We Are The Music Makers...

We are the music makers,

And we are the dreamers of dreams,

Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

And sitting by desolate streams;—

World-losers and world-forsakers,

On whom the pale moon gleams:

Yet we are the movers and shakers

Of the world for ever, it seems.

-Arthur O'Shaughnessy

 

A lot of different things inspire people, shape peoples lives or send them down a specific path.  Music has been a part of my life since I was in 4th grade...probably even before that.  I remember listening to the music my parents had on in the car; whatever that was, country music of my dad, or the 50's, 60's doo-wop/early rock n' roll that my mom would listen too.  Fourth grade was the first time that I could start learning and instrument in school.  I mean we had played the recorder in music class, and I was possibly in the recorder club as well...I was LOL.  Well in trying to figure out what instrument I wanted to learn of course, it was going to be the drums, or the trumpet.  I really wasn't into piano, or a string instrument for whatever reason.  In telling my mom what I wanted to learn she, well put the kibosh on those first two choices.  Giving various and ample reasons why I wasn't allowed to play them.  I then started thinking OK...lets try the sax...nope!  That led to a no for the clarinet as well.  SHIT...what the hell am I supposed to play.  My mother then brought up the option of the flute.  In case you don't know, pretty much only girls play the flute...and that's about it in school at that time and probably even now. 

 

Reluctantly, I decided to try it. Of course I was one of only 3 guys at that time playing the flute with about 15 girls.  Now, I wasn't a popular kid; yeah, I played sports, but I really only had a very small handful of friends.  So now playing a "girlie" instrument put me a bit more on the outside of things.  Yup, I was the cool kid playing a girls instrument all through elementary school, middle school, high school and into college.  By the time I hit high school I was really the only male in the section.  In my first year of high school, I also either wore sweatpants or shorts everyday.  Push me more on the outside LOL...like I said, cool kid, party of one! 

 

I guess I was a pretty good flautist (yes that's the correct term).  My freshman year I was asked to play in the Marching Band.  I had no clue what a marching band was...I mean, putting 2 and 2 together I could figure it out, but I politely turned down the offer (their was also a strong influence from my mom again).  The next year, I was asked again...this time, I decided to give it a try.  Our marching band was run in a very military'ish way.  That decision and the decision to play the flute all those years ago were probably two of my best decisions.  I've met so many friends through the outlet of music, had a career for a bit, met my wife and for once didn't really feel like an outsider.  Those decisions shaped a good portion of my life.  I ended up loving music; playing it, listening to it, learning about it and even writing some.

 

In the beginning I was really mad at my mom for not letting me play what I wanted to play.  However, I got the last laugh though, when I started playing the piccolo and had to practice at home and boy at times did I just play loud to annoy my mom just a tad.  Thanks for pushing me to do that mom and letting me experience a great medium!

 

So onto why I decided to write about all that today...Its a cold Saturday and I'm sitting here watching the Foo Fighters documentary on HBO about their new album, Sonic Highways.  If you haven't heard about it, they basically wrote the entire album while visiting cities that influenced them through their careers.  Chicago, D.C., Seattle, NY, New Orleans...the list goes on.  Music is such a great thing.  So in trying to figure out what to write for my second blog back, I decided to write a little about my history with music and the fact that it did shape a chunk of my life.  That's what these places did for them musically.  It's really interesting to hear the meanings behind songs, and what the words mean.  Past that, its the musical influence from years and generations before.  All the different genre's, where they started, the fact that they all take bits and pieces from classical, biblical, renaissance, jazz, rock, blues...and everything else in between.  Music, in my opinion is the great unifier.  No matter what your preference, each genre brings people together; they connect, share (hopefully legally LOL), love, sweat and bleed for music (those mosh pits gets crazy).  It truly can hit every emotion that you can think of as well.  People can hate on other types, that's fine...but in one way shape or form whether you love it or hate it, its all connected somehow.

 

I listen to music everyday, heavy metal, rock, pop, rap, classical...whatever.  I have my favs, I have things that aren't my favorite and even though I say I'd like to punch people like Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift in the face LOL...I respect the overall art (it might suck but LOL).

 

Well...that's it for my rant today.  Thanks mom for bringing the beauty of music into my life!

\m/   \m/  

Well...It Is Time!

Hey blog, fancy meeting you here.  It has been quite sometime since we last saw each other.  Well, actually since last you saw me.  I've logged in a few times, looked at old posts, attempted to write something new, however it never happened.  You probably didn't even know I stopped by; that can't be true since I have to log in.  I know you saw me, I know you were waiting for me to write something down, waiting for our relationship to get back to where it was before.

It's been an interesting ride since I started this blog, one that I never would have imagined.  One that has had highs, and one that has had lows.  Unfortunately the lows are the parts of this journey that have defeated me for a short time.  Life is a journey, we don't know where our actions, the actions of others, the repercussions of decisions and everything in-between that will take us.  Which is one of the reasons I named you what I did. 

So...It Is Time!  A reference to one of my favorite movies of all-time; The Lion King.  If you've never seen the movie....you should!  But in a short synopsis I'm going to spoil it if you haven't seen it.  Towards the first half of the movie Simba loses his father Mufasa in dramatic fashion.  From that point on two things happen; Simba is forced to go on an adventure away from his home, away from family, from friends, from the only place he really knew.  During that adventure, he meets new friends, some old and he ends up finding his inner "king".  The other thing that happens is under the rule of Scar (his uncle), his home of the Pride Lands is laid to ruin.  No food, the land is decimated and his home has know become a baron wasteland of what it was before.  At the end, when Simba comes back home and defeats Scar and the typical happy ending starts...he begins his ascent to the top of Pride Rock.  At the bottom he meets Rafiki and gives him a big hug.  It is at that point Rafiki says to him as he points to the top of the rock..."It is time".  To which Simba finishes his climb to the top to reclaim is rightful place as...duh...The Lion King.

In trying to figure out what I was going to write my first time back, I thought...it is time.  Time to get back to writing, time to get back to a healthier lifestyle, time to stop my bad habits, time to learn from my mistakes, time to begin the journey once again.  The first thing that popped into my head was...hey, that's what Rafiki says to Simba at the end of the movie.  And I do love my metaphors.  Having lost my mom kinda sent me down a path I thought wouldn't happen for at least another 20 years.  That path was riddled with sadness, anger, self destruction, worry and some happiness.  Name your emotion and at some point I probably felt it, had it, did it...whatever.  My Pride Lands where totally destroyed.  I forgot who I was, what I needed to do, neglected myself because I really didn't care.  I didn't care so much that I nullified the weight loss that I had worked so hard to achieve.  To help myself, I went to therapy for a good amount of time.  I learned a lot of things about me, who I was, what shaped my inner and outer self during the years.  Demons that had been eating away at me from the inside since I was a little kid, to the death of my "rock", my mom.  I was a definite naysayer when it came to therapy and things like that.  However that impartial third person or alternative point of view was refreshing, and it enabled me to look at my life, how I handle situations in a different light.  The therapy gave me some different coping mechanisms as well; tools that I will use now and in the future.

So...it is time!  I don't know how much I'll write to you old friend, I don't know who will read you, but it's good to see you again.  One funny thing I got out of not writing was the interesting amount of people that actually read my words and how many were sad (well maybe not sad), but wondering why I wasn't writing and would hope I would again.  Time heals slowly and I now feel I'm in the right place to begin this journey again.  I can't let myself hinder my past achievements and my future ones as well.  Baby steps will get me to where I need to go, no matter how slow the process may be.  So friends reading this or whoever...give me your advice, your story, your criticism, your knowledge!

Well that's all for tonight...we'll chat soon!