Everyday Beauty: Music

I'm finally doing another Everyday Beauty post. It's been on my to-do list for about two weeks.

Music is vital. Most people don't realise just how vital it is. Consider:

- How often music is used for worship. No, music does not equal worship, but it is involved a lot of the time.
- Music effects the brain.
- Music changes the way we perceive our environment.

For me, the main qualification for beautiful music is that I like it. I have eclectic tastes, as you can easily see from my list of favourite music on the sidebar. I like the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle, Celtic and other folk music, folk rock, classical, choral music and children's music. I can even stand listening to Kal's depressing emo music. (It's music. Reb's stuff on the other hand, is not. And sorry, Amy and Joab, who are the only two blog readers who's music I've heard, I don't think much of your noise either. Comments of "But it's Christian music" will see you seriously hurt. It's noise. Christian NOISE.)

I listen to music pretty often. I put in 3 CDs in consultation with Gleda and any other early bird kids (the Bugs get played all the time) but I get to CHOOSE. I choose based on the qualities I want in the kids. Wednesday's kids do not get Simon, the Bugs or any Folk rock before lunchtime. Or after lunch. Or really anytime. They get classical and soft Celtic balads. Because the last thing I want is to hype those kids up.

It means that our room is a Wiggle-free zone. I never minded the Wiggles, but the toddler room plays them constantly.

On music playing - more people should do this. It regularly shocks me that people think I sing beautifully. To my ear I sing nicely, but not beautifully. Most musical 'talent' comes from practise (most, not all) and pretty much everyone can sing well with practise and instruction. Most singing is in the breathing - and I'm actually better since having damaged lungs. I have to use my technique. Before I was lazy.

Regarding my playing of music, I practise piano once a day, most days (though it has fallen off this week and last - not well) and I pretend to play the harp. I have other instruments that I want to be able to play (guitar, tin whistle - I actually sound really good on the tin whistle (breathing again) and so I can play anything in the book, but nothing out of it) but I'm not up to them.

So, the point of this post - make your life everyday a little more beautiful. Put a CD in the CD player!