Candidly Speaking - 26/09/22
Life Updates
I have been busy for the past few weeks. Too busy, in fact. I am still preparing for my trip to Austria in order to begin my Master’s degree study, in International Studies. It has been a whirlwind trying to gather all the documents needed to get the right entry papers and visa, only to be informed that I will be arriving later than the start of the school year. As of this writing, I am still waiting to get my residence permit approved, and I will be taking my classes online until further notice.
I am recording podcast interviews in a much faster pace, since I suspect that I will not be having too much time recording and producing the show when I start school. Nevertheless, I am grateful that an increasing number of interesting musicians and thinkers have agreed to be on the show. I will do my best to keep doing the show, even though I am certain that I will not be doing it forever.
I have been sleeping better these days, thank God. It is possibly because I work a lot during the daytime, so I tend to become exhausted come bedtime. Many of these podcast interviews are recorded during the evening, because of the time difference between me and the guests. So I would find myself completely spent by the time the interview was over.
I have been reading a lot lately. Right now, I am focusing on Matthew Continetti’s monumental book The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism. I had the great honor of inviting him to this podcast for an interview, and the conversation was better than I expected. Other books I am reading include The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis, and Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. I should make time also to read the Gospel, as well as the sonnets of Shakespeare.
Another thing I am neglecting to do is taking piano lessons. Right now, I am teaching myself how to play, via a small electronic keyboard. I regret not having picked up the skill when I was little - I hear that children born of musical parents tend to have an easier time learning music, and neither of my parents play musical instruments. But I am happy to say that I am making progress - for the first time, I am able to play with two hands, albeit clumsily. The objective right now is to pick up the habit, and do it more frequently.
I am still keeping tabs on my friends overseas, something that I never expect to be doing this regularly. I had always thought of myself as someone without friends, or with very few of them. It is good to know that of all the things I worry about, (not) having friends has ceased to be one of them. The podcast certainly helps - many of the people I have interviewed for the show have become personal friends, even though I have yet seen them in person. I hope to do so at some point.
I started diving deep into the music of Marvin Gaye, and it has been the best decision I have made in the past few days. Although What’s Going On has become his most well-known record, carrying further resonance now in a racialized America, I have to say that Here, My Dear is my personal favorite. Recorded during the breakup of his marriage with Berry Gordy’s sister, the album is a collection of mournful tracks set against funky rhythms. Gaye’s soulful voice never sounded this haunting and dark. You can tell that he took it personally, and every ounce of his heart and soul was laid bare for us listeners.