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July 29, 2010
Another year on the line
Well, my friends, today I hang one more year on the line. It is my birthday, and I'm 53 which apparently is the new 21.
I've spent quite alot of the day in a monastery, in the company of the quiet Thomas a Kempis, who was the author of 'The Imitation of Christ'. (2nd best selling spiritual book after the bible.) I'm editing a new edition of the book for Whitecrow.
But its not all 14th century with me. Far from it! After all, I have today bought myself a new Ipod shuffle. I have not made much progress, however, as I'm entirely baffled by the IPOD setting up procedure. No, I haven't a clue. So on second thoughts, perhaps it is pretty 14th century with me...my emotional development appears to have stopped at the invention of the printing press.
But talk of a shuffle - even if its depressed talk - reminds me that I also ran a wonderful if hard half-marathon earlier this morning, when the sky was still waking up and the air fresh; this is when I listen to music, when I'm running.
Which then reminds me to mention my resolution for the year: to learn the piano. Yes, my friends, I've messed around on the piano for years, composing songs and able to handle various chord sequences.
But I need to break out of this prison of limitation, wade free from this stagnant pond of unextended self, and actually learn to read music, and develop my use of the left hand. Mozart felt it was the left hand which was crucial, and which made him a better performer than others. I may not be in that league; but I don't have to stay in my present one.
So, if anyone has any beginners piano sheet music lying around that they could e mail me, I'd be delighted to receive it. I'm doing the scales and all that; but it breaks the monotony to attempt one or two actual pieces. Ahh, how exciting it was yesterday to play my first piece: an incredibly simple version of Dvorak's 'Largo' which is famous in England for advertising Hovis bread.
Tomorrow, however, I must be back watering the parks of London. I suspect I'll never make money as a concert pianist, even if 53 is the new 21. So I must make it with a hose in my hand. And really, what's the difference? It's all quite perfect in its own way.
And tonight? Tonight, I may sit quietly for a while, and remember what I already know: that I'm the luckiest man in the world...
Posted by Mr Bojangles at July 29, 2010 02:02 PM