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V can check my mouth shape; I can check where I am in the song. Simultaneously |
At what point does a hobby become a madness? Perhaps when all normal spending standards are quietly forgotten.
Tell the truth singing is more than a hobby for me; it meets some deep-seated need which has always existed but only became manifest when I started private lessons six years ago. The need became a seedling, then a sapling, then a virtual oak. I can no more envisage a life without singing than without my liver. I’m still not all that good but I believe I can – in all modesty – claim to be a singer.
At first glance singing seems inexpensive. There are V’s fees, of course, but I’ve willingly upped them twice over the six years. How could I do other? V opened the gate for me. I need a computer so that I can Skype V’s lessons but I needed it beforehand to write novels and run a blog. Musical scores cost about a fiver.
The trouble is that as I progress I am less able to tolerate what were previously minor irritations. And here’s a fr’instance. Most songs cover at least two A4 sheets, sometimes more. As I sing I’m reading words ahead of the noise I’m making. That means turning the page often at some awkward point.
Grandson Ian helped me. We trawled available computer tablets and chose the Microsoft Surface. My 66 paper scores were all alphabetically higgledy-piggledy; I scanned them and the Surface put them in ABC order. Even better, now, as I reach the bottom of a page I touch the screen and the page turns. An almost sensual pleasure.
Grandson Ian helped me spec the Surface but superstitiously refused to click “Buy Now”. He was unnerved. The Surface cost £850 ($1121).
Reason flying out of the window.
Obne does lose one's reason with a cherished hobby. I quite understand. (Mine was/is motorcycles)
ReplyDeleteAvus: As I say, "hobby" seems too feeble a word, suggesting an activity that may be picked up and dropped according to whim. A more vigorous synonym might be: a specialised way of breathing; drop it and I'd risk expiring.
DeleteI'm happy you bought what you needed, what seemed to be the best. Ian refusing to click "Buy Now" made me laugh. He's a good guy!
ReplyDeleteColette: Grandson never seems appropriate. He's in his thirties and used to ruling the roost. There were many shouting matches.
DeleteI use an air brush for painting my models. The aperture of the paint nozzle is 0.4mm. or I also have one for 0.2mm. That nozzle, along with other parts of the air brush, have to be kept microscopically clean especially after use. That be achieved but it is a tiresome task. Although much less modest in cost than your expense, but significantly meaningful to me I purchased an ultrasonic cleaner. After a quick do with air brush cleaner they go into the water bath for 6 minutes, et voilà!
ReplyDeleteIt seems electronic vibration causes tiny bubbles that clean surfaces. If somebody had explained that to me I wouldn't have believed that could work, only increasing my illogical skepticism when I occasionally flirt with science.
Sir Hugh: Excessive cost was at the heart of what I wanted to say.
DeleteYes of course I understood that. I thought I'd made it clear that although the amounts of expenditure were different mine was correspondingly excessive to me.
DeleteI'm glad you bought a new tablet to make the singing lessons easier. Lovely of your grandson to help you with this.
ReplyDeleteNewRobin13: I have to reiterate, he's in his thirties and hates being undermined.
DeleteA hobby isn't a real one until you have to spend lots of dosh on it.
ReplyDeleteJean: Just a fad, eh?
DeleteHa, one advantage of growing older. You can spend your $$$ anyway you want, because your kids are at the point they don't need the 'inheritance'. Go for you passion. Life is too short, Sandi
ReplyDeleteSandi: And during a pandemic all you can do is accumulate $$$s (£££s in our case).
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