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Reading and Music

March 29, 2022 at 8:46 am by Claudia

Part of the daily view around here – either in the chair or on the piano bench or on the sofa.

I like it.

My sister sent me a huge box of my grandmother’s sheet music – a lot more than I expected! I haven’t opened it yet. I’m wondering where this was stored over the years. I don’t remember seeing it and I’m the one who took lessons and inherited her piano. Maybe it was in storage at her house? Anyway, this morning I’m going to open it and tomorrow I’ll share what I found with you.

Maybe it will inspire me to get the piano tuned. It needs it – I know that because I played a bit the other day and cringed at the sound.

It’s sunny today and really, really cold. I’m sorry, isn’t it almost April 1st? For the last couple of nights we haven’t heard the peepers. They don’t call out when it’s this cold. Though I did hear the bullfrog. Another cold night tonight and then it should gradually get warmer. Can we stay in spring now?

I started reading this beautiful novel yesterday. I purchased it on a visit to Books are Magic in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn. It’s on the shorter side – 278 pages long – and I’m already entranced. As you know, I love Powers’ writing. He has the ability to talk very technically about the universe, or nature, or space, or mathematics and science, or music and make sense  of it – especially to this reader. He manages to do all of that and write a work of fiction with beautifully written characters and an engaging plot.

I find his mind utterly fascinating.

My back is getting better. It’s at its worst first thing in the morning but I am recovering from the initial pain much more quickly and the rest of the day I feel fine. I’m still careful, of course. For example, I want to start painting in oils again and the best place, really the only place, to do that is at the kitchen table. I want to bring my easel downstairs, along with all my supplies. But first, I have to add pillows to the chair so that I can use the easel without aggravating my back.

It’s cold today, too cold to work outside (which I probably wouldn’t do anyway) and, though I’m reading a lot these days, I need to do something else – like painting. Egg cup? If so, which one? I’m pondering.

I’ve closed comments  and deleted yesterday’s post. I got a comment from someone that’s never been here before accusing me of being racist, which couldn’t be further from the truth. If my husband, who is white, had done that, I would have said the same thing. If anyone of any ethnicity or race or color had done that, I would have said the same thing. I know and have witnessed that same kind of violence in white men and have spoken out about it on this blog. I have no patience for people who don’t know me, but have no problem attacking me based on my having an opinion that never once mentioned his color. It wasn’t about that. I don’t need trolls coming after me.

Anyway, we will now move on.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: books, Grandma, music 33 Comments

Stream of Consciousness Sunday

March 27, 2022 at 9:58 am by Claudia

In the category of “Things I no longer need to do” – watching the Oscars.

I’ve watched the Oscars for most of my life and you know what? I’m over them. Besides the fact that I often disagree with the nominations or lack of a nomination, the real point is that comparing performances is entirely subjective. It shouldn’t be a contest. I’ve felt this way for a long time, but I guess now that I’m a crabby senior citizen, I’m actually going to put my money where my mouth is. No more.

I have a real problem with all the ‘contest’ shows out there. Instead of showcasing real talent and skill, every one of these shows is overhyped to the point of ridiculousness. Why does every cooking or decorating show have to involve a contest of some sort? It’s exhausting. It’s even entered the miniature world, and while I understand that introducing audiences to miniatures might be a good thing, it takes our hobby or profession and puts a time limit on it so that the end results are rather slap-dash and not at all representative of what true talent and skill there is out there. There’s one on HGTV and now there’s one in England. Sigh.

Exception: The Great British Bake Off,  which is done in a positive, affirming, and classy manner.

Or there are hyped up ‘reality’ shows that try and make every boring thing that happens a BIG DEAL. See Ice Road Truckers, etc. And the genre called reality television is anything but. It’s generally loosely or even tightly scripted. I am proud to say I have never seen an episode of Survivor (how can you really be ‘surviving’ when there is a crew filming you and Craft Services on hand, per the union, to provide food?) or anything to do with Bachelors, Bachelorettes or the Kardashians.

Anyway, back to the Oscars. I know people love to see what the nominees are wearing and all that sort of thing but that doesn’t tempt me strongly enough to watch it. (But if you love that sort of thing, enjoy!)

I’ve never liked theater reviews or movie reviews because they are subjective – they are one person’s opinion that can make or break a show or movie. And I find I like the Tony Awards, Emmy Awards, and Oscars less and less. If you want to salute the work, then stage a show where you highlight performances of the year. But no ‘Best’ award, because ‘Best’ according to who?

By the way, Don and I used to parody the hyped up reality shows. We’d do some mundane thing around the house and narrate it as if the stakes were incredibly high or we’d speak directly to the camera with something like “I went to the kitchen and I couldn’t find a clean knife. Not one. I walked to the drawer, opened it – there wasn’t a knife in sight. Then I walked to the dishwasher. Maybe there was a knife there? There was, but we didn’t run the dishwasher last night. So it was dirty.” Cue sad face.

Okay, I’ll stop. That’s what is on my mind this morning. I’m sort of all over the place, so let’s call this Claudia’s Stream of Consciousness Sunday.

I’m going to watch Gardener’s World  this afternoon.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

 

Filed Under: movies, television, theater 68 Comments

What are You Reading?

March 26, 2022 at 9:42 am by Claudia

Saturday.

Another rainy day for us, though it hasn’t started yet. On Monday, the high is only going to be 29 degrees. With wind. Oh, joy.

Looks like March wants to go out making a strong statement. I’ll be happy to see it go.

Don is currently in his car filming another car concert. He really gets a kick out of that. Don is a brilliant actor, but he’s really a performer at heart. He’s been performing since he was playing in bands at the age of 10. I know he misses doing that and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he starts playing in public at some point. Also, he hasn’t done any acting in over 2 years and he misses it. Bless him, he finds ways to keep his creative juices flowing.

I am smack dab in the middle of The Lincoln Highway, which I’m really loving. Amor Towles is a terrific storyteller and he tells this one from different points of view. I just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I’m anxious to get back outside and do some work. I did pick up some fallen branches the other day. There’s more to be done but I felt like I was doing something. With the constant babying of my back driving me crazy, grabbing a few branches felt like a victory.

I mentioned what I’m reading. I’m also reading some Mary Oliver essays in her book, Upstream.

Tell us: What are you reading?

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: books, reading 65 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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