Niche pursuits

I've had an excellent day. A bit up and down in terms of energy, but that was because of the effect of bursts of adrenaline, endorphins, whatever it is that comes with the buzz of being totally immersed in one's enthusiasms. The weather was absurd - stygian gloom and torrential rain one minute, bright sun the next - but my pursuits were indoors today and for the most part I ignored it.

I took the last poetry workshop of the series - that's been six classes to get us to the threshold of Lent and with it the Spring. Today we looked at five lesser-known poems of my favourite poet, R.S.Thomas, and I was reminded yet again of the huge privilege teachers/enablers enjoy when the feedback came, not only during the class but after it. 

That was barely over when I had to go and record a couple of hymns with himself; the hymn bank, though very full, nevertheless has gaps in it when it comes to specific themes. The church was perishing cold and running with water, but we managed with only a couple of re-takes before the residual energy from the class ran out. That's where my blip comes from; I know I've posted a picture of the organ keyboard before, but this time I've included pistons and pedals and other things you have to push with your feet and the two green giant plastic pegs Himself uses to hold the fat hymnbook open on the music rest. Bet you never knew that was a necessity ... I thought that not many people get an organist's view of an instrument, and that it brings home what an incredibly difficult creature it is to master.

Just in from choir, as usual, euphoric again because we were singing really well and the tuning didn't sag once. (That's quite a feat over 90 minutes!) I haven't watched the 10pm news because I'm sitting here typing instead. I dare say I shall find out if any more happenings have happened. I was impressed by an analysis I overheard on the radio this morning - I think it must have been on Woman's Hour, and it may have been the remarkable Orla Guerin talking about Putin's demeanour - and that of his uniformed minions - in last night's performance. 

But tonight I'm sticking to poetry and polyphony ...