Share a cuppa?

[Appleblossom]

I love your pairing of tedium/activity! @Alittleorange 

I guess I have always had meditation/spiritual practices for calming, which is kinda different to tedium.

My life is moderately balanced in what I honestly can have direct control over, I guess.

Last year was out of control with a loved one in and out of hospital. 

I rarely do coffee out probably over a year since I bought one. I did have one hot chocolate last year with a girl friend. She had coffee after dinner! I haven't been able to do that for at least a decade. Lol

[Appleblossom]

Wow @Bow I am an energy drink virgin. Never done one.

We are all different.

[Appleblossom]

Is that Cool or Hot jazz @Abner? 

Love Gershwin jazz and blues.

Good to have projects and a learning edge....

Classical training is pretty good basis .... Though I wish I could do better impro... But it is not on my current to-do list. Lol

Have you ever done a Christmas Oratorio? Very cool trumpet solo... My fave. I been lucky to hear it live. Best tickets on stage. I was just a chorister.

[Alittleorange]

@Appleblossom 

Am glad your life is more in control, it seems your circumstances were not too favorable last year. And best of luck with new coffee partner.

I visited a Buddhist temple some years ago now to improve on my meditation/spiritualty. i use it for my epilepsy and life in general. Would highly recommend, if you are in Melbourne it was the Fawkner Vietnamese temple, beautiful place and people....

Alittleorange

[Appleblossom]

Yes @Alittleorange I have done a range of meditation. Saved my life really. From Raj yoga, to metta... Been to Theravadan temple and Tara House. Glad you have found it helpful too 

[Bow]

I love my energy drink @Appleblossom  in particular V. Sugar free of course. I know they aren’t good for ya blah blah. But yeah. 
good on you for never doing them. To be honest I don’t even know if they do anything for me! I love the taste. And I like to think they give me a boost in the morning. 

I actually really wish I drank tea and coffee. Coffee for the caffeine in the morning. But I’ve tried. Just don’t like it. Even tried doing a mocha with the tiniest amount. Nope. Love the smell though. And tea… ya know when yer sick and ya just need that nice warm drink to comfort but not milky. Yeah. 

[Appleblossom]

It is funny how we develop our likes and our habits @Bow I was just too old when the energy drinks hit the market... To be bothered to try one. 

I love milky coffee and my herbal tea with out milk. Mostly I love water.

I just remembered I have to crawl under the piano to get a bottle of wine... L..  I promised myself a bottle leading up to my birthday ... Just A glass at night... To use them up...lol

Maybe a bottle per year..lol

[Historylover]

@SmilingGecko introduced me to fennel tea and I invented star anise tea. I enjoy both and Twinings varieties too.

How have you been @Appleblossom? Our paths haven't crossed for ages. I saw you were going to a conductors' lecture/discussion/lesson recently. How did it go? It was made for you. How are things?

I donated my keyboard to an op shop. I love beautiful music, but it would always have been out of my capability to make my own. I'll just be a grateful audience member.

[Abner]

Yes @Appleblossom , I've performed a few Christmas oratorios, on trumpet and with my bass baritone voice; I've also performed oratorios for voice and trio basso continuo, and quartet too.

I'm practising a jazz nocturne, as well as Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm", "Besame Mucho",  the theme song from "Schindler's List" a sarabande and gavotta by Arcangelo Corelli, some Richard Strauss, and Carl Böhm's "Calm as the Night."

Do you play any instruments, I recommend music as a great living skill and coping mechanism for everything in life, and learning music for its own sake is a very important part of living and coping.  We've got nwuroplastic brains, and a really important part of humans being able to cope is through learning new stuff.

I also play chess, and at the moment I'm in the middle game, progressing slowly.  I had a game with someone last night and this morning which ended in a draw.

[Appleblossom]

@Historylover 

Good to see you. You make the best call to suit your needs.

Last year was rocky and hard

This year is improving 

Yes workshop was good... It was on Ageing Voice @Abner 

Fantastic you are familiar with Weinacht Oratorio.... In both instruments. You must be a special muso... That solo is stunning and converted me back to appreciating brass played well. I did it with a chamber choir. I was a little over trying to sing over brass in a church ... But trumpet can sound lyrical...

I totally agree with you about benefits of music in our lives... Socially... Individually 

I taught piano for 35 years and sang in choirs for over 20. Also a little djembe and recorder and early music.