It's been a while since I've posted (a little over a month now).
Simply said it has been busy around here as the spring rushes through and summer warmth feels like it is here!
I heard this song the other day and I thought how it hit a number of spots so I couldn't help but post it use it as a springboard to help me feel like posting some more. Anyway we all push on.
"Flying Without Wings"
WestLife
Everybody's looking for a something
One thing that makes it all complete
You'll find it in the strangest places
Places you never knew it could be
Some find it in the face of their children
Some find it in their lover's eyes
Who can deny the joy it brings
When you've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
Some find it sharing every morning
Some in their solitary lives
You'll find it in the words of others
A simple line can make you laugh or cry
You'll find it in the deepest friendship
The kind you cherish all your life
And when you know how much it means
You've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
So, impossible as it may seem
You've got to fight for every dream
Cos who's to know which one you let go
Would have made you complete
Well, for me it's waking up beside you
To watch the sunrise on your face
To know that I can say I love you
In any given time or place
It's little things that only I know
Those are the things that make you mine
And it's like flying without wings
Cos you're my special thing
I'm flying without
And in this place I long to be
You'll be where it ends
I'm flying without wings
And that's the joy you bring
I'm flying without wings
so there I have posted and hopefully my funk will fly and the creative juices will start flowing again.
Have a Sensational Sunday!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I picked up the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack today. There are some good songs on it. IMHO it's worth a listen.
FYI ~ There are 2 different "soundtracks" available ~
The first ~ "Almost Alice" contains songs from various artists ranging from the unknown to the known. Since I love lyrics I personally fell heavy for this one (see left)
But I do like the other one too! Damn if money only grew on trees I would be one happy camper!
The second is from Danny Elfman who was originally the frontman of art punk band Oingo Bongo, who had a hit with the title song to the movie Weird Science
(what a classic tune and an interesting movie - Thanks to John Hughes). Later he became better known as the guy who wrote the theme to The Simpsons, as well as composing soundtracks for many other popular TV shows and films.
Elfman, who is Burton's long time collaborator, was nominated for 4 Academy Awards® and 10 GRAMMY® Awards. He musically lends a magical, whimsical and imaginative twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time. Elfman has written close to 50 film scores featuring his unique sound including The Nightmare Before Christmas
, Beetlejuice
, Batman
, Spider-Man
, Edward Scissorhands
, Men in Black 
and more.
For your enjoyment I have included a couple of clips below from the first. One is from Franz Fernald while the other artist/group is Shinedown. Please scroll on down and read along with the following verse from Lewis Carroll to find the songs.
The Lobster-Quadrille by Lewis Carroll
Chapter 10 from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes. He looked at Alice and tried to speak, but, for a minute or two, sobs choked his voice.
"Same as if he had a bone in his throat," said the Gryphon; and it set to work shaking him and punching him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again:
“You may not have lived much under the sea—” ("I haven’t,” said Alice)—
"and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster— " (Alice began to say, “I once tasted—” but checked herself hastily, and said, “No, never”)
“—so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster-Quadrille is!”
“No, indeed,” said Alice. “What sort of a dance is it?”
“Why,” said the Gryphon, “you first form into a line along the sea-shore—”
“Two lines!” cried the Mock Turtle. “Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on: then, when you’ve cleared all the jelly-fish out of the way—”
“That generally takes some time,” interrupted the Gryphon.
“—you advance twice—”
“Each with a lobster as a partner!” cried the Gryphon.
“Of course,” the Mock Turtle said: “advance twice, set to partners—”
“—change lobsters, and retire in same order,” continued the Gryphon.
“Then, you know,” the Mock Turtle went on, “you throw the—”
“The lobsters!” shouted the Gryphon, with a bound into the air.
“—as far out to sea as you can—”
“Swim after them!” screamed the Gryphon.
“Turn a somersault in the sea!” cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about.
“Change lobsters again!” yelled the Gryphon at the top of its voice.
“Back to land again, and—that’s all the first figure,” said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice; and the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again very sadly and quietly and looked at Alice.
“It must be a very pretty dance,” said Alice timidly.
“Would you like to see a little of it?” said the Mock Turtle.
“Very much indeed,” said Alice.
“Come, let’s try the first figure!” said the Mock Turtle to the Gryphon. “We can do it without lobsters, you know. Which shall sing?”
“Oh, you sing,” said the Gryphon. “I’ve forgotten the words.”
So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice, every now and then treading on her toes when they passed too close, and waving their fore-paws to mark the time, while the Mock Turtle sang this, very slowly and sadly:
The First music clip is from Franz Fernald ~
Click on > to listen to Franz Fernald's song "The Lobster Quardille"
(then read along with the lyrics below)
“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail,
“There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my
tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle—will you come and join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the
dance?
“You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out
to sea!"
But the snail replied, “Too far, too far!” and gave a look
askance—
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join
the dance.
“What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.
“There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France—
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the
dance.
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the
dance?”
To be continued....
Click on > to listen to Shinedown's song "Her Name Is Alice" And please continue scrolling down for a wee bit more of Alice amusements and other ideas and thoughts...
There is free shipping available on many of them (see terms)
To the left is a statue in Central Park, NY
(I will tell you more about the statue later ~ so please come back!)
If yoy enjoy these tidbits please leave a comment below. That's the only way I know what the readers (whom ever they may be) like.
FYI ~ There are 2 different "soundtracks" available ~
The first ~ "Almost Alice" contains songs from various artists ranging from the unknown to the known. Since I love lyrics I personally fell heavy for this one (see left)
But I do like the other one too! Damn if money only grew on trees I would be one happy camper!
The second is from Danny Elfman who was originally the frontman of art punk band Oingo Bongo, who had a hit with the title song to the movie Weird Science
(what a classic tune and an interesting movie - Thanks to John Hughes). Later he became better known as the guy who wrote the theme to The Simpsons, as well as composing soundtracks for many other popular TV shows and films.Elfman, who is Burton's long time collaborator, was nominated for 4 Academy Awards® and 10 GRAMMY® Awards. He musically lends a magical, whimsical and imaginative twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time. Elfman has written close to 50 film scores featuring his unique sound including The Nightmare Before Christmas
, Beetlejuice, Batman, Spider-Man, Edward Scissorhands, Men in Black and more. For your enjoyment I have included a couple of clips below from the first. One is from Franz Fernald while the other artist/group is Shinedown. Please scroll on down and read along with the following verse from Lewis Carroll to find the songs.
The Lobster-Quadrille by Lewis Carroll
Chapter 10 from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes. He looked at Alice and tried to speak, but, for a minute or two, sobs choked his voice.
"Same as if he had a bone in his throat," said the Gryphon; and it set to work shaking him and punching him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again:
“You may not have lived much under the sea—” ("I haven’t,” said Alice)—
"and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster— " (Alice began to say, “I once tasted—” but checked herself hastily, and said, “No, never”)
“—so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster-Quadrille is!”
“No, indeed,” said Alice. “What sort of a dance is it?”
“Why,” said the Gryphon, “you first form into a line along the sea-shore—”
“Two lines!” cried the Mock Turtle. “Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on: then, when you’ve cleared all the jelly-fish out of the way—”
“That generally takes some time,” interrupted the Gryphon.
“—you advance twice—”
“Each with a lobster as a partner!” cried the Gryphon.
“Of course,” the Mock Turtle said: “advance twice, set to partners—”
“—change lobsters, and retire in same order,” continued the Gryphon.
“Then, you know,” the Mock Turtle went on, “you throw the—”
“The lobsters!” shouted the Gryphon, with a bound into the air.
“—as far out to sea as you can—”
“Swim after them!” screamed the Gryphon.
“Turn a somersault in the sea!” cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about.
“Change lobsters again!” yelled the Gryphon at the top of its voice.
“Back to land again, and—that’s all the first figure,” said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice; and the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again very sadly and quietly and looked at Alice.
“It must be a very pretty dance,” said Alice timidly.
“Would you like to see a little of it?” said the Mock Turtle.
“Very much indeed,” said Alice.
“Come, let’s try the first figure!” said the Mock Turtle to the Gryphon. “We can do it without lobsters, you know. Which shall sing?”
“Oh, you sing,” said the Gryphon. “I’ve forgotten the words.”
So they began solemnly dancing round and round Alice, every now and then treading on her toes when they passed too close, and waving their fore-paws to mark the time, while the Mock Turtle sang this, very slowly and sadly:
The First music clip is from Franz Fernald ~
Click on > to listen to Franz Fernald's song "The Lobster Quardille"
(then read along with the lyrics below)
“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail,
“There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my
tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle—will you come and join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the
dance?
“You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out
to sea!"
But the snail replied, “Too far, too far!” and gave a look
askance—
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join
the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join
the dance.
“What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.
“There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France—
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the
dance.
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the
dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the
dance?”
To be continued....
Click on > to listen to Shinedown's song "Her Name Is Alice" And please continue scrolling down for a wee bit more of Alice amusements and other ideas and thoughts...
Check out the many Alice in Wonderland books available in the slide show to the left.
Run the mouse over the pictures to see the great prices available!
There is free shipping available on many of them (see terms)
To the left is a statue in Central Park, NY
(I will tell you more about the statue later ~ so please come back!)
If yoy enjoy these tidbits please leave a comment below. That's the only way I know what the readers (whom ever they may be) like.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Acadia National Park
Sargent Mountain Pond in Acadia likely Maine's first lake
according to the Bangor Daily News
check out AcadiaMarket.com
Thanks
Music ~ Klezmer
Tzigas a klazmer band from "down under"
click below to hear
"Nokh a Glezl Vayn" - One of my favorite songs
Below: A you-tube video of one of their concerts
Thanks for reading and listening!
What's up with the name of the blog?
Ideas and Thoughts
Ideas are something that all humans share, not the same ideas but the ability to have an idea or thought. Some great thinkers feel that only humans have this ability. WRONG I feel that animals also have ideas and thoughts however they can't discuss or share them. Human beings on the other hand can discuss and extrapolate their ideas and thoughts.
Wikipedia defines an idea as:
In the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational images; i.e. images of some object. In other contexts, ideas are taken to be concepts, although abstract concepts do not necessarily appear as images.[1] Many philosophers consider ideas to be a fundamental ontological category of being.
The capacity to create and understand the meaning of ideas is considered to be an essential and defining feature of human beings.
In a popular sense, an idea arises in a reflex, spontaneous manner, even without thinking or serious reflection, for example, when we talk about the idea of a person or a place.
One view on the nature of ideas is that there exist some ideas (called innate ideas) which are so general and abstract, that they could not have arisen as a representation of any object of our perception, but rather were, in some sense, always in the mind before we could learn them. These are distinguished from adventitious ideas which are images or concepts which are accompanied by the judgment that they are caused by some object outside of the mind.
Another view holds that we only discover ideas in the same way that we discover the real world, from personal experiences. The view that humans acquire all or almost all their behavioral traits from nurture (life experiences) is known as tabula rasa ("blank slate"). Most of the confusions in the way of ideas arise at least in part from the use of the term "idea" to cover both the representation percept and the object of conceptual thought. This can be illustrated in terms of the doctrines of innate ideas, "concrete ideas versus abstract ideas", as well as "simple ideas versus complex ideas".
Innate Ideas, Adventitious Ideas, Concrete Ideas Versus Abstract Ideas, Simple Ideas Versus Complex Ideas.
I will add another type of idea - Contagious Ideas - The best kind -
No matter what type of idea one has, innate, advetitious, concrete, abstract, simple or complex the idea must be discussed and relayed to others to become contagious.
As stated earlier this is what humans do - discuss ideas.
Once it has been discussed and becomes contagious it take on an entirely different personna. It changes and morphs as each new contributor adds to it. It also takes on a life of it's own. Growing and evolving much the same way that a snowball does when rolled - adding more snow to itself and changings and growing until it becomes a snowman base.
Today with the internet, iphones and all other types of instantaneous communication Contagious Ideas have an even greater chance of happening. Remember the idea must be discussed to morph and today these ideas can be discussed in all corners of the world at lightning speed.
Contagiou ideas have been accepted by the marketing world and morphed into a new arena - Viral Ideas.
Advertisers need a contagious idea to start the conversation. What’s a contagious idea? How do you know you’ve got one? It’s not just a stunt, not a “one off”, not simply viral. It’s an idea that instigates, influences and ultimately changes brand conversation across all media and across all brand experiences. The means of transmission is your consumer’s vast network of connections. They showed us the commercials which were—how should I put it—lovely. Really lovely and memorable.
I am not so interested in the marketing/advertising side of cantagious ideas as I am in the birth of these ideas and the journey they take in becoming contagious. Malcolm Gladwell of The New Yorker discusses this in "The Tipping Point".
More later....
PS - The first I heard of Contagious Ideas was from artist/photographer Iké Udé. Check out his emagazine aRude.
Ideas are something that all humans share, not the same ideas but the ability to have an idea or thought. Some great thinkers feel that only humans have this ability. WRONG I feel that animals also have ideas and thoughts however they can't discuss or share them. Human beings on the other hand can discuss and extrapolate their ideas and thoughts.
Wikipedia defines an idea as:
In the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational images; i.e. images of some object. In other contexts, ideas are taken to be concepts, although abstract concepts do not necessarily appear as images.[1] Many philosophers consider ideas to be a fundamental ontological category of being.
The capacity to create and understand the meaning of ideas is considered to be an essential and defining feature of human beings.
In a popular sense, an idea arises in a reflex, spontaneous manner, even without thinking or serious reflection, for example, when we talk about the idea of a person or a place.
One view on the nature of ideas is that there exist some ideas (called innate ideas) which are so general and abstract, that they could not have arisen as a representation of any object of our perception, but rather were, in some sense, always in the mind before we could learn them. These are distinguished from adventitious ideas which are images or concepts which are accompanied by the judgment that they are caused by some object outside of the mind.
Another view holds that we only discover ideas in the same way that we discover the real world, from personal experiences. The view that humans acquire all or almost all their behavioral traits from nurture (life experiences) is known as tabula rasa ("blank slate"). Most of the confusions in the way of ideas arise at least in part from the use of the term "idea" to cover both the representation percept and the object of conceptual thought. This can be illustrated in terms of the doctrines of innate ideas, "concrete ideas versus abstract ideas", as well as "simple ideas versus complex ideas".
Innate Ideas, Adventitious Ideas, Concrete Ideas Versus Abstract Ideas, Simple Ideas Versus Complex Ideas.
I will add another type of idea - Contagious Ideas - The best kind -
No matter what type of idea one has, innate, advetitious, concrete, abstract, simple or complex the idea must be discussed and relayed to others to become contagious.
As stated earlier this is what humans do - discuss ideas.
Once it has been discussed and becomes contagious it take on an entirely different personna. It changes and morphs as each new contributor adds to it. It also takes on a life of it's own. Growing and evolving much the same way that a snowball does when rolled - adding more snow to itself and changings and growing until it becomes a snowman base.
Today with the internet, iphones and all other types of instantaneous communication Contagious Ideas have an even greater chance of happening. Remember the idea must be discussed to morph and today these ideas can be discussed in all corners of the world at lightning speed.
Contagiou ideas have been accepted by the marketing world and morphed into a new arena - Viral Ideas.
Advertisers need a contagious idea to start the conversation. What’s a contagious idea? How do you know you’ve got one? It’s not just a stunt, not a “one off”, not simply viral. It’s an idea that instigates, influences and ultimately changes brand conversation across all media and across all brand experiences. The means of transmission is your consumer’s vast network of connections. They showed us the commercials which were—how should I put it—lovely. Really lovely and memorable.
I am not so interested in the marketing/advertising side of cantagious ideas as I am in the birth of these ideas and the journey they take in becoming contagious. Malcolm Gladwell of The New Yorker discusses this in "The Tipping Point".
More later....
PS - The first I heard of Contagious Ideas was from artist/photographer Iké Udé. Check out his emagazine aRude.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
You Tube - Disney's Alice reworked for 2010
Sorry if this offends (I don't agree with the tune) but the editor did a great job
Friday, March 12, 2010
My step-daughter is becoming a vegen...
I am so proud of her... she has a reason and she wants to do it!
I found this at You Tube and thought of her
Thanks for watching!
I found this at You Tube and thought of her
Thanks for watching!
Oysters on a half shell......
The Walrus and the Carpenter
a poem by Lewis Carroll
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might;
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright—
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done—
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"
The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky;
No birds were flying overhead—
There were no birds to fly.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand.
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"
"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach;
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."
The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said;
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head—
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat;
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat—
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.
Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more—
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low;
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
And cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings."
"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need;
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed—
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."
"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said,
"Do you admire the view?"
"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf—
I've had to ask you twice!"
"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"
"I weep for you," the Walrus said;
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none—
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Lewis Carroll
and don't forget I am the Walrus!
Click play to listen to the Beatles "I Am The Walrus"
and one last you tube for everyone...
a poem by Lewis Carroll
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might;
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright—
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done—
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"
The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky;
No birds were flying overhead—
There were no birds to fly.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand.
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"
"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach;
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."
The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said;
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head—
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat;
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat—
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.
Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more—
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low;
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
And cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings."
"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need;
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed—
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."
"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said,
"Do you admire the view?"
"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf—
I've had to ask you twice!"
"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"
"I weep for you," the Walrus said;
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none—
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Lewis Carroll
The premise of the 1967 The Beatles song, “I am the Walrus,” is attributed to Lewis Carroll’s poem, “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” from the book Through the Looking Glass (1871). The Beatles nonsensical and psychedelic lyrics hold true to Carroll’s imagined world, although they did not fully understand that the Walrus was essentially the villain of Carroll’s story because they have identified us—us being all of humanity—with the Walrus. Indeed, the lyric “I am he/ as you are he/ as you are me/ and we are all together…” demonstrates the identification with the Walrus, who hardheartedly eats a family of oysters and leaves none for his human cohort the Carpenter. He is greedy, apathetic, and altogether unkind. Yet The Beatles decided to write a lyrical contribution to the character, albeit with the influence of acid. How you interpret the text reveals much more about yourself than the writing or the lyrics.
and don't forget I am the Walrus!
Click play to listen to the Beatles "I Am The Walrus"
and one last you tube for everyone...
The Bandersnatch
The Bandersnatch is a monster appearing in the works of Lewis Carroll. We don't have much information about it, except that it is frumious and savage, and that you want to shun it or avoid it at all costs.
`Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll.
Well, you've probably read that many times before. But what many people don't know is that we have a written account of an actual bandersnatch attack. This is the only documented case of a bandersnatch. I have here the most pertinent parts; still no real description of the monster, but it does go into some detail on the effects of a bandersnatch mauling.
'And the Banker, inspired with a courage so new
It was matter for general remark,
Rushed madly ahead and was lost to their view
In his zeal to discover the Snark
But while he was seeking with thimbles and care,
A Bandersnatch swiftly drew nigh
And grabbed at the Banker, who shrieked in despair,
For he knew it was useless to fly.
He offered large discount--he offered a check
(Drawn "to bearer") for seven-pounds-ten:
But the Bandersnatch merely extended its neck
And grabbed at the Banker again.
Without rest or pause--while those frumious jaws
Went savagely snapping around-
He skipped and he hopped, and he floundered and flopped,
Till fainting he fell to the ground.
The Bandersnatch fled as the others appeared
Led on by that fear-stricken yell:
And the Bellman remarked "It is just as I feared!"
And solemnly tolled on his bell.
He was black in the face, and they scarcely could trace
The least likeness to what he had been:
While so great was his fright that his waistcoat turned white-
A wonderful thing to be seen!
--The Hunting of The Snark, The Banker's Fate, by Lewis Carroll.
Graphic, isn't it? Well, the Banker lived, but he was driven mad, and left (at least temporarily) mute. Happily, his mutilation and subsequent insanity did not delay the Snark hunt. Carroll has left us with only one other reference to the bandersnatch, this time a very brief and confusing reference in Through the Looking Glass:
"Would you -- be good enough," Alice panted out, after running a little further, "to stop a minute -- just to get -- one's breath again!"
"I'm good enough," the King said, "only I'm not strong enough. You see, a minute goes by so fearfully quick. You might as well try to stop a Bandersnatch!
Ironically, in The Hunting of the Snark, our most detailed account of a bandersnatch encounter, they did indeed stop a bandersnatch, and apparently they did it just by showing up. Granted, the bandersnatch showed no fear when faced by a lone banker, but a small group of mixed nutters was too much for it. Of course, we must remember that the King is mad. And aren't we all... a little bit Mad?!
Well, anyway, that's all that Carroll wrote. Other authors have used the bandersnatch since, but a full listing of appearances is beyond the scope of this writeup.
`Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll.
Well, you've probably read that many times before. But what many people don't know is that we have a written account of an actual bandersnatch attack. This is the only documented case of a bandersnatch. I have here the most pertinent parts; still no real description of the monster, but it does go into some detail on the effects of a bandersnatch mauling.
'And the Banker, inspired with a courage so new
It was matter for general remark,
Rushed madly ahead and was lost to their view
In his zeal to discover the Snark
But while he was seeking with thimbles and care,
A Bandersnatch swiftly drew nigh
And grabbed at the Banker, who shrieked in despair,
For he knew it was useless to fly.
He offered large discount--he offered a check
(Drawn "to bearer") for seven-pounds-ten:
But the Bandersnatch merely extended its neck
And grabbed at the Banker again.
Without rest or pause--while those frumious jaws
Went savagely snapping around-
He skipped and he hopped, and he floundered and flopped,
Till fainting he fell to the ground.
The Bandersnatch fled as the others appeared
Led on by that fear-stricken yell:
And the Bellman remarked "It is just as I feared!"
And solemnly tolled on his bell.
He was black in the face, and they scarcely could trace
The least likeness to what he had been:
While so great was his fright that his waistcoat turned white-
A wonderful thing to be seen!
--The Hunting of The Snark, The Banker's Fate, by Lewis Carroll.
Graphic, isn't it? Well, the Banker lived, but he was driven mad, and left (at least temporarily) mute. Happily, his mutilation and subsequent insanity did not delay the Snark hunt. Carroll has left us with only one other reference to the bandersnatch, this time a very brief and confusing reference in Through the Looking Glass:
"Would you -- be good enough," Alice panted out, after running a little further, "to stop a minute -- just to get -- one's breath again!"
"I'm good enough," the King said, "only I'm not strong enough. You see, a minute goes by so fearfully quick. You might as well try to stop a Bandersnatch!
Ironically, in The Hunting of the Snark, our most detailed account of a bandersnatch encounter, they did indeed stop a bandersnatch, and apparently they did it just by showing up. Granted, the bandersnatch showed no fear when faced by a lone banker, but a small group of mixed nutters was too much for it. Of course, we must remember that the King is mad. And aren't we all... a little bit Mad?!
Well, anyway, that's all that Carroll wrote. Other authors have used the bandersnatch since, but a full listing of appearances is beyond the scope of this writeup.
Back to Alice....
Through the Looking Glass - Chapter XI
Waking
-- and it really was a kitten, after all.
Chapter XII
Which Dreamed it?
"Your majesty shouldn't purr so loud," Alice said, rubbing her eyes, and addressing the kitten, respectfully, yet with some severity. "You woke me out of oh! such a nice dream! And you've been along with me, Kitty -- all through the Looking-Glass world. Did you know it, dear?"
It is a very inconvenient habit of kittens (Alice had once made the remark) that, whatever you say to them, they always purr. "If them would only purr for `yes' and mew for `no,' or any rule of that sort," she had said, "so that one could keep up a conversation! But how can you talk with a person if they always say the same thing?"
On this occasion the kitten only purred: and it was impossible to guess whether it meant "yes" or "no."
So Alice hunted among the chessmen on the table till she had found the Red Queen: then she went down on her knees on the hearth-rug, and put the kitten and the Queen to look at each other. "Now, Kitty!" she cried, clapping her hands triumphantly. "Confess that was what you turned into!"
("But it wouldn't look at it," she said, when she was explaining the thing afterwards to her sister: "it turned away its head, and pretended not to see it: but it looked a little ashamed of itself, so I think it MUST have been the Red Queen.')
"Sit up a little more stiffly, dear!" Alice cried with a merry laugh. "And curtsey while you're thinking what to -- what to purr. It saves time, remember!" And she caught it up and gave it one little kiss, "just in honour of having been a Red Queen."
"Snowdrop, my pet!" she went on, looking over her shoulder at the White Kitten, which was still patiently undergoing its toilet, "when will Dinah have finished with your White Majesty, I wonder? That must be the reason you were so untidy in my dream - - Dinah! do you know that you're scrubbing a White Queen? Really, it's most disrespectful of you!
"And what did Dinah turn to, I wonder?" she prattled on, as she settled comfortably down, with one elbow in the rug, and her chin in her hand, to watch the kittens. "Tell me, Dinah, did you turn to Humpty Dumpty? I think you did -- however, you'd better not mention it to your friends just yet, for I'm not sure.
"By the way, Kitty, if only you'd been really with me in my dream, there was one thing you would have enjoyed -- I had such a quantity of poetry said to me, all about fishes! To-morrow morning you shall have a real treat. All the time you're eating your breakfast, I'll repeat `The Walrus and the Carpenter' to you; and then you can make believe it's oysters, dear!
"Now, Kitty, let's consider who it was that dreamed it all. This is a serious question, my dear, and you should not go on licking your paw like that -- as if Dinah hadn't washed you this morning! You see, Kitty, it must have been either me or the Red King. He was part of my dream, of course -- but then I was part of his dream, too! Was it the Red King, Kitty? You were his wife, my dear, so you ought to know -- Oh, Kitty, do help to settle it! I'm sure your paw can wait!" But the provoking kitten only began on the other paw, and pretended it hadn't heard the question.
Which do you think it was?
Waking
-- and it really was a kitten, after all.
Chapter XII
Which Dreamed it?
"Your majesty shouldn't purr so loud," Alice said, rubbing her eyes, and addressing the kitten, respectfully, yet with some severity. "You woke me out of oh! such a nice dream! And you've been along with me, Kitty -- all through the Looking-Glass world. Did you know it, dear?"
It is a very inconvenient habit of kittens (Alice had once made the remark) that, whatever you say to them, they always purr. "If them would only purr for `yes' and mew for `no,' or any rule of that sort," she had said, "so that one could keep up a conversation! But how can you talk with a person if they always say the same thing?"
On this occasion the kitten only purred: and it was impossible to guess whether it meant "yes" or "no."
So Alice hunted among the chessmen on the table till she had found the Red Queen: then she went down on her knees on the hearth-rug, and put the kitten and the Queen to look at each other. "Now, Kitty!" she cried, clapping her hands triumphantly. "Confess that was what you turned into!"
("But it wouldn't look at it," she said, when she was explaining the thing afterwards to her sister: "it turned away its head, and pretended not to see it: but it looked a little ashamed of itself, so I think it MUST have been the Red Queen.')
"Sit up a little more stiffly, dear!" Alice cried with a merry laugh. "And curtsey while you're thinking what to -- what to purr. It saves time, remember!" And she caught it up and gave it one little kiss, "just in honour of having been a Red Queen."
"Snowdrop, my pet!" she went on, looking over her shoulder at the White Kitten, which was still patiently undergoing its toilet, "when will Dinah have finished with your White Majesty, I wonder? That must be the reason you were so untidy in my dream - - Dinah! do you know that you're scrubbing a White Queen? Really, it's most disrespectful of you!
"And what did Dinah turn to, I wonder?" she prattled on, as she settled comfortably down, with one elbow in the rug, and her chin in her hand, to watch the kittens. "Tell me, Dinah, did you turn to Humpty Dumpty? I think you did -- however, you'd better not mention it to your friends just yet, for I'm not sure.
"By the way, Kitty, if only you'd been really with me in my dream, there was one thing you would have enjoyed -- I had such a quantity of poetry said to me, all about fishes! To-morrow morning you shall have a real treat. All the time you're eating your breakfast, I'll repeat `The Walrus and the Carpenter' to you; and then you can make believe it's oysters, dear!
"Now, Kitty, let's consider who it was that dreamed it all. This is a serious question, my dear, and you should not go on licking your paw like that -- as if Dinah hadn't washed you this morning! You see, Kitty, it must have been either me or the Red King. He was part of my dream, of course -- but then I was part of his dream, too! Was it the Red King, Kitty? You were his wife, my dear, so you ought to know -- Oh, Kitty, do help to settle it! I'm sure your paw can wait!" But the provoking kitten only began on the other paw, and pretended it hadn't heard the question.
Which do you think it was?
“You are a Marvel, You are Unique....
Children ~ ahh what a joy! Even if I am "only a step-dad" I have been thinking about our children a lot lately. Perhaps it is because I am getting older and as I do I realize they are the future. It is all up to them and their children and their children's children and on and on...
My mother had the following quote on the kitchen cabinet. I would read it almost everyday and I believed it! Thank you Shirley!
Pablo Casals
"You are a Marvel, You are Unique
Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe,
A moment that never was before and never will be again.
And what do we teach our children in school?
We teach them that two and two make four
And that Paris is the capital of France.
When will we also teach them what they are?
We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel. You are unique.
In all of the world there is no other child exactly like you.
In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been a child like you.
And look at your body- what a wonder it is!
Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, the way you move!
You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven.
You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel.
And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?
You must cherish one another.
We must all work-
To make this world worthy of its children."
Pablo Casals, the great spanish cellist, wrote these motivating words that The Mad Hatter invites us to enjoy together.
Casals, mostly known for his fascinating cello playing, was also a conductor. He performed many concerts and recorded many recordings, possibly the best known being his performance of the Bach Cello Suites. Today Casal’s legacy lives on in his recordings, his writings, and also through the International Pablo Casal’s Cello Competition which is held annually.
My mother had the following quote on the kitchen cabinet. I would read it almost everyday and I believed it! Thank you Shirley!
Pablo Casals
"You are a Marvel, You are Unique
Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe,
A moment that never was before and never will be again.
And what do we teach our children in school?
We teach them that two and two make four
And that Paris is the capital of France.
When will we also teach them what they are?
We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel. You are unique.
In all of the world there is no other child exactly like you.
In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been a child like you.
And look at your body- what a wonder it is!
Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, the way you move!
You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven.
You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel.
And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?
You must cherish one another.
We must all work-
To make this world worthy of its children."
Casals, mostly known for his fascinating cello playing, was also a conductor. He performed many concerts and recorded many recordings, possibly the best known being his performance of the Bach Cello Suites. Today Casal’s legacy lives on in his recordings, his writings, and also through the International Pablo Casal’s Cello Competition which is held annually.
Alice in Wonderland
We went to see Johnny Depp's new movie last week. We took 2 of the kids and they loved it. It was fantabulous! Or should I say Frabjous?! Tim Burton does a great job keeping to the original and actually goes beyond it by working in more of the Lewis Carroll tales from other parts of The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll.
If you haven't read the book yet (or haven't read it in a while) pick one up and read it soon. The Complete Illustrated Works of Lewis Carroll
While I was growing up my father would often pick up the book and read to the family OR he would ask one of to read. By age 8 I could recite the Jabbberwocky and other poems such as The Walrus and The Carpenter or The Hunting of The Snark.
If you haven't read the book yet (or haven't read it in a while) pick one up and read it soon. The Complete Illustrated Works of Lewis Carroll
While I was growing up my father would often pick up the book and read to the family OR he would ask one of to read. By age 8 I could recite the Jabbberwocky and other poems such as The Walrus and The Carpenter or The Hunting of The Snark.
Jabberwocky
JABBERWOCKY
Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
And the mome raths outgrabe.
(No Jabberwockys were harmed in the posting of this poem)
The nonsense poem is one very symbolic of Lewis Carrol's, who together with a penchant for little girls, was also a lover of linguistics. It centers around the figure of the fearful monster Jabberwock, and its heroic slaying.The actual Jabberwock was immortalised through Tenniel's expert illustration as a dragon-like creature.
Perhaps the main interest in this poem is in Carroll's imaginative use of language to give a sense of semantics to otherwise nonsense words. He often uses what is known in linguistics as portmanteaus, that is, a blend of words. Humpty Dumpty later meets up with Alice and gives meanings to these invented words. In the first verse, for instance, the word 'slithy' is explained as a blend of the words 'lithe' and 'slimey'. 'Mimsy', a word used to described Carroll's borogroves, was explained by Humpty to be a mixture of 'flimsy' and 'miserable'.
The greatness of the poem lies indeed here - in the way that Carroll made use of normal english verse, with sound sentence structure and the quatrained, rhymed verse with iambic meter to make it sound like an ordinary children's poem. Flickerings of semi-familar words as sprinkled throughout the poem further emphasise this aura of normality. The poem enables easy reading, because the words in themselves, being blends, appear familiar - yet reading it will leave one only half comprehending of the content and oddly so. Alice explained it best herself after she finished reading the poem:
"... Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas--only I don't exactly know what they are!"
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