Ramblus 11 or 12, I lost count
In 1984 I returned to college to try it again. Having badly botched Computer Science in 1982, I immediately turned to doing what was easy for me. Playing rock in a nightclub with a band called "Good Intentions." Those two years were two of the very best...memory-wise. Progress-wise I got nothing done in the personal growth department. I guess that goes along with being at a two-year long party.
Anyhow, it was a great time where I really tuned up my ears. I could write down an arrangement of the average pop tune WHILE it was playing for the first time. And so, when the gig finally folded (as they all do eventually), I went back to sko0l.
It had been a long time since I'd played what musicians call "legit" music. I had played a number of instruments in my history, but this particular college urged me to play Bassoon...because they said "You'll have to start from scratch anyway, and we need a bassoon players." No problem, I did become a bassoon major, and I did graduate. But my juries (think "audition for a grade") were scary. None of the people on the jury knew or cared that I had just started playing...I had to get to some semblance of college level ability fast. In order to calm my nerves, I took something called Beta Blockers before my graded performances. Apparently these things were supposed to block beta brain waves which caused nervousness/panic. I can't say they really worked all that well.
Why am I telling you all this? Well, I haven't blogged in a while, and I had some free time, and I was trying to think of something to write about. While I was waiting for an idea to come I was reading some stuff from the other folk here. Some of the content was the type of which there is a divided opinion, and I kept feeling the urge come and then pass to put in my two cents worth. I really don't know what my problem is, but none of it seems very important to me. Who the next president is, what trimester a fetal mass is really a human, and whether today's music is crap or not all seems...
hmm...
all seems...
I can't even commit to a word that describes it. Because I'm on Buddha Blockers™ now.
Whether you know anything or not about Buddhism is important in understanding this blog, so I'll give you the nickel version. Buddhists don't see anything as being permanent, and they practice not being attached to things. There's more specific mumbledy jumbledy as to why that I won't bore you with, but consider it a philosophical thing, not a religious one.
As a result, I find myself starting to type out my replies only to want to suddenly change them to "I've been reading about how strongly opposed to X you are, and I have read that you are taking a lot of heat over it. I just wanted to let you know that...
...that the sun is shining today, and that the air is comfortable and warm where I am. I hope that your air quality is tolerable for you, and if it isn't, I'm sure it will be soon. Have a nice day."
I don't know what brain waves stop the creation of unnecessary drama, but these Buddha Blockers™ rock. I think I'll go read out in the sun.
Have a nice day everyone.