h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*realises that it's been a week since she posted here!*

Hello Wile E!

Let me state for the record that I have never knowingly intended to ignore or neglect you.





























Yahoo hath writ the commandment in cyberstone!

How is your w*rkday coming along so far?*looks around his desk for official looking top secret documents and vending machine sweets...*
Hmmmmm. If you have time to read this, you can't possibly be catching up
on all the w*rk from yesterday when you were z o m b i f i e d

Too bad you're not allowed to view non-BBC links. Otherwise... you'd be seeing this: http://www.funofun.com/monkey.htm

Seriously, though...thanks for all your thoughtful support and encouragement when I was so busy(and stressed out and) with travelling and performances last week. It was some mad scheduling to contend with, but everything turned out better than I expected. The reviews were very impressive even by the maestro's standards. He read a couple of them to me over the phone yesterday...and he said he was proud of the professionalism that I displayed(for once) when giving technically clean and artistic performances -even with a bad case of bronchitis and asthma. He even admitted he was worried for me but didn't want to upset me...
He said he was fascinated with my "mind over matter approach" to
going on with the shows.
I can only say that any confidence that I possessed came from feeling secure from support like yours and -of course- sheer squirreliness. It takes a lot more than asthma to keep someone as squirrelly as me down. If I'd contracted bubonic plague and the mange, well, we'd have had a much different outcome to this story...

Oh! You asked last night what I was going to do on New Year's eve.
Sorry I was interrupted in my reply when the friends that we'll be staying with in London called to say that they were mugged in Holland Park! Luckily they weren't hurt and weren't carrying anything too valuable. They were mightily upset and shocked, though. I'm sure they'll be okay soon.

I'm going to have my cousins and List Guys over for a flamenco party again. My cousin from Montreal just came in tonight from the airport. I'll have a full house of guests. My mum seems to enjoy the antics of all these people and she's looking better and less confused with the familiarity of her nieces, nephews and (as she calls them) "the young suitors" paying her so much attention.

I'm glad you're heading out with SS and friends for some New Year's revelry. Good golly! What's UF doing in Gambia? Has this got anything to do with his new GF? If it isn't, he's going to be having massive telephone bills to come home to if he reports back with constant blow by blow commentaries!

See? I haven't ignored you! I'm actually answering your interro...questions. *squints from the brightness of the overhead lamp...*

Hope you make a lot of headway through the w*rk piled up on your desk today.

What are you still reading this for?!!!
Get back to w*rk!

And... I'll see you later, Wile E!

*waves goodbye to the jingle hells*

Hi Cynth

I thought I better post here today, or it’ll soon be a week since yours! Between parties, List Guys, prankster cousins, concert preparations, and caring for your mum, I don’t think you’ve had the time to feel ignored, though! And there’s plenty I didn’t put on that list, but I don’t have all day you know!

No, it’s JEllen I feel sorry for. We’re not giving her nearly enough lurking material!


I gather last night was very busy again. I’m sure you’re still squirreling through, though! *hopes she hasn’t collapsed in a squirrely heap, now he’s said that* *poke*

Its been great to hear you got those reviews after that crazy schedule and illness combined. As for the support, that’s what friends are for.


I *think* UF is in Gambia. When we went to see DJ Shadow, he was talking about a last-minute deal he’d seen for a holiday there, and going with his girlfriend. Like me, he hates the cold and said he was desperate to get away to somewhere hot and sunny soon. I’ve not been able to get in touch with him, so it looks like he’s gone.

Two holidays in one year seems like a good a very good idea to me. I’ve got enough money saved for two decent holidays this year, and as long as I’m careful with my annual leave, I might follow his example. I’m not sure where I want to go yet, but I’m thinking of doing conservation or some other kind of voluntary work for the first one, and then something more relaxing for the second.

There’s a bloody cold wind out there today, so I’ve been thinking more and more about getting away! Having a bit of time off recently has made w**k more of a chore than usual.


The only piece of Christmas telly I wanted to watch is on tonight. When you lived over here, did you ever watch This Life? I think you were here around the time they were showing that. If not, It was a drama about twentysomething lawyers living together in a house in London, which was fairly groundbreaking in terms of style and content for its time. This Life + 10 is on tonight! People have been begging for another series for years now, and finally they’ve done a reunion episode. I can’t wait to revisit those characters. In fact, its on in ten minutes!

I’m zombified enough that I’ll probably head off to bed shortly after it finishes, so I’ll catch you tomorrow.

*waves a fond farewell to the jingle hells in the far, far off distance...*

Hello Wile E!

How are you today? *scans his countenance for signs of residual zombification...*
It's good to hear that you're planning some holidays for this year. You deserve to get away and see more of the world after so many z o m b i e days cooped up in that office!

What places are calling out to you to visit? Do you think you might want to revisit some of the places you liked best in Thailand and Malaysia?

I've done a few conservation based holidays in the Galapagos, India, and Nepal. They were hosted by the Sierra Club, an ashram, and an alpine club. Oh, and I've gone on digs with my big bro here in the states that were more fun than I expected one could have whilst armed with a trowel and a toothbrush.... We unearthed a bunch of dry old bones and fabulous coprolites that got put in some museums! Amazing how we got honourable mention at the exhibits for doing something that most common s would do without being rewarded a biscuit for!

I *did* collapse in a squirrely heap after New Year day. All the cooking (and eating) finally did me in and the cousins threw me into my room and then finished up with all the kitchen and dining room cleaning up after the guests had taken their leave.

Yesterday, three of the cousins left for home up north. But before they did, something on hootoo sparked their interest enough to telephone the rest of the cousins residing elsewhere. It seems that they had a bet on ...oh, I'll tell you on Yahoo. Anyway the upshot of it all is that one of them won another small jackpot of a cash prize. At my expense again!

It was kind of a flustering day yesterday. Cousins and friends from here were e-mailing me that they lurked around and found something that they thought I should know about. It's nice that they were so concerned about me but *sigh* I still don't like lurking certain threads (I know, I know...I should be less queasy about these things by now.) precisely because I don't want to find anything I don't want to see!

So I'm just biding my time and being thoughtful about how to deal with the information and predicament.*does some more deep breathing exercises...*

How was This Life +10? I did get to see a few episodes of the original series while I was living in London and I *did* get somewhat hooked on it. I liked the development of the diverse characters.
I remember the incidence involving Warren's muesli!
Was last night's programme as much of an eye opener as promised? My friends in London missed it because they were out last night to an art gallery. I hope they recorded it! Although with their programming skills, they probably recorded the scouting show special before that!
When you meet them in April, you'll see what I mean. They're brilliant people, but they Don't-Read-Instruction-Manuals ever! So they've got a lot of expensive state of the art electrical devices that they claim do not function and thus remain in pristine condition from non-use.

Hope your day went well for you and I'll see you in a while...

Laters, Wile E!

Would someone clue me in?

about being so cryptic, JEllen!

*sigh*

You know all about those cousins and their mischievous bets regarding my life, generally? Well, they've been causing more and s lately by lurking, bringing to my attention minor indiscretions (not mine)found in posts and then informing me that they had (in advance) placed bets on what had happened.

When these things keep on happening as they predict as bets..it becomes a bit irksome, to say the least.

Not exactly something you can constantly keep ing about like a jolly good sport. Which is what I usually endeavour to do.

So that's what I'm trying to deal with at the moment. The cousins are *trying* to see things as if they were in my position...but it's awfully tempting for them to just keep on placing bets on what'll happen next with me if the winnings top out at (at least) $500.

*big sigh*

Guru Wile E told me to eat a lot of s, watch a heartbreak of a foreign romantic movie and have a good ...
and of course I did!
I'm feeling a whole lot better, if not heavier in weight.

Hope that's enough of a clue-in for you. See you later JEllen!

Hi Cynth




Meditation?


Abstinence?


Chanting?


Flagellation?


n i g h t h o o v e r ?


Dervish spinning?




Pah!




Mmm, that is still looking a bit forced to me. *pokes*

Hi JEllen, I’m sure cyn will fill you in on all the sordid details!


Did your friends in London remember to record This Life + 10? I had a look through the schedules and I couldn’t see any repeats, although it is being released on DVD.

It’s hard for me to judge how good it was because as a huge fan of the original series, I was so hyped up to see those characters again. I was reading a thread about it here on hootoo, and there were some complaints that there wasn’t much in the way of plot, some of the peripheral characters were omitted, and that a lot of questions from the original series were left unanswered. For a one-off, I thought they made the right decision in keeping it simple, and focussing on the relationships between the main characters. If it had laboriously gone through each character, giving a thorough update on their lives, it could’ve been very dull.

I’ve really no idea where I’m going to travel this year. I’m going to take some time looking at lots of options, and then I’ll probably make a spur of the moment decision. I’m definitely keeping revisiting a few places, open as an option. Big contenders at the moment are Brazil, and SS was talking about going to Cape Town (in the unlikely event he can save enough money to go) as he loves great white sharks, and I like the idea of revisiting my old home.


Tonight’s film is Ellie Parker. I really enjoyed Ivans XTC, and this looks like its been done in a similar vein, and got great reviews. Have you seen it?

I’ve seen the original short that this was expanded from, and Naomi Watts was hilarious, arguing about the merits of memory verses imagination in acting, and then competing to see who could start crying first!


See you soon

*flits by with a musical link...*
http://marc4hero.podomatic.com/entry/2007-01-10T14_59_28_-08_00

Hello Wile E!

I just got up to get ready for vigil service.

I turned on my laptop and got this email in my mailbox.



>>>>>January 14, 2007


Alice Coltrane, the jazz performer and composer who was inextricably linked with the adventurous musical improvisations of her late husband, legendary saxophonist John Coltrane, has died. She was 69.

Coltrane died Friday at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in West Hills, according to an announcement from the family's publicist. She had been in frail health for some time and died of respiratory failure.

Though known to many for her contributions to jazz and early New Age music, Coltrane, a convert to Hinduism, was also a significant spiritual leader and founded the Vedantic Center, a spiritual commune now located in Agoura Hills. A guru of growing repute, she also served as the swami of the San Fernando Valley's first Hindu temple, in Chatsworth.

For much of the last nearly 40 years, she was also the keeper of her husband's musical legacy, managing his archive and estate. Her husband, one of the pivotal figures in the history of jazz, died of liver disease July 17, 1967, at the age of 40.

A pianist and organist, Alice Coltrane was noted for her astral compositions and for bringing the harp onto the jazz bandstand. Her last performances came in the fall, when she participated in an abbreviated tour that included stops in New York and San Francisco, playing with her saxophonist son, Ravi.

She was born Alice McLeod in Detroit on Aug. 27, 1937, into a family with deep musical roots. Anna, her mother, sang and played piano in the Baptist church choir. Alice's half brother Ernie Farrow was a bassist who played professionally with groups led by saxophonist Yusef Lateef and vibes player Terry Gibbs.

Alice began her musical education at age 7, learning classical piano. Her early musical career included performances in church groups as well as in top-flight jazz ensembles led by Lateef, guitarist Kenny Burrell and saxophonist Lucky Thompson.

After studying jazz piano briefly in Paris, she moved to New York and joined Gibbs' quartet.

"As fascinating — and influential — as her later music was, it tended to obscure the fact that she had started out as a solid, bebop-oriented pianist," critic Don Heckman told The Times on Saturday. "I remember hearing, and jamming with, her in the early '60s at photographer W. Eugene Smith's loft in Manhattan. At that time she played with a brisk, rhythmic style immediately reminiscent of Bud Powell.

"Like a few other people who'd heard her either at the loft or during her early '60s gigs with Terry Gibbs, I kept hoping she'd take at least one more foray into the bebop style she played so well," he said.

She met her future husband in 1963 while playing an engagement with Gibbs' group at Birdland in New York City.

"He saw something in her that was beautiful," Gibbs, who has often taken credit for introducing the two, told The Times on Saturday. "They were both very shy in a way. It was beautiful to see them fall in love."

Gibbs called her "the nicest person I ever worked with. She was a real lady."

She left Gibbs' band to marry Coltrane and began performing with his band in the mid-1960s, replacing pianist McCoy Tyner. She developed a style noted for its power and freedom and played tour dates with Coltrane's group in San Francisco, New York and Tokyo.

She would say her husband's musical impact was enormous.

"John showed me how to play fully," she told interviewer Pauline Rivelli and Robert Levin in comments published in "The Black Giants."

"In other words, he'd teach me not to stay in one spot and play in one chord pattern. 'Branch out, open up … play your instrument entirely.' … John not only taught me how to explore, but to play thoroughly and completely."

After his death, she devoted herself to raising their children. Musically, she continued to play within his creative vision, surrounding herself with such like-minded performers as saxophonists Pharoah Sanders and Joe Henderson.

Early albums under her name, including "A Monastic Trio," and "Ptah the El Daoud," were greeted with critical praise for her compositions and playing. "Ptah the El Daoud" featured her sweeping harp flourishes, a sound not commonly heard in jazz recordings. Her last recording, "Translinear Light," came in 2004. It was her first jazz album in 26 years.

Through the 1970s, she continued to explore Eastern religions, traveling to India to study with Swami Satchidananda, the founder of the Integral Yoga Institute.

Upon her return she started a store-front ashram in San Francisco but soon moved it to Woodland Hills in 1975. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains since the early 1980s, the ashram is a 48-acre compound where devotees concentrate on prayer and meditation.

Known within her religious community by her Sanskrit name, Turiyasangitananda, Coltrane focused for much of the last 25 years on composing and recording devotional music such as Hindu chants, hymns and melodies for meditation. She also wrote books, including "Monumental Ethernal," a kind of spiritual biography, and "Endless Wisdom," which she once told a Times reporter contained hundreds of scriptures divinely revealed to her.

In 2001 she helped found the John Coltrane Foundation to encourage jazz performances and award scholarships to young musicians.

In addition to Ravi, she is survived by another son, Oren, who plays guitar and alto sax; a daughter, Michelle, who is a singer; and five grandchildren. Her son John Coltrane Jr. died in an automobile accident in 1982.

By Jon Thurber, LA Times Staff Writer<<<<<

I think the last time she performed was in November in San Francisco. Some friends made a big deal of letting me know how much of a wonderful concert I missed...they knew I wanted to see her perform live in California very much because I'd mope around when I'd miss an opportunity because I was on tour.
She made such beautifully soul stirring music!
We certainly were blessed to experience the likes of her talent, art and vision.

*sigh*

Just thought I'd let you know if you haven't read about it there already.

See you a bit later Wile E!

Hi Cynth!

No, I didn’t know. Thanks for letting me know.

When her nephew was on GP, he said that she was planning to tour in the UK, so I persuaded (nagged) SS into agreeing to go see her, wherever she was performing. That’ll never happen now, but at there are the fantastic recordings she’s left behind for everyone.

She certainly did make soul stirring music, and as far as I can tell, led a very interesting and fulfilled life. I don’t think it seems quite so sad when who really lived and used their life well, passes on. And she lives on in the music, and all the religious work she did. Definitely a legacy to be proud of.


I phoned up SS today to remind him we’re going to see Joanna Newsom tomorrow. It’s a good job I did! Now its too late to back out, I revealed that her voice is reminiscent of Lisa Simpson! When he finished groaning and cursing, I told him about another gig I’m interested in going to next month – Femi Kuti is playing the Bridgewater in Manchester.

He was noncommittal as he’s having some money problems at the moment (plus the Lisa Simpson comment made him more weary of my judgement), but I think he’ll enjoy tomorrow enough that he’ll want to go to another concert next month.


I’ll be around for a couple of hours, but I’m not sure if the timing is right for you. If not, I’ll catch up with you tomorrow when you can reveal what your cousins have been up to in your absence.

Hello Wile E!


I think I'm stuck in retreat time mode.
*flinches slightly at the first hint of an upcoming stare from him...*

How was the Joanna Newsom concert?
Did SS survive the experience alright?
Did you drive?
Did she play the harpsichord and piano besides just the harp?
Was most of the material from her Ys album?
How was the orchestral arrangement?
Will SS ever trust your musical judgement again?

While I was away, my fell in love with the maestro!
She's taken to following him around like a puppy, sleeping with him at night( the brazen hussy!) and waking him up in the morning by placing a paw gently upon his cheek...
And he's now quite taken with her, too!
He told me that she's the most intelligent feline he's ever encountered in his lifetime! He said he spent hours playing fetch with her and that when he was w*rking at the piano, she would sit patiently with her chin upon his lap, purring all the while until he was finished and then they would play fetch again. She even stayed at his side at every meal. And he would walk around outside carrying her in his arms...
Yes...I'm talking about the same that mercilessly terrorises the cousins!

What's this world coming to?

The cousins got along splendidly with the maestro.
They ran home movies of me as a baby and a klutzy kid.
They said they did themselves some physical damage laughing so hard at how silly a girl I was on film.
Then the maestro played silly silent movie incidental piano music to go with the slap stick film action. Then the cousins did silly voiced narrations to accompany the action depicted on the screen...
Everyone had a jolly fun time.



That's what they did during my absence. The fiends!

*sigh*

Golly, that was a long day for you yesterday.
What time did you finally get home from Manchester?

How are you doing today

Have I asked you enough squirrely questions, yet?

Hope to see you later on, Wile E!
*wanders off in search of some Darjeeling to help her make some sense of the day thus far...*

* the sounds of incessant drumming of fingertips upon a wooden desktop and the muffled taptaptaptaptap of a fuzzy slippered toe upon a ceramic tiled floor reverberates and fills the hollows of Wile E.'s ears throughout the course of his day...*

I'm waiting for details!

Oh, and I listened to this NPR radio interview of Joanna Newsom playing some of her favourite tunes(Randy Newman, Lindsey Buckingham, Van Dyke Parks...) sometime last month and finally found the link yesterday for you, if you haven't yet heard it.

http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/djnewsom/

Pity you can't click on links at the office...

The reason I was asking about the orchestral arrangements that you heard in concert was because I thought the ones on her Ys album were particularly fine and gave better balance and depth to her compositions.
I like the tonal poem qualities of her lyrics. And her phrasing delivery is much smoother than when I first heard her in her home town two years ago. She seems to have w*rked on that a bit.

Btw...the yoga ashram retreat that I've been going to for years (I need to book a retreat for the month of May)is in Nevada City. It's not very far from where my cousins' winery is located.

Now...

get


back


to


w*rk!

Hope your day at the office is going well!
See you later Wile E!



*resumes her percussive annoyances as she waits for details...*

Hi Cynth


I’m feeling much more awake today, so now I have the strength to cope with all those and answer your questions.

Just stop that damned tapping!


SS set off from Lincoln late, so we arranged to meet up in Manchester an hour before the concert was due to start, so he didn’t have to come all the way to Chorley to pick me up. Of course, he got hopelessly lost once he got into central Manchester, so there was lots of faffing around before we got to Bridgewater Hall, just in time for the support act.

By that point, I was already totally knackered - as I was in my usual Monday zombie state - and had been rushing around town for an hour trying to find SS (who’d arrived safely, in the same clunker that I saw him in last), and then get us to the venue. About twenty minutes into the opening act, I started to nod off!

The support act was a Scottish folk singer called Aleister Roberts, singing traditional Scottish songs and some of his own compositions. He had a pretty good voice, and was playing some interesting guitar, using open tunings, but traditional folk songs aren’t really my unless they’re particularly rowdy and boisterous. The lack of harmonic movement and Roberts’ soft voice, failed to keep my attention for long, and it wasn't long before my mind started wandering and my eyelids felt very heavy!

I managed to wake myself properly as the chamber orchestra took the stage. Our seats were in the first balcony, overlooking the left hand side of the stage, so we had a great view of the performances. I took the chance while the lights were up to have a good look around, Bridgewater Hall is only ten years old, and is a beautiful, very modern looking venue. The most prominent feature is a huge pipe organ - the pipes taking up the entire wall behind the stage. I’ve only been there once before, about three years ago, to see Evgeny Kissin (which I must confess, is the only classical concert I’ve ever been to).

Here’s a panoramic image of the concert hall:

http://www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk/about/pans/panoramics/panpodc.html

Newsom took the stage to thunderous and launched into her first song. She played all the way through the Ys album, and stuck to the harp all the way through the concert. I didn’t know she played piano and harpsichord.

I think her voice has really improved since her first album, and she’s trying out lots of interesting things with it, which sometimes work and sometimes don’t. I think there was still enough abrupt and unsupported yelping to keep you wincing if you’d been there , but even with all the sudden changes in dynamics, her delivery seems more relaxed and natural than it once did. Her performance through the Ys material reminded me of a huskier Kate Bush, and managed to fall on the right side of interesting and quirky for me.

And SS liked it too! I gave him a full (and honest, this time)description as we were walking in, but it was unneeded, and I think I’ve got at least one more go at dragging him to something and obscure.

Van Dyke Parks’ sting arrangements were very good. Most of the time, they struck exactly the right balance between being interesting and supportive, and I don’t think Newsom could’ve sustained such epic songs without them. There were a few occasions where a very dense sound was sustained for too long, but on most of the songs, the strings would jump in and out with minimalist rhythmic patterns or lush harmony, making a nice counterpoint to the dynamics of Newsom’s voice. I was a little concerned that with her voice, the chamber orchestra, and her intricate harp playing, it might sound too much, but she reigned in the harp playing throughout the Ys material, just to give a nice harmonic bed and some rhythmic variety on the quieter sections.

Another thing that really added to the night was the fantastic sound. Everything went through a PA, but it wasn’t too loud for the hall, which has great acoustics.


The Ys performance took about an hour, and then after a short break, she returned for a solo performance and an encore, performing her earlier material. This gave her a chance to show off her harp playing – the odd way she uses cross-rhythms is particularly interesting.

Every song got a loud and thunderous response from the Manchester audience, and she actually looked quite teary and taken aback by it.


Oh, thanks for the link. I’ll definitely check that out.


Good to see that you’re planning time out from your hectic schedule through this year. That *should* stop any teddybear stares, but I enjoy it too much, so

Catch you later

*thunderous stomping sounds and applause fill the thread...*



Hello Wile !
I ought to employ the constant tapping method on you more often!
You gave a brilliantly detailed account of your night out at the Bridgewater with SS!

The concert sounded like it was pretty fabulous.
What Joanna Newsom does takes a lot of concentration and focus. Staying connected to her intricate lyrics and playing such a complex musical instrument as the harp is a lot of w*rk for the duration of time that she's performing on stage. *giggles* You'd look a bit tearful, too if you went through that kind of ordeal!

A lot of my reviews mention that I looked sincerely touched and tearful at ovations... well you already know that I'm touched but the tearful part is usually heartfelt because I've gotten through all the rehearsals, countless visuals in my mind, interviews, the performance with the orchestra itself and then bang! it's a relief and a shock that it's over and done with. I'm receiving acknowledgement for something I'm not fully aware of having done because I've emptied myself and now I don't have the music to hide behind. It's a very weird feeling to experience. I've taught myself to pull things together by mentally detaching, otherwise I'd do what comes naturalto me and far far away- not smile and bow while reminding myself to try and enjoy the moment!

I saw Babel last night. It definitely is a well crafted film that tells it's interweaving story of miscommunication and the interconnected human condition better than what disappointed us so much in Crash last year!

It was awfully long at 2 1/2 hours, though! Despite it's length, I found the film to be deeply thought provoking, challenging and heartwrenching in some scenes. I know some people will just hate it because so many issues are not fully resolved...as in real life, not everything is provided for with a clear answer.

I'm pretty sure you'll want to see this one!
I'm going to see The Queen tonightalong with a Q&A session with rthe screenwriter, Peter Morgan.

There was black ice on the road last night on the way home form the theatre, so the maestro(who I took to see the film as my guest last night) ordered me to spend the night in Malibu.
Actually, it made perfect sense. I had to have a voice session with him this morning anyway. Plus he enjoyed the blueberry muffins I made for breakfast. Then he blamed me for spoiling him and then was extra demanding with getting things "polished and perfect" with the Mahler...

Yay! It's the weekend! What are you plannng to do?

Those are frightening stares!
*sounds of smothered giggly shrieks...*

See you later Wile E!

Hi Wile E!

How are you today?

JEllen has been concerned that you might be feeling a bit
n e g l e c t e d

So I thought I'd drop by at nearly 5:00 in the morning and...



Alright! I'll get to bed.

*frisks him for vending machine sweets*

Hope you're feeling much better. See you later!

Hi Cynth!

It’s far too long since I posted here. I thought I better had before you start drumming those fingers again! I think you’ve clued onto the fact that I can’t deny you when you do that.

I finally finished ripping my CD collection to my ipod. I’m glad I invested in an ipod instead of a new stereo system, although I can’t help wondering how long it’ll be before a new way of listening to music comes out and supersedes it. I still enjoy listening to records on my turntable though – vinyl smells better than MP3s!

I’m enjoying listening to my entire CD collection on shuffle. I’m hearing lots of tracks for the first time in ages, and some I didn’t even know I had! Here are the first ten I got:

New Order – Young Offender

A Guy Called Gerald – Cyberjazz

The Durutti Column – Without Mercy 2 ( Three Manchester tracks in a row!)

The Doors – Land Ho! (Morrison Hotel used to be my favourite drinking album at uni)

Max Romeo and The Upsetters – Smile Out a Style

Jefferson Airplane – Plastic Fantastic Lover (only ever listened to this album once – can’t think why, it’s great!)

Aphex Twin – Fingerbib

Sabu Martinez – Hotel Alyssa (really latin percussion track with some great sax – didn’t even know I had this)

Toto – The Floating Fat Man (from the Dune soundtrack)

Gene Harris – Losalamitos Latinfunklovesong



Is there a way of programming in a set list, and saving it? I used to make lots of compilation tapes when I had a cassette player, and I assumed that kind of functionality would be here.

I thought that was the playlist function, but I *think* that’s for importing selected tracks from itunes to the pod. At least I think so – I really should get around to reading the manual.



A lot of civil service workers were on strike today, but I’ve never been approached to join the CPS union and have never sought them out, so I had to cross the picket line this morning. I didn’t get any hassle, but it was awkward and embarrassing, and I’ve requested an application form now. Civil service pay is lousy when you compare it to equivalent positions in the private sector, so I’d say the strike was justified.

When I got in, I was given the jobs of post and switchboard operator, so it’s not been the most productive of days.


See you soon

*s into his office , setting off alarms, knocking down chairs and setting important papers flying off of desks on her way in...*

Hellooooooo Wile E!

You were right, I was about to employ some heavy duty finger drumming to draw attention to your egregious neglect here.
Remember to add to your Do Not List:
I g n o r e
D e n y
N e g l e c t

These are vital things to remember if I am to adequately cynthesise your daily life.
Let this be a warning!

Are you having a better day? Hope things have settled down and that you can carry on with pretending to w*rk without too many interruptions.

*giggles*I was just thinking of how it would be if when we meet in RL, we continued to talk in long waffley paragraphs and rushed off in between comments to do sun asanas, sip soup, check up on what GP is doing, chase a , do physio shoulder exercises, scrub floors, practise guitar techniques, bake cookies, fiddle around with MySpace profile songs...



I talked to my fashion designer friend on the telephone last night and he wanted to assure me that he's picked out some "scrummy frocks and totally delish new season separates that yell out, 'You, You, You!!!'".
I'm to be a fashion poodle once again. He's set on having me wear special outfits to at least two high visibility social events.*shudder* Stop laughing. It's not fun playing dress-up with him. He fusses over having things being worn just right and then stands back and physically accosts people to ask them how I look... And then he takes notes in a pocket notebook!

*sigh* So, really all I have to pack is my concert gown, shoes and undies. He's got the rest all planned out and ready for me the instant I arrive at the airport.

The cousins arrive for my Mum's birthday supper party later this evening. They promised that they would continue to behave in a considerate manner...but they're still going to bet on things.
I expect that they've something major up their sleeves regarding the Valentines party coming up in a couple of weeks and the List Guys. They've finagled an invite to the event and have mentioned how much they want to just watch what's going to transpire...

Thank goodness I'll be on a retreat the weekend(16-19) after that party. I have a feeling that I'll be in dire need of it by then!

Have you given much more thought of where you might be going to for your two holidays this year? It would be if SS could get his act together financially and join you for a trip to South Africa and some *giggles* shark viewing.(Why do his interests always make me break out in giggles?) I'm sure you must be curious as to how things are now where you lived as a child.

Well I'd better toddle off to bed now.



Okay, okay! I'm going...just don't look at me that way!!!
*sounds of barely muffled giggly shrieks*

Hope your day turns out to be lovely!*frisks him to see if he's holding out on sweets...*

Laters Wile E!

Hi Cynth!


*tries to block out the thunderous drumming, echoing in his head*

I would never knowingly ignore, deny or neglect you! Now, quit that drumming!



What on earth got into that monkey to keep him bouncing like that? I wonder if he found that vodka you hid!


I can’t wait to hear about last nights escapades. *Was* there bloodshed? Did you make a favourable impression on that wealthy patron? Did you manage to get rid of the cat woman suit beforehand? Will you ever learn to live with less than three or four phones per room, again? Did you make any other interesting fashion statements?

Oh, and I forgot to ask, how did your mum’s birthday celebrations go?

*Decides to start humming the big bopper tune until he gets some answers*

I haven’t put that much thought into where I’m going on holiday yet, but I’m aiming to get something booked before the end on March. I want to spend plenty of time browsing, and find something really special.

I’m feeling doubtful that SS will get together the cash to go to South Africa, but I’ll definitely be going if he can. The main reason he wants to go, is to do some diving lessons and then do a cage dive with great whites. I find sharks pretty , but it’d be interesting to be in the water with something so big and powerful – from the safety of a cage with big thick bars! SS thinks I’d chicken out, but actually, I love doing stuff that scares me like that!


I headed into Manchester today to do some record shopping. I came back with albums by Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, Sarah Vaughn with Clifford Brown, and Sonny Rollins. I’m listening through them now – pretty good haul, I’d say.

While shopping, I think I bumped into someone interesting – I’ll tell you about that later.

*does siren vocal drills to drown out ..ooh baby, thats's a-what I liiiiike!...*

Hi Wile E!

I'm at the concert hall and on soon, after the first orchestral piece. my friend was fussing with my hair until I threatened to hawk his ticket for the best price to the stand by crowd if he didn't leave that instant...
He runs pretty quick when well motivated!

Vodka? I doubt if they have such a substance in these parts of the east coast. He's probably stoked because of all the bright city lights...

~Bloodshed report~

The conductor dropped his hotel key card, bent to pick it up and gashed his head open on the door handle, requiring sutures at the hospital and causing a delay in rehearsal.

A violinist cut her hand on the lock of her luggage and came to rehearsal with blood all over her coat and shoes. She became alarmed when we pointed this out to her because she had no idea why people were looking at her so oddly on the subway prior to this.

*shrugs* Not anything too violent this time to report but I think the amount of blood spilled was suitable enough.

The rehearsal went alright except for the conductor looking like a zombie with his eye slightly blackened.
The percussionist kept fluffing his entrances while everyone and ed.

The arts patroness thought I looked like "the sweetest confection!!!..." and went on to spout off all the mutual acquaintances that we share. It turns out that she is the godmother of one of my ex-boyfriends...and said that she was now enlightened as to why he didn't take to the break up at all well...

Got to go! I just got my cue from the stage manager!

Meanwile here are the goofy lyrics I'll be singing in a few minutes.
http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=4501

*To be continued...*

See you later Wile E!

Hello sweetest confection!

I thought you were already on as there were no signs on yahoo, and had just sent you a message at t’other place as you posted. Good luck m’dear, and I’ll catch you tomoorow.

Good vegetables of all sorts
grow in Heaven's garden!
Good asparagus, beans
and whatever we wish!

*drags her satin attired body back into the hotel room, scarfs down a chocolate mint truffle and smudges chocolate all over her keyboard...*

Hello Wile E!

Mahler is a real of a composer to take on and perform.

I'll admit, I did have problems that I understated regarding the phrasing and nonfluidity of text. That's why I didn't show you the lyrics until last night. The maestro told me that I'd have to come to terms with Mahler's directives for the soprano part.

"Adopt a joyous, child-like tone, without the slightest parody."

I was told again and again that I had to tone down the girlishness and giddiness and stop giggling over the text when I wasn't singing it. In fact he told me to approach the part asexually in nature! Can you imagine how much I had to suppress ing during the preparation of this piece?

*sigh*So it is with a heavy heart that I tell you that the performance












































turned out to be... an un-parodied success!
And now I can be as giddy as I like!!!

The concert hall was full, which was rather a surprise because another symphonic group was performing at a venue quite nearby at the same time.
In fact, I think we may have stolen some of their audience.

The Mahler was sooooo good to get out of my system. More so than any piece I've performed for a long while.
*giggles* I just knew you'd get a kick out of that certain part of the lyrics! Some sopranos have made the innocent mistake of appearing in green gowns and risking being solely remembered for being someone who sang about the asparagus and beans or reciting Mahler's grocery list!

That's why I wore this gown I got as a Chrimbo pressie.
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/5679/xmaspressiets2.jpg
with some earrings that my friend loaned to me
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3589/rhodolitegarnetearringsne8.jpg

Musically,everything fell into place perfectly. The percussionist jingled his sleighbells at the right moments and the conductor communicated with a crystal clear clarity and managed to inspire us to give our best. The performance gave off sparks of real and wonder. I love that feeling where I'm not aware of the temporal world and let the music take me on a journey. I felt that while listening to the orchestra's first 3 movements.

The fourth movement was mine and I sang it concentrating on the idyllic landscape of heaven I was meant to convey not merely by lyrics but by sincerity and warmth of tone ...so I let the purity of the message colour the music that I sang. I was very happy with the way the performance turned out.

Then I got thwacked by floral love tokens!
Four of the List Guys were in the audience and aimed very large sheaves of floral matter at me. I battled an urge to run when I saw their approach but still got struck on the elbow and my shoulder. The maestro and the fashion friend very sensibly had bouquets presented to me by an usher, as did the art patroness and some other local music organisation acquaintances.

I changed into a bluish green stretch satin mini dress and matching coat supplied by Mr. Fashion again and we all headed off for a late supper at a very nice Japanese restaurant, then we went clubbing with some of the LA Philharmonic who were in town. The DJs were actually playing some 4Hero tracks at one of the places!
The List Guys eventually had a disagreement amongst themselves after knocking back potent fluids as per usual and I took a taxi with my note taking fashion friend back to the hotel, where the art patroness was still holding court and had sent a note for me to drop by. She congratulated me profusely, promised to keep after me to perform more and to stay with her whenever I was in town and sent me off with a box of French s.

There you are. The complete report of the night's happenings.
I think I'd better go to bed now since I'm starting to see double...

I'll see you the same time later, though.
My flight doesn't leave until 8:30PM.

You'd better tell me what interesting person it was that you bumped into while in Manchester!

Laters Wile E!