Gratitudes: Mozart and otherwise. Clarinet Concerto in A major, K.622 (Arngunnur ...

RantWoman is practicing Gratitudes.

1. The performance in the video below is wonderful. RantWoman does not necessarily pay attention to visuals when the video is classical music. RantWoman is usually happy enough to lose herself in the layers of melody, harmony, different sonic timbres. But the guy conducting this Iclandic Symphony performance is REALLY fun to watch.



2 Recently the bookmobile came to RantWoman's building. RantWoman was helping a neighbor who was recovering from a broken hip. Along the way it occurred to RantWoman that she herself can look through the large print offerings. RantWoman checked out 3 thriller-ish volumes. Will the large print prove large enough and will RantWoman get them read? Will the mere presence of actual physical library books, as opposed to the various electronic and audio formats RantWoman dabbles in, finally motivate RantWoman to oust a very tired couch and get something actually comfortable to read in? Will RantWoman remember to look through the online catalog and ask to have things she specifically wants to read brought to her next time instead of grazing in the shelves of maybe titles?

3. RantWoman has been worrying about G, an African American youth who likes to come play video games at the friendly Neighborhood Center for Extreme Computing. RantWoman has various opinions about G's family situation and other characters in Friendly Neighborhood Center's soap operas. G has had rough spots in the past but was doing pretty well for awhile. Then staff turnover occurred and stiff nervous white people problems flared. And RantWoman found herself repeatedly wondering "what is up at home?" For one thing, turns out G's mother just had a baby.  RantWoman also learned from G's mother that even she has to interrupt him only when his character dies n the video game. Who knew. RantWoman definitely feels out of it about such modern newfangled realities but will keep G and family on her Time to Pray list along with....

4. The Braille Challenge. Think of it like spelling bee for kids learning Braille, but with visits by puppies in training to be guide dogs and a martial arts demonstration meant to help cope with  Grab the Blind Person and Bless them moments. This is an annual event held at the talking Book and Braille library. RantWoman went this year with a committee role hat on. RantWoman went mainly to listen. RantWoman keeps being surprised, though. about what all feelings about the RantFamily experience well up, about a concern to encourage, nurture. RantWoman is also chewing on a candid conversation that may yet help with clearness about...

5. Worship after the sustainability conference call, about which RantWoman wrote a whole separate post.

6.  Bach and Mozart on Youtube. Two Bach cello suites and a Mozart concerto (see above) is a lot like eating a lot of cake. As in it's glorious and if we are lucky RantWoman will sleep well after bathing in sound.