Today was hard, still feeling sick, but pushing through since I had rehearsals today. Someone asked me if I was sick today, and I was like yeah, how did you know? He said you look sick. Ah gawd. That's what happens when you don't wear makeup.... Anyways rehearsals went well. I got to work on the contemporary pas. We do a lift where he lifts me up with his hands on my waist, and my arms on his clavicles/shoulders. Then I go up into a split above his head wee woo!! Except that my partner is very tall and has beautifully long arms. Because of this, I literally can barely hold on to his neck/shoulders. So basically he is holding me up all the way all on his own. So today I got up and we were spinning, and then I noticed he was pushing me back. And BAM I flipped. But no worries he caught me. But I must say, it is seriously very scary to be lifted above someone's head and look at his ass from above (even if he does have a very nice ass... because he does =]
I was checking my email, and there was an article on Steven Tyler. I guess his celebrity status has increased ever since the whole American Idol thing (which I don't watch). It caught me attention because Aerosmith has been one of my favorite bands since the third grade (I'm being completely serious). I come from a family where music is very important. I have a crazy Italian grandpa who sings Puccini in his car (and he has made me sing too). Then there is my mom who absolutely loves singing, and isn't scared to flaunt it. I have my mom to thank for all the music I love. Similar to my grandfather (her father), she also plays opera in the car, but she also plays classic rock. Talking Heads, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, The Doors, The Who, John Elton, Queen, and of course our mutual favorite, Led Zeppelin.
My brother also picked up alot on this amazing selection of music our mother provided us, and he has also been my number one source of music income these past four years. He used to drive me tos chool every morning (and blowing out my ears too), but this is where I found even cooler new music (like Beck, Sublime, Phish, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Green Day, and Smashing Pumpkins). He may not know this, but I've always enjoyed him blasting his music (except at midnight when I was attempting to sleep)... but things got worse when he picked up my guitar and started to learn "Iron Man". But thank god, I think he can keep his rhythm now (much better than me). He is now a music major at Northeastern University in Boston... wants to be a music producer. I guess my parents did well; two kids in the arts (and my younger sister has a knack for photography and fashion in the making).
The third person to greatly influence my musical taste would be my uncle. He too is a self-taught guitarist/enthusiast (I'm not saying I'm accomplished, but he definitely is). He is what you would call "obsessed" with anything to do with music and guitars and sound. He loves messing around by our pool everyday in the summer, and always brings me some music and new chords to learn. Last summer he brought me "Ramble On", "Dear Prudence", and "Crazy on You". Admittedly, I'm too scared to even attempt learning those songs, but one day I will. -- promise. My uncle re-iterated all the music my mom and brother have supplied me, but he has also provided academic and interesting tidbits about the sounds, the artists, history, etc. He also bought me my first acoustic. It's a beautiful tiny thing, and I love it to death because my fingers are too small for any other guitars. I can't wait for the summer to show him how much I've improved on the "Stairway" and I've just started learning "Wish You Were Here". He'll still be disappointed I haven't looked at any of the other music sheets he gave me (but they're in a safe location one foot away from me).
So I guess thank you, my family, for teaching me how to appreciate good music and involve it in my life.
And thank you, Steven Tyler, I've sorta always loved you since the third grade. =D
