All roads lead to....Facebook? o.O

Every now and then when I'm bored out of my mind (or unable to sleep for whatever reason) I end up wandering the vacated corners of the internet. In my case, this corner tends to be made up out of random wikipedia entries (what? I like researching random things!), various blogs, and of course my rarely visited facebook (no, I don't actually look at it all that much, my Twitter is just linked to it, it's a clever trick to keep people from thinking I'm dead).

The other night I discovered to my shock and horror (actually it was delight) that one of my old middle school friends, dare I say one of my better friends, is making headway in the music industry and has released his first album. Now, I'm aware that this might be viewed as advertising, but meh! If you're into R&B/Soul Ben-Harpery kinda music you might just enjoy listening to Yufi's album. I downloaded 'Diamonds' off his facebook page (as suggested) and I was going "Wow, someone's come a long way since Mr. Gallagher's music class!". Suitably impressed I'll be grabbing the rest of the album off of iTunes when I get the chance; what are friends for after all? I'm getting ahead of myself: the album you want is 'The Red Light' by Yufi Zewdu (there, it's all hyperlinked for you so you don't have an excuse!).

Moving along from musical advertisment, however, this got me thinking. So many people from 'that time in my life' - I'm talking Mozambique, for those of you in the know - have come so far! My best friend Alison is doing great, she's married (I still can't believe that, even though it's been years!), most of the others have steady interesting jobs and fledgling careers. It's kind of crazy when you think about it! I'm really happy that they're all living their lives. It makes me wonder what all my teachers are up to. Is Mr. H still surfing? And what on earth could Mr. McCartey be up to? I'd really like to know where the Phillipses are. Why aren't they on Facebook! *growl!*

There...I went and said it: Facebook, for all it's stalkertastic capabilities is quite useful for the diplobrat regime, least this way I can keep track of who's having babies and who's got a new PhD running.

Clear Skies~V

Music...soundtracks of life? o.O + Soundtrack of V part 1

Okay so, I can't help but think, that the things I listen to tend to be directly linked to what I'm feeling, what I want to feel, or what I'm doing at the time. L and I may have driven through St. Helens with our windows rolled down blasting Disturbed's Shout 2000, 10000 Fists, and Prayer...maaybe, because it fit the mood. When I'm feeling particularly in need of something to think about, or write about, I'll play William Joseph's Within and Beyond - the albums, I mean, not just the tracks - maybe mixed in with some Josh Groban. If I'm hyper, you'll probably catch me playing some Pink. If I'm angry, there'll be Korn, Disturbed, Godsmack, Metallica. If I'm feeling romantic, or soppy, which might be my current mood, you'll probably catch me listening to a series of love songs - don't roll your eyes at me; the current favourites are Staind's Tangled up in You, Aerosmith's Don't Wanna Miss a Thing, Poets of the Fall's Stay, and another song I'm actually being a little possessive over so I won't mention here (ner ner ner). Anyways, what is it about music that gets people going - or not as is the case if I try to subject my mother to 'heavy' things (which by my standards nowadays aren't actually 'heavy' anymore).

(Side note: D and I actually discovered that our father liked Nightwish of all things, a few years ago on  a roadtrip. Go figure. Maybe the previous generation isn't a total loss.)

I suppose I started thinking about this today because I've got a playlist going with only 21 songs in it, and that's been the Soundtrack of V since last week. It's been playing over and over, and try though I might, can't seem to switch over at the moment. I go through phases - I think most of us do; I know that L does, though our taste in music is sometimes sporadically different, and sometimes matches up quite nicely. Depends on the week.

So let's take a look inside my brain shall we?

Soundtrack of V, part 1.

Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You

Bryan Adams - I'll always be right here

Staind - Tangled up in You

AeroSmith - Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

Alicia Keyes - If I Ain't Got You

LoneStar - Amazed

Tupelo Honey - Make Me Believe

Bon Jovi - Always

Nickelback - I'd Come For You

Bryan Adams - Let's Make  Night To Remember

Jessica Riddle - Even Angels Fall

Poets of the Fall - Stay

Tupelo Honey - Morphine

Chris Rhea - Loving You Again

Hinder - Heaven Sent

Santana (ft. Chad Kroeger) - Into the Night

Hinder - Thing for You

Breaking Benjamin - Stay in Love Forever

The Blues Traveler - Maybe I'm Wrong

Queen - I was born to Love you

Got over your shock of the weirdest combination ever?

Okay good. I'll just pick some songs at random to ramble about.

Let's start with Stay. The Poets of the Fall are probably one of my all time favourite groups. They've got the lyrics and they've got the melody, if you haven't heard any of their things, go to YouTube right now and just search for 'Poets of the Fall - Carnival of Rust' and you'll know exactly what I mean. Stay is a powerful song, but subtle. You know that feeling you get when you really want someone to stay at your side except you know that they might have to go and never come back? That's what Stay says to me. There is something extremely powerful in that single word: 'stay'. It means 'stay here, with me, forever' when it's said the way it's said in the context of the song anyways. One of my all time faves, no doubt about it.

Morning comes slow today
Memories push through from yesterday
Where will I be tomorrow
What do I have to show

From my life
Stay
I need you here for a new day to break
Stay
I want you near like a shadow in my wake

Flow with life down the drain
Memories and force of will sustain
Where will I be tomorrow
What will be left to show

From my life
Stay
I need you here for a new day to break
Stay
I want you near like a shadow in my wake

It's the little things
Little things
Little things
That make the world

Stay
I need you here for a new day to break
Stay
I want you near like a shadow in my wake 

Maybe I'm Wrong, is...bluesy. Those of you who know me, are going to have to get your jaws off the floor now, please. It's an awesome song. It's one of those songs that speaks to you on a 'yeah, okay, this is honest' but in that very poetical sense that only something with that rhythm can pick up. It's off the 'Blues Brothers 2000' soundtrack, in case anyone was wondering. I recommend playing it REALLY LOUD. *ahem*

I wanna show you that anything is possible
Said I wanna show you that your wildest dreams can come true
And I swear someday I'm gonna figure out how to do just that
But until then I guess tryin is all I can do

Maybe I'm wrong thinkin you want somethin better
Maybe I'm wrong thinkin you got no problem makin it through the night
Maybe I'm wrong about every little thing I'm talkin about
Maybe I'm wrong but just maybe maybe I'm right

No its none of my business but I think I can make you happy
But it really doesnt matter if its me or someone else
All that i know is that i think you're kinda special
And one way or another gonna see that i can treat you well

Maybe i'm wrong thinking you want something better
Maybe i'm wrong thinking you got no problem making it through the night
Maybe i'm wrong about every little thing i'm talking about
Maybe i'm wrong, but just maybe, maybe i'm right

You seem to think that lady luck just doesn't like you
Well, i've been trying to believe that the lady just ain't that dumb
Oh, just give her time to get here
And i'm sure that when she gets here
She'll be really glad to be here when she comes.

Maybe i'm wrong thinking you want something better
Maybe i'm wrong thinking you got no problem making it through the night
Maybe i'm wrong about every little thing i'm talking about
Maybe i'm wrong, but just maybe, maybe i'm right

Maybe i'm wrong thinking you want something better
Maybe i'm wrong thinking you got no problem making it through the night
Maybe i'm wrong about every little thing i'm talking about
Maybe i'm wrong, but just maybe, maybe i'm right

And third, let's see...Thing for You. I first heard this song because someone played it for me. There is something very...BOY, about this one. You could call it 'tacky', 'lame', 'silly', but if you really think about it, it's a damn honest song.  Lemme find the lyrics and stick them up here, so tha those of you who have not yet been subjected to it can kinda get a handle on what I mean:

Well now that it's morning,
Where do you want to go from here?
Well now that we're sober,
Are your thoughts of me more clear?
Woah yeah, now that your head is right,
Did you dig last night?
It keeps playin' in my mind.

'Cause girl I gotta thing for you.
And I think it's kinda crazy,
'Cause I know that you have someone true,
Wonderin' where you were last night.

For now I'll say goodbye
But don't think we're through,
I gotta thing for you...

Well now that you're home will,
he be the first thing that you see?
I know you'll compare us,
But how does he match up next to me?

Woah yeah, and now that your head is right,
Did you dig last night?
It keeps playin' in my mind.

'Cause girl I gotta thing for you.
And I think it's kinda crazy,
'Cause I know that you have someone true,
Wonderin' where you were last night.

Girl I gotta thing for you.
And I know the night was hazy,
But I still remember wakin' up
And kissin' your head one more time
For now I'll say goodbye
But don't think we're through,
I gotta thing for you...

Well I remember layin your head down,
I remember lovin' all your sounds.

I gotta thing for you.
And I think it's kinda crazy,
'Cause I know that you have someone true,
Wonderin' where you were last night.

Girl I gotta thing for you.
And I know the night was hazy,
But I still remember wakin' up
and kissin' your head one more time...
For now I'll say goodbye

But don't think we're through,
I gotta thing for you...

Now, tell me, if you've been in that situation before...how many of you can say you didn't at least think half of what's actually being said there?

...and so, after having inflicted my current musical taste on you along with the longest blog entry in our history (I think), I'll leave you with that.

Clear Skies~V

Disclaimer: I won't be held responsible for how you obtain any of these songs if you don't have them!!!

Ensconced in the Apple Isle, hardly noticing the net withdrawl.

I have indeed stolen V until the end of January (actually, to be more accurate, the beginning of February), and am holding her captive in my little island home state. It’s been a lot of fun to be here, and made of awesome to have finally managed to drag her down here to show her the stuff I’m often rambling on about. It’s come at a particularly fortuitous time for me, but anyways, on with the postings… the dialup here chez Mum has only made me more remiss with the whole regularity thing, though I s’pose that’ll be made up for with the photo splurge we’re sure to post once we’re back to a connected (civilised?) space.

I felt extraordinarily privileged to see a performance by Ash Dargan last night, with my Mum and Auntie Eva, along with a full house at the Peacock Theatre in the Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart. (Just an aside – Auntie Eva actually isn’t a blood relation, but bears the title as an Elder of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community.)

Ash is from the Northern Territory, a member of the Larrakia people, and he performs his music, the music of his Dreaming in the spirit of cultural education. His performance was part of the Mo Fo expo-festival-y thing that’s happening in Hobart atm, and was (amazingly) free. If you ever have the chance to see him perform, GO. The way he invites the audience to share in his cultural heritage and connection to his Country are truly humbling, and his technical skill with the instruments he uses amazing.

Perhaps it's a shortcoming, but I always find myself trying, after an experience I've found truly moving, to articulate to myself what being moved by that experience means about me. Essentially selfish, I suppose, but I think in a way, also useful - Ash's performance, like the Bangarra Dance Group retrospective I saw with my sister several months ago, their skill, beauty and completeness, seem inevitably to bring me to reflect on the quality of my own life and my engagement with it. It's akin, in a way, to the feeling aroused in a wannabe writer by the sheer grace of wonderful prose - I can't read Neil Gaiman or Thomas Hardy without finding their qualities as wordsmiths transcendent, but the experience is not without a trace of jealousy.

Anyway, I would hate to shift the focus away from the beauty of Ash's performance, so if you get the chance, in whatever form, try to experience his music, and the glimpse of his culture that he is generous enough to share. It truly is a privilege to have the opportunity.