A challenge

I went into town today to get a couple of refunds on stuff I couldn't be arsed to try on before buying, and the music shop lured me in with its pretty saxophones in the window. While I was there I thought I'd have a look for some clarinet music to play at Emily's wedding next month (nerves a go-go, I'm terrified, but she was one of my best friends at school and I can't afford a half decent wedding present, so if she wants me to play, then play I will). The clarinet music was a bit of a fail, partly because I got distracted by the piano books.

I feel like I've spent the last few years using up half my energy on wishing I could play piano better. I've been playing since I was five, but I stopped having lessons (and as such, stopped improving) when I was eleven, and it hit me this morning that that means I gave up HALF MY LIFE ago. I couldn't help but feel a bit sad about that. I love piano. SO. I've set myself a challenge. Why don't I stop wasting my time wishing I was better at piano, and use the time I save by not doing that on actually doing something about it?

There was a whole shelf for the Trinity Guildhall exam books. I know ABRSM is the exam board that most people use - and it's who I did all my clarinet exams with - but a) I did grades 1-4 on piano with Trinity and b) this shop didn't have any of the AB books in. (Also c) Trinity don't ask for as many scales and arpeggios and they attribute more marks to your pieces than all the exercises that I'm crap at, like aural, so it's a slight cop-out. Hooray :P) So I've gone back to Trinity. I had a look at grade 5 and it actually looked fairly easy, so I put it back. Grade 6 - with some hard work, it looks achievable. Grade 7 - sold out. Grade 8? *snigger* I know - as if. But I had a look anyway and while it does look hard, it doesn't look as hard as I thought it would. It doesn't look impossible. With some time and effort...oh, I really want grade 8. DO IT, CLAIRE, BUY IT BEFORE YOU CHICKEN OUT.

I'm now the proud and slightly apprehensive owner of Trinity Guildhall Piano Grade Books 6 and 8. I have summer at home with my piano, and I'm going to get grade 8. Even if it kills me.