Disconcerted No More

Okay, I’m giving you fair warning: I am about to gush over classical music. I realize this makes me sound incredibly pretentious but I can’t help it.

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 is by far my favorite classical piece of all time. Like any orchestral piece it has a big, full sound. When you listen to it, you can feel it expanding, growing louder, more powerful and more intense. It is, as John Lithgow once said (in Flashdance of all places), uplifting. But to me, the most stunning part of this piece is not its strength and volume but rather its quiet moments.

You know how sometimes you can hear a singer take a deep breath before a big line? I swear, when this piece swells at the chorus (I’m sure this isn’t the proper technical term so music experts, bear with me), it withdraws so naturally that you would think the song is literally inhaling. The sound of something so imposing coming to that kind of graceful halt is so arresting that you can’t help but take notice.  

Before you declare me certifiably insane (and pompous for that matter), try it for yourself. Crank up the volume and close your eyes. I swear, it will intoxicate you. Before you know it, the rest of the world will melt away and you’ll find yourself taking big deep breaths right along with it. 

In Living Color

People say, and I firmly believe, that color affects your mood. Since I pretty much live in black and grey – literally, it dominates both my wardrobe and my apartment – anyone who knows me might find this hard to believe. But humor me for a minute.

Most people would look at my palette of choice and think dismal, dispirited and down in the dumps. Rightfully so: in our culture, black is the spokesperson for evil and death just as grey is for boredom and old age. But when I dress in the morning, I don’t throw on my favorite black sweater because I’ve succumbed to the all-night cram session.

To me, black and grey are elegant, polished and sophisticated. They give me a quiet confidence that makes me feel dynamic and assertive. Plus, they’re extremely practical; they’re neutral, so they go with everything, and they’re classic, so they never go out of style (and lets face it, the slimming factor doesn’t hurt either). These shades of grey are my power suit.

Now for those of you who haven’t taken the time to neurotically psychoanalyze your power colors like I have, check out COLOURlovers. A self-proclaimed “visual inspiration site,” COLOURlovers allows users to upload images and extract the exact color palettes from them. Just throw in anything that moves you, whether classical art or bumper sticker, and the site tools will break it down into a palette that will power (or empower) you.

I personally recommend using the COPASO tool. 

I used it on my site banner, 

this painting by Edgar Degas, 

and this album cover for The Hush Sound. 

So color your world: repaint your bedroom, buy a new shirt, paint your nails. Or just take ten minutes and do something cool. Either way, you can't lose.

Until next time.

The First Breath

I’m a pretty intense person. When life gets busy I can get stressed out and it shows. I get snarky and impatient and I start spewing to-do lists. I march around in a half-jog and I tailgate. Before you know it, I’m so worked up that I’m overheated and I have to take off my sweater.

Obviously this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. My productivity skyrockets; I end up listing, charting and micromanaging the next month of my life. There’s usually also a vacuum and some Mr. Clean involved. But, like any good caffeine high, what goes up must eventually come down. In my case, usually crashing down. So there I am, overwhelmed, exhausted, and completely spent. Three years of university, 30 exams, and nearly 50 papers later, I decided this probably wasn’t the healthiest pattern. So what’s my solution?

I take a deep, deliberate breath and just let it go.

Yea I know, it sounds pretty hokey but when I start to breathe slower, the rest of me follows suit and I start to notice things. It can be a good song, a funny column, or the quiet that’s set in now that I’m no longer ranting like a crazy person. Regardless, I get distracted long enough to appreciate other things going on around me.

So if you’re like me and you can go a little overboard (or a lot, either way), take some time, take in my latest pursuit of sanity… and breathe out.