The Magic of Jazz

Each composition intimates an endless number of potential meanings and permits an infinite variety of expressive interpretations.

Jazz is, after all, an improvised music. It demands sensitivity, spontaneity, and flexibility on the part of performers and listeners alike. The magic of the jazz experiences lies in its irreplicability. Every sound is precious because it will never again be played (or heard) in precisely the same way, at the same moment, in the same place, with the same feeling.

Thus it is best to think of these compositions not as exhaustive aesthetic dissertations but as loose tonal suggestions. Each song implies a basic mood. Each tune establishes an overall theme. After that it is up to us, as improvising musicians, to take these themes and weave them into personalized, inspired, spontaneous narratives. And it is up to you, as listeners, to take these moods and use them as windows to your own souls. Ultimately, these songs will be about your experiences, your impressions, and your emotions. They can mean whatever you want them to mean. They can be whatever you imagine them to be. They can take you wherever you wish to go.

So long as they make you feel.


----Joshua Redman, April 1994, excerpt from liner notes of Mood Swing

Something Odd...

So, I've been watching the Winter Olympics for the past couple of weeks. I really enjoy the Olympics (and sports in general), especially as I have a friend over in Torino with the Canadian Hockey team! Of course I usually know the results before watching as I constantly check the NBC Olympics website, but it's still fun to watch the TV coverage.

Periodically, I find myself checking the athlete's profiles when a commentator mentions something that I didn't quite catch or something interesting. After doing this a while, I discovered something odd. As can probably be expected, many of the athletes within the same sport date each other (this is not the odd discovery). What is odd, though, is that the fact that so and so is dating so and so is mentioned in the female athlete's profile but NOT in the male athlete's profile. I'm not necessarily saying that the person who writes these profiles sexist (for all I know different people write different profiles), but I have definitely noticed a pattern with multiple Olympic couples across a few sports. I mean, yes it may be interesting, but why not include it on BOTH profiles instead of just the one?! If it's interesting to tell me that Marlies Schild is dating Benjamin Raich, why is it not interesting to tell me that Benjamin Raich is dating Marlies Schild?

It's not something that's going to keep me up at night, but it's still something I find odd. Now I'm wondering why the heck I even notice these kind of things...

Peace...

"Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal."

--Martin Luther King Jr.

Sleep is Good

Ok, this is going to be a short and uninteresting post tonight. I've gotten 4 hours or less sleep a night for the last four nights and I'm tired:S Admittedly, I did take some naps along the way, but I am still sleep deprived. I really need to quit with the whole procrastinating bit and do my homework assignments before Saturday night...sigh. Anyway, I'm down visiting my parents for a few days in San Diego. It's one of those rare occasions where I have more than 1 day without class (due to a midterm in the class I'm auditing) or work, so I figured if wanted to see my parents again before I graduate, this would be the time! They just came home from Banff, Canada so I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures they took. I've seen some and my dad has asked me to help him put some pictures together to make a panoramic scene. That's something I haven't done before, so it should be interesting. I sense procrastination looming on the horizon yet again...

Thought for the Day...

"It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing."

--Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ok, so I haven't really written much of anything of substance lately. I've been slacking off. But there are times when I'm out and about that I think of things to blog about. I even start composing an entry in my head! But by the time I actually sit down in front of the computer, I am no longer inspired to write. Maybe I should start carrying around a tape recorder. But then if I start talking to myself in random places like Costco or in the middle of class (especially on some of the random topics that I think about), people will think I'm nuts! Not that I'm not a little nuts, but I don't want anyone calling the men in white coats on me!

Don't worry, you all haven't missed out on anything earth-shattering. Other than my latest trip to Costco, the other recurring topic on my mind lately has been the crazy way my apartment complex management has gone about painting. Sounds like a riveting topic, huh? But really, the paint thing is nuts. They've been painting on and off since the end of last year and they keep changing things! They painted the railing up the stairs a burnt orange color a while back. Then suddenly one day last week it was green. The next day it was burnt orange again! I may have even missed a few times that the color has changed. They did this with the trim around my door as well. And this was after I had a bunch of test colors painted on my fence that's around my patio before they started the painting in the first place (that's what happens when you live near the front office)! Everyday that I see a color change, I wonder how many buckets of paint have been used up to that point. I suppose I will never know. That said, I think they are finally done. Of course, I've thought that before the last two color changes...I guess I'll see. I know you all will be dying to know what color it ends up lol.

Anyway, I think that's enough rambling for now. Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day. As for me, it's just another Tuesday. But I did take the opportunity to post pictures of my loved ones...the kitties:) And, maybe I'll go see the Pink Panther movie...

Michelle

Life's Little Instruction Book...

"Remember that love doesn't always make things easier- just worth it."

-- Life's Little Instruction Book, Vol. III

There are a lot of great quotes to be found in the volumes of Life's Little Instruction Book. Today's is just one of many that I have in my collection. Hope you all enjoy. If I get a chance, maybe I'll actually ramble a bit more later on today, but for now it's almost 4am which means it's bedtime for Michelle!

Today's Quote (song excerpt)

From I Ain't Movin'

by Des'ree

Love is my passion
Love is my friend
Love is universal
Love never ends

Then why am I faced
with so much anger,
so much pain?
Why should I hide?
Why should I be ashamed?

Time is much to short to be living
somebody else's life
I walk with dignity
I step with pride

Cause I ain't movin'
From my face
From my race
From my history
I ain't movin'
From my love
My peaceful dove
Means too much to me
Loving self can be so hard
Honesty can be demanding
Learn to love yourself
it's a great, great feeling

When you're down baby
I will set you free
I will be your rememdy
I will be your tree

A wise man is clever
Seldom ever speaks a word
A foolish man keeps talking

Never is he heard

Regular Posting...

"And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course." --Khalil Gibran

Ok, so I've obviously been slacking lately! I haven't posted in ages. I had a feeling this would happen. In the spirit of posting regularly, I'm going to at least try to post one of my favorite quotes every day, as I do have quite a quote collection. And in addition or interspersed, I may post some photos that I've taken as well.

As I'm too tired at the moment to actually coherently write anything (and I have a bandaid on one finger that is making it a PITA to type...), I am starting with both a photo and a quote. In the spirit of Valentine's Day and romance, I am going to post romance related quotes for a while :)