Interests meme

[kenjari]

LJ Interests meme results

1. books:
   I love to read - it's probably my most favorite thing after making music. I love to hang out in bookstores and libraries. I love to talk about books I have read, and books other people have read. I read mostly fiction, but I also enjoy non-fiction works to do with music or history. And poetry, too.
2. composing:
   I am a composer, so this is not so much an interest as it is a profession. Oddly enough, the fact that this is so integral a part of me and my life makies it harder to write about in the context of this little meme.
3. england:
   I went to Wales for my honeymoon, and to London for my 30th birthday. There was not a single moment there that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. Before either of those trips, England had long been one of the places I most wanted to go to. England is the setting for many of my favorite novels, historical fiction and classics alike, and I had always wanted to see it for myself. I'm sure I will travel there several more times in the coming years.
4. intelligent conversation:
   I treasure deep, meaty conversations with my friends and family. It's more satisfying to really talk with someone, to be really communicating, rather than just chatting. Even when talking about pop culture or entertainment news tidbits, I like to go beyond a mere surface reading of the subject matter.
5. messaien:
   Olivier Messaien is one of my favorite 20th century composers. His music is unique and compelling. It's dissonant and clearly not tonal, but in a rich, almost mystical way.
   I first encountered him when I was studying the organ. He wrote a lot of music for that instrument, much of it based on birdsongs. Initially, I wasn't sure I liked it, but I nevertheless found it fascinating. I've come to love Messaien, though. His Quartet for the End of Time is truly one of the best pieces ever written.
6. nick cave:
   I've been a fan of Nick Cave for quite some time. His songs are usually deliciously dark and intense, and the lyrics often have a strong storytelling aspect. He's also a very energetic performer. I think of him as the true heir to Johnny Cash, despite the differences in background and genre. Let's see: wears a lot of black, has had drug problems, and has love, God, and murder as his major themes.
7. polish culture:
   I am half-Polish (1st generation on my father's side), so I guess I could say that this is natural interest. Although I don't speak it myself, I grew up hearing Polish. I find the sound of it gives me the warm fuzzies. I love Polish food, and I make damn good pierogies (if I do sy so myself). And some great music has come out of Poland.
8. science fiction:
   I actually don't read or even watch all that much sci-fi, mostly because I'm kind of picky about it. I don't have much interest in space-opera, and I'm positively bored by anything that gets too preoccupied with the technological aspects. The science fiction I like best is the stuff that uses the genre as a prism through which to seriously explore sociological, psychological, or spiritual themes. Stuff like the Dune series, anything by Philip K. Dick, and Ender's Game .
9. thoreau:
   In my freshman year of college, I took a small seminar course that was on Walden. I think that course and the close reading of Walden it involved had a huge effect on me, even though the impact of it didn't become clear until well after I graduated. It's a wonderful book, and Thoreau's philosophy really appeals to me. In fact, the more I try to achieve the ideal that Thoreau presents in that book, the better my life goes.
   "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
10. wesleyan university:
    I did my undergraduate degree at this small liberal arts school. I had a wonderful time, learned lots, and formed some great friendships. The place does have its flaws, but so does every school. I got what I came for, and a lot more.

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