I just wanted to say goodbye to all the wonderful people that I have met on this group. This will be my last day posting.

But why Kara???

makes me saddddd..sniff. sniff!

I`m sure sorry to see you leave, I`ve always enjoyed reading your posts. I hope you will be able to return soon.

PS My kitties miss your kitties already, LOL!

Last time this afternoon, I hope.

It`s certainly a rare occurance for us to be at each other. Believe me I have no ill feelings and I hope you will not as well.

Till next post.

man, i`ve read your post and stuff. Sry to see you leave the internet world. good luck

awwww! you`ve been so helpful, its a pity to see you leave. Best of luck in the future, God Bless!

Wow, that sucks. Your knowledge and eagerness to share your information and recommendations is one of the reasons I kept returning to this board. Good luck.

Oh wow! You guys are so sweet! I really had no idea.

After a response off of a posts (that I highly deserved) that I had made the other day, it really got me thinking. I was asked where I got my flute performance degree. I really felt like I should stop giving advice, because maybe this stuff is out of my league since,I don`t have a degree. I am no flute major, nor did I ever want to be. I just know the flute runs in my veins and I could never stop playing. It has been more fun to play from my heart then for the money.

I do play the flute professionally and am very proud that I made it this far without the degree. It was never my goal, it just happened this way. I certainly do not wish to misguide anyone. Sorry if I have.

I had time to think today, and after everyones thoughtful posts, I have definitely reconsidered. I am highly opinionated on certain things, and I promise to try and tone it down.

~Kara Kay~

Well Kara, you had my heart thumping for awhile as I read your first post!!
We know you are opinionated!! But, I for one, have seen such growth in your communication skills over the amount of time I have been on this (and the other) forum.

Remember, when feelings/opinions run high and hot, things can be said in haste that may not portray true feelings.

Having a degree is only one part of knowledge (sometimes it is a requirement for employment), but there are other qualifications that can be equally as important. You have the passion, and have attempted to gain well-rounded experience and training in many aspects of flute.

I think you have been very open and frank about your experience level. We all must keep this in mind as we ask questions and accept your opinions and input. There are very few things that result in an absolute answer, so I wouldn`t worry when any of us disagrees with your take on things.

Hang in there!
Kippsix

Thank you so much Kippsix! If I could hug you I would! I think that it just boils down to me having the worlds lowest self esteem. I was miserable before and took it out on everyone else but have only changed because of one thing, or should I say man? I do slip at times though, but I am finding my way now.

Kara - never let people with lower self-esteem than you pull you down from where you stand, and don`t let them stop you from posting your valuable contributions to this forum.

Thank you rumsurfer. That is great advice.

Dear Kara, (excuse me for addressing you this way, though I don`t know you personally and most probably I will never do):

I could only read your post this morning, due to the time difference and so my reply is late. But as I could quickly read the whole thread, my distress to know you were leaving the Forum lasted only a few seconds.

Everybody has expressed their feelings quickly and with such refinement that is far beyond my reach in English.

Anyway I would like to tell a few things, though you probably know them.

Internet is something magic; it`s instantaneous, fully global -and anonymous for the main part.

I often find myself regretting having written and posted something in a Forum and particularly in this one, where everybody has a special sensitivity which I so much appreciate.

But once something is written and posted, there it remains "forever", in nice black letters on white virtual paper, exposed to the eyes of everybody, in so many different countries and cultures.

I could say that the culture in America tends to be too direct in expressing concepts, in other countries it is the contrary and there, you`re never sure of what a person really means. I do not know what is better. I`m not critiquing anybody or any culture, just reflecting on these differences.

But I think these are facts and we must all learn to live with these differences. This situation is quite new in our culture. It is some 10 years that we are exposed so directly and in real time to so many ways of thinking, expressing ideas and opinions. And knowledge, I must add.

Also, we all use this kind of "Lingua franca" that English has become, but not everybody can use it well enough (that`s sometimes my own case).

In Internet one makes -and sometime loses- virtual friends in seconds, a process that before was a slow and normally carefully process of selection and mutual decision.

I`m not sure how important a degree in music could be in the USA. Maybe for teaching in Academies or Schools it could be mandatory, but certainly it is not important for playing instruments, enjoying this most wonderful aspect of life that music is and also for awaking in others (whom the performer does not know at all), those strong sentiments that the good interpretation of a piece can arise.

We all have ups and downs, and when we are down, we tend to renounce to things that normally are beneficial and positive for us.

This is a strange reaction that we humans have, a kind of self-punishment that I believe is more or less universal. May be I am extrapolating my own experience, but I have seen it in others. Once this behavior is recognized, however, I think we must learn and practise not to yield to it.

We are not perfect, particularly when we argue in writen (even if we had an eternity to reflect on our own words).

Therefore, learning how to coexist with everybody, taking a person`s good parts (normally a large majority) and leaving aside the more negative aspects is an important part of our life experience.

I can say that you are young and so have lots of time to perfect this learning. I`m much older and still have lots to learn and less time. But this changes nothing. The process is the same.

Please receive my kindest regards.

What he said!

Jose Luis,
It may be that people in the US speak more frankly but it does not mean that it is best.
There have been recent newsr articles about the kids chatting online. They have been discussing how they feel at the moment, dropping the usual politeness of closer contact and arguing online. The only catch is that these kids are from the same school. When they get to school the next day, they continue the arguments which are now physical fights.

I`m not sure if it`s how frankly we communicate in the US but I think that when we drop the mutual respect and politeness that should be given as it is expected from others, we then tend to give in to base rudeness which just hurts others.

Welcome back Kara, Your knowledge is valued here.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio