Thursday, December 11, 2008

It's been a while

Apparently I just haven't had much to say in the past little while. Contrary to what some people will tell you. As in, the people I've kept on the phone all night when they've already been working all day. And by people, I mean person.

I probably shouldn't let that become a habit. But I've missed spending time just talking on the phone.

Stomach cramps are going to kill me. And I'm so screwed for history. Anybody with me?

So tomorrow I'm probably going to spend working on my reed so I can play a half decent solo for the concert, as well as attempting to study for history, in both the listening and the knowledge category. Fun, eh?

On another note, I just signed up for online banking. Mostly so that I can make sure that any cheques I put in are actually deposited. Seeing as the one I put in four days ago still isn't in my account. I am not pleased.

Well, like I said, I don't really have much to say. I think anything I actually wanted to blog about I already told the boy over the phone a couple nights ago. After I had a few drinks, which I'm still not sure whether that was a good idea or not.

Oh, observation of the day: I hate small talk. Like, seriously. I should stop mentioning that I'm a musician, because then it's all just "What do you play?", "What do you want to do?", "My *insert member of family* also plays *insert instrument*", "That's so cool."...

And the real kicker that got to me today:

"I really respect talented people."

*glare*

First of all, that is a wonderfully wide open statement, thank you for making that. It's like saying, "I really love weather."

Maybe not exactly, but it seems that way to me.

Second of all, just because I'm a musician does not mean I'm talented. Let's put this into perspective for all of you reading this. The person who said this was at the blood clinic today, where I was giving blood. She was a nurse. We had this talk withing about 3 minutes that I was in the room with her. In that 3 minutes, I mentioned that I was a musician, played the bassoon (described what a bassoon was), that I'd like to play in an orchestra, and that I'm a first year music student at the U of C.

And she comes out of there saying she respects me for how talented I am?

Okay, if I had mentioned that I had only been playing bassoon for a month and I was accepted as a bassoon major at the university, then I might accept that statement. But I think that's the only circumstance I would accept it.

That term just bugs me. Talented. I won't deny it, there are such things as talented people out there. I do not consider myself to me one of them.

I did not just pick up a bassoon and play well enough to get into university. I did not play my first note and everybody thought it was so gorgeous, and I was so wonderful.

If people knew what I sounded like when I first started, they would not say I'm talented.

It's not like I have this wonderful power to be good at it whenever I want. I worked hard to sound like I do today. I practiced a lot to be able to go to university. I did not pick up a bassoon, blow a few notes, and go 'hey, I'm really good at this, I think I'll do it for the rest of my life.'

But enough of that. The boy's home. I must go call him. And possibly repeat everything I just wrote. That's how it sometimes happens.

~Calminaiel~

"We'll be back later to...inspect the oven..."

3 comments:

Melda said...

Ughhh history...I promised myself I'd do one style period per day this week. So did not happen. they had better not ask me for Stravinsky or Alexina Louie on the composer essay question because guess what, I have no idea :P

Anonymous said...

I guess I respect talented people too (provided they use their talents for good rather than evil) but I have way more respect for people who got where they are through force of will rather than natural talent. Frankly, in the case of musicians, I think that the latter group of people end up with a better understanding of their instruments. I believe that trying to do something sixteen different ways that don't work is a way more informative experience than getting it right the first time.

Unknown said...

I think I had a fairly similar conversation with a nurse at the blood clinic the other day....