Day 7, 8, 9 - Musical Advent Calendar

Little Saint Nick / When the River Meets the Sea / It's In Every One of Us (John Denver & the Muppets) - listen / lyrics

Apologies for the brief hiatus - it was a weekend that was crazier than anticipated. To make up for it, here are three tunes from the same album: A Christmas Together by John Denver & the Muppets. It's the musical release from the Christmas special of the same name, which I'm sure I've seen, but don't actually have any memories of. This hails from a time when Muppets Christmas specials didn't suck (lookin' at you, Moulin Scrooge), and the whole album is a gem. John has such a sweet, pure voice, and the Muppets are in fine form, backing him on tunes both traditional and contemporary; well-loved and obscure.

Little Saint Nick gets the nod not because it manages to do anything truly amazing to an arrangement that's pretty much the Beach Boys, only done by the Muppets, but because the choice of Muppets to do the song is pretty wicked. Rolf the Dog does a great job on the main vocals; the harmonies are tight; Animal is Animal and it's so perfect when he's singing the "Run run reindeer" bits.

When the River Meets the Sea (which the truly hardcore Christmas fanatics will remember as the song from "Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas," another Henson creation) is also just a very nice, peaceful song that it's somewhat difficult to connect to Christmas except in the experience of the spiritual, the ebb and flow of life. Christmas is a chance to be part of something bigger--the greater goodness of life, of love--and this song finds the essence of that.

It's In Every One of Us builds on the feeling that "River" gives me. They are both songs about the potential for truth, and the possibility of redemption through truth. Which is actually a little more religious in nature than I usually like to think of myself. This song does speak to a greater truth than simply the religious, however:

It's in every one of us to be wise.

Find your heart, open up both your eyes.

We can all know everything without ever knowing why.

It's in every one of us, by and by.

Day 7 - Musical Advent Calendar

Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) (Ellie Greenwich) - listen /lyrics

THSWSNBN (this is the first of two references to that place in the calendar) has a sister site, which I will call Disco Inferno, and on the property of the Disco Inferno there is an old, 19th century building that has been converted into a lovely theatre space. There is some bitterness and contention among the Local Historical People about this, but say what you will, it is a beautiful theatre. One of the benefits for working for THSWSHNBN is that you occasionally wind up with tickets to shows at this theatre, including, two summers ago, "Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Story." Today's song shows up in that musical (which I highly recommend if you like the era at all, but then again, I totally want to see Dreamgirls).

Ellie was a songwriter who penned some of the most memorable songs of the early 60s, working with a variety of different co-writers, most notably her husband Jeff Barry and also Phil Spector. "leader of the Pack," "River Deep, Mountain High," "And Then He Kissed Me," "Da Doo Run Run" are only some examples of her work, which was hugely influential. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) was originally recorded by Darlene Love (and later by U2, for the first A Very Special Christmas) and is one of the most vocally powerful 'pop' Christmas songs; the original arrangement benefitting from Phil Spector's Wall of Sound business.

It's not perfect, it's a little raw (or at the least the vocals are), it speaks of pain but still manages to be quite hummable. What more could you want in a Christmas song?

Day 6 - Musical Advent Calendar

Happy Xmas (War is Over) (John & Yoko) - listen / lyrics

It really wouldn't be much of an advent calendar without this song, would it? This song is a lot of thing that Christmas songs shouldn't be; it's ponderous, sad, and a bit preachy; its lyrics are, well, sometimes less sensical than, say, Frosty the Snowman. On the other hand, this songs is a lot of things that Christmas songs should be; it has a children's chorus, it doesn't pretend to a false cheer, and most of all it is driven by hope.

I usually don't say too much about what is going on in Iraq and in Afghanistan, as I really don't think that I know enough about either situation to make any kind of intelligent statement. Every Friday I struggle with the notion of supporting troops vs. supporting what they are doing, and I never reach an answer that's at all satisfying. But I think that whatever side of those conflicts you fall on, that whatever you believe about them, that you do wish them to be over, and in that respect, this Christmas song is perfect.

(As a small addendum to this, I would like to state for the record that I wish people would stop doing cover versions of this song. I was going to write "bad cover versions" but then I realized that all of them were bad. This song is so iconic--I think it's just as emblematic of Lennon, his life, and his work, as Imagine is--that it would be hard for any performance to outstrip, outshine, or even add anything new to what we know and love. And if you aren't doing any of those things, what's the point of doing the cover? Yes, yes, I know sometimes it's just because you "love the song so much" - but keep those demos for friends and family and don't inflict that on the rest of us. Thank you.)

my mother's secret...

Day 5 - Musical Advent Calendar

Mary's Boy Child/ Oh My Lord (Boney M) - listen/lyrics

Day 5 of the Musical Advent Calendar finds us looking at a particular group. To be quite honest, we should probably give Day 5 of Musical Advent to the entire album (20 Greatest Christmas Songs) that this group produced, but if I must (by my own silly, self-imposed rules) choose a single song from the album, I would choose the medley of Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord. According to Wikipedia, it was the UK Christmas Number One in 1978, which makes sense. It is a beautifullly produced piece of pop music. The timing is just right for it to be moving away from disco and towards New Wave; very synth-happy and very 'bright' sounding production. Anyone who knows me or my musical taste well would know that this sound is right up my alley.

The mix of the two songs works well. Mary's Boy Child starts out well, talking about Christ coming to earth etc and then morphing into the vaguely call-and-answer style of Oh My Lord, which has terrific rhythm to it. Throughout both songs, the harmoinies are absolutely terrific. The group was three singers and a DJ from the West Indies, apparently, but they were produced in Germany by that guy who was responsible for the whole Milli Vanilli debacle. (It seems that he had a very similar approach to his production with Boney M, and most of the male vocals are not the DJ but actually him.)

I'm sorry that I couldn't find a sound clip for you, but if you see this album secondhand or remaindered anywhere, you should absolutely pick it up. It truly is a feast for the ears in a way that only the late 70s could provide.

spot on

Today's Forecast

You have a tendency to go to the very bottom of an issue and you always seem to resurface transformed and wiser from your experience. This last trip down was quite intense, yet now you are on your way back up. Don't try to make things move too quickly. It may take a while yet to figure out exactly where you are going, but one thing is certain: you cannot go back and undo what has been done. Your future is waiting for you to arrive.

Day 4 - Musical Advent Calendar

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (traditional) listen / lyrics

This is one that has always fascinated me. In childhood it stuck out because it was so sombre. A lot of traditional Christmas music is serious, I know, but this is one of the few that I find downright depressing in its tone. Which is funny, because the tone often doesn't suit the lyrics: How can one feel these "tidings of comfort and joy" when they are wished upon us so mournfully?

It's also a terribly English song (see also: The Holly and the Ivy), which, again refers us back to the above comment. The rhythm in it is what makes the song stand out. A long, long time ago we used to actually have a carol-sing assembly in school, and this was one of my favourites to sing for this reason: the great big breath you take at the beginning to keep the proper flow between the lines.

every once in a while, words fail me

Today's Horoscope:

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
You are quite ready and willing to jump in and deal with tough issues now, rather than just sticking your head in the sand. You realize that denial will not get you anywhere. If your finances are a current source of aggravation, resolve to make changes, even if your situation feels hopeless. Communication may be the missing key. Start slowly and you could be moving mountains in no time at all.

Huh. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Day 3 - Musical Advent Calendar

Petit Papa Noel - Raffi listen / lyrics

It probably isn't too obvious today, but I actually began my education in a French immersion program, back when French immersion actually meant "no English until grade 3." Raffi is a popular children's singer here in Canada (and his music was featured on "Full House" once upon a time) and I have actually seen him in concert three times, including one time where I got to go up on stage and play with his band for a song. Naturally, I have no recollection of this. The Raffi Christmas album is truly a classic, and this song stands out to me as the gem in the bunch, probably because it made me feel special to be the only in my family who could understand the lyrics. It's a very sweet, simple song sung to Pere Noel from the perspective of a small child who asks that he not forget the child's shoe as he comes down from the sky with his millions of toys. It's much more lyrical and poetic in French, I assure you. Even if you can't understand the words, it (and Raffi) do a lovely job of capturing the season as it appears to children.

Day 2 - Musical Advent Calendar

Jim Croce - "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way" listen / lyrics

This song was one I had actually almost forgotten about, probably because it isn't, technically speaking, a Christmas song. However, my Christmas party for one of the unions (I think I belong to four at this point) last night, the DJ played "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and I was reminded a) of how much I like Jim Croce's music, b) how sad it was that he died so young, and c) that "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way" should be included in the days of musical advent. There are only one or two references to Christmas in it, but the emotion of the song is such that it speaks, I think, to what the season should be about:

Down the windy winter avenues

There walks a lonely man,

And if I told you who he is,

Well I think you'd understand.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

What we had should never have ended.

I'll be dropping by today.

We could easily get it together tonight.

It's only right.

The holidays are stressful--it comes with the territory. Though Croce's song discusses this in a romantic context, I think it could easily be applied to many of our dealings with one another at this time of year. It really doesn't have to be that way...we can each forgive a little, forget a little, and try to remember that love is what the spirit of the season should be.

The Musical Advent Calendar

The musical advent calendar. This probably would be a much cooler feature if I had started back on December 1st, but I didn't...I'm sure someone else has probably done this, and done this better. However, I do have a semi-secret, abiding passion for the music of the season, which stems back to my youth when all the good toy lines also produced music as a tie-in product. I had the Rainbow Brite Christmas (and a silver star for Rainbow Brite's tree!), a Care Bears Christmas (oh, Grumpy! - this one actually had to be purchased twice because I wore out the first cassette), and of course, the Mini-Pops Christmas. Because this music is a passion of my father's, we have a very extensive library of Christmas CDs, and, well, I probably know more about it than most people would care to.

So I've decided to highlight one song here each day until the day itself. The parents, the boy, and myself went to see the lovely Natalie McMaster last night, and she did a beautiful version of "O Holy Night" (or "Minuit Chretiens" to the boy) on the fiddle. "O Holy Night" is probably my favourite traditional Christmas song. It is gorgeous both musically and lyrically (although the boy tells me that the French lyrics are quite intense and include references to Christ arising to free us from original sin). Probably one thing I like about it is that the song is so vocally demanding that not everyone chooses to sing it--the "FAll on your knees/ and hear the angel voices/ o night divine" part is just killer if you can't manage the range. I don't usually care much for the "powerhouse" singers like Mariah, Celine, etc., but this is a song that requires a set of pipes. The combination of music, lyrics, and vocals in "O Holy Night" has a power and strength that few other Christmas song have. I am not much on the religious tradition of Christmas (silly heathen upbringing) but this song makes me feel connected to it.

remote posting

Today (or, more correctly, tonight) is the first night of the First
Light Festival at the good old HSWSNBN. It should be an interesting
year - I am getting paid (hurray) but there is currently no snow
(boo!) and it is threatening to freexing rain on us. I'm always
afraid because if things don't go well, there is always a chance that
they may decide not to do it again next year...and I very firmly
believe that First Light is the most worthwhile thing that we do (or
pretty close to it). I have a whole whack of people coming to see me
this year, from the House of Geek Reunion tour '06, to the youngest
Skylark, to a few friends from Nip days gone by...and I want them to
see my beloved site for the best of what it can be, the best of what
it can offer. Oh well. At the very least, it will still be night,
and there is something truly magical about the site at nighttime.

I have purchased my first cellular phone. It is also an mp3 player, a
1.3MP camera, and a video camera. It also has world clocks and
calendar functions. I am hoping it makes waffles for breakfast as
well. It came with a 1Gb memory card as well, so I am on my way to
sweet tune heaven.

The Liberal Women's Caucus has decided to publish a Pink Book
concerning their ideas about the federal government should go with
regards to euqality and women's status, etc. under federal law. It
says something, though, that the party that wants to be most concerned
with the ladies still feels the need to call it a Pink Book though,
just in case we were unclear about where the government really stands
on redefining gender norms and moving towards equality.

I probably shouldn't complain, though, under the Conservatives it
would be the Barefoot and Pregnant book. But then again, a Barefoot
and Pregnant book wouldn't be pretending to help women, either.

With tomorrow, we move officially into the holiday season, and with
that comes the holiday music...my sweet, secret weakness...

suzanne, you're all that I wanted for a girl

I would really, really like a monkey for a pet.* The Telus people have always made great commercials, but their new round of holiday spots, which feature various monkeys giving each other gifts (of cell phones of course) are just too cute. I kind of feel like if I had a monkey for a pet, it would be an anthropomorphization of the imaginary friend I had as a kid. And really, who doesn't want that, even at the age of twenty-five? I just know that the monkey and I would be best friends forever, even if it threw its feces at me. I could teach it to pet the cats, and probably to blog for me, and also to play tricks on my sisters. It could help me teach, as well, and accidentally poop on troublemakers. Beware the wrath of the monkey's butt, guys.

*Actually, I really don't want a monkey for a pet because I don't think that it is very fair to the monkey. I don't really believe in exotic pets.

This is a very pointless entry. I think that I could be a really good blogger, except that I am not. I've taken up curling on the weekends in a mixed league with my father, and I am spectacularly bad (although, it must be confessed, rapidly improving). My right knee has borne the brunt of the damage, as it now sports what I would like to call a perma-bruise because I have very poor form when kicking out of the hack. There is, however, something unreal about the sound of a 44-pound granite rock sliding down the ice as you run along the ice trying to keep up with it, wondering if you'll have to drop your broom and sweep, wondering if you can do any of that without falling flat on your ass.

There is really nothing wrong with me that a hot bath and a good cup of tea won't fix, or so I'll keep telling myself.

with so much drama in the L-A-C...

There is a video game commercial for Gears of War that includes Gary Jules' "Mad World" in it and it's wonderfully effective...very creepy and very cool. Not that I particularly care about video games, or next gen systems, but I like a good piece of marketing when it shows up.

I have, as some of you have noticed, been feeling out of sorts lately. On the surface, things are going very well for me. The job, so far, has been very rewarding. I am spending lots of good, quality time with people that I care deeply about. I am dating someone who makes me very happy. And yet, there is something that isn't quite right. I'm not quite sure how to put it into words, because I'm not quite sure what exactly it is that I am talking about.

If I had to guess, I'd say that maybe 60% of this is due to the change in seasons. This time of year always gets to me a little bit like that. I want everything I eat to be carb-tastic; I want to wear jammies and stay in bed; I want to watch a lot of TV. I need to push myself into being more active, because I feel so incredibly lethargic these days. Part of it is due to last week's airport misadventure, when Mum's 11:30 p.m. flight was delayed by 3 hours, and we didn't get back from picking her up until 4 a.m. My circadian rhythm has been a mess ever since.

The other 40%...well...it breaks down a little something like this: I am intellectually understimulated, and I don't feel very good about myself right now. It's not even that I dislike myself, but I am apathetic. Normally when I look in the mirror, I see things that I like, and things that I don't like. Right now, I just see a face. Nothing else.

And the person I want to talk to most right now couldn't be farther away from me.

is this working?

the pictures are working!

The courtesan

live the life you like

It has been an interesting few weeks around here. I have been alternating supply work with time in costume for THSWSNBN and it is doing a reasonable job of keeping me out of trouble and in the black (more or less). I'm getting between 7 and 10 calls a day for supply. A friend offered me the chance to take his group of junior kindergartens for a day, and that was a very interesting experience. For those of you not in the know, JKs are usually 3-4 years old...they are little little kids. It wound up being a very good day. I have never worked with children that small before. But, no one swore at me, and two girls drew me pictures to take home, and everyone wanted to sit in my lap for story time. To be honest, reading books to kids at that age is probably one of the most gratifying things I've ever done. One of the books was a poem about clocks, and I started reading it a bit quicker than the others, to make the rhythm fun, and all of kids the kids were amazed that I could read that fast.

I finished the Hallowe'en costume, and went to a party, which was a pretty fun time, though the boy was a little sad that no one knew who he was. Being at home this year has been so much better than I ever could have imagined. Living with my parents is good, and being around for friends is excellent.

Speaking of friends, I celebrated my 25th birthday Friday night, with a large crop of people--friends from work, friends from school. At one point we took a survey of those who came: 10 of 13 were current or former employees of THSWSNBN, 9 out of 13 were teachers, and about 6 or 7 were both. Basically, my friend base is quite nerdy. We had a really great night, I think. (There are some later bits that have faded from my memory, I must confess.) After nursing the mother of all hangovers yesterday, I am feeling mostly normal today.

And as icing on the birthday cake, the wife of a friend (who is, you guessed it, both a teacher and an interpreter) offered me a job at the local Adult Learning Centre. So, tomorrow, I am headed that way to take over a grade 12 literacy course. It pays reasonably well, though the hours aren't great (11:30-1:30 every day). The most important part is that it is a contract position, which means that I am slowly working towards seniority... At the very least, it will be interesting and challenging, I am sure.

We have about 6 inches of snow here, and it is marvelous.

time can do so much

I wish I could convey to you, dear, farflung reader, the beauty of the world that I live in right now. The part of the world that I live in is one of the most beautiful places in the world, though it is unlikely to be acknowledged as such, and never is it more beautiful than it is at this time of year. The autumn is simply glorious. Winter is also wonderful (though I know I find myself in the minority on that one). The leaves have begun to change in earnest now, and the roads are lined with these orange gold trees that contrast so sharply against the deep green of our pine and fur trees. I didn't choose to move to this part of the country (my father's promotion brought my family here some 18 years ago) and so I am terribly lucky to have fallen in love with it.

OCtober is shaping up to be a busy month, between work and play. My Hallowe'en costume is coming along swimmingly. I have only the hems and the trim left to do now. All in all it has been a much more successful endeavour that I could have imagined, despite the fact that I have some issues reading (and following) patterns. I have learned quite a lot about the social aspects of the Renaissance, and in the next week or so I will be designing some of my own jewelry which is also tremendously exciting. I am constructing myself a character as well, as people tend to look perplexed when I say that I am going to be a "generic Renaissance noblewoman" for Hallowe'en. Instead, I am going to be an Italian courtesan, a position which hides a great deal sins for me: it allows for more freedom with the hair and better jewelry, it provides a reason for me to be witty and entertaining, and, of course, it lets me have maximum cleavage.* (Which, if you've seen Mean Girls, you know Hallowe'en is all about anyway.)

*Since I used a modern pattern, the dress was designed for cleavage and does ot follow the modesty conventions of the time period...but if I'm a courtesan, those don't apply quite so much, anyway.

It should be a grand party with lots of pictures. What more can you ask for?

the thing that we call livin' is just being satisfied

It is Thanksgiving Monday here in rural Ontario. And thus, I am thankful, for many things: the one day off that means I have a good lot of work this month, the faint turkey smell from yesterday's delicious dinner, the battle for the bathroom that always ensues when all five of us are home. I am thankful for other things as well, but those are best shared with those they involve.

THSWSNBN had its annual craft show this weekend, along with a new Harvest Festival. We saw just under 2000 people in two days, which was much, much busier than anyone had anticipated us being...up several hundred from last year, I think. In some ways it was great, but in others...not bad, but completely exhausting.

We live near our town's grave yard, and beside the grave yard there is a farmer's field. (I did say rural Ontario, guys). There is a flock of wild turkeys living in the fields, and just before dusk each evening, they come in to the graveyard to roost in the ancient pine trees.

My mother discovered this about 4 weeks ago when she was out running, and so has become somewhat obsessed with these turkeys. We have gone over to the grave yard at dusk several times these last few weeks, and watch the turkeys make their way in from the field. There are four adults and several babies, and it has been fascinating to watch how they interact with each, and try to protect each as they go in. Once in the grave yard, they walk around for a bit, and then fly up into the pine trees. Of course, turkeys are not the most...aerodynamic of birds, so it is quite funny to see them struggle their way into the trees. They usually aim for the lower branches, and then jump from branch to branch when they get there.

In the short time that we have known them, the turkeys have grown from children into very near adults. There are 21 of them now. And it's very neat to watch them.

I am thankful for the turkeys.

I know I'll be back at Echo Beach some day

Ah, here in the skylarkian hometown, it is quite early in the morning. Well, really not especially early, but it feels it today...perhaps because I got caught up playing Halo2 last night, and then reading Stuart McLean and seeing the sisters skylark. Also, it is -2 degrees centigrade out. Enter the fall, with a vengeance.

The return to the HSWSNBN has been, by and large, a good one. The fall sees some returning faces--some of which I never thought I'd see again--but somehow, after all this time, it is actually good to see them.

When I wasn't looking...do you ever have the feeling that you aren't quite who you think you are? (Or, in this case, thought you would be?) Not that I am dissatisfied with my life at the moment, and for the most part I like the person that I am. I guess that this is just not the person that I thought I would be when I was almost 25.