“I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear…each one singing his…each singing what belongs to her and none else.” – Walt Whitman Take a moment to search with your ears to the sounds around you. It may be helpful to close your eyes – sound is noticed more fully when the eyes are closed. […]
Notice a spot in your work that is calling for a very rapid tempo. Imagine what you could do to do that work perfectly. Now note what the minimum is that you could do right this moment. Notice which of the two approaches is going to allow you to produce something right now. Start by […]
When playing jazz that has a swing rhythm to it, and the tempo is medium (walking pace or faster), many musicians find it helpful to tap their foot on the second and fourth beats that happen = 1 2 3 4. This reminds them of the swing rhythm emphasis (2 and 4 more than 1 […]
The next time you get ready to drink something – whether it’s a beer, glass of water, juice, wine, pause to savor the moment. Use all of your senses to appreciate the impending taste. Pause and let go of anything else you’re thinking about, whether future or past or mundane – let it go. Block […]
In your car, press the scan button on the radio and see how many songs you can name. Set your computer music player program (iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc.) on shuffle, put one finger on the pause button, another on the next song button. Close your eyes, start playing the song. Pause after a few […]
Margaret is the Production Manager at Quixote Consulting. She handles the behind-the-scenes work and is responsible for managing all the materials and supplies that go into each program. Her number one priority is to make sure that everything is in place for the perfect program. What is the most meaningful part of your work? I love being part of something […]
Why is Stephen Curry my favorite NBA player? It’s not because he’s such an amazing 3-point shooter (although that helps) or the 2-time MVP. It’s simply because of the sense of play he brings to the game. He even ‘plays’ his warm-up routine, using a basketball to emulate other sports with teammate Ian Clark. And […]
Try playing. Play is stealth exercise. Match the play to your physical ability in the moment. For me, playing basketball beats running sprints by myself. I’d rather play hockey than skate alone. Give me a game of Ultimate instead of a long run by myself any day. This is why people golf, why they bowl, […]
There is a feeling that often accompanies unexpected play. It is the feeling of getting away with something. And your mind may get worried for a moment and ask yourself the above question. Other variations of that question may be, “is this legal? ” Many of us, myself included, sometimes carry the expectation that life […]
Grim-faced, hard-eyed innovation. Misery and creativity. These oxymorons don’t fit well together, do they? Innovation instead requires a sense of play. It delights in feeling that the stakes are low in this moment (and the stakes are always lower than we imagine). So let’s try something fun that we have never tried before. If you […]
