Parsifal - you were lucky - but that's life, isn't it? luck of the draw - one could have been born in a third world country - 2 days ago I watched a movie from Lebanon and it was an eye opener - the story of a neglected boy, and how he tried to get by. There were prison scenes and people are just kept
en masse in what looks like a large cages - awful - the poverty, violence and fate which befell this particular kid was heart-rending - I hope it was exaggerated, but it might explain the need for so many people to migrate West, quite apart from the ongoing fights over the spoils of war, land, oil, etc. etc.
I have always tried to avoid 'psyche' as there is so much rubbish talked about IMO - but recently got interested - again - have read some Freud, of course - know the platitudinous 'stuff' but have discovered a really good (and handsome!) Viennese psychiatrist with a down-to-earth approach on U-Tube (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_M._Bonelli) - only in German, sorry - and he has opened my eyes to what is going on with one of my daughters, without necessarily giving it a 'clinical' and therefore 'condemnatory' name. So, yes, I am interested in the doings of the soul or psyche; I have been too busy most of my life to have been too introspective, apart from what we all do.
The subject matters you have picked at Uni I have had an interest in all my life - more in the practical application. I had ambitions at one stage to become an interpreter - after my English stint I was going to go to France to learn French (I can read it and follow slow[!] conversations), but bumped into my boyfriend again when returning to Vienna and we decided to travel the world together and finished up in Australia, married with kids etc. - but basically I have an artistic temperament, like the theater, made and designed many dresses, painted peasant furniture - and had artist friends - that sort of thing - and since my husband's death I have tried to get my head around technical stuff as well and had to do a lot of physical stuff - I manage, but it doesnt come naturally.
Music: my piano is woeful now. Today I heard Beethoven's third piano Sonata (the Haydn one) on Classic FM - and I just attempted it, gave up after 4 pages - but I did concentrate and tried to be accurate . . . good for the brain, they reckon. My interest in music has broadened, I always liked Eastern European music, particularly the older variety pre the DoReMi system - have some dissonant Yugoslav records from the 'olden' times, but alas, I think the piano accordeon ruined it all. Some would say 'improved' it - haha. Loved the Bulgarian singers when they first surfaced in London, in the 90s I think, it was. .... and my violinist is married to a drummer and they play a lot of jazz, world music, and with her I have been to some amazing alternative type music events, so I have branched out. Can't say I am all that keen on popular music, but my new friend is determined to get me to like Slim Dusty and I am obliging, after all it is folk music, like I know from my old country . . . .
Thanks for pointing out Barton - I am aware of his existence, but will get some CDs - he is also a composer.
sorry this is a bit much - but I'll sign off again - as there are more chores awaiting me!!
Go well
Taurisk