Sometimes You just Have to Lean

Well, it's been three nights in a row of not getting to sleep before 4:00 a.m. and I'm in a funny mood. Not "ha ha" funny, just thoughtful and looking for things which gladden my heart. For those of you who know me, and many who've come to become acquainted with me through this blog as well, have probably already figured out this will have something to do with music. And, you'd be right!

I'll 'fess up about something else, though. I am a "House" junkie. I so enjoy that program. We didn't discover it until just this year, so watching all the re-runs on USA has been a total pleasure as they're all new to us! Many nights I'm just blissful as that network will run several episodes in a row. USA has even had "House" marathons!

I can't explain why I like this program so much, the main character, Dr. Gregory House, is an irascible character who is not easy to love. He's a brilliant diagnostician, though in the real world, the way he calls for oodles of very pricey tests, I can't imagine patients who'd get out of "Princeton General" for less than a million dollars…and that's before they start TREATING the patient for the condition/disease House and his team have diagnosed.

It's got to be something about the relationships, the strange but strong friendship between House and Wilson, the compassionate oncologist buddy of his and the love/hate relationship House has with his team. This is not real life medicine (as far as some of the reckless, risky, incredibly pricey tests and procedures by the tens or twenties) in practice…doctors also do not order their colleagues to break into patient's homes to look for clues to causes for the mysterious combinations of symptoms the patients present with. But the diseases, disorders etc. ARE real. Most of them are very rare, some are extremely unusual and unique but common sense, but all are REALLY interesting. Nothing will make my week more glorious for the moment than those episodes when I "get" the diagnosis before House or his team does. It's positively exhilarating.

House is a miserable guy, in constant pain, self medicating continually but manages to keep his edge and amazing insight. His fund of information (actually that of all his team) is extraordinary. He also has a baby grand piano and a collection of guitars in his apartment and several episodes will end with him playing something…for real. He actually plays regularly in a band called, "The Band From TV". All the musicians are actors and they're a committed group who's been playing together for more than 3 years. I was so enamored by a debut TV performance of this group with House (played by British actor Hugh Laurie) playing the piano and doing some of the singing, we even got a DVD of them in concert. You'll notice actors you've long known from police shows, all kinds of dramas, and more.

I just plain like it. Below is a video from YouTube with The Band from TV playing one of my favorite Bill Withers songs, "Lean on Me". It doesn't really display the excellent musical talent these actors have, but I really like the song. The lyrics have always been significant to me and the simplicity of the tune and harmony has its own special sweetness. I hope you enjoy it, too.