Look up.

After my new (ish) iPhone 5c decided to take a plunge in the toilet, I have banished into in a bag of brown rice for bad behavioir.   Believe it or not this is the second time this has happened to one of my iPhones, so this isn't my first "rodeo."   Being liberated from my beloved iPhone, I realized that it is a bit like a phantom limb.   I got to grab it, and realize that, "riiight... its in solitary confinement."   I have realized, (much to my dismay)  how much I rely now on this piece of technology.  I spend a good chunk of my day staring down at it, waiting for a text message from my honey, passing time on Pinterest, or feeling connected to other humans via Facebook.  If lost without this gadget I would remain lost for a very long time as the only phone numbers I've forced into my cranium are those that haven't change in 10 years and my best friend in the whole world who is two provinces away, so not much help to me in Manitoba.    

I've wondered lately why it feels like I have intense focus at all times, and now I think I know why.   So much of my life I see with a nearsightedness that blinds me to the wonders of the world.  I go from a. to b. with much intensity and purpose while in between those two stops I'm focusing intently on the latest update on Facebook 12 inches away from my face.  I forget to look up and see the sparkle in the snow, or appreciate from afar the going down of the sun and the array of colours that collect at the base of the sky's canvas.  These are the moments in life that remind us that we are alive.   It isn't watching another youtube video, or the 3rd season of Full House on Netflix.  Its human interaction and appreciating the beauty around us.  

As fall transitions to winter the days get shorter, bleaker and more grey, it is easy to slip into a foggy mindset that equates one day to the next.  Suddenly your week progresses like ticker tape, and very little stands out amongst the routine, repetition, and monochromatic world that surrounds you.   I want to live with farsighted intention, looking beyond myself, my phone (face to palm*/ashamed face*) and start to relearn the art of appreciating things from a distance and with intension.  As sad as my soggy phone is, I am glad of a mini break from my... obsession(?)  habit(?) crutch(?)  I forget to appreciate life outside of technology. Oh man, that is a sad realization.  

I found this on Pinterest:  

Lets try to look up more and down less...

Music

Performance Analyisis 

Shwarz and Copland Third, WSO. 
John William- Three pieces from Schindler’s List.

Violinist: Karl Stobbe.

A tall thin man, dressed in a black suit with tails stood solidly at the left of the conductor.  He faced a lacklustre audience that filled only half of the giant theatre. His violin and bow in either hand he inhaled calmly and then raised the violin to his chin and crossed his bow over the strings.   The orchestra, donned in black behind this man, played solemn full harmonies that compelled the spirit to follow along this musical journey as directed by the tall thin man’s violin.   

As a familiar tune echoed in a silent concert hall, a sense of soothing would lapse in and come over the room to be followed by a heart wrenching persistent ache.   This music designed and crafted to convey a story of bravery, heartache and horror during the Second World War that couldn’t be addressed with words or action when depicted in the film Schindler’s List, was now a vehicle for reflection for an audience many removed from the Holocaust horrors.  The richness of historic colors present in the music seemed to solemnly move its performer.   He remained a presence on stage but seemed to be small, and them music that surrounded his took precedence. Despite the sad beauty that encased the melody, painful and almost detached moments were evident for the violinist.    His body swayed with the melody that spoke of hardship, and with his eyes closed he seemed to see the faces of those affected by the terror.   With each crescendo the intensity swelled and his performance peaked yet again.

This performance was powerful because of the simplicity in which it was conveyed.  There need not be bells and whistle, the music expressed it all, and the performers was the instrument to amplify its message.     There was a humble gratitude that was present in the performers eyes as he received his stand ovation for his moving performance.