1.
The New York Times did a video shoot with 14 well-known actors, acting. It's interesting to watch these two-minute clips of action with no context and see how each actor has created a story, even if we don't know what the story is. I would not have guessed, for instance, that Tilda Swinton was playing Joan of Arc, and yet she is just riveting in her visionary state.
2.
Speaking of actors, acting, here's Alan Rickman making tea:
The concept is fascinating, and Alan Rickman is one of those actors who could read the phone book with subtext, but I eventually found myself unwilling to suspend disbelief. I mean, he puts the tea bag in the water. Everyone knows you're supposed to pour the water over the tea bag, and then leave it to steep, not stir it. Still, Alan Rickman.
3.
Speaking of tea.
One does, indeed.
4.
Brandon introduced me to the Swingle Singers, and now I can't stop listening.
5.
Yesterday I heard Piazzolla's Libertango on the radio, and lo and behold, the Swingle Singers cover that too.
6.
I am so happy to have some excellent music to listen to, because what's driving me nuts is that I have Maroon 5 stuck in my head.
I can't stand this song, and yet I find myself in the kitchen wailing, "I've got the mooooooooves like Jagger!" What's worse, my girls can sing that bit with me. And don't even get me started on This Love (NSFW -- I mean it), which is just appalling, and yet the tune sticks in my head. It's just so stupidly catchy. And then I waste even more time trying to pick it out on the piano.
Speaking of piano music stuck in my head, here what I've been playing lately, though with nowhere near this speed and regularity.
7.
Speaking of piano music stuck in my head, here what I've been playing lately, though with nowhere near this speed and regularity.
4 comments:
I've seen that Alan Rickman video. While he is compelling to watch, I just couldn't finish it. I'm not sure what that says about my attention span. My children have provided me the opportunity to see the super-slo-mo spilling beverage in real life so I do not feel driven to watch a video of it.
My four and half year old has an unnatural ability to accurately pick up and sing the lyrics to songs. Let's just say the listening options have been greatly diminished since we discovered this talent of hers.
In college, I played Joplin transcribed for clarinet quartet. It was grand fun!
Great takes - random yet connected. Will be checking out your links and tunes.
Jenny, I agree that the Alan Rickman video was way too long. By the third time the music started again, I wondered if there was actually going to be any payoff for sitting through it. There wasn't, really, but: Alan Rickman.
I didn't listen to pop stations for years because the kids could pick up lyrics so quickly. Now the big girls pick those stations themselves. I find myself shutting off the radio all day: "No, we're not listening to that song."
This talent most young'uns have for picking up lyrics is to a great extent what kept the oral chant tradition alive for ... well, St. Ambrose (I think?) writes of chanting "in the Eastern style" somewhere about Carthage, I think, and in the Gospel we read of the Apostles singing "the hymn" at the Last Supper... so, five thousand years or so, I guess. Anyways, don't try to hinder this habit: subvert it!
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