Always good for a laugh – a Murder Mystery Party. I’m going to one this coming weekend. My part is supposed to be a 1960s style Austin Powers character. Instead of being a spy I’m supposed to be a photographer. I have a wig to wear, but it makes look more like Shaggy from ‘Scooby Doo’ rather than Austin Powers.
The last couple of weeks have been one of adjustment to the new role in work. It has been such a long time since I changed job role, people who I work with and organisational context. It’s taking a bit of getting used to.
I’ve met a few people already, so I have some reference points. Being home based means that I get to listen to a whole lot more music whilst working. As I type this I am listening to ‘Alchemy: an index of possibilities’ by David Sylvian. I had already heard some of this album before. The new material (new to me that is) is wonderful. The track ‘Steel Cathedrals’ is a marvellous instrumental piece with contributions from Ryuichi Sakomoto, Steve Jansen. Kenny Wheeler, Robert Fripp, Holger Czukay and Masami Tsuchiya. Nineteen minutes of meandering around a basic theme – each player distinctive and yet moulded into a whole and coherent entity.
Last night I listened to Bartok’s Violin Concerto No.2 and two Rhapsodies whilst sitting in front of an open fire. It is truly stunning music, from the breadth of emotion to the intensity of the incorporation of folk themes into the classical cannon.