As you probably noticed, I sorta didn't make it here on Wednesday. I had good intentions, but you know how those things go, best laid plans and all that. Anyway, Thursday was a better day and it marked the of a new journey for me.
The day began with new toys, things that I had ordered to further the upgrade of our culinary experience. I had ordered a whole set of the Duralon Ceramic Non Stick Stainless Steel Cookware to replace all my less than optimal cookware I have been using. This stuff is great, made by the NuWave Oven people and nothing sticks to this stuff. It is the NuWave version of ceramic coating similar to the Calphalon that is the more famous brand of Ceramic Non Stick materials.
Will has always hated my microwave and has bitched about it for years. I finally broke down and bought the one that had been on my Amazon wish list for so long. Will has given it his seal of approval as far as "It cooks well" but he thinks it is a little light (I agree), so we have to hold it and/or not push the buttons too hard. We would not want the microwave to go tumbling off into the dining room now would we?
I have been playing phone tag with the therapist to whom the VA had referred me. We finally made contact yesterday and unbelievably, I was able to get in for an initial session yesterday afternoon. It is an old Chinese saying, "the journey of a thousand li begins with but a single step", that fits here. I took the first step on a long journey to mental health. It took years to get this fucked up in the head about a lot of issues in my life and it will be a slow process. However it is a doable thing and I am hopeful of steady progress as time goes by. As always I will chronicle my journey as it happens. I hope you will come along to share in my journey.
My therapist is a lovely young lady ( young being relative ) who was a consummate professional as well as a compassionate counselor who has designed programs for Veterans at other agencies and has now started her own non profit service for Veterans. I will be seeing her on Friday mornings for the time being and will remark on my progress in these pages. We had a wonderful visit and came up with a plan to get us started. I am looking forward to our conversations as she helps me heal my wounds.
Now because the music I had selected for use on Wednesday was so good, I would hesitate to deprive you of it so I will not. Our featured composer for today is Johannes Brahms. Brahms, among his many talents, had the uncanny ability to take the thematic works of another, compose a set of variations based on that theme and thus create a a piece of music uniquely his own. I have some excellent examples of this for your listening pleasure today.
The Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, (German: Variationen über ein Thema von Jos. Haydn), now also called the Saint Anthony Variations, is a work in the form of a theme and variations, composed by Johannes Brahms in the summer of 1873. It consists of a theme in B-flat major based on a "Chorale St Antoni", eight variations and a finale. The work was published in two versions: for two pianos, written first but designated Op. 56b; and for orchestra, designated Op. 56a.
The orchestral version is better known and much more often heard than the two-piano version. It is often said to be the first independent set of variations for orchestra in the history of music[1], although there is at least one earlier piece in the same form, Antonio Salieri's Twenty-six Variations on 'La folia di Spagna' written in 1815.
Brahms's orchestral variations are scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns (2 in E flat, 2 in B flat), 2 trumpets, timpani, triangle, and the normal string section of first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses. The piece usually takes about 18 minutes to perform.
The first performance of the orchestral version was given on 2 November 1873 by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Brahms's baton. This performance of the Orchestral version (56a) is by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Claudio Abbado. Anastasia and Lyubova Gromoglasova perform the 2 Piano version (56b) at their dual recital in the Small Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire. Then over on my tumblr, I have Brahms' Variations on a Theme of Paganini performed by Pianist Andrea Bonatta.
Now it is time for a little fulfillment of our mutual need for beauty in the male form which you willfind amply displayed in this week's edition of Fantasy Fuel posted down below. Over on my tumblr, Booboo Stewart, Your Hottie of the Day! splashes up a few fantasies of his own for your adoring eyes. Thanks for the visit, see you again soon. Until next time as always, Enhiy!
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