Writer Jaques Barzun points out how unfortunate it is that humans have let the brilliant minds of the past be the ultimate of what we think. How foolish this could be considering that with one thought can come millions of different perspectives and ideas (which is a great thing).
As opposed to letting what we learn be a means to an infinite end of wisdom and growth, we let our passed thinkers dictate what we are to think. I can only assume that the opposite is what their progressive minds would have wanted as a result...further thinking, using their findings/beliefs as pillars to our own development.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Well
sure..there are differences between radical,evangelical Christians and Athiests...
but the two share such identical pattens of detrimental behavior towards each other and to those around them.
don't we all live in one world? Why no compromise for the sake of more understanding?
but the two share such identical pattens of detrimental behavior towards each other and to those around them.
don't we all live in one world? Why no compromise for the sake of more understanding?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Optimism
Trying to be a better man...
Like many wonderful pursuits in life, perhaps this one should be never-ending.
Thank you Jhumpa Lahiri, Randy Pausch, and Confucius for currently helping me at this juncture!
Like many wonderful pursuits in life, perhaps this one should be never-ending.
Thank you Jhumpa Lahiri, Randy Pausch, and Confucius for currently helping me at this juncture!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
In Stiff Defense of Classical Music
Very often I hear people speak of classical music (that big umbrella of a term used to describe music between about the 17th-20th centuries) as being merely just "old" music that doesn't lend itself to much creativity nor innovation in today's world of art. Though people may appreciate this music as a historic art form, some are quick to assume it to be just that...historic...as if nothing could be done to it and that it should be framed and displayed on a museum wall. I've heard people say such things as, "classical music is old news...get with the times..."...as if there is nothing to be gained from enjoying it further, hundred of years after it has been written.
In my opinion, to say/think those things is to assume that every human being that has ever existed is exactly the same. Which is, of course, complete non-sense.
Before I write any further, I must point out that I am not opposed to new music and artists who strive to take their pursuits to something they personally find to be more "original" (I use quotations because originality (like just about anything else) is relative to each and every individual). That is their pursuit, and I have mine. When people try to make the case that classical music is no longer, "living and breathing", is when I find much to differ about.
It is true, in just about any classical concert series, it is the music of someone else that you are performing...not your own. Oh wow, how dare you be so boring and unoriginal...you must have no soul. Of course, more sarcasm here. The fact that you are performing a work written by someone else doesn't automatically mean that you are robbed of your human experience of originlaity...which is a conclusion I can't help but make when classical music is so often accused of being "un-original" or "un-progressive"...things of that nature. If that were ever true, how could it be explained that when two people play the same piece, the performances will always inevitably be different. Again, how could you assume that every human has shared the same experience in life and is likely to approach their craft/instrument/voice exactly the same...it is impossible...scientifically so...undoubtedly. Even if two artists were to be educated in the same place, it would be impossible for both of them to come out with an identical retrospect of their training.
Do you know WHY different artists are recruited each year to play the same pieces over and over again? Because, with each stroke of each artist's brush, you can find a very personal and profound beauty unique to that artist. And when that artist has spent years training and listening to his voice and passion, there is no denying that true art is being lived and breathed in the present day. I believe the art in classical music lies in the craft of bringing the story of your life to the the story of the composer and making your best effort to do justice to the music...a personal and honest approach required, bien sur. On top of that, you have waves upon waves of musicians who are trained from a very young age for generations to come who will all have their own unique ways of sharing their musical experience through classical music....likely, ways and ideas that the world has never known. Encouraging this majesty of nature is something that is paramount and many of guilty of losing a hold of this fact time to time, most definitely me!
Even though it will be impossible to find a universal taste on what/who is pursuing a "more noble" art, it is probably best to just see it all as equally important. To see someone who is trying to master a Beethoven concerto in their own way and criticize their pursuit as something played out and unoriginal is one of the most absurd things I can think of. To accuse them of a played out pursuit is to totally rule out the fact that they are about to embark on a truly personal journey towards discovering Beethoven that no one else in the world can match entirely. People forget that. In fact, to think that the only way to go after truly unique music is to go after new "ground breaking" stuff is to give up on the very human ability to make his/her experience their own despite what the subject is.And the art of music is about portraying that unique experience. The art in classical music involves a personal relationship with the composer. This is also very evident in the world of theatre. When one is pursuing their best portrayal of "Hamlet", their intent should be to add their own spin onto a template that Shakespeare put forth. A true and beautiful collaboration if you ask me.
Yes, the world of classical music has seen better days in terms of finances and the stability of some of the world's prestigious institutions but this is not a measure on whether or not this is a living art. Merely, just a sad portrayal of a few factors and how they affect the classical music world (weak economies, modern tastes...etc). But classical music is still alive and well as an art form...don't believe me? Ask the eleven year old girl I heard discovering Mozart for the first time down the hall.
In my opinion, to say/think those things is to assume that every human being that has ever existed is exactly the same. Which is, of course, complete non-sense.
Before I write any further, I must point out that I am not opposed to new music and artists who strive to take their pursuits to something they personally find to be more "original" (I use quotations because originality (like just about anything else) is relative to each and every individual). That is their pursuit, and I have mine. When people try to make the case that classical music is no longer, "living and breathing", is when I find much to differ about.
It is true, in just about any classical concert series, it is the music of someone else that you are performing...not your own. Oh wow, how dare you be so boring and unoriginal...you must have no soul. Of course, more sarcasm here. The fact that you are performing a work written by someone else doesn't automatically mean that you are robbed of your human experience of originlaity...which is a conclusion I can't help but make when classical music is so often accused of being "un-original" or "un-progressive"...things of that nature. If that were ever true, how could it be explained that when two people play the same piece, the performances will always inevitably be different. Again, how could you assume that every human has shared the same experience in life and is likely to approach their craft/instrument/voice exactly the same...it is impossible...scientifically so...undoubtedly. Even if two artists were to be educated in the same place, it would be impossible for both of them to come out with an identical retrospect of their training.
Do you know WHY different artists are recruited each year to play the same pieces over and over again? Because, with each stroke of each artist's brush, you can find a very personal and profound beauty unique to that artist. And when that artist has spent years training and listening to his voice and passion, there is no denying that true art is being lived and breathed in the present day. I believe the art in classical music lies in the craft of bringing the story of your life to the the story of the composer and making your best effort to do justice to the music...a personal and honest approach required, bien sur. On top of that, you have waves upon waves of musicians who are trained from a very young age for generations to come who will all have their own unique ways of sharing their musical experience through classical music....likely, ways and ideas that the world has never known. Encouraging this majesty of nature is something that is paramount and many of guilty of losing a hold of this fact time to time, most definitely me!
Even though it will be impossible to find a universal taste on what/who is pursuing a "more noble" art, it is probably best to just see it all as equally important. To see someone who is trying to master a Beethoven concerto in their own way and criticize their pursuit as something played out and unoriginal is one of the most absurd things I can think of. To accuse them of a played out pursuit is to totally rule out the fact that they are about to embark on a truly personal journey towards discovering Beethoven that no one else in the world can match entirely. People forget that. In fact, to think that the only way to go after truly unique music is to go after new "ground breaking" stuff is to give up on the very human ability to make his/her experience their own despite what the subject is.And the art of music is about portraying that unique experience. The art in classical music involves a personal relationship with the composer. This is also very evident in the world of theatre. When one is pursuing their best portrayal of "Hamlet", their intent should be to add their own spin onto a template that Shakespeare put forth. A true and beautiful collaboration if you ask me.
Yes, the world of classical music has seen better days in terms of finances and the stability of some of the world's prestigious institutions but this is not a measure on whether or not this is a living art. Merely, just a sad portrayal of a few factors and how they affect the classical music world (weak economies, modern tastes...etc). But classical music is still alive and well as an art form...don't believe me? Ask the eleven year old girl I heard discovering Mozart for the first time down the hall.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Lee Chul Hyuk
On this Father's day my dad reminds me of what my Korean name means.
I was born with the name James and that is what is on my birth certificate.
However, for the first time in my 26 years of life, I finally get the low down on what my Korean name actually means!. Yeah, that long...language barriers can kid of slow things down!
As we drive home from our Father's day dinner my dad exclaims from the back, "Lee Chul Hyuk!" (Korean names are preceded with the family name). Well yeah dad, that's my Korean name. "Chul is steel. And hyuk means shining. Shining steel. Strong and bold". "Woe", I say. "Well, now I know".
"Yes, James. That is what I named you".
After spending a few moments feeling a bit too cool about the name, I start to appreciate our Korean heritage a lot more. I start to remember what strong context the culture follows and that names mean something other than just sounding right. A culture that follows a strong set of values and though I may not agree with all of them, I do find them beautiful as they make their ways through hundreds and hundreds of years of history (thousands of years if you consider that we and our values descend from the Chinese and Mongolians).
Although my life has been and will continue to be enormously American, I am glad to be pulled back into realizing where my family comes from and I begin to appreciate more my Dad's effort to remind me of where our heritage lies. With my name comes a whole story of a family's journey, mainly two people who came to America from Korea to raise a family.
I was born with the name James and that is what is on my birth certificate.
However, for the first time in my 26 years of life, I finally get the low down on what my Korean name actually means!. Yeah, that long...language barriers can kid of slow things down!
As we drive home from our Father's day dinner my dad exclaims from the back, "Lee Chul Hyuk!" (Korean names are preceded with the family name). Well yeah dad, that's my Korean name. "Chul is steel. And hyuk means shining. Shining steel. Strong and bold". "Woe", I say. "Well, now I know".
"Yes, James. That is what I named you".
After spending a few moments feeling a bit too cool about the name, I start to appreciate our Korean heritage a lot more. I start to remember what strong context the culture follows and that names mean something other than just sounding right. A culture that follows a strong set of values and though I may not agree with all of them, I do find them beautiful as they make their ways through hundreds and hundreds of years of history (thousands of years if you consider that we and our values descend from the Chinese and Mongolians).
Although my life has been and will continue to be enormously American, I am glad to be pulled back into realizing where my family comes from and I begin to appreciate more my Dad's effort to remind me of where our heritage lies. With my name comes a whole story of a family's journey, mainly two people who came to America from Korea to raise a family.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Rediculous
Being a young man myself, I am very well acquainted with the mindset of young people trying to make it in this world. We live in an age where we have to "take" what is ours...what we deserve from our hard work. We have to compete vigorously and claim what we deserve...what is ours. Though it may be perceived as assertive and strong to live this way, perhaps it absolutely foolish.
Why is there such a high sense of entitlement amongst young people?
This is a question that author Randy Pausch helped me bounce around in my head. He points out that this sense of entitlement is a very dangerous thing for anyone... no one deserves to have as strong a sense of entitlement as young people do today. I'm very glad I was able to think about this today and to let it marinate in my thoughts.
I mean, our culture is highly involved with taking. Taking what is ours, what we deserve, what we think we should have because we are so much better than the people who wont get what we're gonna get. What we take will define us. So foolish, isn't it?
I mean, the world has suffered as soon as humanity felt this entitlement. Wars have broken out, the environment has suffered, our resources are dwindling away...
I'm starting to believe that the truly successful people in this world have devoted much of their lives to what it is that they are going to offer back to the world, humanity, and the universe. I don't mean people like Donald Trump. I mean people like Randy Pausch who have lived successful and fulfilling not only carreers but lives as well. The man died with a smile on his face and an open heart...Donald Trump is always frowning about something.
What will we offer back to the world and to what/whom created us? I'm not trying to get religious here, but we can think about this "creative being" in many forms. For some it might be Jesus. For others, it could be nature. For others, it could be humanity, the stars, the trees...anything. Anything that was here before us, existed perfectly before we did, and has already seen the world before we stomped around, acted like self-promoting idiots, spent way too much on a car in hopes to make us look cool...etc. What are we giving back? Why must we give back?
Well, we must give back. Our skills, our passions should serve others...not ourselves. Sure, a purely selfish pursuit of success with lots of money can be possible but in the end if you didn't serve the goodness of people and helped to cultivate it, then did you do anything? Seriously, how many unhappy billionaires do you see out there...a lot! Some are very happy...they did it right.
I'm starting to think that the MOST important investment you can ever make is the investment of making your own effort towards not only enriching yourself but also the world around you. Sure, it is a great idea to invest money into the future as well (and I see to be essential) but it isn't nearly as significant as the dividends that have payed off for people like Randy Pausch who leaves this world having touched so many people in a freightening, soul stirring way. He did this while having the job of his dreams and helping others pursue theirs as well. He was able to pursue his dreams (dreams that resulted in a great sense of honesty both to himself and others)and as a result he was abundant with love that had to inevitably spread to others. Undoubtedly, a beauty such as this that results from being honest is one of many wonders that stem from the Shakespeare's ideal, "to thine own self be true"
All we do is take. When we take more than we give things just will not be right...i've realized this.
Why is there such a high sense of entitlement amongst young people?
This is a question that author Randy Pausch helped me bounce around in my head. He points out that this sense of entitlement is a very dangerous thing for anyone... no one deserves to have as strong a sense of entitlement as young people do today. I'm very glad I was able to think about this today and to let it marinate in my thoughts.
I mean, our culture is highly involved with taking. Taking what is ours, what we deserve, what we think we should have because we are so much better than the people who wont get what we're gonna get. What we take will define us. So foolish, isn't it?
I mean, the world has suffered as soon as humanity felt this entitlement. Wars have broken out, the environment has suffered, our resources are dwindling away...
I'm starting to believe that the truly successful people in this world have devoted much of their lives to what it is that they are going to offer back to the world, humanity, and the universe. I don't mean people like Donald Trump. I mean people like Randy Pausch who have lived successful and fulfilling not only carreers but lives as well. The man died with a smile on his face and an open heart...Donald Trump is always frowning about something.
What will we offer back to the world and to what/whom created us? I'm not trying to get religious here, but we can think about this "creative being" in many forms. For some it might be Jesus. For others, it could be nature. For others, it could be humanity, the stars, the trees...anything. Anything that was here before us, existed perfectly before we did, and has already seen the world before we stomped around, acted like self-promoting idiots, spent way too much on a car in hopes to make us look cool...etc. What are we giving back? Why must we give back?
Well, we must give back. Our skills, our passions should serve others...not ourselves. Sure, a purely selfish pursuit of success with lots of money can be possible but in the end if you didn't serve the goodness of people and helped to cultivate it, then did you do anything? Seriously, how many unhappy billionaires do you see out there...a lot! Some are very happy...they did it right.
I'm starting to think that the MOST important investment you can ever make is the investment of making your own effort towards not only enriching yourself but also the world around you. Sure, it is a great idea to invest money into the future as well (and I see to be essential) but it isn't nearly as significant as the dividends that have payed off for people like Randy Pausch who leaves this world having touched so many people in a freightening, soul stirring way. He did this while having the job of his dreams and helping others pursue theirs as well. He was able to pursue his dreams (dreams that resulted in a great sense of honesty both to himself and others)and as a result he was abundant with love that had to inevitably spread to others. Undoubtedly, a beauty such as this that results from being honest is one of many wonders that stem from the Shakespeare's ideal, "to thine own self be true"
All we do is take. When we take more than we give things just will not be right...i've realized this.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Dream
Chicago Symphony Orchestra low brass plus the legendary principal trumpeter Adolf "Bud" Herseth.
I dream of the day.
love you all
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Well, church can be a funny place to be but no matter what your faith is, there can be some things that pastors speak about that are worthy of your thought.
At a recent church gig I played, the speaker brought up a survey in which modern young people (I assume aged 8-18) were asked what they wanted to do when they grew up. The majority of the answers were , " I want to be famous". Apparently in the past, answers shared in a similar surveyed had noticeably higher variety of answers. And I do remember this...as a young child, all of us used to share our dreams to each other and answers were usually specific. "I want to be a fireman, I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a doctor, I want to be a football player"...etc
Now, I guess you could never really trust what a very young person has to say about their future but these findings are still a bit off-putting to me. I mean, it would be no surprise that most people actually ended up doing something else other than what they might have once blurted out on a playground (and are still happy as a result) but at least their life included a pursuit of a vocation...a calling...a search for self. When I interpret this survey, I have no option other than to believe that we now live in an age where it is far-fetched for someone to take pride and nurture what their dreams are. Or at least, people tend to lack a personal opinion on what it is that they are (or at once were) passionate about. Instead of growing and nurturing a gift, we compromise it.
At a recent church gig I played, the speaker brought up a survey in which modern young people (I assume aged 8-18) were asked what they wanted to do when they grew up. The majority of the answers were , " I want to be famous". Apparently in the past, answers shared in a similar surveyed had noticeably higher variety of answers. And I do remember this...as a young child, all of us used to share our dreams to each other and answers were usually specific. "I want to be a fireman, I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a doctor, I want to be a football player"...etc
Now, I guess you could never really trust what a very young person has to say about their future but these findings are still a bit off-putting to me. I mean, it would be no surprise that most people actually ended up doing something else other than what they might have once blurted out on a playground (and are still happy as a result) but at least their life included a pursuit of a vocation...a calling...a search for self. When I interpret this survey, I have no option other than to believe that we now live in an age where it is far-fetched for someone to take pride and nurture what their dreams are. Or at least, people tend to lack a personal opinion on what it is that they are (or at once were) passionate about. Instead of growing and nurturing a gift, we compromise it.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
"Don't Be Afraid of Who You Are"
Lately I have been buried into quite a bit of audition preparation and I have taken away a lot of small victories as well as some obvious failures. I am very happy with the recent progress I have made as a player and musician but I came to a very frightening crossroads that made me take a good look into myself as both an artist and a human being.
Both in life and in art, whether it is right or not, you are constantly being judged and perceived by an audience be it in a recital hall, audition panel, or in a cafe as you read a magazine. It's just the truth. In my opinion and experience, judgments made upon people can be good but can obviously be bad. I mean, you can see a woman dancing in the street and you can think, "wow, she's nutts"...or you can think, "ah, that's sweet"....either way you have made a judgment. Of course, the latter judgment is most pleasant and beneficial and we (me most definitely) should all strive to have such perceptions.
I am sad to realize however that much of my playing lately (despite, again, my satisfactory progress) has ventured too far into my hopes of how I should be perceived as a player and as a result have felt a slight diminishing of my personal voice as an artist. Now, I say " too far" because I do believe that a necessary part of us should be invested into how others may perceive our playing. I mean, gotta be in tune, must have correct rhythm, and the sound should at least not be "bad".
Wow, even as I am writing this, I feel a slight pause in my thoughts as I am keeping my reader in mind...as a result, I feel a bit limited in my thoughts...whew. Anyways, back to the post...
But, it concerned me quite a bit when a dear colleague of mine commented that my playing just sounded like I was judging myself...it was that apparent. I thought too myself, "wow, these types of comments just never came up to me in the past". Always, people complimented my sound, musicality...i mean, people definitely pointed out my issues with tuning and tempo but I could always walk away knowing that people sensed that I loved playing and that my sound was truly....mine. But this time, it was the opposite! It appalled me then and still does today even a few weeks later. How did this ever happen? My sound? You don't like my sound?! I mean, I suppose sound is a subjective issue that is relative to the listener but to have no opinion on my sound other than the fact that it didn't even deserve an opinion was something else. Everything else was right (the stuff that I had been working on), but the things that I could really depend on as my personal endearments of playing had taken a back seat...boy, was that a wake up call. I will forever be indebted to my colleagues who pointed this out to me.
This situation only caused a small panic to me. I know I can get back in touch with the elements of music making that I love so much because I know that whatever the things are that make music real to me are a part of who I am. I don't have have to search for these things, I just have to be myself again. Being criticized and judged are valuable things for musicians but I have concluded that only when I present who I truly am to listeners can I get the best and sound constructive criticism. Only then can I cultivate and build upon who I am as a musician.
So, lately this thought of, "don't be afraid of who you are", has compelled me a great deal. I mean, it is a common idea heard by everyone at least a million times but it is no simple matter. Stupid me of course, never paid much attention to a thought like this because my usual tendencies of arrogance get the better of me. "me not being myself? impossible!". Ha, yeah, right. I got a good slap in the face on that one. This doesn't just stay with music though. It must be apparent in our daily lives.
I mean, knowing and more importantly being who you are is so essential to happiness ...well, at least it has been for me recently. Understanding what makes you and recognizing it as good and perfect has been an important step for my personal life. Of course, we can all use tools for improvement...but it has to be for the pursuit of goodness. How will these improvements benefit you and the others around you. So we have to be very observant and conscious of what is good. And if the efforts are true, then we must trust that we are making the right decision. Maybe the first start is by not making such negative judgments about events and people. Or how about, being more open minded or committing ourselves to taking care of our bodies...etc.
So by god, if your eyes are brown, keep them brown! Or how about if you have a goofy laugh, well know that someone will love that about you. Don't try to change the way you speak. If you have a joyous high-pitched song of a voice, don't let someone tell you that you need to speak lower. If you have gorgeous hair, why try to mutate it to make it look like someone else... "someone else"...a dangerous, deathly mold to follow. I mean, the world is beautiful because different people exist.
Monotony is the birth of death. Death of art, thoughts, people, ideas, and the death of truth.
Many beautiful things in this world have become bland and vanilla due to the fact that the world has gravitated towards them and diluted their sense of "special"...why feed into that? Perhaps the great runner Steve Prefontaine embodies this the most clearly for me. "Pre" knew he wasnt the most gifted athlete. He knew he wasn't the most trained athlete...but he knew what he had and it made him successful....he believed in it! The ability to push himself unlike any other person, beyond pain, was his gift. He says, "to give anything less than my best is sacrificing the gift".
letting go of yourself means letting go of your gift...and more tragically, it means you have given up on who you are and no longer value it.
Art flourishes because people have something to say. Why then, do we lose ourselves. When we do so, we are not only a detriment to ourselves but truly, we are hurting the world and humanity by lacking any sort of offering.
The most precious gift we were given at birth is the gift of ourselves. Once we let it go, we are losing the gift. A musician will lose their voice, an actor will lose their brilliance, and a human being will lose their soul. Maybe occasionally we tend to let ourselves forget the gift, but we must fight to remember what our gifts are and look forward with them!
Both in life and in art, whether it is right or not, you are constantly being judged and perceived by an audience be it in a recital hall, audition panel, or in a cafe as you read a magazine. It's just the truth. In my opinion and experience, judgments made upon people can be good but can obviously be bad. I mean, you can see a woman dancing in the street and you can think, "wow, she's nutts"...or you can think, "ah, that's sweet"....either way you have made a judgment. Of course, the latter judgment is most pleasant and beneficial and we (me most definitely) should all strive to have such perceptions.
I am sad to realize however that much of my playing lately (despite, again, my satisfactory progress) has ventured too far into my hopes of how I should be perceived as a player and as a result have felt a slight diminishing of my personal voice as an artist. Now, I say " too far" because I do believe that a necessary part of us should be invested into how others may perceive our playing. I mean, gotta be in tune, must have correct rhythm, and the sound should at least not be "bad".
Wow, even as I am writing this, I feel a slight pause in my thoughts as I am keeping my reader in mind...as a result, I feel a bit limited in my thoughts...whew. Anyways, back to the post...
But, it concerned me quite a bit when a dear colleague of mine commented that my playing just sounded like I was judging myself...it was that apparent. I thought too myself, "wow, these types of comments just never came up to me in the past". Always, people complimented my sound, musicality...i mean, people definitely pointed out my issues with tuning and tempo but I could always walk away knowing that people sensed that I loved playing and that my sound was truly....mine. But this time, it was the opposite! It appalled me then and still does today even a few weeks later. How did this ever happen? My sound? You don't like my sound?! I mean, I suppose sound is a subjective issue that is relative to the listener but to have no opinion on my sound other than the fact that it didn't even deserve an opinion was something else. Everything else was right (the stuff that I had been working on), but the things that I could really depend on as my personal endearments of playing had taken a back seat...boy, was that a wake up call. I will forever be indebted to my colleagues who pointed this out to me.
This situation only caused a small panic to me. I know I can get back in touch with the elements of music making that I love so much because I know that whatever the things are that make music real to me are a part of who I am. I don't have have to search for these things, I just have to be myself again. Being criticized and judged are valuable things for musicians but I have concluded that only when I present who I truly am to listeners can I get the best and sound constructive criticism. Only then can I cultivate and build upon who I am as a musician.
So, lately this thought of, "don't be afraid of who you are", has compelled me a great deal. I mean, it is a common idea heard by everyone at least a million times but it is no simple matter. Stupid me of course, never paid much attention to a thought like this because my usual tendencies of arrogance get the better of me. "me not being myself? impossible!". Ha, yeah, right. I got a good slap in the face on that one. This doesn't just stay with music though. It must be apparent in our daily lives.
I mean, knowing and more importantly being who you are is so essential to happiness ...well, at least it has been for me recently. Understanding what makes you and recognizing it as good and perfect has been an important step for my personal life. Of course, we can all use tools for improvement...but it has to be for the pursuit of goodness. How will these improvements benefit you and the others around you. So we have to be very observant and conscious of what is good. And if the efforts are true, then we must trust that we are making the right decision. Maybe the first start is by not making such negative judgments about events and people. Or how about, being more open minded or committing ourselves to taking care of our bodies...etc.
So by god, if your eyes are brown, keep them brown! Or how about if you have a goofy laugh, well know that someone will love that about you. Don't try to change the way you speak. If you have a joyous high-pitched song of a voice, don't let someone tell you that you need to speak lower. If you have gorgeous hair, why try to mutate it to make it look like someone else... "someone else"...a dangerous, deathly mold to follow. I mean, the world is beautiful because different people exist.
Monotony is the birth of death. Death of art, thoughts, people, ideas, and the death of truth.
Many beautiful things in this world have become bland and vanilla due to the fact that the world has gravitated towards them and diluted their sense of "special"...why feed into that? Perhaps the great runner Steve Prefontaine embodies this the most clearly for me. "Pre" knew he wasnt the most gifted athlete. He knew he wasn't the most trained athlete...but he knew what he had and it made him successful....he believed in it! The ability to push himself unlike any other person, beyond pain, was his gift. He says, "to give anything less than my best is sacrificing the gift".
letting go of yourself means letting go of your gift...and more tragically, it means you have given up on who you are and no longer value it.
Art flourishes because people have something to say. Why then, do we lose ourselves. When we do so, we are not only a detriment to ourselves but truly, we are hurting the world and humanity by lacking any sort of offering.
The most precious gift we were given at birth is the gift of ourselves. Once we let it go, we are losing the gift. A musician will lose their voice, an actor will lose their brilliance, and a human being will lose their soul. Maybe occasionally we tend to let ourselves forget the gift, but we must fight to remember what our gifts are and look forward with them!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Paradise
I'm convinced that perhaps the most wonderful time in a string of a few days of off time is the day before you go back to work! Ok, maybe it's just me but I find the electricity of a Sunday morning (or a Monday morning for holidays such as MLK) to be amazingly vibrant. I mean, sure, Saturday is nice. Friday night, cool, time to go out and enjoy some time with friends. But it seems to me that it isn't until Sunday when I really start to appreciate literally...everything. I mean, I really don't think it's just me. I think it could be safe to say a lot of people feel the need to get up early on Sunday, get outside, and really move around. Nothing beats a Sunday morning on Swift Blvd (my current lane of paradise). The tree-lined street provides beams of penetrating sunlight and you are often greeted by a very warm couple also making sure to capitalize on such a beautiful site. Or how about the mom pulling her daughter in a wagon who is trying to figure just how it is that the leaf she is holding can manage to have such a beautiful shape. Sunday morning...
It seems like only on Sunday morning do I become amazed at the leaf that is blowing in front of me as I walk...or how about how perfectly the sun reflects off of the wet ground that has been soaked by one of Texas' often "bam bam thank you maam" rain shower that is often proceeded with the most perfect sunlight. I mean, every other day off is awesome as well but often am I occupied with other things/people...never really able to stare at a blade of grass and appreciate the fact that this blade of grass could have easily gone unnoticed. Perhaps I just need some more time to be my cookoo self.
It's as if Sunday is the day I really am forced to understand how good life really is. Well, Sundays along with Beethoven. Ludwig always reminds me of how beautiful everything is. All I have to do is put on a recording of his work and instantly...instantly...any cynicism in my body is dissolved by the warm sonorities of his masterful writing. Any doubt in my mind is erased by an unstoppable determination to proceed! Things aint bad.
I want to shift gears here and pay homage to a young man who is currently playing basketball for the TCU horned frogs. Now, it isn't very easy to watch the TCU basketball team on TV...well, quite frankly because they have sucked for most of the passed decade. However, as I was watching last weekend's Packers vs. Falcons playoff game, the bar I was at had another screen on with some obscure channel that was playing, of course, a Mountain West conference brawl between TCU and Colorado State University. It was then when a young man named Amric Fields caught my eye...such an impressive player that it inspired me to write about him. He is a 6'9'' freshman out of Oklahoma. Prior to this game I had no idea who he was but I noticed a long lengthy kid who was hustling to every lo0se ball, making steals, leading fast breaks and finishing strong at the rim, getting plenty of And 1's. I had to keep watching and the more he played, the more I was in awe of this kid....simply put, he is what us sports junkies would call a "gamer". A "gamer" is a very special player who plays hard, plays right, knows the game, and knows how to be a great team mate. I am absolutely confident we'll see this kid doing very solid things on the next level some day and I am just surprised at how TCU got him and how schools such as OU (close to his hometown) didn't land him. Amric Fields...remember this name.
ciao,
James
It seems like only on Sunday morning do I become amazed at the leaf that is blowing in front of me as I walk...or how about how perfectly the sun reflects off of the wet ground that has been soaked by one of Texas' often "bam bam thank you maam" rain shower that is often proceeded with the most perfect sunlight. I mean, every other day off is awesome as well but often am I occupied with other things/people...never really able to stare at a blade of grass and appreciate the fact that this blade of grass could have easily gone unnoticed. Perhaps I just need some more time to be my cookoo self.
It's as if Sunday is the day I really am forced to understand how good life really is. Well, Sundays along with Beethoven. Ludwig always reminds me of how beautiful everything is. All I have to do is put on a recording of his work and instantly...instantly...any cynicism in my body is dissolved by the warm sonorities of his masterful writing. Any doubt in my mind is erased by an unstoppable determination to proceed! Things aint bad.
I want to shift gears here and pay homage to a young man who is currently playing basketball for the TCU horned frogs. Now, it isn't very easy to watch the TCU basketball team on TV...well, quite frankly because they have sucked for most of the passed decade. However, as I was watching last weekend's Packers vs. Falcons playoff game, the bar I was at had another screen on with some obscure channel that was playing, of course, a Mountain West conference brawl between TCU and Colorado State University. It was then when a young man named Amric Fields caught my eye...such an impressive player that it inspired me to write about him. He is a 6'9'' freshman out of Oklahoma. Prior to this game I had no idea who he was but I noticed a long lengthy kid who was hustling to every lo0se ball, making steals, leading fast breaks and finishing strong at the rim, getting plenty of And 1's. I had to keep watching and the more he played, the more I was in awe of this kid....simply put, he is what us sports junkies would call a "gamer". A "gamer" is a very special player who plays hard, plays right, knows the game, and knows how to be a great team mate. I am absolutely confident we'll see this kid doing very solid things on the next level some day and I am just surprised at how TCU got him and how schools such as OU (close to his hometown) didn't land him. Amric Fields...remember this name.
ciao,
James
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