Monday, March 30, 2009
The Tragedy of Written Words
I am feeling very poetic and artsy this week. Somehow this always happens when I have a lot of work to do. I want a video camera right now; I have some ideas, but I cannot create these things since I have neither the means nor the time. I shall have to just put those ideas and emotions in a box and take the box out when time permits (Bree reference). It is sad to me that my schoolwork does not allow me to express myself visually or aurally. It is all words, words, words- written words (minus a few videos in MIT). I clearly appreciate words, but I cannot solely live my life by written words.
*sigh*
And now I go to do some reading before class. More written words...
(Wishing I could be) Listening to: Stars, but I can't focus. It makes me dream too much. Mood: Dreamy. Wanting summer.
What a traditional "journal blog" entry! But I needed some form of expression at the moment. This shall not be the norm for me, fyi.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Dead Child Star
Warning to Vakar: Only read this post when you have caught up on your music! :)
I just got back from a walk to two different libraries on campus. While walking I listened to Q the podcast. This episode was taped before a live audience in Vancouver to gear up for the Junos. Jian Ghomeshi (the host) was particularly lively this episode! I was very much amused by the playful banter between Jian and his guests. I was grinning all the way there and back and I burst out with a stifled laugh a few times! I bet people I past were wondering about me...
The point of this entry is that Torquil Campbell from Stars (my all time
favourite band) was randomly in the audience. Jian recognized him and had Torq come up and talk for a little (this was one of the times I burst out with a laugh- Torquil is pretty funny). Torq corrected Jian on the name of his new band called Dead Child Star (Jian mistakenly called it "Death Child Star"). I hadn't heard anything about this new band! So I am now listening to it. I really enjoy Torquil's voice and I listen to Stars all the time so as soon as it began there was a sense of um, comfort, I suppose. The songs sound reminiscent Stars' album "Heart" and "Nightsongs". There are a lot of similarities between Stars and Dead Child Star (notice the "star" them? hmm). Upon simply listening to the songs of Dead Child Star, you would probably think some of them were from Stars- there is the same soft rock sound, some spoken word, synthesized instruments, lyrics with similar themes, and more. For a lover of Stars, this is amazing! Although my favourite album was "Set Yourself on Fire", so I wouldn't mind if they pursued a similar direction to that.
Here is an interesting note: Dead Child Star is a collaboration of bands under the Arts and Crafts label. Members from Apostle Of Hustle, Broken Social Scene, and Metric -and of course Torq from Stars are all coming together for this project. As well the (?) producer Minotaur Shock has joined in. (citation)
If you are following any of these bands you may know that Amy Millan (from Stars) also plays in Broken Social Scene with Emily Haines and James Shaw (both of Metric), among others, such as Lesley Feist (yes Feist). As well Emily Haines has "appeared" as a guest in few of Stars' songs. Getting confused about all this collaboration? Yes, it is quite a lot.
The thing that I find even more interesting is that I had no idea about the affiliation between Emily Haines and these Canadian Bands (Metric was formed in the States, but is now based in Canada) until I noticed that Emily reminded me of Amy Millan. So I looked it up. It turns out that they formed a short lived band together. I felt pretty awesome for noticing similarities! Or maybe it is just chance...
Ok, so this ends the insanely long post about Arts and Crafts Bands, Canadian music, and collaboration in the music industry! :) Enjoy your Saturday!
I just got back from a walk to two different libraries on campus. While walking I listened to Q the podcast. This episode was taped before a live audience in Vancouver to gear up for the Junos. Jian Ghomeshi (the host) was particularly lively this episode! I was very much amused by the playful banter between Jian and his guests. I was grinning all the way there and back and I burst out with a stifled laugh a few times! I bet people I past were wondering about me...
The point of this entry is that Torquil Campbell from Stars (my all time
favourite band) was randomly in the audience. Jian recognized him and had Torq come up and talk for a little (this was one of the times I burst out with a laugh- Torquil is pretty funny). Torq corrected Jian on the name of his new band called Dead Child Star (Jian mistakenly called it "Death Child Star"). I hadn't heard anything about this new band! So I am now listening to it. I really enjoy Torquil's voice and I listen to Stars all the time so as soon as it began there was a sense of um, comfort, I suppose. The songs sound reminiscent Stars' album "Heart" and "Nightsongs". There are a lot of similarities between Stars and Dead Child Star (notice the "star" them? hmm). Upon simply listening to the songs of Dead Child Star, you would probably think some of them were from Stars- there is the same soft rock sound, some spoken word, synthesized instruments, lyrics with similar themes, and more. For a lover of Stars, this is amazing! Although my favourite album was "Set Yourself on Fire", so I wouldn't mind if they pursued a similar direction to that.Here is an interesting note: Dead Child Star is a collaboration of bands under the Arts and Crafts label. Members from Apostle Of Hustle, Broken Social Scene, and Metric -and of course Torq from Stars are all coming together for this project. As well the (?) producer Minotaur Shock has joined in. (citation)
If you are following any of these bands you may know that Amy Millan (from Stars) also plays in Broken Social Scene with Emily Haines and James Shaw (both of Metric), among others, such as Lesley Feist (yes Feist). As well Emily Haines has "appeared" as a guest in few of Stars' songs. Getting confused about all this collaboration? Yes, it is quite a lot.
The thing that I find even more interesting is that I had no idea about the affiliation between Emily Haines and these Canadian Bands (Metric was formed in the States, but is now based in Canada) until I noticed that Emily reminded me of Amy Millan. So I looked it up. It turns out that they formed a short lived band together. I felt pretty awesome for noticing similarities! Or maybe it is just chance...
Ok, so this ends the insanely long post about Arts and Crafts Bands, Canadian music, and collaboration in the music industry! :) Enjoy your Saturday!
Friday, March 27, 2009
I've got a lovely bunch of crocuses...
There they are all standing in a row. Big ones, small ones, some the size of your head- ok. That's not true. But the first part works!
A sure sign of spring popped up in the last few days in the front yard.
A sure sign of spring popped up in the last few days in the front yard.First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus.
~Lilja Rogers
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus.
~Lilja Rogers
Schmap!
Oooh! This morning I discovered that one of my photos has been selected to appear in a free online travel book, called Schmap! Cool! The picture was on flickr, so that is how it was found. I was sent an email asking if I would be interested in letting them use my photo. Now the new version has been released, so there it is folks! :) 
To view the Munich guide, check out the widget I put in the side -> When you are on the Schloss Nymphenburg page you can click any photo to be taken to where it originally appears online.
So the last 24 hours have been a time of... um affirmation, I suppose. I received this today and last night a fashion writer approached me and asked to take my photo! :) Kinda neat! All in all its nice to know that what I do is noticed!
To view the Munich guide, check out the widget I put in the side -> When you are on the Schloss Nymphenburg page you can click any photo to be taken to where it originally appears online.So the last 24 hours have been a time of... um affirmation, I suppose. I received this today and last night a fashion writer approached me and asked to take my photo! :) Kinda neat! All in all its nice to know that what I do is noticed!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Simple White Bread
Mmmm! My bread is ready! But I have to wait a few minutes for it to cool, so I thought I'd pass on this recipe for simple, quick bread!
My recipe is a simplification of this recipe because I did not have everything on hand.
Simple White Bread
1 tablespoon Fast Rising Yeast
1/3 cup Honey
1 1/2 cup Warm Water
Mix. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
Add 3-4 1/2 cups of Flour
Mix and then knead.
Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil
Knead.
Grease Pan. Put in warm oven (about 150 degrees F)
Let rise for 30 minutes.
Turn oven up to 375 degrees F
Cook for 30-40 minutes
I didn't have enough honey last time, so I looked for something else to put in. I tried about a tablespoon of molasses! It gave it a yellow tint, but I don't know how much it changed the flavour. This time, I had no honey, so I tried 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. I have now consumed the little loaf I made, and I can say that it wasn't sweet enough. But I do think that 1/3 cup of honey is too much. I'll change this once I find the perfect amount.
Also, the original recipe calls for 4 1/2 cups of flour, but I can only seem to knead in 3 cups. Maybe it works better with a mixer
Mike said he was going to make the original version tonight, but he was going to leave it for a few hours after rising and then cook it. He is supposed to let me know how that goes...
PS I usually make the same recipe for bread as my family (similar to this), but I left that recipe in Toronto for some silly reason.
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