Music to my ears

How is it that a song can be such a mood changer?  Yesterday I was in a funk for hours.  Possibly because there was nothing exciting in my plans.  Possibly because I needed a nap.  Possibly because of no reason whatsoever.  In any case, the black cloud hung over my head..  

I was "tired and bored with myself."  So I googled "Dancing With Myself" which started a heart dancing.  The words may be somewhat sad, but that tune is darn peppy.  Then a good friend mentioned that wonderful song from Sesame Street- "Sing". You know the one where you just have to sing out loud, sing out strong, don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else to hear.  The few brain cells started bouncing around in my head.  And they connected with the thought that music might be the missing piece of my day.  I'm always listening to the radio or a CD of some sort.  (As anyone who reads my Facebook posts knows.)  So I clicked on my tab for the Glee version of "Defying Gravity" which is my current favorite song.  I belted it out 3, 4, 5, maybe 10 times in a row and how could my heart avoid being lighter?

Music is my therapy.  An appropriately chosen CD fixes everything.  I can even bother to clean my house if I can crank something up.  I can drive wherever with the right radio station or CD:  Journey Greatest Hits my favorite car trip CD.  Music is the only thing that saves me between November and January.  We have ALL of the birthdays in our families in those 3 months.  Combined with all the stress of school concerts and events, dance recitals, piano recitals, etc. etc., those months are over-scheduled stress bombs.  What keeps me sane is cranking my MANY Christmas CDs and enjoying the special music opportunities at church.  I carve out time for extra rehearsals on Sundays- my favorite part of the week at that time of year.  I walk out of rehearsals bouncing and... singing.

Last weekend, the younger spawn was having a major crankfest.  I don't remember what her beef was (but her mood is so changeable, it doesn't really matter.) Before I even realized what was happening, she somehow said "ire" and I said "land".  We looked at each other and started belting out: "Irrrreland, Irrrrreland togetherrrrr standing tall" and raced for our Celtic Thunder CD.  Hilarious singing and Irish dancing ensued.  That one was/is particularly partial to the song as instruction and mood mender.  I can say the same words about a thousand times with no response, but if I put a little tune to it she marches to the beat of MY drum for a change. 

The oboe.  Yup, I decided in January that I wanted to play a new instrument, and I decided it was going to be the oboe.  Why?  Don't know.  So, I headed to Robert M. Sides and grinned my way up to the counter.  I simply professed my desire to rent an oboe.  The cashier started with the obvious questions: for your child?  Nope, for me.  Do you play the oboe?  Nope, not yet.  At this point, the look on his face was clearly along the lines of "are you nuts?"  Yep, probably.  Then I think he asked a question where the logical response was to tell him about my experience with the other double reed instrument.  He didn't ask how long I'd played that- not long- or how long ago it was- long, long ago.  But, in any case, that answer earned me the right to sign papers to pay them lots of money over time and to walk out the door with my very own oboe.  The first noises were similar to trucks mid-crash and cats in pain.  In fact, many of the noises yet are akin to trucks mid-crash and cats in pain.  But I'm getting better.  Sometimes I feel like some of the notes might be in tune.  The kids no longer leave the room screaming when I practice (it could be that they've learned to block it out.)  The cats still do.  And when we dogsat, the dog looked at me clearly as if to say, "what the hell was that?"  I laughed.  In fact, oboe playing seems to require laughter. 

Have my kids got the music gene?  You betcha!  They'll deny it- especially when it's time to practice piano (or clarinet).  But I see it in their faces.  I'll never forgot the talent show at school where Rebecca played the song perfectly- the whole room glowed with her excitement.  It's the same when she's singing.  In a school concert or a church anthem, her whole body is completely in the song- and usually I can hear her too.  It's a lot of fun to watch.  And that clarinet that she still claims to hate?  Yea, I've been to the band concerts and she's obviously having fun playing- unless she happens to see me watching.  Katie is quite the belter too.  Maybe not quite so lyrical, but enthusiasm makes up for a lot!  In just a few short weeks, we'll start with the incessant nagging about instruments:  she starts the drums and the bass.  Lord help us all.