My husband, Dan, has this really cool picture at his photoblog. I just had to share. Go see it. Really.
(Nothing to do with music, btw, but it is about art. That works, doesn’t it?)
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So if you google Patricia + sneezing this is the #1 site. Go figure. Another person landed here doing a search on poem good enough isn’t. Whatever that means.
But the majority people who arrive here are searching on all things double reeds; they are looking for reed making information or they are searching on a particular double reed player. Sometimes they are looking for oboe pictures or oboe poetry, and sometimes they are looking for auditions or audition material. I don’t get a lot of bizarre searches landing here. Too bad … those are the most fun. I can tell you that most of my double reed colleagues in the Bay Area have had searches done on them. I always wonder what they are looking for … or if my colleagues are just looking out in internet world to see what is being said about them. C’mon, you do it too, don’t you? Of course doing a search on Patricia Mitchell doesn’t bring me to my sites at all.
But anyway, when you land here, feel free to say “hi”. I’m often on IM (patioboe), you can always email me at oboe at speakeasy dot net, and of course if you become a member you can use the discuss option below a post.
Speaking of members I must apologize to all members. Something is quite messed up, and if you click on the link to your name when you enter a comment it doesn’t take you to yourself. Argh. I haven’t a clue how to fix that. Something’s definitely messed up there. I’m so sorry. 🙁
I’m pondering some more about being listed under “hobbies” because I did receive a response from one of the book’s authors (thanks!). We were categorized for the readers’ ease, and, as she said, “We put music and books as a hobby for the average reader.” So there you have the true explanation. Even though I prefer to want to think it’s because my blog is a hobby … but … and again, here’s my slow brain and a Big Duh™ … isn’t nearly every blog a “hobby blog”?
But this does bring up the thought that so many folks do think of music as a hobby and not a career. I’ve run into people who have said this to my face (one woman, a realtor by trade, was actually livid when she found out I was paid for what I did and said, “I played clarinet in high school. I should play and get paid too.” She really was that annoying and that angry!), and I’ve read blogs that suggest we should not be paid for our work, but get “real jobs”. I don’t bother to answer those folks. It’s simply not worth it. But if they want me to play at their weddings and funerals they can think again! I don’t even want to charge them. I just don’t want to play. I’m ornery that way.
In Other News we finally received our younger son’s vocal jazz Christmas CD and it sounds mighty fine! Trouble is, it won’t play in our (somewhat old) CD player. If I am remembering correctly, this happened to me once before when I burned a CD on my computer … so I guess our CD player is an antique or something. Ah well. I can listen in the car. I can listen at the computer. And I guess that will have to do. I guess our family members will be receiving a VERY early 2006 Christmas gift in the mail when I get around to mailing these. (Anyone else want one? Only $15 and it’s yours!) Jameson sounds super, singing Christmas Time Is Here as his solo piece, and then in the full, 12 member jazz group Estetica, in Silent Night and a great new arrangement of The Little Drummer Boy. Yay Jameson!
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Well, well, well, my blog has been place in a book. And a “best of” book too. I’m stunned! The book, Best of Blogs also has a companion website, if you want to check it out. If you find the book (I found it at a bookstore, but according to what I read online it’s actually not to be on shelves yet. Hmmm), I’m listed in the Hobby chapter, under Classical Music and then Performers. And okay, I’ll admit that I’m slow; it took me a bit of time to realize “hobby” was probably for the blog, not for the career. (We might be paid like it’s a hobby, but it really is my career!) 🙂
Anyhoo, I am a bit shocked, and quite flattered. I’m with some very fine company as well. Drew McManus’s Adaptistration, a Violinists’ blog and Jeremy Denk’s “Think Denk”. (Oh for Pete’s sake! I only NOW got the joke. Think Denk. Duh. See how slow I am?) Under Enthusiasts you’ll find Andante.com, Lisa Hirsch’s Iron Tongue of Midnight, Magnificat Website, Sarah Nobel’s Prima la musica, poi le parole: opera blog, along with Greg Sandow and Vilane Fille.
I visit nearly all these blogs daily. You’ll see links to most on the right of my home page.
It’s quite encouraging to know that Classical Music even had a category. Woo hoo!
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