Listening ear

I believe anyone can learn music and play even if you can’t carry a tune. We are all musical beings some more than others with specifically the ability to create music - even though, with much practice, even that could be learned. The catch is, most of us are average at music or one of those who can't carry a tune for the life of us. Look at Elvis Presley he became an icon but he was described as average in music by his teachers. Madonna is not a great singer but a good entertainer and she's learned to carry a tune enough for her songs. So the music scene is comprised of average musicians. Alright, i'll stop picking on my least favorite people in music but so many pop artists today could be made an example. Personally my perfectionism prevents me from dabbling in music myself although I always wanted to be a professional singer. I dabble in other ways such as by finding good alternate music (lesser known artists) so my ipod doesn't sound like a Ryan Seacrest music countdown. Although even when I try to do this I still end up with popular music. That could be attributed to my excellent choices of course (after all -little known fact- I could be credited with being one of the first to discover Muse this side of the planet) or total control of music promotion by all forms of media. I like not knowing Lady Gaga's latest nonsensical lyrical mumblings by heart or hearing a chronicle of one of Ke$ha's drunken escapades. In fact alcoholism seems to be touted in the media with popular young female musical forgeries (would you call any of them real musicians?) these days-but that's another post if I get to it. I often dare to imagine the creative musical limits and boundaries Mozart might have broken were he still alive. But I do not begin to bare a sliver of the credentials to even mention him in this blog... Some of my samplings may be found at: www.pandora.com/people/tamatash That's if they could get the gist of my musical taste right.

3.5 hrs sleep

Spin cycle class was not my best today although I thoroughly appreciated the 'Sweet disposition' inclusion in the soundtrack. Thanks Michael! (He probably will never read this) I woke at 5:45 am to attend this 7 am class, why? because I insanely allowed my spin class instructor to convince me that I should join his team and train for the MS ride for a cure. Honestly I was motivated by the 'it's a good way to get in and stay in shape. I had to register online and then you're encouraged to raise funds so friends and family could support and sponsor you. On my page - as part of the promotion- there's a whole pitch paragraph or two on why I chose to ride which was clearly a lie and so as a way of remedying by bruised conscience I decided to educate myself on the disease. I thought the best way to parallel describe what I read about the disease and what happens in the body is by likening it to electrical wires. Which is appropriate since the disease is basically interruption of electrical signals. Just imagine that your brain is connected to different parts of the body through wires and wires are usually insulated by a thick plastic covering that protects the wires from being eroded and causing further problems in the circuit. Well in the case of this disease the plastic covering of the wires connected to the spine are experiencing scarring (scleroses) causing wire exposure and short circuits or no signal at all and then of course imagine the kinds of problems a person can then experience if their spine doesn't work.

And so by late morning my short attention span was in high gear hopping on to every and any subject it could find. I stumbled upon this blog and at first I couldn't figure if the person was male or female - no sarcasm intended. Then I browsed enough content to conclude she was highly sexirized. Women who are anti feminine stereotyping always seem to focus on liberation through sex. And although most women don't know much about themselves and sex (My own stereotyping - she'd be pissed); it's just another form of enslavement in my opinion. I decided on lunch which was no different in mode as I couldn't decide on which soup so I concoted corn green chili thai curry chicken gumbo bisque - not bad at all. Wish I had a pic! Now segway - I saw an organized tour group on Segways which until now I'd only seen in Italy (where've you been all this time!). Looking forward to dinner Post 360. Are you getting somewhere or did you get lost in Amsterdam?

A literally literary adventure

There is nothing like curling up with a good book and so a good one is equally scarce. Not to mention a lively interchange of thoughts, opinions or even feelings about one that you've read. That also is all too scarce. These days just finding an interesting work of fiction with proper diction is a rarity. Books like Pride and prejudice and Zombies or Sense and sensibility and Seamonsters are popular picks and speaks volumes about the state of the educational system they represent. Even so I know I don't have to make an argument for books because everyone knows that a book is always better than a movie. It's a given! If you disagree simply try it then let me know. So why is the general population not really inclined to read at all? rhetorical question but I'm not going to answer that. You know why - fluoridated water, can't read, addicted to tv or video games, too lazy, general break down of society- name it!. The problem with books as with a movie or food is that you wouldn't know how bad it is until you've read it or at least much of it or you could have someone read it for you - I actually know people who do this.
I -not long ago- discovered a great book entitled City of Dreaming Books by a german writer named Walter Moers one day while browsing through a bookstore. Usually my browses end unfruitful as one might have guessed from my comment at the outset but the title was inviting. I was drawn to its' fantasy and the foreword was so cleverly mysterious in its' attempt to either entice or expunge the reader from the journey the book was about to take that I delightedly accepted the challenge to see what it was made of. Such a foreboding introduction only prefaced the cryptic images and unimaginable denizens -creatures somewhat familiar as well as evolutionary - who lived in the fictional world of Zamonia. Zamonia being the fantastical stage that would hold this theatrical spectacle. At the opening of the story one is provided with an atlas of the world which is recognizable as Pangaea - the name given to the supercontinent that Alfred Wegener theorized the world consisted of prior to continental drifting causing the separation of continents as we know exists today. Zamonia even includes the legendary city of Atlantis before it sank into the ocean. In a way I rediscovered creativity and it's abyssal imagination akin to the labyrinthine catacombs the story bears. The power of books to exponentially inflate the imagination cannot be captured on film. There is just no way to replicate the views from the minds lens in all its distinct detail. I could easily imagine books infused with a signature scent, books that were boobie trapped and cursed or came to life to fight or eat like animals or even ones that bore transient material. The currency was books, residents hunted for books and killed for them. The city of Bookholm brought to mind the bible verse - to the making of many books there is no end... I would invite anyone to follow Moers down into the catacombs filled with ancient books, to the castle of the shadow king who is covered in crytographical slivers of paper and shares his dark domain with equally unfathomable and abominably dangerous creatures. It's a cult following in the making. The author bases all his stories in Zamonia and this is not his debut but so far I say his best. There is so much I would like to see in Zamonia the ingenious platform for the boundless possibilities of the imaginary world transposed over realistic elements.

HA!

The Bollogness blog commenced today much to the encouragement of friends and family but to the chagrin of bloggers worldwide. If you haven't been introduced yet feel free to flagellate yourself. It's heralded birth occurring amidst the din - clatter of dishes, human exudations and Queen (yes the band not the red or white complete album with Bohemian rhapsody) -where else but in a cafe, naturally. Bollogness - for the randomness of thoughts, ideas, comments and phantasmagoric effect. To those not yet educated on Moers culture the Bollog is a fictional giant troll-like creature that grows to mountainous heights and at a certain age lops off it's own head, sets it down and then goes off in search of it- a search that lasts most of the rest of its life and most times ends unsuccessfully. I thought this to be one of the most hilarious images I have had to conjure yet and think it to also have serious meaning and psychological profundity. But although it may seem ridiculous to name my blog after such a senseless and ludicrous act and character on the whole, the Bollog's head becomes an interesting fixture to those who encounter it as it still goes on 'functioning' and because of its sheer size other smaller creatures are able to climb into it and explore its' bizarre insane world. So too I hope this blog can be a similar experience and if not always sometimes a catalyst for otherworldly creativity. Akin to the feeling when you're eating something yummy and unconsciously you start dancing! If however, the content of this blog causes surprise, dismay, embarrassment or offense in any way it may or may not have been the intent so please accept apologies made in advance. And so my Journey begins...