24/7: NOLA

Twenty-for (the) Seventh: Twenty ways you may already experience New Orleans everyday. I absolutely love the full experience of being there, but let's explore how New Orleans visits you, here, every day.


1. Coffee: Between French Market, Cafe du Monde, Luzianne, New Orleans Coffee Company, PJ's Coffee, Orleans Coffee Company, and Community Coffee, New Orleans has got you covered every morning of the week.

2. Or perhaps you drink an international coffee, or sugar, or banana on the side. These are some of the coastal city's many imports. NOLA, the largest city in Louisiana and one of the largest in the south, has always been one of the largest, busiest, and most efficient international ports of entry for the United States. It is also a major hub of transportation with an international airport, bus lines, rail cars, traffic along the Mississippi, and highways. In fact, the familiar transcontinental I-10 runs right through the city.

3. Industrialization quickly arose, and continues to print and publish; manufacture wood, paper, metal, clothing, medical and building equipment, communication systems, and aircraft parts; build and repair ships; and processes a great variety of food and beverages. On that note, let's get more specific:

4. Representing (and selling) the cajun cuisine in your local grocery is Zatarain's for lunch.

5. Kick up your midday meal with copious amounts of Louisiana's pure Crystal hot sauce.

6. I grew up distracting myself from dental work by melting into the JazzFest Posters on the office walls.

7. Under the influence of dental anesthesia, your memories piece together something from high school history class; The United States only planned on picking up New Orleans and the immediate surroundings before settling for the entire Louisiana Purchase.

8. You may pick up some of K-Paul's Magic Seasoning Blends or Emeril's Essence Spices to get the soul you're craving for dinner,

9. And use any of the plenty New Orleans Cookbooks available.

10. Note: Louisiana supplies 95% of the crawfish harvested in the United States, and perhaps more astonishing, supplies 90% of the world's crawfish - of which 70% is actually consumed locally.

11. Time for the big guns: McIlhenny Co. Tobasco Brand hot sauces.

12. Wash it down with your favorite Abita flagship, seasonal, or harvest brew.

13. Switch on the television and catch the Saints, the Tigers, or any of New Orleans sports teams.

14. If you're more in the mood for a movie filmed in New Orleans, perhaps consider Ray, or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button from your many options.

15. Treat yourself to a dessert sno-ball.

16. Head out to hear some live music... this is a big one from New Orleans... JAZZ (and think about the music of America, and the world, that have evolved from, or been influenced by, JAZZ).

17. As well NOLA arts in general,

18. And other famous and influential people who came form New Orleans.

19. Too soon? Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. If you reside in North Carolina, South Carolina, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, NEw Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington D.C., 2012 unfortunately brought quite the Hurricane Sandy of a storm to your own doorstep.

20. So finally, there's no better way to celebrate life than with an authentic "jazz funeral." The philosophy has caught on in your home town, but nobody kicks the bucket and keeps carrying the song still in it quite like good ol' New Orleans. Cheers.

"Blackbird," by the Beatles

Let us explore "Thirteen Ways of Looking at 'Blackbird'":

I
"Among twenty snowy mountains,
The only moving thing
Was the eye of the blackbird."

II
Our flight began with a piece by J. S. Bach, "Bourrée in E minor," a common piece for the lute. Paul McCartney and George Harrison tried to learn the song as children.

III
"Blackbird" was modeled from the Bourrée's simultaneous bass and melodic notes. In the spring of 1968, Paul composed the song as a reaction to the escalating racial tensions in America.

IV
"A man and a woman
Are one.
A man and a woman and a blackbird
Are one."

V
"I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendos,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after"

VI
Paul not only wrote and recorded the vocals and guitar accompaniment, Geoff Emerick designated a mic to record Paul's celebrated foot tapping. The birdsong was overdubbed just after (And not credited to Paul.)

VII
Paul published a book of poetry and song lyrics titled, "Blackbird Singing."

VIII
You have probably listened to countless guitar players around campfires, amateur videos on YouTube, Sungha Jung, Glee, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, many other professional performances, or Dave Grohl's teasing;

IX
Thanks to on-line guitar tabs and YouTube videos, you too can learn to play this beautiful song, using this (self-acclaimed), "ultimate Blackbird lesson ever made." Or you can just blast the stereo and sing karaoke.

X
My personal three favorite covers are performed by Herbie Hancock and Corinne Bailey Rae together at the White House, Brad Mehldau - who first caught my attention with his Jazz trio's Radiohead covers, and a stirring, solo a cappella arrangement, Bobby McFerrin, the virtuoso vocalist.

XI
If you sit still and listen to any dark black night
You might hear the refrigerator, or the bugs outdoors.
I like to pretend they are blackbirds,
Singing us to sleep, into the light of hopeful dreaming
And as my heartbeat taps,
A guitar sounds in my ears

XII
"The river is moving.
The blackbird must be flying."

XIII
Written for the Civil Rights Movement,
Paul, reflecting while performing the 2009 Coachella, "It's so great to realize so many civil rights issues have been overcome."
Still, a timeless song lives on in the hardships, and in the victories, for all generations of dreamers.

Transfer, Transfer, Transfer

"Bear in mind that we all are teachers,

we all are students,

and that to “Transfer”

is the process of moving an object, symbol, or idea

from one closed system to another,

when the two systems contain similar aspects or some similar relationship,

yet retaining a similar meaning (Madsen and Madsen, 1998)."

If you move an object such as a cheese grater from the kitchen into the bedroom, you can paint it and create an affordable earring holder. A symbol of the crucifixion has been generalized to represent Christianity. Because you remember memorizing the names of bones by chaining the information, you might transfer that same procedural idea to teach a new song to people and find success by presenting one line at a time and linking the lines together.

The theory concerning transfers of learning originated in behavioralism. A "transfer of practice" occurs whenever past experience informs and influences learning and performance in new and different situations. Slouching over your new guitar at home will later teach your body to sit with poor posture in a guitar class. You might transfer a learned confidence while playing guitar in front of your classmates when later performing publicly at a local coffee shop. Perhaps you observe how performing those different songs affected the audience, and so later choose to sing "What a Wonderful World" rather than "Yesterday" to elevate a patient's mood.

What is learned in one classroom should apply to another. And your life. And your future. Dressed in a suit and tie, Dr. Cliff Madsen grins while stepping through his classroom doorway and says everyday, "Ladies, gentlemen; take out pen and paper. Write a transfer!" Teaching yourself to think critically both in depth and creatively implies the ability to thoroughly understand a single topic and to also adaptively apply that understanding in endless functional purposes and intellectual pursuits. Rather then seeing the world as several distinct textbooks, practice seeing the world as the internet, rich with encyclopedias, video resources, social media and - downloadable textbook PDFs - that inform "vertical" depth with all possible "horizontal" breadth: connections, references, combinations, metaphors, theories, opinions, song lyrics, and so on. Barry Commoner contributes, "Everything is related to everything else." 

Madsen, Charles H. and Madsen, Clifford K. (1998). Teaching / Discipline: A Positive Approach for Educational Development. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc.

Tanks for nothing...

Just do it: Inflated tires create less friction with the road.

AC/EZ: The Mythbusters suggest that cracking your windows to circulate the air and forego the AC altogether while driving under 50mph is more fuel efficient, but driving over 50 mph (on that Highway to Hell), you'll do better just to run the AC. Turn your Air Conditioning off five minutes before you arrive. Park in shaded spaces so that your air conditioning won't have to work as hard when you return. In safe neighborhoods you may even want to crack open your windows.

Full house: After planning what you need to do/buy, checking store hours, and being clear about directions, try to get three errands done in twice the time by combining trips and saving your car from extraneous mileage (Gas is a gamble, and you'll have a better chance at losing less into the poker pool, or rather, tank of gas). Also consider grabbing your bro and three queens - carpooling with a full house is a social way to go green, and save each of you a whole lot of green.

Change your diapers: Nobody wants to, but change out that old oil every so often with the correct motor oil, replace the disgusting air filter that came with car five years ago, check that your engine is properly tuned, and for the love of Gas, repair any serious maintenance problems. When changing diapers, it's always a good idea to watch out for unexpected leaks! The air filter can make a big difference, and you can simply shake a lot of build-up out yourself.

Out with the old, in with the new: I can't afford a hybrid (or any other new vehicle), but it might be worth considering a motorcycle or a car with manual transmission. Shift to a higher gear early, and shift down late. I prefer throwing it into neutral and coasting as much as possible. Whether in manual or automatic transmission, you will save gas by keeping your RPMs low. Pedal bikes have incredibly low RPMs, and burn nothing but birthday cake and cookies. Walking and public transportation are good options.

What a drag: It's good to slow down. Drag forces depend on velocity. Don't drive with cargo carriers or bike racks when they aren't being used. Driving faster increases a car's amount of drag, which increases fuel consumption. However, if you are behind a steady speed driver and able to maintain a safe distance, try to find their slipstream tail and draft - it will save gas for both cars, though especially the rear. Trucks will create the most drag and a longer tail, and they are probably more consistent drivers.

F=ma: Newton's laws explain acceleration to burn more fuel, especially as multiplied by a bigger, heavier vehicle's mass. Build momentum before reaching a hill so as to avoid accelerating on an incline. Minimize the amount of braking and reaccelerating in stop and go traffic by holding a slower speed and allowing more distance between the car ahead of you. Be consistent once driving at your target speed; use cruise control when possible. Try to otherwise avoid heavy traffic and frequent traffic lights.

Mind the gas: Remember that a heavier car burns more fuel. If there's no need to leave heavy items in the car, take them out. It's good to fill up when you find a lower price for gas, but aim to fill up when your tank is low. An emptier tank technically weighs less than a consistently full tank. Consider buying additives to improve gas mileage, but be aware these products are not as effective as they are advertised to be.

Retail therapy: Feel better about yourself by shopping smart. Save 5¢ per gallon at Shell for every $50 you spend at Winn-Dixie, or take advantage of their other select grocery rewards. Explore other partnerships and discounts given to regular customer. 

Knowledge is power: Compare gas prices, visit www.fueleconomy.gov, or explore multitudes of tips through Google. Ask other commuters near you about local deals, smart shopping tips, or cheaper gas stations (name brands may not offer a better product, just a higher rate). Some people suggest keeping a log of what works for you, what doesn't, and what to what work on.

Take life by the horns: My most important tip won't actually save any money, but will reframe how you think about necessary expenses. Choose to enjoy the ride rather than get trapped in the rat race! Remember to burn a good CD, call your mother, sip some decent coffee, and enjoy the long and winding road before you.

I Am Wikipedia (And So Can You!)

While Wikipedia should be explored with healthy skepticism (and what in the whole world shouldn't be?), this free and easily accessed encyclopedia is an effective way to first explore most any topic, a powerful resource to launch further study, and yes, a source of entertainment. Download a free book on guitar from Wikibooks, explore Wikisource, walk off the plank and succumb to Colbert on Wikiquote, and muse on the farcical Uncyclopedia.

I Am Wikipedia: This Music Therapy Activities Wiki is an online guide to activity ideas, resources, techniques, tips, research, and further reading. Content is categorized by the role of music, such as Songwriting or Music Games. Find new iPad apps, a Boomwhacker handbook, Karaoke websites, Repertoire, or search songs for Lyric Analysis with a huge database of popular music themes, concepts, and topics. 
And So Can You! Everyone approaches Music Therapy differently and addresses various needs for diverse populations. Small contributions you can offer make a huge difference! Each page also encourages you to add your name to the list of contributors. The more people contribute their suggestions, resources, complementary blog posts, books, web pages, etc., the more benefit we can all receive. Please spend a few moments to share your activity ideas, resources, techniques, tips, research findings, and educational material to further our understanding; just click "Edit" on any page or "Contribute" (top right) a new page altogether.

Fuck! Just fucking fuck the fucking fucker!

Warning: This article features suggestive material and excessive use of offensive language to explore grammatical function. Admittedly, if this disclaimer is being read, it is probably too late to prevent "virgin minds" from being exposed to the explicit nature of this educational pursuit. So read on!

Also, acknowledge that this is a personal blog. I also write about Music Therapy or professional topics, but do so because I personally love the field or the topics.


Most people my age get very excited about a good "fuck," especially as they discover its incredible flexibility. Can you imagine why? I never thought I would be giving this talk so soon. Well... There are only eight parts of speech in the English language, and so, as a typical testosterone-driven male, I wondered which words might fit into every word class. Can you think of any? I suspected slang could broaden the possible grammatical uses of a root word and expletives might be applied in many creative ways.

Peevish Penman published an argument that "fuck" can qualify for nine parts of speech, including sub-category examples. (Articles are sometimes considered to be an independent category - who knew "a" and "the" were so special?) I dream I could agree, but scroll down through the comments and an anonymous reply more accurately negated "fuck" as a pronoun, conjunction, preposition, or article, and composed a perfect example of it being used as an interjection, adverb, verb, adjective, and noun: "Fuck! Just fucking fuck the fucking fucker!"

I think "fuckhead" exemplifies an appropriate use as a pronoun, thus personally concluding "fuck" to comprise 6 out of 8, or 75% of all English lexical categories. Fat bottom line: "fuck" is a grammar slut. Experiment for yourself with the safety root word in the Urban Dictionary, and be sure to educate your dirty talk by looking up "fuckspeak."

HANDS!

Paws, claws, and talons are merely the metaphorical Dee Dee of "Dexterity's" Laboratory. Only the mammalian order of primates have developed true grasping hands. Hands are our predominant tools for physical manipulation of the environment. Though many animals also have opposable thumbs, our thumbs enabled complex tool use and important fine motor skills, such as writing. The emergence of a writing system coincided with man's transition from hunting and gathering to an agrarian lifestyle (and we quickly recorded how to brew beer!). Writing facilitated commerce through token economies such as money, gave ideas permanence, standardized language and transferred information to further groups of people, and organized higher order symbolic thought. Hands are used to read Braille and to communicate through complete sign languages. A simple thumbs up, middle finger, or a wave good-bye are only a few of the hand gestures of which we all infer meaning. Across the globe, hands speak tremendous volumes through physiological changes and unconscious nonverbal communication (Great article), but you should be responsible for which rude hand signals you use while traveling!

About a quarter of the motor cortex is devoted to controlling the hands. Left or right handedness is controlled by the opposite side of the brain, and is indicative of individual brain functioning. Michelangelo painted with both hands. The lengths of the bones in our fingers approximate a Fibonacci sequence. Fingernails grow about as much as the continents move every year. Fingerprints are permanent and unique to each person, making them dependable for personal identification. Palmistry is the (less dependable) practice of reading someone's life - past, present and future - from their hands. Chirophobia is the fear of hands. Polydactyly is the presence of extra fingers or toes. There are 174 words beginning with, 324 words containing, and 22 words ending with "hand." Also check out these "50 handy expressions about hands."

A newborn's grip is surprisingly strong, and most can actually support their entire weight. Handshakes initiate the beginning of most relationships. Sergei Rachmaninov's long and slender fingers were said to span an octave and a half on a keyboard, necessitating Igudesman & Joo to invent a most entertaining way to perform his piano music. Parts models can earn their living with their hands; some hands are worth $1,200 a day. Reflexologists apply pressure to relax fight-or-flight all across the body, using each hand's 73 reflex points. Lovers may want to give a more intimate hand massage. Holding hands continues to be a very comforting form of physical contact for those near the end of life, or even 1,500 years after life!

Thank you for reading my handiwork, no applause is necessary!

Money. Man. Machine.

Motorcycles are tempting. Muse on the money, the man, and the machine:

The Money - Costs will include a motorcycle course ($240), additional insurance ($20-$400+ per month), a helmet ($50-$100), and the purchase price of whichever bike chosen (average $14,491), not to mention taxes, appropriate clothing, accessories, tools, maintenance costs, etc. However a Master's student/young professional should very well spend less than $10,000 for the first year, gas included. My car's cost of gas will be about twice as much as an average bike's. Personally, I get around 20 mpg and still hope to drive 330 miles each week for work alone. Today's low $30 difference would take 333 weeks (6 16/39 years) to match the maximum (and preposterously high price of) $10,000. Higher gasoline prices will actually save more money per mile if riding a motorcycle rather than any car.

The Man - Safety is my biggest fear. And my girlfriend's gravest concern. And my mom's worst nightmare. Statistics across the web are sobering. Common sense (and heeding safety tips) such as sobriety, helmets and proper attire, daytime riding, valid license, and using safer roads/divided highways, are correlated with fewer accidents and fatalities. In my car I feel confident, aware of unpredictable drivers and my environment, and will be driving off highways on these gorgeous canopy roads.

The Machine - I don't know the first thing about clamps, gaskets, and carburetors, oh my! I've even tried twice just to finish Pirsig's novel. I "read" the technical sections the same way I skim over biblical genealogy. There are videos, articles, and books to study routine maintenance. Hopefully I won't need to do any major repair myself or drop it off somewhere for a long time. Pirsig didn't know much about how bikes worked before he did his research, so there's hope that my own dreams of philosophical musings while riding intimately amidst country roads can also be accompanied by such knowledgable care and obsessive upkeep.

Maybe there is no rush to decide. I suppose I can't see a bike outside my door anytime soon, though I do know I would proceed with a careful budget, immense caution, and enough attention to detail. Final conclusion for the time being: Jose Miguel, Stephen, and yeah, Dad, you too for this matter - Don't challenge my self-control. Surely I'd be quick to explore the local shops!