Last night I attended an event that would prove to draw an interesting crowd. Ok don't laugh when I say it, because it was actually very good.
I went with my mom and dad to a sing-a-long of Handel's "Messiah".
A what?
A sing-a-long. You heard me. So what it is, is there's a choir and orchestra, and soloists- the whole 7 octaves. (that's a nerdy music joke...translated less nerdily- The whole 9 yards). And as you enter, they'll hand you a choral score, and then you get to sing along with the chorus through Handel's "Messiah."
Now those of you that don't know my mom, shame on you. Everyone should. But she is very musically gifted, and grew up playing the piano and organ and singing. And therefore passed along (and slightly forced) her 2 children to grow up with music as well. I've spent my whole life in bands and orchestras and choirs and I can't tell you what a gift it is to be in a room with any number of people, and to come together as one group singing or playing music. It's powerful to say the least. So last night, we went up to Boulder and sat in a room with hundreds of strangers and just made music together.
Unfortunately I think choral music in general is not as appreciated as it should be by the general population. But it really did lift my spirits to see people from all different backgrounds and all different musical abilities coming to this event. I love watching music lovers listen to music. See them absorb it with their eyes closed and just let it really sink in. If I'm ever sick in the hospital, all I'll want is someone to hire a string quartet to come play for me.
That was probably a little over the top. But seriously. If you want me to get better, music is the way to do it. If you don't want me to get better...we might need to have a chat.
In the meantime, check out this video of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. And check out the initiative while you're at it! http://www.knightarts.org/random-acts-of-culture
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Brushing off the cobwebs...
Well, at least a little bit on this old blog.
Fact: I have not posted since July when I got my scruffy little black dog, Moche.
Fact: I have been reluctant to post anything since I got my scruffy little black dog, Moche.
Opinion: The past 6 months have been forgettable, and well...sucky.
So the truth is, settling back into life in the US has been much harder than I wished it would have been and I sort of feel like the last 6 months, I've been trying my best to run as quickly as possible through all the muck and mire that is cultural re-adjustment.
Have you ever tried to run through knee deep mud? It's not a quick process. Nor has feeling comfortable in the states been. I have a lot to be thankful for here though. And please don't get me wrong, I am thankful for my job, my family, my scruffy little black dog, Moche and for this period of pruning in my life. But that's what this period has been and is. Pruning. And I am most certain that all 3 people who will read this blog post can recall a time of pruning. It hurts. It's not fun. But it is what it is. And what it is, is beneficial. Maybe not seemingly so right now, but it will be.
The thing that has been the hardest (but will also prove to be the most rewarding) has been spending the last 8 months in a long distance relationship. As much as I don't fondly look back on these last 8 months, I know wholeheartedly that Jamesson and I have grown so much through this. So much so as a matter of fact that I, the girl who never believed that I could ever love someone as much or more than I love myself have realized that I, in fact, love someone much more than myself. (cue up cheese-fest music). This I am confident- we wouldn't have gotten this far in our relationship without these trials. And therefore, though I may say it with a slight twinge of acrimony...the difficulty has been good.
Anyway...all that to say I think I'm going to start blogging again. The light at the end of the tunnel seems to have turned on again.
Fact: I have not posted since July when I got my scruffy little black dog, Moche.
Fact: I have been reluctant to post anything since I got my scruffy little black dog, Moche.
Opinion: The past 6 months have been forgettable, and well...sucky.
So the truth is, settling back into life in the US has been much harder than I wished it would have been and I sort of feel like the last 6 months, I've been trying my best to run as quickly as possible through all the muck and mire that is cultural re-adjustment.
Have you ever tried to run through knee deep mud? It's not a quick process. Nor has feeling comfortable in the states been. I have a lot to be thankful for here though. And please don't get me wrong, I am thankful for my job, my family, my scruffy little black dog, Moche and for this period of pruning in my life. But that's what this period has been and is. Pruning. And I am most certain that all 3 people who will read this blog post can recall a time of pruning. It hurts. It's not fun. But it is what it is. And what it is, is beneficial. Maybe not seemingly so right now, but it will be.
The thing that has been the hardest (but will also prove to be the most rewarding) has been spending the last 8 months in a long distance relationship. As much as I don't fondly look back on these last 8 months, I know wholeheartedly that Jamesson and I have grown so much through this. So much so as a matter of fact that I, the girl who never believed that I could ever love someone as much or more than I love myself have realized that I, in fact, love someone much more than myself. (cue up cheese-fest music). This I am confident- we wouldn't have gotten this far in our relationship without these trials. And therefore, though I may say it with a slight twinge of acrimony...the difficulty has been good.
Anyway...all that to say I think I'm going to start blogging again. The light at the end of the tunnel seems to have turned on again.
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