Chirp

3 things:

There's a cricket in my home. It actually took me almost 2 1/2 hours to realize it. At first I thought the chirping was part of the music. And then, after awhile I wondered why so many of Brahms' sonatas had crickets in them. Who, incidentally, I have never really listened to. I really enjoy Beethoven; and actually some of Bach's sonatas with piano/cello are on my list of favorite songs. But, until today I haven't listened to Brahms. All that comes to mind is Brahms' Lullaby; did he actually write the lyrics to it?
Wiki has all my answers.
Some facts: Brahms was a perfectionist; a brilliant pianist himself and originally performed his own works; worked with contemporaries such as Schumann; composed for chamber ensembles, piano, orchestras, and voice; and was a master of counterpoint - the style in which Bach also played. No wonder I like him. I should take a class on classical music history.

Which leads me to thing #2 (ha.)

I'm currently watching all ten episodes of Ken Burn's Jazz. It's a wonderful series, each episode about 2 hours long, that tells the entire history of jazz music; beginning in the 1800s. I will always love early jazz music - based on rhythm, blues, and rag time piano playing. And, something this series has reminded me of, or made me appreciate even more, I am so enamored of the way jazz had (has?) the ability to bring together people of completely different races, colors, backgrounds, beliefs. In the early 1900s, the famous big bands were able to unite the entire country in excitement. I'm not sure that characteristic has persevered.

I won't lie though, I have never been very fond of where jazz went during the late 70s and 80s. It sort of lost me. Maybe this film will help me to appreciate it by helping me to understand it better. Tonight I'm watching episode 3 and 4; in the early to mid 1900s.

And, last, but certainly NOT least - thing #3.
I now have a portable "Add to Wish List" button. Do you know what this means? Divine happiness! That's what this means!

In case anyone didn't know, I definitely love shopping. In fact, it could be said that I tend to spend my money irresponsibly. At least some people are of that opinion. And, actually it's not even the shopping as much as the excitement of new things. New books, new clothes, new furniture, new vehicles, new bike accessories, new CDs, new instruments... I could go on. And, I don't even need or want a LOT of stuff; in fact my favorite part of getting new things is getting rid of the old. So I am addicted to Craigslist - buying new toys and selling things that I don't use anymore (or things I can convince myself that I don't use so that I can spend the money to buy new things.) Especially awesome is the 'Barter' section of Craigslist.

However, I have recently found the cure for my spending habits, as a result of which I am now, also, addicted to Amazon.com. I now have a private account with wish lists and private wish lists and shopping lists and and and... now I have a button that I can use on any web site, get that ANY SITE(!), to add a product to my Amazon wish list. This is AMAZING. Or maybe it's AMAZONING! Shopping without spending money! WOW!