You know... I was going to take the easy way out and not write a blog today.
No... you guys didn't do anything wrong. It's just that I feel like I'm ripping you off by not actually writing about MY exploits in Japan. Trust me... I have only barely begun to scratch the surface. Part of the reason I haven't done much of that lately, is that in order to get to the good stuff, I have to read a lot of the crap that went on too... that I also wrote about.
Do you really want to know how homesick I was? Or that Ashley did or didn't do this or that? Or that the teachers were mean (that never happened.. but there was one principal...)? Wouldn't you rather read about all of the fun and stupid stuff I encountered that makes the Japanese look just as bad as I make myself look?
Maybe... it's why I created the It's A Wonderful Rife columns (and now blogs) in the first place... to show that people are the same all over the world - even in a weird place like Japan.
With that in mind... here's something my father sent me a couple of days ago.
HAVEFUN
Turn up the volume and enjoy the music. Enjoy the show.
I liked it because not only had I never heard music like that before, but it shows the playful and whimsical side of the Japanese. It's so frickin' kewl!
I used to teach piano and clarinet until 1990 when I left Toronto, Canada for the fun and dull times of Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan. To be honest... every day was fun, but there was a lot of repetition... which can lead to a bit of boredom.
Along with the piano and clarinet, I also played the accordion, and tenor and baritone saxophone in stage band. I also taught myself how to play (in no particular order): trumpet, oboe, bassoon, alto and bass clarinet, trombone (I sucked at that), and although I tried on two separate occasions to learn guitar, I failed miserably because the strings hurt my fingers. I know I'm supposed to wait until I developed calosses, but I was and am the type of guy where if I am not good at something immediately, I don't want to learn how to get better.
Now, Guitar Hero? I'm a god.
Somewhere wishing I still played music,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is played by: Tina Guo and her band Lotus Rising... because number one she is a fantastic classical musician (cellist), and this is a jaw-dropping mix of clasical and rock muisc... and also... look at the damn video... she's HOTTT!
PS: I was originally going to call this blog episode: Hooked on Classics. It's by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Louis Clark. It's a CLASSIC. And yes, my parents bought this when it came out. Me? I think I might actually buy Lotus Rising. Rarwrrr.
PS: Three songs for the price of one!
No... you guys didn't do anything wrong. It's just that I feel like I'm ripping you off by not actually writing about MY exploits in Japan. Trust me... I have only barely begun to scratch the surface. Part of the reason I haven't done much of that lately, is that in order to get to the good stuff, I have to read a lot of the crap that went on too... that I also wrote about.
Do you really want to know how homesick I was? Or that Ashley did or didn't do this or that? Or that the teachers were mean (that never happened.. but there was one principal...)? Wouldn't you rather read about all of the fun and stupid stuff I encountered that makes the Japanese look just as bad as I make myself look?
Maybe... it's why I created the It's A Wonderful Rife columns (and now blogs) in the first place... to show that people are the same all over the world - even in a weird place like Japan.
With that in mind... here's something my father sent me a couple of days ago.
HAVEFUN
Turn up the volume and enjoy the music. Enjoy the show.
I liked it because not only had I never heard music like that before, but it shows the playful and whimsical side of the Japanese. It's so frickin' kewl!
I used to teach piano and clarinet until 1990 when I left Toronto, Canada for the fun and dull times of Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan. To be honest... every day was fun, but there was a lot of repetition... which can lead to a bit of boredom.
Along with the piano and clarinet, I also played the accordion, and tenor and baritone saxophone in stage band. I also taught myself how to play (in no particular order): trumpet, oboe, bassoon, alto and bass clarinet, trombone (I sucked at that), and although I tried on two separate occasions to learn guitar, I failed miserably because the strings hurt my fingers. I know I'm supposed to wait until I developed calosses, but I was and am the type of guy where if I am not good at something immediately, I don't want to learn how to get better.
Now, Guitar Hero? I'm a god.
Somewhere wishing I still played music,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is played by: Tina Guo and her band Lotus Rising... because number one she is a fantastic classical musician (cellist), and this is a jaw-dropping mix of clasical and rock muisc... and also... look at the damn video... she's HOTTT!
PS: I was originally going to call this blog episode: Hooked on Classics. It's by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Louis Clark. It's a CLASSIC. And yes, my parents bought this when it came out. Me? I think I might actually buy Lotus Rising. Rarwrrr.
PS: Three songs for the price of one!
