Thursday, February 28, 2008

Two Good Things…

No brain power to come up with ten…but I have these two:

Carmina Burana—You may recognize the "O Fortuna" part of it from a host of recent movie scores…  (and if I figure out how to do it, I will provide a link...)

I ordered the complete CD from Barnes & Noble. The version I chose is conducted by Marin Alsop (Leonard Bernstein protégé and one-time conductor of the Eugene Symphony…who has since gone on to bigger and better things.)

I love this piece. In its entirety. Is it the language (Latin) that appeals to the latent Catholic in me? Or the fact that this lofty work, expressed in that exalted tongue of the ancient Church, is built upon what amounts to a bunch of medieval bar songs…?

There is a certain cognitive dissonance about the work that appeals to my peculiar sense of the ridiculous. And musically, it’s just…superb. I can’t seem to get enough of it.

Digital SLR—Got one for Christmas. Didn’t even have time to take it out of the box until some time in late January. And then realized that I really would need to read the umpteen-page manual that came with it before I could take full advantage of its wonderfulness.

This didn’t stop me from buying a telephoto zoom for it with my inheritance money (thanks, Mom & Dad…)

Took an hour or so out of my "home work day" today (between loads of laundry and washing floors on my hands and knees) to play with it.

Hoping I will ultimately be able to figure it out and make optimum use of it. But, until such time as I have it mastered…

...in Oregon, we love our bridges...

...the eagles are back...

...and my daffodils are blooming.

 

8 comments:

  1. In Oregon, I love your bridges.  I doubt it will take you long to learn the basics and master that SLR.  Enjoy it -- so I can too.  

    Our eagles are back too and for a handful of us at work they cause a stir in February each February.  We are excited that the natural habitat and hunting ground of years gone by is finally coming back well enough to support them.  

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  2. Love the picture of the St. John's bridge.  Have fun with your new toy.

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  3. 3 amazing works, one manmade (The Bridge), the Eagle and  the delicate daffodil, works of our Creator!
    Your camera, a bridge between your potential and the possibilities that exist in Nature!
    You are off to a wonderful start!
    Peace & Blessings...Marc :)

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  4. You're ahead of us on the dafs. We have buds. The eagle is fantastic. You are so lucky to have them in your backyard. And which fantastic bridge was that. And lucky to get the shot with no cars. :-)

    Jackie

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  5. LOVVVE the bridge picture.  Really nice shots. ;)  C.

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  6. Oh honestly, Lisa, just go away!  I don't which is drowning me more in envy here -- the camera, which is obviously fabulous, or the daffodils, as I look out at a foot of snow.

    That eagle shot is AMAZING.

    R.
    http://searchthesea.blogspot.com/

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  7. Lisa,

    I LOVE Carmina Burana.  Well, I love Carl Orff, and I love choral music, so Carmina Burana is the ultimate...if you ever get the chance, go hear it live, which I've had the wonderful opportunity to do a couple of times.  There is nothing like hearing that music live.  If you like Carmina Burana, there's some more Orff you might like - 4 short pieces: Gassenhauer, Spielstucke for Xylophon, numbers 15 & 24, and Ekstatischer Tanz.  These are hard to find, but I found them on a wonderful CD called Klassix for Kids, CD 2, tracks 8-11 (http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1049239/a/Klassix+For+Kidz.htm) - well worth the price.  They're primitive percussive pieces, and call me primitive myself, but I find the rhythms irresistible.  Ahhhh, music...

    Judi

    p.s. - the pics are great too!

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  8. Lisa - Congrats on the new camera.  You took some lovely photos right out of the box.  They have SO many features on them now...I know I haven't begun to take advantage of all that are on mine.  I'm going to an all day class on Thursday...8 hours devoted to learning the features of my camera.  Then....I just have to remember it all.
    :)

    Have fun with it!

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