Clean House

Now that I am finished school and off for the summer, I will tackle the first and most important job. Clean the house. It is superficially clean but now I must take on the more intensive work. Also going to work on getting big jobs booked- the roof needs attention, the side of the house will need to be done and that is after the eaves troughs are taken care of. We have a tree that needs to be taken down as well.
I don't think that I will have trouble finding things to do. It is a matter of deciding which are the priorities. In the meantime, there is time to spend with friends catching up. Spent the day with a good friend in Cobourg yesterday. We went plant hunting, bought 6 hostas-$4 each and they were hostas that I did not have yet. That was a find. Had a lovely lunch and a chance to relax. I managed to drive home all the way on the highway, an accomplishment for me.
Much to be done.
Will keep everyone up to date and hopefully, the work will be exciting.

New Phase

Tomorrow, I start another phase of things. I will be finished teaching. This time, it is not hard, I am ready to move onto other things. Michael has asked me to help with his consulting. I am ready. This means more posts again.

Music fights Depression

"If you pick up your guitar and strum a few chords every day, or are otherwise involved in the arts, chances are you are happier than those who don't play a musical instrument or participate in the arts." A survey conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology studied almost 50,000 individuals from varying socio-economic backgrounds in Norway and found that there is a positive correlation between participation in the arts and self-perceived health for men and women. "For men, there is also a positive relationship between cultural participation and depression-in that there is less depression among men who participate in cultural activities-although this is not true for women," say Professor Jostein Holmen, a researcher in the experiment.
What surprised Holmen the most was that, despite a person's socio-economic status-manual labourer, teacher or the CFO of a bank-those who participate in music or the arts experience a positive effect on their sense of health and well-being.
The studies were controlled for socio-economic status, chronic illness, smoking and alcohol habits. Holmen noticed that participation in culture, music and the arts seemed to protect people from feelings of depression, but not necessarily anxiety.
The researchers hope the results of this study will encourage politicians to find other ways to provide preventative health care.
Wonder what the study will find if it studies musicians against the general population?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

As a tennis player and musician, I am very aware of the many ways that a person can injure themselves. So far, I have escaped injury but am aware that it could happen. One thing that I try to be very careful of is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. When I practice, I make sure that I take appropriate breaks and watch how I hold my instrument. When playing tennis, I try to stay in shape which is one issue among many that I need to take care of soon, in fact starting this weekend. I am always careful to warm-up. Too often people ignore that facet of playing whether it is music or tennis. So far, I have not needed a brace or felt any pain. Here's hoping that things stay that way.

Cleaning the fridge!

This is my first day off since I started back to teaching full-time. What am I doing beside heading off to the bank to do some serious banking, gardening and tidying up, I am cleaning the fridge. Boy, it needs it!
Do you ever pick up jars and wonder about the expiry date? I am glad that I still recognize what is in the jars but the dates that is a challenge. Just threw out sauerkraut which I know is old because my husband already bought a new one that he is actually eating. Several containers of broth have been disposed of. Why do recipes always call for less than the can holds? I guess that I could increase the recipe to accommodate the extra.
By the end of the day, the fridge will be clean the garden a little tidier and it will contain some new plants.
Things will be put in order.

Mark Twain's memoirs

If you can not publish something while you are alive, why would you publish it 100 years after your death? It is difficult to fathom.
Mark Twain's scandalous relationship with his "filthy-minded and salacious" secretary is to be revealed in memoirs published 100 years after the author's death. The unedited 5,000 page autobiography, which Twain refused to make public during his lifetime, will bare his feelings for Isabel Van Kleek Lyon.
The book is likely to shatter the myth that America's great writer and humourist was a cheerful old man, instead detailing his petty rages and uncomplimentary views of contemporaries.
Before his death in 1910, Twain decreed that his full manuscript should not be published for a century so that he would be "dead" and unaware and indifferent and could speak his "whole frank mind." There's this popular conception of him being carved out of marble and pure. But he smoked an average of 300 cigars a month, and he drank every day. He was a very sexual person.
The autobiography is to be published in three volumes by the University of California, Berkeley, which holds the documents in a vault. The first will be released to coincide with the 175th anniversary of Twain's birth on November 30.
Historians say his autobiography could cast him a new light, detailing personal scores he wanted to settle, uncomplimentary views of contemporaries and his religious and political convictions.
One wonders why Twain was willing to have himself cast in this very different light. Was it that he could not see how it would change people's views of him. If he waited 100 years for the publication of the work, he must have understood that there were concerns.
Interesting how time and new information changes our views of people.

Fender guitars

We have a fender guitar which is the pride and joy of my husband. I can not play guitar at this time. I can admire those who do play.
Another item from my music magazines: Fender uses alder trees to make their guitars. Apparently the only place where alder trees grow large enough to make guitars is a 200 mile by 50 mile stretch of land in Oregon. Who knew? Hopefully, the demand for fender guitars does not out strip the ability of the trees to grow to the size needed for the guitars.

Jefferson and the violin

It is always wonderful and amazing to read about people who despite their busy lives managed to find time and a place for music in their lives. Thomas Jefferson is one of those people. He loved the violin so much that he made a carrying case that connected to his riding saddle so that the violin was handy during his travels. Now, I doubt that he played the violin and rode his horse but during breaks he found time to play. What an amazing image that makes.

Singing until the Cows Come Home

Managed to finally get all the missed issues of a music magazine that I subscribe to. Hope that none of you have as much trouble getting your magazines.
It is interesting reading some of the articles: Apparently ice cream maker Frank Frederick of Lancashire, England is resurrecting the secret, century-old gelato recipe that has been passed down through the family for generations-singing to the cows before milking. Frederick's grandfather Antoniao Federici, believed music helped the cows produce creamier milk.
Last summer Frederick invited Italian tenor Marcello Bedoni to serenade his Friesian cows at Cockshotts Farm near Clitheroe, Lancashire, in a series of concerts where the bovine bunch heard "Amore ti vieta", by Umberto Giordano, and "E lucevan le stelle," by Giacomo Puccini.
"The cows will enjoy the recital and this will be reflected in the quality of the milk they produce for us. The passion of the music will be reflected in the product," says Frederick.
Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, dairy adviser to the National Farmers' Union says, "Soothing sounds or music can reduce stress and induce relaxation and a healthy, contented cow is likely to produce more milk, and anything that enhances that can only be a good thing."
Wow, wonder if it will work. Do you think that the cows enjoy the music or just the relaxed atmosphere?

Music Furniture LLC

I love music but I am not sure that I would choose the furniture produced by Music Furniture LLC, a company run by a Dutch furniture duo. The duo produces guitar-shaped bar stools, a microphone lamp, a drum-kit alarm clock and electric guitar toilet seats. One of the most popular items is a briefcase made from a real acoustic guitar. What a shame doing that to a guitar! Oh well, guess if you are in Nashville which is where the company is now based, the case would seem appropriate.
Check out the website www.musicfurniture.com.

Bassoon Lessons

Wow, my bassoon career is taking another turn. Recently I was asked to do some private teaching which I have been doing. It is fun, not worth a great deal in terms of income. I do better playing my chamber music but it is a source of income and that is what I am going to develop now that the teaching is just about finished. Two weeks left.
Speaking of bassoon, my teacher from many years ago, has retired. Wow, I am surprised. He has moved to a smaller town, not sure why but I am sure that he has his reasons. He has developed a new synthetic reed which will be released this fall. I will see what it is like and hopefully it is good.
In the meantime, enjoy your music-playing or listening or both.

Music and therapy

As a music teacher, I have a strong interest in the many positives aspects of music. One of them is the potential to act as an agent of therapy. A recent journal from the Schizophrenic Society mentions two young people who have been able to use music to help them work through some of their issues concerning schizophrenia. One of the young people was not able to return to his musical studies but was able to use music as a primary focus to help with his symptoms. He suggests that for some schizophrenic who are not able to play music just listening would help.
Another young person was able to return to her studies and complete a degree.
These examples also show that this illness has a spectrum which is what makes it hard to deal with.
Hopefully, music will help others.

Cora's breakfast

I love breakfast. It is my favourite meal to have out. Now one of the most fabulous breakfasts was one that I had at the Fairmont in San Francisco many years ago. Just read an article about Cora's restaurant which makes wonderful breakfasts. Well, they are wonderful but who knew how calorie laden they are and worst of all-sodium, carbohydrates and fat. The breakfast that I enjoy has 46 grams of fat. Not sure that even MacDonald's can top that. Will have to think long and hard about having one of these breakfasts but as the article suggests if you have one of the breakfasts, it is breakfast, snack and lunch combined. Now I can live with that.

Won a prize

Got home and checked my mail which I love to do. Actually received , a personal letter-rare these days and an invitation to donate money which is not so rare. In fact, that I think that I receive invitations to donate several times a week. I do donate but must decide ahead of time who will receive money. Many worthy causes but I can not give to all of them. Now back to the mail. There was a package which seemed to be larger than the norm: it is a book. I was one of the first 100 responders to a Random House draw. How nice is that! I won a book, A Memoir of Mothers, Daughters, and the Breast Cancer Gene. Not a very happy topic but I will read the book.
It is things like this that encourage me to keep doing draws and the like.

Spring Concert

Last night, the music department at the school where I have been working since September presented the Spring Concert. What fun. I did not get to see most of it since I was supervising students most of the time but I certainly made a point of enjoying the experience. This might be the last time that I conduct. Michael reminded me that this might the last time as I was leaving for work in the morning. Wow, after 34 years of teaching- the last time. Very strange.
The Junior Band which I directed played very well. What a thrill after working with them for the year. They had plenty of time to get ready for the performance and they rose to the occasion. My favourite piece and the one that many people commented on was the Old Grumbly Bear which featured a tuba solo and in this case two tubas because I could not pick one of them to do it. They are both very good. It is not very often that you get to hear two tubas playing solo.
Now it is time to get the testing done.