Is this a good idea or has the world gone maaaad?

We just had really nice cakes and tea to celebrate a work-friend's birthday, which was really lovely! She had received a birthday present through the post, which was bananaguard . Now, in regard to a previous blog where some discussion ensued on the subject of fruit getting squashed and mouldy in a bag, this does seem a quite good idea. But then I think, as humans, we've become a little crazy and expect something for everything, and what's wrong with a normal tupperware lunchbox?! It reminds me of a Ben Elton sketch where he was talking about where M&S were making everything easier for people, to reduce time being used for preparing it, and taking it to the extreme he talked about them in future selling something like packaged poo, which you could chuck down the toilet to cut out the middle man!

Yeoach!

I realise that I spent 15 hours and twenty-five minutes rehearsing at the weekend for one orchestra, followed by 1.5 hours rehearsing on Monday night, and then a 2 hour concert! It usually doesnt seem so bad, but for the fact I have a really really really sore throat now! I'm not moaning, honestly, just coming to the realisation!
Still, I know Mahler 4th Symphony very well now!

More secret passages!

The Academy is quite an old building, and grand building. I've often wondered if it has secret-places and passageways that no-one knows about, and did discover the existence an exciting store for old files which is not noticeable, as it looks like part of the wall sometime last summer. However, I was returning from lunch, and as I entered the stairwell, there was a huge gaping hole which had previously been floor (and indeed frequently has guitarists practising in that spot!). I had a quick peak into the brightly-lit, stark white hole, but upon hearing a knocking noise, fled up the stairs. On the way to photocopy earlier, the floor had returned to its usual inconspicuous state, but there was a KNOCKING coming from below!
Now either, a trap-door has been installed, to dispose of those playing squeaky gate contemporary music, or I have discovered another entrance to Narnia! Hmmmmmmmm...

Guess what I've been doing this afternoon...?

I've been cutting up large sticky labels into minute 5mm square stickers and drawing numbers on them and sticking them to 50 violin bridges!

Bet you've never done that before!

bringing the flute

Why is it that, every Thursday, I always bring my flute with me, with the aim of practising for an hour before Gamelan, yet instead of faithfully stopping work at 5pm, and going to City, and then practising, I always end up working till about 17.50, and end up rushing to Gamelan, bolting my salad down on the train, and not practising at all...

On a positive note, we had a really good Gamelan rehearsal with Pak Dibia playing through Kebyar Duduk, Sekar Jagat, Topeng Monyer, Margapati. And I remembered to 'mind the gap' on the way home!

Environment!

Hi!
Chris, the vicar at my church handed me an envelope last night and said it was for me. When I got home, I discovered it was an environmental policy leaflet from the Diocese, asking us to consider environmental issues as an integral part of our parish life, and then asked for someone to be nominated as Environmental Officer for the church. Do you think that Chris (knowing how I feel about recycling etc, and the fact I was thinking of doing a series of articles for our magazine on environmental tips and living etc!) was suggesting that I be that? I don't want to presume, but I would like to try and do SOMETHING to make our congregation to really live in a green style, respectful of the wonderful world that God has given us. It's certainly reminded me that I wanted to go and ask the Principal at the RAM about environmental policies here if nothing else! Can you pray for me, that if indeed God does want me to encourage others (and of course myself since I still certainly am guilty of not living economically) try and respect his creation and resources more, that he shows me how, and guides me? Thanks!

Secret panels and passage-ways!

I'm reading 'Five go adventuring again'- number two of Enid Blyton's Famous Five series of books, despite the funny looks I may get in the staff room or on the tube. I havent read this particular book for several years, since I gave (well gave as long as she doesnt try to get rid of them, as I would like them for my kids once she's too old!) my whole collection of Enid Blyton books to my younger sister Alex (but couldn't resist the second-hand book-shop on Youghal strand!). It was always one of my favourites, since it was concerned with the finding of a secret passageway, leading from Kirrin cottage, to Kirrin farm! I still live in hope that I will stay in a place on day, which has some sort of hidey-hole, passageway, Blytonesque secret! Has anyone ever found one? Answers on a postcards please!

Last October, I stayed at the IMS house in Prussia Cove (have a look at http://www.kco.org.uk and follow the links for photos) with my orchestra to play Chamber music, and I thought this would the most amazing place for finding some secret passageway! It was definitely Blyton country. Built into a cliff, it has a large number of quaint rooms with large window seats (I did tap it to see if it was hollow and leads into catacombes, but sadly not), a lovely wall with a series of wooden panels, that begged to be tapped to see if they revealed a secret way (they didn't), a mysterious door shape in a wall which didnt have a handle (turned out to have hoovers and brooms in it), very large wardrobes (didnt reveal a lamp-post in the middle of a wood, no matter how hard I tried not to expect it, though we're getting onto the wrong author now). Mind you, I didnt have much time to explore all the rooms, as I was only there for 2 days, so if I go again this year, Who knows? Watch this space...

lunch!

Oooooh, how exciting!!! (well, I'm a bit geeky!)-I was eating my lunch rather late and Peter Maxwell Davies (v famous classical composer, who is the subject of the current festival at the SBC and RAM) was sitting in there eating his lunch with the Maggini quartet! WOW! I was too shy to talk to him at all, but was quite awed by it!
After having spent so long learning and doing my final year lecture recital on his solo flute piece 'The Kestrel paced round the sun' (a great incredibly atmospheric piece!) I developed this awe for him! And lucky man to live on his own Orkney island!
He looks very normal in real life!

Jengarchitecture

You know the clichè, you buy a small child an expensive present and they will discard the highly sort-after contents in favour of playing 'House' with the box.

After a delicious dinner at Amy and Simon's house on Friday night, a rather tense game of 'Jenga' ensued. Why is it that you feel like you've been held up at gun-point once your turn has gone? And woe-betide knocking the tower over- that's equivalent to high treason! After achieving a rather impressive 29 levels, sadly the tower fell. And true to form above, Gareth and Simon proceeded to spend the next twenty-five minutes fashioning rather eccentric designed buildings out of Jenga blocks! I took a photo with my phone, which I'll post if I can work out how! (ok, ok, how many of us will admit that we have done that?)

Had a rather lovely weekend after that, spending a great amount of time making greeting cards for various people! Ooooooh, it's sooo nice to spend time creating things!

Jengarchitecture

You know the clichè, you buy a small child an expensive present and they will discard the highly sort-after contents in favour of playing 'House' with the box.

After a delicious dinner at Amy and Simon's house on Friday night, a rather tense game of 'Jenga' ensued. Why is it that you feel like you've been held up at gun-point once your turn has gone? And woe-betide knocking the tower over- that's equivalent to high treason! After achieving a rather impressive 29 levels, sadly the tower fell. And true to form above, Gareth and Simon proceeded to spend the next twenty-five minutes fashioning rather eccentric designed buildings out of Jenga blocks! I took a photo with my phone, which I'll post if I can work out how! (ok, ok, how many of us will admit that we have done that?)

Had a rather lovely weekend after that, spending a great amount of time making greeting cards for various people! Ooooooh, it's sooo nice to spend time creating things!

eurgh!

Eurgh! Don't ever just throw a piece of fruit into a bag full of stuff! I put a rather ripe pear into my bag this morning, and have just got it out to eat for my lunch, and discovered the pear skewered onto my hairbrush in my bag. Result, a mangled pear and a slimy hairbrush. Yuck yuck yuck...

"Mind the Pigeon!"

I had two embarassing mishaps yesterday!
1.) I was entering City University for my Gamelan rehearsal and think I held the door open too long, as a pigeon seemed to fly through the door with me. I attempted to sneak up on it as it stood in the corridor looking at me, and then it decided to fly down the corridor with myself in hot pursuit. We reached the stairwell before the music office where it perched on the banister, where I knew all was lost if it went downstairs! I approached it from the other side, and it flew into the computer room, followed closely by myself.... And was greeted by a class of students, I looked at them, and looked at the pigeon who had flown up to the pipe at the top of the room (and who was blatantly thinking "ner ner ner ner ner"), and just collapsed into laughter. I just slowly backed out of the room and made my way to my rehearsal. Wonder where it is now...
2.) Wending my weary way from the rehearsal later on, after a lovely chat with Gamelan friends in the pub, I made the dash up the spiral stairway at Bank, to run to catch the Central line eastbound. We London-dwellers, must all have grown used to the Dalek-like voice which orders one to "Mind the Gap". Well, I must have been away with the fairies, and most certainly DIDN'T mind the gap, and found myself falling straight into the gap beside the train. I looked at the ankles of other late-night commuters in silence, and as someone hauled me out of the gap, burst into racuous laughter. I ask you,How is one supposed to regain one's self-respect whilst reading a Famous Five book, clutching an R2D2 handbag surrounded by witnesses to such an embarassing mistake?!
Hmmmm....

Gamelan mishaps!

Lila Cita played for a SOAS seminar on Indonesian dance and art yesterday, and it wasnt until we'd started the second piece, that I realised, I had in fact, never attempted to play this version on this particular kind of Gamelan. And it brought back scary memories of all those times in Bali where my friend/teacher Gede invited myself and Yoshie (lovely Japanese girl) to play with his group. The worst being, a high profile dance competition at the Bali Arts Centre where the group were accompanying these dancers with very important people present. And I knew about 2% of the music. And the one piece I thought I knew, was in fact the full 30min version of the piece- played at Balinese speed (for the layman, this is faster than the speed of light!)- Oooooooh, the SHAME of it! Still, I think these experiences are character-building (I would hope!), since I continually put myself into a scary-situation which would challenge me, would increase my humility (since without a doubt, it would prove that I was useless), and er-well, we always got given nice food.
Last night, was good for me, because it reminded me that I have soooooo much to learn, I got to play Gamelan accompanying Pak Dibya dancing Topeng Monya (Pak Dibya is a very very famous Balinese Musician/Dancer), and for comedy value, wore full Balinese male costume! Hmmmm, wonder if anyone noticed my mistakes....

Yay! 5pm!

I just discovered this really cool website whilst looking on the TES website, trying to get any ideas for how Open Academy can develop and promote itself further, and got side-tracked and found this cool website!
http://www.iwrotethissongforyou.com/kidssongs.html
what a fantastic idea! I always thought how cool it would be to create songs for people on specific subjects, and someone's done it!

I also went to this really good meeting last night for Redbridge 'Faith Forum'. It's basically, a place, where those of faith can express their opinion on the development of Ilford, and come together and discuss things. At least, I think so. I really hope that it can continue, and that type of thing will really have an impact in a borough, which despite many good points, does have a large amount of crime and depravation.

Aaaaahrgh, it's just started to rain and thunder, and I dont have the remotest item of clothing which is waterproof! Help!

Yay! 5pm!

I just discovered this really cool website whilst looking on the TES website, trying to get any ideas for how Open Academy can develop and promote itself further, and got side-tracked and found this cool website!
http://www.iwrotethissongforyou.com/kidssongs.html
what a fantastic idea! I always thought how cool it would be to create songs for people on specific subjects, and someone's done it!

I also went to this really good meeting last night for Redbridge 'Faith Forum'. It's basically, a place, where those of faith can express their opinion on the development of Ilford, and come together and discuss things. At least, I think so. I really hope that it can continue, and that type of thing will really have an impact in a borough, which despite many good points, does have a large amount of crime and depravation.

Aaaaahrgh, it's just started to rain and thunder, and I dont have the remotest item of clothing which is waterproof! Help!

Art, inspiration and time

I've been looking at Rachel's blog for ages, and it made me realise, it's a really good way to order your thoughts and think about things, and to get other people's opinions on them (well, hoping to). So I thought I'd try, and see if it helps me to!
My friend Rachel (the same one!) was talking to me about Artwork she had done which
was inspired by reading of psalms, which I thought was amazing! I had
been drawn to an amazing picture on her wall, which she had done
inspired by the first lines of psalm 8, and the natural picture
showing God's name in undercurrents. I realised, that it is really
true, that unless inspiration is with you, then it is really hard to
produce art (whether music, drawing, painting, writing of poems etc),
which has made me realise why I've been finding it hard to compose
music at the moment. I think I need to pray for inspiration and
really work out what I want to do,set aside a peaceful time for it.
I've been trying to compose recently, in a rushed, stressful
environment, and not really devoting time to it, and not planning,
and then been annoyed at why I dont seem to be able to do anything.
How can I do anything of value if I dont take the time? Thanks God
for reminding me through Rachel, that I need to be still, take time,
plan and trust in your inspiration!