I want to talk about forgiveness, again. Several years ago, my church
was robbed. The burglar broke three doors, smashed a window, stole
about $50 in petty cash, two rolls of stamps and a coffee pot. Kindly
leaving his fingerprints behind and having once been fingerprinted as a
child in case he was ever abducted, the police took no time at all in
tracking him down and arresting him. He was sentenced to five years in
prison for a first offense.
It turned out that he was
unemployed with a wife and three children. He was only providing for
his family in the only way he could at the time. The church forgave him
and reached out to support him. Some of us even went to his sentencing
to plead for leniency but that was for naught. Since he made a full
confession, the DA and judge threw the book at him. There was no reason
to offer a plea deal. Apparently the truth does not set you free.
His
wife was not accepting of the church and blamed the church for what
happened to her husband. Despite that, we wrote to him, visited him and
even offered his wife financial and food assistance, which she
refused. When he was released, since his wife didn't drive, we even
went to pick him up but she refused to go with us.
It was
exciting to see him with his three children attend church every Sunday.
Eventually he became employed as our sexton yet his wife remained
distant. He and I became good friends and enjoyed each others company.
I even saved the life of his daughter one day at a church pot luck. I
was walking by just as she started to choke on a piece of chicken. I
simply reached down around her stomach, hoisted her up and the chicken
shot out of her mouth like a bullet. The dad was eternally grateful and
the mom never said a word. It wasn't a big deal. A dozen other people
came running at the time of the event. I just happened to be there
first.
The wife continues to blame the church for getting her
husband arrested and consequently hurting her family. The fact that she
blames us and can't forgive us, and can't forgive her husband nor
herself, is something that is hurting only her.
There was a
story on the TV show Inside Edition about a woman named Kathleen. She
was date raped at the age of 16. She became pregnant and when she gave
birth, she gave the baby up for adoption. She viewed the baby as a
"rape growing inside of her" and she didn't view it as "giving birth,"
but "expelling the rape" from her body.
Fifty years later, the
child she gave birth to, Elaine, managed to track her mother down.
Kathleen refused to see her daughter and wants to keep it that way.
Kathleen said the rape was traumatizing and when Elaine contacted her
fifty years later, all the old wounds were ripped open. She didn't even
tell her husband of 45 years that she was date raped and gave birth to a
child. Kathleen refused to forgive the boy who raped her, or, forgive
herself. The only person still in pain is Kathleen. She refuses to let
go, forgive and heal.
Elaine says she feels sorry for the woman
who gave birth to her. She said, “It's sad that there's such vileness
and such hatred.” Kathleen emotionally said, “I have been shadowed by
this sinister shadow my entire life. I have been chained to this rapist
my entire life and it is not over.”
I know that will sound
impossible to some people and others will think it absurd, but, one of
the most beautiful expressions of love is being able to forgive
someone. I can't tell you why and it will probably be the most
difficult thing anyone will ever do, but, it is also the easiest. It is
also difficult, yet easy to ask for forgiveness. Once done, you will
be able to let go of wrongs that have been done and it will change
everything. It changes your attitudes, relationships, emotional make up
and your whole life. To forgive is to live and release burden. You
don't lose a thing. It is not a sign of weakness to love someone who
wronged you. It is a sign of strength.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Thoughts On Choosing Music For a Liturgy
I am often asked how I go about selecting music for each Mass. The
answer is actually quite complicated on a whole but it is easy when
broken down into individual components which I employ or consider on a
regular basis.
I worked in a Roman Catholic Church for fifteen years and played for five Masses each weekend. While serving this parish, I really honed my knowledge and familiarity with the Lectionary. There are three years in a cycle. Year A, B and C. Each Sunday of each year has its own readings. For instance, a specific Sunday in year A will have three readings and a Psalm. Year B, the same calendar day will have different readings, and likewise for Year C. The collection of pre-selected readings come from a book called "The Lectionary." It is a collection of scripture organized and sorted for each Sunday of the year for three years. That means, every three years you will hear the same reading. There are however a few exceptions to the rule.
The priest at this church where I served for fifteen years took his homilies out of a book that some theologian wrote. No, his homilies were not his own, he did not write them, they were canned. But, they were good. I had my own personal copy of the Lectionary and during each Mass for the entire 15 years of service, I would scribble in the margins and stuff it with post-it notes about the music I used, what the congregation responded well to, what went well with the readings or the homily and what the homily was about, etcetera. Over the years Father would marvel about how flawlessly I could match the readings and even to his homily. He credited the Holy Spirit.
So in planning music, the first method I would consider is what I call "ACTS." - If I choose a hymn or song from each the the following categories, Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication (ACTS), I can't miss. Many hymn books come with a thematic index. Even so, it isn't difficult to grasp the theme of a hymn by reading it carefully and prayerfully. Many hymns may also encompass multiple topics. When you choose hymns for the average liturgy in the order of ACST, you can't go wrong. That is one method.
I aslo take into consideration the season. If you schedule Christmas hymns during the Christmas season, most liturgist will be forgiving if it is casually chosen. The same applies to a Lenten song during Lent or an Advent song during Advent (which is not Christmas). Of course, the exception to this rule is planning music to accompany sacramental action. Just keep in mind that every seasonal song may actually have a place on specific Sundays of its season. "On Jordan's Bank" is an Advent hymn but works well on the Second or Third Sunday of Advent or even on the feast day of the Baptism of Jesus.
Thematic. Sometimes a pastor will preach on a theme and often for several consecutive weeks, so, I'll go along with them. Having regular meetings with the pastor to discuss the seasons, readings and community dynamics can be a great tool.
I also choose music based upon what the worshiping community may need to sing (we are what we sing). For instance, I once played for a church which was opposing a parole shelter or halfway house from moving in next door (who wants sinners coming to our church?) so in consultation with the pastor I scheduled "All are Welcome," “The Summons,” “Amazing Grace,” and "God has Chosen Me" for about four weeks straight. It is not enough to ask God for forgiveness if we can not forgive others. The giving of money, going to church or even serving on a committee to the church does not free people from the responsibility to forgive. The act of forgiveness is very hard, but, very easy. Despite our protestations, the shelter went in and the parolees became wonderful tenants. Not only did they attend our church, but they performed many community service projects on our building and a few of them became members, got married and started families in our congregation. We lost some of our more pious members but we can now sing "All are Welcome" and mean it, and know it, and live it. It was a true transubstantiation. Even the haters are welcome back if they are willing to forgive themselves for, adoration leaves no room for pride.
Of course, I would always first consult the Lectionary for the readings. Some liturgists use the Lectionary for what I call "Eureka Planning." That is when you read the scripture for a particular day and can match it to the text of a hymn. For instance, on the second Sunday of Easter, Years A, B AND C, the scripture reading is about Jesus appearing to Thomas and Thomas doubts that it is really Jesus so Jesus invites him to place his hand to the wound in his side. A perfect hymn or song to sing here would be "We Walk By Faith" which echoes that scene in the third verse. I may use an upbeat setting of that hymn for the opening to foreshadow what will be heard in the readings. I may use it for after the homily to augment what I know the pastor may break open in Word. The possibilities are endless. That can be the most frustrating part of planning. You can have fifteen songs which would be perfect for any one Mass but you only need four.
I have eclectic tastes and usually program music so that there is something for everybody at every liturgy crossing instrumentation and genre. During the hymns and songs, I am always cognizant of the congregation and their level of participation. If they really like a song or are moving along to it, I make note of it. If they aren't, I make note of it but then try to analyze why and then figure out how I can fix whatever may be wrong. Of course, some organists can't do this from their balcony aeries with their backs to the congregation and 54 ranks of pipes staring them in the face.
I also think that each liturgy should be a production and that each person should leave the service a different person than when they came in. That is easy to do if you can encourage them to sing one song or let out one "woot." At least on a cellular level they will have taken a deeper breath, oxygenated their blood, and they may even zap a few brain cells, leaving with a clearer mind or more energy. Singing has the power to physically change a person and for the better because it does aid in the oxygenation of the blood which does wake up the brain and that is why it is a crucial tool at the disposal of every pastoral musician. A congregation that sings, goes out into the world as better people - a transubstantiation.
If your church uses the Revised Common Lectionary, it is easy to choose music based on the scheduled readings. I would plan a tentative schedule for an entire year. If the pastor chooses the readings, I will schedule music as far as he plans but would then lean toward seasonal planning.
Just to recap, there are six criteria to consider:
A. What the congregation knows; Not the same as what you like.
B. How quickly they learn;
C. What are the needs of the assembly, congregation and outside community.
D. Seasonal songs
E. Topical and thematic songs and/or requests from the pastor
F. The Lectionary
Keep in mind that there are also dozens of websites, many are denominational or publisher based, where selections of suitable songs and hymns have already been mapped out for you. Just as a pastor can have canned homilies, your selections can be canned. Generally, if you use them, you can't go wrong. The difference is like giving someone cash for their birthday as opposed to giving them a handmade gift or something you picked out yourself. If you use a planning guide to choose your music, it will be good. If you do your homework, work with the pastor, the parish and the people, it will be better.
If worse comes to worse, there are hundreds of church musicians who post their music schedules online for their choir members and the world to see. Steal them.
When choosing music for a choir or soloist, it is pretty much the same as the aforementioned with a few added components of what is in the library, the budget and the skill level of the choir. If your choir worships music and loves to perform, well, there you have it. If the choir is in love with God, loves the people of the pew and, for them, music is not a ministry, but a tool to ministry, the sky is the limit. Adoration leaves no room for pride.
Preludes, postludes and offertories are also an expression of my faith. I try to play something spirited, dynamic and engaging. In one church I served, the pastor welcomed the people at the start of the service then he sat down and my prelude began. Every prelude had to be something interesting since they all sat there and listened intently. The postlude was the same, he invited them to sit and listen. When I was finished they were invited to go out into the world to love and serve the Lord and each other. One Sunday I played a still and quiet piece (which is rare for me) for the prelude. Because they were accustomed to toccatas, fugues and a broad range of dynamics in the prelude, a little old lady came up to me after the service with her walker and said, “What the heck was that? Don’t ever do that again.”
I worked in a Roman Catholic Church for fifteen years and played for five Masses each weekend. While serving this parish, I really honed my knowledge and familiarity with the Lectionary. There are three years in a cycle. Year A, B and C. Each Sunday of each year has its own readings. For instance, a specific Sunday in year A will have three readings and a Psalm. Year B, the same calendar day will have different readings, and likewise for Year C. The collection of pre-selected readings come from a book called "The Lectionary." It is a collection of scripture organized and sorted for each Sunday of the year for three years. That means, every three years you will hear the same reading. There are however a few exceptions to the rule.
The priest at this church where I served for fifteen years took his homilies out of a book that some theologian wrote. No, his homilies were not his own, he did not write them, they were canned. But, they were good. I had my own personal copy of the Lectionary and during each Mass for the entire 15 years of service, I would scribble in the margins and stuff it with post-it notes about the music I used, what the congregation responded well to, what went well with the readings or the homily and what the homily was about, etcetera. Over the years Father would marvel about how flawlessly I could match the readings and even to his homily. He credited the Holy Spirit.
So in planning music, the first method I would consider is what I call "ACTS." - If I choose a hymn or song from each the the following categories, Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication (ACTS), I can't miss. Many hymn books come with a thematic index. Even so, it isn't difficult to grasp the theme of a hymn by reading it carefully and prayerfully. Many hymns may also encompass multiple topics. When you choose hymns for the average liturgy in the order of ACST, you can't go wrong. That is one method.
I aslo take into consideration the season. If you schedule Christmas hymns during the Christmas season, most liturgist will be forgiving if it is casually chosen. The same applies to a Lenten song during Lent or an Advent song during Advent (which is not Christmas). Of course, the exception to this rule is planning music to accompany sacramental action. Just keep in mind that every seasonal song may actually have a place on specific Sundays of its season. "On Jordan's Bank" is an Advent hymn but works well on the Second or Third Sunday of Advent or even on the feast day of the Baptism of Jesus.
Thematic. Sometimes a pastor will preach on a theme and often for several consecutive weeks, so, I'll go along with them. Having regular meetings with the pastor to discuss the seasons, readings and community dynamics can be a great tool.
I also choose music based upon what the worshiping community may need to sing (we are what we sing). For instance, I once played for a church which was opposing a parole shelter or halfway house from moving in next door (who wants sinners coming to our church?) so in consultation with the pastor I scheduled "All are Welcome," “The Summons,” “Amazing Grace,” and "God has Chosen Me" for about four weeks straight. It is not enough to ask God for forgiveness if we can not forgive others. The giving of money, going to church or even serving on a committee to the church does not free people from the responsibility to forgive. The act of forgiveness is very hard, but, very easy. Despite our protestations, the shelter went in and the parolees became wonderful tenants. Not only did they attend our church, but they performed many community service projects on our building and a few of them became members, got married and started families in our congregation. We lost some of our more pious members but we can now sing "All are Welcome" and mean it, and know it, and live it. It was a true transubstantiation. Even the haters are welcome back if they are willing to forgive themselves for, adoration leaves no room for pride.
Of course, I would always first consult the Lectionary for the readings. Some liturgists use the Lectionary for what I call "Eureka Planning." That is when you read the scripture for a particular day and can match it to the text of a hymn. For instance, on the second Sunday of Easter, Years A, B AND C, the scripture reading is about Jesus appearing to Thomas and Thomas doubts that it is really Jesus so Jesus invites him to place his hand to the wound in his side. A perfect hymn or song to sing here would be "We Walk By Faith" which echoes that scene in the third verse. I may use an upbeat setting of that hymn for the opening to foreshadow what will be heard in the readings. I may use it for after the homily to augment what I know the pastor may break open in Word. The possibilities are endless. That can be the most frustrating part of planning. You can have fifteen songs which would be perfect for any one Mass but you only need four.
I have eclectic tastes and usually program music so that there is something for everybody at every liturgy crossing instrumentation and genre. During the hymns and songs, I am always cognizant of the congregation and their level of participation. If they really like a song or are moving along to it, I make note of it. If they aren't, I make note of it but then try to analyze why and then figure out how I can fix whatever may be wrong. Of course, some organists can't do this from their balcony aeries with their backs to the congregation and 54 ranks of pipes staring them in the face.
I also think that each liturgy should be a production and that each person should leave the service a different person than when they came in. That is easy to do if you can encourage them to sing one song or let out one "woot." At least on a cellular level they will have taken a deeper breath, oxygenated their blood, and they may even zap a few brain cells, leaving with a clearer mind or more energy. Singing has the power to physically change a person and for the better because it does aid in the oxygenation of the blood which does wake up the brain and that is why it is a crucial tool at the disposal of every pastoral musician. A congregation that sings, goes out into the world as better people - a transubstantiation.
If your church uses the Revised Common Lectionary, it is easy to choose music based on the scheduled readings. I would plan a tentative schedule for an entire year. If the pastor chooses the readings, I will schedule music as far as he plans but would then lean toward seasonal planning.
Just to recap, there are six criteria to consider:
A. What the congregation knows; Not the same as what you like.
B. How quickly they learn;
C. What are the needs of the assembly, congregation and outside community.
D. Seasonal songs
E. Topical and thematic songs and/or requests from the pastor
F. The Lectionary
Keep in mind that there are also dozens of websites, many are denominational or publisher based, where selections of suitable songs and hymns have already been mapped out for you. Just as a pastor can have canned homilies, your selections can be canned. Generally, if you use them, you can't go wrong. The difference is like giving someone cash for their birthday as opposed to giving them a handmade gift or something you picked out yourself. If you use a planning guide to choose your music, it will be good. If you do your homework, work with the pastor, the parish and the people, it will be better.
If worse comes to worse, there are hundreds of church musicians who post their music schedules online for their choir members and the world to see. Steal them.
When choosing music for a choir or soloist, it is pretty much the same as the aforementioned with a few added components of what is in the library, the budget and the skill level of the choir. If your choir worships music and loves to perform, well, there you have it. If the choir is in love with God, loves the people of the pew and, for them, music is not a ministry, but a tool to ministry, the sky is the limit. Adoration leaves no room for pride.
Preludes, postludes and offertories are also an expression of my faith. I try to play something spirited, dynamic and engaging. In one church I served, the pastor welcomed the people at the start of the service then he sat down and my prelude began. Every prelude had to be something interesting since they all sat there and listened intently. The postlude was the same, he invited them to sit and listen. When I was finished they were invited to go out into the world to love and serve the Lord and each other. One Sunday I played a still and quiet piece (which is rare for me) for the prelude. Because they were accustomed to toccatas, fugues and a broad range of dynamics in the prelude, a little old lady came up to me after the service with her walker and said, “What the heck was that? Don’t ever do that again.”
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Widor Toccata from Fifth Symphony in F
This was my Palm Sunday Postlude, 2013. Sorry for the congregational noise. That's what congregations do. Especially when there are cookies and coffee in the next room. I'll re-record this at a recital this spring and NOT from memory. If you know this piece, you'll realize that I got lost in the middle and just started playing random notes. I had no idea what key I was in but I found my way home.
-Malcolm Kogut
Monday, April 22, 2013
Snitching (From the Conspiracy Theory Department)
These "detectives" descended upon the deluge of social media photographs and videos uploaded by thousands of people who were present at the time of the incident. The police warned people to stop and not post their findings online for fear of vigilantism against innocent people.
The cyber crowd misidentified several people, one, a 17 year old who woke to find his picture plastered all over the internet as a suspect and threats were even posted on his Facebook page. Dozens of "friends" unfriended him. Other scrutinized suspects were the "Guy on the roof," "Brown Sweatshirt Guy, " "Running Away Guy," and "Blue Robe Guy." Fortunately they were not identified.
Three million people surfed to the site REDDIT, where a subreddit forum was created called FINDBOSTONBOMBERS then shortly afterward, accusations, speculation and cyber-stalking took place on the Facebook pages and websites of many innocent people.
This is directly opposite of what used to exist called the "No Snitch Culture." If people saw a crime, they wouldn't report it because they either feared retaliation or they didn't trust the "Po-Po," Many people outright hate the police and wouldn't do anything to help them because they probably know someone in their own family who was railroaded by the system. Check out the car chase video clip from the movie "Jack Reacher."
Jesse Jackson addressed this phenomenon while speaking at a Chicago college. He asked the students hypothetically that if they knew someone who had drugs and a gun in their car, would they call the police. There was a low rumble of "No" in response. Jackson asked again and their answer was stronger. He then asked them if they saw that someone had a rope and a Ku Klux Klan hood in their car, would they call the police. The crowd shouted "YES!" Jackson then said "We lost more lives from bullets and drugs than from rope. You're willing to turn in a Klan member that doesn't exist in your life, but not turn in the threat which takes thousands of lives each year."
Jackson makes an excellent point. People are passionate about issues which really are not relevant in their lives or the lives of others. We are inculcated into this "holier than thou" mentality from the dozens of TV shows about glorified bounty hunters and catching criminals. WRGB news in my town has a weekly segment called "The Perp Patrol" where they glorify snitching on people and catching criminals in the context of reporting the news. It gives people the feeling of power over others, and, it boosts ratings.
There was a story about a woman who canvased the sex offender registry looking for employer information. When she found an ex offender who had a job, she would call the employer and inform them that their employee was a "child molester". She found this one man working as a dish washer in a diner located in the state of Ohio. She went to the diner's Facebook page and posted "If you do not terminate this man immediately, I will never visit your establishment again. You are putting our children at risk." The diner posted that they didn't know he was a sex offender and would take care of it immediately. This made news because the woman who issued the complaint lived in Oregon and has never been to Ohio in her life. She was arrested and charged with some sort of hate crime, harassment charge. The diner lost a lot of customers and was eventually sued by the former sex offender and the diner is now out of business. Hate begets hate and nobody wins when we allow vigilantism.
It is not just regular people who are snitching on each other, our technology is snitching on us, too. Ever since George Bush signed into law the Patriot Act. When you take a picture with your digital camera, it is digitally inscribing within the code of the picture your GPS coordinates and the model number of the camera, which I'm sure you registered with the camera company when you purchased it. If the FBI is interested in you, they too can get a copy when you snap a picture. When you print a page on your printer, not only does your printer print an invisible code denoting your printer model number on each page, which I'm sure you registered when you purchased it, but if the FBI so desires a copy and your printer is wireless or connected to the internet, they too can receive a copy. You know your computer, cell phone and tablet IP addresses can't truly be obfuscated. Their true IP address is always traceable. All of your surfing, texting and phone calls are out there, preserved forever. Even if you turn off your cell phone's GPS feature, the cell company still knows where you are and are tracking you via the cell towers. Just ask Malte Spitz who sued his cell phone carrier to turn over all the information they had on him which was over 35,000 pieces of tracking information. Some cell phone companies regularly listen in on cell phone calls all under the protection of the Patriot Act in an effort to protect you. If you have a relative in the military, you can bet that one of your phone calls have been listened in on at some point. The FBI and IRS also have cell phone tracking technology called "Stingray" which the government claims it doesn't need a warrant for. Is all this tracking acceptable?
Every new car has built in GPS tracking units and your every turn is being recorded. Even if you don't have a newer model, you'd be surprised where RFID chips are placed. They are now even in your tires and these chips can be read by millions of scanners placed across the country on our roads and highways.
Time Warner Cable not only has your complete phone and internet surfing records, but they even know what channels you watch on TV and when. Facebook knows your every friend, like and every page you've ever looked at. They have managed to sinuously network themselves in practically every webpage in the world - to better your surfing experience. If you use blocking software such as "Ghostery," you can see some of the sites who are attempting to track you, for your benefit. There is a computer program called "Collusion" which will show you every website that is currently tracking you. After a day of surfing the net, there will be hundreds listed.
When the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar, was finally revealed, amateur cyber detectives scurried around the internet to procure and save every tweet, photograph, email and posting they could find from him before his accounts were closed down and his friends could unfriend him. Within minutes, websites popped up with copies of his school records, medical data, jpegs of his complete Russian "Facebook" data and a list of all his "friends" names. You can bet that everyone who was his friend is under surveillance right now. We even know what time he goes to bed and gets up. Just google "What do we know about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev" and his whole life will be there laid out before your eyes and the data was predominately procured by normal average people who save this information before it can be deleted.
Big Brother is here and we invited him in right through the front door. We accept this because it both improves our lives and protects us. But from whom? Take a note from history and go to this website and start reading from around the date of1933, June 22. http://www.humanitas-international.org/holocaust/1930-34t.htm
The "No Snitch Culture" is scary because it lets people with intent to harm to continue their terror. The Patriot Act is also scary because it opens up the path for the government to erode future rights. The emerging vigilante culture is even more scary. Just ask anyone who was accused of and burned at the stake for witchcraft.
-Malcolm Kogut
Saturday, April 20, 2013
A Quiet Place
This is a simple arrangement of the tune I composed while visiting NYC. The sheet music may be found at:
https://www.giamusic.com/products/P-Instrumental-piano.cfm
Friday, April 19, 2013
Hiking in the Adirondacks
A ubiquity of trail signs in the Adirondack State Park.
Me at the entrance of the cool and damp Trap Dike.
-Malcolm Kogut
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Singing Auditions
Over the years I have played for well over a hundred theatrical show
auditions. I have shouldered this task in both the community and
professional theater arena. Some of the best prepared auditions I have
had the privilege of accompanying have been in the community theater
realm where many of the applicants were full of dreams and eagerness to
prove themselves while, some professionals can be jaded or over
confident in their skill or resumé. Regardless how good the pianist may
be, it would behoove anyone auditioning for a musical to help the
pianist to help them sound and look good. I once played for a ten hour
cattle call in NYC and by the end of the second day, I was exhausted
both physically and mentally. There were also quite a few people who
seemingly were out to challenge me and my accompanying skills. In no
particular order, here are a list of my Do's and Don'ts. None of these
are hard and fast, but, do consider them for your own benefit.
Don't give the pianist hand written sheet music. Unless your handwriting is impeccable, if the lighting is bad or the chicken scratch on the page is too small or indiscernible, your pianist may have trouble reading it. My friend Mike is an excellent pianist but he is too proud to admit that his vision is beginning to fail. He is not going to be wearing glasses so both you and he are automatically at a disadvantage. Don't let his pride make you sound terrible. Give him something easy and clear to read.
Don't provide music written in keys with too many sharps or flats. Even if you are auditioning for a professional theater company, maybe they're regular pianist couldn't make it and the union sent over some new person without a lot of sight reading experience. Again, don't make it difficult for the pianist to make you sound good. Have the music transposed up or down a half step where it may be easier to read. You can either purchase music in various keys online or input it yourself into a program such as FINALE or some other engraving software. Many simple engraving programs can be found for free online.
Don't hand the pianist a brand new book with an uncooperative binding. New books which don't already have the binding broken can close on its own at any time. Wouldn't you rather the pianist to be focusing on you and not holding the book open?
If you are going to tell the pianist that you want to "Start here," then "skip to here," "repeat to here," "skip this page," "I'm singing different words here," "I'll stop there." then clearly mark it out in advance and use colored highlighters. Better yet, have the music re-transcribed using a program such as FINALE and lay it out exactly as you wish to sing it so that the pianist doesn't have to navigate a maze of clues, scribbles or even trust their own memory.
Treat your pianist with respect, even after you finish singing and are walking off stage. I once worked at the Empire State Institute for the Performing Arts at The Egg. Our music director was named George. He was a wonderful man who always watched the interaction between the singer and pianist. There were times when George would come down to the pit and ask me what someone said to me or what the music looked like, did they say "Thank you" or if I thought they knew what they were doing. How they treated me, how prepared they were and how easy they made it for me, mattered to George when hiring future cast members.
When it comes to having your music in a key you want it in, use a music engraving program and have your music transposed in the key you prefer because not every pianist can sight transpose. Even though I can sight transpose very well because it is something I do every day, it would behoove you not to test me at YOUR audition. I used to work at the Emma Willard School playing for four ballet classes a day, seven days a week and the teacher would only allow me a repertoire of 50 specific songs. Her reasoning was that she wanted her students to know the music so well that they would be better dancers. I quickly memorized the music and on some days, in an effort to entertain myself, I would transpose everything up a third for instance, or play everything in the key of B, then Db tomorrow. So, it's your audition. Do you want to risk sounding bad because you took a risk on the pianist?
Some pianist can fake an accompaniment with just a lead sheet and chords. If your pianist can't read chord symbols and you present them with only a melody line, you're sunk.
Some pianists can't read bass clef very well so if your music also contains chord symbols at the top, that can be very helpful. Even if I am reading both clefs, sometimes having a chord above the melody line can aid me in difficult passages. Many pianist will utilize both tools in accompanying. Have a friend with a knowledge of music theory neatly write the chords in if they are not already there.
Some singers may bring in their own pianists. My friend George wouldn't have allowed that because he wanted to see how you worked with new people. It wouldn't hurt to call in advance to find out if they will allow you to bring your own accompanist. Many won't mind.
Some singers practice with a recording and are comfortable singing to that karaoke type recording. Again, directors may want to hear you with only a piano or their pianist in an effort to discern your flexibility.
Some singers ask if they can sing a Capella. Many music directors will want to hear you with a piano to see how quickly and efficiently you can match pitches and rhythms. Some directors will allow you to sing unaccompanied but won't consider you. You will be giving them a much needed two minute break.
You may be able to wow the directors with your rendition of a Sondheim piece or some other difficult work, but your pianist may not be able to. It is you who may suffer when a pianist struggles with a difficult score. The pianist already has the job. Consider keeping it simple.
If you absolutely must sing Sondheim or something from a difficult score, pay someone to simplify the arrangement so that it is easy to read and play by the average pianist. Give it to a pianist friend and see how well they can play it on sight.
A few directors may frown upon you if you bring in illegally photocopied sheet music, just a few. Personally, this is the format I prefer. If you give me single sided, numbered, loose pages, I can lay them out on my music rack or stand with little fuss. Just keep it down to three or four pages. If one accidentally goes flying, you're up the creek. I don't mind if they are in a binder either but, they should then be double sided. Don't put them in a binder with hundreds of other songs and the whole collection weighs a lot. If I am using a music stand, it could cause my stand to slide down. Don't put your music in those plastic sheet protectors, either. Depending on the lighting they can cause a glare making it difficult to see the notes.
It never mattered to me if the singer sang a song from the show they were auditioning for or, sang a song that the character they were auditioning for will sing. However, if you are asked to hang out for a call back, you will probably be asked to sing something from the score. I once played an audition for CAMELOT in NYC. We were only casting for the two parts of Guenevere and Lancelot and over 300 people showed up. It was amazing how many men didn't know the song "If Ever I Would Leave You." It really showed us who would require a lot of hand holding and note plunking if they were cast in the show, which they weren't.
No matter how good the pianist may be, let me reiterate, don't make it difficult for them to make you sound good. If you are good, your quality will shine through on anything you sing. No matter how badly a piano player may butcher your piece, the director isn't listening to the pianist but they may take notice of your composure and recovery skills or, lack thereof. Keep it simple.
Don't give the pianist hand written sheet music. Unless your handwriting is impeccable, if the lighting is bad or the chicken scratch on the page is too small or indiscernible, your pianist may have trouble reading it. My friend Mike is an excellent pianist but he is too proud to admit that his vision is beginning to fail. He is not going to be wearing glasses so both you and he are automatically at a disadvantage. Don't let his pride make you sound terrible. Give him something easy and clear to read.
Don't provide music written in keys with too many sharps or flats. Even if you are auditioning for a professional theater company, maybe they're regular pianist couldn't make it and the union sent over some new person without a lot of sight reading experience. Again, don't make it difficult for the pianist to make you sound good. Have the music transposed up or down a half step where it may be easier to read. You can either purchase music in various keys online or input it yourself into a program such as FINALE or some other engraving software. Many simple engraving programs can be found for free online.
Don't hand the pianist a brand new book with an uncooperative binding. New books which don't already have the binding broken can close on its own at any time. Wouldn't you rather the pianist to be focusing on you and not holding the book open?
If you are going to tell the pianist that you want to "Start here," then "skip to here," "repeat to here," "skip this page," "I'm singing different words here," "I'll stop there." then clearly mark it out in advance and use colored highlighters. Better yet, have the music re-transcribed using a program such as FINALE and lay it out exactly as you wish to sing it so that the pianist doesn't have to navigate a maze of clues, scribbles or even trust their own memory.
Treat your pianist with respect, even after you finish singing and are walking off stage. I once worked at the Empire State Institute for the Performing Arts at The Egg. Our music director was named George. He was a wonderful man who always watched the interaction between the singer and pianist. There were times when George would come down to the pit and ask me what someone said to me or what the music looked like, did they say "Thank you" or if I thought they knew what they were doing. How they treated me, how prepared they were and how easy they made it for me, mattered to George when hiring future cast members.
When it comes to having your music in a key you want it in, use a music engraving program and have your music transposed in the key you prefer because not every pianist can sight transpose. Even though I can sight transpose very well because it is something I do every day, it would behoove you not to test me at YOUR audition. I used to work at the Emma Willard School playing for four ballet classes a day, seven days a week and the teacher would only allow me a repertoire of 50 specific songs. Her reasoning was that she wanted her students to know the music so well that they would be better dancers. I quickly memorized the music and on some days, in an effort to entertain myself, I would transpose everything up a third for instance, or play everything in the key of B, then Db tomorrow. So, it's your audition. Do you want to risk sounding bad because you took a risk on the pianist?
Some pianist can fake an accompaniment with just a lead sheet and chords. If your pianist can't read chord symbols and you present them with only a melody line, you're sunk.
Some pianists can't read bass clef very well so if your music also contains chord symbols at the top, that can be very helpful. Even if I am reading both clefs, sometimes having a chord above the melody line can aid me in difficult passages. Many pianist will utilize both tools in accompanying. Have a friend with a knowledge of music theory neatly write the chords in if they are not already there.
Some singers may bring in their own pianists. My friend George wouldn't have allowed that because he wanted to see how you worked with new people. It wouldn't hurt to call in advance to find out if they will allow you to bring your own accompanist. Many won't mind.
Some singers practice with a recording and are comfortable singing to that karaoke type recording. Again, directors may want to hear you with only a piano or their pianist in an effort to discern your flexibility.
Some singers ask if they can sing a Capella. Many music directors will want to hear you with a piano to see how quickly and efficiently you can match pitches and rhythms. Some directors will allow you to sing unaccompanied but won't consider you. You will be giving them a much needed two minute break.
You may be able to wow the directors with your rendition of a Sondheim piece or some other difficult work, but your pianist may not be able to. It is you who may suffer when a pianist struggles with a difficult score. The pianist already has the job. Consider keeping it simple.
If you absolutely must sing Sondheim or something from a difficult score, pay someone to simplify the arrangement so that it is easy to read and play by the average pianist. Give it to a pianist friend and see how well they can play it on sight.
A few directors may frown upon you if you bring in illegally photocopied sheet music, just a few. Personally, this is the format I prefer. If you give me single sided, numbered, loose pages, I can lay them out on my music rack or stand with little fuss. Just keep it down to three or four pages. If one accidentally goes flying, you're up the creek. I don't mind if they are in a binder either but, they should then be double sided. Don't put them in a binder with hundreds of other songs and the whole collection weighs a lot. If I am using a music stand, it could cause my stand to slide down. Don't put your music in those plastic sheet protectors, either. Depending on the lighting they can cause a glare making it difficult to see the notes.
It never mattered to me if the singer sang a song from the show they were auditioning for or, sang a song that the character they were auditioning for will sing. However, if you are asked to hang out for a call back, you will probably be asked to sing something from the score. I once played an audition for CAMELOT in NYC. We were only casting for the two parts of Guenevere and Lancelot and over 300 people showed up. It was amazing how many men didn't know the song "If Ever I Would Leave You." It really showed us who would require a lot of hand holding and note plunking if they were cast in the show, which they weren't.
No matter how good the pianist may be, let me reiterate, don't make it difficult for them to make you sound good. If you are good, your quality will shine through on anything you sing. No matter how badly a piano player may butcher your piece, the director isn't listening to the pianist but they may take notice of your composure and recovery skills or, lack thereof. Keep it simple.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Legalization of Marijuana
Do you know anyone who uses pot? Has been arrested for pot? Tried it
once? Do you know anyone who suffers from depression, addiction,
chronic pain, cancer or fibromyalgia? Well, it
looks like NY is going to join the pantheon of states to legalize
medical marijuana. Many of our politicians freely admit to once using
the herb such as Obama and Clinton. Recently Republican Assemblyman
Steve Katz was arrested and charged with possession as he was commuting
to Albany to vote on legislation. It is not clear if he has ever been
high while on the floor passing laws but it seems now that these laws
are affecting our lawmakers and they're going to do something about it.
I know what you're thinking. Marijuana is a drug. It slows motor skills. It causes cancer in the long term. It kills brain cells. Well, again, the operative word here is "medical" marijuana.
If you could improve the quality of life for someone who is either elderly or suffering from debilitating injuries or disease, would you or, would you rather they suffer? We know the side effects of marijuana so let's look at a few of the side effects from many common doctor prescribed medications:
Diarrhea, vomiting, suicide, death, nausea, amnesia, heart failure, stroke, water weight gain, muscle pain, blood clots, rash, dizziness, thinning bones, weakness, internal bleeding, dehydration, headaches, blurred vision, grogginess, difficulty breathing, no appetite, loss of balance, weight loss, weight gain, ringing in ears.
Marijuana doesn't do any of those. If your 80 year old grandmother suffered from painful and debilitating arthritis, would you rather she suffer any of those aforementioned medicated side effects and sleep away her day or sit around watching TV, being snack obsessed and laughing at the paint on the wall? Would you be concerned about her pot habit becoming a gateway drug?
What are some of the conditions medical marijuana is known for amelioration? Alzheimer's, arthritis, glaucoma, ALS, MS, fibromyalgia, migraines, pain relief, cancer, HIV/AIDS, breast and brain cancer, addiction, opioid addiction, depression, chronic pain, nausea, no appetite, suicide.
When I was answering the suicide hotline, I had a caller who once had breast cancer a few years prior and she became addicted to pain killers. She was taking eight pills a day despite being prescribed only four per day. They have no effect on her anymore and the pain is unbearable to the point that she is suicidal. She admitted that she had smoked pot with her daughter and that pot was the only thing that took away the pain. She was afraid of being arrested or getting her daughter arrested who was only trying to help her long suffering mother. If this was your mother, which treatment would you prefer she imbibe in? Endless and pointless suffering or giddy induced four hour lunches?
I have a friend in his forties who was a construction worker. He fell from a roof and is now permanently disabled. When he wakes up in the morning he is in excruciating pain. He takes medication which then knocks him out for four more hours. When he wakes in the afternoon, he forces himself to get up and take more medication which makes him nauseous, unable to eat and it still it doesn't take away his pain. He has absolutely no life with his current medical treatment. Enter marijuana. When he smokes pot, he is able to eat and function for the whole day and it helps him to sleep at night. Last year we went to the state fair and he was able to walk the entire park with no complaint. So he had two fried doughs, a turkey leg, a cotton candy, two Slurpees, a beer and then we went to lunch. He was able to function and have a quality day. Please note that I did not share in his treatment and waited outside his car while he took his morning dosage.
I'm not talking about making pot legal like alcohol is - which unlike pot, kills over 5,000 children each year in DWI accidents. Make pot available to people who can't find relief from modern medicine - or who do not wish to suffer the side effects of modern medicine - or who do not have insurance and can't afford the cost of modern medicine - or who sacrifice their quality of life because of the side effects of modern medicine.
We would like for our elderly (old tokes) and disabled loved ones to have a certain quality of life. If youth is through, do you think they are worried about long term damage from consuming or smoking an herb? Not if it allows them to enjoy the few years they have left.
A relative of mine was dying from cancer and she was prescribed morphine. She refused to take it because she wanted to be awake for every precious moment she had left in this world. Marijuana gave her a few pain free final weeks with her children which she would not have had otherwise.
A funny aside, I recently had lunch with one of my former youth choir members who is now in his twenties. He told me that when he was eight, his neighbor friend found his mother's stash of pot and they both snuck down into his basement to smoke it. He said that it didn't have any effect on them and they really didn't remember much. His friend emerged from the basement with shaved eyebrows and they plugged the toilet with something causing it to overflow and flood the basement.
It seems when a senator's son comes out of the closet, they change their view on gay rights and attendant laws. When a senator gets arrested for possession, we change our marijuana laws. Once we do change the law, what are we going to do about the thousands of people in jail or prison who were arrested for possession and are serving lengthy sentences? What about the people with prior felony convictions who are unemployable? Congress, please fix the problems you created.
We need to arrest more senators.
-Malcolm Kogut.
I know what you're thinking. Marijuana is a drug. It slows motor skills. It causes cancer in the long term. It kills brain cells. Well, again, the operative word here is "medical" marijuana.
If you could improve the quality of life for someone who is either elderly or suffering from debilitating injuries or disease, would you or, would you rather they suffer? We know the side effects of marijuana so let's look at a few of the side effects from many common doctor prescribed medications:
Diarrhea, vomiting, suicide, death, nausea, amnesia, heart failure, stroke, water weight gain, muscle pain, blood clots, rash, dizziness, thinning bones, weakness, internal bleeding, dehydration, headaches, blurred vision, grogginess, difficulty breathing, no appetite, loss of balance, weight loss, weight gain, ringing in ears.
Marijuana doesn't do any of those. If your 80 year old grandmother suffered from painful and debilitating arthritis, would you rather she suffer any of those aforementioned medicated side effects and sleep away her day or sit around watching TV, being snack obsessed and laughing at the paint on the wall? Would you be concerned about her pot habit becoming a gateway drug?
What are some of the conditions medical marijuana is known for amelioration? Alzheimer's, arthritis, glaucoma, ALS, MS, fibromyalgia, migraines, pain relief, cancer, HIV/AIDS, breast and brain cancer, addiction, opioid addiction, depression, chronic pain, nausea, no appetite, suicide.
When I was answering the suicide hotline, I had a caller who once had breast cancer a few years prior and she became addicted to pain killers. She was taking eight pills a day despite being prescribed only four per day. They have no effect on her anymore and the pain is unbearable to the point that she is suicidal. She admitted that she had smoked pot with her daughter and that pot was the only thing that took away the pain. She was afraid of being arrested or getting her daughter arrested who was only trying to help her long suffering mother. If this was your mother, which treatment would you prefer she imbibe in? Endless and pointless suffering or giddy induced four hour lunches?
I have a friend in his forties who was a construction worker. He fell from a roof and is now permanently disabled. When he wakes up in the morning he is in excruciating pain. He takes medication which then knocks him out for four more hours. When he wakes in the afternoon, he forces himself to get up and take more medication which makes him nauseous, unable to eat and it still it doesn't take away his pain. He has absolutely no life with his current medical treatment. Enter marijuana. When he smokes pot, he is able to eat and function for the whole day and it helps him to sleep at night. Last year we went to the state fair and he was able to walk the entire park with no complaint. So he had two fried doughs, a turkey leg, a cotton candy, two Slurpees, a beer and then we went to lunch. He was able to function and have a quality day. Please note that I did not share in his treatment and waited outside his car while he took his morning dosage.
I'm not talking about making pot legal like alcohol is - which unlike pot, kills over 5,000 children each year in DWI accidents. Make pot available to people who can't find relief from modern medicine - or who do not wish to suffer the side effects of modern medicine - or who do not have insurance and can't afford the cost of modern medicine - or who sacrifice their quality of life because of the side effects of modern medicine.
We would like for our elderly (old tokes) and disabled loved ones to have a certain quality of life. If youth is through, do you think they are worried about long term damage from consuming or smoking an herb? Not if it allows them to enjoy the few years they have left.
A relative of mine was dying from cancer and she was prescribed morphine. She refused to take it because she wanted to be awake for every precious moment she had left in this world. Marijuana gave her a few pain free final weeks with her children which she would not have had otherwise.
A funny aside, I recently had lunch with one of my former youth choir members who is now in his twenties. He told me that when he was eight, his neighbor friend found his mother's stash of pot and they both snuck down into his basement to smoke it. He said that it didn't have any effect on them and they really didn't remember much. His friend emerged from the basement with shaved eyebrows and they plugged the toilet with something causing it to overflow and flood the basement.
It seems when a senator's son comes out of the closet, they change their view on gay rights and attendant laws. When a senator gets arrested for possession, we change our marijuana laws. Once we do change the law, what are we going to do about the thousands of people in jail or prison who were arrested for possession and are serving lengthy sentences? What about the people with prior felony convictions who are unemployable? Congress, please fix the problems you created.
We need to arrest more senators.
-Malcolm Kogut.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Diamond in the Rock
While hiking in the Adirondacks, I found this rock with an embedded quartz crystal. It is estimated that this little "diamond" is five hundred million years old. Such phenomenal beauty created and imprisoned by tons of pressure. It reminds me of the scripture about gold, tested in fire. I wonder how many thousands of people walked past this rock, never knowing the secret beauty held within.
-malcolm kogut.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Saving Money
I used to volunteer answering the phone lines for 211. Actually I
volunteered answering the phones for two suicide hotlines but 211 was
the bread and butter and funding for the suicide hotlines. Of course,
we lost our 211 funding and the suicide hotlines are now suffering their
own slow death. Meanwhile my senators are earning $194,000 per year
and "require" a cost of living increase.
I encourage anyone who could use a little fiscal assistance to call their local 211 (like 911 but with a 2) and find out what local resources are available to them.
You may be able to get assistance with rent, mortgage, heat, utilities, crime, domestic abuse issues, medical, dental, free tax prep, pet care, free cell phones, free cars, medical transportation, employment assistance, support groups, mental health, etcetera. If you need information about summer camps, day cares, the mayor's office, places to volunteer, or even a non-emergency police number, 211 may be able to provide that information. Think of them as the yellow pages but don't use them as directory assistance. They only provide information to non-profits and government agencies. If there is a dead skunk in front of your house, they should be able to provide a number to the animal control officer in your town. They won't give you the number for your local McDonalds (although, on slow days, I have).
211 doesn't provide the actual assistance, only referrals to organizations who offer that assistance. If you don't know where to apply for food stamps, we can help you. If you already know that you should go to the DSS, you wouldn't need to call us. HOWEVER, we may know of organization and community action programs who can assist, expedite or even advocate on your behalf regarding the procurement of food stamps so you won't have to personally go to the DSS.
Don't be afraid or insulted to provide the 211 operator with personal and statistical data either. That information is important for them in obtaining future funding and grants and is also important information to organizations who invest in certain communities. For instance, 211 will first require your zip code to find what is available in your area. If statistical data shows that there is an increase in Hispanic callers in a certain region, they may be able to use that information to show organizations who serve the Hispanic community that there is a need to augment assistance in those areas. If our data shows that there is an increase in single parent households looking for child care or other child related assistance, it could help us in procuring future funding from organizations that provide child related services and wish for us to provide referrals to their organizations.
There are many organizations who only provide assistance to people who are victims of domestic abuse, are HIV+, have arrest records, do or don't have children, are of a certain nationality or, there may even be gender qualifiers. Don't be afraid to reveal personal information because it could mean the difference between the call specialist from finding you help or not.
Our database was hierarchical, meaning, if you needed clothing assistance, I would type "Clothing" and a list of agencies would appear for your zip code. I could further fine tune that list to age (child, teen or adult), then gender, then employment, etcetera. There are some organizations for instance, who will provide new and free clothing only to unemployed women going on job interviews. If you get the job, they will then provide you with five free outfits. If you fail to freely provide me with that information, I wouldn't be able to find that organization for you. However, it really isn't as odious as that.
One day a man called me looking for food assistance. I listed off all the food pantries in his area. He had been to all of them and most of them only offered assistance once a month which wasn't enough. He had already been to DSS and his local churches. In passing, he mentioned that he can't even afford food for his dog and sometimes provides for her before he eats himself. Information like that puts me into advocacy mode. I thought that if I could save him money in pet food, he'd have more money for himself. I rattled off a litany of sub-groups asking him if anyone in his household had mental health issues, drug or alcohol issues, was a veteran, had HIV, and he stopped me saying, "Yes, I have HIV." I typed that into my database and an organization which provides pet food and veterinary care for the pets of people with HIV came up. I wasn't able to help him for what he called for, but I was able to ameliorate his overall condition.
There were some callers I wasn't able to help so I would ask them for their name and number, then go talk to other volunteers to see if they had ideas. Often, someone would be able to come up with some solution since not every organization poised for assistance in the community was listed in our database. Many of them don't want to be listed because they are already over taxed with requests for help.
When people call for help and they live in communities which have no support services at all, or those services have already been exhausted, I try to brainstorm with people on ways they can save money and cut expenses.
If someone can't afford their phone bill, I let them know about the free government sponsored cell phones. If they have internet, they can subscribe to iCall or GoogleTalk and cancel their landline. Maybe they can go halfies with a neighbor on internet WiFi or trash pickup. I know a guy who makes $90,000 per year but has six kids and they live at poverty level. He packs their daily garbage in plastic grocery store bags and rolls them into small, neat bundles. Each day, he or the kids take them to work or school and discreetly drop them in trash cans. It saves them about $30 per month which isn't much, but can equal food, heat, shoes or internet. Again, money not spent in one area can be spent elsewhere.
So, call 211. Be not afraid. Don't be too proud or ashamed. They're there to help. They want to help. Helping you helps them. Some of us even get a high off of helping people. Your 211 may be very busy and the person on the phone may not be permitted to deviate from the script in front of them, but maybe you'll get lucky and get someone who is willing to do some sleuthing and sacrifice their quota for you.
When my 211 closed, our region was absorbed by a 211 three hundred miles away. I know for a fact that our community is less for it, especially when I talk to some of the community service organizations and hear their complaints on the quality of the current referrals. Also, we volunteers live in this community and know of resources not listed in the database. Someone 300 miles away would not be aware of such information.
Half of one senator's salary could have funded us for another year and helped provide quality care to an increasing population of people in need, who have never before navigated the waters of seeking support.
-Malcolm Kogut.
I encourage anyone who could use a little fiscal assistance to call their local 211 (like 911 but with a 2) and find out what local resources are available to them.
You may be able to get assistance with rent, mortgage, heat, utilities, crime, domestic abuse issues, medical, dental, free tax prep, pet care, free cell phones, free cars, medical transportation, employment assistance, support groups, mental health, etcetera. If you need information about summer camps, day cares, the mayor's office, places to volunteer, or even a non-emergency police number, 211 may be able to provide that information. Think of them as the yellow pages but don't use them as directory assistance. They only provide information to non-profits and government agencies. If there is a dead skunk in front of your house, they should be able to provide a number to the animal control officer in your town. They won't give you the number for your local McDonalds (although, on slow days, I have).
211 doesn't provide the actual assistance, only referrals to organizations who offer that assistance. If you don't know where to apply for food stamps, we can help you. If you already know that you should go to the DSS, you wouldn't need to call us. HOWEVER, we may know of organization and community action programs who can assist, expedite or even advocate on your behalf regarding the procurement of food stamps so you won't have to personally go to the DSS.
Don't be afraid or insulted to provide the 211 operator with personal and statistical data either. That information is important for them in obtaining future funding and grants and is also important information to organizations who invest in certain communities. For instance, 211 will first require your zip code to find what is available in your area. If statistical data shows that there is an increase in Hispanic callers in a certain region, they may be able to use that information to show organizations who serve the Hispanic community that there is a need to augment assistance in those areas. If our data shows that there is an increase in single parent households looking for child care or other child related assistance, it could help us in procuring future funding from organizations that provide child related services and wish for us to provide referrals to their organizations.
There are many organizations who only provide assistance to people who are victims of domestic abuse, are HIV+, have arrest records, do or don't have children, are of a certain nationality or, there may even be gender qualifiers. Don't be afraid to reveal personal information because it could mean the difference between the call specialist from finding you help or not.
Our database was hierarchical, meaning, if you needed clothing assistance, I would type "Clothing" and a list of agencies would appear for your zip code. I could further fine tune that list to age (child, teen or adult), then gender, then employment, etcetera. There are some organizations for instance, who will provide new and free clothing only to unemployed women going on job interviews. If you get the job, they will then provide you with five free outfits. If you fail to freely provide me with that information, I wouldn't be able to find that organization for you. However, it really isn't as odious as that.
One day a man called me looking for food assistance. I listed off all the food pantries in his area. He had been to all of them and most of them only offered assistance once a month which wasn't enough. He had already been to DSS and his local churches. In passing, he mentioned that he can't even afford food for his dog and sometimes provides for her before he eats himself. Information like that puts me into advocacy mode. I thought that if I could save him money in pet food, he'd have more money for himself. I rattled off a litany of sub-groups asking him if anyone in his household had mental health issues, drug or alcohol issues, was a veteran, had HIV, and he stopped me saying, "Yes, I have HIV." I typed that into my database and an organization which provides pet food and veterinary care for the pets of people with HIV came up. I wasn't able to help him for what he called for, but I was able to ameliorate his overall condition.
There were some callers I wasn't able to help so I would ask them for their name and number, then go talk to other volunteers to see if they had ideas. Often, someone would be able to come up with some solution since not every organization poised for assistance in the community was listed in our database. Many of them don't want to be listed because they are already over taxed with requests for help.
When people call for help and they live in communities which have no support services at all, or those services have already been exhausted, I try to brainstorm with people on ways they can save money and cut expenses.
If someone can't afford their phone bill, I let them know about the free government sponsored cell phones. If they have internet, they can subscribe to iCall or GoogleTalk and cancel their landline. Maybe they can go halfies with a neighbor on internet WiFi or trash pickup. I know a guy who makes $90,000 per year but has six kids and they live at poverty level. He packs their daily garbage in plastic grocery store bags and rolls them into small, neat bundles. Each day, he or the kids take them to work or school and discreetly drop them in trash cans. It saves them about $30 per month which isn't much, but can equal food, heat, shoes or internet. Again, money not spent in one area can be spent elsewhere.
So, call 211. Be not afraid. Don't be too proud or ashamed. They're there to help. They want to help. Helping you helps them. Some of us even get a high off of helping people. Your 211 may be very busy and the person on the phone may not be permitted to deviate from the script in front of them, but maybe you'll get lucky and get someone who is willing to do some sleuthing and sacrifice their quota for you.
When my 211 closed, our region was absorbed by a 211 three hundred miles away. I know for a fact that our community is less for it, especially when I talk to some of the community service organizations and hear their complaints on the quality of the current referrals. Also, we volunteers live in this community and know of resources not listed in the database. Someone 300 miles away would not be aware of such information.
Half of one senator's salary could have funded us for another year and helped provide quality care to an increasing population of people in need, who have never before navigated the waters of seeking support.
-Malcolm Kogut.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
MOVEMENT PRAYER SERVICE
I once organized a weekend dance retreat where we had over 80 students
of all ages participate in workshops designed for sacred movement. The
talks and demonstrations which were presented by three local dance
teachers covered topics such as suitable clothing; working with sacred
props, dancing with candles and water; dancing the seasons; working the
Sacred Space; and a several other topics. The whole retreat culminated
with this service.
This is a flexible service which you can break up into small components for smaller gatherings. You can have the attendees assume the positions, you may have actors assume the positions, have dancers choreograph a short routine for each of the sections. Your imagination is your only limitation.
Are you ever restless? Does your heart get hungry? Week after week, when you go to the church, do you ever feel there should be something more? Nice churches, nice people, nice town, nice neighborhood, nice music, nice friends, nice preacher, nice this, nice that. But, who the heck wants everything nice all the time? Some in the church are restless, dreaming of something more. Are you ever restless that in the church all is not good? All is not well?
Bowing (Please bow)
If I could not bend low, how could I embrace a child? If I could not bend low, how could I tie someone's shoes? If I could not bend low, how could I make someone's bed? If I could not bend low, how could I give someone bath? If I could not bend low, how could I lift the fallen. If I could not bend low, how could I take bread from the oven? If I could not bend low, how could I comfort the suffering? How could I acknowledge my profound reverence before God if I could not bend low?
Sign of the Cross
We make the sign of the cross at the beginning and end of the Mass. The sign of the Cross is made on us at the beginning and end of our lives. At the beginning and end of all we do stands the sign of the cross, saying: this place, this space of time, this life, this child, these people, this corpse, all belong to the Lord. For, he bears in his body the marks of that same cross.
Can you hear it through the ages, like a mighty trumpet call, the call to leave your nets and follow? It's a call to joy and gladness. It's a call to life and birth. It's a call to plant the seeds of love. It's a call to joyful expectation.
Make the sign of the cross. It's a blood stained invitation to a life of sacrifice. It's a call to face the makers of destruction and of war. It's a call to be the lowly. It's a call to be the least. It's a call to join the suffering and to bear the weeper's load. It's a call to death and dying. It's a call to live like fools. Take your cross in hand and follow, for this place, this space of time, this life, this child, thesepeople, this corpse, all belong to the Lord.
(lead them up the center aisle) Processing
We skip and limp and march and run and shuffle and stroll. Over peaks and valleys and sand and stone and mud and grass and dust and streams.
What is a procession? It is a journey distilled. Why journey? We journey to discover the source. We journey to discover the ground. We journey to discover the companion. We journey to discover the way. Like Melchior, in days of old, we journey to find a treasure in the most unlikely of places. Some people ask, why do we need to go somewhere? Why do we need to go on a journey or follow a star? (gesture to the building) Can't we find all the God we need right here?
Kneeling (please kneel)
Here we are, on our knees.
The wrestler, forced to his knees
the lover, proposing on his knees
the plaintiff, going down on her knees
the victim, flinging herself to her knees
the beggar, groveling on his knees
the loyal subject, falling to her knees
the loser, brought to his knees
the worshiper, taking to her knees
Before God, we are all of these.
Standing (look to Paul)
Just as a lawyer stands beside his client during the sentencing, we stand with the Lord as we are called to stand side by side with the weak, the poor, those imprisoned, those falsely accused, or the outcast.
Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand beside a man dying of AIDS? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand before a woman contemplating an abortion? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand against giants or governments of war and persecution? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand before those considering suicide? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand beside those imprisoned by guilt, beside those imprisoned by pride, beside those imprisoned by sorrow, beside those imprisoned by loneliness, beside those imprisoned by age? Awake, Jerusalem, arise! The power of God's holy Word rallies God's people, it brings us to our feet.
Sitting ()
The middle child of posture. Not the complete abandon of lying down, not the height of power, standing in full stature, but somewhere in the middle, between action and rest.
Jesus sat with ordinary people. He sat down to table with even the disreputable. Public opinion was never a problem with Jesus. He never had anything to lose because everything he had he shared. He served through his teaching, his healing, and his liberating people from evil influences. He was a genuine human person, a real brother to the poor, the weak, the sick, the alienated. He was not a benefactor, or a patron, or a philanthropist - but a brother.
In this lies the greatness of Jesus. To have real power and influence one does not control or manipulate. One serves and builds and loves. When we sit still, we are willing to listen, ready to be beckoned, waiting, receptive, open. In this posture of sitting, the Word of the Lord may begin to be heard.
Offertory
On Sunday, as the basket passes, we offer money. Money means a lot to us. We may be proud or embarrassed by the amount of money we make. It defines the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, the food we eat, the community we live in, the car we drive. That is the spiritual reason for offering money to God, because it bears so much of our personal identity. The real gift to God, though, is ourselves.
As the priest prepares the gifts to be sacrificed to God, he drops a little ordinary water into the wine and silently prays: "By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity." In the preparation of the gifts, the water symbolizes our ordinary human nature and the wine symbolizes the divine nature. A little of the water mixes with the wine, gets lost in and becomes part of the wine. Just as the prayer says, "May we come to share in the divinity of Christ."
What is your offering to God? What do you offer God? $5? $10? $50? How much of yourself do you want God to have? Will you live a life of sacrifice? Will you oppose the makers of destruction and of war? Will you stand with the lowly and the least? Will you join the suffering, bear the weeper's load or live like a fool? Do you want to participate in the divinity of Christ? These can be hard questions. Will God settle for money?
Keeping Silence
Speech must die to serve that which is spoken. (60 seconds of silence)
The Lord is in this holy temple: let the earth keep silence and adore.
Watching
There is a beautiful Taize chant that reads: Stay with me, remain here with me. Watch and pray. Watch and pray.
Immanuel, a name which means "God is with us." It does not mean that God solves our problems, shows us the way out of our confusion, or offers answers for our many questions. It means he is with us, willing to enter with us into our problems, confusions, and questions. We, do not aspire to suffer with others. On the contrary, we develop methods and techniques that allow us to stay away from pain. Hospitals, nursing homes, rest homes, funeral homes, they all often become places to hide the sick, the suffering, and the dead. Suffering is unattractive, repelling and disgusting. The less we are confronted with it, the better. It is something we want to avoid at all cost. Among some people, compassion is not among our most natural responses. But, in times of trial, if someone were to say to us, "I do not know what to say or what to do, but I want you to realize that I am with you, that I will not leave you alone," we have a friend through whom we can find consolation and comfort.
What really counts, is that in the moments of pain and suffering, someone stays with us. More important than any particular action, or, word of advice, is the simple presence of someone who cares. They show solidarity with us by willingly entering the dark spaces of our lives. For this reason, they, like God, are the ones who bring hope and help us discover new directions. From the Beatitudes, Jesus says, "Blessed are those who mourn." Not because mourning is good, but because they shall be comforted.
Please Fold your Hands in a Praying Position
St. Vincent de Paul writes: "If a needy person requires medicine or other help during your prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer that deed to God as your prayer. Do not become upset or feel guilty because you use your prayer time to serve the poor. God is not neglected if you leave him for real service. You should prefer the service of the poor to making your prayer. For, it is not enough to love God, if, your neighbor does not also love God."
Here you are, you press against your own skin and bone and feel the pulse of your blood. Do you feel the warmth or cold, the tension or relaxation, the roughness or smoothness? These hands touch the ones you love, hold the things you treasure, perform the constant countless motions of your living. For now, these hands do nothing, they are not useful held this way, kept by each other from all movement of living and serving. Pressed to each other, there is no space for holding anything or anyone. For the moment these hands, are empty (and useless) and still.
Outstretched Arms (the orans position)
The tiny child, tired and frustrated by its own weight, frustrated by its own helplessness, stretches out and up, wordlessly seeking, hoping, vulnerable but trusting, pleading eloquently with frail arms. Standing quietly before the Lord, alert, watchful, ready and grateful, hopeful and expansive, with arms raised in joy, hope, desire and confidence, lift your hands to the poor, the tired, embrace the weak, embrace the suicidal, embrace the prostitute, embrace the beaten, embrace the dying. Meet God's embrace, vulnerable and waiting.
(Wait for the end of this meditation to make...) Sign of Peace
For a moment, there is hesitation or even reluctance to enter the space between strangers. Reserved and cautious, we choose some appropriate sign of Christ's peace. Over aisle and empty space - a smile or a wave. To those within arm's length - a clasp of hands. Among family and friends - an embrace or a kiss. The bounds of propriety prevail.
On Sunday, while we are in our nice churches, with our nice friends, and our nice music, before our nice flowers, in our nice communities, who is smiling at the belligerent teenager addicted to drugs or alcohol? Who clasps the hand of the hungry and poor? Who embraces the man with AIDS? Who welcomes the prostitute? Who is there to kiss the homeless? Who acknowledges the shy and lonely? Is there a restless stirring among us? Is it the peace of Christ freeing us to touch, to embrace, to kiss even the stranger in our midst? Indeed, the peace of Christ is with us. But, are you ever restless?
In the words of St. Vincent de Paul, go forth and serve your fellow man, and offer it as your prayer to God.
This is a flexible service which you can break up into small components for smaller gatherings. You can have the attendees assume the positions, you may have actors assume the positions, have dancers choreograph a short routine for each of the sections. Your imagination is your only limitation.
Are you ever restless? Does your heart get hungry? Week after week, when you go to the church, do you ever feel there should be something more? Nice churches, nice people, nice town, nice neighborhood, nice music, nice friends, nice preacher, nice this, nice that. But, who the heck wants everything nice all the time? Some in the church are restless, dreaming of something more. Are you ever restless that in the church all is not good? All is not well?
Bowing (Please bow)
If I could not bend low, how could I embrace a child? If I could not bend low, how could I tie someone's shoes? If I could not bend low, how could I make someone's bed? If I could not bend low, how could I give someone bath? If I could not bend low, how could I lift the fallen. If I could not bend low, how could I take bread from the oven? If I could not bend low, how could I comfort the suffering? How could I acknowledge my profound reverence before God if I could not bend low?
Sign of the Cross
We make the sign of the cross at the beginning and end of the Mass. The sign of the Cross is made on us at the beginning and end of our lives. At the beginning and end of all we do stands the sign of the cross, saying: this place, this space of time, this life, this child, these people, this corpse, all belong to the Lord. For, he bears in his body the marks of that same cross.
Can you hear it through the ages, like a mighty trumpet call, the call to leave your nets and follow? It's a call to joy and gladness. It's a call to life and birth. It's a call to plant the seeds of love. It's a call to joyful expectation.
Make the sign of the cross. It's a blood stained invitation to a life of sacrifice. It's a call to face the makers of destruction and of war. It's a call to be the lowly. It's a call to be the least. It's a call to join the suffering and to bear the weeper's load. It's a call to death and dying. It's a call to live like fools. Take your cross in hand and follow, for this place, this space of time, this life, this child, thesepeople, this corpse, all belong to the Lord.
(lead them up the center aisle) Processing
We skip and limp and march and run and shuffle and stroll. Over peaks and valleys and sand and stone and mud and grass and dust and streams.
What is a procession? It is a journey distilled. Why journey? We journey to discover the source. We journey to discover the ground. We journey to discover the companion. We journey to discover the way. Like Melchior, in days of old, we journey to find a treasure in the most unlikely of places. Some people ask, why do we need to go somewhere? Why do we need to go on a journey or follow a star? (gesture to the building) Can't we find all the God we need right here?
Kneeling (please kneel)
Here we are, on our knees.
The wrestler, forced to his knees
the lover, proposing on his knees
the plaintiff, going down on her knees
the victim, flinging herself to her knees
the beggar, groveling on his knees
the loyal subject, falling to her knees
the loser, brought to his knees
the worshiper, taking to her knees
Before God, we are all of these.
Standing (look to Paul)
Just as a lawyer stands beside his client during the sentencing, we stand with the Lord as we are called to stand side by side with the weak, the poor, those imprisoned, those falsely accused, or the outcast.
Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand beside a man dying of AIDS? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand before a woman contemplating an abortion? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand against giants or governments of war and persecution? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand before those considering suicide? Does the power of the Lord bring you to your feet to stand beside those imprisoned by guilt, beside those imprisoned by pride, beside those imprisoned by sorrow, beside those imprisoned by loneliness, beside those imprisoned by age? Awake, Jerusalem, arise! The power of God's holy Word rallies God's people, it brings us to our feet.
Sitting ()
The middle child of posture. Not the complete abandon of lying down, not the height of power, standing in full stature, but somewhere in the middle, between action and rest.
Jesus sat with ordinary people. He sat down to table with even the disreputable. Public opinion was never a problem with Jesus. He never had anything to lose because everything he had he shared. He served through his teaching, his healing, and his liberating people from evil influences. He was a genuine human person, a real brother to the poor, the weak, the sick, the alienated. He was not a benefactor, or a patron, or a philanthropist - but a brother.
In this lies the greatness of Jesus. To have real power and influence one does not control or manipulate. One serves and builds and loves. When we sit still, we are willing to listen, ready to be beckoned, waiting, receptive, open. In this posture of sitting, the Word of the Lord may begin to be heard.
Offertory
On Sunday, as the basket passes, we offer money. Money means a lot to us. We may be proud or embarrassed by the amount of money we make. It defines the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, the food we eat, the community we live in, the car we drive. That is the spiritual reason for offering money to God, because it bears so much of our personal identity. The real gift to God, though, is ourselves.
As the priest prepares the gifts to be sacrificed to God, he drops a little ordinary water into the wine and silently prays: "By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity." In the preparation of the gifts, the water symbolizes our ordinary human nature and the wine symbolizes the divine nature. A little of the water mixes with the wine, gets lost in and becomes part of the wine. Just as the prayer says, "May we come to share in the divinity of Christ."
What is your offering to God? What do you offer God? $5? $10? $50? How much of yourself do you want God to have? Will you live a life of sacrifice? Will you oppose the makers of destruction and of war? Will you stand with the lowly and the least? Will you join the suffering, bear the weeper's load or live like a fool? Do you want to participate in the divinity of Christ? These can be hard questions. Will God settle for money?
Keeping Silence
Speech must die to serve that which is spoken. (60 seconds of silence)
The Lord is in this holy temple: let the earth keep silence and adore.
Watching
There is a beautiful Taize chant that reads: Stay with me, remain here with me. Watch and pray. Watch and pray.
Immanuel, a name which means "God is with us." It does not mean that God solves our problems, shows us the way out of our confusion, or offers answers for our many questions. It means he is with us, willing to enter with us into our problems, confusions, and questions. We, do not aspire to suffer with others. On the contrary, we develop methods and techniques that allow us to stay away from pain. Hospitals, nursing homes, rest homes, funeral homes, they all often become places to hide the sick, the suffering, and the dead. Suffering is unattractive, repelling and disgusting. The less we are confronted with it, the better. It is something we want to avoid at all cost. Among some people, compassion is not among our most natural responses. But, in times of trial, if someone were to say to us, "I do not know what to say or what to do, but I want you to realize that I am with you, that I will not leave you alone," we have a friend through whom we can find consolation and comfort.
What really counts, is that in the moments of pain and suffering, someone stays with us. More important than any particular action, or, word of advice, is the simple presence of someone who cares. They show solidarity with us by willingly entering the dark spaces of our lives. For this reason, they, like God, are the ones who bring hope and help us discover new directions. From the Beatitudes, Jesus says, "Blessed are those who mourn." Not because mourning is good, but because they shall be comforted.
Please Fold your Hands in a Praying Position
St. Vincent de Paul writes: "If a needy person requires medicine or other help during your prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer that deed to God as your prayer. Do not become upset or feel guilty because you use your prayer time to serve the poor. God is not neglected if you leave him for real service. You should prefer the service of the poor to making your prayer. For, it is not enough to love God, if, your neighbor does not also love God."
Here you are, you press against your own skin and bone and feel the pulse of your blood. Do you feel the warmth or cold, the tension or relaxation, the roughness or smoothness? These hands touch the ones you love, hold the things you treasure, perform the constant countless motions of your living. For now, these hands do nothing, they are not useful held this way, kept by each other from all movement of living and serving. Pressed to each other, there is no space for holding anything or anyone. For the moment these hands, are empty (and useless) and still.
Outstretched Arms (the orans position)
The tiny child, tired and frustrated by its own weight, frustrated by its own helplessness, stretches out and up, wordlessly seeking, hoping, vulnerable but trusting, pleading eloquently with frail arms. Standing quietly before the Lord, alert, watchful, ready and grateful, hopeful and expansive, with arms raised in joy, hope, desire and confidence, lift your hands to the poor, the tired, embrace the weak, embrace the suicidal, embrace the prostitute, embrace the beaten, embrace the dying. Meet God's embrace, vulnerable and waiting.
(Wait for the end of this meditation to make...) Sign of Peace
For a moment, there is hesitation or even reluctance to enter the space between strangers. Reserved and cautious, we choose some appropriate sign of Christ's peace. Over aisle and empty space - a smile or a wave. To those within arm's length - a clasp of hands. Among family and friends - an embrace or a kiss. The bounds of propriety prevail.
On Sunday, while we are in our nice churches, with our nice friends, and our nice music, before our nice flowers, in our nice communities, who is smiling at the belligerent teenager addicted to drugs or alcohol? Who clasps the hand of the hungry and poor? Who embraces the man with AIDS? Who welcomes the prostitute? Who is there to kiss the homeless? Who acknowledges the shy and lonely? Is there a restless stirring among us? Is it the peace of Christ freeing us to touch, to embrace, to kiss even the stranger in our midst? Indeed, the peace of Christ is with us. But, are you ever restless?
In the words of St. Vincent de Paul, go forth and serve your fellow man, and offer it as your prayer to God.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Bunessan, Morning Has Broken
The sheet music for a more simplified arrangement may be found at:
https://www.giamusic.com/products/P-Instrumental-piano.cfm
Malcolm Kogut
Thursday, April 11, 2013
KIDS ON BIKES (From the whine and complaint department)
Spring is here and soon, all the kids who don't have Xbox, Nintendo, the
internet or other assorted electronic-static loading-tendonitis
creating devices will be out on the streets riding their bike.
The law states that cyclists are to ride on the right side of the road which is with traffic. Most kids and adults alike do not like riding with their back to traffic, however. They like to see what is coming toward them. When they do ride on the wrong side of the road, some will pull off onto the shoulder when they see a car coming at them. Unfortunately, many will exercise their "right of way" and play chicken with the two ton vehicle approaching them.
The "pedestrian right of way" is a dangerous law. Many pedestrians and especially children are maimed or killed each year because they are taught as pedestrians they have the right of way over a vehicle. Whether they do or not, my parents taught me to stop, look and listen. Then look again, then look as I am crossing. When it comes to a 4,000 pound hunk of steel barreling toward me and my well-being, I'm gonna let the car go by without challenge and give up my legal right to stare it down.
A woman and her two year old child, in the city of Troy, NY, were recently killed when she exercised her right of way and stepped in front of a moving vehicle at an intersection. The city is now trying to figure out how to make the intersection more safe and are considering lowering the speed limit. Nobody is talking about attempting to educate people that the act of dueling with a car is a risky battle which could result in death. The right of way is a right I won't risk my life on, unlike some people.
Anyway, there are two reasons for teaching your kids to ride on the right side. When a car is coming up behind you, the driver has more control over the situation because he can easily judge your speed and trajectory and, he can safely go around you. When you are facing him, you are adding a direction and speed that he can't compensate for. Also, if your kid is facing oncoming traffic, he may see that the car is yielding to the center of the road and the child will most likely remain on the white line. This is very dangerous because now the driver is calculating oncoming traffic and your kid's assertiveness and may try to squeeze between both cyclist and whatever is in the other lane. The driver certainly doesn't want to risk a head on collision and being unlikely to slow down, he will risk the squeeze. Again, a child with his back to traffic is most likely to ride on the shoulder and this lemon squeeze situation will not present itself. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The biggest reason to ride on the right side is because when a cyclist is riding on the wrong or left side, because he feels more safe when he can face traffic, a car pulling out of a driveway or side street whose intention is to make a right turn is not looking to the right. As he is approaching the main street he is concerned with traffic coming from the left. As your child is approaching from the right, the driver of the vehicle most likely will not see him, especially if the driver of the car is not coming to a complete stop and merely yielding to what is on his left. Your child, who knows he has the right of way will ride in front of the car while the driver is looking in the opposite direction. An unhappy union will occur if the driver doesn't turn his head to the right in time to see your little soldier. If you don't understand this explanation, get on a bike, ride on the left side and pull in front of cars which are turning right. You'll figure it out real quick.
Of course any driver who runs over your child will be ticketed or arrested for manslaughter, but, take comfort in knowing that your child was exercising their right of way. Good for them for standing their ground.
You can't take for granted that every driver is conscientious, aware of their complete surroundings or even paying attention. Teach children to stop, look and listen. And, never mention that they have the right of way. What they know, can hurt them.
The law states that cyclists are to ride on the right side of the road which is with traffic. Most kids and adults alike do not like riding with their back to traffic, however. They like to see what is coming toward them. When they do ride on the wrong side of the road, some will pull off onto the shoulder when they see a car coming at them. Unfortunately, many will exercise their "right of way" and play chicken with the two ton vehicle approaching them.
The "pedestrian right of way" is a dangerous law. Many pedestrians and especially children are maimed or killed each year because they are taught as pedestrians they have the right of way over a vehicle. Whether they do or not, my parents taught me to stop, look and listen. Then look again, then look as I am crossing. When it comes to a 4,000 pound hunk of steel barreling toward me and my well-being, I'm gonna let the car go by without challenge and give up my legal right to stare it down.
A woman and her two year old child, in the city of Troy, NY, were recently killed when she exercised her right of way and stepped in front of a moving vehicle at an intersection. The city is now trying to figure out how to make the intersection more safe and are considering lowering the speed limit. Nobody is talking about attempting to educate people that the act of dueling with a car is a risky battle which could result in death. The right of way is a right I won't risk my life on, unlike some people.
Anyway, there are two reasons for teaching your kids to ride on the right side. When a car is coming up behind you, the driver has more control over the situation because he can easily judge your speed and trajectory and, he can safely go around you. When you are facing him, you are adding a direction and speed that he can't compensate for. Also, if your kid is facing oncoming traffic, he may see that the car is yielding to the center of the road and the child will most likely remain on the white line. This is very dangerous because now the driver is calculating oncoming traffic and your kid's assertiveness and may try to squeeze between both cyclist and whatever is in the other lane. The driver certainly doesn't want to risk a head on collision and being unlikely to slow down, he will risk the squeeze. Again, a child with his back to traffic is most likely to ride on the shoulder and this lemon squeeze situation will not present itself. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The biggest reason to ride on the right side is because when a cyclist is riding on the wrong or left side, because he feels more safe when he can face traffic, a car pulling out of a driveway or side street whose intention is to make a right turn is not looking to the right. As he is approaching the main street he is concerned with traffic coming from the left. As your child is approaching from the right, the driver of the vehicle most likely will not see him, especially if the driver of the car is not coming to a complete stop and merely yielding to what is on his left. Your child, who knows he has the right of way will ride in front of the car while the driver is looking in the opposite direction. An unhappy union will occur if the driver doesn't turn his head to the right in time to see your little soldier. If you don't understand this explanation, get on a bike, ride on the left side and pull in front of cars which are turning right. You'll figure it out real quick.
Of course any driver who runs over your child will be ticketed or arrested for manslaughter, but, take comfort in knowing that your child was exercising their right of way. Good for them for standing their ground.
You can't take for granted that every driver is conscientious, aware of their complete surroundings or even paying attention. Teach children to stop, look and listen. And, never mention that they have the right of way. What they know, can hurt them.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Prayer of St. Francis
The sheet music for a more simplified arrangement may be found at:
https://www.wlp.jspaluch.com/3100.htm
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Kremser, We Gather Together
https://www.giamusic.com/products/P-Instrumental-piano.cfm
Monday, April 8, 2013
Hymn Meter and Tune Names
I am often asked what those numbers mean which are often found somewhere
on the pages of our hymns. They are often written as as 8.6.8.6
(86.86) or other variations. Some may instead have capital letters after
them such as "CM" or "LM."
Those numbers represent the hymn's meter. It indicates the number of syllables in each line in the hymn. This provides the means for an organist to mix and match the text of the hymn with a different "tune."
Let's take the hymn "Amazing Grace." Say the words and count the syllables for each line:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound (8)
that saved a wretch like me. (6)
I once was lost, but now am found (8)
was blind but now I see. (6)
So, somewhere on the page of "Amazing Grace" will be the numbers "8686." That is also known a "Common Meter" and can be written as "CM" instead.
Now that you have that metrical information, you can look at the metrical index in the back of the hymnal and look for the meter "8686" or "CM." All the hymns listed beneath CM or 8.6.8.6 have the same meter which means you can sing the text of "Amazing Grace" to any of those other songs.
Now, you may notice that under the numerical listing, each of the hymns are listed by a name which may be unfamiliar. Those are the "Tune" names. "Amazing Grace" for instance, its tune name is the same as its title. The tune "St. Agnes is to the hymn "Jesus the Very Thought of Thee." "Joy To the World" is known as "Antioch." "O Come All Ye Faithful" is "Adeste Fidelis." "How Great Thou Art" is "O Store Gud." "Holy, Holy, Holy" is "Nicaea."
Back in late sixteenth century England and Scotland, when most people were not musically literate and they learned melodies by rote, it was a common practice to sing a new text to a hymn tune the singers already knew which had a suitable meter and character.
Again, this is a valuable tool for the person planning the music to mix and match melodies and texts. If you don't like the music for a certain text or if your congregation doesn't know a particular melody, you can check the metrical index and find another hymn tune that the congregation will know from another hymn and sing the desired text to that alternate melody.
The composer usually gives his tune a tune name. He (since many composers in the old days were men) would often name the tune for the city, town or church where he was residing at the time he wrote the tune. If I were to write a hymn, I'd probably name it "East Podunk."
If the hymn doesn't have numbers listed as its meter, it will have letters which are a shorthand;
CM means Common Meter, 8.6.8.6;
LM means Long Meter, 8.8.8.8;
SM means Short Meter, 6.6.8.6;
DCM (or CMD) means Doubled CM, 8.6.8.6.8.6.8.6.
8787D is equivalent to doubled or two verses of 8.7.8.7.
I am of the school of thought, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” The original hymn tune, MARION, is an easy, joyous and well known melody which is most often married to the text “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart!” I don’t believe in confusing text and tune. When you hear the melody “Veni Emmanuel” you know it is Advent. When you hear the melody “Stille Nacht” you know it is Christmas Eve. When you hear “Passion Chorale” you know it is Lent. Everyone knows what Lent feels like, what Advent feels like, even the Feast of Christ the King or Palm Sunday. You could tell these days by the opening hymn in many churches. Old Roman Catholics can even tell the difference between the Second Sunday of Easter or any Marion Feast day by of the music alone.
Seasons, music and text all evoke feelings, emotions, moods and memories which is, or should be part of our DNA. I think it is a dangerous thing for the church to mess with tradition and ritual, especially as it pertains to our hymnody. New music is good if it fills a hole.
When we go to a birthday party, we wouldn’t sing a new melody to “Happy Birthday” because the melody we currently sing is traditional and part of our birthday ritual. Everyone knows it. When you go to a ball game, the stadium organist has the power to get the crowd to stomp their feet or entice them to yell “charge,” full throated and in perfect unison with only a few music phrases. That is the power of tradition and ritual. A stadium organist who tries to change those musical cues would be fired the day he starts. That is because we care about our ball games and the full and active participation of our “audience” at our ball games. Also, many of the text writers of our hymns intended for the words to go along with a certain melody.
If I were to sing a new melody to “How Great Thou Art,” that would be nice. But, if I were to just play the first two bars of “O Store Gud,” the melody alone would reduce my grandmother to a puddle of tears because she associates that melody with the text of "How Great Thou Art." Go into a nursing home full of elderly people who can’t remember the name of their own children and start to play the melody to “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” or “Jesus Loves Me,” and they will know every word. It's in their memory DNA.
Did you know that the text to "Amazing Grace" can be sung to the theme of "Gilligan's Island?"
Malcolm Kogut
Those numbers represent the hymn's meter. It indicates the number of syllables in each line in the hymn. This provides the means for an organist to mix and match the text of the hymn with a different "tune."
Let's take the hymn "Amazing Grace." Say the words and count the syllables for each line:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound (8)
that saved a wretch like me. (6)
I once was lost, but now am found (8)
was blind but now I see. (6)
So, somewhere on the page of "Amazing Grace" will be the numbers "8686." That is also known a "Common Meter" and can be written as "CM" instead.
Now that you have that metrical information, you can look at the metrical index in the back of the hymnal and look for the meter "8686" or "CM." All the hymns listed beneath CM or 8.6.8.6 have the same meter which means you can sing the text of "Amazing Grace" to any of those other songs.
Now, you may notice that under the numerical listing, each of the hymns are listed by a name which may be unfamiliar. Those are the "Tune" names. "Amazing Grace" for instance, its tune name is the same as its title. The tune "St. Agnes is to the hymn "Jesus the Very Thought of Thee." "Joy To the World" is known as "Antioch." "O Come All Ye Faithful" is "Adeste Fidelis." "How Great Thou Art" is "O Store Gud." "Holy, Holy, Holy" is "Nicaea."
Back in late sixteenth century England and Scotland, when most people were not musically literate and they learned melodies by rote, it was a common practice to sing a new text to a hymn tune the singers already knew which had a suitable meter and character.
Again, this is a valuable tool for the person planning the music to mix and match melodies and texts. If you don't like the music for a certain text or if your congregation doesn't know a particular melody, you can check the metrical index and find another hymn tune that the congregation will know from another hymn and sing the desired text to that alternate melody.
The composer usually gives his tune a tune name. He (since many composers in the old days were men) would often name the tune for the city, town or church where he was residing at the time he wrote the tune. If I were to write a hymn, I'd probably name it "East Podunk."
If the hymn doesn't have numbers listed as its meter, it will have letters which are a shorthand;
CM means Common Meter, 8.6.8.6;
LM means Long Meter, 8.8.8.8;
SM means Short Meter, 6.6.8.6;
DCM (or CMD) means Doubled CM, 8.6.8.6.8.6.8.6.
8787D is equivalent to doubled or two verses of 8.7.8.7.
I am of the school of thought, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” The original hymn tune, MARION, is an easy, joyous and well known melody which is most often married to the text “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart!” I don’t believe in confusing text and tune. When you hear the melody “Veni Emmanuel” you know it is Advent. When you hear the melody “Stille Nacht” you know it is Christmas Eve. When you hear “Passion Chorale” you know it is Lent. Everyone knows what Lent feels like, what Advent feels like, even the Feast of Christ the King or Palm Sunday. You could tell these days by the opening hymn in many churches. Old Roman Catholics can even tell the difference between the Second Sunday of Easter or any Marion Feast day by of the music alone.
Seasons, music and text all evoke feelings, emotions, moods and memories which is, or should be part of our DNA. I think it is a dangerous thing for the church to mess with tradition and ritual, especially as it pertains to our hymnody. New music is good if it fills a hole.
When we go to a birthday party, we wouldn’t sing a new melody to “Happy Birthday” because the melody we currently sing is traditional and part of our birthday ritual. Everyone knows it. When you go to a ball game, the stadium organist has the power to get the crowd to stomp their feet or entice them to yell “charge,” full throated and in perfect unison with only a few music phrases. That is the power of tradition and ritual. A stadium organist who tries to change those musical cues would be fired the day he starts. That is because we care about our ball games and the full and active participation of our “audience” at our ball games. Also, many of the text writers of our hymns intended for the words to go along with a certain melody.
If I were to sing a new melody to “How Great Thou Art,” that would be nice. But, if I were to just play the first two bars of “O Store Gud,” the melody alone would reduce my grandmother to a puddle of tears because she associates that melody with the text of "How Great Thou Art." Go into a nursing home full of elderly people who can’t remember the name of their own children and start to play the melody to “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” or “Jesus Loves Me,” and they will know every word. It's in their memory DNA.
Did you know that the text to "Amazing Grace" can be sung to the theme of "Gilligan's Island?"
Malcolm Kogut
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Old Violin
I thought I would share an old favorite poem Fr. Bill used in his homily this morning.
'Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters Hand."
"And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and bruised with hardship
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.
- by Myra Brooks Welch
'Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters Hand."
"And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and bruised with hardship
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.
- by Myra Brooks Welch
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
A Gallup poll whose statistics were released yesterday stated that out of 189 U.S. metropolitan areas which Gallup surveyed in 2012, it was found that in Provo, Utah, 77% of its residents were classified as very religious. In my City of Albany - 26%.
Well, on the bright side, if this was the third century, we Albanians would probably out live them due to the "high cost of holiness."
Back in those "biblical times" it was required of Christians to ritually purify themselves in the ritual baths either before they participated in any holy activity or after they did their, uhm, "Christian-duty."
Their latrine area was secluded plot about 700 yards from the baths where they would dig shallow holes, squat, then cover over their deposits. They would then go down to the baths to clean themselves. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Archeologists have performed soil samples of the bath areas and found high concentrations of intestinal parasite eggs such as whip, round and tape worm. The area was a toxic waste dump of disease. The Christians would get this matter on their hands and feet, then walk back to the pools to cleanse themselves but in actuality were sharing their germs with hundreds of other people which would get in their eyes, mouth, nose and cuts by bathing in this soup. Each Christian was literally a walking time bomb.
Leprosy was a catch-all term for a multitude of skin diseases and infections such as Tzoraas and various rashes born from infection which were unknowingly caused by bathing in germ infested water. Back then, a simple cut could kill you.
Christians were more concerned about privacy and cleanliness while the Romans were less concerned with privacy and humility, and more concerned with efficiency. The Romans had no problem with men, women and children "raising robes" (dropping trou) in front of one another while that act was seen as sinful to the Christians. Here are a few pictures of the toilet area in Bet She'an where the person performing the act of voiding would sit with one cheek on each rock in full and open public display while a channel of water beneath them carried away whatever was deposited. This was as natural and normal to the Romans back then as people sitting on a park bench having a conversation about the weather today.
While the Christians were concerned with spiritual health with a focus on healing from their physical ailments, the Romans were concerned with keeping their cities clean and keeping out the Christians who seemed to be plagued with copious amounts of disease. The Christian, yearning for holiness and healing was the cause of their own plight. A vicious circle and downward spiral.
This was at a time when knowledge of germs and infection was practically nothing. Remember, a "doctor" during this time was predominately anyone who owned sharp tools such as barbers, butchers and people like Jesus - carpenters. If you needed something removed or cut off, these were the people you went to see. It was either them or people who who performed magic spells. There were a lot of people who were using plants, rocks and mud for healing, too. These were often charismatic healers who would send those with inflictions to bathe in water where unknowingly, germs didn't survive or fester such as in moving water or - water with a high concentration of salt and minerals where nothing could survive, such as the Dead Sea. Even today, thousands of people flock there for healing in the higher than normal oxygen levels, filtered sunlight and purifying water.
Jesus was on to something. No to diminish his healing power, but a lot of what he did and prescribed back then has medical efficacy today. And, it was not beneath him to make referrals. When the ten "lepers" approached him, he sent them to see the priest. Priests at that time saw so many people who were seeking to be healed that they become experts at diagnosing rashes, infections and other diseases such as true leprosy.
Even the deer yearn for flowing streams.
Well, on the bright side, if this was the third century, we Albanians would probably out live them due to the "high cost of holiness."
Back in those "biblical times" it was required of Christians to ritually purify themselves in the ritual baths either before they participated in any holy activity or after they did their, uhm, "Christian-duty."
Their latrine area was secluded plot about 700 yards from the baths where they would dig shallow holes, squat, then cover over their deposits. They would then go down to the baths to clean themselves. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Archeologists have performed soil samples of the bath areas and found high concentrations of intestinal parasite eggs such as whip, round and tape worm. The area was a toxic waste dump of disease. The Christians would get this matter on their hands and feet, then walk back to the pools to cleanse themselves but in actuality were sharing their germs with hundreds of other people which would get in their eyes, mouth, nose and cuts by bathing in this soup. Each Christian was literally a walking time bomb.
Leprosy was a catch-all term for a multitude of skin diseases and infections such as Tzoraas and various rashes born from infection which were unknowingly caused by bathing in germ infested water. Back then, a simple cut could kill you.
Christians were more concerned about privacy and cleanliness while the Romans were less concerned with privacy and humility, and more concerned with efficiency. The Romans had no problem with men, women and children "raising robes" (dropping trou) in front of one another while that act was seen as sinful to the Christians. Here are a few pictures of the toilet area in Bet She'an where the person performing the act of voiding would sit with one cheek on each rock in full and open public display while a channel of water beneath them carried away whatever was deposited. This was as natural and normal to the Romans back then as people sitting on a park bench having a conversation about the weather today.
While the Christians were concerned with spiritual health with a focus on healing from their physical ailments, the Romans were concerned with keeping their cities clean and keeping out the Christians who seemed to be plagued with copious amounts of disease. The Christian, yearning for holiness and healing was the cause of their own plight. A vicious circle and downward spiral.
This was at a time when knowledge of germs and infection was practically nothing. Remember, a "doctor" during this time was predominately anyone who owned sharp tools such as barbers, butchers and people like Jesus - carpenters. If you needed something removed or cut off, these were the people you went to see. It was either them or people who who performed magic spells. There were a lot of people who were using plants, rocks and mud for healing, too. These were often charismatic healers who would send those with inflictions to bathe in water where unknowingly, germs didn't survive or fester such as in moving water or - water with a high concentration of salt and minerals where nothing could survive, such as the Dead Sea. Even today, thousands of people flock there for healing in the higher than normal oxygen levels, filtered sunlight and purifying water.
Jesus was on to something. No to diminish his healing power, but a lot of what he did and prescribed back then has medical efficacy today. And, it was not beneath him to make referrals. When the ten "lepers" approached him, he sent them to see the priest. Priests at that time saw so many people who were seeking to be healed that they become experts at diagnosing rashes, infections and other diseases such as true leprosy.
Even the deer yearn for flowing streams.
Monday, April 1, 2013
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