Only in walking a dog who's been pent up for a while, can one truly enjoy a freezing, windy but sunny day. T and I pull on our woolly socks, wrap ourselves up the eyebrows, then pick up Spencer who is beside himself with joy at our coming to take him out for a walk. He stands still (sort of) only to have his little red coat and halter put on. Then we're off. Him looking like Santa's dog (all red and white).
When Spencer pulls you around the park and almost off your feet, you know it's been awhile since he's had a good run. And the snow. There's barely enough to cover the grass but it's enough for rolling in, and roll he does in doggy ecstacy! His head, his back, his belly. He licks it. He can't get enough then it's off on the run again. He outruns his nose, which stops immediately at an interesting scent but his body swings around as it receives the signal to stop a second later than the nose. You gotta laugh at his shenanigans.
We gingerly step out on the ice of the lake. Is it solid? How strong? I throw a big rock; it bounces off the ice. We step out and skate around, entice Spencer to skate a bit. He's not sure about this lack of sure footing.
We revel in his joy and enjoy the day so much more because of it. Our laughter chuffs steam in the cold, wintry air. Life is good.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Metronome
Yes, I need a metronome. Keeping time is just another element to piano playing that adds to the challenge. Especially those tricky little eighth notes! I have a built in "beat" on the old organ so I make do with that but maybe one of those new fang-dangled metronome is what I need. They're no longer triangle shaped with the old tick-tock thingie: they're like little cell phones, for Heaven's sake. And you can program them with different beats and different beat sounds. Oh how we love to complicate simple things.
And the music is getting more complicated. Now, we've got the foot pedal introduced (as if just playing the notes wasn't hard enough, now I have to think about what my feet are supposed to be doing). Who invented piano playing anyway? Now, comes tricky beats. Now we're on notes that push fingers from five to seven. Didn't know piano players had 14 fingers, didja? Well, we do. Thumbs and baby fingers have to work a little harder than the others - they each gotta extra notes (poor things, especially the little baby fingers). They gotta stretch!!! And stretch they do. Who knew you could have lactic acid build-up in the muscles of your fingers!!?? Sheesh. But I am learning. The songs are getting a little trickier. This week's challenge is "Blow the Man Down" and how I'm working on blowing that one down. It sure isn't easy. But it's coming.
The next big challenge is the Christmas concert. I'm not concerned (yet) about what I'll have to learn to play...it's getting over being the biggest in the class. OK, I'll admit it. Not only the biggest, but the oldest. Ok, not only the oldest but the one with the grayest hair. Not only with the grayest hair but with the most flatulence. Awww, do I HAVE to do the Christmas concert?????
And the music is getting more complicated. Now, we've got the foot pedal introduced (as if just playing the notes wasn't hard enough, now I have to think about what my feet are supposed to be doing). Who invented piano playing anyway? Now, comes tricky beats. Now we're on notes that push fingers from five to seven. Didn't know piano players had 14 fingers, didja? Well, we do. Thumbs and baby fingers have to work a little harder than the others - they each gotta extra notes (poor things, especially the little baby fingers). They gotta stretch!!! And stretch they do. Who knew you could have lactic acid build-up in the muscles of your fingers!!?? Sheesh. But I am learning. The songs are getting a little trickier. This week's challenge is "Blow the Man Down" and how I'm working on blowing that one down. It sure isn't easy. But it's coming.
The next big challenge is the Christmas concert. I'm not concerned (yet) about what I'll have to learn to play...it's getting over being the biggest in the class. OK, I'll admit it. Not only the biggest, but the oldest. Ok, not only the oldest but the one with the grayest hair. Not only with the grayest hair but with the most flatulence. Awww, do I HAVE to do the Christmas concert?????
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Organ vs Piano but there's progress
My organ is lovely and has a history: R bought it for his lovely wife, E. However, sadly, E died and R doesn't play so he let it go for a song to me (who also doesn't play). But I'm determined to play, hence my signing up for piano lessons even though the instructor had reservations about my playing on an organ, not a piano.
At first it didn't matter. The notes were simple and I simply stayed in "piano" mode on my organ taking care not to touch any of the 80+ other buttons available to me. But as I progress I realize playing the organ in preparation for my session on the instructor's piano is akin to practising on an electric typewriter then taking an exam on a manual. Somehow the fingers get lazy: they are used to the ease of the organ keys whereas the piano demands of the fingers some stamina, some muscle, some pressure! More speed. Aghhhhh!
I've checked out Lionel Pauzé's piano store in Almonte where there are some very lovely new and refurbished (my price range) pianos of a size suitable to my small digs. Dilemma: stick with the organ or switch to a piano? When one doesn't know what to do the best thing is to do nothing which is my choice of the moment. There is definitely starting to be a large gap where such things as crescendo and diminuendo (dynamic signs) cannot be done on the organ (or maybe I just haven't figured out how). The pedals (3) on the piano can't compare to the multiple pedals on the organ (all of which scare me).
And so the disparities in my two musical vehicles are starting slowly to pose little problems.
But what's wonderful is my reportoire is expanding. Incredibly, I can now play:
At first it didn't matter. The notes were simple and I simply stayed in "piano" mode on my organ taking care not to touch any of the 80+ other buttons available to me. But as I progress I realize playing the organ in preparation for my session on the instructor's piano is akin to practising on an electric typewriter then taking an exam on a manual. Somehow the fingers get lazy: they are used to the ease of the organ keys whereas the piano demands of the fingers some stamina, some muscle, some pressure! More speed. Aghhhhh!
I've checked out Lionel Pauzé's piano store in Almonte where there are some very lovely new and refurbished (my price range) pianos of a size suitable to my small digs. Dilemma: stick with the organ or switch to a piano? When one doesn't know what to do the best thing is to do nothing which is my choice of the moment. There is definitely starting to be a large gap where such things as crescendo and diminuendo (dynamic signs) cannot be done on the organ (or maybe I just haven't figured out how). The pedals (3) on the piano can't compare to the multiple pedals on the organ (all of which scare me).
And so the disparities in my two musical vehicles are starting slowly to pose little problems.
But what's wonderful is my reportoire is expanding. Incredibly, I can now play:
- Ode to Joy
- Aura Lee (aka Love me Tender)
- Rock along and Mexican Hat Dance
- Au claire de la lune and a Tisket, a Tasket (what are those things anyway?)
- Good King Wencelas & Jingle Bells (getting ready for Christmas!)
- Brother John and Here's a Happy Song and Merrily we Roll Along
- Largo, Mary Ann (a toughie), Rockets (easy) and What Can I Share?
- My favourite - When the Saints (the only one I have actually memorized)
- Love Somebody, A Friend like You
- The animal songs: Donkey and the Cuckoo. Note: animal songs are HARD!
- My lifestyle song: Money Can't Buy Everthing
- The lovely and serene Harp Song
- The almost impossible Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes (Dear Lord, why does this song give me such grief?)
- Good morning to You and...wait for it...
- Happy Birthday to You which arrived just in time for me to torment my poor husband to death as it was my personal challenge the very week of his 60th birthday!! Quelle coincidence!
- Now I'm "Standing in the Need of Prayer" trying to master eighth notes. But there's a trick to it and I think (hope and pray) I've figured it out. Tomorrow night's lesson review will tell the tale.
Amazing progress don't you think? Next we explore the Metronome!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Never too Old to Learn
I have started taking baby steps toward fulfilling a personal goal: to play the piano. Yes, I'm in week 5 of my lessons and am starting to sweat.
At first it was a piece of cake. But now the chording and coding is getting more challenging. My teacher is excellent. Only 18, she's at the Grade 10 level in the Toronto Conservatory of Music. She's very patient and kind. The only problem is: seeing her only once per week means I have an entire week to practise, oftimes in error as there is no one about to tell me I'm getting it wrong. Of course, it all sounds good to me!
Humility, they say, is good for one's soul and I'm becoming more and more humble every week. But: I have mastered When the Saints Come Marching In and even had a few singers join in when I played it for a friend in a seniors' residence last week. So what if it's the only song in my repertoire? My challenge this week is "Beautiful Brown Eyes"...tricky little piece...but who knew?
Next, my organ vs piano dilemma.
At first it was a piece of cake. But now the chording and coding is getting more challenging. My teacher is excellent. Only 18, she's at the Grade 10 level in the Toronto Conservatory of Music. She's very patient and kind. The only problem is: seeing her only once per week means I have an entire week to practise, oftimes in error as there is no one about to tell me I'm getting it wrong. Of course, it all sounds good to me!
Humility, they say, is good for one's soul and I'm becoming more and more humble every week. But: I have mastered When the Saints Come Marching In and even had a few singers join in when I played it for a friend in a seniors' residence last week. So what if it's the only song in my repertoire? My challenge this week is "Beautiful Brown Eyes"...tricky little piece...but who knew?
Next, my organ vs piano dilemma.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Name that Harley!
This story is for all my motorcycling friends. Enjoy.
While walking with L and Spencer around the park, we came across W who, wanting to stop raking leaves for a few minutes, shared this story.
Having lost his way to a new golf course, W stopped in at a ladies' gym to ask directions. The lady at the desk knew exactly what course he was looking for and told him this:
"You're on the right road. Keep going straight until you come to the Suck-Bang-and-Blow, then make a right, it's right past there."
Not sure he heard her right, W repeated the instructions, then asked (trying to keep a straight face, and thinking the worst), "What exactly IS the Suck-Bang-and Blow?"
"Oh," she said, "I guess you're not from around these parts?"
"No," he admitted, "we're Canadian."
"Well," she told him, "the Suck-Bang-and-Blow is the motto of our local Harley Davidson shop."
And sure enough, as W followed her directions, he drove right past a Harley dealership with this huge sign that read "Suck, Bang and Blow."
While walking with L and Spencer around the park, we came across W who, wanting to stop raking leaves for a few minutes, shared this story.
Having lost his way to a new golf course, W stopped in at a ladies' gym to ask directions. The lady at the desk knew exactly what course he was looking for and told him this:
"You're on the right road. Keep going straight until you come to the Suck-Bang-and-Blow, then make a right, it's right past there."
Not sure he heard her right, W repeated the instructions, then asked (trying to keep a straight face, and thinking the worst), "What exactly IS the Suck-Bang-and Blow?"
"Oh," she said, "I guess you're not from around these parts?"
"No," he admitted, "we're Canadian."
"Well," she told him, "the Suck-Bang-and-Blow is the motto of our local Harley Davidson shop."
And sure enough, as W followed her directions, he drove right past a Harley dealership with this huge sign that read "Suck, Bang and Blow."
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