electric

Photo taken form Patrick Watson's show last month at the Corona in Montreal. A phenomenal show, made even better by an astounding light show throughout the concert. I've never been to see live music where the lights made such an impact. Video of the song that goes along with the photo above is below, though I suspect the impact was better from our  (high) seats:



And just because I found a decent video of it, one of my favorite parts of the night. Patrick Watson and band all gathered around a mic to sing 'into giants' ... voices sounded spectacular ... from 1:40 on makes me smile at having been there:

this was totally me as a kid

So, so great. These kids love GOTYE's song "Somebody that I used to know" so much, that they want to hear it over and over again in the car. Their parents decided to film them enjoying the tune over a few car rides ...



Who am I kidding? This isn't just me as a kid, its exactly how I am NOW.

(via swiss-miss)

arrived

Bluest of skies?
Sun peeking through wee baby leaves(!)?
Birdsong and the hum of lawnmowers springing to life?
Hot tub stored, patio furniture out and being used?
Tunes playing, windows open, screens on?
Plants purchased, dirt under nails?
Skirt, tank, and a teeny burn on my nose?
Great gathering of friends for a bbq, music and 'camp' fire?

Check.
Checkcheckcheckcheck...checkity-check.

Patio season, sun and warmth, hang-out season ... spring and summer FINALLY seem to have arrived this weekend. That sound you just heard? That was me exhaling after months of not breathing at all.

the weight

I made this paperweight a long time ago. I think its one of the first things I made in my first days of glass blowing. Since then, it's sat on my desk - through a couple of different jobs and in my office at home in between. It's served to remind me of the other parts of my life, while being inevitably entangled and focused on the day to day tasks at whatever office I happen to be working in.

Every day I notice this paperweight, and at some point during the day I will imagine myself throwing it - with all my strength - across my office and against my white cinderblock wall. I daydream about the sound it would make as it bursts against the wall and hundreds of teeny pieces of glass rain down on the linoleum tile floors. 

I'm not sure if this makes me crazy, angry, creative or quirky. Probably a little of them all.

I think I'll just consider it my mental 'stress ball' activity and hope that it's somewhat healthy behaviour!

it's snowing. again.

Thinking about the cottage today ...

It's been a long winter,

 

and even longer since I've been comfortable on the shores of grand lac des cedres.

Hoping for some time, and good times, there this summer.

Just reminiscing for now.

how it flew from her

From her mouth. It gathered its small, soft body and leapt
froward, up and out. And then it was gone. She knew
because of the dark hollow in her chest, like the place a woodpecker makes,
keeps making, until it’s emptied the wood of food
and moved on. She didn’t try to stop it, because she didn’t know
what it was; what came from her mouth
looked like a white moth, the kind that eats wool, so she clapped her hands,
chased it to the window, pulled the shade down
and pretended that was that. It’s surprising it stayed
as long as it did, because most of all, she made it wait. She made it wait
while she beat a dead horse, hit the nail on the head, drove her point home,
split hairs, threw fat on the fire, killed birds with a stone.
Naturally, it grew tired of waiting,
tried to tell her, made a few practice runs, beat its wings;
she could feel it, don’t tell me she couldn’t, she could hear
the wings beat. She still feels it, like when you lose an arm or leg
and it aches but there’s nothing there
to ache. That’s how hollow she feels. She talks a lot, laughs
with her mouth open wide. Not everyone knows why,
but I do: she’s making a place for it to come back to.

–Amy Dryansky (via mightygirl)

music that moves me

I've been dreaming about running ... pushing branches out of my way, hopping over roots and rocks down a muddy trail thick with the bright green leaves of spring. In my dreams, I'm reveling in every bit of the run. I can feel my breath quickening, heart pumping, wind brushing my cheeks. Even the tiny pin pricks of sweat forming across my forehead. It always makes me feel happy, if a little impatient.

I guess one good lesson in not being able to be active is that I'm reminded how much of a gift it is to be healthy and able in the first place. I don't want to waste that gift, I'm excited to get moving, to sweat and breathe hard. And even though running isn't going to be possible for a while, my second Physio session is tomorrow and I'm hoping that this means I'm moving into an active phase of rehabilitation.

Cue the music ...

While healing and dreaming, I've been digging through music and compiling a list of songs that I've loved running to at one time or another. It will be my running playlist first chance I can run, and until then, it will be a growing soundtrack to play and organize as I drift back to trails in my dreams. This is as good a space as any to keep my list updated, so I'll post an evolving collection of music below with links to videos where possible.

I don't necessarily choose music that's up-tempo for running. I like to be mesmerized and drifting with a  varied tempo and style; the music sitting right below the surface of the thoughts that come flooding while I run.

Until I don't, and then I want something loud and peppy. I know - I'm an enigma!

It's a balance between creating an atmosphere, distraction, and inspiration. All I know is I love being out there when the right song for that very moment comes on.

Running Track(list)

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Come in Please
Patrick Watson - Luscious Life
Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home
Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Hey Rosetta! - loads of choices, especially Yer Spring and Psalm
Bobbi Humphrey - Harlem River Drive
Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan
The Cat Empire - The Rhythm
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
Just Jack - Writer's Block
Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
Oi Va Voi - D'ror Yikra
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Snowden's Jig
Morcheeba - The Sea
Broken Bells - The High Road
Radiohead - In Rainbows - particularly Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Snow Patrol - Shut Your Eyes
Metric - Gold Guns Girls and Satellite Mind
Parov Stellar - Shine
Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Little Girl
Hawsley Workman - Smoke Baby
Citizen Cope - Sideways and Son's Gonna Rise
Wood Brothers - Fall too Fast
Black Keys - Howlin for You and Everlasting Light
Mumford and Sons ... most of ... including - After the Storm  and Winter Winds
Okkervil River - Unless it's Kicks and Girl in Port
Head and the Heart - Down in the Valley
Saul Williams - List of Demands
I am Kloot - Proof
Massive Attack - Teardrop
Constellations - Felicia
Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
Spoon - I Turn my Camera on and Don't you Evah
G Love - Wontcha come home
Band of Horses - The Funeral
Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats

so many more to come ....