Sirod

Did I ever say how I played violin in high school? I stopped
practicing enough -- boy-crazy -- and now I regret it.

There was, and is, also something unsatisfying to my about Western
stringed instruments. The one instrument that sounded exactly right
to me, enough to make me want to play it, was the sirod, a sort of
Indian metal and wood guitar -- the metallic tones to the sound
rounded out the whole tone for me. Beautiful stuff, but I was long
past the age to pick up an instrument, or even to want to. I've
never been that fond of the piano either, a little too predictable.

Or I would have said but Thursday I heard a piano-violin duet, violin by David Oistrakh, that was just stunning. Both instruments had a liquid, silvery tone that you just can't get all the time, the tone I always miss in them. Who knew this was possible?

I see there's a new offering at NetFlix, a movie of Oistrakh's life.
If I just had the patience to finish signing up for NetFlix, but in
this busy, busy life -- not so much!

It must also be time for me to contribute to NPR -- I spend a lot of time on the road and I can't stand to listen to another whining country song.

For the last time, fella, it is NOT enough to stop thinking when you set up a household and reproduce. You've got to keep thinking and learning all your life ... or did you think the Founding Fathers' main goal was to make the world safe for truck driving and self-medication? Did you think when Christ commended little children that he meant that only simplistic ideas should darken the instincts of a Christian?

Did you think all this was supposed to be easy? Listen to some violin music today, or some sirod, and imagine what complexity can do!