# Just something you are happy about today



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am happy that I finally got my one movement symphony over the 20 minutes mark of fully orchestrated music! Now it also seems that I will be able to keep the length of the work somewhere between 30 to 40 minutes, and I definitely will not have to make it longer than that. For me the ideal length of a symphony (or an album) is somewhere between 30-40 minutes.

Also, the last section achieved everything I wanted it to achieve -- and even more! I am happy and excited because there is more cool stuff to come, formed in my head and planned on paper. This is one of the best phases of a long composition process -- to know that I can no longer fail this. Everything is sorted out and the already existing material dictates the rest and keeps the meaningful momentum up on its own. I just need to follow it.


----------



## Chat Noir (4 mo ago)

I'm happy my cat finally ate something after being ill for some days.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Chat Noir said:


> I'm happy my cat finally ate something after being ill for some days.


Our 7 years old cat has always been healthy and I am happy about that! Just the necessary vaccinations once in 3 years and that´s it!


----------



## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

Having just spent (wasted) an hour trying to get my Mac computers talking to one another again over a network when using Vienna Instruments servers via LogicPro, I've finally managed it, I'm now happy.They work fine one day then they don't the next...what a pain in the flass.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

After two days of fever, head aches, throat aches, coughing and a runny nose, I have recovered enough to be in the mood for playing music again.


----------



## prlj (10 mo ago)

A great concert weekend for us. Opened with a work we commissioned with Stella Sung, called Rockwell Portraits, followed by a local animator who set Britten's _Four Sea Interludes_ to visuals. Closed with Beethoven 6. 

Onward to our next concert - featuring music of Margaret Bonds, Julia Perry, and Ellington's _Nutcracker._


----------



## thejewk (Sep 13, 2020)

Managed to fit a tracking rail and hang a curtain over the wonky door to our basement where at least 75% of our heat currently escapes in the living room. It's an old house and our first year in it, so lots of small jobs need doing to it, and everything moves slowly due to my disability and energy levels. Very satisfying to get it done.


----------



## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

What a lovely thread! The weather is lovely and sunny today, and I’ve just gotten back a recording of a recent piece of mine, which is exciting!


----------



## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Every day above the ground is a good day, particularly when you get to my age, so every day makes me happy. 😎


----------



## Chat Noir (4 mo ago)

Barbebleu said:


> Every day above the ground is a good day, particularly when you get to my age, so every day makes me happy. 😎


My grandfather used to say this. He worked in a coal mine.


----------



## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

I'm happy that we just made the last payment on our house mortgage! This is only the 2nd time in my life that I have been able to retire a mortgage. The last one was in 2010 when we paid off our townhouse. Now just responsible for taxes and insurance. The only other debt we have is for my car ... another 2.5 years and it will be paid off too.


----------



## PearlM (9 mo ago)

Art Rock said:


> After two days of fever, head aches, throat aches, coughing and a runny nose, I have recovered enough to be in the mood for playing music again.



oh that sounds rough, I hope you are fully well now. 
What instrument do you play?


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

PearlM said:


> oh that sounds rough, I hope you are fully well now.


Thanks. Not fully, but improving every day.



> What instrument do you play?


The CD player.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am happy today that such a conductor as Otto Klemperer existed! Last week I all of a sudden had an equation in my mind: Klemperer + The Beethoven 9th Symphony Scherzo = MUST be a great combo! I got the recording and it sure is a great combo.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Five years after we had to say farewell to our cocker spaniel we went out walking a dog again just now - the neighbour's labrador.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

DELETED


----------



## Chat Noir (4 mo ago)

Out of the window I saw a small boy (with whom I'd just had a chat as I passed the little park at the back, when he asked me if I had earphones in) assisting an even smaller child, a baby almost walking with those unsure bendy legs, to balance on a little bicycle. Holding out his hands like a parents does when teaching the child to ride. And then the smallest child fell. Not badly, but the bigger boy picked him (her?) up and gave him a hug and patted his head. Then he took the bike away and brought out something with four wheels instead and the baby boy sat on it hooting with delight. Then the mother came and they all went off somewhere.

Maybe I'm sentimental, but it was a scene of great innocence.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Chat Noir said:


> Out of the window I saw a small boy (with whom I'd just had a chat as I passed the little park at the back, when he asked me if I had earphones in) assisting an even smaller child, a baby almost walking with those unsure bendy legs, to balance on a little bicycle. Holding out his hands like a parents does when teaching the child to ride. And then the smallest child fell. Not badly, but the bigger boy picked him (her?) up and gave him a hug and patted his head. Then he took the bike away and brought out something with four wheels instead and the baby boy sat on it hooting with delight. Then the mother came and they all went off somewhere.
> 
> Maybe I'm sentimental, but it was a scene of great innocence.


Absolutely gorgeous thing to happen on this planet! 

Sometimes I find the rational adult life and mindset a hindrance. The children and the elderly have other things in their hearts and minds than the oh so very important "business".


----------



## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

My wife and I just received a $1,000 check from the State of New Mexico. We have no idea why it ended up in our mailbox, but I think the State should keep the checks coming.


----------



## Chat Noir (4 mo ago)

I got an €8 bottle of wine for €3 yesterday, because it was stacked in the wrong place on the shelves. It's getting rather common for them to make this mistake. I wonder how many people pick one up and then pay full price thinking they're paying much lower?
In any case I brought it to their attention and they agreed that I had picked it up in good faith. I reminded them that I'd also enabled them to potentially avoid giving away more of these bottles and lose €5 per bottle.

This is a good bargain for me because it was already 4 euros cheaper than the wine merchant place. Tastes even better now.🍷


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

The 2 first movements (attacha) of my symphony are ready! I had been wondering on the 2nd movement though, having doubts that maybe I was bordering on doing the "Mahler sevens" which means jumping between slow tempo and fast tempo maybe too much and then maybe letting the listener loose the sight of where we are going.

I let two of my friends listen to the symphony and they both reacted on the same thing. They felt they didn´t know where we were going in the second movement. Three people had similar doubts without knowing of each other. So it means there is a to an extent shared "objective" criteria behind the evaluation.

Am I motivated in avoiding doing the "Mahler sevens"? Hell yes! So I did some editing although I had to get rid of some good material. Gotta love me some editing! I will also twist a few places to make it easier for the listeners to understand the inner logic between all the contrasting elements.

This is so exciting, and a good example on why critical listening of other people´s music is also vital in the process of composing your own stuff. And one should never think the material is sacred. One should be ready to get rid of stuff you like for the benefit of the whole. And be aware that in huge musical works like this, it is inevitable that some editing needs to take place after the first thorough composed versions.


----------



## Jumber (2 mo ago)

Haven't taken any sleeping pills for a week.

____
Buy twitch viewers


----------



## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Just really happy the Wonderful Waehnen is still with us to this day.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

hammeredklavier said:


> Just really happy the Wonderful Waehnen is still with us to this day.


And what should I think about the motives of this statement? It is irony, a joke, or is there some truth in it?


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Stumbling on to this charming and humorous conversation.


----------



## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

It's overcast, gray and drizzly rain in the low 40's. Still beautiful.


----------



## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Today I accidentally left one item in my trolly when I came to pay at the supermarket. A simple honest mistake that I did not realise until I got to my car and was loading what I'd bought. I thought about going back, but figured they probably wouldn't even thank me. Anyway, my wife loves the new ironing board and we're both very happy.


----------



## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

HenryPenfold said:


> Today I accidentally left one item in my trolly when I came to pay at the supermarket. A simple honest mistake that I did not realise until I got to my car and was loading what I'd bought. I thought about going back, but figured they probably wouldn't even thank me. Anyway, my wife loves the new ironing board and we're both very happy.


....well Henry, you just made me laugh out loud so that qualifies as making me happy today...nice one mah sun.


----------



## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

HenryPenfold said:


> Today I accidentally left one item in my trolly when I came to pay at the supermarket. A simple honest mistake that I did not realise until I got to my car and was loading what I'd bought. I thought about going back, but figured they probably wouldn't even thank me. Anyway, my wife loves the new ironing board and we're both very happy.


Over there you call it an ironing board. Over here we do too. But it sounds odd in 2022. 

I got an email today from a “Bored Housewife, 32, looking for some action.”
I’ve sent her my ironing. That’ll keep her busy..


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

The Brazilians going out of the World Cup. You haven't got a god-given right to win it just cos you turn up, boys. Well done Croatia. Great performance.


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I'm quite happy arranging music for guitar and piano. Actually famous string quartet music...A secret that my duo partner doesn't know.


----------



## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Merl said:


> The Brazilians going out of the World Cup. You haven't got a god-given right to win it just cos you turn up, boys. Well done Croatia. Great performance.


Neymar nicks the fifth spot so he can claim all the glory with the final pen. Didn't even get to him! LMFAO arrogant git.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am happy to be where Sibelius was born! We celebrated his birthday and Finnish music on the 8th of December. I come to Hämeenlinna a few times a year, it is just an hour from Helsinki. An excellent place to try to forge the next phase of the symphony to form. It is the ”soulful slow movement section” which will require mentally a lot from me. They say Sibelius got his inspiration to Finlandia from this very same scenery!


----------



## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

Waehnen said:


> I am happy to be where Sibelius was born! We celebrated his birthday and Finnish music on the 8th of December. I come to Hämeenlinna a few times a year, it is just an hour from Helsinki. An excellent place to try to forge the next phase of the symphony to form. It is the ”soulful slow movement section” which will require mentally a lot from me. They say Sibelius got his inspiration to Finlandia from this very same scenery!


What beautiful scenery! Is this the observation tower in Aulanko?


----------



## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

It's snowing here today in London, which is something quite rare!


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

composingmusic said:


> What beautiful scenery! Is this the observation tower in Aulanko?


Actually the tower is closed, but this is from an observation platform at the root of the tower, yes. It was a gorgeous walk up the snowy small mountain. I was the first to climb up there through the forest as there was no other footprints on the snow.


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm happy that it HASN'T snowed up here on Chollyjockoland overnight. However what fell the other day has now frozen rock solid so the roads and pavements are gonna be like skating rinks. I hate the snow. Just means inconvenience and boring news reports showing people sledging down hills. The only plus is when they shut school.


----------



## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

that i am healthy and free of any basic wants


----------



## Chat Noir (4 mo ago)

That I put up a Christmas tree. Actually I retrieved it from the garden, still in its large pot where it has lived happily for three years, and will do so again.


----------



## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

composingmusic said:


> It's snowing here today in London, which is something quite rare!


According to the models, Londoners will have a better than an average chance of a white Christmas this year. Light snow will be all around. Some folks will be happy about that!


----------



## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

Waehnen said:


> Actually the tower is closed, but this is from an observation platform at the root of the tower, yes. It was a gorgeous walk up the snowy small mountain. I was the first to climb up there through the forest as there was no other footprints on the snow.


Right, because it's winter – of course! I thought it looked like the same view though. I used to live in the Häme region at one point, so it brings back memories! 😊


----------



## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

Luchesi said:


> According to the models, Londoners will have a better than an average chance of a white Christmas this year. Light snow will be all around. Some folks will be happy about that!


It does look lovely in the snow! Unfortunately the infrastructure is not designed to deal with snow though (unlike in Finland), but it was nice to see some actual snow for once!


----------



## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

Luchesi said:


> According to the models, Londoners will have a better than an average chance of a white Christmas this year. Light snow will be all around. Some folks will be happy about that!


I find the long range estimates very interesting. A large low will collide with Scandinavia and then slow down due to all the dense cold air pushing in from the east. The flow to the south behind the low will bring snow to your east coast. Chances improve for snow in London on the 26th and 27th.
This estimate will need to be updated (the planet will spin 13 times before then). lol 
That low is currently 'inside' a larger low near Newfoundland, but the timing is right to raise the chances of a white Christmas.


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am very happy that I’ve gotten past my obstacles on establishing the soulful slow movement section. Now I am again where I want to be: the constellation of the material is sketched and placed well enough for it to live a life of it’s own, to inspire me and dictate it’s suitable form. It will undoubtedly be the most beautiful thing I have ever done.

(The good thing about being only a part time composer is that I am in no hurry!)


----------



## Craveoon (May 25, 2021)

I'm travelling in Laos! This beautiful country is what makes me happy!


----------



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am happy to start the new year with our winter holiday, today! 

See ya later this year! (But not by using a mobile phone anymore.)


----------



## perempe (Feb 27, 2014)

Watched Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert. It's a different experience as now I'm familiar
with the hall (Musikverein): I've been there 4 weeks ago, going there again in 4 weeks.


----------

