I'm 44 today! Ask me anything!

[Lancer]

It has not been a successful life by my standards, but I have always been true to myself.

Things that have made life worth living thus far: (in no particular order) my writing, jazz, art, good food and friends, sobriety, managing bipolar disorder, the beach, perfume, being a liberal, books, words, old movies, travel, true crime (reading about, not participating in); the vanity of looking younger than my age.

"For all of those who don't give in, who follow their instincts and are told they sin, this is a prayer for a different way."

[Renew Deal]

1. When will you be 45?

[Kool Kitty]

2. If you've always been true to yourself,

then I would call you successful. Happy birthday! :toast:

[jdj]

3. do you feel that you are getting better?

I'm SERIOUS.

I'm 36, and I feel lost. Does this go away?

I appreciate your list, I have alot of them too, but I wish I could appreciate Jazz more. What is the key to appreciating jazz...YES...that is my question, forget the first one, how does one come to hear it the way to appreciate the genius in it?

[gauguin57]

7. I began to appreciate jazz by first appreciating the great singers

singing the great jazz standards. Ella Fitzgerald, et al. Then, I moved on to those deemed "the greats" of the instrumentalists -- John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Art Blakey, on and on. I started asking questions of jazz fans, listening to jazz shows on the radio -- now, I love it! I love the way it moves me. And the genius in it ... well, just think of what it takes to improvise the way jazz artists do. To take a known melody and take it in so many different directions, on the spot. WHILE YOU'RE PLAYING WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE, ALL IMPROVISING AND FOLLOWING EACH OTHER. Man! It boggles the mind! Or to write a melody of your own that doesn't follow the rules of classical or rock or folk or country or any other kind of music.

I'm still a jazz newbie, but it's enriched my life so much I can't even express it.

[jdj]

10. I know it's there, but I don't know what it is.

My brother is a graphic artist, he did a portfolio of jazz musicians in all different media, and he did an AMAZING sketch of Billie Holiday which he offered me but which I did not take like an idiot because it was so beautiful I felt he should hold onto to it, then he went fundie and donated his ENTIRE jazz collection to the library, never does drawings anymore, and never plays guitar anymore, and he was a pretty good blues guitarist...he used to go on and on about Holiday's phrasing,and I didn't understand, I felt like I would never get it, but soon after he had the religious conversion (I would say mental breakdown but...) and now I have no teacher.

You know it's profound when you can't even articulate it. That is what I want in a mate, that the things that are so profound that I can't articulate, I can look into their eyes and just know that they understand. Okay, now I am making myself sick, the goopieness...

[Lancer]

12. Gauguin's guide to falling in love with jazz

is similar to my own.

But first, let me say that while life doesn't get easier, (particularly when one's brain misfires more frequently as with bipolar), if you are lucky, the things that truly matter in life, as opposed to just the things that make you happy, become clearer. We all feel lost at times, but knowing you feel that way is the first step in doing something about it.

As for jazz. . .

I had an uncle who loved jazz and played sax with some of Woody Herman's bands in the late 1940s. When I was a kid, he gave me his old collection of 78 records (speed of the records, not the quantity :) ) of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and others which got me hooked.

From then on it's been a meandering journey. Listening to jazz on NPR stations over the years has been very rewarding, especially on long drives late at night. When I'm not driving, I write down what I like and track down the records or now, of course, CDs. I have also fallen in love with the commentary of and books by Garry Giddens, but there are others who write well about jazz. Still, there's no substitute for hearing it, and hearing it live is even better.

A dear friend of mine is a sax player who leads a couple of combos. He has taught me so much, and some of my happiest memories are of late night jam sessions at his house where they'd play and I'd sing a little while my best friend sat in on drums. If you get into it, you'll know that to say he plays like Art Blakey is the highest of compliments. My personal favorite eras are 1939-41 Ellington, bebop and West Coast

I don't pretend to understand it all, and am by no means an expert, but it is an incredibly complex art form which requires so much skill I can only stand back in awe. The precision, the knowledge it takes to be able to play it well all are invisible, but the beauty that remains has helped me through numerous major depresions.

if you *are* interested, I would recommend buying a copy of Ken Burns' JAZZ series on Amazon. It's 10 tapes or DVDs and can be bought used for a very minimal investment. To my mind, it is a perfect introduction to jazz for the newbie.

Sorry to run on so long.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Best Regards!

T_C_O

[Lex]

5. Here's my question: Don't I know you from somewhere?

:hi:

Happy Birthday, Lancer!

[Gothic Sponge]

6. Happy Birthday!

Stay True!

:toast:

[PittPoliSci]

8. having a happy birthday?

hope you are :-)

[Fuzzy LaRue]

9. I turned 44 last month.

In those 44 years I have jumped out airplanes 113 times. Got stabbed twice. Shot in the face in the Rangers. Shot in the leg by corrupt Mexican cops. Rappeled out of helicopters. Crashed motorcycles 3 times bad enough to need surgery, walked (limped) away from at least three times that many. Spent some time (six years) in prison. Made love to women of at least six different races. Been broke, been rich, been homeless and am doing well financially again. I decided long ago that I wanted a life worthy of, "Goddamn, that was fun!" as my last words.

[donheld]

11. What do you want for your birthday?

how about this

:spank: x 44