Some reading down, LOTS more to go

Lately I've been reading a lot. I tend to go through spurts when it comes to books. I'll read about a dozen books one month and then I won't read another book for 3 or 4 months. I also tend to read obsessively (but I am NOT a fast reader). If I can't finish a book in 3 days then I figure it's just not good enough to keep reading. This is because during the three day time period I will read every moment I can. And since I don't have much available reading time during the day anymore this usually means I stay up late, sacrificing precious sleep just to see what the next page brings. And then once I find that out I just HAVE to know what's on the next page after that... it's a never ending process that only stops when I realize that I'm SO tired I've read a paragraph three times and still have no idea what the words are.

So my most recent reading spell is coming to a close. I don't really want to mention most of the books I read because I know that many of them are silly books geared towards FAR younger girls, but I also managed a few adult reads. Two stand-outs were by AJ Jacobs-- The Year of Living Biblically (I highly recommend) and The Know It All. In The Know It All Jacobs writes about his quest to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. After I read it, I was looking up a musical term in my New Harvard Dictionary of Music (for a question my piano student asked) when I found myself reading a few entries beyond the one pertaining to my question because I just found it all so interesting. Then it hit me... I should just go ahead and read the whole dictionary, a la Jacobs. It's not quite as grand a challenge, but it will reconnect me to something I love (music) and challenge me. There were a few other books I wanted to get through first, but now that I've finished those I have begun to tackle my music dictionary. Today I started reading while Dylan was playing with his trains. I didn't get very far because he kept interrupting me to show me all the cool things he was doing (putting trains through the tunnels, correctly operating the toy crane, and when he really wanted attention he'd just come up and hug my arm). So I've only made it up to Accidentals after my first day. I've learned a few interesting tidbits, but mostly it's just making me wonder why I didn't do this earlier. I mean, I love learning about music, for some reason in just never occurred to me to open up my very well respected Dictionary, even though it's been sitting on the bookshelf in my living room for years.

First thing to know, you definitely need at least a college degree to have any idea what most of the entries are talking about. I'm glad to know that my schooling is at least paying off in that regard. Second, this isn't like a Webster's dictionary. A true dictionary (here's some library knowledge for you) is actually more like an encyclopedia. They can even be multiple volumes. The real definitive music dictionary is known as the Grove (or New Grove), and it's HUGE, could easily rival the Encyclopedia Britannica. But this is probably the top single volume dictionary of music. So I feel like it's worth reading. I also love the the entries are short enough to get to the point, but long enough to actually provide information (as opposed to just a definition).

For example, the entry on Absolute Pitch. Matt and I have debated for YEARS about whether or not absolute pitch (aka Perfect Pitch) is something you're born with or something you can learn. Turns out that there are theories supporting both arguments. I guess that means neither of us are right and neither of us are wrong. Good to know.

So I'm looking forward to all the gems of musical knowledge I'll get to unearth. There's a good chance I won't actually complete my task (it is 942 pages of VERY VERY VERY small type afterall), but at least I'll have some fun for now. I'm sure I'll be sharing more tidbits along the way.

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