So, we have here that most rare of things, a gorgeous sunny Vancouver winter day. It is truly glorious. Am I going for a hike? No, I am not. I do not hike. Much.
No, instead, I am sitting inside enjoying the light through a window, which is how I most like to enjoy the sunshine. I may have been a cat in a former life. And what else am I doing as I luxuriate in the sun and write to you, my friends?
I am boning up on pop music. Continue reading
When we moved a few months ago, we were pretty shocked at the amount of stuff we had. And hoarders we’re not, I’ll tell you. But still, living in a place you end up with a lot of things. It just happens.
So in an attempt to simplify (and enter the new millennium) we bought one of those iPods that has a bazillion gigabytes and decided to put all of our music on it and get rid of our CDs.
Now. I think I bought my first CD when I was about 14. My husband might have even started a bit earlier – I don’t know. But my point is, we had a lot of CDs. And you know, even though you don’t want to get rid of them, there are a lot of old ones you really don’t listen to much anymore, so they go to the back of the collection and you kind of forget about them.
But now they’re on this little machine. They aren’t ordered by newest or most popular. No. They’re ordered by alphabet. Unless I want to stick with musicians starting with A, they’re all more or less equally accessible.
So as I scroll through this endless library, I come across this great stuff that I haven’t listened to in ages. It’s fantastic and nostalgic and just really happy.
And now I’ve got Rhapsody in Blue on. I can’t remember the last time I listened to it. But that clarinet at the beginning still just completely slays me. Bliss.
I went to a Mozart concert yesterday. Mass in C, if it matters. It was a good concert. Everyone likes Mozart, after all, and the orchestra was sharp and the choir was massive and there were many nice sounds being made.
Now this is going to make me sound like a total philistine, but I’m afraid I fell asleep for a little bit in the middle.
Don’t get me wrong. I love classical music and I dig Mozart as much as the next guy. But the theatre was dark and warm and the music was soothing and it just happened.
The parts where I was awake were very moving though. And I realized my problem wasn’t with the music or the performers, but with being in the audience.
I used to be in a band. Concert band. I played the flute. It was a long time ago but it was a lot of fun. Music has power for me, for a lot of people, I’m sure, and making it — being a part of it with other people — lets you enjoy it from a different angle than just listening. I want that back.
This concert made me nostalgic for it and now I think I want to be in a band again. I have no idea where I’ll find the time or if there’s even a band around here to join or if I’m still good enough to play in a band. But I think maybe I should find out.
Sounds like excellent New Year’s resolution fodder.
Sorry for disappearing on you there. I am in Hawaii for two weeks with limited access to internet. And by limited access, what I mean is that I’m in Hawaii and have no intention of spending very much of that time in front of a screen. It’s not that I don’t love you. It’s just how it’s got to be. Continue reading
I watch a lot of movies. I don’t have a TV, so mostly it’s going to the cinema. I probably go to the movies five or six times a month. I almost always see things on the opening weekend because I’ve already seen everything else. I have (many times) walked out at the end of a movie, turned around at the box office, and bought a ticket for whatever else was showing next. Continue reading
I adore music. I love its power to make me happy or studious or motivated to kick ass at the gym. I love that it can occasionally make me cry. I love that you can listen to music with people who don’t speak your language and share an experience with them. Continue reading
My One Precious Life 