Stop Big Brother

Reality TV is pure and utter trash. I'm sure George Orwell would be horrified at how his distopian vision of the future has been broken down and fed to the masses. Reality TV is a hit for TV producers as it is so cheap to make. It's also a hit with the public as it is a sedative for people. Rather than live their own lives, they can sit in front of their TV and watch someone else do it for them. They love the people on the shows like they were close personal friends. Reality TV stifles thought and fuels negative things like gossip. Turn it off people!

Most of my hobbies could be classified as geeky or unusual. I'm a rabid knitter, but most people know about that. Playing the ukulele is thought to be unusual it seems, but I would say that fire twirling is probably my hobby that surprises people the most. I'm not sure what demographic people generally think fire-twirlers fall into, but apparently I'm not it.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, featuring the Marcus Roberts Trio

I spent most of my childhood being very musical. My parents started me on organ lessons when I was 5, so I can actually read music as well as I can read the English language. Organ changed to piano a couple of years later, and I continued taking lessons and exams until I was about 17. I hated it. I could never get the music to sound the way it was supposed to. Even though I could read music, I tended to play by ear, and would get terribly frustrated at my attempts to play things. Plus I had my mother telling me she wanted me to be able to play like Richard Claderman. I just wanted to play like me.

At high school I learned clarinet, and also ended up teaching myself saxophone. I really enjoyed playing with a band. It was an amazing feeling to make such an incredible sound with so many other people. Playing in a band is the ultimate team sport - you all have exactly the same goal - to get your bit right to make the piece sound the way it should. People who try to ego trip and make their sounds stand out are generally pulled back into line pretty fast because having a dozen people trying to stand out is not the way a concert band works. One of the most amazing experiences I had playing in the school band was playing at the opening of World Expo 88. It was incredible to be part of such an important event and to be there with so many other schools making the same music together. The world could learn a lot by looking at the way concert bands (or orchestras for that matter) work.

I would love to learn the drums, although I fear my lack of co-ordination renders that an impossible dream.