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| Schubert At The Piano by Gustav Klimt |
Can you hear me buzz? See me fizz? A bee in high summer with pollen available by the bucket load couldn't buzz louder. The best vintage champagne has nothing on me when it comes to fizz.
I have had the most marvellous day yesterday.
It started with a very positive review from he The Weblog Review People which put me in a good mood. Try as I might, I couldn't find the derisive laughter between the lines, so I gave up searching for it.
First stop of the day was a new venture. I have joined a proper creative writers group, with a teacher who actually rips your work to shreds. She is a tiny person, slim and lively, with a sharp mind, a quick eye for a ridiculous turn of phrase and the capacity to reduce her pupils to gibbering wrecks, in a nice way, of course; give her her due, she grudgingly allows you the hint of a brownie point when you've done well.
A quick stop in a lay-by to swallow a sandwich, then off to the next Buzz stop, a meeting of the German Conversation Group of the University of the Third Age (U3A), where we listened to Schubert Lieder and discussed the (very average) poetry which Schubert used for them. The 'poets' were his friends, hence his, to my mind, rather misguided choice. Never mind, we soon dismissed the poetry and gave full attention to his music. These were old recordings by Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, still among the best ever.
The group has a leader who is a highly intelligent, widely read, multi linguist, who used to be a teacher and has the teacher's failing, in that he likes the sound of his own voice. (Sorry all you lovely teachers among my blogging buddies, but you have to admit that talking comes easily). This teacher, an excellent fellow otherwise, also likes to add a little giggle to the end of many of his sentences.By the time evening came round I was too high to worry about cooking,
so we went to The White Horse at Valley's End.
All that culture gives me a thirst.
PS: I really like teachers, some of my best
friends, etc, etc.
You've brightened the start of my own day with just the thought of such wide-ranging delights: from Schubert and Klimt to the White Horse. A glorious day, and may many more follow.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fun post, Friko. I went to look at the Weblog Review, which I did not know, and could not find out if they were in England or another English speaking country. It seems they are staffed by Brent, Wendy and Tom but there was no more info. They do list a huge number of blogs and I’ll go back to take a look. The review on yours is very nice.
ReplyDeleteIt is so lovely that in your village you can find many interesting people to converse with. Difficult to talk about anything cultural here unless close to a university - people’s eyes tend to glaze and look over your head then they talk about baseball, football or a TV show. I don’t mean that all the US is like that though because I had great conversations in New York City but in my area they tend to look down at intellectuals and it shows, Georgia schools are rated no 47 out of the 50 US states for education, but no 1 for best “party school.”
Lovely to hear of your cultural adventures; unfortunately my health is a bit problematic so it is lovely to hear of all the things you are able to do. I'm looking forward to perhaps seeing some more of your creative writing as critiqued by your new teacher. Every Blessing
ReplyDeleteWell Friko I consider myself pretty smart, as average folks go and seek out those who enjoy a conversation of quality. That is what I found in my art class. Books, good ones too, or rather literature. History, culture, music. You name we converse on it, in addition, of course to painting. I so enjoy your posts. Thanks for continuing to share with us.
ReplyDeleteQMM
I am so jealous of the resources you have at your fingertips in such a rural area. Someone who would actually edit your writing would cost a pretty penny here. I did read the prior post, perhaps didn't comment because mine would have been so far at the end of the line. "Precious" IS a rather pretentious word.
ReplyDeleteI can hear you buzzing, Friko and I did read your last post. Congratulations on the positive review of your blog.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that your creative writing teacher is willing to rip work to shreds. I attended a class years ago where the ethos seemed to be that the class attendees were delicate flowers to be cossetted at all costs and never criticised.
Dear husband says that he touched Fischer Dieskau once (accidentally)....
May you have many more buzzy days!
RA - Thank you. All those delights are easy to come by here, if you are willing to get into the car and drive to them. But, as I know, cars are your preferred mode of travel. (I hope that was you who explained about driving everywhere).
ReplyDeleteVagabonde - these groups do not meet in the village. Only the pub is here. U3A is in the next town, and the writer's group is held in a small hamlet, at the back of nowhere in the middle of fields. I do have to get the car out for everything. But it is true, there is a lot on offer.
Freda - My teacher is not keen on blog writing; she is of the opinion that it is a little too shallow, that posts are for quick scanning rather than worth spending time over. But she will help me by critiquing my other, non-blog, work.
QMM - I agree with you, life is a permanent learning curve and the company of like-minded people is of great importance.
Tabor - Like I told Vagabonde, all of these events take place round and about, in towns and villages, not all here. But there is a great deal on offer if you search it out. I do have to pay for my writing class, but it is a very small sum considering that I receive two hours' tuition in return.
Congratulations on the review! The reviewer had obviously spent some time on your blog, so it really means something.
ReplyDeleteAnd enjoy your writers' group! I am sure you will let us see some of its fruits.
Very cool! Congrats on the fine review of your blog. It sure does sound like you have a wealth of resources in your area.
ReplyDeleteYou're very deserving of that good review, in my humble opinion. I love Dietrich Fischer Dieskau. His 1956 recording of Mahler's kindertotenlieder is one of my favorite things.
ReplyDeleteWow! No wonder you're buzzing. We'll soon have to line up to read your posts - elbowing out all the elite!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the great review and on doing what so many of us only talk about doing - you're out there grabbing life by the horns.
Friko: 'T'was me, but one correction: while they seem to be necessary, I loathe having always to get into a car to go anywhere. That's the great irony of living where I do in a semi-rural area right now. When in the city, I could step right outside my door and walk in the park. Heavenly! But then, as you have demonstrated in your post today, a car can be useful too.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing of your cultural jaunts, full of... and of course, ending the day relaxing at The White Horse at Valleys End, couldn't be better!
ReplyDeleteA very satisfying day !
ReplyDeleteMine was spent in a business park , with 30 playgroup leaders , playing with computers .
I'd have swapped with you in a blink .
Congrats, Friko. I love reading about your full and varied life.
ReplyDeleteHört sich alles klasse an, Friko! Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bekam einen Bruder aus dem Wurf von Welpen aus dem ich den besten Hund meines Lebens hatte: Perdita, eine English-Springer-Spaniel Hündin.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the awards! I don't get here to see you often but it is always a warm delight to read what you have been up to. I enjoy your take on life. Good luck with the writer's group, as well.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on that very nice review! And on the writerly stimulation.
ReplyDeleteJust in case you don't see this over at RA, HAD to write in response to your generous comment on Sailing Alone:
ReplyDeleteFriko: I remember so well your wonderful post about a particularly rich day of your own: "Can you hear me buzz? See me fizz? A bee in high summer with pollen available by the bucket load couldn't buzz louder." I am mightily pleased to offer a little something in return. And may we all have many days like that to come!