It’s “Giving Tuesday”! Give the gift of music!

When most people think nonprofit, good places like shelters, meal sites, and more come to mind. Please don’t forget that there’s more! The Racine Concert Band is entering the 102nd year of bringing free instrumental music concerts to the community! Please consider a donation of any amount to keep this great thing going! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

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Dear Music Lover,

Today is Giving Tuesday! Please click on the link below to support the Racine Concert Band. Support from our faithful donors has made it possible for us to continue the 100+ year tradition of providing free concerts for everyone in the community to enjoy.

Thank you so much for your generous donation!

Sincerely,

Executive Director

Racine Concert Band

Support RCB! Click on the link below to make your contribution today! Click Here to Donate

Copyright (C) 2023 Racine Concert Band. All rights reserved.

Blogophilia 22.15: A Letter Came in the Mail

Blogophilia group on Facebook Here

Blog topic parameters Right Here

How it all works Over Here

Hard Bonus: Quote Dylan Thomas

Easy Bonus: Name a ship

Census Update!

In this day & age of technology & email, I miss the days when A Letter Came in the Mail. I wonder back in the days of horse & buggy, if people overseas waited for weeks in anticipation for the Santa Ana to deliver everything across the oceans, and sorted to the horse & buggies across the lands. I’d think it would seem like forever, especially from a lover…

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night – Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Keep creating your art, whatever it is will live past the rage, dying light, & beyond. Whether you’re making money or doing it leisurely, it’s worth your time, since some things can be heirlooms. Keep up your blog, crochet, art, poetry, music, metal, etc. they’re all part of the greater culture that keep humanity going into the future. Don’t forget –

• Who: Wind Ensemble & Community Band Concert
• What: Concert with talented people
• When: Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 7pm
• Where: UW-Parkside Rita Tallent Hall
• How: Get your tickets at the box office online or in person
• Why: It’s good to do something new or different sometimes

Blogophilia 21.15: Blessed/WRITER’S CHOICE!!!

Blogophilia Facebook page Right Here

WordPress blog topic parameters HERE

Hard Bonus: WRITER’S CHOICE – what gets you up
Easy Bonus: WRITER’S CHOICE – things that keep you going

Eat, Drink, & Take a Nap!

Despite lacking certain things in life, I really am Blessed! I have a house, my husband and son (who really get me up in the morning), good neighbors, a job (coworkers are alright), the lights are on, and never hungry.

When I can’t do much, I still have my talents, music really keeps me going, as well as doing some sewing, cooking, etc. Keeping it short because I have things to get done…

UW-Parkside Wind Ensemble and Community Band
Thursday, November 30 7:00pm Bedford Concert Hall
Tickets: https://uwparksidetickets.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=2006
La Reine de la Mer Waltzes – J.P. Sousa
Forever Free – Ulysses Kaye
Only Light – Aaron Perrine
Paris Sketches – Martin Ellerby

Blogophilia 20.15: What Was I Thinking?

Blogophilia Facebook group HERE

Blog topic parameters Right Here

Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric from Amy Grant

Easy Bonus: Use the term “gluten free”

Zoolophone Circus

Often I look back upon my decisions, and especially those that affect me now, I shout out into space, WHAT WAS I THINKING? But then I remember, I did the best I could based upon what I knew at the time, with the circumstances the way they were. The main point is, I’m still here to tell the tales, and do what I can. The older we get, the more difficult it is to move a different direction, but, just try… As Amy Grant says in her from the self titled album in 1977, the song Brand New Start, Well maybe you can’t see a change, You know these things can take time, Now every day is just a chance to grow – I feel like I’m growing old, as in, from mummy to archeological site, it’s not easy, but hey. I’m still here, so that’s good.

Here is my favorite gluten free items, because I can feed all of my friends without compromising flavor: Arrow root & tapioca to thicken gravies & sauces; beans (including pinto & soy) & corn for things like chili or tacos; rice, potato, and even buckwheat (used to make Japanese noodles) can be used to make cakes or tortillas for healthy carbs.

Keep on going, you matter.

Blogophilia 19.15: Opportunity

Blogophilia Facebook group HERE

Blog topic parameters Right Here

How it works (write something) Over Here

Hard Bonus: Include a song title by Andrew Lloyd Weber

Easy Bonus: Use the word “albeit”

So, send me my job description & pay me for my work, then!

I tell you, life is nuts! I swear I’m constantly trying to adjust course on professional goals based upon what’s up with health issues, income issues, and the direction of life in general… I feel like I’m Shimbleshanks: The Railway Cat (Cats 1981 musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber), who is on the constant journey of treating others fairly, in hopes of making the ascension into a new life. I feel like the right Opportunity isn’t quite there yet, albeit something is close. I just wish things weren’t such a moving target! Anyway, stop into the FB group, see who you can subscribe to.

Blogophilia 18.15: Amber Moon

Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE

Blog topic parameters Right Here

How Blogophilia works Over Here

Hard Bonus: Incorporate a frightening situation

Easy Bonus: Include the phrase “ancestral wisdom”

House Haunted

The Amber Moon rises over the crooked house, where it’s not the spirits that haunt the house, the actual house haunts the spirits… Maybe it’s in the bones, or the earth it sits in has bad blood. The creeks, moans, screams, crackles, howling, they never stop & they get louder at night…

One of the most frightening situations was when I was supposed to perform a Tarantella on my clarinet in front of a jury for my final grade, and my accompanist did a no-call/no-show. Tarantellas are a rapid, whirling dance piece to be danced after getting bit by a tarantula, to sweat out the poison.

Ancestral Wisdom spoke to me & guided me through to the very end, because weird noises & playing acapella isn’t big enough to conquer me. Carpe Diem, go grab the bull by the horns!

Blogophilia 17.15: Always or Never

Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE

Blog topic parameters Right Here

How this all works Over Here

Hard Bonus: Include a lyric from Tori Amos

Easy Bonus: Use the word champion

Haunted Castle Mansion

Halloween is around the corner, and it’s one of my favorites. I am not doing much this year, I just don’t have the funds to do anything. I’m hoping there will be a good deal on treats right before, so I can put something out. I’d love to go to a haunted house with some people, since a group outing makes it more fun, even though I don’t have a problem with going by myself. It seems as if it falls under Always or Never when it comes to things like this.

My fellow blogophiliacs really amaze me. All of us have a job or career that has little to nothing to do with creative writing, yet here we are, with other hobbies, and interests, and actually doing things like crafting & putting posts up. To me, this is what a champion looks like – ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and the arts are very much culturally extraordinary. In the words of Tori Amos from her To Venus & Back album in 1999, “1000 Oceans”:

I’m aware what the rules are
But you know that I will run
You know that I will follow you
Over silbury hill
Through the solar field
You know that I will follow you

Here’s a last-minute reminder to you all! Upcoming Racine Concert Band concert coming up soon:

• Who: RCB & Walden III High School (they’ll play 1st)
• What: A collaboration concert, TWO combined pieces at the end
• When: Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 7pm
• Where: Washington Park High School 1901 Washington Ave. Racine
• Why: A place to go, something to do, people to see (it’s good for you)
• How: no cash sales, prepay at Ticket Spicket or phone app on-site