Monday is winding down to a close and I've wanted to write this post for a few days.

I begin with a poem.

Time Machine (a working title)

Musical mechanisms are mysteries
Scales and dissonance are data
Machines slurp it in like gelatin
The whir and the needle are relics
The spin and crackle of vinyl
Isn't just music playing, for
A turnstile is a time machine now.

-----
I love songs that tell stories. I've had several of this type flitting through my (more cleared) head lately and I noticed they had something in common. The titles of the songs were women's names. Naming a song after a person means you've got a guaranteed story song (even if it's hidden in the background, written in the liner notes). Below is a list of some of my favorite women songs. Have a listen to a few. :)

Isabel by Unrest

Jolene (written and performed originally by Dolly Parton) by The White Stripes

Eleanore by The Turtles (My mom and my sister love this song and we sing it loud)

Katy Song by Red House Painters (so emotionally charged and sad, one of those "back story is the best part" songs)

Veronica by Elvis Costello

Valerie Loves Me by Material Issue

Selfish Jean by Travis (I think the video [unofficial] is hilarious. It's done by a comedian who has layer after layer of t-shirts with the lyrics written on them. He removes the layers with great timing, completely deadpan. It ends with one t-shirt remaining, thank goodness)

These are just a few, but I think immortalizing a person in a song is a grand thing.

I'm not sure how to talk, really talk, about how much this concert meant to me.

Back in high school, my ears were opened to a whole new level of music. I've written about it a lot in the past, but it changed my life. I already liked alternative music a lot, but my life-long friend Ben had discovered some amazing sound, thanks as always, to the British.

Cocteau Twins, Kate Bush, Bauhaus, This Mortal Coil and Dead Can Dance.

Dead Can Dance's Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard. Photo: Jay Brooks / Sacks & Co.

I thought they'd broken up back in 1999. They've both put out solo albums, etc. Dead Can Dance was done, right?

Imagine knowing a band/musician that had moved you in amazing ways. Imagine that band/musician was never going to produce any more of that soul satisfying sound again. Terrible.

All the credit for knowing about the return and world tour of Dead Can Dance goes to my husband. He found out about it and said we could go together. What an offer! But...

But this music belongs to me and someone else I am eternally entwined with...my sister-in-law Alesha. I told Cameron that his offer was wonderful, more than generous, but I really had to go with Alesha.

And I did. We had to go together to experience something long hoped for and never to be realized, except now it could be realized.

The venue was the Red Butte Garden amphitheater and the concert was last Saturday. I thought a lot of my friend Ben, now passed away these eight years, and how he was the catalyst for my love for all this music that I still love so much  (going on nineteen years).

It was a beautiful, dream-like concert, so much more about sound than noise, an amplification of the senses rather than the volume of an electric guitar (though that's awfully fun, too). Dead Can Dance are classified as "world music." Fair enough. They are Gothic cathedrals, rural Turkish villages, Greek churches and Irish fields.

Brendan Perry's voice is a rich, elevated baritone and Lisa Gerrard reminded me of a graceful marble statue that could sing like an angel.

I wished Ben could have see this concert. I wanted him to be there. Dead Can Dance have never made it to Salt Lake City before. At the third encore, an unfamiliar song introduction began and I puzzled it out in my brain and then came the utterly unexpected "Song to the Siren." Originally written by Tim Buckley, recorded by Pat Boone, then Tim Buckley, then This Mortal Coil (sung by Elizabeth Fraser from The Cocteau Twins). This Mortal Coil's version is the one I know best and when I was in high school with Ben, he expressed that he'd like me to sing it at his funeral.



When Ben's mom called to tell me that he had passed away, she said wanted me to sing but that she wasn't sure what yet. I related what Ben had told me ten years earlier and she said that's what she wanted me to do.

So here I am. Standing at this concert, with my sister-in-law and friend, who accompanied my singing at Ben's funeral, listening to the very song I sang that day, all the while thinking of him, wishing he could be there. Of course, I cried, but it was so awesome. Alesha and I clung to each other.



These musicians move me. I am so grateful for the effort they put into beauty and ethereal elevation.

I think I've been pretty vocal about being raised up to great music by my wonderful dad, Ron.
I've got Motown in my blood and Stevie Wonder should have been my godfather.

I was so sad to see that Donna Summer passed away today at age 63. She's not exactly Motown, but she has that same diva power of Diana Ross and Gladys Knight...she just came a decade or so later.


I had the single to "MacArthur Park" on vinyl and listened to it on my tiny record player when I was in second grade.



I loved to listen (and probably act out the drama inside) to the albums my dad had.
I watched this video on Friday nights, late.

Donna Summer never aged. She was so beautiful! She sparkled.

Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco, but you could totally forgive her for that because of her powerful vocals and her sparkle.
She totally sparkled.

April sure is a busy time of year and it's only half-over.

I'm glad it gets a kick-off with General Conference. I love that family time and the feeling like we're in touch with the whole of the church, getting filled with hope.

What's been going on with us? (Facebook hiatus requires such a post)

Bryce: Loves Kindergarten. Loves Mommy. Loves adventures with his brother. Loves imagining with his sister. Loves to run, jump, climb. He has tendons like a spring-loaded monkey. He can be such a good helper as long as you don't take him to run errands.

Ella: Likes me. She REALLY likes me. She's never been one to climb all over me, but lately she's been full of kisses and need for attention. She loves drawing and is determined to be an artist. She doodles flourishes like I do. LOVE that. She is such a gentle, serene person.

Dane: Is so glad that the weather is warming up! He really enjoys scouts and his technical piano skills are great. He's always astounding us with his wide-spread knowledge. He seems to be a factoid-sponge. He is an amazing helper with his brother and sister (if she'll let him). As long as something is his idea, he'll absolutely excel at it.

Cami: My world at home has been school/genealogy/school/genealogy/housework?/school... I really wonder if I'm meant to go back to school. Math is a lot harder than I want it to be. The final will be complete in just over two weeks. I face doing it all again, only harder, for Summer semester.

The best part of this month so far was a very special event. Last Saturday, I went to the temple with my aunt, uncle, cousin, mom and Grandma Sharon so that she could be sealed to her parents. It was a perfect moment for her and we loved being a part of this.

The best news I received this month (with ALL the credit going to my wonderful husband) is that Dead Can Dance is coming in concert. I'd thought them long broken up, but now I get to see them live. Oh. Wow.



Cameron: Life at work isn't easy, but he, as ever, has a positive attitude. He loves his kids and he makes it so obvious. I try to give him an easy-out on things like piano recitals and such because he is so busy, but he doesn't take me up on them. He's there for them whenever they need him. He's the best parent to go to when they need someone with whom to talk.

Of course, we did Easter with cousins at my Aunt Jone's house.

The next day we were back in Spanish Fork with Cam's family hunting an amazing amount of eggs, thanks to the enthusiasm of Aunt Alesha.

More good stuff to come in April and the rest of Spring. I must finish my retaining wall. I must turn 36. I must replace my toilet seats.

Have a great day!

Our busy/crazy week started out with a bang on the Fourth of July. We made our annual trek to Provo for America's Freedom Fest and the early morning balloon launch. We set out our blankets, the kids are still in their jammies and we have breakfast while the balloons fill around us.The extra special balloon this year was none other than his Darthness. Very cool for all of us. He was 69' wide and 85' tall and fulling sanctioned by LucasArts.Cam amidst the Kids Area chaos.The kids got their faces painted (um, that's a tiara)and had fun doing crafts under the tent.On Tuesday, came the joy that I will never have to clean this kitchen again, because as the day continued...the room disintegrated into this

then this,

then this.The kitchen demolition began and has continued through the week.

On Tuesday, my friend Angie and I started a kids summer activity effort, beginning with painting rocks masked with letters from their names. Each kid will get a set (it took me a while to get the paint sealed for the out of doors) when they're delivered. (We have since done a fireworks notebook and pen craft and a field trip/walk. Tomorrow, we're going to attempt making animal zipper pulls out of polymer clay).

Tuesday night, my friend Anisa stayed at our house with her kids. Our kids had a lot of fun together, like no time had passed. After bed time, Anisa and I got to do some scrapbooking...until her little boy woke up, his mouth full of blood. She finally took him and his little brother to the ER and I stayed up, in the fear that her oldest would come looking for her and find everyone gone. Since my craft room is right across from my guest room...I got a lot of pages finished! Anisa stumbled back in the door at 5:45 AM and she and the boys crashed. I got to sleep for an hour (thanks, Bryce) and got Brenner and my kids breakfast. After a reasonable rest, Anisa headed home to get her boy to the dentist (where the trouble originally started).

I basically stumbled through the rest of the day. Not well.

Cam started his new class that (Wednesday) night.

Thursday, Cam and I went to the Gallivan Center to see Toad the Wet Sprocket.

It was so awesome! Cam loves this band and he had a great grin on his face the whole time. He sang along (I did too, but) and we danced and jumped around with the crowd. Glen Phillips has such a great voice and was so gracious and down-to-earth. I really enjoyed myself.

I spent all Friday looking for a present for THIS WEDDING!

My little brother got married!

Ella and Addy were flower girls, my new nieces (the bride's daughters) are just behind them.

Eric and Stephanie make their vows.

The wedding, luncheon and reception were all at the house of a friend of Stephanie's parents.

Parents of the groom.

It was a wonderful, beautiful wedding. The rain had good timing. My brother is so happy with his new wife and new family. I think he's doing quite well with being insta-dad.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club--Am I Only
Why I like this: The sound of this song takes me back to Love & Rockets. It's melancholic without being too dark. Great lyrics.

The Strokes feat. Regina Spektor--Modern Girls and Old-Fashioned Men
Why I like this: Regina Spektor is like the new, hot voice you want singing along on your latest single. Like Sting (Dire Straits: Money for Nothing) and Michael Jackson (Rockwell: Somebody's Watching Me)before her, she brings more to the song than the artist she's helping out...


"Weird Al" Yankovic--White and Nerdy
Why I like it: Too many truths divided between myself, Cameron and various folks in our acquaintance are listed in this song. White, nerdy and proud. The cameo of Donny Osmond dancing is especially sweet.


Mumford and Sons--I Gave You All
Why I like it: I love the beginning. It's tender and personal. Slowly it builds and then erupts into banjo, mandolin, stronger vocals. I love the lyrics and am pretty impressed all around with their whole album: Sigh No More


Muse--Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want
Why I like it: First, it's a cover of the original Smiths song. I like that it's a bit whiney and I love how Muse's awesome guitaring makes it modern and wonderful.

This is not working. Ella said this when she was opening a present on her second birthday. It was so cute, it has been immortalized in my heart.

Well, two weeks (I think it's been two weeks...) is too long to be without a home computer.

This is a different world we're living in nowadays and I cannot do my calling, take care of my children and help them with school projects, stay in touch with friends and family, and save the world without a home computer. I'm ashamed to be so completely hooked on technology, but I am also a practical person.

Take school reports. Dane has one due on Wednesday. We are going to have to resort to the old-school method of going to the library and copying historical images in B&W, then coloring them, to make a mobil representing the Gold-Rush era book he read for said report.

Weird.

Anyhow, it has been lame to plan my whole day around going somewhere to use the computer so that I can find out the information I need to do my JOBS! Any day now this will hopefully all be a bad dream. A few positives...

• I can play "Red River Valley" on the piano.


• I have been writing every day since I got over my typing need and began carrying around a notebook again.


• I've had even more motivation to get to the Family History Library.


• I have been able to see how spoiled I am, which leads to humility, and that is a good thing.

Last note before I go.

It's been such a drizzly day. It's left Bryce and me saying and singing...

Computer in a coma

I know, I know it's serious

Computer in a coma

I know, I know it's really serious.

There are times when I could have strangled her,

but I know I would hate a thing to happen to the family photos on her

(Won't you please let me see them?)

I don't really thing she'll pull through

Bye bye bye bye bye my baby, good bye.

Ooooooh Computer in a coma

I know, I know it's seriouuuuus.

So my computer is dead and will be for a while. This happened sometime on Monday. See how long I lasted until I ran to the public library, begging for my web fix?

Two days.

This is mostly to let everyone out there know that it'll be awhile til I'm online at home. :( My computer expert, Cameron, is involved in big things this week so he can't help yet.

I'll miss reading your blog posts. Living vicariously and all that. Until later, my friends.

Cameron has known for weeks that I'm going to see Markus Zusak, author The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger. He likes to tease me, wondering if he should be worried about me going to see someone I, a-hem, like so much. Well Markus Zusak is pretty cute and all, but it's his writing that blows me away.

This morning I mentioned again how excited I was to being going tonight and Cameron asked me "Why is your friend Rachel (who I'm going with) excited to go see Mark Kozelek? I didn't know she liked your Dead Can Dance or Red House Painters music or whatever."

Huh?

Cam thought I was going to see the musician/poet Mark Kozelek whom I have admired for a decade. (I have written about his music here)

"No, Markus Zusak wrote The Book Thief. Remember, you read it?"

"Ha! It all makes sense now."

"What, that it's at a library? That he's coming to Provo? That I'm going with people with my writing group?"

"No," says Cameron "I was wondering why 400 people were interested seeing your obscure musician guy."

Oh.

Well, if it was Mark Kozelek maybe he should have worried. *wink*

I loved watching The Grammys when I was in high school. I always hoped to see my favorite bands in the audience and to revel in their winning some award.
Problem: I was raised on Motown and only listened to alternative music. **

Then in 1992 R.E.M. won Best Alternative Album (the second recipient ever) and I was so thrilled!

This year The Black Keys won for Brothers. An awesome album! Yay!


I really don't watch the Grammys anymore, but then I found a list of why I should this year. It didn't matter what the list said other than that Florence + the Machine would be participating in an Aretha Franklin Tribute. Unfortunately, I missed it (the kids do need to go to sleep AND miss the Grammys), but here is an interview of the performers. Florence shows up at 1:34.

This is a red carpet interview with Florence who was nominated for Best New Artist (she lost).

After I hurriedly tucked in my kids, I ran down to our TV and turned it on.
Who was there? On the screen, right there?
Why, MUSE!!! They sang Uprising on a set mimicking their awesome concert set.
YAY!!!


It was a pretty awesome night. I liked the acts that performed with Bob Dylan. I was sad to see that Barbara Streisand really can't sing like she used to and it was nice to see Lady Antebellum win so much and so graciously. (I could've been spared glimpses of Lady Gaga and her extra shoulder bones)
Even Eminem was impressive in his angry white man energy. I do not know how rappers remember all those words (meaning lyrics are easier to remember when set to music)!
The best part was just watching it all with my husband, relaxing at the end of a nice weekend.
**When I was watching the Grammys Motown was long gone and the Best Alternative Album category wasn't created until 1991

We all have things that come into our lives that just delight us. Little girls are practically the rule for this.

Ella received a Princess Zhu-Zhu pet for Christmas. Occasionally, it will play a snippet of Greensleeves. Hearing it from her cute little toy and a lot over the holidays as What Child is This?, she's become quite fond of the tune.

One day, I decided to find the lyrics for her and print them off.

She was so delighted to hear that "Greensleeves" was probably a real person and likely nick-named for the clothes she wore.

She's been singing the words through the house and even asks me to sing the first and last verses for her nightly lullaby.

SO CUTE!

I've been washing clothes a lot, increasing the pile to unreasonable amounts (unless one has a book on cd to listen to). My plan of attack begins today. Oi! I hate out of control laundry. I'm usually pretty good at keeping it in place, but the holidays threw that off.

I've also been getting really excited for this charity crop I've attended for the past few years. Scrapbooking has been on the back burner for a long time now and I've got some fun catch up to do! I've been pouring over magazines for ideas. I'm really out of the loop. I know this because everything old is new again. Makes me laugh.

I've been listening to two things I've really been enjoying.

1. Brothers by The Black Keys
2. Certain selections from The Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Baz Luhrman films can always be a little quirky/odd, but the strength of the chemistry between Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman comes through, even in their duets. Such a sad story.

Cam and I have enjoyed some quiet evenings together, by-passing our video games (I got Street Fighter IV for Christmas!), and watching Big Bang Theory episodes and we just finished Inception the other night. Someone out there said they couldn't wait for me to see it, but I don't remember who...so my brain is available to pick on this. I did love it. I've also enjoyed laughing out loud with my husband (back to Big Bang Theory). It's a good time.

Anyway, hope all is good for you out there. What are you doing to keep busy?

I got to help my friend Angie pack a few boxes for her upcoming move this morning.

That, plus the beautiful sunshine, put me in a housekeeping kind of mood.

Just look at that sky!

I wiped out one of my ovens and started the self-cleaner. The windows are opening to let out the fumes.

I washed my garden windows. They're the best view from inside the house and now they're a spotless view.

I kicked the last of the ice off of the deck and swept all the sunflower seed husks left by the flocks of birds we've been feeding. Here are some of our frequent visitors:

This is a nuthatch. He's so tiny. Less than 4 inches in length. They're my favorite!The house finchThe black-capped chickadeeThe mountain chickadeeOur more rare visitors are:

the spotted woodpeckerthe northern flicker (a type of woodpecker)and a small family of quail.I filled all their feeders so they should be happy.

I took out a bunch of trash and recycling and in general am feeling that calm before the next winter storm.

Such a nice day and there's Christmas to look forward to! The best part of that is that I'm all done shopping!

I love opera. It moves me so that I become a jiggly mass of Jello.
I love those soprano arias and long to do it myself. I'm ready to take on voice lessons everytime I hear Renee Flemming and her ilk raise soaring notes to the heavens.
I've been listening to an opera-based station on Pandora and I have learned a few minor things...

• Pavarotti really is amazing. Not just a parody of the typical tenor, he is the tenor.

• Puccini is quite recognizable the more you get to know his work. It begins to stand out in a crowd (La Boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly)


• Turandot is an opera I have to see. I heard of it first from reading a children's book of the same title. Nessun Dorma (lyrics translation following) should be listened to after reading the book. It floors me.

Nobody shall sleep!...
Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
my name no one shall know...
No!...No!...
On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!

Florence + the Machine
I'm stuck on this whole album, the first from this band.

I finally re-bought Sugar Tax by OMD. Their best complete album, IMO.

Revisiting Tori Amos a lot. A great B-Side

Revisiting Cocteau Twins as well.

I'm listening to anything by Jason Mraz, so if you have a toddler in your lap. This one's for them.

I loved 1984/1985.


I was a big kid. I was in third grade (still my favorite elementary year). I have so many memories from this age.


We moved the summer before school started and I began a new BIG school. I was miserable. I had started my education at a small school that had (gasp!) only one class per grade. I had been with the same kids (with few exceptions) for three years and now I was a tiny little fish in a huge pond, scared and lost.


Bless my mother for her mercy. She allowed me to transfer back to my beloved Rees School for one last year. I cried when I heard the news. Had I ever been happier?


Awesome things from that year: a class camp-out (can you imagine?) and a 3rd-5th grade sleep-over at the school. All rewards for reading excellence.

It was in 3rd grade that I was reborn into the world of music. We had a reading station in which we'd sit in pairs under a sheet-covered table and through head-phones, listen to homophones or some such thing. One day my friend Ben brought in a Cyndi Lauper tape and we listened to the intracies of language in "She-Bop." Ben, despite this odd new-wave beginning, has been influencing my musical choices for over two decades, may he rest in peace. "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago was our song, in my mind anyway.

My teacher was way awesome. She was full-blooded Navajo and she taught us songs and sign-language from her culture. She was an excellent and dedicated teacher (and she still remembers me).

My sister was born in 1984. I still love baby Mandy like nothing else. I treasured her as if she were a perfect doll that lived and breathed and belonged to me. I changed her diapers and delighted in her growth and accomplishments. I wonder if my mom ever felt a bit robbed by my taking Mandy completely over. I did my best to teach her to sit up, to talk, sing and write her letters. Although there's definitely a generation gap wedged in between us, I love grown Mandy and mama Mandy like crazy. I do not know what I'd do without my sister.

This is all on my mind, because I just realized that Dane is in third grade now, that favorite time in my life. I worry because I'd been into boys for years at this point (though he seems blissfully uninterested in girls, the whole of his class being just friends). I hope that he's having a great time. I hope that he feels as alive as I remember feeling. I loved recess and I loved reading, so we're the same there. But he gets math and is quite good at it. There's a big difference. He has been with 60% of the kids in his class for 2 1/2 years now. He seems confident and like he's learning what Dane is all about. For as much as he dislikes working hard, I'm impressed with how he can when it is needed and has even learned to be pleasant about it. I embrace his big-kid-ness.


Isn't that a great brother/sister picture?

I have this quote hanging in my front room and I belive in it.

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” -Goethe

So I totally agree with Natalie Merchant's idea of doing both the music and the poetry together!

In her album Leave Your Sleep, Natalie takes poetic works by the likes of Ogden Nash, Edward Lear, e e cummings, and Charles E. Carryl and sings them.
The problem? I do not like Natalie Merchant's voice or singing style.
If you do, here's a video from one of the nursery rhymes in the collection.

It's a pity really.

10,000 Maniacs had a great sound, but I couldn't get past Natalie's thick voice. Songs like "Candy (Everybody Wants)" and "Because the Night" have grown on me over time and "Wonder" from her first solo album is intriguing, but that's pretty much it for me. It's a pity, too, because she's just lovely and she has great teeth.

(As a closet Beyonce fan, I'd like to see something like this from her, but the person that would knock a collection out of the ballpark would be Lisa Gerrard formerly of Dead Can Dance who beautified and made accessible old things long forgetten. )

Anyway...if you've got a second, tell me what music you're listening to today, your favorite band when you were in high school or just the song you can't get out of your head.

Feeling in a mood to appreciate beauty and thought I'd share.
All images are from www.flickr.com and the photographer's flickr name is offered as credit.

Bitzi

Osvaldo_Zoomfallingwater123

Ben Heine

Edward Dullard

ohkayeor (I'm home)

fancy.

kirstiecat

These last two (top of Matthew Bellamy of Muse and bottom of Thom Yorke of Radiohead) are beautiful because I can see that they're giving much to their chosen vocation, whether the concentration of the piano player or the wail of the rock star. I like to think that Thom Yorke is making the cry from this song.