Saturday, March 26, 2011

"Getting to Know You..."

I come from a highly musical background.  My grandfather directed a community choir of several hundred people each year in singing Handel's Messiah, my father directed the church choir for as long as I can remember, my mother was an accomplished concert pianist, church organist, and occasional dinner music provider at one of the restaurants in Pittsburgh, my brother is an accomplished guitar player, and I believe I may quite possibly set the record for the most musical instruments learned during the school years of any student out there.  There was always music in our house from jazz and blues to the Hallelujah chorus to acapella to brass to bell choirs.  So anyone who knows me well knows that I like nearly all music (except for country - "ride my horse into the sunset twang twang...") and that the particular music I'm listening to is generally a pretty good indication of my mood and/or task at the moment.  The drive to work is usually Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young, an intricate graphics project at work is usually Tori Amos, delving deep into the bowels of the Kawasaki ZX-14 to fix something always requires Metallica (and very loud), a drive to the boat means Tommy Emmanuel, and a visit from the grandkids means Raffi.  Thank God for Pandora!

So today I found myself shivering inside the Tartan in Crowley's boatyard polishing some bronze oil lamps while I waited for a rigging seminar to begin at their "Yachtapalooza" event (seriously - I didn't come  up with that) and due to the fact that my phone was nearly dead I refrained from Pandora.  There was no human noise,only the relentless Chicago wind battering the rigging.  For some reason, out of the most distant recesses of my musical experience pops "Getting to Know You..." most popularly performed by Bing Crosby, but more recently by James Taylor. I know that while I polished her brass I'd been thinking about names (we've definitely decided to take our chance with the sea gods and change her name), and thinking about how I was going to have to get to know her a little before the appropriate one came forward, but still, really....Bing Crosby???  Gonna have to be sure my phone's charged up before the train ride home tomorrow!

Look - No more shrink wrap!

2 comments:

Mike M. said...

You are SO right about musical selection being a good indicator of current mood. I was a music education major in college, having been a trumpet player since age 10. Music is something that is so personal and almost spiritual in the sense of how connected it is to one's emotions.

I find myself ranging from classical symphonies by Dvorak to country tunes by George Strait to the raucous beat of Rihanna depending on my current state of mind and heart.

Good to know those feelings are shared by others, too.

Siochana,

Mike
www.siochana.us

Deb said...

Welcome aboard Mike. Since we're a few years ahead of you in planning I hope you can find something useful in the blog to save you time, money and energy!

Fair winds,

Deb