glitch25

People often ask me, in that I tend to hang out with people from various esoteric and sometimes semi-religious groups, if I am spiritual. In the sense that most people think of it, I generally say that I am not, or that I am "different". Having had a significant road of travel to my atheism, I don't really hold to the power of $deity or any supernatural forces. As people will say they've seen their path to $deity, I too have seen a path.. without it. If there are gods out there, I firmly believe that they look down on us mirthfully and with their proverbial hands over their face trying to understand why it is that we have it so backwards and upside down.

That aside, since I could go on and on about it, and may in another post, one of the things that humbles me and enlightens me is the human spirit as viewed through creativity. This extends to art, media, invention. Beholding that which seemed impossible or improbable and seeing it done. Seeing the fruits of one's potential extended beyond what any average person would do.

So, as I like to joke, I went to church this weekend. I spent several hours with C in Woodenville at the Chateau Ste Michelle Winery on Saturday listening to the sermons of Bela Fleck and the Original Flecktones and Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers.

I've been quite familiar with Bela for a while now, and I've had the joy of watching him and/or the band perform several times since I've been up in the Seattle area. However, up until recently, it had just been the three: Bela Fleck, the man who takes banjo to places it's never been, Victor Wooten, who makes playing the bass look as effortless as tying one's shoe, and "Future Man" Wooten, who with his Synthaxe Drumitar, takes percussion to places out of this world. Recently (or at least since the band has been back out this way), they teamed back up with Howard Levy, an original founder of the Flecktones, and with him comes his virtuosity with keyboards and harmonica. Most of the early albums I had feature Howard wailing on harmonica and using techniques to bend and slide notes that will make your head spin. And I always appreciated what he brought to the keyboard side of things. Seeing him do it live takes it to a whole new level. At one point, while he was off riffing into some really interesting piano stuff during a solo, Bruce Hornsby popped out from the back and "took over" playing.. one hand at a time, taking over the right hand while Howard continued the left. Then sliding to the left as Howard continued the right, the improvisation continuing flawlessly as they traded halves.. back and forth. Left and right. Crossing over. It was brilliant! The band played a few Flecktones standards as well as stuff from their new album. Bruce joined them again later for an ensemble piece playing accordion. Wonderful stuff.

Bruce came out later with his band. I've never known Bruce much beyond what hit the top pop charts and radio play. But the one thing that got me, prior to the concert while they were doing sound checks, was listening to the band play a song called Levitate. It is a bit of a rap song-ish R&B thing layered on top of Thomas Newman's strings and piano theme from the movie, The Shawshank Redemption. Being one of my all-time favorite movies, hearing the melody of the music got my ears perked up, and then listening to what Bruce layered on top of it blew my mind. I can only imagine what it would have been like to see him rise to what is now his obvious level of comfort and ease on the stage. He undeniably owns it and yet seems humble enough to share it with an amazing crew. Playing various things that got the crowd up on their feet and dancing, he also played his revision of his hit, Mandolin Rain, which took me for a bit of a loop. Being one of those radio-played hits, I'm familiar with the song and the lyrics, and to hear the lyrics of the song which are so familiar to a totally different tune left me a little bent, but amazed at the same time. I decided that I clearly need to dig deeper. I've missed a whole swath of music that I need to investigate further. I also consider myself blessed that I got to catch it live. :-)

Towards the end of the set, Bruce called the Flecktones back to the stage and the entire group played Weather Report's Birdland to a standing ovation.

It was a great night! And the wine didn't hurt too much either. :-) We opted to bring a bit of a picnic since we had lawn seats, and ended up enjoying good bread, cheeses, olives, and various meats with our wine. Worked out nicely. :-)

Join my church. We have wine and mind-blowing music. :-)

The remainder of the weekend was spent doing various things. C had obligations for much of Sunday, and I just didn't feel up to the trek to Enumclaw for the Highland Games, so I opted to stay in and work on things that needed to be done, but were otherwise not chores. I got my file server pieced together and up with temporary drives and it seems to be doing well. I tossed it my online collection of TV and Movies, and it seems to be serving them like a champ.

Also played both Friday night and Sunday afternoon on Oblivion and got several piles of quests solved along with continuing to learn that as I wait longer in game-time to finish things, my advanced levels work against me by throwing some seriously kick ass leveled monsters my way. I'm formidable, but I'm not yet a bad-ass. There is something amusing through about trekking across map on foot, headed for my in-game house in search of refuge while being chased by guards, animals, wizards, and other baddies... passing new camps of enemies and having them join in as I race by... some giving up.. others continuing.... and having an NPC trek with me only to appear bedside after I hide and sleep, to tell me that he thanks me for my efforts which resulted in the long run in the first place. :-) This go round on the game is definitely more interesting than my previous attempts.

All in all, a pretty nice weekend, and the week appears to be starting fairly well too!

How was yours?