Happy Monday!  First, I just have to say that I don’t use the Shazam app on my phone too often, but when I do, I smile and exclaim, ‘This is a beautiful thing!’  Sometimes on my commute…{much longer these days}, I’ll either listen to the classical radio station, a TED talk, a podcast or book on CD from the library.  Recently I was listening to the radio and Mendelssohn’s Hebrides overture was playing.  I knew I had played that piece in one of the orchestras I had belonged to throughout the years….but could I think of the title of the piece?  NO!  So I Shazam-ed it.  This wonderful app did not fail me! Plus the radio announcer explained the history of the piece, so I learned something NEW about Fingal’s Cave.  That day’s commute was awesome!

We also recently attended a concert of a friend who played ‘Concert Paraphrase of The Song of the Soldiers of the Sea‘  which was NEW to me.  Our friend’s fingers were flying! Loved it!

Lastly, I’ll just share a recent minor serendipitous thing.  I’ve had Philomena on my to-read list since seeing this post at A Delectable Life blog…way last year.  When I saw the movie, Philomena, at the library, I realized I probably wouldn’t read the book any time soon (too many others to get through)…so I checked out the movie.  I liked it (other than the unnecessary use of bad language)… because I love genealogy.  One of the characters in the movie quoted T.S. Eliot:

“We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

I normally would have NEVER even noticed that quote in the movie, but just the day before, I was inputting a PhD Honors Thesis into a database at work.  Part of the title of the thesis was ‘And they shall know the place for the first time’.  So, of course, when I heard it again the very next day, my ears were pricked.  I’ve since researched T.S. Eliot and learned something NEW.  Love it when that happens!

Have a great Monday!  Do or learn something NEW!