The continuing thoughts of a
 |
| Beautiful - but terrible! |
.......
Salmonell-ism
Last Saturday night (8th), I was struck down with a bad
bought of probably Salmonella based food poisoning. One minute I was fine the next my stomach
cramped up and my system had turned to water, bathroom visits every 10-15
minutes. Particularly difficult as
guests for supper were imminent. Despite the advice of friends and colleagues,
I decided to read upon the subject and wait it out, having decided it was one
of three things gastritis, gastroenteritis or food poisoning. The information seemed to suggest that the
probability was that it would clear up by itself within 3 – 7 days, so I
decided that if I was still suffering after 8 days I would “give in” consult a
doctor, the problem here is that seeing the doctor is like writing a blank
cheque, rafts of tests almost always seem necessary and drugs have to be
purchased. I also read that the chances were that I would be prescribed
antibiotics and I feel that these eventually do more harm than good and that my
system simply needs time to adjust – my experience of “the runs” in India as my
system adjusted is always foremost in my mind [having lost the 20kg in a 9
month period, my system became that of a “Sherman tank” and I could eat/drink
anything] and I was simply caught out by a strain of bacteria here in Peru new
to my system.
And all that was by way of an introduction to what, as a
result, was a week of introverted thinking.
 |
| Ascetic, India, 1995 |
Looking back at the last 4 years, it has all been rather a
roller-coaster, lack of gainful employment, life on benefits, exploring art, and
chocolatier-ing, India, Guatemala and now Peru. Living a nomadic life with a 10 year plan and
then meeting Nick and everything changing. Now the proud joint tenant of a
large and splendid flat, furnished by us and the source of great pride and joy.
Notary-ism
Currently going through what so far has been a tortuous
process of trying to get my Graduate Diploma suitably notarised, legalised and
“Apostilled” in the UK to meet the demands of the Peru government so that with
the right visa a) I can take up a job offer here b) become more settled (?) and
c) build this Peruvian joint life. A
pity this is all going to cost almost £200 (equivalent to my first months
salary!)
Once the document arrives here then part two of the saga
commences with the immigration department!
The volunteering will not stop, in fact I have offered the
conservatoire a 2 for 1 offer. If they
can employ me to do some teaching I will give the same amount of time additionally
as a volunteer. (for clarity, I am still going to be volunteer/visiting Professor at the conservatoire come what may....)
But the main job is going to be a Head of Music for the El
Cultural American IB School here in Trujillo.
Which opens its gates to some 350 pupils on March 3. Initially this will be around 15 teaching
periods a week (12 hours real time). The
salary will not be large (it’s very part-time after all) but will be sufficient
for me to not to have to raid the investment pot from my pension. Having to go
on “holiday” in order to renew the visa is a costly experience and I would have
preferred to have seen “Machu Picchu”
had a holiday been by choice.
And I feel that after 16 months at the Conservatoire
developing an examination system, and running the
Centro de Ejecución e
Interpretación Músical - CEIM I can ask for some recompense in order to
work even more!
Although I fear to “blow
my own trumpet” – the conservatoire is now waking up to the fact that I can and
am enabling some students to reach a level of performance only dreamed of
previously. My own playing (accompanying) has reached a level even I am
surprised at - what if I had worked as hard 35 years ago?
And I am enjoying the fact that my new found
piano technique is so satisfying to me!
Currently, I am concentrating on working with a group of around a dozen
students, rehearsing with them individually for 2 hours per week and working
towards recital programmes for the coming year.
Now to convince the Conservatoire to buy a Clavinova - so that we can take the recitals on the road and give the students the much needed exposure they need.
This years concerts with the orchestra are also a chance to
build on my relationship with the symphony orchestra and I want to give them
the chance to play lots of new music (new for me and them) in my five upcoming
concerts.
So this is all good.
Nick is gradually understanding and coping with the fact that music
really is “en mi sangre” (in my blood) and that it takes up the majority of my
time. Just as he has sport as his main
interest and as a sop to the dedicated work he puts in for his (in my view) unappreciative employer!
We are slowly working it all out – a life’s work I think? But I have to admit, it is all at times (wonderful but) overwhelming!
 |
| Logo - Marriage Equality |
Darwin-ism, human-ism and PASTAFARIAN-ISM!
Anyways back to my “dolor” - I was pretty outraged by some
articles shared on facebook by a conservatoire student (not one of my students!)
who is a fanatical Catholic and feels that he knows better than anybody what is
best for everybody! This, alongside the
pretty outrageous version of Christianity put out by the “Alleluyas” (Peru
name for evangelical Christians) led me to "respond" for the sake of my own pride and self respect.
 |
| Charles Darwin |
So, all this led to a much reflection about my (since 1997)
Humanist stance on life. As such I have just felt “Humanist” but know I have
been more actively getting to grips with it all and its ramifications. Strangely, based on my two years research
during my time as an orthodox Aesthete, I have come to a startling conclusion
(yes irony is implied) ….. Humanism is surely what Christianity was trying to
be before it got hijacked, perverted, and contorted to fulfil the political
ambitions of a more structured church and society. The average person going to
church has little idea of the machinations that have led to a dogma and ritual
as far from the original as chalk is to cheese.
Last Wednesday, February 12th, was a feast day in the
Humanist calendar, it was the 205th anniversary of Darwin’s birth. And for me a day of reviewing
the Humanist position and making a few salient points on facebook to let some
light into the otherwise “closed” minds of some of my students. But principally it was for me.
“Humanism is a
democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning
and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane
society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit
of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it
does not accept supernatural views of reality.”
I still have an abiding interest in Theology as a subject,
but any organised religious doctrine, “100% no” although for historical reasons like
to keep abreast of the Church of England’s all consuming struggle to tear itself apart and
cast itself into the sea of self-imposed irrelevance.
Well done! Any Church that can "through procrastination, silence and obfuscation" support the actions of its Bishops in Africa and the witch-hunt against gays deserves complete contempt! Shame on you Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury .......
I was amused by the idea of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and
of “Pastafarianism” as an antidote to any pomposity of thought in religion,
atheism, humanism and just about every other “ism”. But it’s total “nihilism” is just too much! For
the sake of fairness here is its doctrine in a nutshell from RationalWiki:
“The Flying Spaghetti Monster, or the FSM for those too lazy
to type out His whole name, is the obvious source of all Order, Logic, and Morality in the
Universe,
the above being easily apparent to those who have been touched by His nudely noodly
appendage. Followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster previously called
themselves "Pirates",
but as the term and piracy were picked on by outsiders, His followers have
opted for "Pastafarians".
Some atheist pinko commie scientists think
that the glorious
Gravitation of the Earth can be explained without the Pastafarian doctrine
of Intelligent falling. But people like
us know they're wrong, right? Right?! The Universe would surely fall apart
unless the FSM used his appendages to lovingly hold everything together! It
says so in the Gospel of the FSM, so it must be true. We are proud to say that
We have been Touched by the Monster, and as an encyclopedia we urge you to tell
others about your Touchedness.”
Back to reality…….
Anyways, I reaffirmed that Richard Dawkin’s voice though
loud can also cloud more rational thinking on the subject. And my day of thought
and pondering left me feeling good and that since 1997 I have gradually reclaimed
my life and continue to do so, and it just gets better. So thank you Charles
Darwin, I really enjoyed your birth anniversary!
Hagiographarian-ism
I turns out that the/a Patron Saint of Trujillo is San
Valentin! But here the dayis hijacked as a day of “friendship” rather than for “lovers” – anyways despite my
stomach Nick and I revisited our favourite pasta and crepes restaurant “Metropolitan”
for a San Valentin meal.
Well I started out this blog being outraged by the offensive
“Christian, god is love – but NOT for you” postings of one conservatoire
student on facebook and came across a good article as to why San Valentine
although probably not gay, would make a good apologist for marriage equality:
“Marriage equality has a surprising role model in Saint
Valentine, a 3rd-century Roman priest who defied the restrictive marriage laws
of his era to bless couples who were forbidden to marry. His feast day is, of course,
today -- Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14).
Saint Valentine was not gay, but he put love above the law to perform outlaw
marriages in his day. He can be an inspiration for the current movement to
legalize same-sex marriage.
The Roman Emperor Claudius II thought that he would get more and better
soldiers if men were not allowed to marry, so he issued a decree outlawing
marriage. Saint Valentine continued to perform weddings in secret until he was
arrested and executed for defying the ban on such marriages. Legend has it that
he fell in love with a woman who visited him in prison, sending her a letter
that ended “From your Valentine” -- the original prototype for today’s
Valentine greeting cards.
Saint Valentine also did weddings for Christian couples at a time when the
church was persecuted. Now the tables are turned and conservative Christians
are sometimes (I think “sometimes” is too generous) persecuting LGBT people.
They are among the most visible opponents of marriage equality. (
From Jesus inLove blog - A place for LGBTQ spirituality and the arts link here)”
Pragmat-ism
And now back to making an arrangement of J.S.Bach’s sonata
for Viola de Gamba and Harpsichord in G major BWV 1027 for Euphonium and Piano in Eb!
More soon ………..
Evangel-ism
Oh,
by the way ......
Another development is that my pupil Flavio has made an
arrangement with a lovely cafe restaurant “Casona Desa” for music nights and a few students and I
will provide music every two weeks on a Saturday ….. the Casona is an old 18th
century colonial villa and just a perfect location for small concerts and
recitals. Very excited about this!
