Playing Violin for the Elderly

  . . . Is very stressful!! I forgot to mention I played violin on Friday for the older folks in a nursing home that is in Lisbon. Of course, I got there early (I'm always early or late because I have no working clock with me when I travel) and that's always awkward. I played a few songs but messed some of them up terribly. I guess all in all I didn't do too bad.
     I offered to bring a copy of Appaloosy in for them to read and such, but I couldn't bring it in right away because of the darn fact that I am still out of copies. I hope I get them soon.
    Some of the old people really appreciate the fact that I'm playing, and they talk to me and shake my hand and say stuff like, "oh, well I knew that song!" or, "My father played violin!" I like when people say that stuff. Other people just grunt and move their wheelchairs back to their rooms.
     I am so awkward in every way when it comes to performing. I am so shy, I really need to work on that. Why am I scared to show myself off to people? For pete's sake, I even look nervous in pictures!
     Speaking of which, there are none of me playing on Friday. No one was able to go with me so I had to go all by myself. I'll upload one of me playing in my performance garb, this one's at the Summer Reading program in Bismarck. This was one of the best places to go for selling books, and I had a lot of fun, but I think my grandma (who was with me) had to pretty much force me to play.