Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Lazy Song (Fri 6/17, Jacksonville, FL)

Written and Performed by Bruno Mars
87-88 BPM
Left me wondering: what were they smoking when they decided that monkey breakdancers would be a good idea for the video?

Also: Bruno, zip up your fly! (watch about 10 seconds from 2:35)

Conclusion: I am getting old.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Celebration

Performed by Kool & the Gang
120-122 BPM
Left me wondering: Who wrote the horn parts?

Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh I'm so busy!!! This week is a little extra crazy. It is the first week of my thirties, that must be why.

I wanted to make a relatively big deal out of my birthday this past weekend, since it was the first really scary one. Two problems: 1. my bday weekend was sandwiched between two busy weeks of work, the first of which was in Florida. 2. I am terrible at planning social occasions.

Luckily, Nat (of Nat & Kat) is good at organizing parties. She organized people and places and grocery lists, and dispatched her boyfriend to help me pick up the latter Saturday afternoon before the party. (I like grocery shopping with someone who can help me rationalize buying the family-size bag of Cheetos.) The weather was perfect, and I got to hang out with some of my favorite people, and a good time was had by all.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Greetings from Jacksonville!

Hello, dear readers, from sunny FL, where I'm music directing at musical theater camp for the week. I've been trying to post all week, but for some reason either the blogger site (I just accidentally typed blooger) or the hotel wifi has not been allowing me to post.  

News - in keeping with my long-established tradition of changing my mind/breaking my own rules, I have decided to go back to learning a song a day.  I miss waking up and wondering - like a kid in a candy store - what song I'm going to learn today.  But only on weekdays!  I'm not totally crazy.  

This week I've learned: 
"Happiness" (from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown)
"It's Raining Men" 
"Teenage Dream"
"Forever and Ever, Amen"

More later, and perhaps a return to geekery - for now, time to sleep off the Thai food I had for dinner with the other musical director.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Weekly Wish 06-06-11 - Reality and Madness

This one's for all you Geminis out there, in particular my bestest buddy Sarah, who's having a birthday today.  We've been friends for twenty-four years, since we were six.  She's thirteen days older than I am, which makes me a Gemini too, as will shortly become clear in this short story featuring our old friends, Katgut and the Voice of Reason:

"Ok, people.  Here's the deal," I began to type.

I went on to say that I'm preparing my first audition since I had some bad experiences a couple years ago and decided I needed to stay home and get my shizzle togizzle, so to speak. 

"So, I quit," I said.  "I quit this dumb Weekly Wishes bullsh*t, I'm tired of arguing with myself about how to spend my time. I'll put that energy into finding the next step in my career.  It's the Reasonable Thing To Do."

Really, Kat?  Not even 20 minutes in a day, as a kind of meditation, to work on something just because you love it and not because it pays the bills or might lead to the next step in your career?  You can't take that time to stay true to yourself as a musician, and build a sort of armor to shield yourself from the downsides of what can be a very unforgiving business?

Apparently Katgut has been reading Hunter S. Thompson:
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

Well, damn.  As a talisman, to ward off vampires like Disappointment and Fear of Failure, I will spend a little time each day going back to practice and delve deeper into one of my favorite songs from last year, for which one day did not suffice: Billy Joel's "Summer, Highland Falls".

I'm glad I have a mind that can see and argue both sides of a case.  Not that this trait just for Geminis, but it's a good excuse to wish my fellow twins happy birthday season!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Weekly Wish 05/31/11 - Eine Kliene Mozart

What day of the week is it?  I went hiking yesterday, and forgot to post. 

This week's wish: a little Mozart, first movement of K. 311 sonata in D.  It's been a while since I've worked on classical music, but right now there are some technical things I need to work, and something like this is called for. 

Plus - rule number one: I like Mozart.  He was a theater dude.