I asked about your plans for 2011 in my last post. How’d you go?

Me?

I’ve signed up for a Year of Music and Writing.

You know about me-and-the-writing, but maybe not so much me-and-the-music. You’ll need to have been around a while to know that side (kudos to those who remember when; thanks for hanging around ). In the intervening decade the muse was set aside in favour of growing up: having children, building houses, building business, balancing budgets, getting ‘serious’.

You also know from my last post, that didn’t necessarily play out the way we’d hoped. So this decade (where I undeniably leave the flush of young innocence behind) is where I get to take some of that accumulated wisdom and have a little more fun with it.

Maybe I’ve signed up for more than I can handle – there are still the kids, gorgeous husband, business partners and friends to support – but to quote a cliche that really seems to have its roots in some genius: Unless I’m happy, I can’t make them happy.

Rather than just writing a list of dreams, I have taken some positive action steps to ensure I realise my goals for writing and music success this year:
1. I’ve accepted an invitation to join the Sydney Philarmonia Choir’s Festival Chorus
2. I’ve enrolled for Alan Mill’s Year of Writing course run by the NSW Writers Centre
3. I’ve committed to an hour-long piano lesson a week

But I must recognise that the real impetus is thanks to my partner. 100% supportive of my goals and a true facilitator of them. For Christmas this year I got the piano of my dreams: Roland’s brand new HPi-7F. This digital flagship offers something for everyone: lessons for the kids, playbacks &recordings for composition and most importantly; a genuine replication of the tones, decay and touch sensitivity of a purebred.

I’m in love. May the honeymoon last all year and these dreams and plans inspire you to similar giddy heights. Tell me where you’re taking 2011.

Let’s get this conversation started,
Charlotte