piano

i've been doing a lot of piano-playing recently... in fact, it's been getting even more attention than my guitar, which is forlornly stacked in the corner of my room, collecting dust on the top of its case... :/

but anyway - back to the topic at hand, i've been writing a lot of piano music, too, which has been pretty new and exciting for me, since i don't really know what i'm doing. :p but it's been a lot of fun, and i'm enjoying the new adventuring tunes and tones i've been able to come up with, and am thoroughly loving the feel of everything i've come up with so far. it's all been instrumental, and i'm thinking about maybe turning out an instrumental cd at some point before my full album comes out... who knows... (no promises, mind you! just speculation at this point.)

oh, dr golden...

dr michael golden is my biology professor. he also happens to be the greatest professor (of any subject) that i've ever had. woo hoo! :D he's hilarious, knows a LOT about many different things (for example, he started explaining quantum physics to us the other night, and his first degree is in anthropology), and has a really cool and effective teaching style. goodness me, i'm learning things! (hahaha)

i leave you with a quote from one of his lectures:

"a long time ago, the british empire ruled the world. and they had an amazing army that ran around and kicked ass all over the place..."

<3

FINALS PERFORMANCE!!

so, i entered this song contest... and my song "shooting star" is a finalist entry for both the folk/protest category, AND it's in the overall grand prize you-could-possibly-win-$1,000-in-cash-and-prizes category!!!

well, there's a performance for each finalist before they announce who won - and i get to play!! it's this Saturday (10/04) starting at 7PM and going until i-don't-know-when.

COME if you can make it!!! (and even if you can't, your support is definitely appreciated!) :D

here's the formal info:

Saturday, October 4, 2008
7:00pm - 11:00pm

East Side Center (formerly Holy Cross Church)
Corner of Van Buren & Wilson St
Batavia, IL

"expression"

poetry as a last resort
crying as a first choice
crying seems to be the theme of today
an interesting jumble of sad and happy
a last ditch effort to calm my mind
myself, my body and soul are dissatisfied
there is a way out, and it's you
but you are too far away to hold
and i'm not holding on to anything else
so i fall
down
down again, and
down
into misery and heartsickness
and i break, almost shatter
but i'll get up if you ask
i can make another stand
if it means i'll get to see you again
even though i'd rather be done with it all
and just let my life end, here and now!
but i'll stick around, if only for you
if only for the music in your soul
the light in your eyes
i won't leave you behind
i won't go alone, 'cause i love you
i love you

***


(i'm not sure why i continually underlined 'you' -- it just felt right.)

"dear love" - a poem

dear love,
here's what i look like today:
sad eyes, broken smile
and my heart still beats in my chest
but i left it behind
not on purpose, it's just how life is
you know how i get
when i have to leave you
i wish we'd had one more day
at least, a real chance to say good-bye
i guess we just have to go through it
however hard it may be
however hard it is
you know, i love you more than my life
dear love,
here's what i feel like today:
cold inside, and rainy
shaky like a leaf on a thunderstorm's breeze
like the trees are falling as i climb them
and i can't get up again
life's too tough again
i have no appetite, but i keep eating
like it's my job to make myself sick
like if i'm sick it means something
that you have to come see me
dear love,
why is the sun shining?
it's not fair today
please go away, giant ball of burning gas
or whatever you are
damn you, happiness
just give me a minute
i'll work myself back to you
i guess... maybe
dear love,
you know, i love you more than my life
but today i miss you more than ever
love, anna