I’ve been saving this one for a while, but I decided to bust it out today for no particular reason except that I love it and it makes me smile every time I see it and I’m all about the smiles right now. Oh, and also because James got to play a djembe with the wonderful folks at Primary Children’s Hospital’s musical therapy center, Sophie’s Room. He was particularly excited when he figured out that the center of the drum... Read more
Still not in a fit state to post anything meaningful. …which, I tell myself hopefully/delusionally, is somehow different than the state in which I normally post. (Pipe down back there. I’m trying to be encouraging. To myself.) While I wait for the medical merry-go-round to come to a stop — or even just to slow down a bit — I’m posting this amazing video from SmarterEveryDay on the astonishing phenomenon known as Prince Rupert’s Drops. (Or, if you’re still in a mean mood, “Dutch... Read more
Let’s be precise. We’re not talking about just any von Herzogenberg; we’re talking about “Heinrich Picot de Peccaduc, Freiherr von Herzogenberg,” “an Austrian composer and conductor descended from a French aristocratic family.” Two historical facts of particular note: Early on he was attracted to the music of Richard Wagner, but after studying J. S. Bach‘s works he became an adherent of the classical tradition and became an advocate for the music of Brahms. Relatedly: In 1874, with the Bach scholar Philipp Spitta, Herzogenberg founded the Leipzig... Read more
The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur. Lots of hospital rooms, lots (and lots) of stress and prayers, and lots (and lots and LOTS) of Utah. Things are returning to (mostly) normal, but we’ll probably be feeling the ripples for a few months. Given the setting (and intensity) of the aforementioned few weeks, I suppose it’s no surprise that today’s short film is relaxing (because I need some of that in my life at present) and about... Read more
Earlier this week, I mentioned John Philip Sousa’s unmatched compositional contributions to the sounds of the Fourth of July. So I suppose now’s the ideal time for me to admit that despite the almost-relentless performance of his “Stars and Stripes Forever,” the sound that I will always associate with today’s holiday is not “SaSF.” Or any other Sousa march. It’s Aaron Copland. “Rodeo” comes to mind, as does “Billy the Kid,” “Our Town,” and “The Red Pony” — all works that pop into... Read more
Last year, I went hunting for a holiday-appropriate film to recommend, and thought that Frank Capra’s mythical Mr. Smith Goes to Washington fit the bill quite nicely. This year, I’d fully intended to do something similar. But then I stumbled across a film I’ve been waiting to recommend for (literally) years, so you’re going to have to excuse me and my giddy excitement long enough to learn that The Secret of Roan Inish is finally streaming somewhere. On NETFLIX INSTANT, to be precise. And it’s pretty magical.... Read more
There are few names as inextricably linked with the Fourth of July as that of John Philip Sousa. Even those for whom the name means nothing will almost certainly recognize his “Stars and Stripes Forever” after only a few bars. That piece will be playing on a loop from now ’til Sunday morning. (It’s the National March, you’ll recall, so the ubiquity should not surprise anyone.) As I headed into town earlier today (to pick the boys up from Shakespeare), I was pleased... Read more
There's something encouraging about watching professional baseball players do things that make them look as incompetent as I look every time I play. Read more
As someone who moved to a place with quite a bit of light pollution (Cheek by Jowl SoCal) to one with very little (Big, Beautiful, and Pretty Near Empty Wyoming), this simple but lovely little short really hit me between the eyes. (There are plenty of metaphorical reasons to like it, I suppose. But I was mostly just responding to the literal ones, which is pretty much always my first instinct.) In everyone’s heart, there lives a little boy and his star.... Read more
"A down-on-his-luck ex-soccer player, injured during a rigged match, joins forces with a former monk to assemble an unlikely team of players -- the monk's awkward Shaolin brothers -- harnessing the discipline and power of kung fu." What's not to love? Read more
Summa This, Summa That
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