|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Guess who caught the bouquet at Phil's wedding?
written at 10:09 p.m.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Is it a rule entrenched in the brains of Chinese parents that their children must attend post-secondary, must become biochemists, real estate agents, electrical engineers? Are said children not allowed to pursue linguistics, music, architecture?
Why is it that when a twelve-year-old girl says she wants to be a fashion designer or actress, she is treated to a dismissive laugh?
written at 06:46 p.m.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Today in lab, my TA guillotined a frog. She carried out the honours because none of us wanted to do it. (I don't have much of a penchant for killing things I've sometimes played with.)
The frog was kept in a bucket of ethanol until it was drunk. Then it was put under the guillotine. Yes, it was actually a guillotine, just frog-sized with a lever blade.
That was the nerve impulse lab, though, not the one my partner and I had chosen. All we had to do was make ghost erythrocytes using horse blood. Thank goodness it wasn't necessary to guillotine that.
written at 07:45 p.m.
Friday, September 15, 2006
The end is within sight!
I'll have finished all my program requirements by the end of this academic year, which leaves fourth year open for filling in the remainder of my electives. Interesting courses, like
ENGL 406 - Studies in Prose Fiction
ENGL 417 - Literature of the Bible (wonder if they'll offer it)
CLST 301 - Technical Terms of Medicine & Biological Science
MICB 302 - Immunology (dunno why I'm not taking it now)
MICB 403 - Molecular Bacterial Pathogenesis
BIOL 455 - Neurobiology
BIOL 458 - Developmental Neurobiology
Maybe I should try to audit introductory Greek and Latin courses. Sooo close to graduating! I can't wait!!
written at 05:57 p.m.
Friday, September 8, 2006
I am a fermata.
Hold me!
written at 10:19 p.m.
Monday, August 28, 2006
It's time to move on when customers start saying things like this:
"That mop is too heavy for you. You are getting thinner and thinner. But still beautiful."
written at 10:53 p.m.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Okay. I was iffy about posting a Dreaming Through the Noise "review" because I'd written a series of Vienna Teng related posts not too long ago, and thought another one might be a bit much. But as long as I can point away and say that Catherine told me to ... well then.
I haven't stopped listening to it since. Even though my very first impression was more like "..." because I was expecting the lyrical melodies of Waking Hour and the compositional solidity of Warm Strangers. Here, the beauty isn't exactly on the surface; it's deeper, more subtle. But it's Vienna Teng, so of course it's there.
Blue Caravan
in the wild wild wailing of wind
he's a house 'neath a soft yellow moon
I love this song. So much that I sat down at the keyboard that first day and transcribed it. Only my range isn't quite the same as hers, so I had to transpose everything 3 semitones up before I could sing it comfortably. Lyrically, I'd compare it to "My Medea" -- it has that jarring twist that completely wins me over. Probably my favourite track off the album; sounds like a sad, wistful gypsy song.
Whatever You Want
I am the last one you'd ever suspect
of setting the fire
Ah, this is the familiar "darkness in disguise" type song, where Vienna cloaks sombre subject matter beneath perky music. The chorus also plays with irregular time signature, reminiscent of "Harbor" but not as extensively.
Love Turns 40
and now all we've got is lunch-hour light
where nothing photographs well
This is where the CD started throwing me off. I'm not used to jazz, especially from this quarter. But this track's grown on me. Vienna seems to have a knack for writing songs that project into the future, whether her own or someone else's.
I Don't Feel So Well
I thought that you should know
before you fall
Whoa. This reminds me of a study I once played, called "In the Forest" by Rebikov. It sounds discordant, but that's the whole point. It's even more apt here, considering the dual nuances of the title ... either I feel ill, or I am emotionally lacking.
City Hall
been ten years waiting but it's better late
than the never we've been told before
Whimsical, with a light folksy-ish feel. Plus the chorus is cool. I say Vienna's "ooOOooOOoo's" beat Utada Hikaru's any day.
Nothing Without You
oh call my name
you know my name
An "easy listening" tune that hearkens back to earlier albums. It's really pretty without being cliché. Maybe I'll transcribe this one next. Unfortunately I'm limited to her slow songs, cuz the fast ones are too hard.
Transcontinental, 1:30 AM
and there's not even a wire
just a whispering in air
Very low-key and kind of gloomy-sounding. At this point I'm wondering why she's not using the upper portion of her vocal range as much as she could.
1BR/1BA
1br/1ba hrdwd flrs w/vw of trees
1br/1ba prkg space 4 xtra fee
I was reading the lyrics booklet on the bus after "dim sum turned Korean brunch" and didn't know what to make of this. Neither can I pinpoint the genre, but it's funny and her songs aren't usually funny. It's also experimental, but then again so is a large portion of this CD.
Now Three
I want to be blind
only my hands to guide me
The piano reminds me of Mozart. Or at least something classical. By now I'm appreciating the diversity in this album ... classical and folk and jazz all together, in a way that works? Skills.
Pontchartrain
lie as darkness hardens
lie of our reunion
Before I learned it was the name of a lake in New Orleans, I thought Vienna was making up cool words. I read this piece described somewhere as a "tour de force," so I expected something along the lines of "Harbor" ... something exuberant. Little did I know this track is, like, the antithesis of "Harbor." The bridge, though, where her voice is multitracked 32 times so it sounds like a huge choir, is awesome.
Recessional
who are you, the stranger in the shell of a lover
dark curtains drawn by the passage of time?
Apparently this song details a relationship in reverse, although I would never have guessed. Sweet, with a lilting lullabye-like melody.
No wonder this CD is called Dreaming Through the Noise ... it's almost wholly comprised of dreaming songs. A few high-energy ones, but primarily calm, meditative. Dreamy. And whether it's meant to be there or otherwise, love seems to be an undercurrent theme, appearing in some form in every track. Imaginary love (Blue Caravan), aged love (Love Turns 40), prenatal love (Now Three), long-distance love (Transcontinental), inability to love (I Don't Feel So Well). Note this is Vienna Teng, so the incorporation is seamless and masterful. No awkward "cookies need love just like people do" antics.
So there's unity and cohesion in Dreaming Through the Noise as well as variety. I like it.
I give it an A.
written at 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
I'm thinking ... if I lived on my own, I would probably eat one actual meal a day. And that out of the pot, to minimize the number of dirty dishes I'd have to wash afterwards. Like a bachelor.
written at 11:09 p.m.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Why is it I'm always at my most musically creative when I have more urgent things to do?
On another note, I've been neglecting biometrics in favour of transcribing Vienna Teng songs! Yay! So far I've worked out the chords for ...
Friday, June 9, 2006
I'd never, until yesterday, seen a guy with bobby pins in his hair.
A woman in her forties or fifties has no business trying to dress like a twenty-something. It's probably time to drop the stilettoes and little black skirt when I can't tell whether her hair is grey dyed blonde or blonde but greying.
A guy in his mid-thirties should not ask a twenty-year-old out for dinner. Especially if she looks sixteen. Especially if she has a boyfriend.
written at 08:10 p.m.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
I wish I had the lung capacity of Lena Maria. She is awesome.
written at 01:37 p.m.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Tuesday morning -- I'm bussing to work in North Van. Due to annoying administrative complications, I happen to be sans U-Pass.
I board the 28 bus at Gilmore. It's been so long since I've actually paid bus fare that I'm not sure how much a two-zone ticket is anymore, but I prepare to add on to my one-zone transfer. The bus driver, however, pre-empts me.
"That's a one-zone pass! blahblahblah Don't you realize that's insufficient here? blahblahblah If you're caught using that it's a 0 fine blahblahblah Where's your GoCard?"
Of course I don't have one, so I flash my student card. This causes him to go off on another angry spiel that leaves me in a dizzy "..." state because, believe it or not, I don't much like being yelled at.
"Where's your U-Pass?"
The one from last Winter Session is in my wallet. I show it to him.
He scrutinizes it. "It's expired."
I give him a blank look. Duh. That's why I wasn't using it.
He finally pauses long enough for me to offer to pay the difference. Since I'm not a high school student, he makes me add on .75 for an adult two-zone fare of .25. I don't have enough quarters, so I pay a toonie. Whatever. At this point I think he clues in to the possibility that I'm not out to cheat Translink.
If it had ended there I'd only have half a rant. But when we reach the Kootenay Loop Mr. Anal Bus Driver STOPS and PERSONALLY CHECKS the tickets of everyone on the bus. Maybe he's schizophrenic and thinks he's a transit officer?
He stares at one woman's transfer for a full minute. "Oh, it's a day pass," he finally snaps. "Your writing's so bad I couldn't even read it."
He makes one guy go back and pay an extra dollar.
When another passenger protests, he snaps again. "Do you think I can remember 40 people? I'm sorry, you're just not that special to me."
Thankfully this has been my only encounter with Anal Bus Drivers in so many years. At the end of the day, though, I'm a little disappointed with myself. Why is it that, in moments like this, I always let the other person step all over me?
written at 09:55 a.m.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Monday, April 24, 2006
I have biomolecules swirling around in my head.
No, not literally. Okay, yes, but you know that's not what I mean.
written at 11:52 a.m.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
God, what is UP with these kids who self-implode as soon as they hit puberty and high school?
They used to be so sweet. Pure as the driven. Or maybe they never were.
Now they're all messed up.
written at 01:02 p.m.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Lifted from ... somewhere:
Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song titles that come up to answer each question. NO CHEATING.
[I kinda did cheat though; I omitted instrumentals and lyrics in anything other than English. Easier that way.]
How does the world see me?
Mandy Moore - "Cry"
You were all by yourself
Staring up at a dark grey sky
Will I have a happy life?
Green Day - "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone
What do people really think of me?
Mai Yamane - "If You"
Don't misunderstand
Nothing's the clue
Do people secretly lust after me?
Avalon - "Testify to Love"
Every dream that reaches out
That reaches out to find where love begins
How can I make myself happy?
Celine Dion - "Beauty and the Beast"
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Will I ever have children?
Vienna Teng - "My Medea"
Inside the labyrinth walls
There lies a tiny child who sleeps alone
What is some good advice for me?
Rufus Wainwright - "Hallelujah"
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
What do I think my current theme song is?
Hillsong United - "Salvation is Here"
And I don't care what the world throws at me now
I'm gonna be alright
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Melody - "Once Again"
I believe it's the beginning
Of the story of you and I
What song will play at my funeral?
Clay Aiken - "The Way"
There's something 'bout the way
You look tonight
What type of men do I like?
Maaya Sakamoto - "Vector"
I just had to take a look
In those faraway eyes
What is my day going to be like?
Corrinne May - "Journey"
I know I will falter
I know I will cry
I know you'll be standing by my side
Why am I here?
Jim Brickman & Michael W. Smith - "Love of My Life"
I guess this is how it feels
When you finally find something real
What will people remember me for?
Vienna Teng - "Eric's Song"
My voices and analogies
Ambitions like ribbons worn bright on my sleeve
What song will I get stuck in my head tomorrow?
Stacie Orrico - "Without Love"
Though I know the One who holds
The stars in the heavens in the palm of His hands
Are there people outside waiting to take me away?
Vienna Teng - "Drought"
Let winterlight come
And spread your white sheets over my empty house
What will this year be all about?
Jaci Velasquez - "Sanctuary"
Purify me
From within
Well, that was fun. Had quite a few of those "What? Since when did I have this song!?" moments. Boulevard certainly doesn't bode well. And some funeral dirge, heh. Didn't expect Vienna to turn up so much, either. Alrighty then, back to cramm- I mean studying.
written at 05:34 p.m.
Friday, April 7, 2006
He said (approvingly) that my voice was soprano!
I don't know why that makes me happy. Maybe because it confirms what I've long suspected but was never sure of, from someone who would know. Now I can stop kicking myself every time I have difficulty with low notes!
English 359 essay topic:
Assuming that Coleridge's "Christabel" is based on the myth of the lamia, compare Keats' "Lamia" to Coleridge's "Christabel." That is, what do their respective handlings and transfigurations of the subject tell us?
... help?
written at 07:22 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Funny how high school teen drama is the very definition of stupid. Funny how we don't realize it until we've passed that stage.
I remember lamenting, why don't I ever feel anything for the guys who like me? Why do I always fall for the ones I have no chance with?
Yeah, it sounds plaintive. But, in retrospect, I wouldn't have had it any other way. And I can barely believe, now, that I got through all the melodrama so easy; unscarred and unscathed.
Funny how easy it is, somewhere in the mess, to take a wrong turn. And how one mistake can potentially mar an entire future.
I can't believe I'm worrying about you, Becca. That's just weird. But you know what's right, theoretically. I just hope ... more strength and wisdom to you.
written at 05:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Written in tiny red letters in the middle of the white board in a Buchanan B classroom:
Monday, March 27, 2006
I thought piano couldn't impress me anymore. Especially since I've been going through a bass and electric guitar phase, and face it, virtually everyone knows how to keyboard.
Of course, this was before listening to Vienna's "Harbor" a bit more carefully. I found early on that I really liked the piano arrangement. But then the rhythm began to perplex me, because it was so elusively fluid! And, after some unravelling, it turns out "Harbor" has one heck of a convoluted time signature.
The verses are in 5/8 while the chorus glides into 6/8 with -- shouldn't quote me on this -- bars of 3/8 and 5/8 incorporated for good measure (no pun intended?)! And I haven't even tried to trace the instrumental interludes yet. What amazes me is how seamless these transitions are ... I never even noticed until I started paying close attention!
This takes "advanced" to a whole new level. Anyone know of any other song that does this? I wish I could play it.
written at 08:03 p.m.
Friday, March 24, 2006
I'm three weeks into a love affair with Vienna Teng's music.
Well, "Gravity" has been in my files since sometime last year, but at the time it was only a passing fixation. One among the continual stream of songs that pass into my psyche, tumble around there for a while, and eventually become displaced by another. Although I do recall it had a longer-than-average shelf life.
But then I heard "Lullabye for a Stormy Night" which made me go *_* because it was so sweet. So after singing it until my mom asked where the tune had come from, I Googled the artist, something I'd never done before.
I found her site, downloaded the handful of full-length songs available, listened, went back and downloaded every sample clip as well. Read a bit. And I fell in love.
The girl is brilliant. If I could play the piano like that, I swear I wouldn't try learning any other instrument. There'd be no need, if that one is mastered so completely. Ooh, and an excerpt:
"Usually I come to lyrics late, only noticing a phrase here and there [....] Maybe this is why they’re hard for me to write; they’re inseparable from the music, but I’m keenly aware of how secondary they often are to me as a listener. Sometimes all lyrics need to do is pass the “don’t-suck” test. If the music is compelling enough to carry the song on its own, and the words aren’t inane (or they’re incomprehensible anyway), that’s enough. Better, though, to discover something of substance in lyrics. If music is the body and production the clothing, words are the mind."
I know I've tried explaining this selfsame concept to a few people already, but not this succinctly. So reading that made me go *_* again. It's perfect; exactly how I feel.
Her songs just ... fit me. Others tumble around my subconscious and fade; hers find a niche and assimilate. And I can sing them. They fit my voice. Rock, for instance, doesn't suit my voice. That teeny-bopperish pop stuff doesn't either. I can't quite get over the beautiful clarity of her melodies.
Anyway, that's enough rhapsodizing for one day.
written at 10:38 p.m.
| Powered by TagBoard Message Board |