March 15 is a day to rejoice and revel in the beauty of great music. Why today? Because March 15 is the birthday of one of the greatest slide guitar players the world has known - and one of the musicians who has had a great impact on my personal world.
His name is Ry Cooder. For many, that will prompt the next question: who?
Sure, I will admit, it might come across as just another obscure musical reference. That wouldn't surprise me.
But here's a little-known fact: Cooder was rated the #8 guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. He resides in the top 10 with Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Page, and Keith Richards. That's some impressive company.
Ry Cooder brought slide guitar front and certain in my world. He exposed me to a rich and eclectic mix of musical genres. Perhaps most importantly, he reminded me of the incredible capacity of one note to bring a person to tears, to joy, and all points in between.
Spring break. In Canada, it was better known as "Reading Week" and it wasn't in March - it was in February. I don't remember there being a mad rush to Florida or South Padre Island. You were probably spending that week shoveling snow and longing for spring time.
I don't ever remember that week being anything like Spring Break week in Austin - otherwise known as SXSW. What started as 4 days of music from unsigned bands back in the late '80s and early '90s has become a 10 day multimedia extravaganza for music, film, and social media celebrities. As much as I appreciate SXSW, it's just not like it used to be. Austin ends up looking a lot less weird, or, perhaps more appropriately, a lot more manufactured, trendy, pretentious weird.
In an attempt to inject some "weird" back into our world this week, I bring you the the latest episode of the Rhubarb Report. Where else can you find politics, mathematics and physics, and economics all in the same 500 words? You are in the right place. Onwards with Episode 062!
Today was a beautiful, sunny March 10th in Austin. Spring is in the air. There is nothing like going out for a run on a day like today.
I rarely (if ever) run with an mp3 player as I like having the time to be able to disconnect from the noise of my daily world. It is a time to be at one with the sounds of my breathing, the pitter patter of my foot strikes, and the absolute pleasure of being alive. Thoughts come and go and my mind wanders freely. Reflection. Being. Present.
Then, in the purity of the moment, the thought crossed my mind: am I living the vivid existence that is worthy of time and life on planet earth? And, with all due respect to the Tragically Hip - am I living fully, completely?
The best month of the year will be upon us tomorrow. No, it's not the month of my birthday. No, it's not the holiday season. No, it's not even the start of college football season - and that's a darn good month.
March is upon us. The days are getting longer. Daylight savings time begins this month. SXSW is a March phenomenon in Austin. But wait - there's more. How about March Madness? Add in the start of the F1 season, and you have a lot of reasons to celebrate - or, at least I do.
In the meantime, we have rhubarb to discuss. With no further adieu, here is Episode 061.
Hype. Pageantry. Red carpet. Lame jokes. Lousy masters of ceremony. Paparazzi. Outfits that only People Magazine could appreciate. Wardrobe malfunctions. And all points in between.
You've seen it on TV many times before: the Academy Awards. But for that matter, it could be the Grammy Awards or the Golden Globes or any one of countless awards ceremonies. Frankly, the statuette doesn't matter. Nor does the genre. And you certainly don't have to be a fan of awards shows on TV.
What is most important is the passion underlying these celebrations of creativity. It is the beauty of an artist, diving deep within, to find something bigger than themselves - and then to share it with the world.
One day. One second. One moment. That is all it takes for your world to change dramatically. When you are in the midst of it, you may not even realize it is happening.
The journey of life is a series of binary decisions - right or left, up or down, black or white - that wind us through time and bring us to the here and now. At any given point in time, we may have a destination based on goals or a 50,000 foot overview of our life. We may have a plan of how we are going to get there. It could consist of today's todo list, a monthly schedule, or a five- or ten-year plan. We have a set of expectations that we think serve as the basis for our future life: career, love, or happiness in general.
Then, the path changes. We hit an inflection point. Life happens.
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. Was your day filled with chocolate? Hallmark? Roses? Or was it just a transitional day between the 13th and the 15th?
In 2011, I wrote a post entitled "365 Valentines A Year". I took the time to read it again today. It was then that I remarked that "perhaps in the midst of our daily lives, we lose sight that each and every day really should be filled with the love of friends and family and intimate companions. Perhaps each and every day we should appreciate the presence of those people in our lives that make our world a better place". A reminder of some very important things, indeed.
Another 365-day-a-year proposition is fresh rhubarb. It can be found each and every day. So with that in mind, I bring you episode 60 of the Rhubarb Report.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.