A Sense of What It was Really Like for You: Eric Myrvaagnes, Photographer; and The Meaningless Journey Revisited--Inspiring Newsletters 43-49

Inspiring Newsletter

re-inspiration for clients and friends of www.InspiringWebCopy.com

an "aperiodical"—to speak when I am moved to speak

issue 43-49, June 2009

Note--the photographs by my father in this issue may not display in
your email client. To see them you can go to
www.inspiringnewsletter.blogspot.com. Thanks.

Issue 43, Tuesday June 9th

Mozart Makes You Happier

The benefits have often been touted for increasing intelligence*. But
can it make you happier too?

After a few minutes of research, I was firmly convinced it can--my
memory is not clear now but I think one of the things about it, the
Divertimento in E flat, is the almost ludicrous upbeats to the
continuing phrases. As I replay it in my head I'm not finding the
spot, but I remember being struck by that. It's just not right to be
that happy! Maybe it's the viola accompaniment, the repeating pattern.
Nope, it is the three up beats in the second theme, and the whole
sense of this very silly thing being taken absolutely seriously that
seems to reset priorities to a healthy and appropriate lightheartedness.

(Update--later the same week I, normally very self-conscious in public,
found myself singing the first movement in the subway station. I never
do that with Mahler, occasionally with Brahms, hoping my voice will
sound reasonably operatic, but with Mozart it's just not possible to
stay self-conscious about one's performance because I'm having too much
damn fun.)

--
*I've also read somewhere that research on "the Mozart effect"--in
raising intelligence-- was actually inconclusive but had gotten hyped
by the popular media. While the Mozart Happiness Effect remains to be
validated by further scientific research, it's also pretty obvious if
you do a controlled study on yourself for two minutes.

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Issue 44, Wednesday, June 17

A Sense of What It was Really Like for You:
inspiring Interview with Eric Myrvaagnes, photographer

I've grown up with my father's photographs and took it for granted that
every father must take such beautiful pictures and see so much in
nature. It was a bit surreal to be interviewing him, and it allowed me
to see his work again with new eyes. It's also been an honor and
privilege to work with him as an un-coaching client, and not only has
he learned something new in each conversation we've had, but I've
learned something fascinating that has fed my soul. This interview
captures a little of what he says when he's made comfortable to speak.

IN: What inspires you to photograph?

Eric Myrvaagnes: Hm. One of the things that interetsed me abut it
first was that you cudl point this device at something that you saw
that was interesting and be able to remember it later.

Also, my first experience wiht a camera was seeing my older brother,
he'd gotten one and was interested in the process, so he was developing
his own photos. We didn't have a darkroom, so he got contact sheets
and chemicals and trays and worked in the closet, and I remember he
would work so long that at the end his leg would have cramped up so
much he had to be helped out of there. And I was very intrigued that
anything could be so interesting to someone that they would be willing
to undergo physical discomfort.

I go to Plum Island and feel a very moving spiritual presence in the
patterns of sand and water and light, and these move me really deeply.
. .

Then when I was at Greenwood [Music Camp], I borrowed his camera and
took snapshots of people. I remember that at first they were
self-conscious and put on a face when they saw me with the camera, but
soon they got used to seeing it and ignored it, so I was able to get
natural expressions.