scales

D major

A major

E natural minor

G major

Arpeggios

D major

A major

E minor

G major

3 Songs

The piano and clarinet songs for grade 1 are very simple and were each learned in a day. Assuming I spend the first chunk of time getting comfortable with the scales and arpeggios, I am not at all worried about learning the songs.

My plan as of now:

Today (1 January) - Restring the violin and break in new rosin

1-4 January - G major scale and arpeggio

5-7 January - D major scale and arpeggio

8-11 January - A major scale and arpeggio

12-14 January - E natural minor scale and E minor arpeggio

15-16 January - Song 1

17-18 January - Song 2

19-20 January - Song 3 (and Life in the UK test!)

21-26 January - Business trip - no practice :(

27-29 January - Practice, practice, practice!

30-31 January - Business trip - no practice :(

30 Books in 30 Days - The End (for now!)

Due to circumstances in my life this month (work, travels, Life in the UK test), I will be postponing the 30 Books in 30 Days bit of Project 2012. I will start all over again in a couple of months.

In January, I'll be learning the violin instead!

30 Books in 30 Days - Book 6

Yesterday I read Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith.

I have already read the first two The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books. I like them because I can very easily read them in a couple of hours. I think that things are getting a bit dull at this point in the series, but I have read them all quite recently. I really dislike two things about the book. Firstly, one of the main characters states that all pretty women (she calls them 'girls') are vacuous, and it is put in such a way that assumes all readers will agree. Secondly, I don't like the portrayal of depression. As someone with loads of experience with chronic depression, I hate that so many authors seem to get their knowledge of the disorder from books rather than people who actually have it.

Would I reread it? No. I wouldn't get anything out of reading it again.

Would I recommend it? I would recommend the series for anyone looking for very quick, simple reading.

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This book: 246

Project total: 1203

30 Books in 30 Days - Book 5

Today I read Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

Any time Robin and I discuss the very few cases where a movie is better than the book, he mentions Fight Club. After reading it, I absolutely agree. It's so fragmented that it becomes nonsensical, and it's annoyingly repetitive. Of course, as I've seen the movie and already know the surprise ending, that probably did ruin it for me.


Would I reread it? No.

Would I recommend it? No.

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This book: 208
Project total: 957

30 Books in 30 Days - Book 4

Today I read The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

Somehow, I've managed to miss reading this book or seeing the movie before now. I was very upset by the first part of the book, which is the point. Walker is fantastic at writing in character, which in my opinion is matched only by Mark Twain in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Would I reread it? No.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

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This book: 245 pages

Project total: 749 pages

30 Books in 30 Days - Book 3

Today I read ella minnow pea by Mark Dunn (recommended by Louise).

When I was first told about the book, it sounded like a brilliant idea! Basically, the use of certain letters is forbidden as they fall off a sign in the town centre, and citizens must learn to communicate without them. However, I think the idea is much more interesting than the book actually is, and I imagine it was much more fun to write than it is to read.

Would I reread it? No way.

Would I recommend it? Only to those who appreciate wordplay. For the average reader, probably not.

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This book: 203 pages

Project total: 504 pages

30 Books in 30 Days - Book 2

Today I read Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (recommended by Bartek).

It is a fantastic collection of non-fiction stories (all branching from the main story) about the kind of adventurer I most sympathise with. The main character very much reminds me of me, though I imagine that's the case with most people who read it. It is glorious in the same way Dead Poets Society is with all its Thoreau-inspired marrow-sucking.

Would I reread it? No. The most quotable, memorable bits are the quotations from other works.

Would I recommend it? Most definitely.

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This book: 202 pages

Project total: 301 pages

30 Books in 30 Days - Book 1

So, I'm actually starting January's project early. This is because I have to take the Life in the UK test at the end of January as I am applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and would like a little time to prepare for that.

I am starting today, and will have to complete my last book by 23:59 on 21 Jan, 2012. The only rule I have set for myself is that I will not read two things by the same author. I am reading things that have been recommended, look good, or are unread things around the house.

The first book was The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. (I had initially planned to start with Into the Wild but it's a longer book and I had too many other things to do. So that one is tomorrow!)

I haven't read enough Hemingway to compare this to his other works, but the book was very simply written and quite sweet. A very nice story about an old man and a fish (not the sea), though I think it would have been better condensed to half the current length.

Would I reread it? No. It wasn't spectacular.

Would I recommend it? No. While it is sweet, it's also dull and long-winded.

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This book: 99 pages

Project total: 99 pages

30 Books in 30 Days - The List

I will update this list as I go.

1 - The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway

2 - Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

3 - ella minnow pea - Mark Dunn

4 - The Color Purple - Alice Walker
5 - Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk

6 - Morality for Beautiful Girls - Alexander McCall Smith

Project 2012

In 2012, I will attempt 12 month-long projects that I hope will improve me in some way - mentally, physically, creatively, etc.

I don't know everything that I will do yet, but my ideas so far:

• Read 30 books in 30 days
• Learn all the more popular ceilidh dances
• Take a 30-day vow of silence (this one will be the most difficult because of work)
• Write a book
• Paint a picture a day
• Knit a blanket
• Write a string quartet
• Train to run 5k
• Vegan for a month

That's all I've come up with so far! First up is 30 Books in 30 Days!