Okay, it has officially been too long since I posted something on here. A couple of weeks were busy, or uneventful...I can't remember which. Then came my trip on the 18th, and that was a couple of weeks. Then I got back a few days ago to discover my internet wasn't working at home. I escaped to Nanaimo on Sunday night, and so I've finally caught a chance to post something.
It's been an interesting few weeks, and I thought of many different things to write about, alas I don't remember a single one of them at the moment. Other than a few trip adventures of course. Actually, I was determined to document my trip as best I could, and I have a bunch of pictures and videos I will post when my internet at home is back up. I would be doing it now, but I seemed to have forgotten my purse, including my camera that was in it, at Tanya's house yesterday. :P
Winnipeg was a very enjoyable trip, I got to see everyone I wanted to see at least once, and had time to relax and do whatever I wanted, and have a proper holiday. I ended up spending pretty much most of it at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. I'd never gone before, but when I discovered what it was about, I wish I had the chance to before.
It filled a lot of empty time. When I was in Winnipeg I was determined to not do nothing, since that is pretty much what I do all of the time at home, what with the having no money to go out and all. I wasn't sure what I'd find at the festival, but I ended up having fun and hung out there for a bit every day until it ended.
One afternoon, me, Laurah and Rob decided to go wandering and checked out the two streets of vendors they had out there. It was there that I discovered they had street performers out and about there. When we were passing through this particular time, there was a cello player there, and he immediately caught my attention. Rob told me he saw him the other day and he did some wicked things with that instrument. I stood there enthralled. He ended a song and began another: the Pachelbel Canon in D, which he had changed up and did his own funky thing with. Having a personal family attachment to that piece, I felt a flutter in my chest. That song always does that to me.
I didn't pay attention to how long we watched him, I just remember standing there and not being able to take my eyes or ears away from the music. We went on doing our thing. Sometime, I think, the next day or later that day, I (We? I don't remember.) passed him again at the end of a set. I found him one more time, I think with Laurah, and at some point I bought a CD. We learned that he was going to be playing a show on Friday night, and got excited about it. I wanted to figure out what other times he was playing, but at that point hadn't figured out the street performers' schedule.
This story might not seem that interesting. It's kind of one of those things you have to be there to experience. As you may know, I've delved deeper into my love of music lately, and random things have been enthralling and inspiring me to study it. When I started listening to this guy play, it was unreal. Sounds come out of that cello that I've never heard come out of a cello before. The cellist is a funny German guy from Berlin named Nikolaus. His cello is named Umbra, whom he always jokingly introduces as his "Polish girlfriend." Together, they are "Cellolitis."
But I have to say...I have never seen something so amazing to watch/listen to. He is so intimate with his instrument; he knows it so well, it's like it has become a part of his soul. He will just improvise with any random thing and create something beautiful out of it. I can only dream of one day being able to do that. It really was an awesome experience for me to watch him play.
One day, I think it was a Thursday...I had found him playing again, and went to give him what random change I had after his set. He had already sold out of CDs. I was disappointed, because I'd bought one and figured I'd come back and buy the other one he had there. I commented on that and on how I keep finding him when it's at the end of his set. He said I should join him for coffee sometime. He's a friendly guy and seemed to like chatting with people and making friends. I was excited. I said sure, I don't really have anything specific to do these days, that I normally just hang around the Fringe and kill time. He said something along the lines of, "Yeah me too...between playing I have nothing much to do."
That evening, I discovered his facebook page, which listed all the times he was playing. Finally I figured it out. So I knew when to stop by the next day. He had two back to back shows at like, 1 and 2pm I think. I went from one to the other. After everything was done, I lingered just because. I wondered if he remembered my face. He did, and as he was packing up, reinvited me for coffee. So we went to a coffeeshop on the corner of the street and I enthusiastically asked him some questions. I tried not to overdo it, as I didn't want to ask the same things that probably hundreds of other people ask on his travels.
It was cool though being able to catch him away from playing. You can see a little bit of the actual person behind everything. Apparently a bunch of people were partying the night before, and he was tired, and seemed just a bit worn out in general from long days playing in the sun, and traveling. But he was a really interesting person and I enjoyed being able to spend a brief visit with him. He asked me a couple times if I wanted to try some of his cheesecake, because apparently it was delicious. Just seems like one of those people who really want to share experiences with the world. It was quite inspiring to me.
We went to his concert Friday night, which was probably the best live music performance I've ever seen. Apparently one of the people he met here arranged it...when they heard how awesome he was, they set up a personal concert for him in one of the show venues. The acoustics in there were excellent. I'd been in there previously the day before to see a musical show. It was a mini opera about some rich lady obsessed with coffee. The plot left a little to be desired, but I enjoyed the singing. Anyway, the venue was perfect for this.
A girl I'd been hanging out with, Angela, is pretty much the main burlesque performer in Winnipeg. Really fun gal. Went to see her show (which was also awesome and hilarious), and hung around and chatted a few times. That night, I was supposed to meet up with her to see another burlesque-themed fringe show. Afterwards, I ran off to go see Cellolitis, and told her about it. Apparently we were invited to some party of a friend of hers, and some other gals were going too. I told her the cello show was free, and so the girls decided to stop by and listen. They ended up staying for the whole show. Laurah and Rob also came and brought a couple of people. It was great getting so many people to come out.
I spent all of my Saturday watching cello, and some of Sunday as well. After his last performance on Sunday, I thanked him for the inspiring experience over the last few days. I got him to sign my CD, and he said perhaps we'd meet again some time. On a couple of occasions that I'd talked to him I told him he has to stop by Vancouver sometime. He said he'd heard good things about it there and said perhaps one day he will.
Someone had given him a few roses, one of which had broken off from the stem. He asked if I'd like it. I said sure. I took it home with me, and even tried to take care of it on the bus ride by wrapping it in a moistened J-Cloth. It did well until then, but then started to dry out a little because it was hard to give it enough water. But it survived, and even lasted on my counter at home a couple days, before I decided to just let it dry out before all of the leaves started to fall off.
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I decided to write about this experience here first because it had such a powerful effect on me. When I listen to the music, I feel in love all over again. I realized that one day...that it was the very same feeling. It's what music has been doing to me lately, which is why I keep thinking more and more seriously about pursuing that in school.
I will post more and write more about everything that's happened lately eventually, though it will probably be sporadic because I don't know when my internet will be up and going at home again.
There's been a lot going on. Another thing of significance is this building sense of urgency I've been having. When I got back from my travels, I was disappointed, because it was back to same old, same old. I've been wanting to just get out and do, and unfortunately a lack of spare cash prevents that. I don't mind, it will come in due time, I'm just getting a little impatient.
I want something big to happen. I moved, and that was big, but I'm after more. I keep daydreaming about traveling. Anywhere. Around Canada, around the world. I'd like to just disappear off to some random country for a while. I'd like to live all around. Like in each province. And discover what's unique to each one. Then maybe a few different countries. Experience them. Learn new things. Find something I love. Meet amazing people. I have this growing ambition that I can't yet do anything with.
Something is building. I just don't know what yet, or when it will happen, or how I will do it. But I know that it's coming. I can feel it.
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