Beauty Salon
OK, I don't know if this is a Black woman phenomenon but I'mma tell you... we tolerate a bit too much...
Why do we insist on going to the hair dresser knowing it will take almost up to 6-8 hours to get your hair done? Well, that's what I've been doing for the past 12 years... and until I figure out a newer method or find someone more efficient or make enough money to hire my very own stylist, I think I'll be doing this for a long while to come.
Don't get me wrong... waiting for that long to have you hair look BANGING is not ALL bad... but while you're sitting there, you just can't help but think "Man, I could be at home chillin' RIGHT NOW." But your hair has to look presentable for work, depending on what type of job you have. Times like these, I just wish I went the art route and just kept my Afro... oh, it would be so big by now... Oh, how I LOVE Afros...
But the straight hair route isn't all bad... and this stylist has been keeping my hair ridiculously healthy and beautiful for the past 2 years... so, in the end, waiting a little longer may not be ALL bad...
Brahms
OK...
I sat down and practiced for a full hour and a half today... it was very theraputic.. but I was doing the usual pieces--- Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata: The first movement of which I cannot play without the sheet music... the second movement as gorgeous as always (if I do say so myself).. the third movement a bit off tempo but as exciting as it gets!
Then, of course, the wonderful Chopin pieces: Nocturne in D-flat major, Waltz in c-sharp minor, the other Nocturne in e-minor...
But, then I came across this book hidden underneath a whole bunch of other piano books that I was able to take from Grandma's house... there was a piece I randomly started working on back in 2002 when I was a senior in college... Johannes Brahms' Rhapsody in g-minor. I know immediately why I stopped-- I wasn't really particular about that piece and from that piece, I based all of Brahms works. (Which isnt' really fair... but I've totally done that to Debussy and Schumann)
I made the vow to branch out and learn more stuff other than Chopin. So, I went out to Borders and bought a recording of ALL of his piano works-- yeah, a whopping 30 bucks (which is a lot when you think of buying CDs). And I have to say I LOVE it so far... dont' get me wrong, I'm still a Chopin gal, but according to his biography, Chopin totally influenced Brahms, so it is natural that I like Brahms, eh??
Condoleezza Rice stated that her favorite composer is Brahms because "... his music has no resolve". It is quite mysterious, I must say, and very intriguing. It has a beginning but several endings but he doesn't choose one. It's not necessarily virtuostic but it's quite captivating and any pianist who has the desire to just go with his flow... Dr. Rice was very right-- I can see why she likes Brahms the most. He's not the first that most people would point out as their favorite and she has proven to not be an ordinary person!
Where to begin? I think I'm in it for the long haul... it seems worth it... I'm very excited about this endevour! :) And this is one I think I can do-- I mean, I have the piano, the music, the recording and the skill... it's not as far-fetched as my guitar endevour (which has yet to begin... LOL)
Steinway and Sons
Well, this endevour is going to be a bit harder than I thought...
There's this place called Steinway Hall of New York City-- halls and halls and halls of beautiful Steinway pianos... I thought any ole body could just walk on in and have a sit down and look at all of the pianos they want. However, after calling them, it seems like you really have to buy from them.
After doing some research after having purchased my Roland digitial, I see that I have to buy from Jordan Kitts rather than Steinway itself. It's all good-- I'll still find my way to Steinway Hall of NYC... I've just gotta. You can't let all of those beautiful pianos just sit there without fiddlin' with them or at least just looking at them.
Ricky and James Brown
Just listening to James Brown's "I Got Soul... and I'm Superbad!!" and there's a part where James Brown just screeches at a decible and note that should not be humanly possible. The cat was just chilling on my lap while I was typing e-mail...
Then came the screech...the cat had to hide under the bed.
I guess the cat has a long way to go to get into my music taste... I'm sorry, James Brown is the MAN!!! :)
A Day when you realize...
... how much ass you kick, is a good day!
Today (or this morning) was a pretty stressful morning-- briefing a bunch of crap, I think the most in like recent history. But today was when I was happy to actually work where I do. LOL
Rachmoninoff Revisited
Once again, ladies and gentlemen, the Rachmoninoff worked... and I hope it continues to work.... wish me tons of luck!
Yes, Indeed
Yes, indeedy.... so far, the Rachmoninoff Approach does work... with a lot of coaching and a lot of confidence, it can happen!
Let's see if it'll happen again soon!!!
This time tomorrow night
... I'll be able to let you know if the "Rachmoninoff Approach" to guys worked. :)
Stay tuned! :)
Running
Anyone want to run with me?
I want to run in the
Marines Marathon that's at the end of October. Three really good reasons: 1. My uncle was a Marine and I'm sure that he'd be very proud!
2. It'll whip me back into shape.
3. A sense of accomplishment would be AWESOME!
Let you know how THAT goes and if THAT idea goes anywhere!
The Stupid Song
There was a song that a bunch of us used to listen to while we were in South Africa. A girl name Meredith went to school with a guy who just took his guitar and wrote a bunch of songs. One of them, which I will NEVER forget, is called "The Stupid Song". It goes a lil something like this...
You're so stupid
The stupidest person in the world, oh
I never thought I'd meet anyone so stupid
But wait, it was you...
I never thought I'd meet anyone so stu-stupid
But I was wrong
Find out you're the stupidest person
All Day long...
I can't believe
I just can't believe
Just how stupid, how stupid you are
You're more stupider
Than the brightest shooting star
Ha ha... Ha ha.. Ha ha... Ha ha
You're so stupid
You're stupider than me
You're even more stupid
Than the stupidest tree....
You say calling things stupid is childish
You say calling things stupid is childish
I say calling things childish is stupid
You stupid child!
I think this is quite hilarious. Apparently, some of this was just to rhyme words with other words! But I have never heard "Stupid" used so much in one song. HILARIOUS!!!!
It's good to have this piano in here
This Alicia Keys song, Diary, has been stuck in my head for forever... and it's not the words, it's the piano part in the background. So, I spent about an hour figuring out what in the world she was playing. I figured it out.... the part where she goes "...Just think of me as the pages in yoooouur diarrrryyyy--eee" is really hard b/c she modulates down a bit, but it makes sense. It would have been boring if she did not do that.
I'm definitely an "academic" pianist at heart--- I had to decipher what she was playing by understanding the key in which she was playing and tried to figure out the accompaniment through such theory. The modulation was the toughest because it was not the first, second or third key change choice I would have guessed... to get REALLY technical, she was definitely in A-flat minor and she modulated down to E-flat minor then to G major... wow... who does that? It's gorgeous, nonetheless.
I wish that I had the ability to play by ear or to just come up with stuff... but one thing I've found is that those who can play by ear wished that they could read music, write music, etc. It's really interesting. I'm sure there are those who can do both, but either way, it's a gift.
