An ode to my Viola

We've been together for 22 years. And I would be a liar if I didn't admit that this has been one roller coaster ride of a relationship! We met when I was 11 years old at WR Thomas Middle School in Miami, Fl, in a class called "Strings for Beginners". I had no idea what you were, I just wanted to be around music as much as possible. You were smaller than a cello, I liked your tone, & I could walk home from school with you. Those first three years with you were a crash course in music theory, as well as string playing. Around the age of 15, I moved to California. That was where our relationship was saturated with the best music knowledge. During my private viola lessons with you & my teacher Laura, I learned that my first three years, I was holding you incorrectly, & I had to re-learn how to hold you, while keeping my repertoire up to date with my peers. Because of the incorrect posture, I developed a small cyst in my left wrist, which was there for about two years while I was in high school. We joined the top youth orchestra in Southern California, The Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra. In that orchestra, we learned some wonderful symphonies, met some amazing musicians, & we were fortunate enough to tour Europe for a couple of weeks as well. We were also in the best arts high, ever, ever, The Los Angeles High School County for the Arts. Boy, you & I had a blast there! When we went to college, it wasn't at all what I expected , as you & I had an accelerated music education in high school. So, college was a bit of a bore, actually. My brain was insulted to play Shostakovich's 5th symphony again, as we learned that sucker in CYMO. I was disappointed that violinists were being told at the college level, to pick up the viola, since they were told by their teachers they would never make it as a violin player. I wanted O.U.T. ,Outta there! In my time here in LA, during my twenties, I branched out my creativity and maybe our relationship dwindled. We played some really small events, but I was occupied designing clothes for hairless cats, & diverted my focus to sewing. Now I'm in my thirties, & we don't have a recording in a major professional orchestra, nor do we have a music degree . But what I do have with you, dear viola, is 22 years of the deepest well of memories with my teachers, my stand partners, & many fellow musicians. We came this far together, exploring the viola tone in the most finest places. Other relationships in my life have dissipated, but the one I have with you remains true to my heart. No matter how many times I wanted to smash you into a bazillion splinters, no matter how much physical pain I have endured in my arms & hands over the years, no matter how many rejections & successes we received together, you are my best friend, and I love you for giving me a voice through the viola tone & being known as that girl who reads that weird clef.

Solo Outing

Solo outing.

Done this before, gone to shows/concerts alone, you get better seats that way & it's enjoyable to not hear someone complain that they want to leave the show early.

But I haven't gone to a night club, solo, with good reason; I don't really like scenes & I don't like having to yell to speak to someone if they choose to speak to me, it makes me feel like I'm being rude.

This was a rather enjoyable night outing, Bauhaus night at Helter Skelter, super special guest "dj" Daniel Ash. ( I'll get to those quotes around dj shortly)

   I was excited to attend this because I'm inspired by the legendary rocker of Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, & most of all, Love & Rockets, & one of the founding fathers of the Goth scene. He has attempted to disconnect himself from the term "goth" stating that in England it means one who wears too much makeup. ( “In England, goth has always been a joke,” he says. “It means big hair, too much makeup and no talent." 

http://www.vcreporter.com/cms/story/detail/?id=2838&IssueNum=49 )

I believe it's too difficult to disconnect from this term, since the goth scene has grown exponentially here in the states. But I digress.

   Arriving early, finding choice parking, I queue up with the rest of the shadow followers. There was a very lovely, pristine Harley parked strategically on the sidewalk, next to the Dragonfly's entrance & I thought to myself "This has got to be Daniel's, so cool!" He's a huge motorcycle enthusiast, writing songs about it when he was in Love & Rockets, as well as his solo work. As I approach the door, I handed my id over to the doorman. He double takes, steps back & says "You're way prettier than this girl in the photo, very good fake!" , and ushers me inside. The ticketman asks me for my flyer, and I said I joined on FB. Half off entrance! 

   Since I was early, I found myself in a booth, comfortable & tucked away. Perfect voyeurism spot. Within moments of me taking my seat, I spotted Daniel Ash, wearing a leather motorcycle vest, and his mohawk slicked back. JOY!! Simply cool moment, and then he vanished. 

  The place was filled with all sorts of shades of darkness, dancing the night away to Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, Siouxsie, Christian Death, & the like. The goth formula is handed down from an older generation of fishnetty stiletto wearing ladies & magenta mohawk men, to a younger generation of Bladerunner inspired ladies & genderbending gents. The dancing moves were an interesting mix of punk stomping, middle-finger throwing movements to raver hipshaking, & fluttering fans. I was fascinated by the cordial interactions I encountered, from a sweet, gentle praising bow from a young man, to a compliment of my "divine scent" from a young lady. 

  As I walked around the club, I looked at the dj booths, and the guest dj was not in either of them. I felt like I was had by a cunning Bugs Bunny. But it was fine, I heard some fabulous music, on a great sound system & was not bothered in my solo outing. As soon as "She's in Parties" was played, I decided that I could listen to that track in the comfort of my room, and took my solo party, safely home.