Puzzle me

PS 22 Chorus.
This is my favourite Bjork song, Hoga. Teaching music must be the best job in the world. Look at the kids' faces- they're so committed and uninhibited.
Safe spaces and self expression.

All is full of love

PS22 Chorus.

Moment

Take a moment just for you. Remember you are small, but you are strong.

The calm ocean flows and recedes but over time it erodes. Life is a series of moments. They all add up to make something so much bigger. Make your equation a good one.

It's in his kiss

Definition of adorable.

I'm Yours, the awesome version

Covering Jason Mraz's I'm Yours.

I have a thing for covers, they're almost always at least a little better than the original. This is no exception. Facial expressions alone and I'm sold. Bang bang!

Michael

It's been a Michael Jackson kind of day today at my place.

Gravité Gravitas

From Renaud Hallee on Vimeo.

Collected sounds made into music are like collages for you ears. I especially love the visual, you can see the sound.

Here's a small collection of similar posts you may have missed: Bonsai Music, Playing the Audience, Upular.

Let me tell you a story

There was a Grandfather who had a Grandson who came to him with anger at a schoolmate that had done him an injustice.

"Let me tell you a story," said the Grandfather.

"I too at times have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much with no sorrow for what they do. I've struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "it is as if there are two wolves inside me.

One is good and he does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended.

But the other wolf, ah. He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper.

It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me. Both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The Grandson turned to his Grandfather and said, "But Grandfather, which wolf wins?"

The Grandfather replied: "The one I feed."


Story by Loretta Todd - Cree/Métis Filmaker, transcribed from Telling Stories on Definitely Not the Opera. Listen here.
Image from Totoro Forest Project by Jackson Sze. 

Tip on the Tightrope

There's a lot to love about this video: the bouncy tune, the free form dancing, the colour palette, everyone in tuxedos. I wish dance parties like that were a reality. Oh well, for now here's more Janelle Monae on Myspace. Let's have a virtual sock hop :)

That Fantastical Fox

Mo, Lou and I watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox last night.
Oh, it was so good! Like most of Wes Anderson's work. He always manages to create such eclectically whole worlds in his films. I have been a big Roald Dahl fan since I was a young enough to be terrified of The Witches, and I'm a big fan of stop motion puppetry too. I really loved the bandit hats, the signature snapping and whistles of the characters, the word 'cuss' used as a cuss, and perhaps most of all, the music by Alexandre Desplat.

Watch it, you'll love it. I promise!

Partially related side note: As a kid I managed to get the mice from The Witches conflated with the mouse from Beverly Cleary's the Mouse and the Motorcycle. Most confusing. But it did make me think that being a human stuck in the body of a mouse wouldn't be so bad if I got my own motorcycle.

Bobby McFerrin Makes Magic Music

This is magical. Bobby McFerrin makes such unique and beautiful music. Here, with no verbal prompting, he uses his audience as an instrument, an accompaniment. This just proves how innate music is.

You so Sweet

Do you sell gift cards?

In Other Words, Ben Kweller

The butterflies are passive aggressive and put their problems on the shelf, but they're beautiful.

He'll realize the only thing thats real are the kids that kid themselves and the demise of the beautiful.

What is beautiful?

Remembering today how lovely Ben Kweller is.

Summertime and the Living's Easy

Another get happy musical interlude. Today has been a beautiful day despite promises of rain. Blue sky always makes me want to listen to happy music while I potter around my apartment.

Old Favourites

Scuffy the Tugboat was my brother's favourite Golden Book when we were growing up. There were many requests for Scuffy at bedtime.



Theodore Mouse Goes to Sea was my Mom's favourite. She loved how Theodore Mousey would brush his teeth and comb his whiskers. I liked how he improvised a boat from his bed, and how his best buddy Beatrice had an eyepatch. Also: Pirate Cats!



My very favourite books were Robert Munsch, we were lucky enough to see him read at the Children's Festival in Vancouver. I remember how he brought the book Pigs to life and that he asked me my baby doll's name. (It was Luke, in case you were wondering too).

Music from a Bonsai

Wow!
More info here.

Consumable Celebrity

Lady Gaga really seems to have inspired the superfan. More Gaga cookies.

Lady Gaga Barbie dolls by Lu Wei Kang


The new Gaga video is packed full with references to Pop Culture, social and political issues, the ridiculous, the monstrous.







onlywordstoplaywith has posted an awesome discussion about the themes and references in the video. I wish we all took the time as a society to dissect everything we see the way she has.

Any artist that can inspire this kind of dialogue is doing something right.

Plus: catchy!

And after all, you're my wonderwall

This Oasis album was the first real CD I bought at around ten or eleven years old. I can remember listening to it at the family stereo with headphones on. Of course sooner than later I found the Spice Girls and lost a whole lot of street cred in the process.

First Aid Kid Super Cute Awesome Hard Believer

Sia!