For me, the country kid inside me gives way to the big city boy that I knew I was, and I can't think of Christmas without imagining the Radio City Rockettes doing their annual Christmas shows. While I am in a New York State of mind, I also mentally tour the Lord & Taylor store to see the massive Wanamaker pipe organ. I am featuring both in this blog, so if large, powerful musical machines aren't your cup of tea, scroll past to the Rockettes!
For those of you who are uninitiated to the world of massive keyboard instruments, the Wanamaker pipe organ is often argued to be the largest pipe (theatre) organ in the world. It is nothing short of massive, and will leave any organ enthusiast in tears!
Trivia #1) What was the original purpose of this huge pipe organ? Why would anyone want such a thing?
Answer: It was originally made for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Lous!
Some general Wanamaker pipe organ information:
An organ performance at Wanamaker:
A CHRISTMAS performance on the Wanamaker organ:
(the organ starts playing "O Christmas Tree" at 0:36 in the video)
Another point of view:
Lastly, Trivia Question #2) Where did the Radio City Rockettes original hail from?
Answer: St. Louis, MO, of course! St. Louis produced the largest pipe organ in the world, as well as one of the most famous dance teams.
General Rocketts info:
The Dance of The Wooden Soldiers:
General commercial featuring the Rockettes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZdYY7TfD0&feature=related
The Famous, and hideously synchronized Santa Claus dance w/ bell choir:
(these are the girls dressed like Santas - they are not men, but they are convincing!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWtvFlyvh-o&feature=related
- Michael
Mr.Toad's Wild Ride! Caution: May contain various ramblings referring to my hobbies and life, in general.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Turning Over A New Leaf
Many people want to make a change in their lives, but they are completely unwilling to do anything different than they were doing previously.
There are several factors that must be forefront in your mind before a change is made:
1) We can't change what we don't acknowledge.
You can't change what you simply don't accept and recognize.
2) Life rewards action, not inaction.
You will get something in return if you choose to do something about it!
I am known for my lack of patience. I am also known for my incredible perseverance. I am not patient. Patience is for someone who wants to sit around and wait for something to happen. Perseverance means you are doing something to get the job done. No lazy person ever had great skills or talents. People work HARD for these things, there are no exceptions to that rule!
3) We are responsible for our behaviors, including our thoughts.
Your thoughts are behaviors. If somebody told you that "you will never amount to anything", or "You can't do that", if you believe it, you will become exactly what they expect you to. Most people believe that your parents 'want only the best for you'. I can tell you first hand that this is not the truth. Jealousy and insecurity are ugly things. If I stopped doing the things that I do so well because my mother laughed at me, poked fun at me, or purposely put me down when I attempted them, at this very moment, I would be sitting in an armchair, blankly staring at a TV. Instead, I am an advanced level knitter, when my body will allow it, I am a cross country touring cyclist, and in two years, I have taught myself to read music at a 5 year level without professional lessons.
4) (Related to #3) "Human nature is a poor excuse for bad behavior."
Please see #3. We are in conscious control of our behaviors, including our thoughts. No excuse for doing otherwise.
5) You have to name it to claim it.
Do you know how many people have told me, "I want to be happy!" I ask them, "What would make you happy?" They tell me: "A tall man (woman, etc), a rich husband / wife, a fast car, a big house.
I ask them, "How will these things make you happy?" They tell me, "They make me feel wanted, attractive, secure, etc." I tell them, "You can feel wanted, content, happy, secure, etc, WITHOUT those things."
6) Either you get it, or you don't.
You have to understand what is going on around you. The proverbial "Ostrich with his head stuck in the sand" is putting himself more at risk than he is helping himself.
Being naive or gullible is dangerous. If you aren't protecting your goodies, so to speak, the world will be dividing up your cookies as you sit on the curb of life, crying with your face in your hands.
The moral of #6); Whoever said, "What you don't know can't hurt / kill you" is the person you want to keep an eye on. They are the ones that will do just that! They want an easy target, and don't want you to see it coming!
The moral is mini-saga is that you can, indeed, turn over a new leaf. You can make any change in your life that you can imagine - but you have to know what you want, how to get it, and be energetic enough to work hard to achieve it and maintain it!
Life is managed, not cured. It is a constant work in progress. If you drop the ball, you will not be pleased with the outcome.
- Michael
There are several factors that must be forefront in your mind before a change is made:
1) We can't change what we don't acknowledge.
You can't change what you simply don't accept and recognize.
2) Life rewards action, not inaction.
You will get something in return if you choose to do something about it!
I am known for my lack of patience. I am also known for my incredible perseverance. I am not patient. Patience is for someone who wants to sit around and wait for something to happen. Perseverance means you are doing something to get the job done. No lazy person ever had great skills or talents. People work HARD for these things, there are no exceptions to that rule!
3) We are responsible for our behaviors, including our thoughts.
Your thoughts are behaviors. If somebody told you that "you will never amount to anything", or "You can't do that", if you believe it, you will become exactly what they expect you to. Most people believe that your parents 'want only the best for you'. I can tell you first hand that this is not the truth. Jealousy and insecurity are ugly things. If I stopped doing the things that I do so well because my mother laughed at me, poked fun at me, or purposely put me down when I attempted them, at this very moment, I would be sitting in an armchair, blankly staring at a TV. Instead, I am an advanced level knitter, when my body will allow it, I am a cross country touring cyclist, and in two years, I have taught myself to read music at a 5 year level without professional lessons.
4) (Related to #3) "Human nature is a poor excuse for bad behavior."
Please see #3. We are in conscious control of our behaviors, including our thoughts. No excuse for doing otherwise.
5) You have to name it to claim it.
Do you know how many people have told me, "I want to be happy!" I ask them, "What would make you happy?" They tell me: "A tall man (woman, etc), a rich husband / wife, a fast car, a big house.
I ask them, "How will these things make you happy?" They tell me, "They make me feel wanted, attractive, secure, etc." I tell them, "You can feel wanted, content, happy, secure, etc, WITHOUT those things."
6) Either you get it, or you don't.
You have to understand what is going on around you. The proverbial "Ostrich with his head stuck in the sand" is putting himself more at risk than he is helping himself.
Being naive or gullible is dangerous. If you aren't protecting your goodies, so to speak, the world will be dividing up your cookies as you sit on the curb of life, crying with your face in your hands.
The moral of #6); Whoever said, "What you don't know can't hurt / kill you" is the person you want to keep an eye on. They are the ones that will do just that! They want an easy target, and don't want you to see it coming!
The moral is mini-saga is that you can, indeed, turn over a new leaf. You can make any change in your life that you can imagine - but you have to know what you want, how to get it, and be energetic enough to work hard to achieve it and maintain it!
Life is managed, not cured. It is a constant work in progress. If you drop the ball, you will not be pleased with the outcome.
- Michael
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