Dueling violin

The universe does not want me to play my violin.

If you heard me play my violin, you would understand why such a thing might come about. Last year, one of my New Year’s resolutions was that small animals should not fall from the trees when I tried to hit the high notes.

In August, my kids’ violin instructor offered a swap: I’d give her a copy of Seven Archangels: Annihilation and she’d give me a lesson. Sounds good, right? I even picked out what I wanted to work on. But shortly after we made the decision, a number of things came up to prevent me from actually getting to her house.

And then Kiddo#4, whenever he saw me with the violin, would come stand at my leg SCREAMING to be picked up. It neither helped nor hindered my intonation that I couldn’t hear what I was playing, but it was pretty darned annoying.

I took to sneaking the violin out when Kiddo#4 was occupied in another room. And then, if he heard me, he’d come and begin screaming to be picked up.

I couldn’t lock myself in another room for obvious reasons (ie, leaving the two year old completely unattended so I can make loud noises is generally considered neglectful, if not outright dangerous) and thus ended all attempts to practice. Even if I picked up my violin to help Kiddo#2 or Kiddo#3 figure out something on their instruments, there would be screams. Even if I tried to tune their violins.

Awesome.

Just after Christmas, Kiddo#4 switched his “two TV times” per day to one hour-long show instead of two half-hour shows. Every day he’d watch one of two videos. I always used that time for the rosary, but with it being an hour, that now meant I had time free at the end, and I could use that to play! He was occupied in one place. I knew where he was. All would be well.

I got in two practices in two days before Kiddo#4 completely gave up TV. After months of never missing his TV time every day, and sometimes asking for more, he forgot the TV even existed. And I know it’s not that he heard me playing because if he had, he’d have come to me, clawing my leg and howling.

The universe does not want me to play violin.

And I’m not sure I can blame it.