Hurried

I love this story.  It reminds me that amazing things can be found in unlikely places.  That fame doesn't equal talent.  That rushing means I might miss something.  It reminds me of the simple joys of life waiting around each corner if I take the time to look, listen, and enjoy.  It also asks me the question:  is art real, or purely an existence of public opinion?

So, here's the story - a street performer played some very complex songs in a Washington DC metro station and fortunately was within range of the metro camera, so the reactions were caught on film as well.  He played Bach for about 45 minutes and thousands of people walked within feet of the performance without so much as a glance.  The first person to have any semblence of the ability to hear didn't occur until over 3 minutes had passed when a middle-aged man slowed down... stopped for a few seconds... then scurried off.  A woman slung a buck into his open violin case as she continued past... without stopping.  A man slowed enough to lean on a wall before noticing the time and moving along.

Then a 3 year old boy in tow by his mother spotted talent.  He couldn't peel his eyes of the violinist.  The woman pushed and pulled him along as he continued glancing back, entranced with what he heard.  And he wasn't alone - this action was followed by several other children, and several other parents.  Adults that didn't have the time to enjoy quality because they were too busy with their versions of "life".  Children with no agendas and the fresh outlook of a life ahead noticed the art in front of them and couldn't look away - had to be forced away.

In 45 minutes, 7 people stopped and stayed for awhile.  27 gave some amount of money for a total of $32.  1,070 people went by in a hurry without stopping, without noticing, without enjoying, without caring.  One thousand and seventy.  Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw

At the end of the 45 minutes, the musician stopped.  Noone noticed.  There was no applause or other recognition - the music just stopped and the subway continued.  No one knew, but this particular street musician this particular day was Joshua Bell.  This particular violin on this particular day was a $3.5 million Stradivari from the early 1700's - the 1710 era Strad's are widely considered the absolute best violins ever crafted and never duplicated (ever see the Red Violin?).  Joshua Bell is a world famous violinist who, at 4 years of age, put rubber bands on his dresser and moved the drawers in an out as he plucked the strings and played - by ear - classical music - yes, at 4 years old.  He is a master at his craft and uses the best instrument possible to showcase his talent - and he did this all without fanfare in a subway in Washington DC.

There are so many commentaries that spill out of a real world example like this but the one I want to key in on is how we can find our real lives back again without always being in a rush to get somewhere scheduled that will supposedly fulfil our life by planned fun.  How do we strip back technology, business, worry, etc and just find life in unlikely places - or not even "find" it, per se, but be open to seeing it when we walk 4 feet away.

Read the entire Washington Post article - it's actually really good:  www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html
 

Don't Forget

In many ways, memories highlight true experience while also coloring the past in unexpected delusion.  A memory can simply exist as enhancement to past reality, or can twist into an inexact expecation of current or future events.  Same memories surely become a map of behavior, though, if carefully considered and stripped of hyperboly to extract the truth of life moments.  And, certainly, the reaction to such memories definitely open the door to realization of the current moment - reminding of how emotion and human need strips away reason at critical times.  Memory aids in digestion of clouded hearts and bodies in piecing together past experiences with backward reasoning and analysis, and certainly that remains the best tool of this device for memory unbridled removes our ability to live forward.

I speak simply of the huge pull of memory to forget the present while still ackowledging the incredible lessons gained through the journey.  My memories definitely battle the present sometimes.  Without a doubt, great memories assault life with adventures lost while belittling the pain experienced, yet through that I do strive so hard to recognize the lessons contained within the imperfect clouds of life past.  A simple memory remains fragmented of its immediacy.  The impact of joy untempered by its lost surroundings and equally the destruction of sadness untempered by survival.  And, journels exist for this captualation - to go back and read unfettered (let's not argue the point here) accounts of true "present" back then.

A memory can heal.  Sadden.  Provide wistfulness.  Mislead.  Enlighten and even hopefully teach.  Factual memories tend to teach more in a real sense, yet emotional memories teach in significant nuances of the heart.  Memories most often refuse to exhibit reality.  And, sometimes, that is for the best.

Beatlegras

I saw a band last night called "Beatlegras" that basically plays Beatles music to a Bluegrass style.  Yes, strange - I know, but let me tell you, it's not just refreshing to hear Beatles music from a different perspective, but it's also a blessing to witness the 3 members of Beatlegras show that they have serious musical chops, not just a quirky idea.  George is a master on bass, Milo is an incredibly bizarre guy with an oddball humor that kills the mandolin and fiddle, and Dave the middle man rapidly moving up and down the kneck of his guitar.  These guys are incredibly in-sync and play off each other with the comfort of old friends.  They tour worldwide so check them out - tell Dave that Tait sent you

www.beatlegras.com

Worry

I was just thinking, I'm really worried that pessimism isn't growing anymore - what will happen if it disappears altogether?  Keeps me up at night and creates a knot in my stomach.

Sports

Anyone ever wonder why hail size is related to sports?  You got your golf ball sized hail, baseball sized and softball sized.  Ever wondered why they aren't related to other items?  Like fruit!  Cherry sized, orange sized, grapefruit sized... I'd hate to get hit by a pineapple sized...