September 28, 2009
Persona non blogger
![[IMAGE] Friday Harbor airport](/blog/blogpix/FHairport1.jpg)
![[IMAGE] San Juan Islands](/blog/blogpix/bakeroverislands.jpg)
![[IMAGE] Friday Harbor airport](/blog/blogpix/FHairport.jpg)
…about the musicA busy and sometimes abyss-mal schedule.
Ok, in the four years of this bloglet’s humble history, I don’t think I’ve ever gone quite this long without offering a new post. But then again, in the years of my business travel, rarely have I been gone from home for 12 days. Sandwiched between daunting deadlines that included finishing a double quintet for an imminent delivery, writing a speech, filling several publishing orders from distributors here and in Europe, responding to online students, preparing materials for an upcoming workshop I’m doing, and scooping kitty litter (there’s always a deadline on that one, lemme tell ya), I was amazed to actually get out the door and fling myself to the east coast once again. And, back, at least for two weeks until I leave for Philadelphia. Details of this past jaunt abound on my website, for the curious. Teaser: one of the highlights was testifying on an FCC panel hearing in Washington, D.C. No, I did not use a dirty word in one of my choral works…
I’m lucky that the two airports I spend a lot of time at on the west coast are really quite terrific (I cannot say the same for the particular terminal I usually end up in at JFK, which looks like the inhuman, dilapidated set from an outtake of Blade Runner). SeaTac, with its glass-intensive terminal, offers some good food and drink and a human scale on which to enjoy it. And adorable Friday Harbor airport is a delight, as one hops out of one’s car and hops right into the flying version of one: a waiting puddle jumper. I always have a camera in my hand on those flights over the islands, never knowing what fascinating vision I’ll capture. But this last departure surprised me with a photographic fluke: as we lifted into the air above the tarmac, I pointed my iPhone out the window (didn’t bring my real camera on this particular trip), and just randomly… snapped. One photo. When I downloaded the pic later, I was amazed: it was perfectly level (even though I was not) and, perfectly, symmetrically cropped. I did absolutely nothing to manipulate or edit the top photo you see here. Freaky! In a good way. Like life itself, much of the time.
Glenn Buttkus said,
September 28, 2009 @ 5:07 am
Busy busy lady of the islands, thanks for reconnecting. Many of we kelphistos were
having Shapiro withdrawel. I guess like all the wonderful things in life, one just slips
into assuming they will always be there, and in their absence we get that pang, that jolt of loss. Love the pics.
At the Abyss: Act, the final movement @ 1:53 cranked up my Monday morning, churning it from Columbia blue to teal. Wow, jazz from a marimba and vibraphone, with the piano setting the pace, providing the filler. I swear, Alex, you could compose music from a guy playing his nose, to a blues man tapping the beat on his legs and chest, to a kid beating on his bucket, to cats in heat, to a dog yowling at a harvest moon. You seem connected to every sound, every vibration in our world.
Glenn
Joy said,
September 28, 2009 @ 6:38 am
Ok, was getting worried as I checked for your blog entry daily. Welcome home! You’ve missed some gorgeus weather.
Lane Savant said,
September 28, 2009 @ 9:01 am
The best art is often a fluke. Or subconscious. the best picture I ever took was at Summerland on Mt Rainier. Robin handed me her camera and said “here, take an arty picture”, I took the camera and clicked the shutter and handed it back.
Being on Mt Rainier helped.
Alex Shapiro said,
September 28, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
It’s nice to be missed! I was sad to miss the great weather here on the island, and the only consolation prize was that the weather back east was lovely, too; no rain while I was there, just sunny days. But, no kayaking or walking in the woods, either…