Music in Motion

Music is like a plinko chip. We release it carefree, watch as it haphazardly fumbles and winds, twisting it's way through our lives and eventually ends up giving us so much pleasure, for those contestants on The Price is Right, a few extra bucks. A recent trip down to Cuba; where I had never been before, reminded me that no matter how little someone has, they can be united, carefree and laugh with the company of some great music when surrounded by the people you love. Throughout the resort, or in town whenever you heard local music, it was infectious and brought smiles to faces all around you. I used to often stop by parties at an old friends house years ago who is Nicaraguan, and it was not unusual for almost everyone in the little crowded townhouse to clear away the furniture in the living room and start dancing the myriad of latin dance moves; people who had nothing but each other, were merengue-ing and salsa-ing themselves into such a joyous occasion. Country music has forever been synonymous for capturing a detailed description of life in lyrics. Surprisingly, one of my favourites that was never released as a single, but recorded by Keith Urban is actually called 'Song for Dad' and recounts his looking back and seeing that he's more like his annoying father than he would have once liked to admit. Don't nobody getting all psycho-analyzing on me now, I just really like it. Another that I have always liked by Reba is called 'My Sister'. Do we see a trend beginning? Well, let's just keep on going. Let's talk about 'Mama' by Boyz II Men. Not a song that I ever particularly liked, but a sweet undertone nonetheless. I tell ya, if I was wanting to make a compilation CD or a little theme grouping on the iPod, (much like I have one with up-beat motivational songs for when my fat ass was a user of the treadmill) I'd be set with one about family. But back to 'Mama'. Although not a fan of the song, I can remember festivities put on by a dear friend who organized in her honour a wedding-esque gala to celebrate the graduating of a hard earned political science degree from University, and part of this was taking some time that night to acknowledge her mother for being such support in her effort. The song she chose to dedicate to and dance with her mother of course, 'Mama'. A fond memory of mine; truly. Just today, during a quiet couple of hours in the house while reading my latest novel, every so often the whistling of the super windy day outside would trigger the movement of wind chimes hung by our new neighbours. It reminded me of a few things a) to put together this blog since I had gathered a few like thoughts to write about in the past few days b) the beautiful stray notes the structure emanates and c) that it kinda sounded like an ice cream truck we would chase down the streets as children. Leave it up to me to bring it back to fat-inducing food! Whatever music evokes for you, it more often than not induces a high. Be sure however, not to get too high, or the yodeling mountain climber goes over the cliff.

Toodles

Growing Up/Growing Old

You are at a cocktail party, meeting new people; likely friends of friends, etc. that you have never met or heard tell of before, and what does the conversation eventually come to? After exchanging pleasantries, someone (generally the cocky competitive type) will ask 'What do you DO'? Everyone knows what this question really means. The probe is not into your Sunday afternoon hobbies, nor is it about a particular sporting activity that you may have always excelled at and really enjoy participating in. Nope, they want to know about your money making, 40 hour per week, annoying commute parenthesized career. And you best parley your boring job into a best damned explanation of a career if you hate it or else the shame may be too much to handle. Sometimes it's difficult to grasp for many that a day job does not define a person. Little children, from perhaps as early as 5 or 6 years old start being tormented with the annoying question from their elders 'What do you want to be when you grow up'? Is this the prologue to the question to come 2 or 3 decades later at the aforementioned cocktail party? Oh the pressure on the wee bambino. In grade 7 I had this idea that a profession I might be interested in pursuing was to be a casting director - finding talent to fill roles for movie and television characters. It was soon forgotten, never followed and while may have not been the most practical, 15+ years later I now wonder if I were to reconsider, possibly envision actually following through with that foresight, would what I be 'DOING' as a 'GROWN UP' make me more fulfilled? Happier? Rich? Hell, I'd be warm living in California - that's for darn sure. No regrets; the exclamation point proclaimed by all who don't want to admit they may have made a mistake. We have a family friend who followed a teaching opportunity at an upstate New York University because of his advanced prowess in the field of mathematics. Yesterday was 03/03/09. According to what I heard on the radio, it was 'square-root day'. Only happens 8 or 9 times in a century; next one will come on 04/04/16 and is considered a 'holiday' of sorts for mathematicians. Now for these people who discover they are super duper arithmetic genius', at what point do they decide they are going to make their 'DOING' math and equations, etc.? Do they pursue a career path that takes the best of their cranial ability; is this an easy way out, a version of 'settling' because they happen to be good at it? Whatever our decisions, or yellow brick roads set out before us, I can tell you I can't remember when I ever wanted to grow up, or grow old. Can someone get me Peter Pan's number?

Toodles