Ringing in Ought Six

2006 is here and there was much less fanfare here in China when compared to Christmas last week. Still fireworks and people everywhere, but far less of a mess to clean up today. I'm still amazed at the Christmas Countdown but why shouldn't Jesus get a countdown to his birthday?

Here's my thought to share with you this New Years Morning:

During our foot massage last night, I found a channel that had a live performance from what I'm still guessing was the Beijing Symphony. They were doing an all night concert that started out with some native Chinese music and tonality. Then went to a violin soloist playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto, then came the fun stuff. They were doing a night dedicated to Beethoven and I had the privilege of hearing his 3rd, then 5th, then 7th, then of course his 9th Symphony (I didn't get to see what followed that)... all "Live"!! Of course the musicians took an extensive break in between each performance but it was incredible to hear all of them and watch them be performed by professionals.

But then it dawned on me. I've been in China for almost 2 weeks now. One of the great difficulties is the obvious language difference. I've struggled to communicate what I want; I've sacrificed things knowing it's easier for me to pull the onions off my burger than try to communicate "no onions" to them with my hand gestures; I've tried to understand what they are asking of me; I've tried to listen to English that is broken by my standards and try to pull the pieces together.... but when I watched that concert last night, I realized the power of music to bring the world together. Beethoven didn't care what language people spoke when he wrote that powerful Allegretto movement to Symphony #7.... yet the people on that stage that I struggle to understand when they speak with their mouths, caused me to feel every passion with the language they spoke with their instruments. There was no communication gap or language hurdle when they played - only the haunting monotonous melody that Beethoven opens with then develops every time it repeats. That can be done around the world. Remember this for 2006: the people around the world aren't so different after all. We just have to take the time and have patience enough to find that common language:)

On that note, I wish all of you a Happy New Years 2006. Even Pitzen and my cousin TJ in California have celebrated by now so I think it's official. No friends or family in Hawaii that I know of so it's safe! And of course, here are:

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My 2006 New Year's Resolutions
by Adam Dickinson

1) To lose weight (too cliché for you yet? I promise they won't all be generic). I'm shooting for 5 pounds a month this year. Was on track last year to do that but then got sidetracked.

2) Eat more healthy (related to number 1). I already told Hazel that eating out will become a once a week thing when I get back. Trying to cook more and take my own lunches. That way I can eat lunch with the cool kids outside of 030-1!!

3) To read more. Hoping for at least a book a month but should be able to do more than that. I enjoyed the reading I did in 2005 which included A Widow for one Year by John Irving, both The Da Vinci Code and Angels andDaemonss by Dan Brown, among other Non-Fiction and Leadership books. It all depends on what I'm in the mood for.

4) Appreciate Nature more. This is something I've developed while here in the middle of a major Metropolis with a bad pollution problem. Makes me appreciate the mid-west and the clean air it has to offer. Yeah yeah, I'll take the snow too!

5) Pray more. I trust God 100% with His hands shaping my life. I need to pray more for others that don't always have the faith that I have learned to live by. God can do anything and has control of everything, sometimes his plans don't match up with ours but I pray for patience andtolerancee around the world.

6) Volunteer more. I have a lot of time that could be spent less watching TV and helping in the community more. I've always admired Matt and his continual involvement in Big Brother program. Although his buddy Jake unknowingly got more of a Big Sister in Matt, it's still a great program. I want to work with large groups of kids though. Yes, I watched Patch Adams last week but that's exactly what I would like to do for kids;) Suggestions welcome for Rochester. Brenda, let me know if you want me to dress as a clown for someone's birthday and come over!

7) Practice my bass more. I'd like to work out a couple of movements from the Bach Cello Suite #5 but it's going to take some dedication. Again, watch TV less and practice more. Plus I need to be better prepared for my concerts in La Crosse. I think Troy's tired of me faking my way through some of the nasty licks. I do enjoy playing same stand with him - he inspires me to practice more.

8) Learn Polkas before Oktoberfest on Hazel'saccordionss. You all laugh now, but you'll be thanking me in 10 months when we're drinking and having a good time singing the Pennsylvania Polka! I'll make sure to learn at least 2 though!

9) Be less condescending towards K-Fed. He's just trying to live the American Dream! He has a new single out... PopoZão. For those that haven't heard it yet, go to Yahoo! and take a listen to the sample. yes, it's pretty bad. Britney will be single by the end of the year 2006.

10) Of course - continue blogging and entertaining the MILLIONS ("AND MILLIONS") of the Big Show's Fans!!!