Cycles

When I moved I threw away lots of things that took too much physical and emotional space. Old tapes, manuscripts, work material, records... I've kept quite a few Lp's though, they have been important to me one way or another and I'm not ready to part with them yet. This morning I plugged in my cassette player, my DAT player and my turntable for my Lp's. When I fetched one of my records and put it on, I was transferred back several decades to the experience of playing it on my record player. Holding the sleeve with all the information, the pictures, the wear and tear, cleaning it starting the turntable and waiting a few seconds before putting the needle down, listening to the little crackling in the speakers before the music starts. That's a whole different experience to choosing the same artist and album on Spotify. Not nearly the same thing, especially not emotionally.

I made a long walk in the lovely, sunny weather before it was going to be a bit more unstabler during the afternoon. A bit windy but very mild, almost warm in the places the wind couldn't reach. I had decided to follow a bicycle path all the way to the beach choosing the closest route I could work out from google maps, almost five km. from my house. The path went through fields, villa areas, crossing road with heavy traffic and finally reaching the beach. The bird song is really starting to build up for the spring season and I even found a lilac hedge close to bursting with leaves. I'm so happy the cycle is still turning.

On tv, the melody grand prix has started and that's something I don't follow but on our second channel of national tv was a documentary of the Alvin Ailey dance company and after that a recorded performance of a couple of their choreographies. A wonderful and very moving replacement to the hysterical music contest in the other channel. 
Hope you have filled your cultural cups today as well.