I’ve been wasting my time for two days, it’s time to write. What exciting has gone on in the last two days? I got to sit backstage at the streaming version John Platt’s On Your Radar Tuesday night. I now I have to cut the videos into individual songs so I can post them on Instagram. I forgot how to do it. It’s only been a month since I last did that. I don’t like losing skills. I’m trying to pick up on them. That’s why I’m backstage, watching Rob run everything. Tragedy Ann sounded as good as they did in their tech rehearsal, I sat in for that too. Raise your hand if you love a band with a musical saw. I can’t believe that some people don’t have their hand up. I’m going to assume that you are just shy. There is a lot more to love about them than that, but I have to give the fun instruments a shout-out. I met Tragedy Ann through the Young Novelists and Laura always remarks about my love of melodica.
I didn’t write yesterday but I did accomplish something difficult for me. I called doctors trying to find a primary care physician. Yoram is an infectious disease doctor at Montefiore so I asked him to recommend some people. The first one was just six minutes from my house. I’ve never had a doctor that convenient. I still don’t. He doesn’t accept my insurance. Neither did the second. This morning I was on the phone for 45 minutes trying to reach the next doctor. I got disconnected from hold twice. I finally got through and was told by the wonderful receptionist that because of COVID-19 they aren’t accepting any new patients. She suggested that I try again next week. I made a deal with Katrina that we couldn’t talk on the phone until I took care of that call. I needed a reward.
Wednesday night is the only time I watch live TV, I can’t wait until the next day to watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The last two episodes focused on my two least favorite characters and one of my favorites has been MIA all season, but I still love it. It is so well written, directed, and acted. I probably praise it here every week.
I have homework for tonight. Record Gord’s Gold. I haven’t even written the piece yet. I have listened to the album multiple times but not with 100% attention. I listened as I wrote this. It’s great so deserves it. Everything till now has been prep work for the serious listen. Listening is not passive. Music as background is not the same experience as listening with complete attention. That’s something that some people never learn. You can see that at concerts yapping away. While the yapping while others are listening is wrong, treating music as background isn’t. There is no right or wrong. Just don’t expect to get the same joy out of being passive as from active listening. It’s the same with all art. It’s the same with appreciating nature. It’s the same with appreciating people. I hope that everyone gives all their attention to something. It might be something that I think trifling, that’s fine, as long as they think it worth it. I wonder if some that feel that their life is empty do so because they don’t make the effort to experience things fully. Not all. I’m not blaming the victims, but I know that I can make myself feel better when I give my full attention to things that I love.
Wise Madness 