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Posts tagged ‘arthritis’

Embrace the Clarinet

I used to play the clarinet.
I was once upon a time pretty good at it.
I was first chair in the University of Pacific Band and Orchestra.
But now my arthritic fingers won’t cover the holes.
I can’t get a B natural out of it for love nor money!

Unlike the saxophone, the clarinet keys require finger covers.
When I had to put my instrument in the closet and say
Good-bye to my clarinet playing days. I was sad.
But I have an enormous appreciation for good clarinetists.
They don’t come much better than Artie Shaw!
Do go up there and click to listen to his rendition
of “My Heart Stood Still” And sing along!

MY HEART STOOD STILL

Songwriters: Richard Rodgers / Lorenz Hart

I took one look at you
That’s all I meant to do
And then my heart stood still
My feet could step and walk
My lips could move and talk
And yet my heart stood still
Though not a single word was spoken
I could tell you knew
That unfelt clasp of hands
Told me so well you knew
I never lived at all
Until the thrill of that moment
When my heart stood still
I took one look at you
That’s all I meant to do
And then my heart stopped right there
My feet could step and walk
My lips could move and talk
And yet my heart stood still
Though not a single word was spoken
I could tell you knew
That unfelt claps of hands
Told me so well you knew
I never lived at all
Until the thrill of that moment
When my heart stood still

Artie Shaw

Sally and I were in the Turlock Junior Band
as well as the Turlock High School Band.
Many years of fond musical memories!

Did you play an instrument when you were in school?
Do you play it still?

Embrace the Clarinet!
It’s a great instrument!!

What did you do today?
I hope you had a great Monday.

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

P.S.
Here is a solo I was once able to play
when I was at UOP
and practicing my clarinet
several hours every day.

I admire musicians who are able
to keep their skills alive their whole lives long.
Any skill requires practice to maintain mastery.

What skills do you practice to keep them alive?
MIne are cooking and writing.
I can do those even though my fingers are gnarled!

Category:

Life's Challenges, Love, music

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Embrace Pianists

Laura Sullivan is a contemporary musician
whose original compositions
and renditions on the piano
accompanied by various instrumentalists
are a joy to listen to.

I almost always have music going on in the background while at home. Besides Laura Sullivan, I also put on You.Tube videos like this one: Water of Life – Peaceful Instrumental Hymns. Maybe, listening to this You.Tube hour and a half of music while you go about your business, you will embrace pianists, too.

Enjoy listening and watching –

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Do you have a favorite pianist?
(Roger Williams is one of mine.
I ask Alexa to shuffle songs by him frequently).

Is there some other instrument you enjoy listening to?

Do you play an instrument?

We couldn’t afford a piano when I was a kid growing up, but we bought a little accordion from my “sorta cousin” who lived next door. That accordion only had 8 bass keys, so it was limited to songs in the key of F, C, G or A.

Eventually my parents bought me a bigger one – with 120 bass keys – and that has been my instrument for at least 70 years of my life. The left hand buttons do not translate well to the left hand on a piano, but it is a fun instrument to play.

Embrace the Piano Accordion! When you play it, it’s like carrying a party on your back!

My maiden name is DeAngeles…
Yes, Italian… so you can imagine
that the Italian numbers
have always been my favorites.

Isn’t that a beautiful accordion in that video? And the scenes of Italy are enchanting. But, at the University of the Pacific where I was a student in the early 60s, I was told the accordion is not a “real instrument.” The professors and students made fun of my instrumental choice.

It’s true, the accordion does not have the capability of the piano.

I wish I had access to a piano as a kid growing up!

The piano is an instrument that provides a lifetime of ecstasy!
Even with arthritic fingers, a good pianist can still make it talk.
Notice how Roger Williams’ little finger curls up a lot of the time.
Interesting how he uses it sometimes, but not others.
My fingers do that, too…

My other instrument is the clarinet.
I can’t play it anymore.
My fingers won’t cover all the holes!
You don’t have to worry about that with a piano!

You can share a lot of love, joy and peace
if you can sit down at the piano and make it talk.
Know someone who can do that?
Embrace that pianist!!

What instrument brings love, joy and peace into your life?

Category:

Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace

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Embrace Imagination

#1 A

Play the video below
as you imagine
why these various pictures
are in this blog.



Imagine what
they might have to do
with my life today
and in the future.

Imagine if you
took a series of pictures
to capture your life today
and project your future….
what would they include?

#1 B
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7 A
#7 B
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15

Embrace Imagination!

#1 A & B = The dreamcatcher brought the Dream

#2 = But there are hoops and triangles to jump through

#3 = Before the Trinity – God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit can help the Dream come

#4 = So head on down Pintail Ridge, and

#5 = Turn toward the north

#6 = Get on Highway 90 and stay on it to Missoula

#7 A = Have fun on the 3 hour trip by texting my daughter in Switzerland

#7 B = Include Daughter #2 in our texting and picture exchange

#8 = Compare our arthritic fingers – and see her straight ones – realize what heredity can do!

#9 = Pass the time with Bible Study… begin with Moody’s look at Thessalonians 1 & 2

#10 = After dropping Bob off at the Missoula hospital for his MRI, go get breakfast

#11 = Choose the pesto bagel, but only eat half now

#12 = Save the other half for when Bob is finished and can join me for that yummy sandwich

#13 = Tell him he can find the Bagels on Broadway – right across from the Missoula Courthouse

#14 = Head back home where dreams do come true – full circle – back to Ennis and the beautiful Madison Range…

#15 = … and a bouquet of beautiful tulips that say Happy Mother’s Day weekend is coming – Go Capture your Dream!

Embrace Imagination!

This is where dreams all come true!

Behind the storms of life
Blue sky waits to emerge
Catch your dreams in your dreamcatcher
And let your imagination run wild!



What would your series of pictures
look like to capture your day,
your dreams,
your views of the world?

Imagination runs wild!!

Tell me!

See ya tomorrow
(God willing)

Thanks for visiting JanBeek

Category:

children, Faith, Family, food, happiness, Life's Challenges, Love, Montana, mountains, music, Poetry

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