Meditations on Sound and Silence

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Angelina Jolie Intimate, by Brad Pitt

Cherubs in heaven

T'ai Chi embrace

Joy of nursing 

Bathed in light

Lush wanting

Puckered silly

Pensive longing

Once erotic, now exhausted

Emerging on canvas 

Contented looking

Sensuous aftermath

A perfect profile

Ascent as foreplay

I adore these contrasty, textured photographs of the stunning Angelina Jolie.  There is an intimacy, a candor, and an artistry to them, which only Brad Pitt could have captured and engendered.  

Reference: Brad Pitt's Intimate Photos of Angelina Jolie

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"To Sir, With Love," from Lulu

Lulu 

Younger poets find it stimulating: they are reclaiming this “found” poetry and uploading it to the self-publishing platform Lulu. They create print-on-demand books that, most likely, will never be printed, but will live as PDFs on Lulu—their de-facto publisher and distributor.

Reference: The Writer as Meme Machine.

I plan to publish The Song Poems, so when I read about Lulu, I Googled it right away.

Lulu Kennedy-Cairns

Except that this lovely lady showed up first.

Then I simply had to search for this classic love song, that I've loved for a long time, on YouTube:

Those schoolgirl days, of telling tales and biting nails are gone,
But in my mind,
I know they will still live on and on,
But how do you thank someone, who has taken you from crayons to perfume?
It isn't easy, but I'll try,

If you wanted the sky I would write across the sky in letters,
That would soar a thousand feet high,
To Sir, with Love 

The time has come,
For closing books and long last looks must end,
And as I leave,
I know that I am leaving my best friend,
A friend who taught me right from wrong,
And weak from strong,
That's a lot to learn,
What, what can I give you in return? 

If you wanted the moon I would try to make a start,
But I, would rather you let me give my heart,
To Sir, with Love

Then, the 1967 British drama, starring Sidney Poitier and of course Lulu.

Music Helps You Work (Out): Art Knew That Already

Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace

And as you sweep the room
Imagine that the broom is someone that you love
And soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune

(Spoken: Oh, no, no, no, no! Put them in the tub)
When hearts are high the time will fly so whistle while you work

Whistle While You Work, by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey.

We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mine the
whole day through
To dig dig dig dig dig dig dig is what we really like to do
It ain't no trick to get rich quick
If you dig dig dig with a shovel or a pick
In a mine! In a mine! In a mine! In a mine!
Where a million diamonds shine! 

We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig from early morn till night
We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig up everything in sight
We dig up diamonds by the score
A thousand rubies, sometimes more
But we don't know what we dig 'em for
We dig dig dig a-dig dig 

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho 

[Chorus]
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
It's home from work we go 

[Whistle]
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho 

[Chorus]
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho 

[Whistle]
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho hum

Heigh-ho, by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey

Churchill and Morey wrote these beloved songs for the 1937 Disney film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

How Music Can Boost our Workouts

Enter: A group of researchers from Belgium and Germany.

In brief, the researchers installed electronic devices on exercise machines, which played music whenever volunteers worked out on these machines.  The music - for example, rhythm and tempo - they heard depended on how they exercised.  They effectively created music, while working out.

Results showed that musical agency significantly decreased perceived exertion during workout, indicating that musical agency may actually facilitate physically strenuous activities. This indicates that the positive effect of music on perceived exertion cannot always be explained by an effect of diversion from proprioceptive feedback. Furthermore, this finding suggests that the down-modulating effect of musical agency on perceived exertion may be a previously unacknowledged driving force for the development of music in humans: making music makes strenuous physical activities less exhausting.

Reference: Musical agency reduces perceived exertion during strenuous physical performance.

How did Western science get to be so late to the party?  Moreover, how does it come across as insightful, even ground-breaking, when in fact art (à la Walt Disney) knew decades ago that making music not only made work less exhausting, but also made it positively delightful?

Curious Floating Things of Kris Lewis' Portraits

elka park 

life boat 

low tide 

returning the fire

trophy hunt

cory

Kris Lewis paints quite a curiosity.  His renderings are life-like, and, to my eyes, seem to pay homage to masters of centuries past, the likes of Remembrandt van Rijn and Peter Paul Rubens.  He doesn't mention either in his biography, but

His reverence for masters of old is apparent in his depiction of the human figure, which he uses as a vector for hidden stories, delicate emotion, and finding truth. His affinity for people-watching also informs his paintings, collecting glances, gestures, miens and hints and channeling them through the canvas for the viewer to share in the experience.

I am especially intrigued by a theme: that of flying or floating things, amid these figures.  We normally expect to see them in the distance, but these things join the foreground in ways that truly make for curious paintings.  In this way, Lewis departs from those masters.

What do these things represent?

I'd say they're very much elaborate on the personality of these figures.  For example, for "elka park," the last vestiges of autumn - a final handful of falling leaves - anticipates winter flurries, the cold from which she is turned.  The boy in "low tide" holds what resembles a bill-guisarme, which in turn the charcoal banner mirrors, altogether speaking to a pirate fantasy.  Finally, "cory" harkens back to a man of letters, and perhaps the drifting and linking hexagons mean he writes about science.

Kenichi Ebina Super-Rocks America's Got Talent

Kenichi Ebina is just awesome.  That he's good at hip-hop doesn't distinguish him from hordes of others.  But it's his engaging showmanship and technology prowess that win the day.  Also, that he seems to be a nice, humble guy makes for a winsome winner on America's Got Talent.

The Cross-Dressed Men of Jon Uriarte

CARLOS & NAIA 

GUILLERMO & BEATRIZ

JAVI & GABI

JOSE & AINARA

MARCOS & LUCÍA

NICK & REIKO

SANTI & SABELA

STEVE & FONLIN

VICTOR & ANA

The men under the influence’addresses the recent change in roles in heterosexual relationships from the relationships of our predecessors and how those changes have affected men in particular. the photos attempt to capture men’s sense of loss reference, now that women have taken a step forward and have finally come into their own as equal partners. The project consists of full-length portraits of men wearing the clothes of their girlfriends or wives, taken in the space shared by the couple.

Image credits and reference: Jon Uriarte.

Cultivating Culture posted 'Men Under the Influence:' A Portrait Series on Google+, and I commented:

It's definitely an intriguing, provocative series. Clothing reveals as much as it conceals, if only to speak to one's personality and style. Some of the men look resigned, even reluctant, as if they weren't quite willing participants in that influence. In this regard, their girlfriends may be exercising a form of control, which doesn't require them to be around. Yet, the fact they weren't in the photos makes me think that it's less about heterosexual relationships, changing or otherwise, and more about private disgruntlement of some sort. 

Very insightful comments. Thanks, Ron! The changing roles of men and women would indeed make for some private disgruntlement. We as people like to have roles to play, whatever they may be, and the lines today are somewhat ambiguous. That's a good thing--it marks progress--but it can also be quite confusing at times.

"Rolling in the Deep" Spawns Viral Covers

Adele's original VEVO video has raked in 438,148,575 views, as of right now. But this live one ain't bad, in the least.  Viral views: 23,274,995.

Marina Dalmas was just 13 years old, when she performed in this 2011 episode of France Has Got Talent.  Clearly she took the crowd by storm.  Viral views: 47,258,560.

The Vázquez brothers and sister - Gustavo, Abelard and Angela - do a soulful, rhythmic cover.  Viral views: 115,391,475.

Finally, Mike Tompkins does it all by himself, astoundingly a cappella. Viral views: 13,381,107.

Time to Cut Loose, "Footloose"

I've been working so hard
I'm punching my card
Eight hours for what?
Oh, tell me what I got 

I've got this feeling
That time's just holding me down
I'll hit the ceiling or else I'll tear up this town
Tonight I gotta cut 

Loose, footloose kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise pull me offa my knees
Jack, get back c'mon before we crack
Lose your blues everybody cut footloose 

You're playing so cool
Obeying every rule
I dig a way down in your heart
You're burning, yearning for songs 

Somebody to tell you
That life ain't passing you by
I'm trying to tell you
That life ain't passing you by
It will if you don't even try
You can fly if you'd only cut 

Loose, footloose kick off your Sunday shoes
Oowhee, Marie shake it, shake it for me
Whoa, Milo c'mon, c'mon let's go
Lose your blues everybody cut footloose 

Cut footloose
Cut footloose
Cut footloose 

We got to turn me around
And put your feet on the ground
Now take a hold of the phone
Whoa, I'm turning it loose 

Loose, footloose kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise pull me offa my knees
Jack, get back c'mon before we crack
Lose your blues now everybody cut footloose 

Loose, footloose kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise pull me offamy knees
Jack, get back c'mon before we crack
Lose your blues 

Everybody cut everybody cut
Everybody cut everybody cut
Everybody cut everybody cut
Everybody everybody cut footloose
Cut footloose

Fiesta Latina at the White House

There we were,  last night, my wife and I enjoying this White House celebration of Latino Heritage month, believing it was either a live broadcast or a delayed telecast.  In fact, this Fiesta Latina aired on October 15th 2009. 

I Try To Do Most Things Like Water Would

Consider what water does, and we see quickly that it defies singular or simplistic characterization:

• Water collects, water pools.  
• Water ripples, water eddies.  
• Water rushes, water drops.
• Water condenses, water evaporates.  
• Water beads, water drips.  
• Water nurtures, water drowns.

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In martial arts, water is the paradigm of humility that practitioners strive for.  It possesses the silent and soft power that they train for.

What of this dance performance?

It expresses what happens in day-to-day life, including our alternating moments of synchronicity and disharmony.  Our moments of indecision and experimentation, along with exasperation and nonchalance.  Our private dances, too, which we may post on YouTube.  

I really liked the last number.  An exercise in creativity:  You have disparate items, now do something with them.  It is creativity within creativity.

A Woman in the Clouds

How ecstasy feels

What heaven is like

How stalks dance at dusk

RedOne is the Music Video Hitmaker

Nadir Khayat - known as RedOne - has the Midas Touch, as far as popular music is concerned.  The Wall Street Journal positioned him, in this Lee Hawkins interview, as a hitmaker.  Indeed, he is, with top songs on Billboard as both a producer and a songwriter.  But the fact that he has won two Grammy Awards, out of eight nominations, is testament to his talent.  He emphasizes that he's a musician, for example, who doesn't work off simply a beat but a song, that starts with a guitar or piano, not a synthesizer.    

But his talent notwithstanding, he knows that his work and his success are about the pop stars he works with.  It's all about them, he points out.  Give them the music that connects them to this generation and to a global audience.

Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra, for example, enlisted his talent to help widen her stardom in a major way.

Khayat was reluctant to accommodate when asked to listen to music by DJ Havana Brown.  But when he learned that she could sing and perform, as well as DJ, he saw avenues for her talent.