Pictures of the Vista CD Release Party! Woot!
Horn Section!
We're watchin' the scenery go by....
Aug 10, 2007
Vista Pics
Pictures of the Vista CD Release Party! Woot!
Horn Section!
We're watchin' the scenery go by....
Jun 18, 2007
Musica!
Yo 'sup?! Check this out! I'm in a band, it is called The Vista, and it rocks. It will make you rock ^_^ I play alto, flute, and do back-up vocals. Sweet yesh.
www.myspace.com/thevistaband
I am also slightly teh musically talented on my own as well:
www.myspace.com/ipushyoupull
So yes, that is what I have been doing with my summer thus-far. That and rock climbing. And working. Sweet yesh!
Love,
Eden
www.myspace.com/thevistaband
I am also slightly teh musically talented on my own as well:
www.myspace.com/ipushyoupull
So yes, that is what I have been doing with my summer thus-far. That and rock climbing. And working. Sweet yesh!
Love,
Eden
Apr 27, 2007
Submission #1
And Diandra (my lovely sister) submits the first entry! And I love it!I'm sooooooooo tired from moving all of my stuff yesterday, and running errands today (I'm only half way through, too). So tired. Perhaps I will take a nap before I go to the Vista House party tonight. Sleep. Oh! But I'm so excited about the new house. Lisi and I are going to decorate it up! Mhm! Yeah.
Apr 24, 2007
If you want to colour me in...
I challenge you! To colour me in!
I'm probably going to do one with crayons, myself. Anyways, if you colour me in, and mail it to me (e-mail me), maybe I will frame it and place it with a collection of others (which I would then promptly try to sell and perhaps not give you money for). And perhaps I will put them on here.
Okay, bed time. I like art. And Broadcast.
Love.
Apr 13, 2007
The Wood Between the Worlds
Made for a class project. Andrew did the narration! Hurray!
(though it may not work for a while, perhaps...)
Love.
Apr 6, 2007
The Narcissism Duo
Classes are done. Hurray! I still have 4 major assignments due. Not Hurray!
Last night there was a celebratory party at K-ron's. She is the beautiful:
Though in this image a little demonic, one must admit.
Stacey was also there (I love Stacey!) as the "sober host" (Cluster regulations) and took many a pictures.
(Lara [hiding purposefully] who was also a sober host, the aforemenioned wonderous Stacey, and and the beautiful Sheila from our Quintet of awesome last year [not hiding purposely]).
Perhaps this is a clearer picture of her (with blurry blurry hands!)
There were also a many other people there. I love this picture! The hat looks lovely on her!
Then there is Chris. It was fun hanging out with Chris, and after reviewing pictures (and movies, watch it!) I've realized just how narcissist he is:
So pretty we decided to make art out of him:
But apparently, when you combine the awesome power of Chris and Eden, you get narcissism supreme!
I love this picture, not only because I am hot, but also because I unintentionally used the tried and tested technique of "covering the other person's face with your hand under the guise of touching their face longinly so that your face is the only one in the image" that I learnt from the TV oh so long ago.
Also, we danced!
Like, actual waltzing. I relearned how to do corners when waltzing (I'd forgotten). Awesome.
Okay, enough fun, back to homework. *whip whip*
~Eden
Last night there was a celebratory party at K-ron's. She is the beautiful:
Though in this image a little demonic, one must admit.Stacey was also there (I love Stacey!) as the "sober host" (Cluster regulations) and took many a pictures.
(Lara [hiding purposefully] who was also a sober host, the aforemenioned wonderous Stacey, and and the beautiful Sheila from our Quintet of awesome last year [not hiding purposely]).Perhaps this is a clearer picture of her (with blurry blurry hands!)
There were also a many other people there. I love this picture! The hat looks lovely on her!
Then there is Chris. It was fun hanging out with Chris, and after reviewing pictures (and movies, watch it!) I've realized just how narcissist he is:
So pretty we decided to make art out of him:
But apparently, when you combine the awesome power of Chris and Eden, you get narcissism supreme!
I love this picture, not only because I am hot, but also because I unintentionally used the tried and tested technique of "covering the other person's face with your hand under the guise of touching their face longinly so that your face is the only one in the image" that I learnt from the TV oh so long ago.Also, we danced!
Like, actual waltzing. I relearned how to do corners when waltzing (I'd forgotten). Awesome.Okay, enough fun, back to homework. *whip whip*
~Eden
Mar 30, 2007
Alternative Texts
Below is an explanation/essay I wrote for a course last summer (2006) called Alternative Texts for Young Adults (part of the english education requirement). It was an amazing course. What's more is that I was able to bring my subject area of music into the mix, and thus composed and recorded a work called Mechanics of Understanding as my final project. Listen to it at www.myspace.com/ipushyoupull
For my alternative text I decided to write and record a piece of music (titled “Mechanics of Understanding”) that discusses the inability of language to reflect certain forms of meaning. The basic idea, which I first stumbled upon in Don McKay’s “Vis à Vis : Fieldnotes on Poetry and Wilderness,” is that along with literature goes a literary way of understanding the world; the idea that a name is only a reflection of the true meaning in a thing.
I decided that my piece would be in two movements. The first movement starts with a reference to 12 tone composition, a technique in which material is generated from tone rows. A town row consists of 12 notes (every note within an octave). When the tone row is employed in a piece it ensures that each note is be stated once before any are repeated. The idea behind 12 tone composition is that it places no importance on one note or another, creating an entirely non-tonal piece (a piece of music in which there is no grounding; where you can’t expect which note will come next). In a way, 12 tone composition is an attempt to remove any associative meaning from notes and their relationships to one another by refusing to favour their traditional use. However, in my piece I have the series/tone row morph into a tonal melody (one in which it is relatively easy to predict which note will be next because they follow an understandable pattern and have a traditional relationship to one another), which suggests that our ears are always listening for tonality. The purpose of the first movement is to question whether there is any inherent meaning in sound (whether it is learnt as we grow or is inherent regardless of what we learn). Paralleled with the piano part I have indistinguishable (I hope!) sounds, and at the end the original, un-modified recording is played, thus giving context to sound that previously had none.
The second movement begins with words. Most of the words are arbitrary (I simply recorded my flatmate Katie talking about her weekend), but two sections are intended as nods to other works (intertextuality). The words “ice cream” (spoken by my friend Justin) were first used to teach a person how to sing in musical The Music Man (“See! Singing is just suspended talking!”), and the phrase “There once was a little girl” refers to a piece by Hildegard Westerkamp which follows the levels of understanding her daughter experienced in relationship to sound as she grew up.
The words “my, my beautiful face,” are slowly turned into sung notes, which then fade into the beginning of the melody. The idea is to show a transformation from words to the meaning (AKA music) behind them. The song starts out with an exploratory melody, which slowly becomes more persistent and gains momentum. I purposefully cut the ending short, in the attempt to make listeners realize that they are getting caught up emotionally in the momentum of the piece. Whether this reflection actually takes place (consciously or subconsciously) depends on the listener.
Looking back on the writing and recording process I realize I used many different approaches. I have about two pages of sketches outlining basic ideas and themes I wanted to see in the piece. The notes for the 12 tone section I planned out on paper beforehand, the piano part for the second half of the first movement was just something I came up with while doodling on the piano, and most of the music for the second movement was written on a computer music writing program called NoteWorthy late at night. Then, while recording I changed and added some parts as I went. Afterwards I added in the recordings of speaking and of my flatmate’s kitten Patches purring (though I had planned to do this from the beginning). I found it easier to shape the words and purring sounds around the music rather than the other way around.
The actual recording was, for the most part, frustrating. I spent about 7 hours on recording and editing, and the end product still seems sub-par. When commenting on this to a friend, she said that it was the musicians curse; nothing ever sounds as good as it did in your head. I think it would have helped if I knew how to play the bass beforehand (or if I could have hired a bass player) and if I hadn’t had my wisdom teeth out recently, because my flute playing was not as polished as I would have liked it to be due to lack of practice. In addition to these problems I experienced the exhilarating rush of losing entire tracks due to silly computer mistakes (“What do you mean I didn’t save?!”), which then had to be recorded again. In fact, I realized late on Sunday evening that I had accidentally deleted a track during the editing process, but it was after the reasonable hours for flute playing in an apartment, so what it would have sounded like will forever be mystery.
The literary practice I noticed that came into play most was simply having an understanding of the conventions of music. When explaining the concepts of the piece to two fellow music students, my explanations clicked and it took no time at all, because we’ve all had identical schooling for the last two years. But when explaining the piece to my classmates and friends it took slightly longer and I worried that they missed out on some of the insights when listening to it. When playing the piece for some of my friends later, I discovered that my self confidence became intertwined with their responses to the piece (some of which were polite, but unfavourable).
If I were to teach this sort of alternative text to a classroom, I would really try to help the students keep it simple. I’d do this first by breaking down the instruction; talking about recording, theory, and orchestration (which instruments to use) separately. I would also assign, or encourage students to pursue composing, pieces that are short in length and simpler in form, and I would consider having multiple due dates so that students don’t get rushed at the end and feel they are sacrificing the validity of their work because of time constraints (as I did). Opportunities for varied processes would also be high on my list; computer music programs, improvisation, playing it out at the piano, group collaboration, and plenty of in class and out of class time. I would also encourage students to create a short “Artist’s Statement” to go with their piece (similar to the beginning of this essay for me), so that they can describe what they are attempting to achieve in their piece, though I don’t know if this would be mandatory, because in a way it is forcing language onto a non-language specific art form, and I think we need to recognize the validity of having a work stand on its own as well. Finally, I would provide lots of rich performance opportunities to those students who wanted them, because I find after I finish recording something I want to show it to everyone. Because our self confidence does often become entwined with our art works, I would also encourage a healthy classroom attitude towards listening to other people’s works, setting up ground rules beforehand if necessary.
I decided that my piece would be in two movements. The first movement starts with a reference to 12 tone composition, a technique in which material is generated from tone rows. A town row consists of 12 notes (every note within an octave). When the tone row is employed in a piece it ensures that each note is be stated once before any are repeated. The idea behind 12 tone composition is that it places no importance on one note or another, creating an entirely non-tonal piece (a piece of music in which there is no grounding; where you can’t expect which note will come next). In a way, 12 tone composition is an attempt to remove any associative meaning from notes and their relationships to one another by refusing to favour their traditional use. However, in my piece I have the series/tone row morph into a tonal melody (one in which it is relatively easy to predict which note will be next because they follow an understandable pattern and have a traditional relationship to one another), which suggests that our ears are always listening for tonality. The purpose of the first movement is to question whether there is any inherent meaning in sound (whether it is learnt as we grow or is inherent regardless of what we learn). Paralleled with the piano part I have indistinguishable (I hope!) sounds, and at the end the original, un-modified recording is played, thus giving context to sound that previously had none.
The second movement begins with words. Most of the words are arbitrary (I simply recorded my flatmate Katie talking about her weekend), but two sections are intended as nods to other works (intertextuality). The words “ice cream” (spoken by my friend Justin) were first used to teach a person how to sing in musical The Music Man (“See! Singing is just suspended talking!”), and the phrase “There once was a little girl” refers to a piece by Hildegard Westerkamp which follows the levels of understanding her daughter experienced in relationship to sound as she grew up.
The words “my, my beautiful face,” are slowly turned into sung notes, which then fade into the beginning of the melody. The idea is to show a transformation from words to the meaning (AKA music) behind them. The song starts out with an exploratory melody, which slowly becomes more persistent and gains momentum. I purposefully cut the ending short, in the attempt to make listeners realize that they are getting caught up emotionally in the momentum of the piece. Whether this reflection actually takes place (consciously or subconsciously) depends on the listener.
Looking back on the writing and recording process I realize I used many different approaches. I have about two pages of sketches outlining basic ideas and themes I wanted to see in the piece. The notes for the 12 tone section I planned out on paper beforehand, the piano part for the second half of the first movement was just something I came up with while doodling on the piano, and most of the music for the second movement was written on a computer music writing program called NoteWorthy late at night. Then, while recording I changed and added some parts as I went. Afterwards I added in the recordings of speaking and of my flatmate’s kitten Patches purring (though I had planned to do this from the beginning). I found it easier to shape the words and purring sounds around the music rather than the other way around.
The actual recording was, for the most part, frustrating. I spent about 7 hours on recording and editing, and the end product still seems sub-par. When commenting on this to a friend, she said that it was the musicians curse; nothing ever sounds as good as it did in your head. I think it would have helped if I knew how to play the bass beforehand (or if I could have hired a bass player) and if I hadn’t had my wisdom teeth out recently, because my flute playing was not as polished as I would have liked it to be due to lack of practice. In addition to these problems I experienced the exhilarating rush of losing entire tracks due to silly computer mistakes (“What do you mean I didn’t save?!”), which then had to be recorded again. In fact, I realized late on Sunday evening that I had accidentally deleted a track during the editing process, but it was after the reasonable hours for flute playing in an apartment, so what it would have sounded like will forever be mystery.
The literary practice I noticed that came into play most was simply having an understanding of the conventions of music. When explaining the concepts of the piece to two fellow music students, my explanations clicked and it took no time at all, because we’ve all had identical schooling for the last two years. But when explaining the piece to my classmates and friends it took slightly longer and I worried that they missed out on some of the insights when listening to it. When playing the piece for some of my friends later, I discovered that my self confidence became intertwined with their responses to the piece (some of which were polite, but unfavourable).
If I were to teach this sort of alternative text to a classroom, I would really try to help the students keep it simple. I’d do this first by breaking down the instruction; talking about recording, theory, and orchestration (which instruments to use) separately. I would also assign, or encourage students to pursue composing, pieces that are short in length and simpler in form, and I would consider having multiple due dates so that students don’t get rushed at the end and feel they are sacrificing the validity of their work because of time constraints (as I did). Opportunities for varied processes would also be high on my list; computer music programs, improvisation, playing it out at the piano, group collaboration, and plenty of in class and out of class time. I would also encourage students to create a short “Artist’s Statement” to go with their piece (similar to the beginning of this essay for me), so that they can describe what they are attempting to achieve in their piece, though I don’t know if this would be mandatory, because in a way it is forcing language onto a non-language specific art form, and I think we need to recognize the validity of having a work stand on its own as well. Finally, I would provide lots of rich performance opportunities to those students who wanted them, because I find after I finish recording something I want to show it to everyone. Because our self confidence does often become entwined with our art works, I would also encourage a healthy classroom attitude towards listening to other people’s works, setting up ground rules beforehand if necessary.
Mar 29, 2007
Plant Wars! (Shrubberies in Disguise!)
I was listening to Bloc party, and I heard/read these lyrics:
~
There is a wall that runs right through me
Just like this city I will never be joined
What is this love? Why can I never hold it?
Did it really run out? In those strangers' bedrooms
I have decided at 25
That something must change
Saturday night, in East Berlin
We took the U-Bahn to the East Side Gallery
I was sure I'd found love
With this one lying with me
Crying again in the Hauptbanhof
I have decided at 25
That something must change
After sex the bitter taste
Been fooled again, the search continues
Concerned mothers of the west
Teach your sons how to truly love
~
I'm in love with with the last two lines. Anyhow, it hit me, it did. And I liked it. Though it made me sad.
And I'm only 20 ^_^
But yeah, I've been searching lately. For someone(s) who is... searching for something in life. Like Andrew! Like... Marlene, maybe. Like Skot (though maybe in a less negative way). It's hard to describe.
And on the more love oriented side of things, I'm kind of worried it has run out. My love, that is. A loss of innocence, perhaps. It's appropriate, at least, what with my name being Eden and all.
Or maybe it's just that I've run out of people to love. Heh. Or the world's run out of lovable people.
Anyhow, that's where I am with that. Regardless of it all, I am probably the happiest I have ever been in my life ^_^
I am also stewing on a thousand possible futures. And I think this summer I may decide to eat the whole fig tree. Ideas are:
-conducting focus (with Gerry?)
-elementary ed courses
-composition
-finishing up my English second teaching area
-UVSMEA president?
-directed study about:
-composition
-soundscape
-curriculum development
-all three together? such as "sound environment awareness via composition curriculum development?" maybe that's more something someone should pursue for their masters... I'm not sure.
Something else entirely different, again:
http://www.ecclectica.ca/issues/2006/2/ElliottVeblen.ecc.asp
I don't really agree with this article in full, but I thought it was interesting. It's funny, because I came across it rather accidentally and I had been thinking about the issue, sort of, after listening to another Bloc Party song. (Pop songs won't change the government). I don't think this article fully grasps the issue, nor do I think it has a realistic view of what music can achieve. Also, I think a lot of music students/faculty would find it insulting. Most of their reasons for being insulted would be their love of tradition, etc., which is silly to an extent.
I dislike the emphasis on art purely as a medium for political/social change. There is something to be said for art for art's sake. Although I understand the immense feeling of despair one can get when thinking of all of the problems in the world and how no one is doing anything to fix anything, I also feel that if everyone did something, no one would have to do everything: not all music needs to be political for political music to be effective. Plus, life can be about so much more than survival. I realize I'm saying this from a privileged Caucasian university student's point of view, I really do. But some of the most beautiful insight and art can come out of some of the most depraved situations.
Anyhow, with that all said, I need to go practice my flute. Practice my scales and jury pieces in the western tradition. That's right. ^_^
Love
~
There is a wall that runs right through me
Just like this city I will never be joined
What is this love? Why can I never hold it?
Did it really run out? In those strangers' bedrooms
I have decided at 25
That something must change
Saturday night, in East Berlin
We took the U-Bahn to the East Side Gallery
I was sure I'd found love
With this one lying with me
Crying again in the Hauptbanhof
I have decided at 25
That something must change
After sex the bitter taste
Been fooled again, the search continues
Concerned mothers of the west
Teach your sons how to truly love
~
I'm in love with with the last two lines. Anyhow, it hit me, it did. And I liked it. Though it made me sad.
And I'm only 20 ^_^
But yeah, I've been searching lately. For someone(s) who is... searching for something in life. Like Andrew! Like... Marlene, maybe. Like Skot (though maybe in a less negative way). It's hard to describe.
And on the more love oriented side of things, I'm kind of worried it has run out. My love, that is. A loss of innocence, perhaps. It's appropriate, at least, what with my name being Eden and all.
Or maybe it's just that I've run out of people to love. Heh. Or the world's run out of lovable people.
Anyhow, that's where I am with that. Regardless of it all, I am probably the happiest I have ever been in my life ^_^
I am also stewing on a thousand possible futures. And I think this summer I may decide to eat the whole fig tree. Ideas are:
-conducting focus (with Gerry?)
-elementary ed courses
-composition
-finishing up my English second teaching area
-UVSMEA president?
-directed study about:
-composition
-soundscape
-curriculum development
-all three together? such as "sound environment awareness via composition curriculum development?" maybe that's more something someone should pursue for their masters... I'm not sure.
Something else entirely different, again:
http://www.ecclectica.ca/issues/2006/2/ElliottVeblen.ecc.asp
I don't really agree with this article in full, but I thought it was interesting. It's funny, because I came across it rather accidentally and I had been thinking about the issue, sort of, after listening to another Bloc Party song. (Pop songs won't change the government). I don't think this article fully grasps the issue, nor do I think it has a realistic view of what music can achieve. Also, I think a lot of music students/faculty would find it insulting. Most of their reasons for being insulted would be their love of tradition, etc., which is silly to an extent.
I dislike the emphasis on art purely as a medium for political/social change. There is something to be said for art for art's sake. Although I understand the immense feeling of despair one can get when thinking of all of the problems in the world and how no one is doing anything to fix anything, I also feel that if everyone did something, no one would have to do everything: not all music needs to be political for political music to be effective. Plus, life can be about so much more than survival. I realize I'm saying this from a privileged Caucasian university student's point of view, I really do. But some of the most beautiful insight and art can come out of some of the most depraved situations.
Anyhow, with that all said, I need to go practice my flute. Practice my scales and jury pieces in the western tradition. That's right. ^_^
Love
Mar 21, 2007
Limerence
Limerence:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerance
(also spelt limerance, apparently)
Why is this not a more common word? My friends and I in highschool made up the term "lurve" for this very thing, because we couldn't think of another word for it. To quote une monsieur, it is "a staple emotion of teenage romance!"
Anyhow, read the article a bit. I found it really insightful. I suppose her book would probably be as well.
Love,
Eden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerance
(also spelt limerance, apparently)
Why is this not a more common word? My friends and I in highschool made up the term "lurve" for this very thing, because we couldn't think of another word for it. To quote une monsieur, it is "a staple emotion of teenage romance!"
Anyhow, read the article a bit. I found it really insightful. I suppose her book would probably be as well.
Love,
Eden
The landscape screams for silence.
The Rothko Chapel:
http://www.menil.org/rothko.html
http://www.rothkochapel.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothko_Chapel
(Rothko's Triptych)
A piece we are studying in class, of the same name, was written by Morton Feldman. In his Darmstadt lectures, after discussing how he hears and composes with a spectrum of 88 notes (not 12 notes transferred to different octaves) he says:
"I hear them. Of course, maybe you don't hear them. Maybe you didn't know that was music. Maybe you thought music was words without music. I don't know. Talk without music, concepts without hearing. I don't know" (page 195).
Concepts without hearing. I'm in love with this man.
Also, R. Murray Schaeffer came to our class the other day. Y'know, t'was just a casual visit. It's not like he's an amazing, well known Canadian composer who works in soundscape and acoustic ecology as well as composition! Oh my goodness, it was so awesome. The Layfayette String Quartet commissioned his 11th String Quartet, and we heard the first performance (ever) of two of the movements.
This is what university is about, yet I don't have time to enjoy it, often. Oh how I will love reading this summer.
About this summer! Andrew, Lisi and I are renting a place (for summer and September following). It's in an amazing location, has a back yard with fruit trees, plenty of room, hardwood floors in the bedrooms, and a bathtub. BATH-TUB. Fuck yeah.
Also, I may have a job doing library data entry (setting up the music library's digital database), which is ridiculously awesome. We just need to get approved for funding.
So, when all of this sorts itself out my summer will rock... my socks for three straight blocks. There will gardening, teaching children about gardening, flute playing, music writing, book reading, song and sound recording, and sleeping. Lots of sleeping.
Okay, talking of sleeping, I should go do that now.
Love,
Eden
http://www.menil.org/rothko.html
http://www.rothkochapel.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothko_Chapel
(Rothko's Triptych)A piece we are studying in class, of the same name, was written by Morton Feldman. In his Darmstadt lectures, after discussing how he hears and composes with a spectrum of 88 notes (not 12 notes transferred to different octaves) he says:
"I hear them. Of course, maybe you don't hear them. Maybe you didn't know that was music. Maybe you thought music was words without music. I don't know. Talk without music, concepts without hearing. I don't know" (page 195).
Concepts without hearing. I'm in love with this man.
Also, R. Murray Schaeffer came to our class the other day. Y'know, t'was just a casual visit. It's not like he's an amazing, well known Canadian composer who works in soundscape and acoustic ecology as well as composition! Oh my goodness, it was so awesome. The Layfayette String Quartet commissioned his 11th String Quartet, and we heard the first performance (ever) of two of the movements.
This is what university is about, yet I don't have time to enjoy it, often. Oh how I will love reading this summer.
About this summer! Andrew, Lisi and I are renting a place (for summer and September following). It's in an amazing location, has a back yard with fruit trees, plenty of room, hardwood floors in the bedrooms, and a bathtub. BATH-TUB. Fuck yeah.
Also, I may have a job doing library data entry (setting up the music library's digital database), which is ridiculously awesome. We just need to get approved for funding.
So, when all of this sorts itself out my summer will rock... my socks for three straight blocks. There will gardening, teaching children about gardening, flute playing, music writing, book reading, song and sound recording, and sleeping. Lots of sleeping.
Okay, talking of sleeping, I should go do that now.
Love,
Eden
Mar 11, 2007
Hussy
Hey you! I've been super busy, sorry I haven't called.
It was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary this weekend. It was pretty awesome, but the stress of over-perfecting things (it's my family's thing, but maybe other families do it to) was kindof harsh. I particularly didn't like the "Happy 50th! Wishing you many years to come!" emphasis. It's like, everyone is forcing them to live (well, specifically my grandmother). I don't know. I have a huge issue with people not letting people go. Does that make sense? Not that I want anyone to die, no no, it's just that there's so much pressure on my grandma, I think, to live up to what everyone wants her to be. On mine and my sister's card I wrote: Happy 50th wedding anniversary! Thank you for all of the love you've shared with us. Lot's of love: eden and diandra. I don't know... it just seemed less forceful and more focused on honestly thanking and celebrating them.
On the plus side there was duck (duck!), beer (my grandma drinks beer. That's right.), good music, and family. Plus I'm listening to Venus right now on my computer-thing.
I'm... wiggling my toes. And speaking in codes. Not letting on to what everyone knows. It's exciting. And apparently it makes me a hussy (so says my sister). What's a hussy?
Dictionary.com has varying opinions (that's why I love dictionary.com):
1. a brazen or immoral woman.
2. a mischievous, impudent, or ill-behaved girl.
1. A woman considered brazen or immoral.
2. A saucy or impudent girl.
1530, "mistress of a household, housewife," alt. of M.E. husewif, from huse "house" + wif "wife." Gradually broadened to mean "any woman or girl," and by 1650 was being applied to "a woman or girl who shows casual or improper behavior," and a general derogatory sense had overtaken the word by 19c. "It is common to use housewife in a good, and huswife or hussy in a bad sense." [Johnson]
and...
hussy: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary
I love how cancerweb is always included... Anyways. I'm not a hussy ^_^ (unless you want to call me a saucy and impudent girl). I like the "a general derogatory sense."
Alas, I need to go rehearse soon, but I must mention, I saw another portion of Harold and Kumar go to Whitecastle (a different portion than I saw before), which was awesome. My favourite quote thus far (other than: "Yeah, it was a dick move, that's why I'm buying you lunch.") is:
Look at me. I'm fat, black, can't dance, and I have two gay fathers. People have been messing with me my whole life. I learned a long time ago that there's no sense in getting all riled up every time a bunch of idiots give you a hard time. In the end, the universe tends to unfold as it should. Plus I have a really large penis. That keeps me happy.
Mar 2, 2007
L'histoire du Tango
I might be/definately will be playing this piece next year:
movement 1:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xahGWOy9kHo
movement 2:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0pYGrXW7jTg
L'histoire du Tango, by Astor Piazzolla! Love!
In other news, I am feeling antsy. Well, I'm feeling tired right now, but before I was feeling antsy. I really want to go visit my friends, but I've been staying home mostly. Trying to make myself do homework.
Which I should go do. Wow the internet sucks up my time, sometimes...
Love,
Eden
Heh, what an out-of-sorts rambling entry ^_^
movement 1:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xahGWOy9kHo
movement 2:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0pYGrXW7jTg
L'histoire du Tango, by Astor Piazzolla! Love!
In other news, I am feeling antsy. Well, I'm feeling tired right now, but before I was feeling antsy. I really want to go visit my friends, but I've been staying home mostly. Trying to make myself do homework.
Which I should go do. Wow the internet sucks up my time, sometimes...
Love,
Eden
Heh, what an out-of-sorts rambling entry ^_^
Feb 28, 2007
Raspberry Sorbet
I like bells.
When was the last time you thought about bells though, really? I mean beautiful, curved bells, with a warm, resonant tone. Or perhaps a bright, shimmering tone, depending on size and any number of bell related construction characteristics. Anyhow, I think they're beautiful. And I think it would be a wonderful thing to be a carilloner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carillon#Carillons_worldwide).
I'm also obsessing, slightly, about recent events and boys. I'm in a very content place, and in light of recent boy related events (the end of a two year relationship, then the end of a two week relationship attempt) I want to be careful to ensure I stay content. I'm... hesitant. They do smell and mess up your grades. However, I'm also excited and possibly maybe perhaps a little bit allowing myself to be infatuated. And not wanting to go too far and restrict myself from pleasant, wonderful things by over-stressing the impact of these recent events.
At the same time though, I'm enjoying the level of freedom with which I've been pursuing my life. I want to live here this summer regardless of whether I'm living with friends, or whether or not I have a specific partner person for whom I wish to stay in town. I like the feeling of independence it gives, and will continue to give, I think. I'm in love with the idea of summer. Soon I will be in love with summer itself.
But, right now it is school (the two seasons of my life: summer and school), and I have done enough slacking in this last while for 20 strong intellectuals! I must be off.
Love (and really, I do),
Eden
When was the last time you thought about bells though, really? I mean beautiful, curved bells, with a warm, resonant tone. Or perhaps a bright, shimmering tone, depending on size and any number of bell related construction characteristics. Anyhow, I think they're beautiful. And I think it would be a wonderful thing to be a carilloner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carillon#Carillons_worldwide).
I'm also obsessing, slightly, about recent events and boys. I'm in a very content place, and in light of recent boy related events (the end of a two year relationship, then the end of a two week relationship attempt) I want to be careful to ensure I stay content. I'm... hesitant. They do smell and mess up your grades. However, I'm also excited and possibly maybe perhaps a little bit allowing myself to be infatuated. And not wanting to go too far and restrict myself from pleasant, wonderful things by over-stressing the impact of these recent events.
At the same time though, I'm enjoying the level of freedom with which I've been pursuing my life. I want to live here this summer regardless of whether I'm living with friends, or whether or not I have a specific partner person for whom I wish to stay in town. I like the feeling of independence it gives, and will continue to give, I think. I'm in love with the idea of summer. Soon I will be in love with summer itself.
But, right now it is school (the two seasons of my life: summer and school), and I have done enough slacking in this last while for 20 strong intellectuals! I must be off.
Love (and really, I do),
Eden
Feb 25, 2007
Where it had grown translucent in places...
Me! Lots of me! With my hair a very interesting colour.
Sometimes I forget how big of a gap there is between my front teeth, though you can't really tell in these pictures. Anyways, the hair was supposed to be dark grey, but it turned out more silvery, goldy, whitey. The hair stylist person who did it is going to a convention this weekend, so she's going to ask around for advice and she said when she came back she would make it darker for me for free, so I may take her up on the offer. It is quite beautiful though.
Last night I went to a concert by Oliver Schroer. It was beautiful, heart-breaking, and full of grace. He plays violin, and he talked about his pilgrimage to Santiago, of which there were pictures showing on a screen in the background. It's hard to describe, but it's the sort of memory I will cherish. I thank Jaron very much for inviting me out.
I need to remember this feeling that I have had for the last day or two. The feeling like I have a thousand things about myself to discover, then a thousand things more. I don't feel like I really have time right now as school rages on (though perhaps I could make more time) but this summer I will make time to delve into it.
Love,
Eden
Sometimes I forget how big of a gap there is between my front teeth, though you can't really tell in these pictures. Anyways, the hair was supposed to be dark grey, but it turned out more silvery, goldy, whitey. The hair stylist person who did it is going to a convention this weekend, so she's going to ask around for advice and she said when she came back she would make it darker for me for free, so I may take her up on the offer. It is quite beautiful though.
Last night I went to a concert by Oliver Schroer. It was beautiful, heart-breaking, and full of grace. He plays violin, and he talked about his pilgrimage to Santiago, of which there were pictures showing on a screen in the background. It's hard to describe, but it's the sort of memory I will cherish. I thank Jaron very much for inviting me out.
I need to remember this feeling that I have had for the last day or two. The feeling like I have a thousand things about myself to discover, then a thousand things more. I don't feel like I really have time right now as school rages on (though perhaps I could make more time) but this summer I will make time to delve into it.
Love,
Eden
Feb 21, 2007
Feb 16, 2007
Shameless.
Pissed off.
That's right. Pissed off.
I'm not pissed off for any reason, really. Just revelling in it, because I feel it rarely. Normally I am more annoyed than pissed off. More frustrated.
I feel, sometimes, a huge weight on me. The weight is my gender. Bizarre, isn't it? Normally I walk about blissfully unawares of the patriarchy the bellows alongside me. Sometimes I even question the extent of its existence (or perhaps ponder the presence of the matriarchy alongside it). But right now its growling and smoking and I can smell it.
I have a urinary tract infection. When stuff goes in my vagina, bacteria goes with it. I am not dirty. I am not unhygienic. I have a urethra, and it is short. And because of this I have to pay for any little lovely act I might like to commit (or that others might like me to commit).
I know this has nothing to do with patriarchy. Not in a learned/nurture sense. My urethra is not short and susceptible to infection because our society is male dominated. In fact, our society is probably male dominated in part because women's urethrae are shorter.
I hate that I'm expected to be on the pill. I hate that my friend's boyfriend is allowed to slap her ass. I hate that so many of my friends have been raped. I hate how men make the products that I use to sop up my menses. And write "Have a happy period" on them.
And I hate that when people read this they will think "Stupid over-exaggerating feminist."
That's right. Pissed off.
I'm not pissed off for any reason, really. Just revelling in it, because I feel it rarely. Normally I am more annoyed than pissed off. More frustrated.
I feel, sometimes, a huge weight on me. The weight is my gender. Bizarre, isn't it? Normally I walk about blissfully unawares of the patriarchy the bellows alongside me. Sometimes I even question the extent of its existence (or perhaps ponder the presence of the matriarchy alongside it). But right now its growling and smoking and I can smell it.
I have a urinary tract infection. When stuff goes in my vagina, bacteria goes with it. I am not dirty. I am not unhygienic. I have a urethra, and it is short. And because of this I have to pay for any little lovely act I might like to commit (or that others might like me to commit).
I know this has nothing to do with patriarchy. Not in a learned/nurture sense. My urethra is not short and susceptible to infection because our society is male dominated. In fact, our society is probably male dominated in part because women's urethrae are shorter.
I hate that I'm expected to be on the pill. I hate that my friend's boyfriend is allowed to slap her ass. I hate that so many of my friends have been raped. I hate how men make the products that I use to sop up my menses. And write "Have a happy period" on them.
And I hate that when people read this they will think "Stupid over-exaggerating feminist."
Feb 15, 2007
The Secret Birdsong Morning Club
Hey!
www.myspace.com/ipushyoupull
Here is the fully recorded version. I'd like to make changes in the future, maybe, some day. A cymbal roll would be nice. And better balance between the voices (or maybe different voices?).
It also bothers me that it's slow. No, that's wrong. It bothers me that my first properly recorded song is a slow, dramatic song. But hey.
I'm also conflicted right now, but I don't really want to explain it to the internet. Maybe I should paint a big painting. Big paintings release angst, do they not? I don't feel like I can breath... though that might actually have something to do with my physical state of viral throat infection and sad lungs. Oh my sad lungs, oh.
Okay, I have to go work things. That's right. Work things.
Love.
www.myspace.com/ipushyoupull
Here is the fully recorded version. I'd like to make changes in the future, maybe, some day. A cymbal roll would be nice. And better balance between the voices (or maybe different voices?).
It also bothers me that it's slow. No, that's wrong. It bothers me that my first properly recorded song is a slow, dramatic song. But hey.
I'm also conflicted right now, but I don't really want to explain it to the internet. Maybe I should paint a big painting. Big paintings release angst, do they not? I don't feel like I can breath... though that might actually have something to do with my physical state of viral throat infection and sad lungs. Oh my sad lungs, oh.
Okay, I have to go work things. That's right. Work things.
Love.
Feb 9, 2007
Shameless!
Check it out!
http://web.uvic.ca/~eoliver
Before I started this assignment I didn't know how to save files as .html, how to use (aka copy and paste) javascript, or what an ftp server was. That's how much I rock (and how much my various friends who I've asked for help rock).
Yeah, that's it. I just rock.
Love,
Eden
http://web.uvic.ca/~eoliver
Before I started this assignment I didn't know how to save files as .html, how to use (aka copy and paste) javascript, or what an ftp server was. That's how much I rock (and how much my various friends who I've asked for help rock).
Yeah, that's it. I just rock.
Love,
Eden
Feb 4, 2007
Hey! This is my life!
My friend Andrew asked me yesterday (at 2 in the morning when walking back from a friend's); "Why are you in such a rush to get out of here?"
Here being UVic.
I think this is a bit of misunderstanding to start with. I'm taking so many required classes that I'm always rushed, etc, so it seems like I'm in a hurry to get my degree done (when in reality it's a 5 year program).
But he's right, too. There's nothing stopping me from taking a year off, or taking an extra year to lighten my courseload and take a few classes I'm interested in.
That's right. There's nothing stopping me. This is my life!
It was (and is) a huge realization for me. It was definately a "what the hell am I doing?!" moment. I realized that I'm largly moving through my life in the path set out for me by my parents, and awesome as that path may be or not, it's not mine. Though I might run into opposition on the more patriarchal side of my family if I took hold of my own life more, it's something that should be considered and dealt with AFTER making my decisions for myself.
I know this sounds like a corny self confidence speech, but it's important. It's something that's been bubbling under the surface of my subconcious for a while now. Ever since my ex-person became an ex-person I've been slowly coming to the realizations that:
1) I run my life.
2) I rock.
3) I have unlimited potential to rock more.
4) I want to rock more.
So yes, I'm going to do that. Rock more that is. First, I have to get my homework done, because good marks aid in my plans (as well as the knowledge I'll get from doing my homework).
LOVE!
~Eden
Here being UVic.
I think this is a bit of misunderstanding to start with. I'm taking so many required classes that I'm always rushed, etc, so it seems like I'm in a hurry to get my degree done (when in reality it's a 5 year program).
But he's right, too. There's nothing stopping me from taking a year off, or taking an extra year to lighten my courseload and take a few classes I'm interested in.
That's right. There's nothing stopping me. This is my life!
It was (and is) a huge realization for me. It was definately a "what the hell am I doing?!" moment. I realized that I'm largly moving through my life in the path set out for me by my parents, and awesome as that path may be or not, it's not mine. Though I might run into opposition on the more patriarchal side of my family if I took hold of my own life more, it's something that should be considered and dealt with AFTER making my decisions for myself.
I know this sounds like a corny self confidence speech, but it's important. It's something that's been bubbling under the surface of my subconcious for a while now. Ever since my ex-person became an ex-person I've been slowly coming to the realizations that:
1) I run my life.
2) I rock.
3) I have unlimited potential to rock more.
4) I want to rock more.
So yes, I'm going to do that. Rock more that is. First, I have to get my homework done, because good marks aid in my plans (as well as the knowledge I'll get from doing my homework).
LOVE!
~Eden
Jan 30, 2007
Beginning Clarinetists!
A picture of me in class a few weeks ago! Man was the professor for this class great!
Resolutions?
The last two days have been excellent in many ways, the primary way being teaching/performing. I feel like I am finally losing some nervousness/gaining confidence. It is awesome and makes me very excited, because getting over nervousness leaves you freer to explore and enjoy teaching and performing.
I also had a great day yesterday, and to some extent today, because of people who being really emotionally supportive/boosting ("Positive reinforcement has made me a slave to people's compliments!"). That sounds odd, I know, and I mean it in a much less structured way than it sounds. Just a lot of compliments on teaching/performing, as well as just some semi-inside jokes which involve the phrase "I love Eden!!!"
I've been feeling really drained and not school focused lately, which has mostly to do with the fact that I haven't been sleeping enough. This is also my 5 consecutive term of school now, as I did summer school previously, so I just feel like I've been going long enough already! Unfortunately, I've still got a few months to go before the end of the term. I should try to think of some ways to boost my excitement/involvement in my studies. Maybe I should try making assignments more personal and exciting... How does one analyze Boulez's Douze Notations in a personal way? Maybe I'll use colours...
There was a lot of talk today about excitement and energy in music. I think it might've been because most people in the music school are tired and/or ill right now, so ensembles (large and small) have been... tired. But it's a good subject, and I must try to find ways to be more involved with music (like Gerry said "think that each note is a life that you are in charge of"). We did Tai Chi and jumping jacks before small ensemble today, to try to get us focused, but we were just so... tired. More sleep too, I think.
I've been too angsty about boys as well. I saw boy #1 (number assignments ARE arbitrary) today and he was so pretty, damn him. I wish I wasn't so... unsure and pessimistic about this stuff right now. It's odd that my mood about boys can coincide with my boost in self confidence and general happiness in other areas of my life. But it's been a real drain, just over-thinking issues and wishing for situations that aren't going to happen. And missing old ones (well, the situations, anyways).
I didn't intend to start this entry as a list of resolutions, but that's what it's morphed into. Perhaps I should go and get started on them.
Love.
I also had a great day yesterday, and to some extent today, because of people who being really emotionally supportive/boosting ("Positive reinforcement has made me a slave to people's compliments!"). That sounds odd, I know, and I mean it in a much less structured way than it sounds. Just a lot of compliments on teaching/performing, as well as just some semi-inside jokes which involve the phrase "I love Eden!!!"
I've been feeling really drained and not school focused lately, which has mostly to do with the fact that I haven't been sleeping enough. This is also my 5 consecutive term of school now, as I did summer school previously, so I just feel like I've been going long enough already! Unfortunately, I've still got a few months to go before the end of the term. I should try to think of some ways to boost my excitement/involvement in my studies. Maybe I should try making assignments more personal and exciting... How does one analyze Boulez's Douze Notations in a personal way? Maybe I'll use colours...
There was a lot of talk today about excitement and energy in music. I think it might've been because most people in the music school are tired and/or ill right now, so ensembles (large and small) have been... tired. But it's a good subject, and I must try to find ways to be more involved with music (like Gerry said "think that each note is a life that you are in charge of"). We did Tai Chi and jumping jacks before small ensemble today, to try to get us focused, but we were just so... tired. More sleep too, I think.
I've been too angsty about boys as well. I saw boy #1 (number assignments ARE arbitrary) today and he was so pretty, damn him. I wish I wasn't so... unsure and pessimistic about this stuff right now. It's odd that my mood about boys can coincide with my boost in self confidence and general happiness in other areas of my life. But it's been a real drain, just over-thinking issues and wishing for situations that aren't going to happen. And missing old ones (well, the situations, anyways).
I didn't intend to start this entry as a list of resolutions, but that's what it's morphed into. Perhaps I should go and get started on them.
Love.
Jan 25, 2007
Untitled
Here are my completed lyrics!
~
When the day comes down
and the mist recedes.
When our eyes start to believe
what they see.
We stumble to explain
(oh your little pleasures)
Caressing victory
(skin on skin, pound of flesh, you'll get yours oh my love)
Terms are tools, prop them up,
build debris.
And your words... win again. (X4)
And your words... were all I had to believe.
And the pale light of the morning (morning)
offers no conception of what's perceived.
So I set aside the paper, touched, tainted with your love
and it lets me breath.
~
And when I said "it sounds better in context" in the last post I meant musical context more than verbal context.
Maybe one day it will be recorded (or sometime this week). But for now I have to practice my conducting for classes. Find and listen to Timothy Broege's Headless Horsemen or Sinfonia V to see what my life is like right now (where you would find them, I don't know).
~Eden
(lyrics updated February 26, 2007)
~
When the day comes down
and the mist recedes.
When our eyes start to believe
what they see.
We stumble to explain
(oh your little pleasures)
Caressing victory
(skin on skin, pound of flesh, you'll get yours oh my love)
Terms are tools, prop them up,
build debris.
And your words... win again. (X4)
And your words... were all I had to believe.
And the pale light of the morning (morning)
offers no conception of what's perceived.
So I set aside the paper, touched, tainted with your love
and it lets me breath.
~
And when I said "it sounds better in context" in the last post I meant musical context more than verbal context.
Maybe one day it will be recorded (or sometime this week). But for now I have to practice my conducting for classes. Find and listen to Timothy Broege's Headless Horsemen or Sinfonia V to see what my life is like right now (where you would find them, I don't know).
~Eden
(lyrics updated February 26, 2007)
Jan 21, 2007
Religious Text
I realized recently that I've been spending a lot of time talking about boys, crushes, etc., with my flatmates (mostly Andrew and Alia... Al has yet to get to "girl talk" stage with me). I told this to Andrew after a long conversation about my frustrations and he mentioned that most people *do* think about/talk about these sorts of issues a lot, it's just that I haven't been single for quite a while. I guess it is true, and as long as I am causing no harm or annoyance I suppose it's allowed.
I was reading over my recent blog entry and noticed the comment about not liking the connotations of the label "single." I realized this in full this weekend. My primary group of friends (other than my flatmates and my school-going acquaintances) is a group of guys, most of whom live together. Although all of the boys in the house right now are single, I feel safe with every one of them. It feels as if everyone (excepting of course my ex-person) has a dual way of thinking of me; I am at once "one of the guys" whilst also being a girl and ultimately available.
Then a friend from Toronto moved in to live with them, and suddenly I realized what it is like to not be considered "one of the guys" (side note, if said boy is reading this blog, please do come and talk to me instead of only gleaning what you can from this). It's odd, and there are very few ways in which I can prove or explain how I feel his perception of me is different from everyone else's, but it borders on me feeling objectified.
Which is a pity, really, because he seems like an awesome person. He's just an awesome person I've only known for three days who has come in and confused a social situation in which I was momentarily taking solace after the end of a long-term relationship.
You can see how I would be conflicted about the idea. And how it would make me sad that I am possibly pushing away a good opportunity because I am still unsure of my conception of self and my emotions.
And now for some lyrics I wrote recently that have nothing to do with the above situation (honestly):
And the pale light of the morning morning
offers no conception of what's perceived.
So I set aside the paper, touched, tainted with your love.
And it lets me breath.
I like it... but it's more effective in context.
~Eden
I was reading over my recent blog entry and noticed the comment about not liking the connotations of the label "single." I realized this in full this weekend. My primary group of friends (other than my flatmates and my school-going acquaintances) is a group of guys, most of whom live together. Although all of the boys in the house right now are single, I feel safe with every one of them. It feels as if everyone (excepting of course my ex-person) has a dual way of thinking of me; I am at once "one of the guys" whilst also being a girl and ultimately available.
Then a friend from Toronto moved in to live with them, and suddenly I realized what it is like to not be considered "one of the guys" (side note, if said boy is reading this blog, please do come and talk to me instead of only gleaning what you can from this). It's odd, and there are very few ways in which I can prove or explain how I feel his perception of me is different from everyone else's, but it borders on me feeling objectified.
Which is a pity, really, because he seems like an awesome person. He's just an awesome person I've only known for three days who has come in and confused a social situation in which I was momentarily taking solace after the end of a long-term relationship.
You can see how I would be conflicted about the idea. And how it would make me sad that I am possibly pushing away a good opportunity because I am still unsure of my conception of self and my emotions.
And now for some lyrics I wrote recently that have nothing to do with the above situation (honestly):
And the pale light of the morning morning
offers no conception of what's perceived.
So I set aside the paper, touched, tainted with your love.
And it lets me breath.
I like it... but it's more effective in context.
~Eden
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