Routine part two

In an effort to complete a difficult assignment (not difficult in its essence, but difficult because I don't like it), I have chosen to take a work vacation, and I can't recommend the practice highly enough.

I'm in the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato, Mexico, and have established a very productive and satisfying routine. After the early meditation and "morning pages", I am getting to work in manageable bits, thanks to a time-management technique called the "pomodoro method", and named for that small kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato. I first heard of this from one of those random articles that Firefox sends your way, after they have listened to your concerns via the microhpone on your computer... finally Big Brother has come through with something to help me out! (Thanks to motivational coach Darius Foroux who wrote the article).

What you do is: set a timer for 25 minutes, then work uninterrupted for those 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. After that, repeat the process three more times before you take a longer break. I have adapted it to my temperament, and the breaks get a little longer as the day wears on, but I haven't been this productive for months. And the end is in sight for this remunerative, but spiritually draining job. #firstworldproblems

Here is a little story I shared on facebook this week:

Sitting outside in a resto in Guanajuato when a young man sets up his amp to play Beatles tunes. Not bad, improvised solos, but honestly I was not in the mood. When he got up to pass the hat, I asked him "Could you play one of your own songs please?" He was a little surprised, but favoured us with a fascinating 7 minute prog-rock suite about his views on society. I was glad I asked! #singyourownsong

Once this contract is done, it's time to face up to another task, and find an outlet for my hitherto frustrated and hidden creativity. I am so proud that my children and my wife have found outlets for their creativity; it inspires me to begin to pursue composition in a serious way, and hang the doubts that crowd out and crush the creative impulse lying there dormant.

Here is a link to Vivian's latest blog post:http://www.vivtranquilgarden.com/author/osmviv/

Are there things in your life, dear Reader, that you long to do, but haven't found the time or courage to attempt?

Best wishes on your journey!

Daily routine

Since I last checked in, the fallow period I mentioned has blossomed into a very busy time indeed. I was lately reading an essay by Herman Hesse, wherein he speaks of that desire for refuge, a place to be at peace. It doesn't end as you would expect; in fact he rejects the idea completely, saying, in essence that this desire for a calm and quiet place is actually a destructive force in his life.

Still thinking about the ramifications of that; a refuge, a quiet place, has long been a dream of mine as well- and an elusive one.

There are now times, though, in my daily routine, when I find a moment of calm, and I'll let you in on them. First, the half hour I spend in my bed, ostensibly meditating, but really just thinking, and following my thoughts. I feel nonetheless that it is a better way to start one's day than jumping right out of bed (a habit that I had almost all my adult life).

Then, I spend a half hour with a coffee or two, writing pages in a journal. Now that the internet has been a major distraction, it is hard to just focus on that one activity, but once I do, I find it flowing, and eventually a kind of calm sets in, and I don't want to stop writing. But I do, when it feels right, and get on with my day.

It's not a refuge, but a routine; one that I have come to value and miss if by chance I don't get to do it that day.

I'm enjoying cleaning the kitchen too... my Mother, wherever she is, would be gobsmacked.

These three things are comforting, and I guess make me feel grounded in a way I haven't felt often in my life. What comfort do you, Dear Reader, find in routine?

Wide open

A rare occurrence last evening: our neighbors, Russ and Angie, were over with their 5 year old son, Matty. It's been 25 years or so since we had that kind of spirit in our house, and it is always overwhelming: the energy, the enthusiasm, the inquisitiveness!

A person of that age is a "sponge", so they say, but the word is inadequate. The curiousity, the dynamism of wanting to try everything, touch everything, see everything. So inspiring and exhausting, for not only are you their guide and mentor in the excursion into the objects and experiences contained in your house, which are all new to them, you also need to set limits on what can be allowed in their explorations. Fortunately we lived through Hurricane Travis (our son and second-born), and have a lot of experience with enthusiastic, fearless young people.

It was a joy to show Matty the piano:  how the pedals work, what the hammers do, how to play "twinkle twinkle", how to guide a pick along the strings for a special sound.

Kids that age are wide open, and what happens to them between that age and their late teens and adulthood is a sad, sad, mystery. We all know, or have heard of those who, even in their adult years, have kept this sense of wonder. I can still access it at times in a limited way, when I am able look at something with an unjaundiced eye, and taste of the wonder of it. But for most of us, the adherence to rules, and the million compromises we make in order to become "productive members of society" and "grown-ups" stop up that font of joy that we had free access to in our youth.

Herman Hesse (I think it was) proposed that we spend part of every day in quiet contemplation of a tree, or some such object in nature. Having done this a few times I can testify to its healing properties. It's a way to re-frame our experience, to step outside the adult who says: "I see a tree", barely acknowledging it as real; reducing it to a statistic, and not the wondrous miracle that is any tree, large or small.
In what other ways might we re-connect to the capacity for wonder, for joy in our adult lives?

Fallow time

Many years have passed since my last post, and so much life lived. Since then, I became a full-time professor at Université de Montréal, then a tenured one, and now am in my first ever Sabbatical year. That I ever would find myself part of the academic bourgeoisie was, at the start of my career, inconceivable, since even back in the 80s, "common knowledge" was that they were no longer giving out these posts.

But here we are, and I am enjoying the "fat of the land", as it were, and will continue to do so for another year or two at least. This year of research and relaxation has already brought much time for reflection on where I am headed in my few remaining years.

The "year off" began with a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, from Porto, by the interior route. I love the time on the trail, where the activities are listening, observing, using all the senses really, and thinking your own thoughts. I get a lot out of solitary reflection while walking. I read somewhere that your thinking is of a higher quality when you are walking, and I think this must be true. In a age of distraction, we need time to reflect and just "think our own thoughts"

This week is a week off after a busy four days of concerts and rehearsals. I continue to play, conduct, arrange and sing etc. during my sabbatical, which is a joy; I may retire from teaching at a school, but I doubt I will voluntarily retire from making music in some form. I count myself lucky to be able to do a job I love.

Tuba stress

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Well it's been a while. You may wonder why?

The answer is, a professional gig has intruded on the peace of Tuba playing, and as usual has brought mixed blessings... Tons of cash and lots of stress!
If anyone has ever played the Bass trombone/Tuba book for the Lion King they know what I am talking about. The show itself I have not seen, having been deep in the pit, but the music, especially the choral music was heavenly. It was just a few things: the many sforzandi, and the one important pedal C on tuba at the close of act one which cause one's brow to become furrowed...

That wonderful experience is over, and now I am free to enjoy my hobby, away from the constraints of performance pressure. The PT-3 is more fun than ever!

Bohemian beauty

Just got back from our tour of Prague. With my son Travis as my travelling companion, I spent a week in the land that brought us Plzensky Prazdroj (you might know it better as Pilsener Urquell), and the rotary valve tuba in it's present form!

On the beer side, all went swimmingly (you know what I mean), but the tuba side was a disappointment. Even though one of the purposes of this blog is to be positive, Prague in late July falls short of the mark if you are looking to try tubas, or maybe get a foot in the factory door to look at the beauties...
I did get to visit the kind folks at Kliment musical instruments, who were sweet and let me try the one tuba in the whole town that was available to try! It was a monster- a Kaiser Tuba (verry large) BBb rotary valve instrument. What a gorgeous sound this horn makes! (see above for a picture of the machine in question).

Prague itself is a heavenly city, heartily recommended it to those to appreciate culture, cuisine, beer, fantastic architecture, and friendly people.