Music is my passion
I notice in the aria charts that the standard of popular music seems to be improving. Well, it goes in cycles. One year I like the new music you hear on commercial radio, and the next year I do not. So either good music comes round every couple of years, or I tire of pop every once in a while, then get to like it again.
Great to see my favourite song, "Light Surrounding you", has this week climbed to number one in the singles chart, after 14 weeks in the charts; it is also number one in the digital track chart after 18 weeks in, displacing "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, another good song.
There are more than the usual number of other good singles in the charts at present. "How to Save a Life" by the Fray is at 13 and the same group's "Over my Head (Cable Car)" is at 29. "Running" by Evermore is still in, at 40. And there are at least a dozen other good artists in the singles chart this week.
The album chart features Snow Patrol, U2, Wolfmother, Evermore, Coldplay's X&Y for the 69th week; standouts in what would be an extensive list.
I don't really know why the standard is suddenly better. Perhaps access to songs on the internet has resulted in a demand for quality?
FOOTNOTES
1. 800m handicaps: there are two "Higgins"-style 800m handicap races on the horizon; the first is this Thursday at Vets, and the second is a Vets exhibition event at the Grand Prix on Saturday, before the main events. As I won't be there on Saturday; the "wedding of the year" (so far) is happening at the same time; I wish good luck to all or any of the training group competing in that event.
2. Comet Watch – I went out and watched Comet McNaught descend to the horizon last night. It was a real community get together; four years since last such when we assembled at the same location on Drake Brockman Drive and watched the fires. The comet is far more impressive than photos in the paper have indicated; the long tail especially. I would include a photo, but as I say, photos do not do it justice.
3. Ran 25:54 at lunch time today in the BBQ Stakes; third place on handicap. I should be encouraged, as the run in high temperatures felt very comfortable and was a good minute faster than I have achieved up to now in similar conditions. I did not deliberately push the pace; so that is my best run by far in recent times. We are getting there! Helen had a very good run too, feeling good on a hot day and running much faster than last week. And this is after we both had very long training runs yesterday, again in the heat.
