Cutting Down on TV Time

One of the positive effects of my stitching is that there is no TV in my studio. (We have two pairs of eyes, but 5 TV sets...) I have put a radio in my studio/sanctuary where I stitch to a background of classical music. I used to listen mainly to 96.3FM which plays classical but includes the theme song from Star Wars in its repertoire.

Last week I switched to the CBC (Canadian Broadcast Company) for the Mozart extravaganzas. I was not disappointed. But I also discovered and rediscovered a few other programs on the CBC. Stuart McLean's "Vinyl Cafe" is wonderful. I had read one of his books, compliments of Carmit, our family bookworm. To hear him read his stories and intersperse it with live music is great. Then there was a program today about a musician/songwriter who received (posthumously) a grammy award for his blues music. Can't remember the person's name and can't find it online right now but he had a profound influence on many musician/songwriters after him. There was an hour (I think, because time flies when I'm busy stitching) of his original recordings and recordings of his music that others have done over the years. A thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable program.

And then Saturday afternoons is "Live from the Met" and today was "La Traviatta", one of my most favourite operas. I stitched and cried, partly because the opera is so emotional and partly because it reminded me of my Aunt Elsie who used to listen to Live from the Met.

And between acts, there is such interesting behind the scenes opera tidbits. It was lovely. Next week is "Aida". I am looking forward to it.

And I got quite a bit done on Auf Simchas today. May still do another seam before I go to bed this evening.

And a final postscript. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had started stair climbing at work. I haven't mentioned it since and I didn't want anyone to think that I had given it up. I haven't. Five days a week, up the twenty-odd storeys and back down again to the ground floor. I didn't say I enjoy it but I'm toughing it out and hoping for nicer weather so I can expand my repertoire of activities.