AKMA’s Random Thoughts

My April iTunes listening according to last.fm:

1 Billie Holiday 7 scrobbles
2 Bruce Springsteen 7
3 Sleater-Kinney 7
4 The Beatles 7
5 The Style Council 7
6 They Might Be Giants 7
7 Elvis Costello 6
8 Florence + the Machine 6
9 PJ Harvey 6
10 R.E.M. 6

As always, the I’ve bracketed the Mountain Goats, else they would dominate every month’s charts both because I’m a big tMG supporter, and because John Darnielle releases not just a constant torrent of new material, but also an ocean of live recordings. tMG are in a special category of monthly frequency (13 scrobbles this month).

I might add that I almost always listen to iTunes on a semi-random shuffle, because I love so much music, and I want to hear unexpected things mingled with the cuts I know and cherish, so Shuffle is my favoured solution. I wish iTunes offered a better solution for weighted shuffle; my usual playlist involves an arcane combination of nested playlists that give extra prominence to women, to tracks I haven’t heard as recently, and to favourites of mine (since I do actually enjoy listening to my favourites). It would not be rocket science for a music player to offer this functionality — but since Apple will not let go of iTunes (presumably as a feeder to their music store), and alternatives don’t suit me for other reasons, there we are.

Yesterday I ran two good miles, came home for a shower and hot breakfast, then Morning Prayer, then I did some marking, Chapter Meeting, and home for more marking and reading, and even took a nap.

No running this morning, among the rain- and thunderstorms. I’ll have a fruit breakfast, go to Morning Prayer, then on to Oxford for a tutorial and lunch, and home again.

Two lugubrious miles (my legs did not want to stretch and extend), fruit breakfast, clean up, Morning Prayer, appointment with a churchwarden, lunch consultation with other NT teaching staff, phone appointment, and by mid-late afternoon I’ll be done.

I reflect my age by (among other things) getting drowsy in the early afternoon and early evening. Methamphetamine would be helpful in counteracting that, and is calorie-free, but chocolate is also effective and delicious, and is legal.

Two miles this (cold but dry) morning at a rusty pace; fruit breakfast; clean up and go to Morning Prayer, then meet Margaret at a cafe after she sees the dogs off for their quarterly grooming (photos to follow). Communion for the residents of the Old Station House this afternoon.

We couldn’t be more chuffed that in her first year of full-time teaching at a permanent position, Pippa has been given an award by her peers in the Maine Art Education Association:

‘Philippa has not only showcased exceptional talent and creativity in the arts but has also made a profound impact on the school culture and community…’

Cold and rainy start to the mornings, yesterday and today; yesterday I was hammering away at a sermon, today I’ll be saying the Mass and preaching it at St Nic’s. Really, that’s most of the story.

Two (slowisn) miles, fruit breakfast, Morning Prayer, (cancelled) meeting with a warden, monumental grocery shopping, some house cleaning, in to Oxford for Prof. Esau McCaulley’s very strong paper ‘Finding Onesimus’, home to Abingdon, and a delightful visit with my former student Alex Honey and his fiancée Niamh.
And so to bed.

Last week Ted Gioia posted another portion of his book Music to Raise the Dead about ‘the power of song as a change agent in human life’. He makes a fascinating point, and although I would steer clear of ascribing agency to non-animate forces,* I support vigorously the argument that lyrical expression richly integrated with musical expression communicates much more forcefully than bare words.

Add to that another point about which Gioia has been writing, namely the importance of ritual. Again, I disagree with him on many points (I’m unconvinced about the whole ‘dopamine culture’ discourse, for starters). But Gioia is right on target when he argues in favour of ritual providing the context in which meaning reaches deeper, connects in tighter networks, extends into the past and the future.

The further, deeper, tighter, longer meaning reaches, the greater its power to us. The more beautiful, harmonious — the more readily it taps into our desire — the greater the traction it exerts. Obviously that may affect us negatively or positively, but it will affect us the more strongly. Under the best circumstances, the meaning in which we participate will align with ideals that match with commendable aspirations, and the effect will be encouraging, uplifting. But as A Clockwork Orange illustrated to us from years ago, the opposite is possible too.

* Now I say it, I suppose I’m open to some careful ascription of agency. I’ll have to revisit this aspect of what I think about Gioia’s point.

The last two days I’ve run the morning two miles. Both days I’ve felt all right. Coffee, then Morning Prayer, fruit yesterday, hot breakfast today, various odds and ends of responsibility. I’ve been working on a blog post riffing on some observations by Ted Gioia, but haven’t reached the point of posting it yet.

So, I dinnae run yesterday or today (might have done today, but I had to catch an early bus and I couldn’t be sure I would run, shower, dress, and catch the bus in time), but I’m planning to run tomorrow. Yesterday was church day, and (as I had not leadership responsibilities) we simply attended St Helen’s (I’m celebrating at St Nic’s next week), then assisted at the evening Easter Lessons and Music. The latter went well, which was a relief since I had a minor role in planning it.

Today I spent the whole day so far at a Clergy Orientation Day (or as a former student of mine also in attendance said, ‘De-orientation and Re-orientation Day’). It was good to see Fr Stephen, and to greet Bp Stephen, and jolly to spend some time sharing perspectives with Fr Fergus Butler-Gallie both at the meeting and on the bus ride back to Oxford. Time now to unwind from all the excitement of the various orientation regimens and brace myself for tomorrow’s responsibilities. Look for a running report (that is, a report on my morning run, not an activity-by-activity summing-up of my energies and feelings).

Well, not full-on ‘sick’, lest Rishi Sunak denounce me as a participant in ‘sick note culture’, but definitely down with a cold, and too unwell to run in the mornings. Thursday night I did go to the annual parish meeting, where my team rector announced his paln to retire by the end of the year (along with some end-of-tenure reflections on what the future might hold for the three congregations and our four buildings). On the other hand, I did cancel my appointment toward getting better acquainted with St Nic’s leadership; but the rest has done me a lot of good.

Today I woke after eight hours, had a restful day, did some reading, and, well, that’s it so far. Resting up for tomorrow’s Easter LEssons and Carols.