Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

This evening I read an old friend's facebook status update that simply said "Jupiter". In a flurry of excitement, I opened up my planetarium software to see if it was in fact visible from my location and found that it was quite low in the eastern sky. I felt compelled to walk to the beach and look at it, even though this meant I would have to avoid plans to do some composing in Pro Tools and more exercises in Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm and Meter.

I walked out into the cold winter air and noticed that I could actually see Jupiter from my house. I decided to keep going, as I'd already resolved to go the whole distance and as soon as I started walking down the road I noticed that my state of mind changed. That feeling of fascination and inspiration that comes from standing by the ocean at night and under a clear sky was activated instantly, and triggered all sorts of memories and emotions of times I had felt it before. Even though I was alone on this walk, I had the company of multiple imagined visions of myself in my home town at all different stages of my life.

I took my phone with me for the walk and pulled it out several times to record some vocal improvisations of words and melodies. After the first one I did, I listened to it and noticed that my attention started to shift from the customary appraisal of the recording's worth to a simple appreciation of having the ability to do these things.

I returned home and had a listen to the piano I recorded into Reason a couple of weeks ago. It inspired me to get more familiar with the key that I was working with and try out some chords, but I spent most of the time just adding comments to the ideas I liked for future reference. While there is a temptation to dedicate some time to collating every idea that I've ever recorded to make sure they're all easily accessible, I am wary of overcompensating by trying to organise everything and not placing enough trust in the more productive, spontaneous part of my mind.

Mahler review and recount writing

I’m yet again faced with the trap of having too many ideas at once and not acting on any of them. It isn’t really a trap anymore, given that I know it’s there. Ugh, the internet is not coping with my mass video uploading, so this entry is being created offline. This I can cope with. Computer/internet power is a much lower priority than a more comfortable workspace. I’ve had plans for my workspace for a few months now. If I had gotten started on it sooner, it probably wouldn’t need as much work as it does now. There’s no video blog until I start looking a bit less sloppy.

I experienced a live orchestra for the first time last Thursday and again on Saturday. During both I witnessed Vladamir Ashkenazy and Sydney Symphony fully realise the tsunami pinnacle of Mahler’s First Symphony. I have been trying to write a review of these concerts over the last two nights, but words escape me. I have so many ideas about the concerts. Too many, you see. I want to write an essay, not a review. Maybe I’ll have the sense to just write about what happened when I pick up the pen again tomorrow.

Last night I wrote a recount of my visit to Wollongong’s shopping centre. This proved to be a good way to get material for songs and those other outlets for dark, private and depraved thoughts. I love hearing those kinds of thoughts that other people have, but I don’t trust any expressed through “becoming a fan” on Facebook. Even ironically becoming fans of things is getting old. C’mon guys, sign out and draw more attention to yourself.