"On these melodic lines I sniff"

Lately i've been updating my iPod on the regular with new tunes. More than I ever have. There's something about music. She has the ability to change your mood and enhance your life She appeals to me in a way the other arts just can't She understands me like no other I've devoted countless hours pursuing her via concerts downloading and hours in record stores. She truly is my mistress...

I went to see Cadillac records today and it reminded me how much I love and appreciate music. It also reminded me of how much I miss playing music. I've thought about returning to the piano for the past few years but, I can't find a way to fit it in my schedule. I don't think people realize how much work musicians put into their craft. I started piano lessons when I was 5 and had to practice an hour every other day. When I turned 8 or 9 it became an hour a day. At 11 it was two hours a day and at 12 i quit lol. I felt two hours a day was too much time away from jumping double dutch with the girls and my family had practically planned my life for me.

I look at it now and that was really nothing. My cousin is a professional musician and he practices about 8 hours a day. Clearly there's no way I could practice even half the amount of time he does. But if I went back I would need to practice at least two hours a day to catch up. That doesn't even include time to learn new concepts. But I'm so addicted when I start playing that I can't pull myself away. When I visit my father I find myself at the piano for hours not realizing how much time has elapsed. I used to always make fun of musicians when they started making faces, doing strange gestures, and rocking as they played their instruments but now I understand what that was. It was the artist connecting with their craft. The sound itself and playing the music are literally a high.

I discovered this high in 2003 while playing at my father's house. By the time I finished playing I had moved/rocked the piano bench away from the piano and was standing and had some ill facial expressions going on. I didn't even realize my sister was taking pics of me playing. It's an amazing feeling. Every stroke of the keys takes you higher and higher. Mixing the chords, changing octaves, and once I add in the foot petals ooooo weee! I'm oblivious to my surroundings. The only things that exists is the sound i'm creating and euphoria. I don't have to go to the bathroom, i'm not thirsty nor hungry. The music is everything in that moment. Dam, I need a fix right now! lol.

I've rambled long enough. Tell me what does music do for you? Or what branch of the arts appeals to you?