More Potter

J. K. Rowling is serving up another dose of Harry Potter for her die-hard fans, this time in the form of a biography of one of her favorite, albeit lesser-known, characters in the Harry Potter universe. The story comes from Pottermore.com, the online home for the world of Harry Potter, which shared her latest story exclusively with TODAY.com.

Celestina Warbeck is one of my favourite "off-stage" characters in the Harry Potter series, and has been part of the Potter world ever since its inception, making an early appearance in the short-lived Daily Prophet series I produced for members of the equally short-lived fan club run by my British publisher, Bloomsbury. Although we never lay eyes on Celestina during the whole seven volumes of the Potter books, I always imagined her to resemble Shirley Bassey in both looks and style. I stole her first name from a friend with whom I worked, years ago, at Amnesty International's Headquarters in London; "Celestina" was simply begging to be scooped up and attached to a glamorous witch.

from http://www.today.com/books/j-k-rowling-writes-new-harry-potter-story-about-singing-1D80069158

Girls chasing covers done by boys singing about girls

 

thanks, ingrid michaelson station on pandora!

Si, te quiero es porque sos mi amor, mi complice, y todo

just going through a bunch of music for an upcoming old-marrieds retreat, and i stumbled across an excellent rendition of one of my all-time favorite love songs:



The poem "Te Quiero" was written by Mario Benedetti and set to music by A. Favero.

Si te quiero es porque sos
mi amor, mi cómplice, y todo.
Y en la calle, codo a codo,
somos mucho más que dos.

Tus manos son mi caricia,
mis acordes cotidianos.
Te quiero porque tus manos
trabajan por la justicia.

Tus ojos son mi conjuro
contra la mala jornada.
Te quiero por tu mirada
que mira y siembra futuro.

Tu boca que es tuya y mía,
tu boca no se equivoca.
Te quiero porque tu boca
sabe gritar rebeldía.

Y por tu rostro sincero
y tu paso vagabundo
y tu llanto por el mundo,
porque sos pueblo te quiero.

Y porque amor no es aureola,
ni cándida moraleja,
y porque somos pareja
que sabe que no está sola.

Te quiero en mi paraíso,
es decir, que en mi país,
la gente viva feliz
aunque no tenga permiso.

***

Yes, I love you because you are
my love, my accomplice, and everything.
And on the street, side by side,
we are much more than two.

Your hands are my caress,
my everyday chords.
I love you because your hands
work for justice.

Your eyes are my charm
against bad days.
I love you for your eyes
that look at and sow the future.

Your mouth is yours and mine,
your mouth is never wrong.
I love you because your mouth
knows how to shout rebellion.

And for your sincere face,
and your vagabond step,
and your tears for the world,
because you are the people, I love you.

And because love is not a halo
and not a candid moral,
and because we are a couple
who know we are not alone.

I want you in my paradise,
that is, in my country,
where the people are happy
even if it is not allowed. 

***

gah. seriously. i get shivers. it's this amazing merge of companionship and social justice and adoration. shivers.

I got it

The swift upifting rush of quiet birds

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

—Mary Elizabeth Frye

Pretty much this

 

from http://www.goldstar.com/purchases/3903111/attendance

Little man with a big accordian

 

*singing*

this little dude of mine

i'm gonna—

*nom, nom, nom* 

Hook, line, sinker

how jak got into opera:

Compare and contrast

(1) 


(2)


(3)


(4)


(5)


(6)



(7)

which soprano?

vote to the right.

These ladies wore their BUSINESS SOCKS.

By the way

you need to be listening to this alls of the times, nonstop, on repeat, forevers.



ah, les eighties! et les faux eighties!

*sigh*

I have no one to blame but myself.

if this is the kind of Pandora feed i listen to, then i've earned that advertisement.

 

i pledge to be a better person.

Veni, veni, amica!

Prelude: "Prepare the Way of the Lord," Berthier, Taize' Community (recording) 
Procession to Wreath/Entrance: "Christ, Circle 'Round Us," Schutte (recording) 
Kyrie: Kyrie XVI (recording) 
Responsorial Psalm: 126 "God Has Done Great Things for Us," Haugen (recording) 
Gospel Acclamation: "Advent Alleluia," Joncas (recording) 
Preparation: "Creator of the Stars of Night," trad. (recording)
Eucharistic Acclamations: Memorial Acclamation: Storrington (recording begins at 6:38) 
Lamb of God: Storrington (recording begins at 8:25) 
Communion: "A Voice Cries Out in the Wilderness," Joncas (recording) 
Recessional: improv on "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," trad. (recording)

A thing that just happened

my Pandora stream was just interrupted by a commercial for Robert Half Technology that began, "We can tell by your music stream that you're smart, very smart—"

and i just puffed up, thinking, "well, that's true . . ."

and it took me, honestly, almost a full minute to realize that Robert Half Technologies has paid to air this commercial for every single Pandora listener, not just the big-headed ones who think their clicking the thumbs-up icon on the Yo-Yo Ma piece means they're Special.

 

(look at Eusebia. she's covering her face with her little wing. buddy's embarrassed for me. i know, dude. i so know.)

Imagination

Stuck? Four Things Killing Your Creativity

by Leigh Newman
from http://www.oprah.com/spirit/4-Reasons-Youre-Not-Writing-the-Book-Youre-Meant-to-Write

1. I know I have a creative force in me—that I can write or paint or play music—but I don't have a specific idea for a book or a painting or composition. How can I find an idea?
Many people feel the urge to do something creative but can't get themselves started. When they come into our office, they almost all say the same thing: "I know I have the ability. If only I knew exactly what I want to do—paint, write, sculpt—I'd have no trouble getting started." So they wait for that magical idea that will inspire them to begin . . . but it never seems to come.

New ideas don't come to those who wait and think; they come to those who act. Let's say you want to write a screenplay. To find an idea that you like, you must be already writing. Pick a story that feels "wrong"—those are always easier to find than ones that feel "right." Write a brief summary of the story and make sure you finish it. Then pick another story and do the same thing.

For most people, it's so painful to be wrong they can't act. They need to accept, in fact to desire, the pain of being wrong. But when you're willing to be wrong, you take your ego out of the creative process, and that's when the unconscious will reward you with an idea that turns you on.

2. I have a specific idea, and some talent and training, but every time I sit down to write/paint/play, I freeze up. Why? And what can I do?
Freezing when you sit down to work by yourself is the same thing as freezing in front of an audience. In both cases you're crippled by the fear of what people think of you. The only difference is that here, the audience is in your head, a hypothetical group of people that will judge your work in the future. You can almost feel their eyes on you while you try to work. How can an imaginary audience have such a paralyzing effect?

The answer is that deep down you feel you have to be perfect to win validation. That's impossible. In fact, there's a strange truth about human creativity: The most creative part of you is also the most imperfect. This part of you is called "the shadow."

When you try to be perfect in order to win the validation of the audience, all you do is freeze your Shadow out of the creative process. You've silenced the most creative part of your self.

The solution is to invite the Shadow back into the process—to identify and accept it. This requires you to accept the worst, in whatever form that comes: write the worst sentence, paint the worst portrait, play as off-key as you can. Once you do this, the Shadow feels accepted and its creativity will take over.

 

3. Is it good to talk out your ideas and plans with someone? Sometimes when I talk about them too much I don't actually finish them.
It's natural to talk about the ideas that turn you on creatively; there's an excitement that comes from telling those around you how you intend to bring those ideas into being. Over a long period of time, though, I've observed that those who talk the most produce the least.

At first glance, this may seem strange: The talkers seem to be filled with such energy, but their energy isn't directed toward creating; its purpose is to get others to pay attention to them, to notice their greatness. This is a search for immediate gratification not much different from a craving for sugar or nicotine. 

A real creative process isn't immediately gratifying. It's frustrating, mysterious and uncertain. The talkers can't tolerate this process; they're addicted to the fast high.

The solution? When a talker feels the urge to discuss her work with others, she needs to see it as a cue to keep her mouth shut. She has to train herself to do without immediate gratification, and as she does, she'll find the strength to tolerate the unpleasant parts of the creative process.

4. And the biggie: How do I make that sniveling, critical, "Who the hell do you think you are?" voice in my head shut up?
I thought that voice was only in my head.

Just kidding. Everyone who has tried to achieve anything has to contend with that self-hating voice. It's natural to try to argue with it, but this never works. It's one of those maddening situations in which logic is impotent. The only effective solution is to turn off the voice altogether.

But we're actually reluctant to do that. Human beings are quite attached to their opinions of themselves. It makes us feel secure to know who we are, even if we know we're no good.

There's only one antidote: We need to feel the presence of something much bigger than ourselves, something that loves and values us without reservation. Only then can we let go of our inner critic.

THIS GUY

showed up on my pandora feed:

 

i'm considering asking him to leave. or at least chill his Look the eff out.

Oh my god.

did you know that "All By Myself" is based on a rachmaninov piano concerto??

NEITHER DID I.

#BizarroWorld

Huh.

i can't say that i'd previously considered this

Bring me my spear, a pencil with an eraser, and a little clamp light for my music stand

In the mood

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green,
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant Land!