New directions, new focus...

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                                                   Life is always changing and evolving , taking us on new paths and journeys. Mine is constantly changing in one way or another , just like everyone else. As summer was winding down, my focus has changed in what I do and how I live. I was aghast at how much time I was spending on Facebook and other social media outlets. This was primarily Facebook, though, and the spread of negativity as well as drama just had to stop interfering with my life and positive attitude.

                                                   So many groups I was a part of just didn't fit any longer. They had become dull, boring and served no purpose. So, after careful consideration, I have left most of those groups on Facebook and in general, online. Doing so gave me such freedom, instantly ! A weight was lifted off my shoulders and more room given for the things that truly make me happy, like my relationships , my photography and art and music, this blog and my others. Also, my spirituality has suffered over the last few years and THAT is going to change as well.

                                                         
                                                         



Therefore, my posts on Facebook and time spent there will be even more minimal after today. There will be exceptions, of course, such as those for my photography and Dragon Digital. Instagram will be the place for more of my posts without the pressure to conform to Facebook rules, or be inundated with ads and drama.

                                                                   To the new road ahead!!




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Classical music lives!!

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                                     What a long yet amazing summer we had!! So many adventures and experiences that made those warm months even more tolerable. Fortunately, the heat index was cooler than usual and a LOT better than 2018 when we had over 30 days of 90 degree temps! This made the months fly by a lot smoother and autumn so much closer.And...here it is!!

                                           Granted, this is a photo I found online and certainly from New England. Hoping to shoot some of our own Washington State and it's beauty, this season! Which leads me to the next bit of news...

Newly published works from Sea Wright Publishing!
There will be ten new photos to grace the covers of some 2020 planners!

Here is hoping they sell well and more exposure of my photos gains ground! Money is certainly not flowing in and I never expected it to. But that my art and photography are being seen, being appreciated...THAT is rewarding!

https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3ASeumas+D%C3%B2mhnal+Ross&s=relevancerank&text=Seumas+D%C3%B2mhnal+Ross&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1

http://seawrightpublishing.com/







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                Something that not many people know about me, is my love and passion for classical music. The last few years have been so busy and distracting that my listening and research habits in this area have really fallen. Today, on a sad note indeed, one of my all time favourite vocalists passed away. This notice along with listening to her sing Mahler and Strauss again, brought things into focus for me. Jessye Norman was incredible as both an artist, vocalist and human soul.







The Strauss recording was outstanding and opened up my ears to Richard Strauss! Somehow over the years, I lost the CD and regret that. Will have to find it again!

The Mahler and Schumann CD's are still in my collection and listened to now and then. Norman will be sorely missed a great deal!





                                                     Classical music has been a HUGE passion of mine since I was fifteen, when I was introduced to Mozart and the masters. This world was incredible and made me investigate the history and works of hundreds of composers. It changed me forever and I have been an amateur musicologist ever since, collecting over 6000 CD's and a LOT of musical scores. This led to season tickets for the Oregon Symphony for many years and also attending concerts in cities around the globe, from Portland to New York, London, Budapest,Vienna and Paris as well as smaller venues. I have been very fortunate to also meet so many of my idols in this genre, such as Itzahk Perlman, Peter Serkin, Joshua Bell, Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg, James Depriest, Lou Harrison and many others.


                                                      My favourite composers number so many, but certainly at the top is Gustav Mahler. A close second is Rachmaninov followed by Haydn, Piston, Schuman, Creston, Hovhaness, JS Bach, Scriabin and so many I would be typing for an hour. Finding birds of a feather and friends who share my love of classical has been difficult , that is those who are more than just casual listeners. Hoping to find more to share this with soon and jump back into classical world, which has changed much in the last five years since I left. If you are reading this and love classical, want to explore more and discuss, share or exchange musical thoughts, please contact me!!

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