Celebrations
Yes, ongoing feasting and celebrations. Good music too, I mean we usually take in the King's College service. Whenever we see such services on TV, we can't help thinking that the choir boys probably act up a lot for the poor choir master. Legend has it that they even used to play up papa Bach himself!
Speaking of Bach, someone unearthed a program from early in his time where he was listed as just another musician in the orchestra! Makes for strange reading, flute... so-and-so, violin... so-and-so, harpsichord... J.S.Bach...
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Celebrations
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Lump of Coal!
Lump of Coal!
Oh no! Haha, what the bad kids got for Christmas... although I never heard of it actually happening... kids usually smarten up by Christmas.
"I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a Wonderful World"
- Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
Recorded by Louis Armstrong and many others. The 2000 Stars on Ice Finale has a nice dance version, perhaps it was by "Beatbox vs DJ Miko". I don't know because the credits got cut off, but I've often wondered.
I'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Twelve Days of Christmas
Christmas Day in the Morning
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day in the morning.
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Hmmm, isn't Bethlehem landlocked? Nevermind, it's the spirit that counts.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Are You Experienced?
Are you experienced?
"...not necessarily stoned, but beautiful..." - Jimi Hendrix
One of the charms of video sites such as youtube is the legions of home guitarists who have a go at playing people like Hendrix. Some of them are really close and the ones who aren't are still lots of fun. Makes one wonder just what that magic ingredient was Hendrix and such players had. Some unique quirk of their character perhaps transmitted into their playing.
Happy Birthday Jimi, wherever you are!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
First Snow
First Snow
---
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
- excerpt from The Cremation of Sam McGee, by Robert W. Service
---
The first snow usually melts away within a few days.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Mining Town
Mining Town
Once drove through a mining town. The tailings have to go somewhere. They say the Apollo astronauts used them for training to get a feel for what the moon would be like. Nothing wants to grow in crushed rock, for a while anyway. Nature reclaims everything in the end. On a flight at cruising altitude, looked down and saw vast acreages of tailing. A few rivulets were visible, I presume to keep the grit storms down and to encourage bacteria to get a toehold for loam and humus. Well, we wanted the minerals.
"In the year 9595
I'm kinda wondering if man
is gonna be alive
He's taken everything this
old earth can give
And he ain't put back nothing in" - Zager Evans
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Blue Max
Blue Max
Back when George Peppard the actor passed on, my mother said Breakfast at Tiffany's was his best film. I had to smile and say, no no no, The Blue Max!
It was one of the better war movies. There was actually a plot to it, quite a good one. There were also some good lines, a few of which come to mind -
Katie: By now he's with the Countess Von Herlig, on my right at dinner. They play war games together!
Willie: Well, you've certainly caught my uncle's attention.
Bruno: Attention from high places is always welcome.
Katie: Look at Willie! The Blue Max will go splendidly with his eyes.
General: Yes, he is rather vain. He'll probably wear it to bed.
Katie: How uncomfortable for the girl!
Willie: We are about to honour your dead. Aren't you coming?
Bruno: When they kill me, I don't want anybody to salute.
Willie: They probably wont.
General: (to Willie) It's a very small medal, but the highest award Germany can give.
On a visit to the local war museum, there was a medals section, and of course I had to see if they had a Blue Max. They did and it really is a very small medal. Pour le merite. Well, ... as DC used to end their comic book war stories, Make war no more.
Have a good Remembrance Day.
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