Well that was a lousy two years

Yeah yeah yeah, good things happened too. But just like everyone else, having to hold 2-3 jobs and ending up covering hours on behalf of every loser burned away the good things too. And frankly made me give up. There goes feeling like I might have been unique.

So forget all dreams. I'm onto enjoying precious moments. Raves like my favorite foods, chocolate, products will begin. And music. When I can find any that doesn't roll my eyes into my head from boredom.

THE EXCELLENT STUFF. ONLY THE EXCELLENT STUFF. When I say Excellent, I mean the things that make life worth living. The stuff that makes one get off the couch when totally tired of living in a senseless world. As in "God life sucks -- do I hear the sound of a chocolate package crinkling? Whoo hooo!"

That's the sound of real living. Yum.

Three days before he appeared at the Metro station, Bell had filled the house at Boston's stately Symphony Hall

Somewhere there is a place where people don't need to be told when something is beautiful.
We don't live there, apparently.

We already found out for ourselves the hard way.
We didn't realize until recently that few hearts and eyes and ears are actually connected.
But it still hurts to see it in the article and video below.
There are enough nails in the coffin of the arts that there is no more room to pound in any more.

So that's why when we find that rare, connected person, it's a special event.
- C


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A onetime child prodigy, at 39 Joshua Bell has arrived as an internationally acclaimed virtuoso.
Three days before he appeared at the Metro station, Bell had filled the house at Boston's stately Symphony Hall,
where merely pretty good seats went for $100.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

Heart-throb Fiddler!

Heart-throb Fiddler! Alex Depue
He looks young but this guy's been playing for 25 years.
He can do ANYTHING. Classical, bluegrass, pop covers. Beautiful tone and also wicked fast chops that never stopped.

Last Saturday night we saw Alex Depue play as a duo with Michael Tiernan, a real sweetie in his own right.

Alex didn't steal the show because the musicians could read each other's mind.

This means the song and singer Michael Tiernan got the spotlight. But Alex ran in and out of that spotlight. His playfulness and sly looks to the audience at just the right moment kept us laughing.

My guy ran sound for his Swallow Hill Music Assoc. show and the reverb and sound was rich and full and everyone fell in music-love. Completely packed house-concert sized venue. 80 or more. A house concert on steroids but still an intimate feel.

Video: Alex Depue cover of a YES song some years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHC_Qyov2Xc

Website: http://www.thefiddler.org/

Classical music on his myspace: http://www.myspace.com/alexdepue

Who wants to be a Rock Star?

If a counselor came to your school's Career Day and asked "HEY, who wants to be a Rock Star?", nearly every kid would wave their hand yelling, "YEAH! ME!"


But let's say the counselor asked: "Who wants to travel around in unsafe vans, stay in grungy motels to sell beer in creepy dive bars. Try to use the bathrooms without touching anything. And SOMETIMES YOU EVEN GET TO SLEEP IN THAT VAN! And - And - AND you get to come home in soul-crushing debt! Whoo hoo! "

How many kids would jump up and raise their hands?

Same damn thing, people.

I love MUSIC. After all that hassle, music is the last thing that gets created. Sound always sucks anyway so it's not like anyone can hear it. No point in killing myself with exhaustion. It kills the Muse quickly. Ever wonder why your favorite band's CDs start to suck after that first killer release?

Luckily I was naturally distrusting of everyone and didn't bother to ask for anything like a record contract. But the LIE still pisses me off. I greatly appreciate the musicians who tell their true stories, now that the internet lets us communicate. Otherwise convincing band mates not to "pay to play" would have been impossible.

*********************
That distrust also helped me during the Dot.Com era:
"You want me to work for less money as a web developer to receive the promise of stock options? "

"Puh... Ha ha ha ha ha. Good one. "

One guy was very impressed I was adamant about not tying myself down. He said he was glad I wasn't giving up the dream. They asked many times one year yet not even a hint of stock option greed hit my gut.

Truth was, I didn't trust either business.

Still don't.

For good reason, it turned out.

And the music is still beautiful.

Adieu False Heart

Adieu False Heart by Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy

I only loaded this CD into the listening center at the store because my Mom loves old Linda Ronstadt songs and we often like the same music. I was curious to hear something new by her.

I'VE GOT TO GET THIS CD!

I played it for my guy Allen with the cover hidden. His eyes went wide and he heard two songs with rapt attention. Who Is This? he asked. He was as surprised as I was.

I recall reading an interview with Linda saying she wasn't always happy with her singing. In the early days she didn't know that a song could be played in a better key for her voice.
Well, this recording has every key perfect for her voice. She creates such beautiful colors and sounds more free and light. She's completely in love with every note. And the duo of the two women's voices is perfection. The first track alone, with that passionate fiddle, was enough to melt my heart.

One more CD on the 20+ CD wish list. But it cut in line to get to the top of the list.

[Dec: Got a Christmas gift certificate so got the CD right away. It's even better than what I heard on the short samples!]