Music and Breathing: One in the same.

I had a friend comment to me last night, "Hearing really good music is like breathing, isn't it?" And to me, this statement rings all too true.

This week has been filled with wonderful music for me, even more so than normal. On Monday, I began the week with the stake talent show. Although some acts were... less than professional (after all, it's just a church talent show), I savored the moments in that were exceptional. I wish that I could say my act was one of those exceptional moments, but both Zank and I could not hear the music nor see our word cues. Nonetheless we made the best of it.

Tuesday night I decided to work on my own musical talents and I sat at the piano and sang and played songs I have not worked on in a while. It was so wonderful to be able to do that because I've not always been able to hear the right tones (see story below).

Wednesday there was a concert for the Sandy Institute forum. And who singing? My good friend Daniel Beck. Another treat that night was instrumental guitar solos by Michael Dowdle. That is one talented man. As I sat there listening to them, I couldn't help but want to compose music. This was an interesting feeling, because I have never wanted (nor even thought I was capable of) doing something like that before.

Thursday I went to the symphony with my best friend. The theme of the night was movies and they played many songs by John Williams. One particularly clever part was when they were playing Darth Vader's Imperial March, some of the trumpet part was re-written to include "Book of Mormon Stories" in a minor key that matched the march perfectly. The guest violinist of the evening was Jenny Oaks Baker. Wow. She is a very talented musician and my soul was flying when I heard her play.

I find it interesting the effect good music has on me. Also, I have noted that is not simply enough for one to sing well or play their music well. There has to be a piece of the person in the music: emotion. I know plenty of people who can find a note and sing it, but good music is more than that, it's about conveying an emotion and is a form of speech.




When I was younger, a music teacher told my dad, "He'll never be able to carry a tune, not even in a bucket." Of course, my dad never told me this until later. And the music teacher wasn't basing her comment off of nothing. I was tone deaf. I could not hear all the tones, nor was I able to stay in the same key to save my life. The turning point in my musical reality was on the Disney Cruise at the end of 2000. Chuck Wagner was the first Beast in the workshop of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and as fate has it, he was there on this ship with us. One of the many daily activities on the cruise was a session with him. Only about 15 people showed up for this "mini-concert". He sang for us, and when I heard him sing "If I Can't Love Her" I immediately said to myself, "One day, I will sing like that." When I arrived home, I purchased Chuck's CD and would sing along with all the songs. Also, I would sit at the piano and plunk out a note and try to match it; my dad who was often in the nearby kitchen would tell me to go higher or lower. Slowly, I began to hear all the notes and could match them pretty well. It wasn't until just recently that I was able to pick out harmonies and get my timing down. Now, my singing ability is one of the things I am most proud of. It is also one of the things I have worked hardest for. I still have things to work on, but music will always be one of my loves.

You've Got a Friend in Me

I've been thinking a lot lately about friendship and to be quite honest, I'm fed up with it. Now I'm not fed up with the friends I have nor creating new friendships. I'm more fed up with the way the word "friend" is abused. I think this is mostly due to the broad meaning that the word "friend" comprises. For example, I have kept in contact with someone I dated quite seriously and she says she wants to be friends, but to me, my friends are excited to see me. We were at the same function last night and I seriously have gotten a warmer greeting from the drive through lady at Wendy's.
Another example is girls whom I have just met (and may or may not be interested in) seem to discount me immediately and make it painfully clear that I am their friend. Really, if you have to remind someone in conversation that you are friends, I don't think you quite grasp the meaning of the word. Why can't they just say right out that they're not interested? Sure, it's a bit painful to hear and maybe even to say, but skirting around the issue and hiding behind the pretense of being "friends" is on the precipice of lying. Everyone wants to be friends. I don't really know anyone who starts out the day figuring out how many enemies they should make that day.
And there is the final example of girls who get so frustrated with this very thing themselves, but immediately turn around and do the same thing to someone else. A couple of examples (who will remain nameless) immediately come to mind.
I want to one day marry my best friend. But to me, the word "friend" has recently become tasteless in my mouth. I have enough "friends"... I want something more.