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

psychocandy which part of the US do you live in? I visited Philadelphia and up to Vermont in my early twenties and adored the place and the people. Saw the Liberty Bell in Philly

Coming back to the UK felt very oppressive actually.

I'm in Chicago (Illinois) just about 5 miles northwest of the Loop. I've been to Philadelphia, but not since I was a kid. I haven't done as much traveling in the last several years as I used to- but my husband and I have a couple of road trips in mind we may get around to in the near future.

I've been to London a couple times, both about ten years ago. On one of those trips I took Eurostar over to Paris for a couple of days. That was fun. Never been to Russia, though. I've never been a fan of flying, and just getting through the aiports here has become so unpleasant, I haven't been up to much foreign travel at all in recent years.

Yes I'm fairly sure my travelling days are now behind me. I haven't left London in 2 years..and now barely leave Peckham. I've had a big increase in anxiety attacks in the last year and have even had to give up driving...but never say never...and I've done a heck of a lot in the past.

More about travelling in inner space now..not through drugs though...but naturally.

One of my ex-partners spent a year living in a small town near Chicago. She did a lot of paintings of the skyscrapers and views from the top of them.

I think someone would need several lifetimes to get to know London as its really a collection of 'villages'. North of the river is a variety of other 'countries' as are we 'south'. The centre is something else entirely. But I do wish I felt more able to go in there as there so much cool cultural stuff. Maybe as spring comes I'll feel more able. But summer is a no no in the centre.

But I will damn well force myself to travel for the Games as I have tickets for boxing and the really best of all...a top athletics finals day towards the end. I simply cannot wait for that.

The last time I traveled anywhere was when we went down to visit my parents in Florida a couple of years ago (after we found out my mom was sick, but before she died). The house (my dad's house now, I guess) is about 40 miles outside of Orlando so my dad had to pick us up from and drop us off at the airport. It's only a three-hour flight but it took nearly that long again just to get through all the security checks. If I have to waste an entire day on the traveling, I'd as soon go by train and enjoy an actual view. Sadly, train travel isn't what it could be here. To get from Chicago to Orlando we'd need to take a train from Chicago to Washington D.C., then IIRC backtrack a bit in the opposite direction again before reaching a line that goes into Orlando. It's a full 24 hours by train, which is even longer than driving.

Not that driving is an issue, as I haven't driven a car or in fact renewed my driver's license since I was 21. I just never needed a car to get around the city- and my husband only has one because he works 50 miles from home and the closest train station to his work is still several miles away.

Strange co-incidence....there seem a few in my life of late

Our big film award ceremony the BAFTAs (our equivalent of your Oscars) was on last night and for the first time came from the Royal Opera House..

Here's the clip of Meryl Streep getting the award for best actress for her role as Thatcher in The Iron Lady....

(I know you are a big film/movie buff. I've only seen clips and she is simply amazing in that role).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s2D6gs1Ui0

I missed the end last night...and just watched on iPlayer Martin Scorcesse getting the Fellowship award...the highest honour...it was so emotional and so was he...he's a big fan of Powell and Pressberger...who he calls our poet English film directors...he's right.

What a totally lovely man he seems. I'm so pleased he got the award in that wonderful theatre.

The Artist won so many awards. And Best film. I reckon it's a shoe in for that at the Oscars as well.

I haven't seen "The Artist" yet, but once it's out on DVD, I'll be adding it to the Netflix queue. I've heard good things about it from numerous people I know. Some people are quite put off by silent films, or subtiling, or what have you, but I enjoy lots of different kinds of films. Not just Cronenberg.

There are sadly no tunes playing on my internal jukebox today. That's odd, as there's usually something going on in my head- if nothing else, it's usually The Teddy Bear's Picnic.

I've had a specific band on the brain this week... Oh-OK. They hailed from Athens, GA back in the early 80s. The bassist Linda Stipe is sister to Michael Stipe of REM. There was a complete reissue album released a couple months ago and I finally got around to picking a copy up.

This is probably my favorite song of theirs. It's a YouTube link because I know they have the song I've had in my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QaHmBWeHAo&feature=related

Like it.

It's a good to have a few women..

I found a cool film of Amy Winehouse performing on the David Letterman show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlRF43-xaYc

Crikey such a loss...and so young.

The most famous tango tune, La Camparsita performed by Tango Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7_rnucyZg8

Very sexy.

I have a CD with loads of tango tunes on it.

I prefer sequences with the men in the sharp suits and the woman in those kinds of dresses with stockings with those nice seams up the back.

A trip to Buenos Aries to see a bit of that is nice to think about in my dreams...

A totally brilliant version on Grooveshark.

Much slower. I much prefer it.

http://grooveshark.com/s/La+Cumparsita/3yQPXm?src=5

YouTube from Sanyajit Ray's, The Music Room.

If you can't face all of it...at 7 minutes there is an amazing sequence of the women's feet leading to the climax.

I've seen most of his films.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGzlScDIVC4&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9Af8a222MzeL8TDbKoiJGg6

A bit of Klezmer Yiddish

http://grooveshark.com/s/Yiddish/3dwzW4?src=5

I love Yiddish music. So much has a kind of poignant mournfulness mixed with an incredible life affirmative quality...despite everything.

I'm a big fan of Jewish humour for similar reasons.

Something generally more upbeat. Traditional Ukrainian Yiddish song (Sirba Octet)

http://grooveshark.com/s/Ukrainian+Memory+Traditional+Yiddish+Song/3nWM0t?src=5

No music to share at the moment... but was just popping in for a quick peek in between inundations of work, and noticed you'd posted again. Hadn't seen you in a few weeks- it's nice to see you back.

Back later... must resume work.

Anytime..

I'm having a phase of listening to stuff from around the world that I like.

In the mood for some fun, Congolese music? Several years ago I was given an album by Konono No. 1. They're pretty cool.

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/konono-no1-p594453

Several tunes have also been uploaded to YouTube.

They are excellent.

In a very different mood today. Closer to home...well mine.

Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams. It always brings tears to my eyes...and this guy David Nolan, the violinist has the sensibility for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR2JlDnT2l8&feature=fvwrel