My last post mentioned my previous absence and here I am again after another bunch of months away from my blog. Apologies to readers and to my blog, itself. The myriad of reasons I didn't post in such a long time includes the fact that I was doing a lot of introspection that was better left publicly unsaid. On the heels of that came sweeping changes in my personal life, including a residential move. Since February I've been preparing the house I now live in and going through separation anxiety with my former residence. I'm a very sentimental person and that sentiment runs deep. The new abode is much, much larger than the old one. And it even has modern electrical outlets ! It's very nice :)
A persistent stream of family crises involving relatives hit the scene, too. For the most part those matters are still manifesting -- are unresolved, except in my mind -- where I've turned the corner and am good with that wonderful axiom "It is what it is" :) Tra la! And I'm blessed to have the very most wonderful of friends with whom I can share life's ups and downs.
Here's some happy news I can give my readers who followed my posts about my dog's (past) serious medical problem: She is in great shape now and, in August, celebrated her 11th birthday! Dixie Lee is showing signs of age, but still scouts the yard tracking the scents of rabbits and squirrels; and she can break into an easy gallop in a split second when she wants to.
A couple of months ago I recorded two songs at Songwriters' Studio; they are my original "A New Face On The Blues" and my arrangement of cover "Blue Moon". I need to put them up on my Reverbnation page. They turned out really well :)
I now have three pianos (plus my Yamaha keyboard). They are Buddy, Bunkie, and Bonnie. Bunkie was in residence here when I moved in. He's a great piano, though way different in style and character than Buddy the baby grand. And Bonnie came to me via a neighbor on my former street, who didn't want her anymore.
Please do check out my website at http://www.claralandau.com -- which I updated yesterday -- new pictures, text edits, and some new stuff!
Yes, I'm as upset as everyone about current and recent politics ... NSA spying , the Obamacare tax mandate, and an article I read a few days ago that reports on government vehicles and weapons being turned over to local police departments to use on Main Street, USA. This points to the prediction I made months ago (when I hoped to be wrong) about local police departments being sort of "deputized" by the feds in order to prevent any perceived overt action of citizens against government policies.
I'm ready to start jamming again, so I'd love to be in touch with musicians who are like-minded. I've got the space here now to jam; I also would love to find or form a hand-drum circle.
We're heading into the "holiday season" ... hard to believe; it seems like yesterday was mid-summer. Thanksgiving is, in my opinion, the most worthy of all holidays! I know we should be thankful every day and I am, but I think that designating and celebrating a day in the spirit of thankfulness is a really good thing! I wish a gracious and joyful Thanksgiving to each and all.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Friday, November 15, 2013
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Friends ...
The people who give of themselves in order to help -- their time, their goods (even when it costs them money), a sense of caring -- that would be my definition of "friend". I've always been an autonomous kind of person. When I was a kid, my lifestyle didn't really allow for close friends; plus, during times when I wasn't thrown in with a bunch of people, I really valued my solitude. Later, as a teen and young adult, I probably took my friends for granted. I'd like, if I could, to reach back across the years and miles and tell them "thank you". Today I know I'm very fortunate because I have true friends.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Keep Scrolling, Please!
Lengthening Days! I love those additional minutes of daylight we’re getting now!
Share The World (Everyone Matters) –
This is a wonderful poster that I had framed several years ago. It originally came into my hands while I was humane education director at a regional non-profit organization. I got two copies of the poster and gave one to a favorite classroom teacher for her students. The poster depicts children representing each racial group; they are dancing in a circle around a globe of the Earth, holding hands with various members of the animal world. It’s a beautiful and inspiring picture and message. I'll be singing about the interconnectedness of all people and all of Earth’s family (fauna and flora) – at church (TVUUC) on February 3rd, accompanied by Bill.
Read some of my thoughts about interconnectedness on my website at http://claralandau.home.comcast.net; click on the "Sunny Dae" link.
Leo On The Loose – (astrologically speaking)
Early last Sunday evening, I took on a major furniture-moving event. It was much more of an event than a project, because it was not a planned or thought-out thing. It was sort of an emotional storm – the kind that demands great physical release. From what? I’m not sure. Six hours of shuffling, lifting, and dragging items, both within my loft and from the loft to the basement, left me tired and well-spent, but pleased. Here in the loft, I enjoy quiet solitude and the company of my plants and a significant portion of my library. This is a good place for me to come and catch my breath (the computer is downstairs), lay down plans, and remember and/or re-discover who I am. Dixie Lee loves to hang out here, too.
Playmate –
A month or so ago, Bill (my talented, eloquent guitarist for whom I have great affection and admiration) became ill with some form of the flu. Several weeks went by before he was feeling like hauling his guitars and amp over to my place for some music practice. Of course, I’d missed him and our music in the interim. Somewhere during that time, a song drifted into my mind from long ago – it is one that my mother often sang to me when I was a child. "Playmate, come out and play with me"... it goes on "And bring your dollies three, Climb up my apple tree". I wrote down the words I remembered, then changed a few of them to fit my purpose. It became "And bring your guitars three" and then I thought of two alternate lines..."And bring your guitars two (the number he usually brings)", followed by "I want to play with you".
If you’re not familiar with this old-time children’s song, then this may not mean much to you; if you did hear it when you were a kid, you may be smiling now :) The original of the song was composed in 1940 by Saxie Dowell. Various versions of the lyric have circulated ever since. The song is in 4/4 tempo. My mother would alternate "Playmate" with a somber 3/4 tempo song called "I Don’t Want To Play In Your Yard (if you won’t be good to me)", but I decided not to include that!
Experimenting with "Playmate", I turned out a fun, rhythmic, jazz arrangement of this wonderful little piece of yesteryear.
Dogster –
I couldn’t resist! One look at http://www.dogster.com/ did it for me. Dixie Lee is now a member and is gathering "Pup Pals". If you’d like to visit her page, she is # 698748.
Frances/Francis –
My household has a new member! Frances/Francis (your choice), the calico goldfish, joined us early in January. Years ago, I had a large aquarium with many fish. Maintaining it was sometimes toilsome, though the sight of fish blissfully swimming around the tank was very calming, entertaining, and nice. I’m thinking that Frances is probably a female fish (just a hunch), though the double spelling of the name should make things right for her/him. It’s fun to have a fish again.
Music Recording & Peripheral Services –
I want to mention here the extraordinarily expert tech and creative services that musicians can expect if they visit my musician friend, Sandy Garrett, at his Songwriters Studio, here in Knoxville. His website is at http://www.songrecord.com/. Always helpful and pleasant (and affordable), he is the very best!
YB Advertisement –
Will end this post on a note that may seem like (may actually be) misguided humor! Last summer I thought "Oh, why not give it a try?", as I placed my very nice (in my opinion) music lesson ad in one of the yellow page telephone directories. I wasn’t expecting an avalanche of lesson requests, especially in the current down-turned economy. But I wasn’t quite prepared for the three – yes three! – inquiries I’ve had thus far.
Inquiry #1: "I had an accident at work last week and lost a finger – can I still learn how to play piano"? The caller’s vibes were sincere ... I think he was looking for some kind of reassuring dialogue... so I suggested he might call me again after he’s healed and had therapy.
Inquiry #2: A husky male voice announced, "My name is Sharon and money is no object. We’re helping a man who just inherited a half million dollars" (or maybe it was a million and a half ... I don’t really remember which). Sharon continued: "We’re helping him to spend it. He likes to be dominated by women". I tried not to laugh out loud and I heard myself saying "Oh, every woman’s dream"! "Yes", says Sharon. "He wants piano lessons but wants a mean teacher – can you be mean? Money is no object." "Well, Sharon", I say, "Make some calls around and I’m sure you can find someone meaner than me."
Inquiry #3: "While I was in jail, I had lots of time, so I wrote poems. My friend said I can sell the poems if I get someone to write music for them". I say, "I’m driving right now and can’t stay on the phone. Are you from Knoxville?" "Yes". "OK, then ... pick up a copy of MetroPulse and look on their musicians-seeking page. I need to hang up now." He says, "What’s MetroPulse"?
I’m tempted, of course, to think about what a waste of money it was to place that ad (though I never would have known if I hadn’t tried it); yet, that old, overly-used phrase "It all depends on how you look at it" kicks in. Three strange calls and I guess the possibilities are endless – with seven months remaining for this telephone book’s use. I’ll cross-file this experience under "Weird Humor" and "Life Lessons". Who knew what I was missing during all those years I didn’t have an ad :)
Best wishes to all in this New Year!!!
Share The World (Everyone Matters) –
This is a wonderful poster that I had framed several years ago. It originally came into my hands while I was humane education director at a regional non-profit organization. I got two copies of the poster and gave one to a favorite classroom teacher for her students. The poster depicts children representing each racial group; they are dancing in a circle around a globe of the Earth, holding hands with various members of the animal world. It’s a beautiful and inspiring picture and message. I'll be singing about the interconnectedness of all people and all of Earth’s family (fauna and flora) – at church (TVUUC) on February 3rd, accompanied by Bill.
Read some of my thoughts about interconnectedness on my website at http://claralandau.home.comcast.net; click on the "Sunny Dae" link.
Leo On The Loose – (astrologically speaking)
Early last Sunday evening, I took on a major furniture-moving event. It was much more of an event than a project, because it was not a planned or thought-out thing. It was sort of an emotional storm – the kind that demands great physical release. From what? I’m not sure. Six hours of shuffling, lifting, and dragging items, both within my loft and from the loft to the basement, left me tired and well-spent, but pleased. Here in the loft, I enjoy quiet solitude and the company of my plants and a significant portion of my library. This is a good place for me to come and catch my breath (the computer is downstairs), lay down plans, and remember and/or re-discover who I am. Dixie Lee loves to hang out here, too.
Playmate –
A month or so ago, Bill (my talented, eloquent guitarist for whom I have great affection and admiration) became ill with some form of the flu. Several weeks went by before he was feeling like hauling his guitars and amp over to my place for some music practice. Of course, I’d missed him and our music in the interim. Somewhere during that time, a song drifted into my mind from long ago – it is one that my mother often sang to me when I was a child. "Playmate, come out and play with me"... it goes on "And bring your dollies three, Climb up my apple tree". I wrote down the words I remembered, then changed a few of them to fit my purpose. It became "And bring your guitars three" and then I thought of two alternate lines..."And bring your guitars two (the number he usually brings)", followed by "I want to play with you".
If you’re not familiar with this old-time children’s song, then this may not mean much to you; if you did hear it when you were a kid, you may be smiling now :) The original of the song was composed in 1940 by Saxie Dowell. Various versions of the lyric have circulated ever since. The song is in 4/4 tempo. My mother would alternate "Playmate" with a somber 3/4 tempo song called "I Don’t Want To Play In Your Yard (if you won’t be good to me)", but I decided not to include that!
Experimenting with "Playmate", I turned out a fun, rhythmic, jazz arrangement of this wonderful little piece of yesteryear.
Dogster –
I couldn’t resist! One look at http://www.dogster.com/ did it for me. Dixie Lee is now a member and is gathering "Pup Pals". If you’d like to visit her page, she is # 698748.
Frances/Francis –
My household has a new member! Frances/Francis (your choice), the calico goldfish, joined us early in January. Years ago, I had a large aquarium with many fish. Maintaining it was sometimes toilsome, though the sight of fish blissfully swimming around the tank was very calming, entertaining, and nice. I’m thinking that Frances is probably a female fish (just a hunch), though the double spelling of the name should make things right for her/him. It’s fun to have a fish again.
Music Recording & Peripheral Services –
I want to mention here the extraordinarily expert tech and creative services that musicians can expect if they visit my musician friend, Sandy Garrett, at his Songwriters Studio, here in Knoxville. His website is at http://www.songrecord.com/. Always helpful and pleasant (and affordable), he is the very best!
YB Advertisement –
Will end this post on a note that may seem like (may actually be) misguided humor! Last summer I thought "Oh, why not give it a try?", as I placed my very nice (in my opinion) music lesson ad in one of the yellow page telephone directories. I wasn’t expecting an avalanche of lesson requests, especially in the current down-turned economy. But I wasn’t quite prepared for the three – yes three! – inquiries I’ve had thus far.
Inquiry #1: "I had an accident at work last week and lost a finger – can I still learn how to play piano"? The caller’s vibes were sincere ... I think he was looking for some kind of reassuring dialogue... so I suggested he might call me again after he’s healed and had therapy.
Inquiry #2: A husky male voice announced, "My name is Sharon and money is no object. We’re helping a man who just inherited a half million dollars" (or maybe it was a million and a half ... I don’t really remember which). Sharon continued: "We’re helping him to spend it. He likes to be dominated by women". I tried not to laugh out loud and I heard myself saying "Oh, every woman’s dream"! "Yes", says Sharon. "He wants piano lessons but wants a mean teacher – can you be mean? Money is no object." "Well, Sharon", I say, "Make some calls around and I’m sure you can find someone meaner than me."
Inquiry #3: "While I was in jail, I had lots of time, so I wrote poems. My friend said I can sell the poems if I get someone to write music for them". I say, "I’m driving right now and can’t stay on the phone. Are you from Knoxville?" "Yes". "OK, then ... pick up a copy of MetroPulse and look on their musicians-seeking page. I need to hang up now." He says, "What’s MetroPulse"?
I’m tempted, of course, to think about what a waste of money it was to place that ad (though I never would have known if I hadn’t tried it); yet, that old, overly-used phrase "It all depends on how you look at it" kicks in. Three strange calls and I guess the possibilities are endless – with seven months remaining for this telephone book’s use. I’ll cross-file this experience under "Weird Humor" and "Life Lessons". Who knew what I was missing during all those years I didn’t have an ad :)
Best wishes to all in this New Year!!!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
True Friends --
The post I just finished writing (about the little dog) makes me realize the very real bond we can feel with certain people. Speaking from my own perspective, some of those people will probably never re-enter my life, but they leave a definite imprint on my spirit.
Friendships begin in a variety of ways. When I was a child, there were circumstances that got in the way of my having any really close friends. When I was in high school, there were several really genuine friends, of both genders. I think back about them sometimes and wish I could be with them one more time. One passed away several years ago from lung cancer ... she'd begun smoking at age 14. Another was/is a fascinating lady who immigrated to the US from Italy with her family. She was a couple of years older than me, spoke with a rich and beautiful accent, and showed me her father's wine cellar (from which we sampled, but minimally)! She talked to me about staying in school when everything in my life and my family was falling apart. I occasionally think about each of the two boys who were friends and wanted to be more ... and wish I could somehow tell them, over the span of miles and years, how much they graced my life, especially at a time when it was sorely needed.
My previous post mentions the wonderful lady who helped me rescue the little dog I named Janna. Let's call them Little Janna (the dog) and Big Janna (the human), although Big Janna is really not "big", but she is very big-hearted. I've known her since 1988.
Some friends come into our lives for just a while; some stay. The saying "for a reason, a season, or a lifetime" is relevant. One of my bandmates was a true friend and a kindred soul, who I truly miss; he passed away a year ago. I have other true friends -- both men and women -- who I dearly love, and each brings unique rays into my life.
Recently, I had a valuable (but painful) experience that resulted from an acquaintance via my role as piano teacher, who urgently requested my help with a writing project, promising to "not cheat" me, and proclaiming that I am his "most trusted friend", though this was a surprise to me. Well, being a semi-pushover for flattery of this kind, I agreed to help and I put in an earnest 35 or so hours of my best work, along with a bunch of expenses for printer ink, Kodak photo paper, regular paper, photocopying, etc. (I also did the photography and graphic design). It was a very beautiful piece of work. He loved it! He loved it for three weeks. Until a month rolled by and I reminded him about compensating me. You guessed it -- he suddenly didn't like it and didn't want "to get into it" anymore. So I've included one negative sampling of the word "friend".
But, back to the positive! Genuine friends are like precious gems. I treasure my friends.
Friendships begin in a variety of ways. When I was a child, there were circumstances that got in the way of my having any really close friends. When I was in high school, there were several really genuine friends, of both genders. I think back about them sometimes and wish I could be with them one more time. One passed away several years ago from lung cancer ... she'd begun smoking at age 14. Another was/is a fascinating lady who immigrated to the US from Italy with her family. She was a couple of years older than me, spoke with a rich and beautiful accent, and showed me her father's wine cellar (from which we sampled, but minimally)! She talked to me about staying in school when everything in my life and my family was falling apart. I occasionally think about each of the two boys who were friends and wanted to be more ... and wish I could somehow tell them, over the span of miles and years, how much they graced my life, especially at a time when it was sorely needed.
My previous post mentions the wonderful lady who helped me rescue the little dog I named Janna. Let's call them Little Janna (the dog) and Big Janna (the human), although Big Janna is really not "big", but she is very big-hearted. I've known her since 1988.
Some friends come into our lives for just a while; some stay. The saying "for a reason, a season, or a lifetime" is relevant. One of my bandmates was a true friend and a kindred soul, who I truly miss; he passed away a year ago. I have other true friends -- both men and women -- who I dearly love, and each brings unique rays into my life.
Recently, I had a valuable (but painful) experience that resulted from an acquaintance via my role as piano teacher, who urgently requested my help with a writing project, promising to "not cheat" me, and proclaiming that I am his "most trusted friend", though this was a surprise to me. Well, being a semi-pushover for flattery of this kind, I agreed to help and I put in an earnest 35 or so hours of my best work, along with a bunch of expenses for printer ink, Kodak photo paper, regular paper, photocopying, etc. (I also did the photography and graphic design). It was a very beautiful piece of work. He loved it! He loved it for three weeks. Until a month rolled by and I reminded him about compensating me. You guessed it -- he suddenly didn't like it and didn't want "to get into it" anymore. So I've included one negative sampling of the word "friend".
But, back to the positive! Genuine friends are like precious gems. I treasure my friends.
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