Favorites

Since Jeanette is going on to one blog and I’m more or less taking over this one I thought I would express myself on some favorite things which will be explored more singly and in depth in the future. I’m not an outdoorsman or sportsman, but as I’ve stated in the profile I’m more arts minded. The three art forms I most consume are books, music and films.

I was brought up in a home where reading was important. I remember when I was in grade school that it was a major event for our family when we first got a library card and then got to use it. I don’t remember that title of the first book I checked out, but I do remember that it was some kind of story of a young Indian boy. That’s how reading will stick with you. I’m currently reading Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson. I’ll probably have some comments to make on that when I’m done, but to just throw in one now, he stated several times that he felt reading to be the most important part of writing and that children should be free to read as high above their perceived level as they liked. I even did that myself in first grade. I was tired of being in the bottom reading group, so one time when the teacher called us to go to our groups I picked up my chair and went to one above and they never challenged me! So, in days to come I’ll be sharing some of the favorite things I’ve read.

I’ve sung as long as I can remember and started taking piano lessons when I was in the third grade. My mother wanted me to just be able to play out of the hymn book. My piano teacher thought I would be the next Van Cliburn (this was in 1959, the year after the great triumph that catapulted him into international news.) I didn’t make it to Carnegie Hall, but I think I’ve done better than just playing out of the hymn book. My interest in music was nurtured by a school teacher and a mentor a few years older than me. My musical schematic includes Southern Gospel music, Black Gospel music and Classical music. Then, too, I’ve written over 1650 songs or compositions.

I’ve loved the movies since the first. Having the technology to watch what I want (provided, of course, that it has been released on saleable media) is a great improvement over the old days of depending on what showed up on television or at the neighborhood theater. I’ve got a collection of films and have rated them according to their status of what are my favorites (not to be confused with a catalogue of objective greatness).

These are some of the things I would like to share as well as thoughts on the Bible and ministry, other arts, writing music, issues of the day, my opinions (I’ve written The Book Of Opinions which at present numbers 5,689 opinions, none of which have been published), holidays, ice cream and coffee.