Man, I love music

So far today, I've been stranded at my parents' place with nothing to do but play the piano. Left to my own, without an audience, I played whatever came to my head. Turns out I am inspired musically by Friedrich Chopin, Jimmy Page, Jethro Tull and various blues musicians. I played a surprising version of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" with an arrangement not unlike that of Chopin's Prelude No. 3 in E minor, which Page has also played live and in the studio, and I led from this into Tull's "Locomotive Breath" with a pentatonic lead over some of Chopin's chords (again, in the brilliant way Page played that prelude). Chopin fit nicely into the piano intro to "Locomotive Breath" too! I love the chords to Prelude No. 3.

I got to meet Aunt Rose yesterday. It was excellent visiting with her. I learned that she was a good writer. Something compelling she wrote in 1954, on the topic of selling the Lancaster area, won a competition and was published in a local newspaper. She earned a $100 award for it that was presented to her by the local mayor. A cropped photo of this occasion appeared in the newspaper, and a larger version of the incropped photo is in a frame in her room. So great to see her!

Then I learned something else about Aunt Rose too, once three of my brothers and their significant others were in the room and toy musical instruments were divvied out to everyone present, including two of my brothers' kids. She likes music too, and she sang along as we played "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Bridge over Troubled Water" and the hymn "Be Not Afraid."

Music can provide consolation and cure boredom. Music can do lots of inspiring things. Thank goodness for music! I'm so glad to have it in my life.

Tonight, I'm meeting up with some friends I first made in kindergarten and knew all the way through high school. I have some more such meetings scheduled for this week. That should be cool.

But I miss my girlfriend and her kids. I was happy to see a photo of Layla and me on a dresser of Aunt Rose's, and I want to get some photos of us and the kids on my parents' shelves and piano (the equivalent in their home to a fridge in other people's homes).