For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
Here we are, back at the cottage for our annual writing retreat. Shawna Romkey, Kelly Boyce and I travelled together with the keys to open the cottages, so we were up with the dawn. A gorgeous drive down, and now we've already got over half the retreaters here and it's still an hour to go till lunchtime.
Can you say, 'Bliss, thy name is writing retreat'?
1 - The Rain, The Park and Other Things - The Cowsills
For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
I'm still in catch-up mode, having taken off most of May and now June from blogging, due to pacing for my fibromyalgia.
And now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming.
This year I'll be taking a once-a-month look at specific instruments and showcasing five songs or tunes which place that instrument front and center.
This year's feature is called Spotlight On...
...and for our sixth installment, I'm venturing out from the primal body instruments of hand-clapping, whistling and vocal harmonies to explore percussion. Following April's look at drums, and May's look at the vibraphone or vibes, here are five songs which shine a spotlight on the piano.
1 - Jealous Guy - John Lennon - 1971
2 - Mad World (Donnie Darko soundtrack) - Gary Jules - 2001 for the soundtrack, 2003 for radio release
For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
If you've been following the #YesAllWomen social media trend this week, you'll know that the recent murder spree at the University of California, Santa Barbaratriggered an outpouring of reaction from women in response to the shooter's perceived lack of social success with the opposite gender.
In my opinion, the murder spree is a mental health issue, just as here in Halifax the murder two years ago of Raymond Taavel was also a mental health issue, though it triggered a wave of support for gay rights due to the words spoken at the time of the attack -- "He was consistently using the word faggot," said a witness to the fatal attack. (CTV News)
A tumblr blogger wrote the following account of just another day in the life of a woman, adding her voice to the #YesAllWomen hashtag:
In response, male writer Tom Hawking wrote this encouraging piece, which looks at the encounter from a broader perspective, which often gets missed in the heat of people sharing painful experiences:
"Put yourself in his position, in isolation, and you might see how he felt the way he did -- to his own eyes, he was no doubt making mildly flirtatious small talk with a girl who, to his eyes, shut him down with unnecessary emotional force. And now he feels like a victim. He didn't deserve that, he thinks to himself. What's up her ass, anyway? Why didn't she enjoy the attention?
If you're a woman reading this, you're probably shaking your head and saying, "F**k that guy'...
Understand that your actions don't exist in a vacuum. They exist in the context of a society where literally every woman you will ever meet has a similar story to tell...You don't get a gold star for being a good person. It's the minimum standard of human decency that anyone should be able to expect." -- Tom Hawking, Flavorwire
I am one of those with multiple #YesAllWomen stories to tell, only one of which I will share here with you:
After a long day of editing my fourth year film at Ryerson, I headed for the streetcar in Toronto in the late afternoon -- a bright, sunny day, lots of people around, and me dressed in comfortable, casual clothing for the editing room (not in any sort of come-hither outfit, which has to be mentioned because that is apparently always relevant.)
I was stopped by a young man about university-student age, someone who was well-groomed and not crazy-looking (also relevant, as there are enough odd sorts of people in the downtown of a large city, and giving wide berth to those who look like they've been on a bender is a good start.) So, not expecting trouble, I listened as he asked if I knew what time it was.
I checked my watch. "Quarter to three," I said.
"Beautiful tits," he said.
Me: going from tired and thinking about what was I going to have for supper, to mind-blanking rage in one split second (bearing in mind what Tom Hawking said about actions not existing in a vacuum, and already having too many #YesAllWomen encounters in my life)
Me: grabbing my purse from my shoulder intending to clobber him in the side of the head with it
Him: seeing me start to grab my purse to hit him
Me: (in my mind) No! No! You can't do that! It's assault. You can't assault someone.
Me: changing to my left hand, darting it forward, grabbing the white styrofoam coffee cup out of his hand, squeezing it and dumping the coffee all over him
Him: "What the hell are you doing, you f**king bitch?"
Me: "What did you say to me?" (loud enough for eveyone to hear)
Him: "I said 'What time is it?"
Me: "You said 'Beautiful tits'!"
I dumped the empty cup on the ground, looked up the street at everyone frozen in place, and carried on until I got on board my streetcar.
Another day in the life of two people whose experiences up to that point resulted in a misguided attempt at flattery (!?!) from him, and a Kill Bill reaction to it from me.
So this week's musical set is dedicated to the work that still needs to be done in our culture when it comes to gender relations.
Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.
This week's set is dedicated to fallen Opposition Leader Jack Layton, who died at age 61 on Monday from cancer.
"Like some political Moses, Jack Layton led his people out of the wilderness, only to die within sight of his own Promised Land," wrote John Ward for The Huffington Post
"Deuteronomy 34 says God took Moses up to a high place and showed him the Promised Land in the distance.
'I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.' "
Prior to the spring election, Jack Layton worked as part of a triad of opposition parties, along with the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois, in a constant state of compromise between one another and the minority Conservative government.
Parliament is set to resume on Sept. 19th, denying Jack his moment of glory in the hard-to-swallow irony of life.
1 - #9 Dream - John Lennon
"In order to have the Canada you want, you have to vote for the Canada you want." - Jack Layton
2 - We Can Work It Out - The Beatles
"When you bring good ideas forward in the context of a Parliament where no one party has been given the absolute authority to proceed, then you roll up your sleeves, you discuss, you negotiate." - Jack Layton
3 - Orange Crush - R.E.M.
Orange Crush was the nickname given to the historic shift in the Canadian political landscape during the 2011 spring election. When Jack Layton won the leadership convention in 2003, the NDP - whose party colour is orange - stood at 13 seats in the House of Commons.
The Liberals were in power with 172 seats, Conservatives as Official Opposition with 78 seats, the Bloc Québécois at 38 seats.
Jack's Orange Crush gave the Conservatives their elusive majority, which took three elections and resulted in 166 seats. The Liberals fell to a freakish 34 seats. The Bloc were decimated at 4 seats, and the Green Party made another historic win with its first-ever seat in the House.
The Orange Crush swept through Canada and turned the Opposition over to the NDP with an astounding 103 seats.
“We wanted to let you know that on Saturday, August 27 from sundown to sunrise, the CN Tower will be lit orange to honour the passing of the Honourable Jack Layton,”Patrick Leavey, CN Tower’s marketing manager
"Niagara Falls will be illuminated orange this Saturday in a tribute to NDP leader Jack Layton who died on Monday following his second battle with cancer. The lighting of the falls is set to coincide with the state funeral scheduled to take place Saturday afternoon, said the Niagara Parks Commission who put in the request to the NIagara Falls Illumination board." - NiagaraThisWeek
4 - Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Dianna Ross
"With the last of his life force, he shone a light over this whole country in that sweet, wise letter. And in doing so, he whipped off another miracle.
Jack couldn’t overcome the toll taken on his body by the punishing grandeur of his achievement in this last year of his life. But he has upped the ante in a way none of us could have imagined.
True even beyond form, Jack has left us his spirit, still hard at work. Though we are laying his body to rest this weekend, Jack speaks to us now more powerfully and compellingly than ever.
Who knows how much Jack’s over-the-top election commitment stole from his days on this planet? But his unquenchable zest for love, his unstoppable faith in hope and that crazy, unwavering optimism of his are building an even bigger, better movement from the other side of the veil." - Alice Klein, NOW Magazine
5 - Rise Up - Parachute Club
This song will be performed at his state funeral on Saturday, at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.
Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.
Happy Canada Day to all celebrating in The Great White North!
At this point, I'm several days into the writers' conference in Manhattan. I'll have loads of stories and pictures to share when I get back.
Today brings us to the wrap-up post for my five-part Beatles series - this time featuring the irreverent John Lennon.
1 - And Your Bird Can Sing
2 - No Reply
3 - Julia
As I mentioned last week during my Paul McCartney set, my sister and I were beyond lucky to have Beatles songs with our names in the titles. My sister has Michelle, and I have this one.
I was in a rather massive Beatles mood over the weekend, putting together a playlist to groove to while I'm in my writing cave. Here's one of my absolute favorites, the lyrics for which I'm featuring today on the Poetry Train.
The history of this song, being inspired by the poster shown here, has always intrigued me. Being a fan of found poetry, these lyrics had an early influence, encouraging me to be always open to whatever inspiration presents itself. One of the aspects that most stands out is the use of highly specific images. Late of Pablo Fanques' fair and Performs his feat on Saturday/At Bishopsgate are highly evocative because of their rich detail.
I'm working, working, working on a competition submission, so I don't have a new poem for you. Instead I thought I'd post the lyrics to John Lennon's song Mother.
A few weeks ago I got the Lennon Legend CD, and this song really stands out to me. He managed to pour a lifetime of pain into three stanzas and a repeating refrain. And his recording holds such vulnerability, such rawness.
As Mother's Day approaches, I deeply feel this song from someone whose longed-for mother was named Julia.
Mother
Mother, you had me but I never had you, I wanted you but you didn't want me, So I got to tell you, Goodbye, goodbye.
Father, you left me but I never left you, I needed you but you didn't need me, So I got to tell you, Goodbye, goodbye.
Children, don't do what I have done, I couldn't walk and I tried to run, So I got to tell you, Goodbye, goodbye.
Mama don't go, Daddy come home. Mama don't go, Daddy come home.
Champion of the Arts - I write historical and paranormal fiction, as well as poetry. I love to showcase creative works by artists of all stripes. Blogging from Nova Scotia, Canada
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