I’ve been hearing the word “melisma” at choir rehearsals for years now, and I always pretended to know what it was. The other day The Banana’s violin teacher mentioned “melisma,” and I finally said to myself: This is ridiculous! I had better figure this out once and for all. So I simply looked it up in the dictionary. A melisma is a group of notes sung on one syllable of a word. Now everything makes so much more sense. It’s not a complicated thing, I just didn’t know what people were talking about for years. I wish I would have tried the dictionary before now.
I have lived in this city for eight hiking seasons now, and I’m still learning about new hiking trails in my neighborhood, or the neighborhoods next to mine. This fall I discovered three brand new trails that I hadn’t even known existed before, and they were astounding. This is one big reason why I love living where I do. It seems that there are endless opportunities to explore when you want to go outside.
I learned that I really love diffusing essential oils in my house. I’m not sure I”m totally on board with ALL the health benefits that these little oils claim, BUT I really do love having a pure smell surging through the air. When I’m working in my office, sometimes the oil diffusing is downright addicting, and I just want to keep working so I can stay near the source of the smell. And sometimes just having a room smell really, really good calms me down and helps me think. YaYa likes them too. The other day she said, “That’s the cleanest, purest smell.”
Having two Orff bass bars is better than one! For years I’ve used my C sub contrabass bar in music class and with piano students. I’ve had a second bar on my mind for some time, and this fall I gave in and purchased a G bass bar so that I could make ostinatos with my students. I have used the two bars so much in the past few weeks! It’s so fun to make up ostinatos to go with the songs beginning piano students play, and I’ve used the bars multiple times at music and movement class and at Sunday School music. Plus, Mr. TOF and I just have fun making up ostinatos in our spare time.
Wearing headphones makes a walking experience so different. I finally found a pair of earbuds that fit my ears. (Actually I borrowed Dr. Peds’ earbuds and then he purchased me my own pari for a mere ten dollars or something like that.) Earbuds never really have worked for me because they are always uncomfortable and falling out of my ears. These stay in, and I have been wearing them on my walk once or twice a week. Sometimes I listen to music. Sometimes I listen to Garrison Keillor’s “Writers Almanac” podcast. Sometimes I want to be engaged in what I’m hearing while I’m walking. Sometimes I don’t wear them at all because I just want to be able to think while I’m walking, and I have never been able to multi-task and do anything other than listen when I’m hearing music or someone reading something to me.
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One Comment
Victoria
I’m here for the link up!
Hiking trails are so much fun!!! I’m glad that you have some great ones nearby and that you just keep on discovering more. That’s the best!