Dear Homeschooling Friends,

Music... beautiful, clear, refreshing, cool, relaxing, peaceful. I’m sitting here typing in my room; it’s almost nine and it’s a beautiful dark night outside. I have my window open and there’s a cool breeze floating in and playing around my face. Music is dancing out of the computer speakers… a piano being played full of feeling by Ernesto Cortazar, a musician and composer from South America. It’s just beautiful! (I wish you could hear it) Sometimes music is more beautiful than anything else to me—more beautiful than words, more powerful than art, more meaningful than thought. Ahhhhhhhh....

Oh, sorry, I forgot I was supposed to be musing. ;-)

You must know what I mean about music yourself, at least just a little. I like most kinds of music, but some classical types of music just seem better, purer, cleaner, more uplifting than any other kind of music. Playing the violin might have something to do with what I like. I used to play only classical music, which I loved. Now, I also play folk, Irish, Jewish, and country. Actually, I haven’t played my violin for a while now. I really should take it out and play it so that I don’t lose my hard-earned skills. I study and work most of the time these days, so I don’t find much time to play my violin.

This week I have off for spring break. I’m really looking forward to a week with no studying! I really have been enjoying some of my classes this year, but it feels good to take a break from the constant "I should be studying" feeling. I feel like doing something creative this week. Maybe I’ll draw or make a painting, maybe I’ll write a story, maybe I’ll redesign apricot once again (!), or maybe I’ll write music and play it on my dusty violin. Yes, and I’ll also try to get a haircut and some new clothing, go into Boston, work more, and attempt to see a friend or two....

In the meantime, you my friends who I can’t see right now, enjoy apricot and breath some of your creativity into it!

Ben Kniaz