Jack of All Arts, Master of Some: My New Hobby

It can be coins or sports or politics or horses or music or faith...
the saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all.

Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary,
because there's nothing to make it last.

~ Nicholas Sparks, Dear John

 

 

M

usic is my life blood.  Rarely do I go through the day without music either playing in my head, on my computer, or on my smarty pants phone.  But I have a confession to make.

I haven’t touched the piano. 

I haven’t sung one note.

I haven’t composed one line.

In months.

And I have been feeling guilty and little sad, almost as if I have suffered a great loss.  But the reality is that life is cyclical.  What we are interested in and passionate about comes and goes in waves.  And right now, I’m just not feelin’ it.

What I am feeling, is the rhythm of the music: the dance inside it.  Specifically, the 8 count beat.

Swing.

Glen Miller.  Benny Goodman.  The Dorsey Brothers.  Louis Prima.  Count Basie.  Artie Shaw. Ella Fitzgerald.  The Andrews Sisters. Kitty Kallen. Billie Holiday. Frank Sinatra.  And Michael Buble.

But let’s be honest.  The best part of swing?

The costumes.  1950s circle skirts, 1940s a-line dresses.  And the most important article of clothing?  The poufy petticoats.

Here are two of mine:

I have another black one that’s a little shorter and less full then the one shown here.  And I just ordered a pink one.  I hope to add orange, teal, blue, and purple to my collection once my favorite designer/seamstress makes up a new batch.  You could almost say that one new hobby (swing dancing) has also engendered a second hobby (dance outfits).  Although friends might say differently and that my love of vintage hats may have had something to do with my love of swing dancing.  But that's a post for another day.

One thing will never change: I will always love music, and love to play it, sing it, and compose it.  But right now, my love of music has translated into a love of dance.  And that’s just fine. 

I’ll catch my inner Joni Mitchell on the next wave.

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

 What hobbies have you set aside while you pursue a new interest?