Saturday 13 September 2008

Creativity

It must have been the nature of the week... the whole chained to the desk, head down, deeply concentrating vibe that inhabited this week; but today I felt remarkably creative. I spent the morning scanning old photos into the computer - mine this time, rather than my parents' to put together online albums.

I had to disturb this pleasant pass-time for a trip to the optician. Happily my eyes are healthy (although I must be getting old as I had to have the puff-off-air test for the first time) but unsurprisingly my prescription had altered as my vision had deteriorated. I had guessed this, as the incidences of managing without my glasses has decreased to pretty much not at all unless I'm watching TV in the living room (our living room is VERY small). I can't even see my work computer or the TV in the bedroom now without my glasses. Ah well. I chose a very nice pair of frames (which were happily remarkably cheap) and then came the lenses. The frames I chose were £89 (which considering they were from a 'designer' range was pretty good) and the lenses came to £150. Ouch! The problem is that I like Reactions lenses which negates the need for me to have sunglasses. That is an extra £60. The cheapest lenses available were £90. Those weren't the first ones offered me... oh no. The first ones were £150 (not even the most expensive) I flatly told the sales assistant that I wasn't paying over £200 just for the lenses!

This afternoon I carried on with my creative vibe and got musical. First a little time with the piano. A bit rusty as I haven't played in a while - so I murdered Mozart for a while before moving onto Lloyd-Webber and the like. I find it very difficult to play and sing unless I know the song really well so I decided that I might go and take my guitar out of mothballs instead. I only play the guitar in the sense that I can strum chords to accompany myself (classical guitar and I parted company when I was around eleven after a short and not very profitable relationship). I was delighted to find that Audacity (which I can't even remember why I installed now) allows me to plug in the microphone and record my singing. It even then exports it to MP3. After rediscovering some old favourites (Danny Boy, Amazing Grace and more) I remembered why it is that one should regularly practice. Not just so that one improves... those who don't play the guitar regularly get soft fingers. Those fingers get sore from fretting the strings... and thumbs get sore from strumming. I am finding it painful to type with my left hand now as the fingers are extremely sore for that couple of hours... hence I shall now stop and go nurse my poor fingers!