makes us stronger

Some days are about coming up with new ideas, even if they suck, some days are about structure. I've been coming up with new ideas for a couple weeks but have been unable to bring myself to structure them. But it's a mindset. And mindsets bleed from one aspect of life to another. I've not been structured in my living--waking, sleeping, eating have all been improvised--so it's hard to think structurally in music.

Today, this morning, just now, I finally remembered that. There are many sides to an art object, or a life, and it's helpful to look at it from all angles. So I made a little structure for my day, something I used to intend to do but forgot about. In the morning, I need to remember Focus; noon is Mission; evening is People; and night is Dream, that is, Possibility. I go through this every couple of weeks and come up with a new structure. It's just practice. Practice creating structure. And as I go I'll get better at it and learn from my mistakes.

I wrote another post at ChicagoNOW. In this one, I ask people to respond to a poll: what's the best Classical music gateway drug? I posited Short Ride in a Fast Machine, which is one of John Adams' shortest and...er...fastest pieces. In a machine. If you have any to add, let me know: in comments or any of the other myriad ways of contacting me.

Yesterday, I only watched 2 Lost episodes--I'm about a third through season 2--and the South Park movie, which was entertaining but not side-splitting. Amusing. Political but not too much.

And I made bread. My eating is all messed up this week: I'm out of oatmeal, finished the butternut squash soup, finished the spaghetti, and am generally not feeling hungry. I probably could use a little more exercise. Can't wait to get the bikes out; lots of room to ride up here.

Musically, I'm trying to strengthen my imagination. Trying to visualize the piece so clearly in my head that I can just write it down. So practice visualizing, then practice writing it, then realize that the mental picture was too fuzzy and so back to visualizing again. It's foreign to how I usually write which involves improvising at the piano. But I think it will, ultimately, be better.

Work it harder make it better do it faster makes us stronger more than ever hour after our work is never over.