I know, I know, Wassail in JULY? I've only just been able to create a podcast of a radio show I did 2 years ago about the history, customs, & music of wassail, so for those of you who might be interested (@ least in the music if not the meliflous sound of my voice), here it is: http://madblonde.mypodcast.com/2009/07/Wassail_Wassail_all_over_the_radio-222402.html
Thanks!
current mood: creative current music: Sugar Wassail
"...The researchers have some ideas about why swearing helps—in the study, curse words increased heart rate relative to the innocuous words, so perhaps swearing activates the fight-or-flight response, which can decrease pain perception. In any case, the next time you pound your thumb while hammering, shouting your curse of choice might be the best medicine."
current mood: creative current music: Satin Summer Nights- The Capeman
That SHOULD read: "It"s nice to know that we don't have to look to Pennsylvania or Texas for Hate Speech when we have it on the corner of 7th and Niccollet every fucking Friday at 5:00. Hate, hate, HATE speech. There are LAWS."
“It's nice to know that we don't have to look for Pennsylvania or Texas for Hate(?) Beach(?) when we have it on the corner of 7th and Nicolite(?) every fucking Friday at 5:00. Hate(?) hate(?) hate(?) beach. They are lies.”
"Two months ago, when Peter set out on this year-long trek, he decided that ten of these weekly pieces would be based on subscriber suggestions. This is the second one. (The first, "The Pirates of the D," was #7 in this series.) This time the spark came from K. E., who wrote as follows: 'My mother is turning 80 this year and throwing a big party to celebrate her milestone. She asked me to read something at the party, so I went out looking for poems that celebrate getting older, aging, the positives of a long life. And there’s just not much out there. So, not specifically for my mom, but for the aging world at large, maybe a poem or a song about the good things that come with age, please?'
Well! Having just turned 70 himself, Peter did happen to have some specific thoughts on the subject. So for Karen — and everyone else — here they are.
current mood: touched current music: Heaven Can Wait- EJ
For the first time since I got back last week I'm caught up on lj & down below 100 emails (though this was only achieved by jettisoning all GoodReads updates. Sorry.) *sigh* That's not counting all the other blogs I follow. Maybe by the end of July...? Vacations are hell on keeping current.
The trip was lovely. Someday I'll post pix.
Pride was great. More women than usual, which was nice. Bear ended up on the North Country Bears float & was a popular boy all weekend. Of course. ;-)
Been having some fun tripping down memory lane with National Children's Choir folks. Even broke out our album from 1977, scanned the pix & digitised the tracks. Have had silly gospel & "Bella Bimba" & "Standing on the Corner" on my brain all day as a consequence, which is not unpleasant as consequences go.
While I am no longer substituting Diet Coke for sleep, the twitching of my left eyelid tells me that I'm still not caught up. Gonna work on that this weekend. Meanwhile, I'm thinking of having a solo video marathon. Any suggestions for good things into which to dive?
Meanwhile, loving the cool weather & hoping for another less-brutal summer. How are y'all?
current mood: accomplished current music: Standing on the Corner from "The Happiest Millionaire"
“Nigel. Are you there? Oh you've got to see these print. It is so gorgeous. ___ west side story. Just stunning and of course the most wonderful musical ever. Nigel you have to see it.”
If you have no interest in interpreting song lyrics, or Dire Straits, or the song "The Man's Too Big" (it's a really cool song, you should check it out if you don't know it. I've included a YouTube clip of a live version behind the cut), ( skip this )
"Z and Vielpunkt, both males, gladly accepted their 'Easter present' and began straight away with hatching the egg," said the zoo in Bremerhaven, in northern Germany.
"Since the chick arrived they are behaving in the same way as one would expect a heterosexual couple to do. Both happy fathers are now diligently handling the everyday care ... of their adopted offspring," the zoo said.
Z and Vielpunkt are part of a six-strong gay community among the zoo's collection of endangered Humboldt penguins who rose to fame in 2005 when four Swedish females were brought in an unsuccessful attempt to "cure" them.
"Homosexuality is nothing unusual among animals," the zoo said. "Sex and coupling up in our world do not necessarily have anything to do with reproduction."
The Humboldt penguin is normally found on the coast of Chile and Peru, but numbers have dropped to between 12,000 and 20,000 as industrial fishing methods have led to dwindling stocks of the anchovies on which they feed."
current mood: cheerful current music: Birds of a Feather
You want to make us do this state by state? You want to fight us every inch of the way? You're on. In the immortal words of Melissa Etheridge, I am a GIANT.
Same-Sex Marriage Is Legalized in New Hampshire
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: June 3, 2009 Filed at 5:36 p.m. ET
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch on Wednesday signed a bill that made the state the sixth in the country to allow same-sex marriage.
Twenty-one years ago today, right about now, I was standing @ the front desk of a hair salon, trying to explain to the owner (who had just told me that my stylist had called in sick) how I wanted my hair done for my wedding.
Twenty-one years (plus a few hours) ago, I married the love of my life, my Bear.
Twenty-one years ago, I began the happiest part of my life, & one of the best marriages I've ever known.
Twenty-one years ago, friends & family joined us in a celebration of love & commitment. Thanks, folks, we're still going strong.
current mood: happy current music: We Belong Together- Ricki Lee Jones
For the greater part of our lives, most humans are sexual beings- that is we have sexual thoughts, needs, &/or desires. However, we are (again MOSTLY) conditioned to view anyone in a certain age or weight range as a non-sexual being. If we happen to be IN that age &/or weight range ourselves, we may even condition ourselves to avoid APPEARING as if we consider ourselves to be sexual beings. We put the lid on & begin the sad, slow death of that once vital part of our natures. & we do it because we believe we should, & because we fear the mockery, the disgust of others if we do not. Gods, that's just really sad.
current mood: sad current music: Until the Night- Joel
Watching the preview for the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie, I'm finding that I can forgive ALMOST anything but a)reiterating nothing but the old cliches; & b) making Watson look stupid. Although, really, Holmes was noted to be quite fanatically neat about his person, however much of a slob he was in his home.
current mood: amused current music: London Again- 221B Baker Street
IMAGINED LONDON: A TOUR OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST FICTIONAL CITY (Washington: National Geographic Society, 2004; 192 pp., $20.00) is Anna Quindlen's evocative tour of literary London: it's a personal essay, full of insight and humor (and of course Baker Street and Sherlock Holmes are mentioned).
Also, yet another comic book series I'm going to have to buy:
SHERLOCK HOLMES & KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER, is a new three-issue comic-book series ($3.99 for each issue) published by Moonstone Books (582 Torrence Avenue, Calumet City, IL 60409) www.moonstonebooks.com ; the story was written by Joe Gentile, and is a spin-off from the television series starring Darren McGavin (1974) and Stuart Townsend (2005).
current mood: covetous current music: Jump in the Line- Da Vinci's Notebook
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