Is it possible to fiercely love and utterly adore someone you've never met?
THE SITUATION - In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.
About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
First order of business: listen to this song from Murder by Death's new album, "Good Morning, Magpie."
It was always you.
Participants:
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Sherri
Christine
Messages:
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Christine: <3
Me: <3
Christine: Dear Sherri, You are spectacular. Please tell everyone. Love, Christine
Me: Eeeeeee
Me: I can't wait to see youuuuuuuuuuuu. I believe my exact words to jill were "Yeah I'm going back to Christine on Saturday"
Me: Lol
Me: Not back to Philly. Back to Christine
Christine: hahaha awwwwwwwwwwww
Me: Dear Christine, It takes one to know one. You are the cheese to my macaroni. Love, Sherri
Christine: Dear Sherri, You're a cool drink on a hot summer day. Love, Christine
Me: Dear Christine, You're like the other side of the pillow on a June night in Philly. Love, Sherri.
Me: Hehehehehehe
Christine: Dear Sherri, puppies and kitties ask their mommies to be yours. Love, Christine
Me: Squeeeee!
Me: I'm smiling so hard it hurts
Me: My lip is twitching
Christine: hahaha
Christine: EEEEEEEE
It's Memorial Day. What a wonderful way to kick off the summer. I had the pleasure of spending the majority of the day with retired officers with whom my dad served at one point or another and are now dear family friends. He went to Westpoint with one, and another has known me since I was a wee Sherri of four! It was humbling and awesome listening to their war stories, anecdotes, observations, etc. I generally tried to absorb everything I saw and heard today. The food was amazing (thanks Mom!), the company was amazing, the weather was amazing...I will consider this Memorial Day to be a great success; how better to celebrate such an important holiday for our great nation than with the very people it is commemorating?!
I'm finally home. I love home. I love Colorado.
My five senses went unposted on Friday because I was busy dealing with a gravelly, infected kidney. Actually, I was busy basically being a jerk and resisting dealing with the cranky. loudly complaining bean-shaped organ, while my loved ones were busy persuading (okay, forcing) me to do the right thing and go to the ER. I went to the ER, and sure enough, the issue required and received attention. It still hurts, but I'm doing the things I need to do and am on the mend, so it will clear up in due course. In the future, I won't wait so long or be so boneheaded, not just for my own sake, but I really can't stand it when it has a detrimental effect on the people I love. As my mom pointed out, there was a lesson learned in this mess, and I feel so blessed to have peeps who love me enough to get tough on me when necessary.
Okay so here's the skinny on senses this fine Monday night:
Seeing: My lovely Mobley perched atop my knee; preening.
