You are currently browsing the daily archive for August 10, 2012.
Raybeard (the dear!) had a delightful thoughtful ‘MEME” last week derived from a programme where the guest discusses ‘what they would bring to a desert island’.
The scenario:
#1 – You get eight albums for the rest of your life.
#2 – You also get one book (although the Bible and the Complete works of Shakespeare are apparently already on the island, so they are excluded).
#3 – You get to bring along one luxury item of no practicality.
Choosing eight albums was difficult. I first brainstormed. I quickly generated fifteen or so albums. The MEME has the proviso I can not take compilations. So “The Ring Cycle” doesn’t count as ‘one album”. If this means I can’t take any opera as a single album, then I am not going. I’d rather drowned in the river than life without opera (can we say “Opera Queen”?) I figured the eight albums should be eclectic viz. not all classical or all rock etc. So I picked ‘the best in each category’. The eight revealed albums of good memories and of comfort. They were also complex for multiple listing without boredom. So here they are, with some brief explanations.
Watermark – Interestingly, this was the first album that leapt to mind. I love Enya; this is my favorite of the bunch. Watermark has so many memories associated with it. It makes me reflect on the many marvelous times in Key West, and on my halicon days. It is like bringing a photo album to the desert island.
Mahler #2 – “Wouldn’t you DIE without Mahler?” someone said in a play or movie, and I certainly agree. I pick #2 over #1 as it is longer, more complex and certainly more cosmic. I could spend a lifetime hearing all the different elements therein.
The Visit – Like Enya, Ms. McKennitt is another diva goddess who cheers, soothes, and delights. This is another album with diversity, chockfull of memories and associations.
Pippin – I want a Broadway album, but which one? I picked this one as I seem to play it the most. The CD has the bonus tracks of The Jackson 5 singing “Corner of the Sky”. I get to sing along making it The Jackson 6.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Mendelssohn. It is lovely and never ceases to soothe. Enough said.
Cadfael – this is the soundtrack to the PBS Mystery Series staring Derek Jacobi. It contains a Whitman sampler of music I enjoy: chant, medieval music, prayer music, and male chorus singing.
Requiem (Mozart) – How could I not bring this one? It is one of the great works of art that makes life worth living**. I want the Deutsch Gramophone recording, full of bass and volume (not an anemic ‘PC” recording on original instruments and boys in lieu of sopranos).
Passion Play – I want one rock album. I chose this one as I like Jethro Tull, it has lots of memories to it, it is long and complex enough to hear over and over again. Thick as a Brick almost made the list, but I love to recite along to the story of the Hare of lost his Spectacles.
Book? I would either want my favorite, which is “Creation” by Gore Vidal or “Ulysses” by James Joyce. I think I would choose the later, because it could take a life time to reread it,
And the luxury item? Well, I thought of a back scratcher, as I regularly use one, but I suppose I can make one from something on the island. So, something I would like, use over and over, not ‘needed for survival’, and pleasurable? That leads to an item I won’t write down lest my family be reading this blog again. Spo-fans and clever-dicks can connect the dots themselves.
**this is a MEME onto itself !!
hohoho
It is the eve of our annual week-long holiday in Ontario, where we assist the Canadian economy by spending money and seeing the sights. Harper (the Prime minister) is pleased; Harper (the Hound) is not pleased for off the kennel she goes. We always miss our pooch.
This year the exchange of dollars to loonies is a poor one (once upon a time it was a 2:1 exchange; now it isn’t even 1:1). Someone says we (I) must be mindful of our money and not go bezerk buying things on impulse. Happily, the airplane and theatre tickets are already paid for. This leaves us to pay for meals, Tim Horton doughnuts, and bottles of Canadian wines and whisky (no rubbish).
Here’s my little list of things that shan’t be missed :
Tim Horton Doughnuts
Ten plays in seven days
Dinner with our ‘same time next year’ gal pals in Niagra on the Lake
A tour of a the Forty Creek whisky distillery.
Hunting for the elusive and remarkable Baco Noir wineries
Toronto and Church St.
Tim Horton Tim-bits
Seeing our chums, Martin and Dale. 
Sleeping without AC !!
Rolling down grass hills.
Fabric shopping
Eau d’source water – my favorite !
Reading books.
Mounting a meaty, or meeting a mountie, I get confused. 
Crossword puzzles
More Tim Horton Doughnuts
Dropping my ‘ou’ to ‘oo’ even more so they sound like ‘oot and aboot’
Tea shopping : We (I) are in desperate need of Assam and Green/white blends
Tim Horton mug (to purchase)
Bloody Caesar at Cafe Down the Street Cafe in Stratford.
Tortures
Uther Tortures
Very Nasty Tortures 
Yelling
Zoo (sorry I couldn’t think of anything else)
I don’t think I will have much time for blogging; I will try to post from time to time to tell Spo-fans how successful I am with this list.
Take off !
Spo-Reflections 