Quote of the Day: Allan Quatermain

I believe that this quote is the first fictional quote I’ve ever shared here, but it’s just too good to keep to myself! If you’ve never read any of the stories about legendary British adventurer Allan Quatermain, written by H. Rider Haggard, you may want to check them out – they’re good.  :-)

But to the quote! We’ll discuss it a bit after the fold.

“Always try to be good, my dear, and to do what is right, rather than what happens to be pleasant, for in the end, whatever sneering people may say, what is good and what is happy are the same. Be unselfish, and whenever you can, give a helping hand to others — for the world is full of suffering, my dear, and to alleviate it is the noblest end that we can set before us.”
Allan Quatermain, fictional protagonist
from the book Allan Quatermain

This is not only good advice for living in general, it cuts to the heart of what music really is and does. Have you ever turned to your favorite music, either by playing it or listening, to help you work out or move past a particularly challenging moment? Whatever your musical preferences may be, music truly is a gift that alleviates human suffering. The best part is that it treats both the performer and the listener at the same time!

If you’re interested in reading some of the adventures of Mr. Quatermain, please visit the following links:

Allan Quatermain books at Amazon.com

Allan Quatermain Kindle books on Amazon.com

The books are very reasonable (especially on Kindle and via the free Kindle reader apps for computers and mobile devices – as cheap as free!) and make for excellent, adventuresome reading…and a good life lesson every now and then.  :-)

All the best,
Mark

For more information on Allan Quatermain and H. Rider Haggard, please see this article on Wikipedia.

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Being a musician is good for your hearing

Everyone knows that listening to loud music can damage your hearing, and much has been made in recent years of the potential harm that can come from playing music (in bands, orchestras, etc.) too loudly. But did you know that being a musician can be good for your hearing?

According to numerous studies – as published in this article – learning to play an instrument well helps develop a person’s ability to hear better. Specifically, while it doesn’t change the body’s mechanical ability to hear, it helps the brain distinguish between the numerous, ever-present sounds to miss less and really hear more. These findings apply whether the subject’s ability to hear is excellent or greatly impaired.

If you needed another reason to take up an instrument or continue to learn and grow with one, look no further. Playing music keeps you mentally sharp and, in the process, helps you hear more of life.

What are you waiting for? I’m off to practice. 

Keep playing,
Mark

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