In Kindergarten

My first real memory (real being one that I naturally have, not one that I kinda think I have because of a photo or video from that time period) is in Kindergarten, though it might have been 1st grade. Not sure. This was in Lincoln, IL at Central Elemnetary, probably around... what, 1987 or 88 or close to that.

The room was divided and along the back wall of the bigger division there was a star-step style, bleachers-like seating. In this case, though, it was used as a stage and we all played the little kid instruments. Wood blocks, shakers, that kind of thing. I had the sand blocks. It was so much fun. It was the first time I remembered having fun playing music.

Now that I'm typing this, I kinda wonder where two memories blur together here. Because I had in my mind that the teacher told my mother something about me being good with rhythm. But I also remember, for some reason, that woman being outside of a church when she said that, and I had PRESCHOOL at a christian school, so maybe this was earlier? Or it was a completely separate thing... Who knows. I was good at rhythm. That was what mattered. Might have been the first real compliment or taking notice of talent outside of my folks.

Is that what started it all? My journey to music I mean. I don't know. Was I so desperate for outside attention (outside of my parents) that I just took the first thing I was good at and ran with it? I mean, I AM good at rhythm. I got a degree in percussion and it was pretty natural. BUT, could I have taken a different path? Maybe I would have been more successful as a lawyer and worked hard at a job that I wasn't a "natural" at. Interesting.

I'm creating new work. First time in a couple years. Not just new music (see previous blog) but a whole new body of work. It's exciting. Things that haven't changed, though, are my primary muses/topics/focuses/obsessions. I'm still into the macabre, the dark, the demonic. But I'm also very much into memory still, which has only been since my mother's death. I've added a couple though. The act of sleeping and the belief in angels, though I have done some work in the past around angels.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.