Hello friends

It has been quite some time since I have been in this mood, with enough time to sit down and write. Chances are, this is going to be one of those posts-of-old where I ramble on for a while, so please be prepared.

Things as they are...
I am back in the books for what will be my last semester at the U - at least in regard to seeking my degree. I will officially hold a bachelor's degree in environmental design. So... when you need some design in your environment, you know whose blog to visit.

Volunteering at the station is going well. Last week, we recorded three more "spots" I guess you could call them (two of which I did vocal work and one of which I chose the song [With My Own Two Hands - Ben Harper]) . All of them advertised which I intend to attend and two of them are linked in the events section below on the right. La Musgana is playing at the Cedar Cultural Center next Friday and even from what little I have heard so far, I can tell you that they are fantastic. The spot we did said they mixed the influence of Celtic, Spanish, and African folk musics and play all sorts of funky instruments. I would say there is even a little klezmer influence in there if I were reviewing it. I linked their site and you can check their discography for music samples. Anyway, hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be starting board certification training and be able to engineer shows shortly thereafter.

Emily... uh, I mean Ike... has started up a blog called Ike's Life. S(he) is already wondering at why s(he) isn't getting comments... I can empathize from my early blog days. He's a good dog. Stop by for a laugh and say "hello."

Holy Crap! I was just flipping through the Cedar's Calendar and found that Lunasa is (are?) coming March 25th. Just in time for my life to move into its 4th decade. A fitting birthday present from the cosmos. Though so far no one has found the world of Celtic folk as beautiful as I, please let me know soon if you are interested in going and I will get tickets, $18.

I have started yet another book to slowly creep through - The World's Religions, by Huston Smith. I first really heard his name when we saw him speak at the Unitarian Church this spring and have been hearing more about/from him since. I didn't know at the time how prolific he was in the realm of what he calls "the wisdom traditions." If this book is any indication to his quality of work, however, I am not surprised. He, like Joseph Campbell, writes on comparative religion, but Smith seems to focus less on the mythology and more the practical sense messages that the "primary" religions communicate. So far, my respect for Hinduism has magnified immensely and I haven't even finished that section. I am gaining an understanding of the two selves which I also hear from Eckhart Tolle's work and in a much more personal and... true-feeling... way than what I have learned from the psychological realm.

But now that I am talking about it, I want to read more... so I am going to do so.

Good night folks. Enjoy yourselves in what you do.



Oh...
and go see Children of Men.

I will be back, when the day is new
And I will have more ideas for you.
And you'll have things you'll want to talk about.

And I

will,

too.

Sledding at the BC

Tomorrow night, we are gathering for flying down snowy slopes with graceless, reckless abandon.

Here is a map. It is of the cul de sac and parking lot at which you should park (I think it will still be open for parking). Just zoom the map out to find directions to it. Once parked, hopelly we will find each other.

I am not sure what time most people are getting out there, but I will be there around 8pm. Afterward, there may be a second gathering for drinking and being merry without the foreboding of next-day-death.

Whoever you are... you should go. If you plan to come and are concerned at finding us, send me an e-mail, a phone number and I will call back to arrange something.

I hope you can make it.

Lately...

The music link is Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton at the 9:30 club from npr.org. She is, by the way, playing this weekend at the Varsity. Listen. If you like it, I can't imagine it will be too pricey to swing down.

The other music link is a band I found on a compilation disc given as a gift for members of KFAI. They are listed as country, but only so much as blues is country... at least on their most recent release. I really dig it. It is in a folk style similar to Men-at-Work's Colin Hay's solo stuff, but definitely rooted in old blues. Also has some feeling of Bob Schneider and Dr, John somehow. Either way, the song "One More Day" makes me want to do a foot-stomping, arm-swinging barn dance while wearing a dusty flannel shirt, overalls, and a straw hat... or maybe just a suit of dirty long johns.

Went to the Walker to see Neil Gaiman last night with a friend. I had read American Gods and liked the themes, despite not really appreciating the book as a whole, but really enjoyed last night's readings. I believe they are all from his recent short-fiction/poetry compliation, which I now intend to buy (maybe when in paperback). He says that most all of his writings are about storytelling and he knows well the craft... as long as he keeps it short. I am starting to feel the same way about deLint.

After the lecture, we went to Town Hall on the recommendation of a friend at work. It was good. I wish I was not driving as to have more time to sample, but what I tried was good. They have a beer that uses lemon-grass and orange blossom in the recipe. Very interesting and very strong. I didn't check, but I would hope that they have a sampler instead of having to drink pints at a time for trying it out. And by the way, though non-traditional, their fries are some of the best I have ever had. I highly recommend them and the place overall. Funny that there are so many good places to eat and drink so close to the U.

Then the man said, "That's it. You're on the radio..."

Sounds Unseen
I participated in my first actual volunteer "work" at the radio station today. We sat in a studio room — one person operates the board while the others read a script about an event, program, etc. and the eager new volunteer peers over the shoulder of the board operator to see how it all comes together. It felt right in there. Good people, good ideas. And now I am on the radio. Strange, that.

On a Rocky Roll
Good news on the Lew French front (the stone mason I mentioned previously). Em's ma picked me up a copy of the book I linked to. Too kind. What I never said about my admiration of him and his work is that they are inspiring me in a direction within my field - no pun intended. I want to study and practice stonework and its applications within the landscape. I have always felt stones are our collective bones and respect the effects they offer. His work gives me so many ideas and drive.

The Wine Thief has Fantome!
They called me up to tell me my ship had come in and I can pick up my bottle on reserve. I am a little worried, however. The last two bottles of Fantome (an old bottle of Hiver [winter] and a bottle of "Printemps" [spring]) I had were really bad, but I had no idea at how long they had been on the shelf. This shipment just got off the boat and I have one on reserve. Cheers to the small liquor store and my holy grail of Belgians!

A few more words on the whole god thing...
I think divinity is in the actions and reactions of all things. Watch the creatures, the wind, the water, and the stone. They tell the story without saying a word and know without knowing their part.


Regarding the links:

The Music...
is Modest Mouse from their upcoming album. This is good news for people who love good news for people who love bad news and bad news for those who don't.

The Photo...
is the Ikenstein. This is a shot Emily took with her new camera. We will be going on many an urban safari now that she has the camera to match her prowess.

The Thing...
is self-explanatory if you click that there link. Neil Gaiman and his posse are going to be at the Walker on Thursday the 11th. I am going and you should, too. Especially you, Mehmet. I will do a call around, but let me know if you want me to pick you up some tickets. Chances are they will run out before the event.

and the Story...
The first book I could read was called "The Firecat." Never knew it was non-fiction.

Sorry... but here you go