Ha, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive

Okelly dokelly - hi again, bloggin wurld. Let's see - what did I want to tell y'allses about? Oh yes, last week's seminar took place here (nice hotel - large rooms, fine food, staff a bit too brusque for my liking). It was another "The Apprentice"-based US culture one, and a lot of fun to teach at that. After that, I packed up all my gear on Saturday afternoon and headed to this hotel(haven't stayed there, but the food and the service are in a class of their own) for a five-piece-band wedding gig featuring a couple of guys I hadn't played with before. Most notable was guitarist Martin Wüstner, both for his indomitable good spirits and his delectable, groov-a-licious playing. I hope we'll get more chances to play together - it really was that good! I was dead on my feet by the end of it, though - I always struggle to get more than a couple of hours' sleep per night in on seminar days, and playing a gig with new musicians doesn't usually help, either. So anyway, I retired to my parents' house for some crash-out, sleep-'til-you-can-no-more respite. Spent what was left of Sunday at a photo shoot with C (she was taking pics for her sister's wedding). Got to see her granddad, which was nice. Then got back home and flopped into bed, only to awake a couple of hours later worn-out yet unable to sleep (see my last post). Insomnia didn't let up until early this morning, so I skipped Hebrew (again) and caught more of that much-needed shuteye. Zzzzzzz... What else? Oh, I rediscovered a great way of reminding myself of my own significance and importance on this little blue planet. Simply taking a leisurely (bleary-eyed, stumbling) walk through one of the springtime forests of my childhood was an incredible leveller - seeing nature going all-out on its way to springtime glory, hearing the sounds of a million insects and the song of countless birds, feeling and hearing a gentle breeze sway the endless vivid green of a glade of pine trees really helped put things into perspective. I don't know whether you believe in the existence of a Creator or not. Whatever you believe, seeing and witnessing the activity of countless little lives being led all around me within just a fraction of the world we call our own, really helped this musician/trainer remember that, try as I may, I will never be more (or less) than just one small part of a gigantic, complex, beautiful system - life. I have to say I find that thought very encouraging, if somewhat deflating of personal pride. What do you think?