Posted by Wade on August 15, 2003 at 15:48:05:
In Reply to: Re: ABC News apropos to musicians posted by Tim on August 15, 2003 at 09:04:01:
I was not going to respond to this post, but it got me thinking.
Your post shows a lack of understanding regarding time management. This is the thrust of my rebuttal. So put on those asbestos undies, Tim.
This is my opinion; my experience. This is not some slamfest against Tim. OKAY???
With that in mind, let the games begin.
I hate it when people fail to read things carefully. How does one excel in university-level classes like that?
Read the article again.
The author CLEARLY states that to take a nap is a poor substitute for getting more uninterrupted sleep. Also, if you sleep more, you will retain skills better from day to day. He is attempting to refute those that claim that a quick nap will be enough. While this might help, again, it is not a substitute for uninterrupted sleep. This also is true regarding muscular rest and recovery after heavy practice.
You want to get a gig? (Or a job, if your are not pursuing a career in performance?) Stop whining about your lousy schedule and FIX IT! Stop socializing and learn to budget your time better. Do not even attempt to tell a whole bunch of college-educated tubists (pros and amateurs alike) that you never waste any of your valuable time drinking, going out or whatever it is that floats your boat. Instead, commit yourself to finishing school with an excellent education rather than merely accepting some silly "diploma" stating how you proudly maxed the minimums to get out. That means more focus using less time. If you want to do well in life, as a musician or whatever, you must do better than what is merely asked of you. This training usually starts in your university years. But many folks fail to see that their time spent in university is much more than a bunch of classes that lead towards a piece of paper.
I posted this to help interested parties better understand how important it is to discipline oneself to sleep more in order to max out your mental potential on your horn. Having a clear, thoroughly awake mind while practicing will save time, allowing you to "get it" quicker and quit sooner. Better efficiency and use of your time will give you ever more time with which to work, albeit incrementally. You can attain more with a little bit less work. This gives you a bit more time and less frazzled chops. It has an minor snowball effect.
Do your homework, put down the PlayStation and the beer, practice properly, and get adequate sleep.
Or you can continue to make excuses and watch the years pass you by as you roll through life as a member of the peloton, never leading.
Do not misunderstand me: I am not countering your opinion about the article. I am just tired of hearing students grouse about time management issues.
Tell you what.
I will excel at all of your classes, excel at your practice for you, work part time for you, teach, freelance, and arrange quintet stuff for your weddings and other freelance for you, IF you will just spend three months as the father of two children (one infant, one school-aged), work in an orchestra and quintet full time, teach at a university, teach at home, freelance twice a week, learn to play the bass well enough to gig, put together your own arrangements of many things for many people in many styles, and continue preparing for your own lessons (one per month, at this stage of life).
You will be overwhelmed and will drop the ball a whole lot while you redefine the term "not enough time" and I will have only minor adjustment problems at the very beginning.
Why? Experience. I have learned to succeed in school while paying my own way out of my own pocket. You are still doing that and are not ready yet for the evils of the "real world" (cue scary background music...). This is not a slam on you, but an attempt to point out how good things are for you right know-how sweet life can be while in school. After your three months in hell are served, I will be quite surprised if you still have the brass to claim that you can not find time to take better care of yourself while in the fake world of college.
And I REALLY am letting you off easy, as I failed to hold you accountable for any time spent playing with your kids, helping with their homework, watching the news, household chores, and (ahem) staying in tune with your marital relationship. (If you fail to find time for that one, your whole life starts to lose its focus and meaning!)
When you get a little older and have to work for a living, you will see firsthand just how poorly WE ALL manage our time while in college. And you will cringe every time that you hear some student whining about not having enough time to do everything and sleep.
Go practice. Do your homework. Get excellent grades. LEARN the material permanently. Find time to sleep and to exercise a bit. Work. The time is for all of it when you develop the knack. It just requires thought, application, and discipline.
Anyone determined enough to do it will do it.
Really.
Good luck to you, Tim.
Wade "trying to give decent advice to someone that probably does not want it anyway" Rackley