A Few Random Posts

6.23.09

I just had the coolest experience. I was walking home from running some
errands and I happened across one of the “Play Me I’m Yours” street
pianos. Some fellow was messing around on it so I sat down on a nearby
bench to send a few texts. After he got up, a man in a neon work vest came
by and said, “Hey what’s this?” He bent over as if to test the water and
proceeded to play the most amazingly beautiful classical music for about
45 seconds then hopped on a garbage truck and drove off. He could have
been in the Royal Albert Hall, but it was on the corner of Westbourne
Grove and Denbeigh Road!

Since there were no other takers, I played the two songs I know by heart
and a few of the songs out of the laminated book. Some older gentleman
came by and jokingly/accusingly said, “What are you doing?” He said that
he lives nearby and that at first he thought it was someone’s stereo too
loud and then he thought it sounded quite nice so he came down to check it
out. He said he had heard of the project and that he was going to oppose
it but then got too busy to bother. Now this old man is happy he didn’t
and he thinks it is a great idea and that London needs some shaking up!

A few more people gathered and they coaxed me into playing a few more
songs (luckily the book was full of easy songs that I could sight read)
and a lady sang along. I wish I could play by ear. I want to hang out by
one of these pianos all day just to see what transpires. I love it!

6.3.09

Unanticipated bonus of living in the UK: I can now watch Trainspotting
without subtitles.

Though today I heard this one: As I was buying fruit from a stall on
Goldborne Road one stallkeeper said to the other, “She must’ve washed her
knickers in the same juice” Whattt? I don’t even know if this is PG. I
didn’t catch the context.

3.29.09
Spring is here. Daffodils are up and the kids are playing football
(soccer) outdoors again. Fiona was player of the week last week and Brenna
was player of the week this week.