Ooooh, Music

I like this band a lot.

Been working on the piano lately.  I’m taking lessons, practicing daily, and actually beginning to learn.  Kind of cool, actually, to develop a skill.  I was thinking of writing something about how to learn things, but I don’t know how I’d go about it, or who would ever want to read it.

So I’m working on publishing my second book right now, talking about bidniz and all. I’ll keep you abreast of developments, but the book won’t see shelves until August of next year, roundabout. So be patient.

A video of a Welsh actor reading “Taliesin”

Here’s a video clip of Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd reading one of the “Taliesin” poems.  “Taliesin” is the name given to a Welsh bard and cultural hero.  He’s also an archetype for the transforming sorcerer and the protean bard.  The clip is in Welsh, with subtitles.

Part I, Part II

Overall, this is a good example of an incantation.  Taliesin identifies himself not just as the master of secrets, but as the metaphor itself — he has been all of these things, and all of these things are Taliesin.  Taliesin identifies himself as the “is” in metaphor.

Keyboard

So I finally bought some keyboard lessons. It’s a little strange to sit in the waiting room of the music academy here and wait with all the parents. I desperately hope they don’t make small-talk.  “Are your children taking piano lessons?”  “Um.  No.”  Assumption of heteronormativity and — can’t find a Greek name for it — the idea that learning stops with adulthood?

She (the teacher) has me working on some rather simple, basic things, which is good, since it’s those basics I lack. I’m pleased that she’s already got me building chords and using both hands. We also seem to share a loathing for mindless learning.  She says that in two weeks, we’ll start playing the Blues.  Ain’t that cool.