So many things are going on this month. First of all, the Cleveland International Film Festival March 16-26. I love this event--people talk about film while waiting in line, you get to vote on the films, and you can see things you just don't see anywhere else, like shorts, foreign films, and documentaries, not to mention foreign documentaries. (You may think I'm kidding, but I have one in my lineup of films to see!) I received my 12 CIFF vouchers that I won at the church auction last fall, and spent much of today eagerly poring over the festival guide to make my picks. I've learned over the years that, at least for me, seeing more than 6 films in the 10-day period triggers the law of diminishing returns, and it just gets to be too much to digest, so I'll have a few vouchers left to give away.
In the midst of this, American Ballet Theatre will be performing (and I'll be playing for their warm-up classes). I'm not so sure we'll be going, because there is only so much culture one can digest in a week.
Tomorrow, Paul, Sharon and I will be playing some chamber music for the church service. It's a really great piece and we sound good together. Last night we had a rehearsal at our house, with the piano newly tuned, and we were really enjoying ourselves. It's kind of a loud piece and I didn't realize how late it was getting (10 pm) until our next door neighbor rang our doorbell and told us, "Please, please stop!" (This only happened once before and that was 6 months ago.)
Fortunately we were just about done anyway, but my mood deflated like a balloon. Most of the time they're not even in town (and therefore not around to complain) so it's easy to forget that it might bother them. I know it was a reasonable request, but still. When other people are loud, it just doesn't bother me, after spending 20 or so years in apartments next to fraternities and practicing conservatory students. Paul says it's moments like these that are the only thing that makes him consider moving some day. But I think, no matter where you live, there's always going to be something. If we lived in a traditional single-family home, we would have to do yardwork, which neither of us is into at all. I think we've got it pretty good.
About Me
- Karinderella
- I'm a pianist, happily married. Socially progressive, chocolate lover, interested in the nature of reality, alternates between being a slacker and being a grind.
1 comment:
Wow, those are some really exciting activities! I LOVED the Cleveland Film Festival - I don't even know if Milwaukee has one...I'll have to check that out.
It's soooo annoying when neighbors are uptight about practicing and music; 10pm isn't that late, I don't think. We had neighbors from hell for a while in the townhome we lived in before we bought our house, and they weren't exactly music lovers. (Remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon with the opera singer who hated Bugs' musicmaking?) This duo, a lawyer and an executive, called once and asked me to do all of my practicing BEFORE 7PM. You want to know why? Because I DROWNED OUT THEIR TV. They just never wanted to hear the horn as long as they were home, which I thought was ridiculous and told them I would try, but that I couldn't guarantee it if I had a heavy practice load that week. And then the woman said, "can't you practice during the day? You don't work during the day, do you?" to which I replied to such ignorance, "umm, yeah, it's a full time job and everything, because after all we have to rehearse sometime." What a bunch of nincompoops.
What your neighbors should have done was just to say, "hey, just so you know, if you could not play after 9pm because of such and such" or something, to give you some sort of clue as to their schedule!! I mean, after all, it's not like you're rattling the walls with 7 foot speakers with hip hop and rap! (I do like some hip hop and rap, but when *I* decide to listen to it; not when some self-deafening idiot drives by rattling the pavement in his subwoofermobile.)
I'm SO glad you were having fun, though; that's what making music is (or should be, anyway!) all about!!
XO Love,
Darcy
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