I don’t mean to rant or complain (ha!) but as much as I love my church and want to make music there, it seems it takes an awful lot to get to that spot.  Whenever I play weddings I have to roll in the organ from the crying room, set it up, clean it up, snag a pew cushion to rope onto the organ bench so I’m tall enough to be on a good playing level with the keys, then when we’re done, undo all of the above and roll the thing back into the crying room.  I mean, I’ve done a lot in my life as a musician to accommodate lots of circumstances to make music…that’s how it is a lot of times as we are independent contractors…but this is above and beyond.  I always wonder how many real big-time organists out there would actually do this.  I don’t consider myself in the same league as the major organists of the world since I am primarily a singer/voice teacher.  And we got the organ in the church from a retirement home storage room to replace the organ we originally had because the speakers were shorting out.  So we’re not talking a real church organ here, just some home entertainment system not meant for playing any type of classical or wedding literature at all!  And the sound is going on this one too.  I am actively seeking anyone who would contribute $650 to the church so we could buy a nice keyboard with good organ sounds so this whole scenario would improve.  I guess people who are not musicians or artists in any way don’t really understand all of this.  Someone asked me a few years ago, “once you’re professional do you still have to practice?”  O Bozhe moi.  Well doh yes!  If you want to keep your voice in good shape or the “keys under your fingers.”  I suppose people who don’t do this really don’t have any clue as to what is needed to be a proper musician and make proper music, aside from the talent and desire.  There is protocol and just some good common sense.  Uhhh…just some musings here on the state of things.