Today I dug out some old poetry notebooks and started looking through them. OK, well, some of them are just writing exercises in general, others are poems in progress. There may be future blog topics in some of those old exercises.
I made some cookies from a recipe I have never tried before. They are good, but they are the ugliest cookies I've ever seen. Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. Very tasty. Not so pretty. Just goes to show, you can't always go by looks.
Why can't people take your word for something when you answer a question for them? I have had more people today try to get me to change my answer when I inform them that the library's meeting rooms are fully booked for every single weekend in February. I don't think my computer is lying to me, folks.
Also, do people read signs anymore? There are signs up where we usually have tax forms explaining that the forms have been delayed, and that we will put them out as soon as we have some. At least five people came to the desk to ask me about tax forms during the two hours I was out there this afternoon. I love our patrons, but I sure wish they'd read the signs!
My dear husband is in the other room doing battle with NoteWorthy Composer and the score of the Rutter Requiem. We use NoteWorthy to practice the choral pieces we do for Master Chorale. The Rutter is taking him a long time because he has to input it note by note. The Pie Jesu is going to be absorbing a lot of my time and attention for the next three weeks. Auditions for the solo are in three weeks. My voice coach thinks I should go for it. I'll give it a shot. I still don't know how a basically shy person like myself will ever be able to sing a solo in front of a bunch of people. Singing at our studio recitals is different. Everyone there is pretty much in the same boat. They have to get up and hope something decent comes out when they sing.
I finished reading Jane Eyre this morning. It is a most enjoyable book, and I can't believe that I never managed to read it before this. Better late than never, I guess. Now to decide which of the large list of things on my Nook I should read next.
Good news. The desk is staying fairly crapalanche free. Only a minor one on the side closest to the door right now. Soon as I get a few details dealt with, it will be gone. Then to tackle the filing cabinet and the side compartment of this desk, which are basically crapalanches contained inside a box.
Almost midnight, about time to call this one done. This isn't very useful to others, perhaps, except where you might recognize a situation or two, but I must keep doing this, I can't let myself neglect this thing like I have in the past. I promise, I will try to be more meaningful and profound. It just takes awhile to find those words, sometimes.
Tonight's free verse:
Forgive me.
This clamoring for attention
It is not my true nature
To seek the attention of others
Alas, I am a proud but shy creature
Used to observing,
Uncomfortable in the glare of a spotlight.
So you see,
This was an aberration
Not a true maifestation
Of my personality
Forgive my lapse,
I pray you.
I shall retire
Once again to my shadows
And keep watch.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
We Must Share The Light
This world of ours has gotten very dark lately. There is so much sadness, so much hatred and vitriol spewed forth in our news and entertainment media. An outsider looking at this divided and antagonistic society would think we were beyond all hope.
And yet, there are positive voices out there. There are people speaking out and reaching out in love and not hate, in seeking for solutions, and not seeking to fix blame. We must nurture each other, and those voices of hope. There are a few quotes that speak to my heart about times like this, and I would like to share them with you, and tell you why they speak to me.
First, is a quote from a television show that many dismissed as 'silly' or a "space opera". Nearly fifty years later, Star Trek is still going strong, and still the original series is viewed by many, and words like these reach people who need to hear them.
This is from the episode "Who Mourns For Adonais?" Kirk is trying to convince a crew member that her loyalty is to humanity and the crew, not the god Apollo.
"We're the same. We share the same history, the same heritage, the same lives. We're tied together beyond any untying. Man or woman, it makes no difference. We're human. We couldn't escape from each other even if we wanted to-that's how you do it, Lieutenant! By remembering who and what you are! A bit of flesh and blood afloat in a universe without end. And the only thing that's truly yours is the rest of humanity. That's where our duty lies!"
When you think about it, we are all more alike than we are different. We all have feelings that get hurt. We all have dreams and hopes, we have other people we love, and if we're lucky, people who love us. The only thing that matters is that we are all human. If we can learn to see the similarities while still appreciating the differences, then we might be able to survive.
Here's a quote from another TV show. This one still has a dedicated fan base, but there have been no directly related series, no mini-series, no movies. And yet, the fans persist. Because there is something in this little television program that touches people deeply, if they are open to it. The original TV series Beauty and the Beast, made from 1987-1990, was about love. Love between an unusual man/beast and a beautiful woman. It was also about human beings loving and accepting each other on many levels, about how people can learn to live together in harmony. The show made great use of classical literature and music, it celebrated what human beings can do to make the world a more beautiful place. The world Below, where Vincent, the so-called beast, lives because it is the only safe place for him, depends on a network of "helpers" in the world Above, who, as their name implies, help the people below by providing supplies or logistical help or whatever they can within reason. The world Below is fairly self-sufficient, but they still need assistance in some areas. This quote is from a ceremony that opens the annual celebration they call "Winterfest".
"We are all part of one another. One family, one community. Sometimes we forget that. And so each year we meet here. To thank those who have helped us, and to remember...even the greatest darkness is nothing, so long as we share the light."
Sharing the light is important. We all have light within us, whether we feel like it or not. Those of us who grew up in the Christian tradition know well the verse that says:
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5 :14-16) Light is not meant to be hidden away, it must shine out for all to see if it is to be of use.
Light is manifest in love, in the things we do because we have love. Those who help feed the hungry, who care for the sick, who reach out to any other person, near or far, are sharing love, are sharing (and spreading) light.
I want to leave you with another quote. One I read again today because this is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. So much darkness was in his world, so much hate. Yet he preached love in response to hate, peaceful resistance in response to violence. He was looking to his faith for guidance in this. He, like his savior, was ultimately killed for his opinions and his daring to live in love and light.
It is never easy to push back against hate with love, to force darkness back with our light, but we must try. If you are a Christian, if you have another faith, or even if you don't consider yourself a person of any faith at all, you can love. You MUST love. It is the only way to survive.
Here is the quote from Dr. King:
" Returning hate for hate multiplies hate,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
Only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate;
Only love can do that."
Please God, help us share the light. Teach us to love one another.
And yet, there are positive voices out there. There are people speaking out and reaching out in love and not hate, in seeking for solutions, and not seeking to fix blame. We must nurture each other, and those voices of hope. There are a few quotes that speak to my heart about times like this, and I would like to share them with you, and tell you why they speak to me.
First, is a quote from a television show that many dismissed as 'silly' or a "space opera". Nearly fifty years later, Star Trek is still going strong, and still the original series is viewed by many, and words like these reach people who need to hear them.
This is from the episode "Who Mourns For Adonais?" Kirk is trying to convince a crew member that her loyalty is to humanity and the crew, not the god Apollo.
"We're the same. We share the same history, the same heritage, the same lives. We're tied together beyond any untying. Man or woman, it makes no difference. We're human. We couldn't escape from each other even if we wanted to-that's how you do it, Lieutenant! By remembering who and what you are! A bit of flesh and blood afloat in a universe without end. And the only thing that's truly yours is the rest of humanity. That's where our duty lies!"
When you think about it, we are all more alike than we are different. We all have feelings that get hurt. We all have dreams and hopes, we have other people we love, and if we're lucky, people who love us. The only thing that matters is that we are all human. If we can learn to see the similarities while still appreciating the differences, then we might be able to survive.
Here's a quote from another TV show. This one still has a dedicated fan base, but there have been no directly related series, no mini-series, no movies. And yet, the fans persist. Because there is something in this little television program that touches people deeply, if they are open to it. The original TV series Beauty and the Beast, made from 1987-1990, was about love. Love between an unusual man/beast and a beautiful woman. It was also about human beings loving and accepting each other on many levels, about how people can learn to live together in harmony. The show made great use of classical literature and music, it celebrated what human beings can do to make the world a more beautiful place. The world Below, where Vincent, the so-called beast, lives because it is the only safe place for him, depends on a network of "helpers" in the world Above, who, as their name implies, help the people below by providing supplies or logistical help or whatever they can within reason. The world Below is fairly self-sufficient, but they still need assistance in some areas. This quote is from a ceremony that opens the annual celebration they call "Winterfest".
"We are all part of one another. One family, one community. Sometimes we forget that. And so each year we meet here. To thank those who have helped us, and to remember...even the greatest darkness is nothing, so long as we share the light."
Sharing the light is important. We all have light within us, whether we feel like it or not. Those of us who grew up in the Christian tradition know well the verse that says:
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5 :14-16) Light is not meant to be hidden away, it must shine out for all to see if it is to be of use.
Light is manifest in love, in the things we do because we have love. Those who help feed the hungry, who care for the sick, who reach out to any other person, near or far, are sharing love, are sharing (and spreading) light.
I want to leave you with another quote. One I read again today because this is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. So much darkness was in his world, so much hate. Yet he preached love in response to hate, peaceful resistance in response to violence. He was looking to his faith for guidance in this. He, like his savior, was ultimately killed for his opinions and his daring to live in love and light.
It is never easy to push back against hate with love, to force darkness back with our light, but we must try. If you are a Christian, if you have another faith, or even if you don't consider yourself a person of any faith at all, you can love. You MUST love. It is the only way to survive.
Here is the quote from Dr. King:
" Returning hate for hate multiplies hate,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
Only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate;
Only love can do that."
Please God, help us share the light. Teach us to love one another.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Ear Worms
Yes, you read that right. Ear worms. Those little snippets of songs, or sometimes entire songs that get themselves lodged in your ear and cannot be exorcised by any means but the passage of tine. Or perhaps the introduction of a new tune.
Everyone has their pet offenders. Some of the most common (and most noxious, be warned!) are:
"It's A Small World After All"
"Puff, the Magic Dragon"
"There is a Bad Moon on the Rise"
"The Pirate's Life For Me"
And I am sure there are thousands of others you could think of that have not occurred to me at this moment. (Now, please, no hate mail for bringing up those Disney gems that really do get FIRMLY stuck in one's ear. I was making a rhetorical point.)
Today I have been suffering from a rather obscure little ear worm. This one was hatched by the Alan Parsons Project in the late 1970s. It is a musical setting of one of Poe's most famous poems: The Raven.
Since hearing the piece on my Pandora feed this morning, the last verse has been cycling through my head most of the day.
"And so the raven remains in my room
No matter how much I implore.
No words can soothe him
No prayer remove him
So I must hear for evermore...
Nevermore!"
Sometimes these things are just plain annoying, at other times, they can be useful. I have often had difficult bits of choral pieces or even some operatic arias that I have been fussing over run themselves repeatedly through my head. Often, this actually helps me learn the difficult bits of a piece. (But only if I can somehow cement the relevant bit of music into my brain.)
One of these is a series of runs from So Anch'io La Virtu Magica, a piece from Donizetti's setting of Don Pasquale. It is lovely, especially the very first section. The rest of it is also lovely, but a bit of a tongue twister AND filled with pitfalls for the unwary vocalist. If I can but manage to get a few of those difficult bits into my subconscious, I shall be able to polish them up without actively working on them. That is the only USEFUL service provided by an "ear worm".
Off and on over the years of voice lessons, many arias have been ear worms for me. The most persistent is the one I have to use to call the cat. "Deh vieni, non tardar" is what I must sing if I wish to summon the cat. Madame is VERY particular, and will come for nothing else. No "kitty, kitty," or calling by her name (neither Skye nor Madame Skye, or Madame) will bring her. If Matt wishes to summon her, he must flip the drawer pull on his desk where he keeps the string she likes to play with. That is the only other thing she will stir herself for. So, Deh vieni is often heard in our house, and is consequently often stuck in my mind. Some days, Dove sono i bei momenti , also from Nozze Di Figaro, runs around in my head. Opera ear worms are sometimes less trying than pop music or Disney ear worms.
The worst of course, can be hymns as ear worms. You then begin to wonder if Someone is trying to tell you something because this one particular hymn keeps running in your head over an over. Church anthems have the same effect. I begin to wonder if their is Someone trying to beat me over the head with a point they wish to make.
So, now I wonder if I will hear from any of you what ear worms haunt your existence and spoil your dreams?
Everyone has their pet offenders. Some of the most common (and most noxious, be warned!) are:
"It's A Small World After All"
"Puff, the Magic Dragon"
"There is a Bad Moon on the Rise"
"The Pirate's Life For Me"
And I am sure there are thousands of others you could think of that have not occurred to me at this moment. (Now, please, no hate mail for bringing up those Disney gems that really do get FIRMLY stuck in one's ear. I was making a rhetorical point.)
Today I have been suffering from a rather obscure little ear worm. This one was hatched by the Alan Parsons Project in the late 1970s. It is a musical setting of one of Poe's most famous poems: The Raven.
Since hearing the piece on my Pandora feed this morning, the last verse has been cycling through my head most of the day.
"And so the raven remains in my room
No matter how much I implore.
No words can soothe him
No prayer remove him
So I must hear for evermore...
Nevermore!"
Sometimes these things are just plain annoying, at other times, they can be useful. I have often had difficult bits of choral pieces or even some operatic arias that I have been fussing over run themselves repeatedly through my head. Often, this actually helps me learn the difficult bits of a piece. (But only if I can somehow cement the relevant bit of music into my brain.)
One of these is a series of runs from So Anch'io La Virtu Magica, a piece from Donizetti's setting of Don Pasquale. It is lovely, especially the very first section. The rest of it is also lovely, but a bit of a tongue twister AND filled with pitfalls for the unwary vocalist. If I can but manage to get a few of those difficult bits into my subconscious, I shall be able to polish them up without actively working on them. That is the only USEFUL service provided by an "ear worm".
Off and on over the years of voice lessons, many arias have been ear worms for me. The most persistent is the one I have to use to call the cat. "Deh vieni, non tardar" is what I must sing if I wish to summon the cat. Madame is VERY particular, and will come for nothing else. No "kitty, kitty," or calling by her name (neither Skye nor Madame Skye, or Madame) will bring her. If Matt wishes to summon her, he must flip the drawer pull on his desk where he keeps the string she likes to play with. That is the only other thing she will stir herself for. So, Deh vieni is often heard in our house, and is consequently often stuck in my mind. Some days, Dove sono i bei momenti , also from Nozze Di Figaro, runs around in my head. Opera ear worms are sometimes less trying than pop music or Disney ear worms.
The worst of course, can be hymns as ear worms. You then begin to wonder if Someone is trying to tell you something because this one particular hymn keeps running in your head over an over. Church anthems have the same effect. I begin to wonder if their is Someone trying to beat me over the head with a point they wish to make.
So, now I wonder if I will hear from any of you what ear worms haunt your existence and spoil your dreams?
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Sandwiched In Between Everything Else...
Here we go again. Trying to write while on the Customer Service Desk. It is a Saturday morning, we have three birthday parties scheduled in the meeting rooms. So far, two groups have shown up. Hope the other one either doesn't show, or realizes they only have the room for the MORNING, someone else is there at noon.
Such drama in the library. Meeting rooms are usually the largest source of drama. Either they thought they booked something they didn't book, or they need one thing after another. On rare occasions, they break the rules and put candles on a birthday cake. THEN the smoke alarms go off, we have to evacuate the ENTIRE building, the fire department shows up, and all the folks who were using our free internet access get REALLY peeved. Thank God that hasn't happened on one of my days lately. Better not happen today, it is frippin' COLD outside.
(At least we don't have any Vashta Nerada (deadly shadow creatures from Doctor Who) in OUR library. If we did, I know a few customers who would have disappeared LONG ago...)
We may have a ghost in the library, though. We think it is female, and a young person. Most who have heard anything from it have heard sounds of giggling, or of children playing. I think it is a happy and friendly presence, because I sense nothing at all that makes me uneasy in this place, and I have been known to feel things in other places that have had less benevolent spirits reported in them, even before I'd heard stories. One old house that my Grandfather was caretaker of, there was something in that house. There was a presence that was not threatening, but there was another that made me uneasy. I was in there alone once during a thunderstorm, and I really couldn't get outside fast enough, never mind the rain and lightening. There have been other places where I just had to get out of the building, there was an oppressive, unpleasant atmosphere. (Thankfully, the last that affected me that way was recently torn down.) It doesn't happen often. Only VERY rarely.
Is it evil to think of getting a weeping angel figure and putting it in a coworkers cubicle? Even if they are a serious Doctor Who fan? They might think it was funny. Honestly. They might.
Our library system here is one of the best institutions to work for that I have ever experienced. My coworkers are all fun to be with and the whole system feels like an extended family. The ethic of service to our customers throughout the system makes it easy to do what we need to do to connect our customers to the materials and information they want. Then again, I always have felt that those of us in education, like the library or public schools, are people with a holy calling, not a desire to make money. (Because you certainly don't make a lot of money working in the public sector in a field related to education.) That dedication to purpose is what makes working together feel so effortless sometimes. I come to work and actually have a good time. Because I am having a good time, I get a lot done. When I get going on checkins, I can usually clear a large tub full of items and get them sorted in about an hour. This depends on how many phone calls we get. (Meeting room bookings can be time consuming.)
Our customers also tend to be very nice people. Everybody has a bad day once in a while, but most folks who come in here are glad to be here, and they are pleasant. There are the regulars, whom we usually know by name, and they know us, and ask after staff they haven't seen for awhile. This big, impersonal looking suburb is really such a small town at heart. (Heck, the whole state of Oklahoma feels that way sometimes. As frustrated as I get with the politics here, I love these people, and I love this place. It has wormed its way into my jaded, Southern California bred heart.)
It is really quiet at the desk this morning. (Can you tell?) It is one of those very rare days when it is actually kind of quiet in the library itself. The only sounds I hear are the hand dryers in the bathrooms and the annoying music from the children's game computers. The occasional throat clearing or murmuring of a question and answer. I hear someone moving things on shelves, and a kiddo playing with the puzzles. Of course, the automatic doors out front are opening and closing a lot, but they do that whenever something triggers the sensor.
Biggest hallelujah moment of the day so far? The alarm shut off for me on the first attempt! Yay! I didn't have to explain myself to an alarm company rep for once!
Second hallelujah moment of the day came when I found something a patron had called and said they left in a book. The patron actually remembered which book, and it was one our branch owns, rather than one from one of the other branches. Went to the book on the shelf, and there were her papers, right where she left them. Called her back, and she came and picked them up. Nice when things work out like that.
Worst moment of the day didn't come until I was almost home. Big Nasty Stinking Freight train was blocking 12th Street again. Had to wait so long, the car actually got warm. (House is less than a 5 minute drive from the library, providing trains and traffic lights are in my favor.) Usually, the heater doesn't start blowing hot air until I get to my own driveway.
Now I have been home for about an hour and ten minutes, and it is time to contemplate food. (And possibly drink.) That is all for today, I think.
Such drama in the library. Meeting rooms are usually the largest source of drama. Either they thought they booked something they didn't book, or they need one thing after another. On rare occasions, they break the rules and put candles on a birthday cake. THEN the smoke alarms go off, we have to evacuate the ENTIRE building, the fire department shows up, and all the folks who were using our free internet access get REALLY peeved. Thank God that hasn't happened on one of my days lately. Better not happen today, it is frippin' COLD outside.
(At least we don't have any Vashta Nerada (deadly shadow creatures from Doctor Who) in OUR library. If we did, I know a few customers who would have disappeared LONG ago...)
We may have a ghost in the library, though. We think it is female, and a young person. Most who have heard anything from it have heard sounds of giggling, or of children playing. I think it is a happy and friendly presence, because I sense nothing at all that makes me uneasy in this place, and I have been known to feel things in other places that have had less benevolent spirits reported in them, even before I'd heard stories. One old house that my Grandfather was caretaker of, there was something in that house. There was a presence that was not threatening, but there was another that made me uneasy. I was in there alone once during a thunderstorm, and I really couldn't get outside fast enough, never mind the rain and lightening. There have been other places where I just had to get out of the building, there was an oppressive, unpleasant atmosphere. (Thankfully, the last that affected me that way was recently torn down.) It doesn't happen often. Only VERY rarely.
Is it evil to think of getting a weeping angel figure and putting it in a coworkers cubicle? Even if they are a serious Doctor Who fan? They might think it was funny. Honestly. They might.
Our library system here is one of the best institutions to work for that I have ever experienced. My coworkers are all fun to be with and the whole system feels like an extended family. The ethic of service to our customers throughout the system makes it easy to do what we need to do to connect our customers to the materials and information they want. Then again, I always have felt that those of us in education, like the library or public schools, are people with a holy calling, not a desire to make money. (Because you certainly don't make a lot of money working in the public sector in a field related to education.) That dedication to purpose is what makes working together feel so effortless sometimes. I come to work and actually have a good time. Because I am having a good time, I get a lot done. When I get going on checkins, I can usually clear a large tub full of items and get them sorted in about an hour. This depends on how many phone calls we get. (Meeting room bookings can be time consuming.)
Our customers also tend to be very nice people. Everybody has a bad day once in a while, but most folks who come in here are glad to be here, and they are pleasant. There are the regulars, whom we usually know by name, and they know us, and ask after staff they haven't seen for awhile. This big, impersonal looking suburb is really such a small town at heart. (Heck, the whole state of Oklahoma feels that way sometimes. As frustrated as I get with the politics here, I love these people, and I love this place. It has wormed its way into my jaded, Southern California bred heart.)
It is really quiet at the desk this morning. (Can you tell?) It is one of those very rare days when it is actually kind of quiet in the library itself. The only sounds I hear are the hand dryers in the bathrooms and the annoying music from the children's game computers. The occasional throat clearing or murmuring of a question and answer. I hear someone moving things on shelves, and a kiddo playing with the puzzles. Of course, the automatic doors out front are opening and closing a lot, but they do that whenever something triggers the sensor.
Biggest hallelujah moment of the day so far? The alarm shut off for me on the first attempt! Yay! I didn't have to explain myself to an alarm company rep for once!
Second hallelujah moment of the day came when I found something a patron had called and said they left in a book. The patron actually remembered which book, and it was one our branch owns, rather than one from one of the other branches. Went to the book on the shelf, and there were her papers, right where she left them. Called her back, and she came and picked them up. Nice when things work out like that.
Worst moment of the day didn't come until I was almost home. Big Nasty Stinking Freight train was blocking 12th Street again. Had to wait so long, the car actually got warm. (House is less than a 5 minute drive from the library, providing trains and traffic lights are in my favor.) Usually, the heater doesn't start blowing hot air until I get to my own driveway.
Now I have been home for about an hour and ten minutes, and it is time to contemplate food. (And possibly drink.) That is all for today, I think.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Bits and Pieces
Today's blog is composed of forgotten bits of poetry from one of my many journals.
From Nov. 2005
The subtle process of poetry
Is lately rather lost to me
I scratch a few pathetic lines
Wishing for more inspired rhymes.
Always interrupted by dog or cat
Or by laundry, or supper, or such as that.
My work has dwindled down to naught
Or exists merely in the realm of thought.
From March, 2008
The quiet world
Is so rudely awakened
By the screech of my
Voice waking up and stretching.
Soon, if God is merciful, my throat
will clear,
The notes will come forth in their liquid brilliance
(As I promise you, they have done.)
Just now, though, unwelcome bits of allergy or sleep are
Making the notes squawk like an oboe
With a bad reed.
But when it works, oh, what joy,
What release.
The music flows out, warm and sweet and smooth,
Taking me soaring oh, so high.
Autumn Thoughts From a Few Years Back
Autumn has finally come - the trees are turning at last.
The days are bright but cool, the nights are actually cold.
Halloween is coming. The night of ghosts and frights.
We may be plagued with little goblins, but maybe not. Hard to say.
So many pictures lately of stylish, sleek, modern houses.
They look so cold and unfriendly to me.
I like cozy places.
Places with overstuffed furniture and lots of books ,
Lots of pillows and blankets
And a well-provisioned kitchen with a teakettle on the stove, and teacups and bowls and things handy.
Furnishings with history, things with love and memory attached;
Things that give a house a SOUL, make it a HOME.
From Nov. 2005
The subtle process of poetry
Is lately rather lost to me
I scratch a few pathetic lines
Wishing for more inspired rhymes.
Always interrupted by dog or cat
Or by laundry, or supper, or such as that.
My work has dwindled down to naught
Or exists merely in the realm of thought.
From March, 2008
The quiet world
Is so rudely awakened
By the screech of my
Voice waking up and stretching.
Soon, if God is merciful, my throat
will clear,
The notes will come forth in their liquid brilliance
(As I promise you, they have done.)
Just now, though, unwelcome bits of allergy or sleep are
Making the notes squawk like an oboe
With a bad reed.
But when it works, oh, what joy,
What release.
The music flows out, warm and sweet and smooth,
Taking me soaring oh, so high.
Autumn Thoughts From a Few Years Back
Autumn has finally come - the trees are turning at last.
The days are bright but cool, the nights are actually cold.
Halloween is coming. The night of ghosts and frights.
We may be plagued with little goblins, but maybe not. Hard to say.
So many pictures lately of stylish, sleek, modern houses.
They look so cold and unfriendly to me.
I like cozy places.
Places with overstuffed furniture and lots of books ,
Lots of pillows and blankets
And a well-provisioned kitchen with a teakettle on the stove, and teacups and bowls and things handy.
Furnishings with history, things with love and memory attached;
Things that give a house a SOUL, make it a HOME.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
I Know I Should Make Myself Write, But...
It's late. I'm tired. I've been lurking around on social media sites wasting time. This is the second of three long days for me. I worked today, and then had Cathedral choir rehearsal this evening. Yesterday I didn't work, but I had Master Chorale rehearsal. I also have to work in voice practice on most days, and most days I don't manage to do it. Must not ignore the gift. Must work to make it better. I keep telling myself that.
I have been told I have a talent for poetry, and on some subjects I can write well. Most of the time I ramble.
When one has a talent, however rough, one is expected to make something of it. Music is beautiful, and transporting when you get it right. The hard work it takes to get it right is a very rough slog. Often quite painful. Vocal exercises, especially for a soprano, can be grueling, and you will have NO friends or family members left if they once hear you practice. (I've been told I peeled paint, but my voice coach said the effect she sought was wrought by those very irritating exercises.)
However, once you put in the work, and you get into a real piece of music, especially if it is one of the classics, you begin to feel at one with the whole universe. The music moves you, moves through you, reaches out to others, flows back to you - it's magical.
That experience can be had in choirs as well. It is even more meaningful because choral music is a group effort, you must listen to each other, and blend with each other. I am privileged to sing with an exceptional choir at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Oklahoma City. Most of us in Cathedral choir have been singing together for many years now. We blend very well, we seem to pick up new things fairly quickly, and when we get to sing a piece we know well, it is a moving experience. It gives me goosebumps. Master Chorale has a lot of potential to be that good. If we all work a little more on our own with those large choral works, it will be easier to put together at rehearsals. We have a lot of good voices, and a fearless, determined director.
Writing for me has always been more of a challenge than anything musical. I can FEEL the music. The writing is also something I feel, but I haven't had a poem present itself to me in a long time. Most of my poetry is not that profound. It is just a shorter way to communicate a feeling or even a sort of emotional story. These blog posts have become more of a journal than anything else.
The hard slog of writing is even harder for me than the work of vocal exercises. I don't have a performance looming to force me to work, but I don't want that. It is a release of angst, a way to send a statement out into the universe saying "I feel this way. Have you ever felt this way?"
On rare occasions, the universe answers.
Tomorrow is my eight hour day at the library. I love my job, I love my coworkers, and I even love some of our customers, but eight hours on my feet is a LONG day. (Especially when you are a vintage work of art like myself!)
Here's hoping tomorrow is a productive day.
I have been told I have a talent for poetry, and on some subjects I can write well. Most of the time I ramble.
When one has a talent, however rough, one is expected to make something of it. Music is beautiful, and transporting when you get it right. The hard work it takes to get it right is a very rough slog. Often quite painful. Vocal exercises, especially for a soprano, can be grueling, and you will have NO friends or family members left if they once hear you practice. (I've been told I peeled paint, but my voice coach said the effect she sought was wrought by those very irritating exercises.)
However, once you put in the work, and you get into a real piece of music, especially if it is one of the classics, you begin to feel at one with the whole universe. The music moves you, moves through you, reaches out to others, flows back to you - it's magical.
That experience can be had in choirs as well. It is even more meaningful because choral music is a group effort, you must listen to each other, and blend with each other. I am privileged to sing with an exceptional choir at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Oklahoma City. Most of us in Cathedral choir have been singing together for many years now. We blend very well, we seem to pick up new things fairly quickly, and when we get to sing a piece we know well, it is a moving experience. It gives me goosebumps. Master Chorale has a lot of potential to be that good. If we all work a little more on our own with those large choral works, it will be easier to put together at rehearsals. We have a lot of good voices, and a fearless, determined director.
Writing for me has always been more of a challenge than anything musical. I can FEEL the music. The writing is also something I feel, but I haven't had a poem present itself to me in a long time. Most of my poetry is not that profound. It is just a shorter way to communicate a feeling or even a sort of emotional story. These blog posts have become more of a journal than anything else.
The hard slog of writing is even harder for me than the work of vocal exercises. I don't have a performance looming to force me to work, but I don't want that. It is a release of angst, a way to send a statement out into the universe saying "I feel this way. Have you ever felt this way?"
On rare occasions, the universe answers.
Tomorrow is my eight hour day at the library. I love my job, I love my coworkers, and I even love some of our customers, but eight hours on my feet is a LONG day. (Especially when you are a vintage work of art like myself!)
Here's hoping tomorrow is a productive day.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
An Unintentionally Lazy Day
Dear Universe,
I really did mean to get up and get a lot of things accomplished today. Unfortunately, Texas has very thoughtfully been sending us LOTS of cedar and juniper pollen, and well, getting my head into operational condition this morning was NOT easy.
I did, however, manage to dispose of a few crapalanches around the house. Funny, you can't really destroy a crapalanche, you just end up moving its parts around. The removal of the major crapalanche that was my desk has caused the growth and/or appearance of crapalanches in other areas. Most notably the side cabinet in my desk and the office closet. I have not been brave enough yet to tackle those, but I did remove one from my beside cabinet, and from the interior of the fireplace cupboard.
The walk was accomplished this morning, though due to the activities of the city's large waste removal truck (dubbed the Terminator) I had alter my route a bit and evidentlly Endomondo thought this crossing of the road shaved a LOT off my distance. My time was also a bit shorter, so maybe the silly thing was right for once.
The oil change for the car has been postponed yet again. I just didn't think driving all the way to Norman and sitting around in a Ford dealer's waiting room was in the cards for my pounding head today. By the time the head stopped pounding and I got the walk done, it was too late. I'm off Friday, we'll try again then.
Now I must do a few clerical things (like balance the checkbook with the last statement) and make some birthday cards for fellow staff members at the library. That is usually fun, but getting the printer to cooperate is sometimes a challenge. (This printer knows it is on the way out, as my laptop is now the only computer in the house that will speak to it. No Windows 7 drivers available for the poor thing.) So I guess this should be finished and the laptop hauled once again out of hibernation and set up. (I just got it put away after it kindly donated part of its stored memories to this new machine.) It was getting dust in it, it had sat upon the craptastic desk for so long.
Master Chorale rehearsal tonight. We are starting work on the Faure Requiem and the Rutter Requiem. (Pray for us.)
Thank you for your patience with me.
I really did mean to get up and get a lot of things accomplished today. Unfortunately, Texas has very thoughtfully been sending us LOTS of cedar and juniper pollen, and well, getting my head into operational condition this morning was NOT easy.
I did, however, manage to dispose of a few crapalanches around the house. Funny, you can't really destroy a crapalanche, you just end up moving its parts around. The removal of the major crapalanche that was my desk has caused the growth and/or appearance of crapalanches in other areas. Most notably the side cabinet in my desk and the office closet. I have not been brave enough yet to tackle those, but I did remove one from my beside cabinet, and from the interior of the fireplace cupboard.
The walk was accomplished this morning, though due to the activities of the city's large waste removal truck (dubbed the Terminator) I had alter my route a bit and evidentlly Endomondo thought this crossing of the road shaved a LOT off my distance. My time was also a bit shorter, so maybe the silly thing was right for once.
The oil change for the car has been postponed yet again. I just didn't think driving all the way to Norman and sitting around in a Ford dealer's waiting room was in the cards for my pounding head today. By the time the head stopped pounding and I got the walk done, it was too late. I'm off Friday, we'll try again then.
Now I must do a few clerical things (like balance the checkbook with the last statement) and make some birthday cards for fellow staff members at the library. That is usually fun, but getting the printer to cooperate is sometimes a challenge. (This printer knows it is on the way out, as my laptop is now the only computer in the house that will speak to it. No Windows 7 drivers available for the poor thing.) So I guess this should be finished and the laptop hauled once again out of hibernation and set up. (I just got it put away after it kindly donated part of its stored memories to this new machine.) It was getting dust in it, it had sat upon the craptastic desk for so long.
Master Chorale rehearsal tonight. We are starting work on the Faure Requiem and the Rutter Requiem. (Pray for us.)
Thank you for your patience with me.
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