October

This is going to be somewhat of an eclectic post, so be prepared.

Let me start off by giving a few thoughts about the past weekend.  I got the news about 11 o'clock Friday night that my great-grandmother died.  She hasn't been doing too well for the last year or so, but particularly in the last couple of weeks.  The first reaction of people when I told them was, "I'm so sorry," which is completely understandable.  

I'm sad that she's gone, but she was 101 years old.  That's a long time, and she had a good life.  You always hear about funerals being a celebration of someone's life, but I don't think I'd ever seen it until this one.  Out of two hours standing in the family line at the funeral home, I only saw one person not taking it well.  People were telling stories, sharing memories and just being the fact that she'd been there all our lives.  It was truly like she had just gone home.

On a happier note, it's October.  Which means that I have to share this.

I realize that the volume is a little low, but turn it up — it's worth it.  This is a song by Eric Whitacre called October.  I've actually played this piece before, and it's one of my favorites of all time to listen to.  He decided to write a piece about his favorite month of the year, and so October was born.  (P.S. - make sure you listen for the French horns around 4:40.  I love that melodic line.)

I've also started listening to some of Whitacre's choral music, and the man is amazing.  The way he uses dissonances, suspensions and resolutions is absolutely brilliant. There's just such a purity about it.  If you want to get all philosophical about it, you could say that it's incredibly optimistic.  There's all these dissonant harmonies, like the problems we encounter in life, and yet everything works out beautifully in the end.  But I digress...

If I had a favorite month, October would be near the top of the list.  Today was crisp, with a high in the low 80s, not much humidity, and a crystal clear blue sky all day long.  It was gorgeous.  The leaves will begin turning soon.  Football season is in full swing.  It doesn't get much better than this.

And in a reference to college, it's October! *raises the roof*  That means National Domestic Violence Awareness Month!  I'm not sure why, but we always had to raise the roof for that.  So I will continue the tradition.