A little here, a little there

Well, Friday night, I'm sitting at my new desk (given to me by my generous roommate), under a beautiful lamp (also gifted to me from a friend), and there probably isn't anywhere else I would like to be right now. This reminds me quite a bit of my freshman year of college when I wanted nothing more on a Friday night than to sit alone at my desk and watch movies.

For the first time since moving to my new home my room is organized and I must admit, though it may seem silly, that my everyday life really has augmented quite a bit as a result of a neat and clutter-less room (well, a few papers here and there). There definitely has to be some universal truth in my findings but to be honest, I rarely have lived in a tidy and functional living arrangement...ha, serious, in 25 years. I feel like such a caveman, late to the findings of the normal and functioning adult. I mean, I come home, I turn on the lamp, I sit at my desk, and I take care of business. There is now beautiful couch (thanks to my roomie, again) that sits in the corner of my room so you are more than welcome to come into he humble abode. Clearly, living with two guys who really like to keep things tidy has rubbed off on me.

In other news, life as a musician has been good. I've made some dramatic improvements in my playing (much having to do with the wonderful people who have helped guide my efforts through lessons) in the past half year or so. However, and this is very common, I've come across a string of a few weeks of not so good playing/achievement in my practice and those rough patches are very hard to work through.Who knows exactly what the problem may be but things aren't quite clicking like they might have in the passed months...but these types of things are inevitable. I feel happy that I am able to deal with this better than I have in the past. Rather than being discouraged or puzzled at what is happening, I have peace in knowing that no one is always perfect and that the enjoyment and love of music making shall always be greater than any anxiety. Rough patches are inevitable and when people encounter them, I feel that it is necessary to look to perspective for a sense of peace. For me, music and the joys it brings me will always be greater than the anxiety involved with playing a brass instrument. When I remember what it is about making music that I love, my problems in the physical world become very trivial. When I am in this mindset, my fear of playing leaves me and I can enjoy it the very same way I did when I first picked up the horn at the age of 11.
I do want to write about this in a bit more detail but I do think I shall save that for another time.

Big game this weekend, Texans vs. Cowboys.
I need to first start by saying, I really have no idea who will win. I know for a fact that the Texans are the better team. However, one of the amazing beauties of any competition in general (be it sports, music, art, whatever) is that the best contender doesn't always win.
The Dallas Cowboys, despite lacking a win in their first two outings, are still considered to be a top notch team in the NFL and have been for the passed several years. An 0-2 start for any team would make them hungry to make sure that the number is not 0-2. This Cowboys team is going to come out with some major fire under their bellies and they are hoping to prove something against a Texans team that is slowly earning national recognition as the best team in the state.
In order to win this game, the Texans need to let go of any sub-conscience morals and decide to beat someone down when they are already down. No inch of sympathy should be anywhere near that locker room and the Texans need to come out with a continuous chip on their shoulder to prove to the nation that the Texans are for real. See, we aren't a team that can depend on our past of winning experience...well, because we aren't traditionally "winners". The Colts have lots of security within themselves. They may lose a game, get their ass kicked, but they know one thing; they have one of the greatest players to ever play the game quarterbacking their offense.
The Texans do not have that luxury or comfort. Our only success has resulted from an amazingly high amount of energy that has stirred from a whole off-season's worth of preparation and a need to prove something. We have to maintain this throughout the whole season to garner any real success that would hopefully lead into a nice post-season birth.

ok, time to go buy some water,

good night friends

yours

James Lee

The Dangers of being "busy"

Well, the school year is in full swing and with it comes back a big chunk of my day that I so easily let go of during the summer months :)
When you combine teaching with a self-mandating need to practice and time in the gym, the day fills very quickly sunrise to sundown (and then some).

Teaching lessons/masterclasses non-stop for hours a day can have its rewards but it will take its toll on anyone (which is why I have gained such a high respect for the men and women who put themselves in that situation all day).
Although it is nice to be working again after a nice summer break (and serving society through sharing music), I have already begun to miss the idle moments that my brain enjoyed so much during the still and ever so slow days of summer. Lying down on my bedroom floor, hands behind my head, eyes closed, as I let my mind wander is something I miss very much and I will have to make it a priority during my weekends (despite my heavy appetite for football at the moment!).

So I think this constant yearn to be industrial all the time isn't quite what it is cut out to be. People need recess and they need it often (several times a day, I feel). Without my brain time to wander and to wonder, i've noticed that less of my brain is used on a daily basis and it literally feels like it has a lack of exercise (again, despite a hectic day).
I also think I've noticed this in other people as well. I know plenty of brilliant people, sharp witted people, who seem to have been victim to their day-to-day. I feel like what I am trying to point out here is widely recognized as a struggle with many of the 9 to 5 crowd, but my realization of it is just now hitting as my day has become a bit crowded.

HA, for one, my writing isn't quite what it used to be! I have looked back on what I have written in the past, and it seems to me that a younger, and even more immature me could communicate more clearly and thoroughly than I can now. Well, I will consider that it is now 12:38 am, and maybe my brain just isnt good at this time of day but still, it does bother me that it used to seem a bit easier to punch out what I am thinking on the keyboard.

So, what to do...
-well, one thing I will carry on from summer is the habit of reading often.
-Also, I will give myself more days off of work
-I will embrace my weekend (when not practicing or exercising) and make sure that I give my brain ample time to sit in silence and to let itself go wherever it may choose!
-And I will try to write more. This blog is called the 'loose' filter and it shall be exactly that...to ensure that I punch out what I am thinking and to do it freely and with much fervor!


I am truly happy to be passionate about two things in life...music and sports. My day evolves around them....everyday. I am one who will encourage you to be passionate about what you do but I must re-think the idea that it should consume your every breath. In fact, brief time away from it, I feel, helps cultivate it. So embrace your need to recess and answer to it often. it is essential.

What I love to do

We live in a country where we are free to believe in whatever it is that we find to be true...and our country is great for that.

No matter what it is that you believe in, it is no doubt that music is a gift to us and not something we grasped ourselves. It came before us and will remain without us for all of eternity...it is greater than us.

As I journey through life as a musician, with it's highs and lows, I am always humbled by the idea that for me, I can only be successful in music if I am offering it back to whatever it is in this world that gave me such a blessing.

Money Trumps "Success"

It's such a shame but it is true.

People who have gone through way more in life and have had to overcome so many things seem to never have their successes appreciated nearly as much as the person who makes more money...generally speaking, of course. Not everyone lacks a heart.



There are people who have raised such amazing families and communities who will never be as widely recognized and honored as much as next year's top draft pick or next big millionaire.

Or how about a recovering drug addict...that is such a HUGE success that people don't recognize and admire as much as someone's net worth.
it kind of saddens me

Mendelssohn

Is it just me, or was Mendelssohn one the most amazing craftsmen of beautiful melody?

Goodness...

Balance?

So, the Texans played amazingly yesterday in their stomp of the Indianapolis Colts.
What we always knew about the Texans is the fact that they posses a solid amount of talented players. What was always in question is whether or not these players/coaches could handle winning in a professional and legitimate matter (winning by fine play as opposed to circumstantial events or mistakes by the other team). Although it was only our first game, I think the Texans fans should be happy to see that our team showed a high level of professionalism and game management. As a team that is not really regarded as a run-the-football team, we sure did show the nation that we could indeed dominate on the ground game. In fact, a screaming majority of our offense evolved around the running game.

So, now we have fans who are concerned..."well, that is great, but are we going to see a balance between the running game and the passing game?...we need more balance".

How stupid can you be to make balance your priority when running an offense?

I suggest the goal to be scoring at at the expense of any measure. The Texans recognized that their running game was going to help them win the game so they stuck to it. If they were preoccupied with "balance" as opposed to being occupied with scoring, then you would have seen less success out there.

What is ideal in an offense is to have a balance of capability...versatility in order to adapt to situations. But that's it.

You can use the analogy of a painting. Why would one who is trying paint to a certain mood or thought use anything that may deflect them from their goals in the moment? Should they add trivial factors to the work just so they can fulfill some formula of what makes a good painting?

so, as you can tell, I hate hearing about people worrying so much about maintaining more balance in our offensive attack as they seem to forget that we dominated a game against a great Colts team that will prove to be a strong super bowl contender yet again.

How to Train a Volleyball Player

The next installment in the "How to Train A __ " series is the sport of Volleyball.

My experience with the wonderful sport of volleyball is very limited but I have watched it enough to appreciate the great athleticism involved in such an acrobatic sport. In the game, it seems to me that there are several roles played by different people on the court. In my attempts to dissect the training, I will examine the very common grounds that must be present in all effective volleyball athletes.

Volleyball players must:
-Have lightning quick reaction and lateral quickness
-Have an impressive vertical leap and be able to jump quickly as well as they do high.
-Possess very strong body awareness in order to maneuver themselves to getting any ball
-Have good physical strength in order to create powerful shots (kills, I believe is the terminology!)
-Be able to jolt their bodies either way from a stagnant position

The Scheme:

Much emphasis must be put on training compound lifts and movements (movements that involve the use of many muscle groups) that promote overall athleticism and physical ability. Optimal volleyball athletes often have a lean physique, mobile, and explosive that still possesses an exceptional amount of strength transferred to the ball. Everything should be geared towards becoming stronger all around as opposed to strengthening just one muscle group.

The Training:

* The weight used should never be weight that is too heavy. Lifting should be light and explosive. Obviously, when the athlete gets stronger, the weight used to train will inevitably increase but never at the expense of lifting in a stagnant and lethargic manner.

Power Clean-flat out the best way to train overall body explosion and athleticism

Squats- strengthens your legs and also promotes growth in the posterior chain (glutes, hams, and calves) that are essential to explosiveness.

Push Ups- A very compound movement that build the chest, shoulder, triceps, and helps with core stabilization

Pull Ups- compound movement that trains the back, more shoulders, bicep, and more core stability

Shuttle Runs- a drill created in order to train lateral quickness and reaction time

Box Jumps- helps increase vertical leap and also explosiveness throughout the jumping movement. Also helps with determination and obstacle training.

Punching Bag- Yes, hit that bag and learn how to transfer your newly found power into effective hurt bombs. The body can build strength but training how to apply strength to non-weight activity is often overlooked.

40 Yard sprints-only 40 yds! Training short bursts of speed and immediate velocity.



Till next time,
James