Dear Colin Firth

"Stop trying to live in a Hugh Grant movie."

OUCH. Yes, I have wonderful friends who give wonderful, snarky advice like you see above. Not so subtle, not so gentle, just straight to the point- really. That is good friendship. My ego is somewhat bruised but I can deal with that. If only I were so open to divulge what I was discussing with my friend, Andrew, you might understand his advice a little better. I bring it up only because it is the base board for my upcoming purge of what he refers to- chick flicks.

Count it as my official 2011 New Year's Resolution- no more clinging to the hopes of a fictional story line. I get it, chick flicks are not the sole reason why girls have unreasonable expectations for relationships. I personally have never dated anybody for more than 3 months so I'm not quite sure what to expect beyond 90 days. However what Andrew was trying to tell me is that I shouldn't be making something what it's not. Life is not a Hugh Grant movie. Or Colin Firth. Let's just rule anybody out from Love Actually or the Bridget Jones Diary.

So although I cannot rule that Chick Flicks are entirely responsible for a skewed perspective on love, I think it will be a fun experiment to set them aside and live in my own world. Which naturally, because I'm a girl, is a chick flick.




Here are my goodbye letters.


Dear Hugh Grant,
Your escapades with prostitutes in the past make this somewhat easier.



Dear Julia Roberts,
No more Eat Pray Love movies please- I'd hate to go a year without you.



Dear Colin Firth,
You may be unacceptably older than I, but this is the hardest goodbye. Perhaps I'll catch an actual real life glimpse of you when I go to Europe.



Dear Dirty Dancing,
Baby's going back in the corner. Of my movie shelf.



Dear Twilight,
You are a guilty pleasure. This really is for the best.


Dear Bradley Cooper,
I'll just watch the Hangover or something.





Dear Jennifer Aniston,
Still won't be watching your movies.



Jude Law,
You know this might harder if the only movie you didn't play a whorry man was Sherlock Holmes.


Dear Harry Potter,
Ah, there are still joys in life after chick flicks, aren't there?








LoveAlways,
Gnarleigh

Dear Fortissimo Future (5)

Dear Garth Brooks for Young Old Souls,

Ryan Montbleau Band Heavy on the Vine

I had a different blogpost planned for today, but given that today, the 5th of November, is my 23rd birthday I have scratched my previous plans and decided to celebrate this new year of life with a new musical discovery.

My friend Jared Parson has been asking me to come to his bar for shows for a long time- probably since we first became friends in our communications class back in the spring. He's a good guy- with a fantastic mustache- and only wishes to share music with his friends. He has come to many of my symphony concerts and supported many of my chamber music endeavors, but alas I never made it to a show. After a candid conversation that concluded more or less with "Don't have to come, but you are the one missing out. Don't let your selfish tendencies make you miss out on good things." NOT A DIRECT QUOTE but this is what I learned from Mr. Parson.

Last weekend following this discussion I showed up to his bar after my symphony concert dressed in Johnny Cash all black- tired. Jared told me there were two shows this weekend; the one he wanted me to go to was the night before but I was exhausted. He wasn't a huge fan of this band but none the less, I was present. I'm really glad I didn't miss out. The lead singer reminds me a little bit of Garth Brooks, the only country singer I really care for. Okay so I love Garth Brooks. The only difference is Montbleau doesn't sport bad belt buckles or cowboy boots- win win!!!

I'm in the Honeymoon stage with the Ryan Montbleau Band- a month from now I may not even like them. However, I'm going to go with my gut and say the laid back, well-versed and sometimes cheeky personality of this band will stick around in my mind as a good discovery. Thank you, Jared Parson. Even if you don't like them as much.

LoveAlways,

Gnarleigh

Dear Musical Memoirs (4)

Dear Reminder of Faith,


Nickel Creek Why Should the Fire Die?
Doubting Thomas

I've been a long time fan of Nickel Creek- They're a unique folk blend of vocals, guitar, fiddle and mandolin that is just easy to love. The first song I heard of theirs was actually on a mixed CD I received from a boy my freshman year of high school- oh mixed CDs. I'm glad men have found other ways of conveying their insterest.

But out of that awkward gift came a new interest in their style of music. I bought their albums and the song I'm actually speaking of in this letter is from their final album. Since then they have tragically disbanded, and I listen to their discography as if I'm their psychotic ex-girlfriend, wishing they'd come back.

Like most people, college was a time of questioning for me. You are exposed to so much "new" with only your acquired knowledge base of 18-21 years, and frankly it's not enough. I do have a faith in God, but I'm not so sure I'm of the same faith in the context it is for others, and frankly, I don't think I should be.

But let's step out of a religious context for a moment. We all have insecurities, questions, doubts... how do we cope with that? My understanding of faith is not just faith in higher power, but faith in your goals, decisions, aspirations, beliefs- if we hodge podge and muddle what we intrinsically know with the condemnation and judgmental tendancies that bombard us everyday we can lose ourselves. If you don't get to where you want to be by being yourself, you should go somewhere else.

I love this song, Doubting Thomas, because even if you do not believe in God, it says, "It's okay if you don't know everything. Stay true to your convictions, and it will all be okay." My one conviction is love- and I'll stick with that.

Doubting Thomas from Kristopher Rutherford on Vimeo.

LoveAlways,
Gnarleigh

Dear Harmonious Highlights (3)

Dear Awkward Backstory,


Berlin Philharmonic Arnold Schoenberg
Transfigured Night

Now I have to tell you what this piece was written for, and you are going to have to trust me that it's not autobiographical- It's very Maury Povich. Transfigured night is by a man named Arnold Schoenberg. He wrote this work based on a poem by Richard Dehmel, which is about a couple walking together late at night and the woman tells her lover she is pregnant and it's not his child. Now since we all watched Maury growing up we know there are two kinds of men: The "Baby ain't mine" man, and then the one who is scripted to say, "I don't care I just want to be with you." Well our man in Dehmel's poem is the latter, and rejoices in the new life that awaits the couple.

What. The. Hell. Arleigh.... I know, right?

So now that you all have an eyebrow raised, I'm going to attempt to explain myself. One of my favorite things to do is go to the Symphony. It's hard having this favorite past time for me because I play in one, there for I can't actually go to one very often. I had the extreme pleasure of seeing "Transfigured Night" Performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when I was 15 years old on a trip with my high school orchestra. I had looked up the schedule ahead of time to see what they were performing and bought the recording above so I could familiarize myself with the piece. I read the poem, and darn skippy I wasn't mature enough for it. It's hard for a 15 year old middle class white girl to understand the trials some people go through, and as I've proven already, very easy to make fun of it instead. That aside, I decided to not pay attention to the text and simply take the music for how it sat with me and my own experiences. It's fairly modern and at first it didn't sit too well in my ears, but many musicians are familiar with the phenomena of listening to a piece over and over before they understand, appreciate and eventually come to love a piece.

So I listened. Over and over. and over. It still didn't resonate. It didn't help that the subject matter was completely foreign to me. I remember thinking, "I'm about to go see one of the best orchestras in the world and I'm not going to enjoy it."

It was my first time to ever cry at a performance. I sat there as my hands went back and forth between clapping and wiping tears from my eyes. Watching a live symphony performance gives a whole new meaning to whatever piece is being performed- It makes it real . Was it a sudden empathy that swept over for what the piece was written for? Of course not. But some how that piece transcended text and was able to convey the fact that even ordinary 15 year old girls feel pain, and joy when they discover that everything will be okay. Without me even noticing it.

The first tear fell right before the end- It was as if I was watching the ocean- the orchestra moving in waves of seamless unity. I sincerely wish I could take each and every one of you to a symphony concert so you can experience what it's like to have the sound surround you. It's perfect. Absolutely perfect.



LoveAlways,
Gnarleigh