In these days between the big celebrations--in this ordinary filling between the crusty, crunchy focaccia-style deliciousness of Christmas and New Year's Eve partying--it is often easy to fall into a slump. You'd think that we'd be happy for the break, but it's tough to return to the daily decision-making of work. It's difficult to move so quickly from the happy rhythm of celebrations to the dull thumping of the last few days of responsibility of our current year.
Sometimes, during
the betweeners, the internet helps in connecting us to lovely medicine, some simple something from the mind of a wordsmith like
Jason Howard, author of
A Few Honest Words. In his
blog, he lists a smattering of his most-loved music of 2012.
One of the recommendations of his that I particularly like is
Old Believers--Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons. What a treat on my first day back to work!
If the musical recommendations don't raise your spirits, try Jason's book, A Few Honest Words: The Kentucky Roots of Popular Music, which is a lovely read. Enjoy the well-crafted introduction and then read the interviews and stories of several of Kentucky's musical sons and daughters in any order that you wish, sort of like a CD of personal stories. I read this book at home and at music festivals, enjoying it on the sofa with a cup of tea or under a tree with live music playing and ants wandering in and out and over the leaves around my shoes. I can recommend it as an enjoyable experience in either setting, but there is something poetic in reading this book at a music festival, I must admit.
 |
| Reading at Albino Skunk Music Festival |
