Fun, ~ if you like that sort of thing

December is always a strange month for me, not a lot of work in the gardens, but lots and lots of music and social commitments. Emotionally I feel as though this year has been about a month too long. Maybe I would feel better about it if I hadn't been locked in isolation with Covid-19 for a couple of weeks, if somebody hadn't driven into my van and so far the insurance company have taken over two weeks and still haven't settled the claim. Maybe I'd feel better about the year if I hadn't had to lose so much of my music making for such long periods of time. Or, maybe it's just that the weather is a bit grim, grey and grisly. 

I have to remind myself that we are now in Advent, that lead up to Christmas, the great festival that marks that time of year when everything starts to get better. Whether you call it Christmas, Yule, Hanukah, Diwali, or what ever, this is the park of the year when we have the shortest day and the longest night. When little is growing, stocks would traditionally have been running low, when we spend too much time indoors trying to keep warm, and when we go out we get cold and wet. After the Solstice the days start to get longer, warmth starts to return to the world, we have our hope of spring summer and harvest confirmed. We know that we have better times to look forward to, this is what we are celebrating, the times to come. That's why the Christian Church attached Christmas to this ancient festival. Christmas marking time when Christ was born is the time when as Christians we know that things are going to get better, we have Christ's ministry, His Passion, His Resurrection and His promise of victory all to look forward to. It is when we celebrate God fulfilling His promise of love. Of course for others it's just an excuse for a party! Given that it's already the 3rd December obviously I won't be doing my Advent Calendar this year, hopefully I might be able to make a few seasonal observations, but no promises! 

From 2017!

Never having been one who needed an excuse for a bit of partying the other day I was out with some young friends, one young lady (who doesn't really know me) asked me about music, after I bored on for a couple of minutes she got impatient and asked, "No, what sort of music do you listen to for fun?" I had to think about this and then gradually realised that I couldn't remember the last time I listened to some music for fun! I listen to music because I'm studying it, because I will be playing or conducting it, because I'm going to be arranging it, or maybe judging somebody else's performance. I still get a lot of joy out of playing music, especially performing, but have I ended up missing the point? I know I've banged on about this before but I need to go to more concerts I'm not playing in, I need to spend time just enjoying music. Just as a gardener needs to spend some time just sitting in a garden enjoying it I need to listen!

I feel as though I am just adding to the list of things I need to do

• Listen to more music
• Do some tuba practise
• Tidy flat
• Repair car
• Do some trombone practise
• Go to the gym more/ get fit!

The interesting thing is that nowhere on my personal list is there any room for work, other than my need for an income. I think I am getting very close to the point when it's time to retire, then I will have more time for some fun things, if I can remember what they are!