That Happy Feeling

Heartland

In 2001 the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir commissioned Heartland, by Matthew Hindson, a young australian composer.   The piece was commissioned to be performed at a joint Australasian GLBTQI choral weekend, which had been given the title "Camp Music", a spinoff of music camps from High School, university etc. 

The programme notes from the score say it was written to evoke a "heartland" or a place to which you feel a great sense of attachment, as well, where you most feel safe and secure.  There are 4 separate pieces in the Suite.   The Introduction (Home), Section 1,  "Stand Up", Section 2,  "A Thing of Beauty", and Section 3, "Did You Miss Me". 

Section 1 was a set of original lyrics, Section 1, an invocation to Stand Up and Look at Me, from Sappho, Section 2, A Thing of Beauty, being an adaptation of verses by Keats, and also from the Book of Ruth, and , Section 3, Did You Miss Me, an adaptation of The Goblin Market, by Christina Rosetti, originally written in 1859, and also an adaptation of Life is Mostly Froth and Bubble, from Adam Lindsay Gordon, and an adaption from Shelley, being "Life May Change but it may fly not, Hope May Vanish, but can die not.   

Put these words together with an amazing score by the very talented Matthew Hindson, with two pianos, about 60 choristers, more changes in beats to the bar than you can poke a stick at, and for much part, a very hectic pace, and you've got some amazing music.  

Canberra Gay & Lesbian Lesbian Qwire, and Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, performed the piece in a stunning concert in Canberra, the Australian Capital Territory, our Nation's Capital.   

After Heartland Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Chorus, Canberra Gay & Lesbian Qwire, and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, performed individual brackets,before joining en masse to pay homage to the ongoing struggle for acceptance and equality, by singing "freedom is Coming, a traditional South African song, and finishing with Over The Rainbow, by the legendary Judy Garland. 

It was a great concert and friendships were made, strengthened and renewed by choristers and Music Directors of three of Australia's premier community choirs. 

DeClutter Continues

I'm doing my best to declutter at home.  Getting rid of excess paper mainly, either shredding or putting it in folders to sort later.   Can actually start to see some empty space around the place so that's a good thing.   Tonight I found an envelope I'd been looking for, for a month.   It was close, handy even, I just wasn't sure where it was and hadn't made time to do a thorough search. 

Thank you Merlin Mann, Dave Slusher and the folks at Getting Things Done and Do It Now.   I'll drink the cool-aid, its just a little hard after our decades of saving stuff, just in case I need it.   It wasn't an obsession or anything, I just needed a system.  

Here's hoping. 

Another good moment in the life of this procrastinator is I made my first loan in Kiva yesterday and have acknowledgements etc, so that's great.   Now if I could shake this flu and asthma, but I think I'll have to wait for warmer weather for that. 

Life isn't all that bad.   Sure the slings and arrows occasionally cause some angst occasionally, but when think about people fighting for the right to be counted, be heard, be understood etc, such as the Iranians who don't believe in shonky elections, I realise just how lucky I am.   

We mock our own democratically elected State and Federal Governments here in New South Wales, and Australia, but we have the collective opportunity to throw them out of office if the need arises.   There are occasional clashes between groups of people from different geopolitical, religious or socio-economic backgrounds but generally we try to do the right thing, or clamour for the right thing to be done.   

Choir tomorrow, then Friday, and the weekend.   Hopefully it'll be dry.   

DeClutter Continues

I'm doing my best to declutter at home.  Getting rid of excess paper mainly, either shredding or putting it in folders to sort later.   Can actually start to see some empty space around the place so that's a good thing.   Tonight I found an envelope I'd been looking for, for a month.   It was close, handy even, I just wasn't sure where it was and hadn't made time to do a thorough search. 

Thank you Merlin Mann, Dave Slusher and the folks at Getting Things Done and Do It Now.   I'll drink the cool-aid, its just a little hard after our decades of saving stuff, just in case I need it.   It wasn't an obsession or anything, I just needed a system.  

Here's hoping. 

Another good moment in the life of this procrastinator is I made my first loan in Kiva yesterday and have acknowledgements etc, so that's great.   Now if I could shake this flu and asthma, but I think I'll have to wait for warmer weather for that. 

Life isn't all that bad.   Sure the slings and arrows occasionally cause some angst occasionally, but when think about people fighting for the right to be counted, be heard, be understood etc, such as the Iranians who don't believe in shonky elections, I realise just how lucky I am.   

We mock our own democratically elected State and Federal Governments here in New South Wales, and Australia, but we have the collective opportunity to throw them out of office if the need arises.   There are occasional clashes between groups of people from different geopolitical, religious or socio-economic backgrounds but generally we try to do the right thing, or clamour for the right thing to be done.   

Choir tomorrow, then Friday, and the weekend.   Hopefully it'll be dry.   

Warm Friends Make Up for Cool Weather

July marks the middle of winter, but if  you go by the solstice we're still about a week away.   Point is, its just starting to get cold here in Sydney.   Cold for us, probably extra mild if you're from the cooler climes of the northern hemisphere.   Yesterday was a good day to sleep in, potter, and write a few iTunes reviews for my favourite podcasts.   Today was choir rehearsal from 10am - 6pm and getting there by bus saw a 6 o'clock alarm.   Still once it started it was a great day.   Got lots done and its starting to sound pretty good.   We've got a concert in Canberra in two weeks, with Canberra choir so looking forward to that. 

Apart from that, the salt mines beckon tomorrow, its almost time for the 6.00pm news and dinner, so I'll bid you all adieu.  To you, and you, and you and you and you. 

Have a great week folks.