Moving Day!

I moved this whole blog over to www.americanginger.blogspot.com so it wouldn't be such a long IRL. hope all of you two or three readers follow it. I know i haven't updated in the last 2 months, but there's a new post of mostly stuff you all know anyway. sigh. cheerio-

Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

For those who don't know, CBBees, is the equivalent of "Cartooooooons, put on the cartoooooooooons" or like, Nickelodeon, if you don't get the other reference either.

Serenade

I am rotten at following through with my goals. And every time I begin the end of each enterprise I get terribly depressed about alway losing steam. It's true for so many things in my life. I start out so enthusiastic and really go for it and then a couple weeks in I slow down and something always happens (usually getting ill or some other stressful crisis) and I/it stops the steamroller. grr. So I've been desperately trying to figure out how to get back on track after one of these. You have to admit slowing down is inevitable sometimes. Your mind/body needs a break from the enthusiasm, if you will. I think I've figured out what will work for me though. Its the thought that (cheers to Prince Charming for laying the egg of this idea) if you want to change something about yourself (diet, refocus your efforts) or accomplish something important (like a Thesis project) you have to think about doing it every morning. You can only affect each day you live, its too hard to say you'll do it tomorrow as you don't know what tomorrow will bring. But, today you can affect. I want to remember every morning or while I'm drinking my tea, exactly what I'm trying to change about myself and how I will do that today. You may as well decide certain things are more important that day, but they have to be thought about at least to succeed. I may be unusual in this need, certainly my friends don't have as much trouble with their follow through, but I hope writing it down helps me at least! hahah. The other catalyst for these thoughts are a poem we found in my Grandmother's jewelry box after she'd passed away.

Salutation to the Dawn

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course lie all th verities
and realities of your existence.
the bliss of growth;
the glory of actions
the splendor of achievement;
For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow
is only a vision;
But today, well lived, makes every
yesterday a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!

translated from the Sanskrit

What's Opera Doc!

Pleas watch this! It's hysterical and although many of you have probably seen its a classic and that means watchable forever!

Salome

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The Tristan Chord

I have been an emotional wreck the last month or so. Not to worry, I have a scapegoat! That works for me, I have to find the cause of my problems before I can get over them. Cause of the Fall is The Pill! A wonderful 'contraption' (c'mon its almost a pun....) but occasionally causing major issues! I've been trying to take the pill on the 3 month cycle. Doesn't it sound grand? Three months and NO periods, and no massive headaches that tend to come with my period! Ah yes, it sounds too good to be true and I think it is, because I'm on month 2 of the 3 and I've been a terror for the last month. Bordering on evil almost. I know its the age feminine claim: 'it was the hormones that killed him mr. judge, sir. I swear.' As they say in Chicago "He had it coming." Well, he probably did. He probably underestimated the power of the Hormone. And to this day, women remain blindsided by this phenomenon. We don't see our evil self creeping up on us until its too late. We're then past the hour when shutting ourselves in our room with something sappy and something chocolate-y will fix it. But this is a normal cycle problem. I'm dealing with PMS double and continuous. Picture the giant Monster Bridezilla from Avenue Q and you'll have me pegged. Fortunately, I do come down from these 'episodes' and can then go apologize to people, typically my wonderful tolerant long distance boyfriend, Prince Charming (oh yeah I'm gonna blame long distance too, someday I'll post a comprehensive list of my scapegoats- you'll be impressed!)


btw, I'm not completely obsessed with fairy tales. Well a little with the original Brother's Grimm. Did you know that it was originally Rose-Red and Snow-White. They were in fact sisters! It's a good story. I've digressed, which is always fun.

In conclusion, because I'm anxious to keep my friends and said boyfriend, I will be returning to a normal non 3 month cycle pill and caution all women out there eager to only have periods 4 times a year, it comes with a price! I'm sure if you stick with it your body will adjust and you won't be evil anymore, but by then the damage will have been done and you'll be a happy period-free single person living in a studio and frequenting old man pubs. Ooooh maybe it'd work if we could wear a sign for awhile? Just like the scarlet letter, that worked well right..? Ours could be the Scarlet XX chromosome! Ah, I do but jest. (if you could see me I'd be doing an Eddie Izzard impression. shakes head yes, shakes head no, yes, no, sneaky yes, emphatic no). Eh, you get the blurry picture!

addendum: My previous titles are relatively self explanatory but if you don't know what a Tristan chord is, I'll explain. Wagner wrote a beautiful opera Tristan & Isolde, based on a legend of the same name, naturally about tragic love, which they have recently made a movie of (talk about tragic.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_und_Isolde

The very first chord in the piece is the so-called Tristan chord, often taken to be of great significance in the move away from traditional tonal harmony since it encompasses not one but two dissonances. It is has a very melancholy but beautiful sound. Wagner, while not my favorite historical figure, as he seems to be a bit of an ass, is undeniably a beautiful composer!

Vocalise

not really one for these things but I adored the books and my professors are currently playing on the soundtrack for the new movie!