About a year or so ago I went to a Columbia Alumni event at Jazz At Lincoln Center. One of the speakers was a jazz studies professor named Christopher Washburne. Jazz studies is a required course for Columbia undergrads, and one exercise he gave his students was to walk home a different way every day, even if it was just one block out of the way.
"That's jazz," Professor Washburne said. "Even changing things up a little gives you a whole new perspective."
Over the past year I always kept that in the back of my head. If I wanted to go to the same dumpling place for lunch, I would turn and head south instead. Sure, I could hop on the treadmill, but what about trying that Boot Camp class?
It's a New Year and everyone's making resolutions to lose weight, get their finances in order, etc. Those are big overhauls that will all likely peter out in two weeks. Instead, I like the That's Jazz approach: small changes, often improvised, that can change your day, or at least your frame of mind. Anyone who understands music knows what a difference a grace note can make. 2012, perhaps, could be the year of the grace note.
