Posts tagged listening

Scent of the Day: London, also, The Rose layered with Séance. Reading: Dickens by Peter Ackroyd Listening: London: the Biography by Peter Ackroyd Autumn is quietly approaching those of us in the north. The leaves on the birch and aspen are already starting to turn. The sky is bluer and the nights are chilly. The sun is a warmer gold and slanting lower in the morning sky. Summer is always brief and never seems to last long enough. Our winters are 6 months long and so cold. I would even be happy with another month of warm weather; a golden Indian summer. It’s not to be. The foxes are hunting and the ravens are back to roost. The one that lives near my office trailer has already been by to visit, stomping around loudly on the roof and making it’s presence known. In a few weeks I’ll have to make a note to have my winter jacket cleaned. I’m almost done my first scarf; black with sparkly silver thread. It reminds me of a starry sky so I like it. Tonight is my fourth and final workout of the week then I’ll have three blissful days full of reading and knitting. I may be moving out of camp for a few weeks. I don’t know for sure yet. School is also starting soon. Less than a month! I have to buy textbooks for my French and Spanish courses. There is so much to do including mustering up the maturity to just accept that winter is coming and to embrace my winter mind. It might take awhile and no promises.

Scent of the Day: London, also, The Rose layered with Séance.

Reading: Dickens by Peter Ackroyd

Listening: London: the Biography by Peter Ackroyd

Autumn is quietly approaching those of us in the north. The leaves on the birch and aspen are already starting to turn. The sky is bluer and the nights are chilly. The sun is a warmer gold and slanting lower in the morning sky.

Summer is always brief and never seems to last long enough. Our winters are 6 months long and so cold. I would even be happy with another month of warm weather; a golden Indian summer. It’s not to be. The foxes are hunting and the ravens are back to roost. The one that lives near my office trailer has already been by to visit, stomping around loudly on the roof and making it’s presence known.

In a few weeks I’ll have to make a note to have my winter jacket cleaned. I’m almost done my first scarf; black with sparkly silver thread. It reminds me of a starry sky so I like it.

Tonight is my fourth and final workout of the week then I’ll have three blissful days full of reading and knitting. I may be moving out of camp for a few weeks. I don’t know for sure yet. School is also starting soon. Less than a month! I have to buy textbooks for my French and Spanish courses.

There is so much to do including mustering up the maturity to just accept that winter is coming and to embrace my winter mind. It might take awhile and no promises.

Think Different

Gym

I’ve always believed in taking a cold, hard look at my life and changing what needs to be changed. I deactivated my Facebook account permanently. I found using Facebook to be tedious and uninspiring. I found it akin to growing a garden full of vegetables you don’t like and won’t eat, so what’s the point? I don’t think I’m the right demographic for the service; I’m too old and my analog life is already too full to be concerned with giving status updates to people that don’t care what I’m doing. The people that do care; we are already in contact either face to face or through another service.

 My third appointment with my personal trainer is tonight. Leg day was awesome but I am still sore. Truly sore, but in a good way. I’m getting some good workout time in and he makes sure I don’t get lazy. That’s the whole point.

Other than work and working out I’ve been busying myself either:

  1. Crocheting a winter scarf. (of which I am half way through).
  2. Reading Quicksilver on my iPhone 4. (of which I am also half way through).
  3. Reading Neuromancer on my Amazon Kindle.
  4. Reading a smattering of books I brought to camp with me including Homemade.
  5. Listening to podcasts of This American Life.
  6. Listening to the News from Lake Wobegone or…
  7. Catching up on episodes of the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast.
  8. Watching Canucks hockey.
That’s what I’ve been doing while at camp. Winter’s coming. They are calling for snow next Thursday.


Zombie Playlist #1

Zombie Playlist Part 1
(uncredited picture)

Finally! I give you part 1 of my Zombie Playlist. It is a luscious and vivacious mix of horrorbilly, rockabilly, punk, pop, metal and thrash. It starts off light and fun with “Scientist” by the Dandy Warhols and then gets a lot heavier starting with “Scream” by the Misfits.

I use this mix when I’m at the gym. I listen to the whole thing straight through if I’m doing a 5K walk or lifting weights. If I’m training for my 5K run, then I usually use my Zombie Workout mix which includes most of the heavier songs. I’ll post that playlist tomorrow.

I found a really cool playlist on iTunes which helped me select a lot of the horrorbilly and rockabilly songs. I will post that tomorrow as well. Each song is linked to YouTube so that you can hear a full version of each song; no lame 30 second previews around here. So… Enjoy!

Also, remember Rule #1 - Cardio and Rule #18 - Limber Up; ‘nuff said.

My friend @feenstuh created my Zombie Playlist on YouTube. He’s an evil genius who is, without a doubt, equipped to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.



P.S. How Everything Goes to Hell During a Zombie Apocolypse

A Good Day

the night and and the milky way
(The Night and the Milky Way © Wilson Lee)

Guinness Stout Brownies
(Guinness Stout Brownies at Blondie’s Cakes & Things)


(The sound the universe makes: Janna Levin on TED.com)

I’ve been listening to How the Universe Got Its Spots: Diary of a Finite Time in a Finite Space by Janna Levin on audiobook. The content is solid but I can barely stand to listen to the narrator, Christine Williams.

Although a book of science, it’s written as a set of personal letters. This audiobook needed to be read by a woman with a softer and almost wistful quality to her voice. Instead, Christina Williams narrates it with a sharp, almost tomboyish edge (think Jodi Foster) which is jarring and doesn’t match the personal content. The topics of topology and a finite Universe are fascinating. I wanted to be drawn in and enchanted but I wasn’t, and that’s too bad.

I have, however, enjoyed a couple Dark ‘n’ Stormies thanks to my ability to hunt down a bottle of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. I also snuck in a bottle of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. Both were delicious and I’m only sad I don’t have more bottles of the stout.

I’ve also spent my day listening to Ghosts I-IV, and a collection of instrumental music I received from the boys at hppodcraft.com for making a donation. Both are fantastic and compliment a rainy day full of reading.

I did finish the first season of Haven. I’m on the fence about it but will speak on it another day. I’m off to get in a couple more hours of reading before I inevitably and blissfully fall asleep.

I Did Alright

Photobucket
(not sure who gets ©)

Today went alright. I ran 3.5 km almost without stopping. I’m very close to my goal of running a 5K. My shin splints seem almost completely healed but I probably won’t be 100% until September. Until then, easy does it. I’m patient. I ran to my zombie playlist which I should remember to share.

I finished off the 4 part Dunwich Horror podcasts from the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast and am now listening to the At the Mountains of Madness cycle.

A few weeks ago I made a donation to the Mario Marathon to raise money for the Child’s Play charity. I received notice that my copy of Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America by Jeff Ryan (@dailymario) was ready to download (prize for the donation). I haven’t gotten around to that but I will tomorrow. I can’t wait to read the book.

I did spend money today. I made a $15 US ($14.91 CDN) donation to the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast and received some nice atmospheric music as a reward. Also, someone stole my toothpaste so I spent $10.34 on a tube of Crest and 2 packs of gum. Expensive no? That’s because I had to purchase them at camp so the toothpaste was almost $6. Highway robbery.

Full of Cthulium

The day is full of good things to listen to and also to read.

Discussing The Dunwich Horror in 4 parts at hppodcraft.com. I listen to podcasts while I work. I’m addicted and soon I will be making a podcast of my own.

As for good reads:

Best Star Wars Playlist Ever

It’s no secret that I’m a Star Wars geek so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I have, on my iPods, “The Best Star Wars Playlist Ever”. I created it about 2 years ago and since I’m all about sharing, I’m sharing it with you, dear reader.

These songs in the order I chose them are how I personally like to experience the Star Wars saga. Perhaps it is in need up an update but for now, it’s sweet music to my ears. I’ve said it before; I’m not much of a George Lucas fan. My love of Star Wars is firmly rooted in the music of John Williams, and the art of Ralph McQuarrie. “The Empire Strikes Back” is my favourite movie of all time and I feel no shame liking it more than the others.

Abbreviations are as follows; ANH - A New Hope, ESB - The Empire Strikes Back, ROTJ - Return of the Jedi, ROTS - Revenge of the Sith. Enjoy!

  1. Main Title/Rebel Blockade Runner (ANH)
  2. The Hologram/Binary Sunset (ANH)
  3. Princess Leia’s Theme (ANH)
  4. The Tractor Beam/Chasm Crossfire (ANH)
  5. Ben Kenobi’s Death/Tie Fighter Attack
  6. The Battle of Yavin - Launch from the Fourth Moon - X-Wings Draw Fire - Use The Force (ANH)
  7. The Throne Room/End Title (ANH)
  8. Main Title/The Ice Planet Hoth (ESB)
  9. The Battle of Hoth – The Ion Cannon – Imperial Walkers – Beneath the AT-AT – Escape in the Millennium Falcon (ESB)
  10. The Asteroid Field (ESB)
  11. Jedi Master Revealed/Mynock Cave (ESB)
  12. The Training of a Jedi Knight/The Magic Tree (ESB)
  13. The Imperial March (ESB)
  14. Yoda’s Theme (ESB)
  15. Attacking a Star Destroyer (ESB)
  16. Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader’s Trap/Departure of Boba Fett (ESB)
  17. The Rebel Fleet/End Title (ESB)
  18. Brother and Sister/Father and Son/The Fleet Enters Hyperspace/Heroic Ewok (ROTJ)
  19. Emperor’s Throne Room (ROTJ)
  20. The Battle of Endor (ROTJ)
  21. The Battle of Endor II (ROTJ)
  22. The Battle of Endor III (ROTJ)
  23. Leia’s News/Light of the Force (ROTJ)
  24. Victory Celebration/End Title (ROTJ)
  25. Ewok Feast/Part of the Tribe (ROTJ)
  26. The Forest Battle (Concert Suite) (ROTJ)
  27. Anakin’s Dream (ROTS)
  28. Battle of the Heroes (ROTS)
  29. Anakin’s Betrayal (ROTS)
  30. Palpatine’s Teachings (ROTS)
  31. Padmé’s Ruminations (ROTS)
  32. Anakin Vs. Obi-Wan (ROTS)
  33. The Birth Of The Twins And Padmé’s Destiny (ROTS)
  34. A New Hope And End Credits (ROTS)
I bet you noticed “The Phantom Menance” and “Attack of the Clones” are missing. If you want to know why, feel free to ask!

Songs for Pirates



I finished importing my blog archives. I now have the complete archives from 2006-2010. I decided to celebrate with some pirate-y goodness. Links are to YouTube videos. I feel no shame for the heavy Canadian content. Enjoy.

  1. The Downeaster “Alexa” by Billy Joel
  2. Fifteen Men On A Dead Man’s Chest by the Jolly Rogers(?)
  3. The Old Black Rum by Great Big Sea
  4. Lukey’s Boat by Great Big Sea (feat. The Chieftains)
  5. Wave Over Wave by Great Big Sea
  6. Sloop John B by Beach Boys
  7. Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
  8. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot
  9. England by Great by Great Big Sea
  10. Farewell to Nova Scotia by the Irish Rovers
  11. Bluenose by Stan Rogers
  12. Last Saskatchewan Pirate by The Arrogant Worms
  13. Barrett’s Privateers by Stan Rogers
  14. The Wreck of Athens Queen by Stan Rogers
  15. Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers
  16. Whiskey in the Jar by Metallica
  17. Hoist the Colours by Pirates of the Caribbean
  18. Pieces of 8ight by Captain Bogg & Salty
  19. The Banks of Newfoundland by Great Big Sea
  20. Saltwater Joys by Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers

Those Who Get It, Those Who Don’t

Here are some things I recommend whether you like it or not:

I’m almost finished reading, “Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole” by Benjamin Barber. Yes, I read it before, but felt it deserved another read through. I’ll probably work a bit more on it tonight but I am weak, and have easily been seduced to watch the Tigercats vs. Roughriders game.

I did finish, “Life Inc.: How the World Became a Corporation and How to Take It Back” by Douglas Rushkoff; both the audio book and hardcover version. It’s worth reading because it’s true. I also appreciate that he doesn’t have all the answers and well… admits that. I don’t have the answers either but I am of the opinion that mankind won’t change until change is forced upon us.



Currently on my iPod is, “Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work” by Matthew B. Crawford. This book has a lot in common with “Life Inc.” but comes to similar conclusions by way of examining the loss of skilled labour in North America and the folly of the so-called “Creative Class”. I highly recommend this book despite it being a bit of a dry read (or listen). If you think this recommendation is familiar; you’re not crazy. I recommended it last year just a few months before I got laid off…



Last but not least, I did spend some time reading, “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle” by Chris Hedges. In a nutshell; Huxley vs. Orwell; Huxley wins.



I’m not sure what got me thinking about the economy. I guess being laid off for 9 months offered me a lot of time to try and get a perspective on it. The 4 books I recommended above are all fantastic but I was most impressed with 5 episodes of This American Life dealing with the economy: “The Giant Pool of Money”, “Another Frightening Show About the Economy”, “Scenes from a Recession”, “The Watchmen”, and “Return to the Giant Pool of Money”. You really should listen to them.

My friend Rueben recommends the documentary, “Collapse”. I haven’t seen it so I can’t verify his claim that it’s worth watching. However, Rueben may be a dirty hippy but I’m convinced that he will be well prepared for the upcoming Zombie Apocalypse; just sayin’.

finally

home day tomorrow! This time however I’m leaving for Yule break. That means I won’t be back at camp until January 12, 2009. w00! Almost a whole month off. I can’t wait :) Tonight I’ll be packing and cleaning up my camp room. If I have time I’ll cast on for my sister’s Montego Bay scarf. It’ll be hectic but so worth it.

the books on the ipod (so I can knit of course):

  1. Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science—from the Babylonians to the Maya by Dick Teresi
  2. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: The Yarn Harlot’s Guide to the Land of Knitting by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

a day in the life of - #4

the books:

  1. The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket
  2. Cables Untangled by Melissa Leapman
  3. The Planets(on ipod) by Dava Sobel (Author), Lorna Raver (Reader)
  4. A Briefer History of Time (on ipod) by Stephen Hawking (Author), Leonard Mlodinow (Author), Erik Davies (Reader)
  5. Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (on ipod) by Jared Diamond (Author), Grover Gardner (Reader)

the music on heavy rotation:

  1. All Hope is Gone by Slipknot
  2. Indestructible by Disturbed
  3. random holiday music.

knitting:

  1. Architect Scarf (Moe) - just weaving in ends and blocking.
  2. Montego Bay Scarf (Lori) - on needles

a day in the life of - #3

the books:

  1. Anathem by Neal Stephenson
  2. Neuromancer by William Gibson
  3. Alt Fiber by Shannon Okey
  4. Free Ranger Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
  5. No Sheep For You by Amy R. Singer

the music on heavy rotation:

  1. Fortune’s Favour by Great Big Sea
  2. All Hope is Gone by Slipknot
  3. Indestructible by Disturbed
  4. The Hard and the Easy by Great Big Sea
  5. Ride the Lightning by Metallica

by the numbers

I bunkered down under my duvet with a hot cup of tea and watched Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, last night. I went in with low expectations. I wasn’t fond of the second movie so I was pleasantly surprised how much I laughed and enjoyed At World’s End. It’s Johnny Depp, hunny and that’s always a good time.

I’ve had a librarything account for heima since July 2007. I decided to make use of it and have been liberally, albeit slowly, adding books to it. I have 181 books archived so far with many, many, more to go. That’s an understatement. Really. I’m really proud of my library but also a bit shocked at how many cookbooks I own. I encourage you all to browse through it.

Since it’s been a rather slow news day, I offer you my top 27 most played songs on my ipod:

  1. The Imperial March - John William
  2. Anything But This - Static-X
  3. April Suits - Taproot
  4. Bad Blood - Ministry
  5. Battery Acid - Queens of the Stone Age
  6. Before I Forget - Slipknot
  7. Bleeding Me - Metallica
  8. Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) - Concrete Blonde
  9. Brainfog - Static-X
  10. Bruises - Unloco
  11. Carmina Burana: I. O Fortuna - London Symphony Orchestra
  12. Dirt - Depeche Mode
  13. Fuck It - Seether
  14. Fucking Hostile - Pantera
  15. For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica
  16. Get Inside - Stone Sour
  17. I, Suicide - Throwdown
  18. I’m So Sick (T-Virus Remix) - Flyleaf
  19. Scenotaph (DJA Infected Remix) - Emanuel
  20. The Sharpest Lives - My Chemical Romance
  21. Starfuckers Inc. - Nine Inch Nails
  22. Sun Going Down - The Tea Party
  23. Technical Difficulties - Julien-K
  24. White Rabbit (SPC ECO Mix) - Collide
  25. Tangled Up in Plaid - Queens of the Stone Age
  26. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor - Beethoven
  27. If I Was Your Vampire - Marilyn Manson

a day in the life of - #2

the books:

  1. Anathem by Neal Stephenson
  2. Monkeewrench by PJ Tracy
  3. The Art & Science of CSS by Cameron Adams, Steve Smith, Jina Bolton, and David Johnson
  4. The Green Beauty Bible by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley
  5. Coastal Style by Sally Hayden, Alice Whately, and Paul Massey

the music on heavy rotation:

  1. Vulgar Display of Power by Pantera
  2. Load by Metallica
  3. Resident Evil: Extinction
  4. Singles Collection by Skinny Puppy
  5. The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

the DVDs:

  1. JAG: Season 2
  2. NCIS - The Fifth Season
  3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
  4. JAWS
  5. The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

darkly

this morning was wonderfully cold and foggy which gave a lovely spookiness to enjoy with my coffee. It’s that time of the year when I look forward to October (my favourite month) and Hallowe’en. That is a time for all things pumpkin including but not limited to; pumpkin pie, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin smoothies and pumpkin stew. Not to mention jack-o-lanterns, jack-o-lantern lights and the one time of the year I put aside my dislike for the colour orange since it pairs so wonderfully with purple, grey and black.

I saw this last night and it made me happy.

oh, and I purchased Death Magnetic by Metallica, some Skinny Puppy, and the first season of The Border for my ipod. I took a sick day so I spent the day in bed and some quality time with my macbook. It’s been awhile since I was able to get in some good quality geekery.