Blogging

The whole time I have been writing this blog I have been doing a kind of self commentary on what and how I'm doing.  Should I change this now that I know people are actually reading this?

My journalistic model is Entertainment Weekly. I admit I write about actual subjects way more than anything you will see in EW. But the annual sexiest opera singers list is a definite attempt to set the emphasis on entertainment.

I am a trained musician whose education did not emphasize opera. While I have gone to the opera throughout my adult life, actually knowing anything about opera is an ongoing process for me. For instance, I am far more knowledgeable about Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms than about The Rake's Progress. So my mind wanders off topic a lot.

Topics I actively pursue:

1. Stories about my obsessions. Do I have to say what they are?
2. Stories about the operas and other music I am seeing.
3. News and gossip. Hopefully more news than gossip.
4. Annual sexiest opera singers list.
5. Phrasing. Currently percolating tirade on this topic. Look people--without phrasing it isn't music! $%&&%#
6. Translations of interviews in German. Germany is the center of the classical music world, and I actually enjoy this. I could try to expand my sources.
7. Photography. It would help if I were a better photographer. I actually like it if the pictures look a little funny. There's the "looks like" game, for instance. Seeing similarities is something that happens to your brain when you get old.
8. My technique series which is almost finished.
9. Modern operas
10. New singers. I am still very proud of spotting Jonas Kaufmann in Zurich before he became a household word.

These last two items are the actual interior purpose of this blog. It helps keep my brain young.