Every Year, December 1 Every year has different elements & configurations, but as of December first each year I look at my calendar in wonder and love my job all over again. Who gets to do this? Musicians. shorthand: December 8, 12, 13, 14; Dec 16, 18, Dec 21, Dec 22 (I believe that’s 8 for 19 days? 2 years ago it was 5 for 8 days which was pushing the limits a little…) Corelli, Popper, Bach, Handel, Mozart, misc Christmas arrangements; Jensen, sereda, Swannel/Young, Ostertag, Cobain, Sting, Eberhardt. Youth Orchestra, Symphony, Youth Orchestra String Quartet (+ a few more to do Brandenburg 3), Georgian Bay Orchestra (Messiah), Amati at Leith Church the next day. Rehearsals for all of them, in-between (where the belly-laughs happen). This is what Christmas is, to me. It has nothing to do with Malls or stores or wrapping paper – just incredible people, music, laughter and good, honest, hard work. More to come; think I’ll go practise.
This morning’s texture The rain on our tin roof keeps me dreaming past the appointed 6 am, then 7am, and even the waking realization of this isn’t jarring. Now coffee’d and downstairs beside the fire, I gaze out the window where the cat uncurls into a stretch. It really should be snow, but the effect is the same: a deep deep heartbeat of peacefulness as the cat re-curls herself. rock There is sociology study all over the couch and table in front of the fire – it sounds like paper flip, <sniff>, pen scratch, blanket shuffle, paper flip, <breathe, sigh>, paper flip, pen scribble, <clear throat>, fire crackle, woodstove click-click, ping (as it heats up again). The old fridge – Hazel’s fridge – roars its fan over this, but even through that I hear the rain outside. There it is, through the big window – straight down rain as steady and familiar and comforting as day following night, the North Star, Orion’s Belt, the Milky Way. The grass outside glows green – drinking drinking. moss In my head a radio is always playing on low volume – is everyone like this? I don’t get to choose the playlist – it can be anything from an irritating pop song, a Brahms sonata to God Save the Queen (all versions). Happily my radio selection is appropriate to the morning – Sting’s version of Gabriel’s Message, performed in Durham Cathedral. oak The simplest of things astonish me today, at 8:20am. I think I’ve been altered on a cellular level by the movie Life of Pi . I’ve seen it twice now, so those incredible Ang Lee / Yann Martel images are now imbedded in me, to my everlasting delight and wonder. Happy Tuesday everyone.