Slogan: Love the Music

Today I looked up and realized that I haven't been online nor on my harp in nearly a week. I have been working toward playing a medley of music for Christmas day, but instead I had some company come who did not want to hear my playing, brought me an autoharp (whatever that is) and I have no desire to begin learning how to discover something new, read a manual, and be told that my playing isn't good enough. As you hear, I am not in a very good state right now. I can't settle down, relax, get into practicing music. I'm very angry at the person who brought the autoharp into the house. I have been in a state of anxiety and much discomfort ever since.

My hope for this season of comfort and joy was that I would begin to behave in a more gentle and positive mindset; what happened has surprised me. A fella walked in the door and I just allowed him to take me hostage in a way that paralized me with fear and insecurity.

I am sad as I sign off tonight, thanks for dropping in,

Meg

Slogan: Love the Music

Hello Friends,
Once again it seems like I have slipped into the ether. But no, I have been sort of distracted this week by the preparations for Christmas and my company coming that need care and feeding while visiting me. I admit that haven't spent time with my music as I had intended; the idea of having time off must have completely relaxed me because I have spent so much time sleeping and getting rested so I can be in good condition for the whole season and all I want to see going on.

I did say that I was only going to concentrate on music in this blog, there would be no mention of other parts o my life. This was going to ensure that I spent a fair amount of time doing things to keep the momentum going in my own day in order to have something to write about. It seems that other parts of my life slop over into how I interact with music; this week with the tasks of preparation has caused me a lot of distress and confusion. Where is the Spirit of Christmas???

I had thot that due to the fact that I was otherwise occupied with work duties that I was the one pushing away the season and the atmosphere ~ I took it all on as my problem. Today when I was out in the stores with my little list of people and the ideas I had for them, I was having trouble getting into the mood, went from store to store picking things up and wondering if that was really what I wanted, moved on to another store, made a decision, saw the line and decided that I would come back later when all those unhappy people were gone. The stores weren't really decorated, Santa wasn't in his big chair while I was there, there was music playing it seems, but it was as out of place as if it was the middle of July and no one noticed, I'm sure. Where did Toyland go? Those great areas in the stores that held all the wonderful toys that had not been sitting on the shelves for a whole year. Decorated areas where kids can actually feel like this is their area, their imaginations running wild, dreams taking over. living in the magic. Coming in tonight I was tired and disillusioned, confused about why I had come in with one tiny bag with gifts for five that all fit into it and had no desire to take the next step of unpacking and getting them put together in well developed gifts for these people that I care enough about to shop for.

Well, don't get the idea that I have come up with some miraculous plan to change all that, I didn't. The only thing I can do is find a way to put some magic and spirit into what I am doing in my little corner here. I'll work on decorating tomorrow, that is my next project. I'll work on my music tomorrow, Friday is coming soon and I want to have a small medley of the half dozen pieces I have been practicing these few weeks.

Thanks for dropping in,

Meg

Slogan: Love the Music



Hello Friends,

On this wet wintery day here, fully overcast skies, its threatening to rain, like it has done every day this week, I have found that I am beginning to get more geared up for adding more songs into my Christmas selections so that I can do a nice selection of melodies even if it is a lot of right-handed work, left hand following along. I would like to find some of the old pieces I used to play, Green Sleeves, Morning Has Broken, but at the moment I am working with what I have so that will have to do. There is going to be some more in-depth cleaning done over the time off and I'll try to find some of my old music sheets, that would be soooo wonderful.

I'll be able to start my practice later in the mornings and go as long as I like, or play for a while and then go do something else and come back to it. This is the plan, but I am also anticipating that I will be alone much of the time. Nothing brings people out of the woodwork quicker than not wanting to be around them. Maybe repelling them is the secret attraction. Its strange that I see myself filling the time with solitary activity, just like on weekends and then I end up sleeping or vegging out in front of the set and not accomplishing anything at all. So? do I make a plan or not make a plan? If I don't then its the old saying: Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail. If I do it is also an opportunity to fail ~ only organized failure, lol.

I'm babbling I know it. So, for tonight I am going to try another short stint at the music and organize the way the music should follow each other, so I won't play the same one or two over and over.

Thanks for dropping in,

Meg

Slogan: Love the Music



Hello friends,

I know, I am still not writing as much as I would have liked to have, either. It seems like there is so little new and interesting going on in the tiny world of music that I have tried to create that it gets boring very quickly. I am thinking that I may have to add some extra components into this blog in order to keep myself coming back, never mind anyone else joining. That could be that I haven't told anyone; you need to let people know or they will not come. Right???



I am still working on the Christmas music and the end of the year is hurling its way towards me like a thunderbolt while I'm too stuck in the past to get into the moment, let alone look into the future. Its such an enjoyable style of music for me, I'm able to read it all, see most of it on a single sheet, memorize it easily and find it great to hear all the time. I don't want this to end as I have no idea what I want to replace it with. Its the one type of music I have never been criticized for playing. That is a huge part of what is going on with me.

Okay, I'd better sign off for now and start thinking of what things I would like to do after Jan 6th. That's how long I'm going to drag out the pain, right till Epiphany. I promise not to hold anyone hostage with dirges for Lent, that would be cruel and unusual punishment.

Thanks for dropping in,

Meg

Slogan: Love the Music

Hello Friends,

Today is another cold day and if the promise of the white fluffy stuff holds true on the weekend, then we will be in for another picturesque season. Its not my favorite way to have it, I don't like it treacherous under foot, makes me nervous. So, if we are going to have to do things with a 'winter wonderland' then I will probably spend my time making the music as seasonal as possible.

Having said all that, I have to really think about what I can do to create this atmosphere of charm and delight. Once work stops for the long holiday they are enforcing upon the company I will have time to do the bit of baking that I do, put up the tree (that takes about 5 minutes) and hang the few wall decorations I have, the wreath, the Christmas books. Am wondering if I could look around and find another small tree for the table by the door, just for lights and some extra bling. Hmmm, we'll see, it would have to be a cute little addition to the one I already have, that has been sitting in the sunroom all year. This due to the fact that I just had no desire to go out to the shed and put things away properly.

I need to make a list of things to get at the grocery store. A bird, potatoes, brussels, like that; I know I am having some Kelowna folk coming in for a few days and even if they aren't here for the day I will need to have food in. The music won't be as good as I had origingally intended due to the fact that have not been working all that hard on any of it. This is turning into a real dog's breakfast today, rambling on and on about more than music. It could be that the music ties more together than usual, it is part of a very big picture.

I am still working on the list that I posted yesterday so won't rattle it off again.

Thanks for dropping by,

Meg

Slogan: Love the Music

Hello Friends,
I know, I have not been vigilent in my endeavour to maintain my daily entries. Now that I have gotten away from it, it is hard to remember to get back to it again. I have been doing daily practice and enjoying the holiday music I am trying to prepare for anyone that may listen to it during the season. I am picking out names and not exactly matching music to them, but just to play for them so I can think about other people when I work on the music. Takes my mind off myself for a change, good change. None of the music is complicated or difficult in any manner as I want to be able to actually play them for people.

I still work on Swan Lake, Danny Boy, and Star of County Down. Still wanting to get the book from Caroline so must write her again, requesting it. Oh, and Wisteria, so lovely to do in all the octives. The Christmas music I'm working on is Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Good King W. (you don't really think I'm going to try to spell it do you? LOL), Huron Carol, that's a good one as it doesn't work both hands together, they follow each other and repeat a lot of patterns. Of course, the joy is that you just learn the first verse and then repeat it in different octives three times and you have the carol, basically. This is very old music and doesn't have a lot of complicated stuff in it. There is no real challenge, only the joy and charm of playing delightful melodies that everyone recognizes. Do I have Away in the Manger? That would be good for children, Krista wants me to phone her a song. Anyone but Sandra, won't play for her again.

This is getting long, it must be to make up for lost time and just in case I get lost in time again.

Thanks for dropping in,

Meg

December 4th, 2009



Slogan: Love the Music



So, after a hiatus of almost exactly 2 months I am back here to try to make amends for the time I was away. I didn't go anywhere, unfortunately I was busy and overwhelmed with all the things that were going on in my daily life, mostly at work but of course it all slops over into my personal life at some point.



I have been trying to keep up the practicing each morning and altho Danny Boy and Swan Lake aren't looking as good as I would like them to be, they are still a reason to continue plugging along with learning both hands together. I still have not gotten the music all up-to-date as I'd like, but I am getting some time at Christmas and think that could be a good time to take on a project that makes me try to organize all the bits.



Pulled out the Christmas music and have been going thru the pieces I like to play, Good King W., Hark the Herald Angels, Huron Carol. Looking for Morning Has Broken ~ yes, well I like it and I used to do it with 2 hands. It would be lovely to have a small medley to play on Christmas morning. I'm glad of the extra time before the holidays so that I can spend more time in the music and get really thinking about it. It may cause me to be able to get into a routine with the music and make it all come together for a good start in the new year.

I am thinking of a slogan as I type this out, it is hard to come up with things last minute like this. There, I have just put one up, now it feels complete. As I go along I will enter the song titles that I am working on. Was really hoping that Swan Lake would be on the roster this year, but so far not looking good.

Well friends, thanks for dropping in,

Meg