between dreaming and waking

Two posts in one day - don't blame me! Just catching up!

Day 06- A Book that makes you cry – Time Traveller’s Wife

Audrey Niffenegger - The Time Traveller's Wife

Eilidh (i.e. someone I love very muchly) and I both commenced this silly challenge on the first day. We're alike in strange ways, considering the fact that she detests fantasy (I KNOW, I -KNOW-, see the wtf picture in my last post. It's necessary. But I'm working on that - she just finished The Hunger Games series and I'm hopefully getting her started on The Mortal Instruments series in the near future.) </tangent> She had this as her favourite book, which kind of vetoed me from having it, so I found an appropriate place to put it in this stupid list.

This book makes me bawl, pretty much from the word go. Simple equation: Henry + Claire = love. lovelovelovelovelove LOVEACROSSTHEDECADESWhatThe!? It's so emotionally draining, but then the height of their joy only serves to reinforce the depth of their sorrow. My pharmacology lecturer once said that people who have Mania have been known to say that they wouldn't give it up, simply because their highs are so good, that the lows are worth it - that's the price they pay. You kind of get that same feeling, just because what they have is fragile, endearing, all-consuming and greater than some basic urge to replicate - the kind of love that weathers life-times without fizzling out.

The movie's okay, I guess. I mean, I cried my way through that too, but mainly because I knew what was going to happen. If anything, the cinematography was kind of pretty.

6. A Song You Would Like Played At Your Funeral

I guess this would be pretty popular, as far as these things go. If you mindlessly follow read Thought Catalogue, you sheep! Don't worry, I'm one too, you would identify Amelie is one of those movies you loved when you were young and impressionable. I guess I can kind of qualify for that still, but I can't remove myself from how much I loved it back then. Yann Tiersen* is a genius, and I have his whole discography tucked into my iTunes. I've studied to this for years, and it worked incredibly well... until I got to the stage where I started humming the harmonies, and working in the crescendos and key changes and god-knows-what. (Me humming is not something you want to experience - it sounds like someone's fed a cane toad a whoopee cushion, and then they're proceeding to run over it several times with their car... )

It reminds me of France, and of Europe in general. Of experiencing dusk in picturesque little villages with cobbled streets, just after gorging yourself on a picnic of fresh berries and brie and still-warm bread. Fireflies and the last vestiges of summer, its grace lingering on in the wild-flowers scenting the air. Feeling every last cell in you hum with life, belonging - you are content.

Hills near Grasse, French Riviera

Bad photo, but it's the feeling I had when trying to take it that got me. This is the drive to Grasse from Nice, in the French Riveria. Grasse is this tiny town that hosts Fragonard (the perfumery) and is notorious for housing the exiled Princess of Monaco. This princess, if I recall correctly, tried to assassinate her brother and thus was banned from the country. (Fun Fact: Monaco is a principality, so there's no Kings/Queens/etc, the highest title is "Prince" - currently held by Albert the II.)

Adrian Johnston is also brilliant; he did the soundtrack for Brideshead Revisited. Check him out if you enjoy the instrumental side of life.

*Am I the only one who has noticed a passing resemblance between him and Neil Gaiman? 

You never mean what you say - why don't you say what you mean?

Day 05- A Non-fiction book that you actually enjoyed
 When I saw this... my face pretty much resembled the following picture:

Source: jehasnail

Seriously, who reads non-fiction books any way? When I think non-fiction, I think Encylopaedias. I think Atlases and Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species and the Bible. In fact, when I was 8, I was the geekiest little kid who used to enjoy reading that stuff (bar Origin of the Species, that's when I was 13 or so). I knew all the capitals of everything ever simply because when you're an only child, it's read, sleep or eat. Socialising doesn't occur to the introverted brain.


I guess all those years spent meandering through Dymocks and 'reorganising' the Non-fiction section eventually kicked...


This is something I received for my 16th birthday (if memory serves me), from a dear friend who appreciates my love for languages (though they may not love me).

for instance, drachenfutter [drack-uhn-foot-er] (noun): Meaning "dragon fodder", this is the offering husbands make to their wives - breathing raging fire at the cave entrance - when they've stayed out late or have otherwise engaged in some kind of inappropriate behaviour. (You know, like Prince Frederick shimmying up to that blonde. Not on when your wife's just had twins, Freddy.)


It's full of lovely words, awkward thoughts, some things that we just can't translate, no matter how many times you try to transliterate it.




Day 5-  A Song You Believe Has Great Lyrics

 A Perfect Sonnet - by Bright Eyes

Conor Oberst is the master of stringing together meaningful, fragile song lyrics - I would even go so far to say he's the best lyricist in our life time. As for his solo work under his own name, he probably used up all his creativity in Fevers and Mirrors. I don't know whether it's because he was incredibly sprung out or... whatever, just thinking of the way his brain works makes me think of Lithium carbonate, or something.


What gets me: So I stand in the sun and I breathe with my lungs/Trying to spare myself the weight of the truth


Sure, this isn't the best example, but as you work through his songs, you'll be struck by the elegance of his work.


Until next time.

mind. blown.

Day 04- A Book that reminds you of home – My Mistress’s Sparrow is Dead


Hmmm. How to explain this? Jeffrey Eugenides is a genius - that fact is irrefutable. The fact that he's editing this means that 1) it's eclectic 2) it's honest and 3) it'll pull at that tiny organ you have stuck in the left side of your chest. And it did. I spent so freaking long hunting for this book online, countless hours pouring over the pros and cons of amazon vs. every other book site. I specifically wanted this cover, as opposed to the other, more hideous, scary covers out there. The american cover is especially terrible, so much so that it doesn't get capitalised. One day, I happened to go to the mall and walk into this independently owned (read: overpriced) bookshop that I like the idea of, but seldom go into. Bam! There it was on the shelf, in its suprisingly reasonably priced glory (I don't think they realised this copy was out of print as of, like, yesterday) AND IT FOUND ITS WAY INTO MY ARMS.  I've read this and re-read this, and poured over every word lovingly, sprawled across my bed/hanging half off my computer chair, sitting next to the window on a European cushion... you get the idea. So this is mine. And I'll love it forever.

Day 4 -  A Song That Uses Weird Noises Well

Okay, so, Holy Fuck. Hmmm. My dear friend Coffee, Cupcakes and Catecholamines has this penchant for liking crazy experimental/post-rock/noise/ambient stuff, even back in high school. I think the first song I heard was "Lovely Allen", and was induced into this hazy mindset, just listening. It's honestly like LSD for your ears, and somehow melts through your brain so you see stuff like this:

Source: lanalog

  or, more like this:

(The Mighty Boosh is weird and dizzying and wonderful, and half the time you're not sure if you have the plot right but it's okay because Vince probably doesn't either.)

I was lucky enough to see Holy Fuck live this year, which is probably why they came to mind for today's theme. I stood there for about an hour, wondering what the fuck was going on, and how they could possibly make those sounds from... the bits of junk that littered the stage. I came to Laneway fond of several of the bands, but left enamoured with pretty much the whole line-up. The energy that they have is incredible.

And now that I've mentioned hallucinogens, I think I'll actually go study anti-psychotics like I'm meant to. Goddamn, this entry took me forever.

From the tips of my feet...

Day 3: A Book That Completely Surprised You

 

I read this mainly because I'm pretty sure it was recommended on the back of some other book- 

- and I was dying to read something. It could have possibly been on Dymock's Top 101 too, and that's what is actually surprising - seldom are decent books actually loved by the populace. Especially considering that very same populace voted yesterday's book into the top 10. Seriously, you can't trust public opinion (they also voted JG in, but that's a completely different, tragic story for a later date). 


Plot: Small, elite college + murder + greek language class = potential for tragedy. Think about what comes to mind when you think blue-bloods or ancient greek/roman aristocracy. Think Caligula too, even though he's not greek, but that'll give you a heads up on what's going to happen. Her (I can't bring myself to write "Tartt" without giggling - I'm immature, so sue me) writing is intense, purposeful and seductive.  

3. A Song You Like That No-One Else Seems To

DeVotchKa - How It Ends

I was going to pick some sort of DeVotchKa song, mainly because I seem to be the only other person I know who loves them so. I mean, if you look at Last.fm, there's at least 270,446 other listeners... but then most of them probably jumped on the bandwagon after that movie came out about that little girl, you know, the one with the yellow trailer? It had a teh indy soundrack, from what I can remember; I've never actually seen it. Or Juno, for that matter - they just seem to be trying so hard for some street cred. Going back to my original point about DeVotchKa - the other one that came close was Such A Lovely Thing:

It's the crazy violins colliding with trumpets and the crescendos, spinning until you're left dancing haplessly in your room, windows open, for all the world to see. It's the way you feel infused with life, character - in that moment, you are infinite, omnipotent, kind of the way Charlie Sheen must feel when he's banging those 7 gram rocks, except this is so goddamn pure. 

It's like this nifty little machine. Go on, click the link. It's so empowering. I believe the conversation I had after finding out about it went a little something like this:


Me: god I feel like I'm on the verge of some musical breakthrough, loaded up with shitloads of power and no talent whatsoever.


Mark: Screw med...let's become rainbow DJs.


Me: we need some really cool german sounding name that no one can pronounce but us. (I already have fuck off massive headphones)


So just click the goddamn link! I wish blogspot had reblogging capabilities. Wahhh.


Speaking of things that make you want to move:

An infusion of cute: 

Edward is creepy

Day 2: A Book That You Hate

I know this is obvious, but clearly, I'm not the only sane person left in the world. Alex, here, agrees:

(Video courtesy of Cupcakes, Coffee and Catecholamines)

If he doesn't sum it up, there is only one other thing that will. Another reason to hate Twilight, apart from the fact that Stephenie Meyer is a money-hungry mongrel, is the fact that reading her writing is painful. Really,  Reasoning with Vampires says it best:

I want to give her a sign that says "GRAMMAR POLICE! Stop Typing" to flash in Meyer's face whenever she contemplates writing another word.

Day 2: A Song That Can Always Calm You Down

 Girraffes? Girraffes! - A Quick One, While She's Away

I have no idea why, actually. It reminds me of driving, and of sunsets, and the feeling that everything's going to be fine. It's the equivalent of someone giving you a cosmic musical cupcake, like this:

Picture from Coco Cake

Okay. Scleroderma. Drugs. I got this.

*headwall* *goes back to thinking about assignment*

procrastinators unite... tomorrow!

Decided to do one of those 30 day challenges because I have nothing better to do with my life.... just because. It's going to be a mash up - like that episode of Glee where Gwenyth Paltrow did her thing and what's his face the cute teacher was all dorky and once again expressed his desire to have been alive in the 40's when musicals were all the rage. Except, not as good, because I don't have a musical production crew worth a couple of million to put them together perfectly. Hell, I don't even have an editor, so we're just going to have to stick them together with that good ol' copy-paste techique, and all the stitches will be bared for you to see.

Day 1: Your favourite book.

This was so goddamn hard to pick, it's not funny. In fact, I've managed to relegate most of my other favourites to other parts of this challenge thingy. This was almost going to be day... 17? In the end, it won out simply because this is where I want to be - in England, in the 1940s, where there's all this decadence in the face of a post-war depression... but hey, at least the men are home, and the women can preen and they can all fake pretence, with silky glances and diamond eyes. They can try not to fall madly in love like they did at 19, because they left their naivety on the floors of those oxford rooms, in the rose-bushes of those great manors, in the trenches and in the hospitals and all they've got left is their ability to survive. 

Day 1: your favourite song

The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice

It's not because I listen to this song every day on repeat or anything. I did once, though. I had a couple of people associate this song with me, and I never seemed to realise how much I loved it until they told me. This song means as much to me now as it did when I first watched Closer, which is going back a few years. And it's perfect for those sunset-driven moments, like this:

She wants to belong to the sky, again - Hollis Sigler
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago 

(I first saw this when I was 14, almost 15. We were in Chicago, and running late, and I was whining so we got to have a momentary run in at the Museum of Contemporary Art but I had to get a souvenir, so I got to pick one thing... It was hell getting it back to Australia unbent but it hung crookedly on my wall for years.)

- "no hero in her sky/can't take my eyes off you..."

Reason 2# I have this tiny crush on Damien Rice. And his gorgeous Irish accent, and the way he introduces his live version of Delicate:

Day 1 done. I'll have to find another way of procrastinating before I actually start this assignment...

stay.

Friday nights - a free for all for normal people, but if you're an mk (med kid), these can be spent in a variety of places: bludger's (our local uni bar, you can learn all about the mating rituals of the young and the petty/ hepatotoxicity here!), your room on college, your floor, someone else's floor, at the med palace, or, my personal favourite - the comp labs. So, surprisingly enough, managed to venture out of my little cave, get dressed not to shabbily (in clothes, even), grab some friends and make it to this swish new venue in the city. Cereal Box - a strange name, which, without fail, always manages to makes me feel like I should be seriously nomming on some cocoa pops/fruit loops/assorted kids' cereal with brightly coloured box and watching Saturday Disney. I don't know whether to identify it as painfully hip or painfully artsy, but it's this kitschy mixture of gorgeousness and dreams that I'm coming back to. This is part is due to the fact that it has the comfiest bean bags in the world (perfect place to read Rang and Dale - i.e. learn about drugs that affect the autonomic nervous system) and also because they have glasses of champagne for $3. On a Friday Night. Not gonna lie, but that's kind of awesome.

Anyway, the whole reason for this shindig, was the launch of Woods, an album by Elle Graham. Miss Graham is this incredibly talented, incredibly good looking, and incredibly kind girl I went to school with. She's kind of crazy and bubbly and artistic and perfect and you could try so hard to hate her, but it's pretty much impossible, so don't even try. The folks at Cereal Box had it decked out dreamily with silk-spun sheer glossamer threads spun and aligned into these fantastical curtains, with rustic dream-catchers catching on flighty threads; and the colours were a scrambled heap of jig-saw pieces sliding along the fabric. It gave off the promise of something safe and comfortable - a preteen dream - but it was so goddamn cool that I decided that very moment to come back with a toothbrush and move in. Paper snowflakes gravitated in the air and rustled across the floor, meandering across innocent toes with some rascally hand-made material leaves. The Av guys were spectacular - there were shadowy trees scattered across the wall... and Elle topped it all off with this decadent hood of velvet and crimson hung a little carelessly over her shoulders. Her keyboard is this bright scarlet, and it was gleaming in the dimness of the room as she launched into her first song (albeit, with a few restarts). After her set finished, we went out to mingle, but really, it was an excuse to head to the wee marketplace out the front of the venue. I picked up her CD (a gift) and EP, as well as this nifty little melted record bowl... and a vintage skirt, because I couldn't resist. The night was perfect.

So, I've pretty much avoided describing how the music is, and it's because if I said it was like if the girl from the xx and Bon Iver had a love child with Elton John, you'd be all whatthe! But remember - my brain works in strange ways. I'll just link you and you will listen and adore this. I adore Sway and Doll house. It's the kind of stuff you listen to in the early morning and it stays with you until late afternoon, and all you can do is read and drink tea in your garden. Speaking of which, brace yourselves, fellow Townsvillians - we may be finally be heading into winter (it's almost 25 degrees celcius at night time!)

yes, this is the nifty skirt. It's sthooosoo pretty.