The House & other Arctic musings

Glowworm

After reading a couple of posts over at A Passion for Nature about Glow Worms I ended up really curious about some things. Specifically I got thinking about glowing as a strategy when you're a relatively sedate small organism. It makes sense as a strategy for a winged animal, but less so (to me) for an earth bound one. The little bit of reading I've done so far though has shown some explanations (ie. some of them are toxic so it is a form of advertising ("Don't eat me, I taste bad") similar to brightly coloured diurnal animals. And also, in some cases, it is used as a lure for smaller insects, to predate them, similar to lure fish of the dark ocean depths.

But the best thing I found in my brief on-line searching was by far this... the best two minutes you'll have today. The Mills Brothers singing "Glow Worm"

Gallow's Pole

I meant to post this earlier, a congratulations to New Mexico for becoming the fifteenth State to abolish the death penalty. It didn't come from a realization that the Death Penalty is fundamentally wrong, but from the, almost as important, realization that justice systems, despite their best efforts otherwise, are unable to guarantee that no one will be wrongfully convicted, and that innocent people will be (and have been) executed.

The abolition on March 18th, 2009 is something that New Mexico should be very proud of. It is unfortunate that Montana squandered the same opportunity just a few days later, and even more unfortunate that there remains 35 States where execution has not been abolished.

In honour of New Mexico's decision here is one of Robert Plant's and Jimmy Page's most powerful songs. Thank you New Mexico.

I ain't got a card to sign

Steve Earle is a brilliant song writer, and his song Valentine's Day is beautiful and you know, just know, that it comes from his screwing up on Valentine's Day. But it is also a wonderful expression of his love for his wife (the one he married twice "Our divorce didn't work out.").  When it came up on the iPod last week I thought I came up with the perfect gift. I would sing Valentine's Day for Leah, put it on a DVD and give it to her.

Now I like to think I can sing. In reality I'd probably be one of those contestants on Idol that just doesn't get it ("No? Let me sing one more song. Just one more, you'll see." "Stupid judges. I am an Idol, wait until I make it big. I'll buy them!" - That sort of thing.). But I got a hold of a friend of mine, who does have talent, and asked him if he'd accompany me on the guitar. I must have listened to the song every waking moment, well every waking moment that Leah wasn't home. This was going to be good.

Dwight wasn't able to open the copy of the song I emailed him, so he simply downloaded, but he downloaded another version. When he got here Friday we had about an hour an a half to get our act together, and get the song recorded. He shone. Me not so much. But its the thought that counts right? When he finally had to leave we had about three recordings of the song, the last one the best but far from perfect (and I'll stress again that it was my singing not the guitar playing).  I even shot some close up footage of his playing the bridge so I could fade it in during that portion of the song.

So I had some footage, that while imperfect, was heartfelt and that is the main thing. I now had a few hours to edit and burn the DVD. My computer wouldn't let me. My poor old G4 is in the grips of senescence, it could not handle the video in Final Cut. I could listen to the clips but I couldn't view an entire clip of video. I also have Final Cut on the Powerbook that I use as another desktop, but it wouldn't load, and tht means I have to find the software and reinstall it.

After a couple of hours of this I threw my hands up in submission, hoping against hope that Leah was getting me a brand new 8 core Mac Pro for Valentine's. In the end I played the raw footage for her this morning, I really had no other cards to play. Her initial reaction was that she didn't understand the words, so I sang it to her in person, something I should have done in the first place.

You know, I'm not sure, but I think she liked it. She didn't even ask where her roses were.

Committees, coffee and clouds

Okay, I've been a bad blogger. And I can't help it. Well I can, but I've been occupied of late and tired, and so when I sit in front of a blank composing screen my mind matches it, blank. I actually almost fell off the office chair a couple of days ago when I fell asleep in front of the "Compose Post" screen.

I've got things to write about, its not a lack of material by any means. I finally got to watch Passchendaele the other day and want to write a review, but I've got so many expectations and come at it from different interests and levels and I still can't decide whether I like or dislike it.  Probably both.

Mostly I've been spending time in meetings and committees and such. Four this week. And they've been long, or some have. Kids to the dentist, a pile of work for the B&B (and that sound was a deadline swooshing by), and endless pots of coffee for meetings taking place at the House and it seems like I actually work for a living for a change.

Clouds? Well, today the sun was supposed to be above the horizon, but the weather gods, with their infinite sense of humour decided it was time for the first truly overcast day in weeks. There was a beautiful sort of lemony light at noon today though. So I suspect the sun still exists, and the human sacrifice worked yet again. Tomorrow is supposed to be clear, so perhaps there will be photos.  And a video if an idea comes to fruitation.

Edited note: The Sun was back yesterday. Proving that 1) I have no clue what date it is. 2) I apparently ignore my son who told me about the Sun last night and 3) I apparently don't look outside.

While I'm rambling all over the place. It's Bob Marley's birthday.  Do yourself a favour and go to your iPod and play some Marley.  A lot of it actually.  And if you don't have some on there, for shame.

I had another poem that I planned on sharing with you today but it will wait for the return of the Sun post. Instead, here is one from the Writer's Almanac today that made me chuckle.

Uncle Jim

by Peter Meinke

What the children remember about Uncle Jim
is that on the train to Reno to get divorced
so he could marry again
he met another woman and woke up in California.
It took him seven years to untangle that dream
but a man who could sing like Uncle Jim
was bound to get in scrapes now and then:
he expected it and we expected it.

Mother said, It's because he was the middle child,
and Father said, Yeah, where there's trouble
Jim's in the middle.

When he lost his voice he lost all of it
to the surgeon's knife and refused the voice box
they wanted to insert. In fact he refused
almost everything. Look, they said,
it's up to you. How many years
do you want to live? and Uncle Jim
held up one finger.
The middle one.

Musical interlude

My time hasn't been my own the last couple of days, and though I've sat down to write a couple of things my eyes start rolling back in my head and I end up not writing anything.  Perhaps tomorrow.  In the mean time, I just discovered that Michael of Canadian CKayaker, in addition to being an interesting blogger deserving of your visits, is a heck of a guitar player.  Check out his video, taken from his blog.
Guitar Piece from Michael Bradley on Vimeo.

Bound by harmony

I used to say that police work would be a lot better with a soundtrack. And safer, when the ominous music rose you'd know that you were in for something serious. While you occasionally hear people refer to the music they listen to as the soundtrack to their lives, it really isn't the same. For the most part our music, while perhaps important to us and not just background music, doesn't function the same as a soundtrack. For a good soundtrack enhances, or even sets, the mood of a scene. Music can be a powerful tool in filmmaking.

I own several soundtracks in my music, mostly because they can make for some great compilations. More often now, in the iTunes world of today, I just cherry pick from them. I increasingly discover that I already have some of the music already. The other day we watched Ghosttown and as the credits rolled the music had me thinking I'd need (I love that - need) to look up the soundtrack. The song was a Wilco song, and I had it.  Hmm, can't be because I have too much music. No, that can't be it, that would be like having too many books.

Several years ago, after watching Truth or Consequences New Mexico I thought to myself, man I've got to get that soundtrack, but was never able to find it.  On ocassion I'd look for it but it seems it was never released. The other night I just looked up the songs on the internet and went looking for them. I must have been in a way different space then, because it sure wasn't the powerful album I'd always thought it was (although I did already have a couple of the songs - notably Lucinda Williams' and Van Morrison's songs).  That just may be another aspect of soundtracks, sometimes the music is more as a part of the film than it is on its own.

The job of chosing a soundtrack generally falls to someone other than the writer. There are of course exceptions, writers/filmakers such as the Coen Brothers or Quentin Tarantino feel that the musical choices are an integral part of the writing.  But they also make the films, giving them alot more freedom. Generally it is the job of someone else, and someone skilled at it can greatly enhance the film.

When I started Ghosts of Vimy I had no illusions that one, it would actually become a film, and two, if it did that I would have any choice in any soundtracks. Being a period piece it also changes the nature of the soundtrack. I did/do though have a sense of what I'd like. I don't know if you are familiar with the movie Cal but the soundtrack is by Mark Knopfler (who has done a few music scores) and I imagine a similar treatment for the movie that plays in my head, but with a highland flavour rather than Irish.

In the screenplay though there are three, no make that four, spots that I suggest music. Two of them can't be considered "soundtrack" per se as the music forms part of action (bagpipes). But two of the suggestions are songs that in my mind fit so well that I can't imagine a better song for the background of the particular scene. To me they do exactly what a good soundtrack piece should do, fit the scene seamlessly and set the mood for what is unfolding.

Jah guide, Vincent, Jah guide

One of my all time favourite songs, me and about a million or so other people, is No Woman, No Cry by the musical genius that was Bob Marley. It is a song that makes me pause when I hear it, listening to it rather than it being just background noise. It has made me smile, made me cry and was partially responsible for ending the worse fight I ever had in a relationship.

Vincent Ford, the man who wrote it (or not. Some believe that Marley wrote it but gave his friend Ford the credit so he could collect the royalties),  died today in Jamaica. He may have gone but his song will endure, so dry your tears, I say.

Everything's going to be alright.

New holiday song favourite

I know I only posted my list of ten favourite Christmas songs the other day, but as of last night I have a new one.

O Holy Night in Inuktitut by the Grade One class of Inuujaq School.
Yep, that's my boy in the red track suit.

The Ten Songs of Christmas meme

Although this post by the incomparable Townie Bastard isn't a meme in the strictest sense, I'm treating it as such.  Townie has shared with us his ten favourite Christmas songs, and I'm challenging you to do the same. Here are mine, which you may or may not agree with (but at least Snoopy's Christmas or the one by that group that did Ra Ra Rasputin isn't on it.)

1) White Christmas by Bing Crosby.  You could probably choose just about any Bing Crosby tune to include on my list, but this is my favourite of his.
2) Happy Christmas (War is over) by John Lennon. Perhaps over played, but who cares.
3) God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen by the Knox United Church Choir and congregation. Not a recording, only a memory.
4) Silent Night (7 o'clock news) by Simon and Garfunkel. While the news might be dated it still makes for a powerful effect.
5) The Huron Carol by Tom Jackson. A song that inspired an entire series of benefit concerts for the needy at Christmas, sung in that wonderful deep sonorous voice of his. That and my sister would disown me if it wasn't on here.
6) The Holly by Rita MacNeil.  I don't know, there is just something about this song that has resonated with me from the first time I heard it.
7) The Christmas Blues by Dean Martin
8) Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming by R. Carlos Nakai and William Eaton.  Some might be dismissive of this as New Age/Muzak but the entire Winter Dreams CD is unparalleled for the quiet contemplative times, after the kids are asleep, and the House is dark but for the lights of the tree.
9) Peace by Norah Jones.  It should be mandatory listening.
10) And finally one I don't know the name of, or the words to. By the Roblin Ukrainian Orthodox Church carolers. Really it is more for Ukrainian Christmas but for me it just is essential Christmas music. Or rather was years ago.

So that's my ten. Certainly more traditional than Townie's list, but I think I've trumped him by not having Snoopy's Christmas on my list.  As a bonus, here is a short, Christmas related True Crime story.

Every year in La Ronge we'd have what we'd call our "Christmas Babies", people that would do things so monumentally stupid that they'd spend Christmas in our cells. It never failed. Occasionally just before Christmas we'd have someone that we'd have to take before a judge to see if they'd be remanded in custody or not.

On one such occasion I was acting as the Crown for a show cause hearing, which to be honest was almost impossible to win that time of year. Everyone in court was in a good mood, and after the Legal Aid lawyer gave his arguements he smiled and said to the judge "I really love these hearings this time of the year, while you're making your decision I just sit back and hum I'll Be Home For Christmas" and sat down.  The judge looked at me and smiled, and I stood up and said "All I can say your Honour is that I much prefer I'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You"

In the spirit of the season I'm not going to tag anyone but everyone who wants to please feel free to continue the meme and give your top ten Holiday (whatever faith or secular ones work for you) tunes.

32-20 Blues

When I downloaded Bob Dylan's version of Robert Johnson's 32-20 Blues this afternoon I realized that it was the fifth version of the song I own. I have Robert Johnson's original version of course, plus ones by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Gov't Mule and Muddy Waters.

Robert Johnson, who has been described as one of the world's greatest blues guitarists, and the grandfather of Rock, laid his legacy down on vinyl over fifty years ago, over about five days in 1936. He recorded some forty tracks with a total of 28 songs. He was, most likely 25 years old at the time. He died two years later in 1938.

Very little is known about his life, and much of what surrounds his life (and death) is legend. He supposedly died from drinking whiskey laced with strychnine proffered by a jealous husband. One of the legends surrounding his guitar playing is that he made a deal with the devil at a Crossroads (one of his songs).

32-20 refers to an old calibre of rifle/handgun bullet. The song basically is about shooting a woman, so not the best subject matter, but it is a great song. I'm not sure which version (after Johnson's) I like the most... it varies with each listen.  I'm rather partial to Gov't Mule's version right now, and the early Muddy Water's is classic. Suffice to say they are all good.