Working 8 a.m. to Midnight...Time For A Rest!

Hi all,

Phew!  What a week!  If there's one thing to be said about creative streaks, it's that once you're in one, you can't think of anything else but working and getting it all out!   I ordered a new piece of notation software which arrived this week, and I literally have been working every spare minute getting familiar with the new features and doing some test orchestrations for my new CD.  It's fun! Maybe a little TOO fun, I think, judging from the fact I've been working so hard that I've been forgetting to do simple, basic things like eating and sleeping ;-) 

I'm excited to finally get some of my pieces transcribed.  Most of my ideas either remain in my head, or I play them directly to my keyboard without writing them down.  Although I have a degree in composition, I tend to work more with improvisation and live in-the-moment recording, than with written scores.  But, there comes a time when you want to hear some of your work played by actual live musicians...not just the synthesized kind.  Here comes the work of getting all of your ideas on to paper (or in this case, computer screen first....THEN paper).  And it really is work - very time consuming and finicky work.  But, as with anything you love, it's completely worth it when you hear the end result of that melody that once only existed in your thoughts being sung out by a cello or a violin.

It's been an intense week, work wise.  I did take a three hour "break" today, though, to prepare my house for the Sabbath.  It's a routine I've come to treasure.  On Thursday nights, I finish all of my housework for the week -- I do laundry, wash any dishes left undone, clean the bathrooms, vaccuum if necessary, tidy any messes...the works.   You might say, "how can you treasure doing housework?"  Well, firstly, although housework might seem mundane, when combined with music or prayer, it can be a time to really talk to God. Sometimes if I'm feeling blah, I'll put on a praise CD and my mood instantly changes, and the tasks pass quickly.  Secondly, as I'm going about my Thursday routine, I am anticipating the end of another long work week (just like this week).  With the Sabbath comes a day to rest, setting aside the cares of the world, and to just enjoy Abba, His people, His creation, and His rest.  A day to remember that I am NOT in control, as much as we humans like to think we are in control.  HE is my provider; I am not.  HE is my sustainer; I am not.  HE is my shelter; this house is not.  Therefore, the thought of coming home on Friday evening to a spotless tidy house, knowing I can just relax and bask in the next 24 hours of freedom, is a truly peaceful one indeed, and it motivates me to work extra hard for that last burst on Thursday night. What a blessing the Sabbath is -- not a burden at all!  Made for man; for our joy, peace and benefit.  All of God's commands are liberating and freeing.  The more I discover about His ways, the more I have to thank Him that His ways are not our ways.  The world run according to man's ways reaps what we see today -- workaholism, strife, idolatry, broken homes, exhaustion.  Life run according to God's ways brings love, joy, peace and all of the other fruits of His Spirit. 

Anyway, I am beginning to babble as it is late at night and I am greatly sleep deprived due to my creative burst this week.  I'll bid you adieu for now! 

Shabbat Shalom (peaceful Sabbath!  Almost!)

From her nice clean home,
Melissa

Below is a short video of a well-known Hebrew song, Shalom Aleichem, which I set to some photos and video I have taken over the years in Canada, the U.S.A. and Israel.  "From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, Adonai's name is to be praised." Psalm 113:3

Blog Changes and Additions

Hi all,

I apologize if my blog goes a bit wacky from time to time in the next few days. I am adding some stand alone pages (see the tabs on the top of the blog, under the header bar). These pages will give you information about me, my vision, projects, and testimonials about my music. Essentially, this is information that I planned to include on my website, but I'm finding that I just haven't had the time to finish my website!  Too many things to do, too little time.  Moreover, in the time since I registered my domain name, Blogger has improved its functionality to include things that I would have had to do manually on my website.  This might actually eliminate the need to create a separate website, until such time as I need to use features like e-commerce, etc.  I have found that authoring my own site from scratch is just too time consuming for updates and changes (not to mention manually checking links, HTML code, etc.).  Blogs are just so much easier to keep current than a website that's designed manually, and if I can't keep a website current, there's not much point in having one!  So, in the end, I may just have my web address link back to this blog.  When all is said and done, I don't want to be spending more time trying to keep a website current than I spend actually composing, playing and recording!  And right now, I have to say that I am spending more time with technical things than with music -- so enough is enough!  In the next weeks, if I find that it's more efficient just to use this blog as my main portal of communication, that's what I'm going to do.

I'm also going to be fiddling with the design/layout of this blog, so if you notice anything that looks weird, hang in there -- I'll have it fixed soon!

Thanks for your patience!
Melissa