The cost to be comfortable...is worth it!

How have you been? I have been busy-- and yet I have projects that have been pushed aside while I finish others, making me feel like I never quite finish what I intend to each day. That is called life-- keep running up that hill!

One thing that has helped me in my never-ending journey, is to realize that being comfortable is an important stress-fighter when you are adding more stress to your life. I am never going to be without the stress of instrument practice or composition or teaching or studying-- but I can be comfortable while I do it so that I can focus on the task at hand.

So what does this mean? Well, what are you wearing? What are you eating? Are you so concerned about what things cost in comparison to the quality of the item? Let's say that we are talking about sandals. You can always pay $20 and get a pair that feel "alright" for a week, but you know that they will not last and that they are "cheap". You can end up buying these each summer costing you more and more and creating more trash. You could have bought a nice pair-- maybe spend 3 times the amount, but they always fit right, they are built rugged, and they last 3-5 years. You save money and you remain comfortable. You may also be supporting a company that takes pride in their work and not a company that has a machine-only made product. I don't think I need to go into the debate about hand-made quality versus quick/cheap machine-made. Want a plastic violin?

As for food, this should be a given. Want bloating? Want a stomachache? Of course not! Then figure out what makes you feel good when you eat it (gives you energy) and what is good for you. These two things will probably go together. Fried and sugary foods have a similar effect on all people, it is just that some weigh the quick pleasure of taste over the bad digestion. I think it is not worth it. Find foods that are good to digest for you and make them the majority of your diet-- you are too busy to lack energy! Look up non-inflammatory foods and see what many runners are eating. You can't run for too long on bad fuel!

Sorry to be preachy. Where is the music tie-in? I am trying to sell old equipment to afford a keyboard. This keyboard does not have the bells and whistles of the workstations that hold thousands of samples and contain a touch-screen computer and such. This keyboard has one main feature-- the keys are wooden like a real piano, and the feel and action are as much like the real thing as you can get. It is all about the touch to me-- feeling comfortable! It is worth it.

Next time you are weighing the options between quality and cost, think about comfort first and foremost. How long is this life? Imagine buying the cheapest bed and spending a third of your life with nightly uncomfortable rest? Think about it.

Thank you!