A Very Good Weekend

I was accused of living at the Temple Theater today in jest, and I suppose that statement is increasingly becoming true, especially this weekend.  I don't care, though.  It's a gorgeous place, and this weekend it had everything I wanted to do.

On Friday night, my best friend came in from Jackson and we went to see Friday the 13th IV courtesy of the Watcher's Council film series.  Although that movie is pure crap, we had a great time.  I had forgotten how really and truly bad the Friday the 13th movies were as a whole, and that one is, believe it or not, the high point of the entire series, having as it does Corey Feldman in it.  My friend and I had a blast, though, MST3King the thing along with everybody else in the building.  One of the guys from the Watcher's Council dressed up as Jason and everybody took pictures with him afterward.

Today, the American Theater Organ Society had an organist come in from Atlanta to perform a recital on the Robert Morton organ.  It was great.  I haven't heard that organ play since the time they ATOS had someone accompany the 1929 Phantom of the Opera one Halloween, and I've been longing to hear that wonderful instrument again now that I'm older and am an organist myself.  It was absolutely divine. I sat near one of the walls where the pipes are.  I looked up into the high arches of the architecture and watched the dampers opening so it could pull air into those massive pipes, and the voice of the organ filled the space like the song of a benevolent god. 

The organist's repertoire was very diverse.  He played what he called "American music," a medley of music from old country artists like Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, and then a medley of Woody Guthrie.  He played some music that was themed around Georgia, including the theme from Tara from Gone with the Wind.  I must say that the organ handled that piece with especial grace.

He also accompanied a Buster Keaton short film called One Week that I hadn't seen before.  I love Buster Keaton, so it was a lot of fun.  It never ceases to amaze me how versatile that organ is, how all the sound effects it's capable of come from real things in the walls instead of electronic reproductions.  I hope they do more of these shows.

Of course, all that organ wonder made me want to do better with my own playing, and when I practiced I started trying to recover my use of the foot pedals.  I managed some of it.  It felt good.  Maybe if I keep at it, I can get there again.

As I drove home from church tonight, I found myself feeling rested and relaxed despite the fact that I came home from school Friday so exhausted that I literally couldn't form words.  I don't even have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I think of work.  That's how I know I had a very good weekend.  There are several more coming up, too, with more great old movies and other things starting to happen here in this area.  If I can keep having things of this nature to look forward to, then I can recharge my soul and endure.