I Love You

Somebody once told me I shouldn't say "I love you" to anyone unless I knew I was going to marry them. It doesn't seem like such a bad idea at first. But since then I've realised it doesn't make much sense at all. First, there is the definition of love:

Love is patient, and is kind; Love does not envy, it does not parade itself, it is not puffed up; Does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in inequity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor. 13)

Then we are commanded to love our neighbors and our brethren, and our enemies. Which is basically everyone we know, in generality. So if you're trying to love someone, why wouldn't you want to tell them at some point, especially if you actually care about them? Oh, well you say 'romantic love' is different. But is it? If you're referring to the world's interpretation of "love," it doesn't make sense to try and preserve something that is already corrupt and meaningless. So we are talking about the Christ-like love that actually means something, that we are called to do. I would never hold that back from anyone; what is the benefit? It seems almost selfish. I think I should say "I love you" while I can, because you never know which day may be their last.

How come they named a flower after him?...

The speed of technology really doesn't solve all the problems of communication. The same issues and frustrations are still there to be dealt with, and in some cases they are actually heightened. Its interesting, my friend mentioned that technology really in a way is simply clearing the path toward narcissism as a culture. Scary to think about, but all the elements are there. Interesting how history repeats itself...

Monday!

I honestly don't get the point of teenagers with minimal singing talent exposing themselves to the world's ears with the help of companies using synth machines. Besides money... But even from a financial perspective, wouldn't it be worth more to find someone who really has some talent in singing and songwriting? Or at least if you find a kid you like, give them some vocal lessons and some initiative for improvement. If they have a good stage personality (obviously we can't overlook the performance factor, which appears the largest) that's excellent, but you need someone who cares about the artistic and musical sense. What kind of impression do you think you're making on the younger generation?! Look at the crap they will consider to be "good music" just because it made it to MTV.

I think Pablo Cassalls is an amazing example of a prudent musician who made it to fame - because he was a good musician. He studied the Bach cello preludes for 15years before he even performed them for anyone. Our younger stars wouldn't have to go to that extreme, but really think what a difference it would make if they actually spent time gaining musicianship skills and really immersing themselves in the material. Even if it's pop - I don't care what genre it is - they need to take the time, really study it, know it backwards and forwards. Really understand it. Then I might have some respect for them. They may go through fire because they're famous, but that isn't any sort of excuse for cheap music.

Floating Papers...

Some poems I found from a while back. A few are decent. Most of them are either nonsense or plain misery. These are the better ones. I think the last one is the most poetic. The first one contains a reworded quote from Jon.

August 2009.
Don't you wish time would stop
So we could think and say
The things we really mean
Instead we live a puzzle
500 bits missing
Fill in the blanks with smiles
Tomorrow will be worse
Walking along the line
Don't look over the edge
Fate will take you all over
And bring you home in the end
Don't try to understand me
I guess you all the time
But perhaps it ain't you
Just the derangement of my mind.

September 2009.
Surrounded by these land sharks
I'm not a little surprised
How could this happen anyway
I can barely summarize
The face that I ain't in New Bedford
Nor shippin' out to sea
That I'm stayin' here in NorCal
It's sure dumbfounded me
But of course the saying's always been
"Jack Tar's a fool ashore"
And so I'll sail back out again
Where they'll be a problem no more.

October 2009.
Coffee warms my heart and soul
As I gaze through a misted windowpane
The streets are drenched in Pacific fog
Rolling from the ridge beyond.
Perhaps it's traveled from Hawai'i
Tahiti, Russia, or Japan
Now blanketing me with its presence
A thousand miles from home.
Is this the constant weather in England
I wonder as I watch
I've never been, so I wouldn't know,
Only what I've read in the books.
Then first it starts as just a dribble
That turns to a plop, then a pound
And my mind is off to Washington
As the rain keeps falling down.

March 2010.
Goodbye, the hardest word to say
Avoided until the end
Unhappy eyes that look away
Heart strings feeling a wrench.
Talk and laugh the minutes away
It's bound to come at last
Freely flowing, the unimportant
Cover the stillness in the air.
Until it's dropped quietly
Like a pin upon the tile
Could that little click mean so much?
Faces drop like birds in fall
The last syllable gone to the wind
One quick look, then gone forever
That's how our lives are spent.

Have you ever shot a man before? -No. Have you ever held a gun before? -No. What do you do for a living? -I'm a hairstylist. chk-chk.

I have not watched a more pointless movie in a long time. I can't remember one that was more random. It was about Brooklyn mobsters, a dude hairstylist, a hot chick, and a kangaroo wearing a red jacket with $50grand in the pocket. Set in the outback of Australia. Told you it was random. There were some funny lines, I'll admit ("This is the most romantic moment of my life. *splash* And now it's over.") and the kangaroo was awesome (actually the only awesome part of the movie), but overall it was the biggest waste of time in at least the past year. Afterward I modified that Relient K song, Crayons Can Melt on Us for All I Care... "I. Just wasted. 90minutes of your Life."

Gave in to the coffee this morning. How can you say no to espresso roast?... But I'm going to make up for those 90 wasted minutes last night and work on the Fauré Requiem. Singing in Latin is an interesting experience. Especially when you really don't understand it, and you hope the English translation underneath is somewhat accurate.

Väsen is coming to town Wednesday, March 16th! Amazing trad band from Sweden, performing at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. Tickets available here. Might have to skip rehearsal for that one.

Twitbook, MyFace, or Chitter...

Technology is incredible. What's more incredible is how much we have come to rely on it. Social networking, GPS, internet, cellphones... What will people think 100years from now? Or even 2,000?... During my communications with the faculty at the Maritime Academy, I was told that I would probably be in one of the last classes for celestial navigation. That is completely mindblowing to think about. They're planning to throw an over 1000year old tradition out the window because of technology. Not only a tradition, a science. A science that's been around almost as long as the earth. Not looking forward to old age, except being able to say "I told you so." Now back in 2010, when they used to teach navigation by the stars, that was before they realized we were about to lose all satellite-based communication from that solar flare... Of course at that point, the heavens might have changed so much that we will need new calculations and ways of using the stars, and all this other stuff won't be any use. Who knows what's going to happen, but I still think they're taking a huge step of faith considering GPS and all that hasn't been around that long, and the sextant & chronometer have.

A lot of weird flashbacks lately have caught me in outer space. But while endeavoring to live with as few regrets as possible, things have been going pretty well. I think either way things'll work out for an interesting future. The hard part is wanting to do the opposite of what certain people tell me, but then when someone I respect tells me the same thing it puts me back in the logical position. Hah. Logic. I'm starting to think it's a myth.

Totally poned the Dmajor Prelude. Oh yeah.

Some Lessons Learned

As of today:
1. Don't stay up till 2am with an 8am class that morning.
1a. Especially if you need to give a speech in that class.
1b. Especially if that speech is not prepared.

2. Don't assume you can make up the aforesaid speech.
2a. No matter how short it is.
2b. Even if you don't care, and it's on something you know.

3. Don't leave Fred's theory homework till the last minute.
3a. EVER.
3b. Even if you think you understand it.
3c. Especially if it's Bach.

4. Practice Cheryl's assignments next time.
4a. Because I know I'm going to regret not doing it tomorrow.

5. Don't ever waste a 4day weekend like that.
5a. EVER. AGAIN.

I was going to put "stop procrastinating" as #6, but that is pretty much impossible. Never going to learn that one. Have to love my logic teacher, though. It's midweek, and the homework on the board said, "Don't do any logic AT ALL." The worst mornings still have perks.