turn off the lights for one hour every night for a week

Tonight’s the last night. :)

but not nightly, for a week.

On some nights it would be too late… I would be doing it just because I ‘had’ to. And that doesn’t make any sense.

But I AM going to aim for at least a couple of nights a week, on an ongoing basis. It is very good for me to have a quieter time in this way.

I ate dinner and read a magazine by candlelight tonite. It’s so calming with soft light.

Tonight Mme Lupin stayed to listen to me practice and watched the reflection of the candle bounce off the National onto the ceiling, “like the Gotham City Bat Signal”. I looked up and she was right: almost exactly that shape.

the stuff goes away a bit

Tuesday I had the lights off for two hours.

Wednesday I had the lights off all night until I got in from the office, and only had them on for about less than an hour.

I can’t say that I have everything else out, but at least I’m conserving some energy by not having the lights on as much.

I missed one night (I had the lights off but I kept the laptop running); other than that I’ve done all my practising by candlelight. I’d like to continue this indefinitely.

was difficult for me because I got home so late and had so much to do, but I did it . . . it really calms me down and forces me to focus. I find myself using the time to plan for the next day and look over the one that just passed. This is a very hectic time for me right now; I think that setting aside an hour where I can be calm and do nothing but sort through the hecticness helps me free up my mind the rest of the time. Wish I could really just do nothing during that hour, but alas . . . probably not this week.

I am pretty impressed with how good this exercise is feeling for me. I even went to a friends house tonight and when she started a fire, without thinking I started shutting off all extra lights that were on. But I did catch myself mumbling under my breath something about doing my part for Earth Hour. I guess its already becoming automatic!

for some kind of soiree featuring a vocalist (sprechstimme, poetry, torch songs, Western Swing, rock) and me (Hawaiian guitar). Audiences of under 100, in rooms with pleasing acoustics. No amplification.

I’ve done solo instrumental performances like this and it works. If I can find the right singer, this could be the most intense thing ever.

I did an hour’s practice tonight without ‘lectric and it dawns on me that these gigs must happen by candlelight.

Of course, until I find a collaborator this is just fantasy (don’t even mention the risk assessments, fire codes, etc…); damn fine, though.