what's going on
I took my kids to see "Wall-E" this afternoon - a local theater has a $5 show before 6:00, which seems downright cheap in this day of the $10 movie.
I loved it. I feel like the people working for Pixar are part of my tribe, my generation, my people. It delivered a good message in a loving way. I'm not all that fond of 'message' films, but they charmed my pants off, as it were.
**Spoiler Alert**
At first, I couldn't get past the fact that the 'robots' had emotions. After 20 minutes or so, I decided it was "disney time", as in, I had to use my suspension of disbelief and just enjoy it the way it was. That was much better. I thought it was very well done, and I enjoyed the cockroach & Twinkie jokes. I loved the projection of where our society is going, done in such a humorous way. I had a lot of other thoughts but I don't seem to have the patience to sort them all out and write them down. My favorite line was "I don't want to survive, I want to live." My secret motto.
**End Spoiler Alert**
Today I picked up my identity badge as a volunteer musician for the University of Colorado Hospital, also known as Anschutz Medical Center. My id actually says "musician"!!! I think it means maybe I am a musician. I don't know. It made me feel good. Driving back, I had a small brainstorm about how much I love being down at Anschutz (I go there for my MS treatments) and that maybe I could use that to help out the project I'm on at work. We have had a hard time communicating with the professional schools - med school, dental school, etc. I'm down there quite a bit. I'm a great human interface. What if I tackled meeting with them and getting them involved in the new student system? I drove straight back to my manager's office and proposed my idea. We'll see. It would require more commuting a few days a week, but that's what audio books are for.
I was also greatly relieved to find out that my favorite person at the neurology clinic is back from medical leave. Thank you, God. That place fell apart without her.
My band has a gig next Saturday. I'm almost ready but not quite. I hope I can put the time in this weekend. I'm also starting another Berklee class next week! I still owe two assignments from the last one and I have found it impossible to get my recording setup to work. I'm on the verge of buying an Apple laptop because I can't stand it anymore. No, I don't *really* think I have to do that but it sure seems like it could be an easy fix. I still might do it.
It's been a good week in a weird way. I had dental work on Wednesday morning and that, as it usually does, triggers my MS. I have a theory about why, but no proof. In any case, I felt more 'normal' today. There were signs and shifts in my thinking this week that made me think maybe things might come together in a good way for me at work and with the music. We'll see. I'm trying to figure out how to get a few more things in per day, yet not overdo it and have it all backfire on me. It requires discipline, which has never been my strong suit.
Lastly, I've been listening to a book called "This is Your Brain On Music" by Daniel Levitin. He's a guy who's into neurology and music (so am I!) and he writes about what is actually going on in the brain when we are listening or playing music. It gets pretty technical and I find myself spacing out sometimes, but overall it has been sparking things in my mind that really make me appreciate music even more.
I loved it. I feel like the people working for Pixar are part of my tribe, my generation, my people. It delivered a good message in a loving way. I'm not all that fond of 'message' films, but they charmed my pants off, as it were.
**Spoiler Alert**
At first, I couldn't get past the fact that the 'robots' had emotions. After 20 minutes or so, I decided it was "disney time", as in, I had to use my suspension of disbelief and just enjoy it the way it was. That was much better. I thought it was very well done, and I enjoyed the cockroach & Twinkie jokes. I loved the projection of where our society is going, done in such a humorous way. I had a lot of other thoughts but I don't seem to have the patience to sort them all out and write them down. My favorite line was "I don't want to survive, I want to live." My secret motto.
**End Spoiler Alert**
Today I picked up my identity badge as a volunteer musician for the University of Colorado Hospital, also known as Anschutz Medical Center. My id actually says "musician"!!! I think it means maybe I am a musician. I don't know. It made me feel good. Driving back, I had a small brainstorm about how much I love being down at Anschutz (I go there for my MS treatments) and that maybe I could use that to help out the project I'm on at work. We have had a hard time communicating with the professional schools - med school, dental school, etc. I'm down there quite a bit. I'm a great human interface. What if I tackled meeting with them and getting them involved in the new student system? I drove straight back to my manager's office and proposed my idea. We'll see. It would require more commuting a few days a week, but that's what audio books are for.
I was also greatly relieved to find out that my favorite person at the neurology clinic is back from medical leave. Thank you, God. That place fell apart without her.
My band has a gig next Saturday. I'm almost ready but not quite. I hope I can put the time in this weekend. I'm also starting another Berklee class next week! I still owe two assignments from the last one and I have found it impossible to get my recording setup to work. I'm on the verge of buying an Apple laptop because I can't stand it anymore. No, I don't *really* think I have to do that but it sure seems like it could be an easy fix. I still might do it.
It's been a good week in a weird way. I had dental work on Wednesday morning and that, as it usually does, triggers my MS. I have a theory about why, but no proof. In any case, I felt more 'normal' today. There were signs and shifts in my thinking this week that made me think maybe things might come together in a good way for me at work and with the music. We'll see. I'm trying to figure out how to get a few more things in per day, yet not overdo it and have it all backfire on me. It requires discipline, which has never been my strong suit.
Lastly, I've been listening to a book called "This is Your Brain On Music" by Daniel Levitin. He's a guy who's into neurology and music (so am I!) and he writes about what is actually going on in the brain when we are listening or playing music. It gets pretty technical and I find myself spacing out sometimes, but overall it has been sparking things in my mind that really make me appreciate music even more.
Comments
I started out in college (8,000 years ago) studying music therapy but life took me in a different direction. All these years later, I am wading back in the water. So, I play keyboard in my church band, I play in a recreational rock band, I'm taking online classes at Berklee Music, and I'm just starting volunteer piano in the lobby of University Hospital here in Colorado.
My secret dream is to use music and neuorology to help people, a la music therapy. I just haven't figured out the credential part.
I thought the NYT article on the music teacher in Brooklyn was pretty interesting.