I was just catching up on journal entries for the past five days of moving and visiting family and so on, and decided to look up what happened a year ago. All it said was that the new album MOVE by Hiromi Uehara arrived in the mail. I had ordered it as soon as I found out it existed, but had to pay extra because it hadn't been released in the US yet. I haven't been much of an audiophile interested in consuming new music since I began traveling. 90 GB on one's iPod will eventually have to satiate one's thirst for new music, because there's just too much spectacular quality to listen to already. Since 2009 there have only been a handful of artists whose new releases interested me during my travel years, and Hiromi has definitely been at the top of that short list.
When the MOVE album arrived, I was finishing my first week in my mostly empty room in San Francisco. All I had in my amply sized room (twice the size of my current NYC room) was a camping mat, sleeping bag, camping pillow, camping chair and a whole bunch of books lining the walls. I didn't have a job, I didn't have any friends in the city, and I didn't really know what I was doing, other than the fact that I was on a journey, exploring California and the West Coast, and that I was expressing my soul through artistic endeavors such as writing, photography and synchronizing everything I could see, so long as there was some poetry (even if only understood by me).
This year I put the finishing touches on my new room in Manhattan by finally installing a makeshift curtain after nailing up a real curtain rod, hanging up the rest of my clothes on hangers that my family brought for me, and finally organizing the rest of my things.
The thing is, every time I listen to that album, it makes me want to move! Well, the word "move" has many meanings, and it doesn't have to mean changing apartments. At least not for a while. I'm a block from the 1 train, a five minute ride and thirty minute walk to Central Park, 25 minute ride to work, 10 minute walk from a childhood friend, and I'm living on the same island as the Empire State Building for the first time in my life. I've got a window with a view, my first bed in NYC that wasn't supported by a creaky loft with a ladder, a serious writing habit, plenty of reading and world traveling experience behind me and ahead of me, and finally, an informed discipline and enjoyment of healthy food, which I can prepare for myself. Having a grocery store across the street is a huge plus. Most importantly, I have friends here, and my family (including hometown friends) is only a few hours away.
As if that wasn't enough, there is a pizza shop literally right next to my building's door, but I haven't succumbed to temptation since I saw the place ten days ago. Although my Food Rules book says it's healthy to indulge from time to time. We read about healthy food in class today, though, so I don't think I'll be breaking the pizza fast today.
Speaking of indulgence, The Daily Show has been covering the legalization of marijuana in Colorado quite a bit, because all sorts of conservatives are getting up in arms about it. I'm happy that Stewart effortlessly picks apart their arguments, yet at the same time I'm enjoying my longest abstinence from that particular plant (several months so far) since when I lived in Japan. A lot of the critics said it was dangerously addictive, and that does happen to some people, but I've felt fine without it. The only times I didn't feel fine were because I was incredibly sleep-deprived, which is a whole other thing. I think this whole legalization for recreation is a very positive step in the freedom of choice and spread of positive information. I think it's a very positive trait to be able to enjoy more of this world through what it has to offer, and a very positive trait to make responsible choices over what you consume and what you don't and how often you do it so that you don't miss out on other beautiful offerings from the miracle of life.
Speaking of miracles of life, if you don't have Hiromi's album MOVE but you do enjoy powerful, emotional, sophisticated, funky, beautiful, ethereal, fun, heavy, fast-paced, relaxed, dreamy, dark, joyous, jazzy, progressive, classically influenced and overall excellent music, I think you should spend the money.
And if she ever comes your way, go see the show.
Until then, move your body around, because there's a lot to see. Move your mind, because there's a lot to learn and understand and imagine. Move the hearts of those around you because they're connected to you and everything you do. Your world will be an excellent place to be if you spread your quality energy through every place you may be.
When the MOVE album arrived, I was finishing my first week in my mostly empty room in San Francisco. All I had in my amply sized room (twice the size of my current NYC room) was a camping mat, sleeping bag, camping pillow, camping chair and a whole bunch of books lining the walls. I didn't have a job, I didn't have any friends in the city, and I didn't really know what I was doing, other than the fact that I was on a journey, exploring California and the West Coast, and that I was expressing my soul through artistic endeavors such as writing, photography and synchronizing everything I could see, so long as there was some poetry (even if only understood by me).
This year I put the finishing touches on my new room in Manhattan by finally installing a makeshift curtain after nailing up a real curtain rod, hanging up the rest of my clothes on hangers that my family brought for me, and finally organizing the rest of my things.
The thing is, every time I listen to that album, it makes me want to move! Well, the word "move" has many meanings, and it doesn't have to mean changing apartments. At least not for a while. I'm a block from the 1 train, a five minute ride and thirty minute walk to Central Park, 25 minute ride to work, 10 minute walk from a childhood friend, and I'm living on the same island as the Empire State Building for the first time in my life. I've got a window with a view, my first bed in NYC that wasn't supported by a creaky loft with a ladder, a serious writing habit, plenty of reading and world traveling experience behind me and ahead of me, and finally, an informed discipline and enjoyment of healthy food, which I can prepare for myself. Having a grocery store across the street is a huge plus. Most importantly, I have friends here, and my family (including hometown friends) is only a few hours away.
As if that wasn't enough, there is a pizza shop literally right next to my building's door, but I haven't succumbed to temptation since I saw the place ten days ago. Although my Food Rules book says it's healthy to indulge from time to time. We read about healthy food in class today, though, so I don't think I'll be breaking the pizza fast today.
Speaking of indulgence, The Daily Show has been covering the legalization of marijuana in Colorado quite a bit, because all sorts of conservatives are getting up in arms about it. I'm happy that Stewart effortlessly picks apart their arguments, yet at the same time I'm enjoying my longest abstinence from that particular plant (several months so far) since when I lived in Japan. A lot of the critics said it was dangerously addictive, and that does happen to some people, but I've felt fine without it. The only times I didn't feel fine were because I was incredibly sleep-deprived, which is a whole other thing. I think this whole legalization for recreation is a very positive step in the freedom of choice and spread of positive information. I think it's a very positive trait to be able to enjoy more of this world through what it has to offer, and a very positive trait to make responsible choices over what you consume and what you don't and how often you do it so that you don't miss out on other beautiful offerings from the miracle of life.
Speaking of miracles of life, if you don't have Hiromi's album MOVE but you do enjoy powerful, emotional, sophisticated, funky, beautiful, ethereal, fun, heavy, fast-paced, relaxed, dreamy, dark, joyous, jazzy, progressive, classically influenced and overall excellent music, I think you should spend the money.
And if she ever comes your way, go see the show.
Until then, move your body around, because there's a lot to see. Move your mind, because there's a lot to learn and understand and imagine. Move the hearts of those around you because they're connected to you and everything you do. Your world will be an excellent place to be if you spread your quality energy through every place you may be.
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