Spring

Spring is here. I can see it everywhere. But more importantly, I feel it.

Lamp love

I want this lamp. Seriously.

hannah - in music

So, I first started off this post as a comment on my friend Laura's blog. But then it go too long. So I decided to make a post of my own. I took the music challenge where you search your name in music and see what comes up. There was quite a mix.

Let's see, first there was a song in french by les cowboys fringants that seemed to be a bit romantic although you never know what those frenchies are saying underneath the pretty exterior of their accents.

Then there was "hannah" by Robin Trower. Don't worry I've never heard of him either. Didn't care so much for the style of music - kind of weird punk rock- like a song from across the universe soundtrack, but diggin' the lyrics at first... hannah walks in beauty like the night, etc. But then it got kinda wierd. stangely similar to that laura song-

"Hannah, distance surrounds you everwhere
Hannah, living in memories I can't share
Living a life, wide as the sky"

Then there's the pretty famous song hannah by Ray LaMontagne. I've known this song for a while, but never really studied the lyrics. This particular verse kills me:

"Her Papa he was a preaching man
And the Lord is hard to please
So she comes down from the ozark hills to these very streets to roam
With a banjo and a bible and a fine tooth comb"

There are so many more I could mention. I'll just pick a few of my fave's.

Songs with hannah in the name:

"Lovin' hannah" - although it's sung in praise by a women, it IS sung by a woman in a very whispery breathy voice so it is a bit creepy. Maybe the singer should have watched she's just not that into you.

"hannah's conscious" the album is called the knife and again very upbeat and techno-ish.

"hannah t" by the Coma's. Interesting name.

"Vegetarian restaurant" perfect. I"m not sure why this one came up. Perhaps it is because it's also in The Knife album. just had to mention it. And of course it's all instrumental.

Just in case one hannah isn't enough, there's always "hannah hannah" by I hate sally. My friend Laura would probably enjoy this song knowing her tastes in music. Very screamo. I don't even pretend to know what they're saying.

Ella Fitzgerald sings "hard hearted hannah". Sad. But the lyrics are pretty funny. Here's a sample:

"They got a gal there, a pretty gal there,
Who's colder than an Arctic storm,
Got a heart just like a stone,
Even ice men leave her alone!

They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town;

...

I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan,
There was Hannah pouring water on a drownding man! "

"dear hannah" by metro station intrigued me. Another tale of woe regarding my namesake. Dear hannah is not exactly the high brow of society here.

Artists with hannah in the name:

This artist is called Hannah Fury. The album I listened to was called through the gash. Hannah's can be quite violent I suppose. Their song never look back is kind of a mix between a christmas jewelry box sound and the cranberries stripped of their rock-ness. It has the same strain of hormones.

Hannah & her sisters. Not to be confused with the movie hannah and her sisters. I listened to you keep me hanging on, again more techno club music.

Then there's always the band kill hannah, can't say I care much for their name.

I also found a band simply called hannah. They have a nice techno upbeat sound - great for clubbin or contra dancing. It's all in swedish or something though so can't comment on the content of the songs.

And I would be much amiss if I didn't mention hannah montana. That's pretty much how I introduce myself now, so people remember my name. It's sad that the mnemonics I resort to reference such a sad part of modern culture, but hey, its good for a beat right?

So, in summary:
Don't kill hannah or mess with hannah & her sisters or you will receive some hannah fury either from hannah or hannah montana.

old music loves

I knew a girl in high school who was a very talented musician. I even bought a cd she made. Last night I was in the mood to hear more of her music so I found her website and played the song Tree that she had up there. Needless to say I loved it and also her other stuff I hadn't heard before including her music from when she was in a quartet which is available for free download. She has such a lyrical quality to her voice and her lyrics are also awesome.

Tree-olive green Anna from olive green anna on Vimeo.

Way to go Anna!

if a body catch a body comin thro' the rye

I just finished rereading The catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. It is one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors. Anyway, I love the passage in the book where he explains what would make him happy. For those who don't know the entire book is very pessimistic the the first person narrator Holden Caulfield has a bleak outlook on life. Practically everything depresses him. But the redemptive passage is when his sister asks him what would make him happy. It's so beautiful I think it makes sense that it would be the title of the book. I've included it here:

Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be.

The reference is from a poem by Robert Burns. It is also quite a beautiful poem.

Comin Thro' The Rye

O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body,
Jenny's seldom dry:
She draigl't a' her petticoatie,
Comin thro' the rye!

Comin thro' the rye, poor body,
Comin thro' the rye,
She draigl't a' her petticoatie,
Comin thro' the rye!

Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body cry?

Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the glen,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need the warl' ken?

Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the grain;
Gin a body kiss a body,
The thing's a body's ain.

Gin a body kiss a body
Comin' thro' the grain
Need a body grudge a body
What's a body's ain

Every lassie has her laddie
Nane, they say, ha'e I
yet a' the lads they smile at me
When comin' thro' the Rye

Amang the train, there is a swain
I dearly lo'e mysel'
But whaur his hame, or what his name
I dinna care to tell

I'm working on an art piece for this novel, but it's not at a place where I have much to show right now.

black swan

Recently saw the movie Black Swan with natalie portman. It's up for best picture at the Oscars this year. It was a beautiful window into a dancer's life and how there's more to it than meets the eye of the audience. Of course, it's dramatized for film, but I think the themes are beautiful. Here are some sketches I made after wards.

struggling to find a project

So, I've been struggling lately to find a project that I can commit to and be passionate about. I really enjoy packaging and copying things from real life, but I'm don't just want to copy someone else's idea. If you have any thoughts or ideas for me, please share. Meanwhile, some recent work:

Love love love the tazo brand.

classic.

My jewelry box.