What a day. I missed school & my job because my truck is down, maybe for a few days. Hopefully up by Thursday so I can go to school & my job. I can at least do my homework from home including this blog.
I’ve written about songs lately and I’m making a conscious effort not to this time. I think I will talk about a favorite poet of mine. Hafez or Hafiz are just two ways I’ve seen it spelled.
Hāfez (1325/26–1389/90) was a Persian lyric poet. His collected works (Divan) are to be found in the homes of most Iranians, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings to this day. I love his poems. All are positive and full of love. His way with language is so unlike anything I hear or read now. Here are some.
COURTEOUS TO THE ANT
God
Blooms
From the shoulder
of the
Elephant
Who becomes
Courteous
To
The
Ant.
"I am a hole in a flute that the Christ's breaths move through
Listen to this music."
Your soul and my soul
Once sat together in the Beloved's womb
Playing footsie
Your heart and my heart are very old friends.
IF GOD INVITED YOU TO A PARTY
If God
Invited you to a party
And said,
"Everyone
In the ballroom tonight
Will be my special
Guest."
How would you then treat them
When you
arrived?
Indeed, indeed!
And Hafiz knows
There is no one is this world
Who
Is not upon
His Jeweled Dance
Floor.
Two Giant Fat People
God
And I have become
Like two giant fat people
Living in a
Tiny boat.
We
Keep
Bumping into each other and
Laughing.
Thats the stuff!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Think about your troubles...
Sit beside the breakfast table
Think about your troubles
Pour yourself a cup of tea
And think about the bubbles
You could take your teardrops
And drop them in a teacup
Take them down to the riverside
And throw them over the side
To be swept up by a current
And taken to the ocean
To be eaten by some fishes
Who were eaten by some fishes
And swallowed by a whale
Who grew so old, he decomposed
He died and left his body
To the bottom of the ocean
Now everybody knows
That when a body decomposes
The basic elements
Are given back to the ocean
And the sea does what it ought'a
And soon there's salty water
(Not too good for drinking)
'Cause it tastes just like a teardrop
(So we run it through a filter)
And it comes out from the faucet
(And pours into a teapot)
Which is just about to bubble
Now
Think about your troubles
Singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson was named as the Beatles' favorite American artist when he was still a relative unknown, you’ve heard his songs. He had hits and wrote hits for others. Songs like “One”, “Everybody’s Talking” and “You Put the Lime in the Coconut”, but I want to talk about this song which has a really nice message.
One of Harry Nilsson's more evocative songs, "Think About Your Troubles" was one of the "fantasy" sections of the animated feature The Point. The song, despite being perfect in the film, works quite well on its own. Essentially, it's an illustration of the flow of ecology, using the example of water flowing from a faucet, to the boiling teapot, the environment of fish in the ocean, and on and on. There's almost a sad, mournful quality, yet it can't help but make you feel good by song's end -- a trick that Nilsson always did well.
"Think About Your Troubles" has a marvelous intricate Zen-like lyric.
Think about your troubles
Pour yourself a cup of tea
And think about the bubbles
You could take your teardrops
And drop them in a teacup
Take them down to the riverside
And throw them over the side
To be swept up by a current
And taken to the ocean
To be eaten by some fishes
Who were eaten by some fishes
And swallowed by a whale
Who grew so old, he decomposed
He died and left his body
To the bottom of the ocean
Now everybody knows
That when a body decomposes
The basic elements
Are given back to the ocean
And the sea does what it ought'a
And soon there's salty water
(Not too good for drinking)
'Cause it tastes just like a teardrop
(So we run it through a filter)
And it comes out from the faucet
(And pours into a teapot)
Which is just about to bubble
Now
Think about your troubles
Singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson was named as the Beatles' favorite American artist when he was still a relative unknown, you’ve heard his songs. He had hits and wrote hits for others. Songs like “One”, “Everybody’s Talking” and “You Put the Lime in the Coconut”, but I want to talk about this song which has a really nice message.
One of Harry Nilsson's more evocative songs, "Think About Your Troubles" was one of the "fantasy" sections of the animated feature The Point. The song, despite being perfect in the film, works quite well on its own. Essentially, it's an illustration of the flow of ecology, using the example of water flowing from a faucet, to the boiling teapot, the environment of fish in the ocean, and on and on. There's almost a sad, mournful quality, yet it can't help but make you feel good by song's end -- a trick that Nilsson always did well.
"Think About Your Troubles" has a marvelous intricate Zen-like lyric.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
When Doves Cry...
I didn’t plan to talk about music again, but I was thinking today about Princes “When Doves Cry”. What a great song. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year. It’s so good and very unusual and in my opinion it is one of the most creative songs ever written Think about it. Many songs are great, but many songs have a sameness about them. What song sounds like “When Doves Cry” before or since? Nothing I can think of. It came out in 1984 and was on his Purple Rain album. That’s what we called them back then albums, not cds, but I have bought the album, cassette, cd and mp3 since. He has gotten my money.
Prince wrote and composed "When Doves Cry" after all the other tracks on Purple Rain was complete. In addition to vocals, he played all instruments on the track. The song's texture is remarkably stark. There is no bass line, which is very unusual for a dance song; Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided that the song was too conventional with it intact.
A song of 2 lovebirds perfect for each other, finding themselves in a nightmare, of hurt hate and jealousy gone wrong... this is what it sounds like, when doves cry.
It wasn’t the lyrics that got me, but a few of the lyrics made me laugh. “Animals strike curious poses”? It was the strange music that got me and still gets me.
Prince wrote and composed "When Doves Cry" after all the other tracks on Purple Rain was complete. In addition to vocals, he played all instruments on the track. The song's texture is remarkably stark. There is no bass line, which is very unusual for a dance song; Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided that the song was too conventional with it intact.
A song of 2 lovebirds perfect for each other, finding themselves in a nightmare, of hurt hate and jealousy gone wrong... this is what it sounds like, when doves cry.
It wasn’t the lyrics that got me, but a few of the lyrics made me laugh. “Animals strike curious poses”? It was the strange music that got me and still gets me.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Time is a jet plane...
Life is busy. I worked at WHOI-TV for 27 years, and for most of those years I worked a lot of overtime. A lot. Well if you read the local papers or watched the local news you know 19 WHOI and 25 WEEK have merged. Leaving 19 with one lone employee. I missed my job and regretted losing it, but to be honest was kind of happy to get a chance to sleep and recharge my batteries. So many little, medium and big projects I needed to do.
Any way after almost a year without work, my wife suggested I go back to school. So I signed up. I had no reason not to. Well after I had been going to school 2 weeks I got an offer from WMBD channel 31. I couldn’t say no, could I? I have a mortgage, a wife and three kids, and two dogs (that I now don’t have much time to walk) to take care of.
Between all this homework, writing, and trying to figure out ICC and Blackboard, my mind is spinning. When I ask those younger students around me what’s up, most seem as confused as me. When I understand what the assignment is I get good marks. My problem has been with the computer at school and understanding what is expected of me. Shouldn’t be that hard, but maybe this is normal.
Bob Dylan sang…”Time is a jet plane, it moves too fast.” I’m learnin it these days...
Any way after almost a year without work, my wife suggested I go back to school. So I signed up. I had no reason not to. Well after I had been going to school 2 weeks I got an offer from WMBD channel 31. I couldn’t say no, could I? I have a mortgage, a wife and three kids, and two dogs (that I now don’t have much time to walk) to take care of.
Between all this homework, writing, and trying to figure out ICC and Blackboard, my mind is spinning. When I ask those younger students around me what’s up, most seem as confused as me. When I understand what the assignment is I get good marks. My problem has been with the computer at school and understanding what is expected of me. Shouldn’t be that hard, but maybe this is normal.
Bob Dylan sang…”Time is a jet plane, it moves too fast.” I’m learnin it these days...
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Music Questions...
Some random music thoughts. Why does music effect us the way it does? Why can a "sound" make me cry? No lyrics, no story but yet I'm moved. I dont know why.
What does listening to a certain type of music say about you or me? If I listen to country, what does that say about me? Is it less of a art form? I don't think so. Many do. The reverse is also true. Some classical is great, but many would deny that, with a passion and I dont understand why.
I think its interesting to find out who the artists I like listen to and enjoyed. The Beatles liked Elvis, Elvis liked Dean Martin, Dean Martin liked Bing Crosby. It goes on. I think if I admire Bono of U2, maybe I should respect who influenced him.
Does not playing an instrument effect my enjoyment of music? I cant imagine I could enjoy music more, but maybe. I don't know.
Have you ever listened to a song that sounded so beautiful, so romantic, but when you listened closer. Really listened to the lyrics it was so counter to the music. Stings "Every Breath You Take" I think is a good example. People have used this song in their weddings! Take another listen. Its creepy. Sting says so himself, he doesnt understand why people tell him how romantic it is. We need to really listen. Still a good song no matter what.
What does listening to a certain type of music say about you or me? If I listen to country, what does that say about me? Is it less of a art form? I don't think so. Many do. The reverse is also true. Some classical is great, but many would deny that, with a passion and I dont understand why.
I think its interesting to find out who the artists I like listen to and enjoyed. The Beatles liked Elvis, Elvis liked Dean Martin, Dean Martin liked Bing Crosby. It goes on. I think if I admire Bono of U2, maybe I should respect who influenced him.
Does not playing an instrument effect my enjoyment of music? I cant imagine I could enjoy music more, but maybe. I don't know.
Have you ever listened to a song that sounded so beautiful, so romantic, but when you listened closer. Really listened to the lyrics it was so counter to the music. Stings "Every Breath You Take" I think is a good example. People have used this song in their weddings! Take another listen. Its creepy. Sting says so himself, he doesnt understand why people tell him how romantic it is. We need to really listen. Still a good song no matter what.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Bob Gibson my teacher
I don’t always plan on writing about baseball, but I was thinking, thank goodness for baseball. I wonder if I would have read as early as I did if it wasn’t for baseball. I wanted to know what was up with the Cardinals. The Peoria Journal Star & Sports Illustrated and Baseball Digest were my lifeline. What little math I understand comes from the box score. I had to learn how to compute ERAs, Batting averages and Whips. Look it up, I did and learned. Thanks Bob Gibson, Lou Brock & Hank Aaron for my education!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
James...A Cardinal Fan
I love baseball. I was raised in Washington, Illinois a St. Louis Cardinal fan by my Dad. That’s who he liked so that’s who we listened to. At the time my Dad grew up, in southern Illinois, the Cardinals were the most western major league team playing in the United States. The radio station that broadcast the Cardinals was KMOX out of St. Louis. They had a huge following. At the time I was growing up the announcers were Harry Caray and Jack Buck. Younger Cub fans may be surprised to hear that Harry Caray was with the St. Louis Cardinals for 25 years, his longest tenure with any sports team, the Cubs included.
I was born in 1959 and I remember the Cardinals playing in the World Series in 1964 against the New York Yankees. Some of the players I remember were, Bob Gibson, Julián Javier and Lou Brock, who the Cardinals had just traded for that season. Lou Brock came from the Chicago Cubs in a trade for Ernie Broglio that is still considered one of the most lopsided of all time. At the time of the trade, the Cardinals were 28–31, in eighth place in the National League, trailing even the Cubs, who were 27–27 and in sixth place. Four months to the day later, the Cardinals would win the 1964 World Series in seven games over the favored New York Yankees, who were appearing in their fourteenth World Series in sixteen years (and their last until a dozen years later), helped in part by Brock's rejuvenated bat. Meanwhile, Broglio won only seven games for the Chicago Cubs before retiring from baseball after the 1966 season.
Long story short, in my life the Cardinals have made many trips to the World Series. They went to the World Series in 1964, 1967, 1968, 1982, 2004 and 2006, winning four times. I’ll take that and hope for more.
I was born in 1959 and I remember the Cardinals playing in the World Series in 1964 against the New York Yankees. Some of the players I remember were, Bob Gibson, Julián Javier and Lou Brock, who the Cardinals had just traded for that season. Lou Brock came from the Chicago Cubs in a trade for Ernie Broglio that is still considered one of the most lopsided of all time. At the time of the trade, the Cardinals were 28–31, in eighth place in the National League, trailing even the Cubs, who were 27–27 and in sixth place. Four months to the day later, the Cardinals would win the 1964 World Series in seven games over the favored New York Yankees, who were appearing in their fourteenth World Series in sixteen years (and their last until a dozen years later), helped in part by Brock's rejuvenated bat. Meanwhile, Broglio won only seven games for the Chicago Cubs before retiring from baseball after the 1966 season.
Long story short, in my life the Cardinals have made many trips to the World Series. They went to the World Series in 1964, 1967, 1968, 1982, 2004 and 2006, winning four times. I’ll take that and hope for more.
James at 50...
This is a blog I'm writing for school. I hope to be able to pass along what I’ve picked up during my journey of 50 years on this earth. I expect my audience will be my teacher, my wife and kids, and some family. All will kindly offer their advice I expect…
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