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\x0a \x0a \x0a Oh, so the water’s to blame.\x0a
When I was errr…younger. THis was $6 a case. The choice of poor teens everywhere. There was somethig to blame about it alright
\x0aA man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning.
\x0aHe played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
\x0a\x0aA minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.
\x0a\x0aA few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
\x0a\x0aThe one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
\x0a\x0aIn the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.
\x0aHe collected $32.
\x0aWhen he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it.
\x0aNo one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
\x0a\x0aTwo days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.
\x0a\x0aJoshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
\x0a\x0aOne of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
\x0a\x0aIf we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?
\x0a\x0a\x0aI think I’ve reblogged this twice now. Even as I think about it I still miss daily beauty.
\x0a\x0a\x0a\x0aIs it that hard to believe that the cognitively abled could be so happy, too?\x0ai’m always pretty happy. also i bit dumb tho…
\x0a\x0aMaybe this explains why people I smile at on the street look at me like I’[m stupid.
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\x0a \x0a \x0a GPOYW: First Time Surfing Edition - 2007\x0a
Do you know why these legs are sexy? Because they’ve been used. They’re real. They aren’t a Coke commercial with a life that no one has. These are what beauty should be. Use, activity, life.
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\x0a \x0a \x0a Arthur doesn’t think you’re funny.\x0a
Do you expect me to scream?
\x0aNo, I expect you to die Mr. Bond.
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\x0a \x0a \x0a \x0a\x0a“we’re all mad here. Im mad, your mad.
\x0a“how do you know I’m mad?
\x0a“you must be,
\x0aor you wouldn’t have come here.
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For the longest time I talked to this cat every morning.
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