The Secret of Inspiration
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Posted:Aug 19, 2007 4:49 am
Last Updated:Aug 19, 2007 2:01 pm 20441 Views
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Three quotes by Robert Frost:
A poem . . . begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness. . . . It finds the thought and the thought finds the words.
We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.
It should be of the pleasure of a poem itself to tell how it can. The figure a poem makes. It begins in delight and ends in wisdom. The figure is the same for love.
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Rational thought is often overrated
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Posted:Aug 19, 2007 4:32 am
Last Updated:Aug 19, 2007 1:14 pm 21180 Views
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Have you ever found someone who caused you to abandon all rational thought and resort to extremes to win them over?
Everyone once in a while I have. It’s quite rare in my lifetime but I’ll give you an example from my college years.
I had a private practice room with a piano in the music building. I had this unstoppable crush on a French horn player who we shall call Victoria. It was the end of finals week. Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation but without any indication she was interested in me, I adorned my room with Christmas lights and decorations and wrote a song for her. I invited Vicki to visit my room after her rehearsal. She never showed up. I was devastated!
I often spent time hanging out with my piano instructor. I informed him of my failed attempt with Vicki. He offered martini therapy which was ineffectual. I was able to find humor in it after the second martini and converted my disbelief into many “Thy Princess, it’s better to give than to receive!” exclamations to his amused cachinnations. I gradually recovered from it as well as the hangover; drinking is not one of my fortes. The break came and went and a new semester started. I was determined and developed a plan. I knew Vicki worked at Pizza Hut. I would show her. Valentine’s Day was coming.
Women and grocers alike are frequently amazed watching me shop. I succeeded in finding the perfect red bell pepper which would produce the outline of hearts once sliced. I cut the pepperoni into little hearts as well. My sculpting ability falls short of Rodin but after great patience and determination, I was able to form my pizza dough into a convincing heart to be reckoned with!
The total time of constructing my Valentine’s offering exceeded eight hours and came out of the oven a couple hours before school began. When Vicki left rehearsal and arrived at her locker, I was there with my creation in what other than a Pizza Hut pizza container. She looked stunned at the container. No words exist for the look on her face when she opened it. Vicki invited me back to her place. So many heated hearts in the space between us.
You’ll just have to come back another time to find out the scintillating conclusion of The Adventures of Victoria!
If there’s a point in there, it’s that rational thought is often overrated. Whether it worked out or not is irrelevant. The look on her face alone made it all worth it.
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Alteridalterego - Le Dossier
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Posted:Aug 18, 2007 8:05 am
Last Updated:Apr 29, 2024 4:5 am 20724 Views
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I was tagged in a group I belong to which required me to fill out this list entitled Four Things About Me. I thought I would include it here for those who may wish to know a few details of my life.
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Sundae chef
2. Concert pianist, Jazz pianist, Rock star, Composer, Musician at large
3. Private instructor/Professor
4. Programmer
Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. Before Sunrise
2. Bitter Moon
3. The Story of O
4. Belle de Jour
Four places I have lived:
1. Chicago
2. California
3. California
4. Chicago
Four T.V. Shows that I’ve watched:
1. Great Chefs
2. Sex and the City
3. Desperate Housewives
4. Great Performances
Four places I have been:
1. Yosemite (didn’t see Sam anywhere)
2. Las Vegas (didn’t see Robert DeNiro or Joe Pesci either)
3. Mexico (Que Rrrrrrico! Didn’t see Speedy Gonzalez, too fast?)
4. Lake Tahoe (could swear I saw Bugs Bunny on skis!)
People who e-mail me regularly:
1. I have a no tell policy about this!
2. But let’s just say they’re people
3. of extraordinary depth, understanding, intelligence
4. and obviously are very nice!
Four of my favorite foods:
1. Italian
2. French
3. Chocolate
4. Cheesecake
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. With someone I adore
2. California
3. Nice
4. Anywhere with someone I adore
Four things that I want to do, but haven't done yet:
1. Can’t tell you that one but it’s really nice.
2. Understand women LOL (had to be honest after that thread about my “scientific research!)
3. Master the art of making the Buche de Noel
4. See France, Italy, Brazil, etc.
Things I am looking forward to this year:
1. Finding my other
2. Visiting my brother
3. Learning
4. Enjoying Life!
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Training versus Teaching
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Posted:Aug 18, 2007 7:09 am
Last Updated:Aug 19, 2007 2:20 am 20642 Views
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Theres a clear difference between training and teaching.
Some animals can be trained.
Some humans can be taught.
Im interested in the teachable who can also teach me, an even exchange of thoughts, knowledge and feelings.
Training holds a certain fantasy value of course. Some of it can be brought into reality. The objective for me is to be with someone who recognizes the difference and appreciates both for what they are.
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Bondage Ballet The Rite of Spring in Red Shoes
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Posted:Aug 18, 2007 6:49 am
Last Updated:Aug 21, 2007 8:00 am 23129 Views
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The photo is of Degas' Dance Class 1871
I’ve always adored watching ballet, almost all dance really. It stems from my love of music. Responding to music with movement is such a natural human action. To refine this with artistic creativity and discipline yields something so beautiful to witness.
I’ve attended countless ballets and other dance performances. I’ve composed music for a dance company.
I look deeper into my interest in it. A serious artist or someone completely immersed in their career should recognize themselves in it immediately. I do.
I naturally enjoy looking at women and to see them moving to music, well, it seems self explanatory. It’s enhanced by the creativity of a talented choreographer all of which is refined through constant study and discipline.
It begins with seeing the beauty of it and wanting to be it. The process of becoming it requires sacrifice, the most intense submission to it.
From the moment a dancer begins training, she begins surrendering more and more of herself to it because she loves it with all her heart. She uses herself for the beauty of the art. It’s an ultimate sacrifice. Serious dancers give themselves completely to it. The classes are physically and mentally grueling. It's psychological bondage in its purest form.
I’ve accompanied classes and observed them closely. Once the class begins, you’ll never see a group of women be more serious. Their discipline is unrivaled. They stretch themselves beyond their limits. They dance beyond the pain and injuries. They literally torture themselves to rise to the top for solo opportunities. They know their career will be short lived because their bodies will give out usually before their thirties so they’re on a time crunch to succeed. They know there’s no money in it. The competition is fearsome.
Humility is the order of the day. You can see their emotions and disappointment when they fail. It’s the ultimate labor of love and most of them carry it with them for a lifetime, far beyond when their bodies give out. After technique classes and rehearsals usually six days a week, not to mention all the performances, they often go to the gym to work out and believe it or not, go out dancing!
They’re not alone in this devotion but it’s not that common to see such passion and dedication to someone or something. It’s submission in its most profound form.
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Hans Christian Andersen's The Red Shoes paint the portrait of a girl dancing herself to death. I don’t think of it as dancing herself to death. I see it as giving her all to something she completely loves.
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The Latest News - Dear hunting may put mens hearts at risk!
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Posted:Aug 17, 2007 8:18 pm
Last Updated:Apr 29, 2024 4:5 am 23198 Views
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Alright, the Reuters headline actually read:
Deer Hunting may put mens hearts at risk.
It seems the deers heart is at far greater risk in this scenario!
It also seems dear hunting puts at least one persons heart at risk but a successful hunt heals and sustains making it so worth the skipped beats, skipped meals, skipped sleep, etc.
As bad as it may seem at times in our searches, we tend to fare better than the deer!
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Jazz in the Kitchen - It's amazing what you can do with something just laying around
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Posted:Aug 17, 2007 5:47 am
Last Updated:Sep 28, 2010 2:09 am 20788 Views
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Since jazz is the theme du jour, I thought you might enjoy my recent culinary improvisation. I had salmon, a lemon, celery, baby carrots, an onion, some cream, dry white wine, fresh rosemary and yellow squash.
I steamed the carrots as well as the celery which I cut on the bias producing the same length pieces as the carrots. I sliced the squash and steamed it as well.
Salmon can be done so many ways. Choose your favorite. I pan seared mine this time in olive oil after seasoning both sides with salt and adding pepper after flipping it. Once removed from the pan to rest, I adorned it with a fresh squeeze of lemon.
I minced a few tablespoons of the onion and added it to the pan with a little butter once the salmon was finished. After translucent, I added one half cup of the wine, reduced, then added some cream along with the chopped fresh rosemary and a little bit of salt and pepper.
Once the sauce was thickened, I poured it into the center of a plate, spread it outward layed sliced squash in the center, placed the salmon on top and arranged alternating pieces of carrots and celery around the plate as shown. Voila !
Pirouhettes or pinwheels seem the perfect dessert to round things out. I opted for a strawberry sorbet I whipped up in my food processor, simple but delectable. Even I can get through a night without chocolate once in awhile!
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The Best Is Yet To Come - Scooby Doobie DooWah DooWahhh
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Posted:Aug 17, 2007 3:43 am
Last Updated:Aug 17, 2007 6:49 am 20576 Views
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How about we start the weekend off with a familiar Sinatra tune.
The Best Is Yet To Come
Out of the tree of life,
I just picked me a plumb
You came along
and everything started to hum
Still it's a real good bet,
the best is yet to come
The best is yet to come,
and won't that be fine
You think you've seen the sun,
but you ain't seen it shine
Wait till the warm-up is underway
Wait till out lips have met
Wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain't seen nothin' yet
The best is yet to come,
and won't that be fine
The best is yet to come,
come the day that your mine
Come the day that your mine
I'm gonna teach you to fly
We've only tasted the wine
We're gonna drain that cup dry
Wait till your charms are right,
for the arms to surround
You think you've flown before,
but you ain't left the ground
Wait till you're locked in my embrace
Wait till I hold you near
Wait till you see that sunshine place
There ain't nothin' like it here
The best is yet to come,
and won't that be fine
The best is yet to come,
come the day that your mine
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The Ritual of Seduction
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Posted:Aug 17, 2007 12:47 am
Last Updated:Aug 17, 2007 2:27 am 20780 Views
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From the moment I was born I was surrounded by music. My father practiced the tenor sax while I was in the crib. I performed with his bands starting at the age of ten and studied classical music as well which I adore. I’ve traveled playing it all as well as rock and roll and even some country but there’s something special about jazz for me. It’s more than the appeal of the complexity. It centers around spontaneity and interaction.
The same song can be played so many different ways. At times, it may not be easy to recognize the tune but it’s always there when good players are engaged in it. It’s like working from a simple road map which indicates the tune and/or the chord progression.
The magic occurs when talented musicians are together who are sensitive to what’s happening around them. Sensitivity through listening and the ability to respond to it are at the heart! I’ve played with some musicians nightly that left me with the sense their minds were somewhere else merely producing the necessary notes they practiced prior to the performance. On the other hand, I’ve played with some musicians for the first time and from the moment we began, we connected profoundly. There’s some unwritten code when that occurs. We involuntarily always look toward each other and smile or nod.
This is true of everything in the social aspect of our lives and holds especially true for relationships. BDSM demands this as far as I’m concerned. I may or may not have an idea in my mind when we embark on an evening’s journey. So much depends on what I know about her and the combination of my moods as well as what she’s projecting at the time. At the most, I may have a road map but it can go any number of ways depending on so many factors.
I had this “tune” pop into my mind earlier. It’s nothing more than a road map, a rough sketch in its simplest form. It will undergo many changes from this point. It’s nothing more than a departure point to spur creativity. I may abandon it completely. I will certainly revise it as well as fill it in with incredible detail. The one certainty is that it will remain flexible, subject to spontaneous reinterpretation depending on who I’m with, the surrounding circumstances, our moods and other factors I can’t even anticipate. Now that’s jazz.
The Ritual of Seduction
She will discover a world of possibilities that will leave her wanting more, a force from within compelling her toward forward motion.
This is a time she’s seduced into new states of self awareness as well as awareness of us as one. She begins to escape from her routines, relaxing, clearing her mind and preparing to open herself to new experiences. Taken through a series of events, we unify in the process as it intensifies. It will culminate in a cataclysmic experience she’s unable to anticipate. A time of repose follows allowing her to grasp the import of all that’s transpired. She knows with certainty we are one. The security of this knowledge brings comfort. She sleeps the deep sleep in my arms.
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Getting to the Truth
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Posted:Aug 16, 2007 8:17 am
Last Updated:Aug 17, 2007 10:13 pm 20843 Views
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I often find more truth in fiction and comedy than anywhere else.
Think of the history books we learned from. The fiction of the eras gives us a real feeling for the people and times. Its not necessarily easy to get to the truth.
Reading between the lines is a skill to be continuously cultivated.
Truth has often carried a steep price so writers have had to develop clever ways of disguising it.
Of course actions often speak volumes.
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