I began my search for the ultimate laptop backpack in 2020 that could double up as a minimalist travel bag. At the time, my shortlist contained the Tortuga Setout Divide, the Nomatic Travel Pack, and the Everki Atlas. When it was time to choose, there could only be one. Only the Everki Atlas could hold my 17” laptop, so it was a no brainer. However, after three years of use, I can safely say that I am so glad that I wound up with it. The Atlas’ sturdy construction has withstood the test of time. The pouches and zippers were well thought out. And at $169.99 USD, it’s a pretty good deal. Check o ..read more

(originally published in the Winter 2022 APTA News & Views) I got schooled by one of my students earlier this year: “What cameras do you use for Practice Time and Trip Up the Teacher?” she asked. “The Logitech camera overhead and my laptop camera, recording through StreamYard” I replied. “Bruh, no. Laptop cameras suck. The video is so grainy. I can’t look at it. And don’t use StreamYard unless you’re livestreaming. Go old school. Do. It. The. Old. Fashioned. Way.” Using Multiple Cameras for Teaching Zoom and other web conferencing platforms make it extremely easy to connect multiple camera ..read more

Last year, I shared some of my early steps towards understanding my migraines and working towards mitigating the triggers and symptoms in my June 9, 2021 post, Adventures in Migraine Prophylaxis. I have learned quite a bit in this past year. In my latest vlog, I show my migraine trackers for 2021 up to May 2022, sharing what changes I have made to help me better manage what I call, “Migraine Brain.” From vitamins to migraine hats, find out how they have changed my life since Winter 2021: As every migraine is different, I’m still learning and tweaking my migraine management routine. Fellow migr ..read more

My quest for the perfect me-sized office chair began at the end of November. After nine months of teaching music lessons online, sitting at my piano bench, my back muscles said that enough is enough. It was time to look for an office chair with proper back support. I was in the market for something a little different - a work and play chair. A gaming chair. I began as many do in this age, with a shout out on Facebook for chair recommendations. A few friends chimed in but very quickly, I realized that they were recommending chairs that worked for them, not for a petite person who stands under 5 ..read more

This week, my students and I are exploring various online music games and going on virtual tours. I figure we can all use a lighter load this week and some fun projects to “work” on over the Christmas Break. Here is a quick list of what we have been exploring: Online Music Games Orchestra from the Magic Flute: Students listen to a short clip, featuring an instrument in the orchestra. They have to correctly identify the instrument for it to take to the stage. Channel Scramble: Test your ear to identify which channel has been assigned to a particular instrument. Kandinsky: Create a painting and ..read more

As we start to prepare for 2021, I embarked on a quest for the perfect cashflow planner. Yup. A paper planner., because I suck at keeping track of things if it’s solely digital. I bought the Budgeting Workbook from Amazon for $9.01 CAD. It is a best-selling item for its category on Amazon and has received positive reviews. The one that said that the planner made budgeting “fun” intrigued me. Budgeting Workbook Specs Monthly & Weekly Budget Planner pages for one year Expense Tracker Bill Organizer for one year Note pages Check out my vlog, which features a detailed flip through: I d ..read more

My ongoing quest to find the perfect planner led me to the Bullet Journal method, which has been, for the most part, the ideal planner. However, my challenge remains as it always has been - time. It just takes so much time to lay out all the spreads. At the beginning of the school year, I embarked on a quest for the perfect planner with pre-made spreads, but still has the flexibility to work as a Bullet Journal. My journey led me to the Wordsworth Daily Planner, which has various elements of bullet journalling that I love, without spending hours setting up spreads. The Wordsworth Planner I pur ..read more

Last week, I picked up the Posture Medic in hopes of fixing my bad desk posture once and for all. What is the Posture Medic? The Posture Medic is a resistance band that helps you stabilize your posture. It also can be used for stretching and exercising. I purchased it from Calgary Co-Op Home Health Care for $39.99 CAD before taxes. It is also available at Amazon via my affiliate link. My Posture Medic Unboxing Video To learn more about the Posture Medic, visit their website ..read more

My journey with studio technology really took off in 2012 with Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 3.0: Water Night. Virtual Choir opened the doors to experimenting with multiple cameras, audio and video editing projects, and live streaming. When we switched to online music lessons due to the pandemic, I simply dusted off some of the equipment and away we went. Since then, I have upgraded and added a few new items to my studio tech setup. Read on: Platform for Online Lessons Initially, I offered online lessons via Facebook Messenger, Skype, and Zoom - whatever my students preferred. As time went on ..read more