goodbye

thanks for the music.

Come on inside

Cracking Clay

Not much makes me miss the desert, but this video makes me miss it so much I could cry.

"Four Provinces," by The Walkmen



I shouldn't be here. I should be writing a story that starts with the first line of Kate Chopin's "The Storm," so that's what I'm going to go do.

♥ Goodnight, world.

#IranElection & The Day MJ Died & Dr. Tiller

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.

See "Michael Jackson, Pop Icon, is Dead at 50," at the New York Times.

I actually own The Wiz. Michael Jackson singing "You Can't Win":

"You Can't Win," by Charlie Smalls

You can't win, You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game.
People keep saying, Things are gonna change
But they look just like
You're staying the same

You get in way over your head
And you only got yourself to blame
[Chorus:] You can't win Chile
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game.

You can't win, The world keeps moving
And you're standing far behind
People keep saying, Things'll get better
(Just to ease your state of mind)
(So you lean back, and you smoke that smoke)
(And you drink your glass of wine)
[Chorus]

You can't win, you can't win no way
If your story stays the same
(You ain't winning) No, no
(But it's nice to see you. I'm awfully glad you came)
(Better cool it 'cause, It ain't about losing)
And the world has got no shame
[Chorus]

You can't win, You can't break even
Ain't the way it's supposed to be
(You'll be spending), No, no, (Your little bit of money)
While someone else rides for free
(Learn your lesson), ooh,
(Refuel your mind, Before some turkey blows out your flame)
[Chorus]

I freaking love this song: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

I remember sitting in the back of the car with my little sister & cousin, singing along to MJ on the radio. He's a tragic figure in many ways, but there's no doubt he was an incredibly talented artist, and he left a profound mark on our culture.

Questlove (of the Roots) has posted some of my favorite tweets so far, he makes really good points. Check out his Twitter page here @questlove
Excerpts below (to read them in order, start at the bottom):

aint never heard a peep about elvis as a 24 yr old dating a 14 yr old priscilla, or his drug problems or anything but him being a treasure. about 1 hour ago from web

im emotional now but i dont want the only american news source i watch talking about the controversial period. about 1 hour ago from web

elvis got revisionist media treatment. i expect the friggin same for my hero. lemme find out yall gonna paint this mofo as a freak cnn. about 1 hour ago from web

but i think its time we let him rest in peace and learn to separate the ART and the ARTIST. --that is the MJ i will forever remember. about 2 hours ago from web

that he will get due justice in all the press memorials and whatnot. i know he was mired in controversy the last decade of his life about 2 hours ago from web

not overwork myself to the point in which i can't even enjoy life anymore. im am devastated over this but we all have memories. i just hope about 3 hours ago from web

I don't think I really believe in the benefit of revisionist memory, at least not in a total historical way. *On a personal level, I think maybe sometimes we all need to do it, in large & small ways, just to get by. But I do believe in the power of empathy & forgiveness, whatever the truth is. (See "Worldview" segments at sidebar, especially Dr. King.) And I do believe that sometimes the art is not the artist. I think? I don't know. It's just sad. Maybe it's just that none of us are simple, and that includes the giants among us.

*

And another thing. I know it's inexcusable that I'm posting about MJ, but I haven't posted about what's going on in Iran yet. So I hope you'll forgive me. I've been sucked into the twittersphere, on that front. (See #IranElection.) The US media was hardly covering it at first, it seems. Twitter pushed the story. (See #CNNFail.)

Rest in peace, Neda Agha-Soltan. She was 26, just a tiny bit older than me, and she died just for standing up for her right to have her vote counted. She went to a protest, and she was shot to death. I've gone to lots of social & political gatherings, but I've always had this luxury, which Neda didn't have: I've never had to fear for my life. Whether it was a marriage equality rally, an Obama phone bank, a pro-choice meeting, or just voting, I never had to go knowing that it was not only possible, but likely that I'd be hurt. Neda Agha-Soltan knew the danger, her friends & family warned her, but she went anyway. Now her face has become the face of the struggle in Iran. Let's all remember her, and all the others around the world who have died and are dying in the name of justice.

Photo from the LA Times article "Family, friends mourn Neda, Iranian woman who died on video"

May truth & justice prevail in Iran, may peaceful protest win out. We're all connected, and I don't mean that just in some vague spiritual way. I mean that injustice anywhere echoes, and when people realize that & come together, amazing things can happen. See "Social Networks Spread Defiance Online," an article at the New York Times. (Also see "Worldview" segments at sidebar, especially ubuntu.)

*

And that reminds me: Rest in peace, Dr. George Tiller.
See "Dr. Tiller's Important Job," opinion piece at the New York Times.

Photo from http://iamdrtiller.com/

I just want to say that I did want to post about Dr. Tiller earlier. But honestly, I felt kind of scared. I guess I feel guilty for letting that stop me.

PETE SEEGER: THE POWER OF SONG on PBS

The second time I've watched this episode of PBS American Masters---
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song



And remember when he was on Letterman? ♥ "Take it from Dr. King" ♥



90 years old and still going strong! Did you know there's a movement to give Pete Seeger a Nobel Peace Prize? Check it out: http://www.nobelprize4pete.org/

DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL, by Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse (visuals by David Lynch)

I've been feeling pretty burned out on music for a while. This really kicked me awake. I listened to the whole album (via the stream over at NPR) at least three times in a row today.

Apparently there were legal problems with the label (they wanted to shelve the album?!), so the project is being sold as a book of photography by David Lynch, along with---get this---a blank CD-R. Guess what you're supposed to do with it?

I can't wait to check out the art (can't exactly afford the $50 book right now, but I'm hoping there will be other ways to view?) You can also get a $10 poster/CD-R package.

Check it out at the official website:

"Danger Mouse's project Dark Night of the Soul consists of an album length piece of music by Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and a host of guest vocalists, along with a collection of original David Lynch photography inspired by and based on the music.

The photographs, which provide a visual narrative for the music, are compiled in a limited edition, hand numbered 100+ page book which will now come with a blank, recordable CD-R. All copies will be clearly labeled: 'For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'

Due to an ongoing dispute with EMI, Danger Mouse is unable to release the recorded music for Dark Night of the Soul without fear of being sued by EMI.

Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night of the Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is."

Hint, hint. An article at NPR lists the collaborators:

In addition to Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, other artists appearing on Dark Night of the Soul include James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, David Lynch, and Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Gerbils.

Now go listen!

Poetry in the White House!

Who woulda useda thunkit? Things really are looking brighter, in places.

From the White House blog:

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 at 5:44 pm

Poetry, Music and Spoken Word

Tonight, the President and the First Lady will host an evening celebrating poetry, music and the spoken word. This event is designed around the theme of dialogue, showing how dialogue is important in every aspect of who we are as Americans and as human beings, and demonstrating how communication is a constant throughout the ages. The hope is also that this evening's gathering helps ensure that all voices are heard, particularly voices that are often not heard. We are fortunate to have a wide variety of upcoming and legendary performers such as Joshua Bennett, James Earl Jones, Eric Lewis, Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio, Mayda Del Valle and Esperanza Spalding.

We have invited students from American, Galludet, Georgetown, and Howard Universities to participate in the event. And of course we also invite you to join us, as we're streaming the event live at 7pm on WhiteHouse.gov/live.

For anyone who might be interested, Saul Williams is there somewhere. Check out his updates tonight on twitter: @SaulWilliams

(Here's a fun one I saw a little while ago: SaulWilliams They're playing Nina Simone in the white house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! about 1 hour ago)

BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE, by Charles Baxter

Burning Down the House: Essays on Fiction, by Charles Baxter

I started reading it a while ago---completely fascinating, it's blowing my mind in several ways.

But now, every time I randomly hear the Talking Heads song he named the book after, I start to think it's a sign pointing me to Minnesota. And by "every time," I mean the two times that that's happened recently.

1) I'm watching the third season of Six Feet Under (don't tell me anything!) on DVD, and in the episode where it's Ruth's birthday, that song plays while they're all dancing.

2) I have my iPod on shuffle, and it comes up halfway through my bus ride home from work.

Here's your ticket pack your bag: time for jumpin' overboard
The transportation is here

Anyway, I mean to talk about the book (and several others) at some point. Right now, my brain is a warm gelatinous substance, and I'm going to drown my anxieties/exhaustion in tonight's new episode of Lost.

PS---Of course:

Everything's stuck together
I don't know what you expect staring into the TV set

*

PPS---

Books I'm reading right now (I'm doing that bad thing where I move back and forth every few days):

Burning Down the House: Essays on Fiction, by Charles Baxter

Little, by David Treuer


Books I'm almost finished with:

Believers, by Charles Baxter---I'm reading the title novella at the end

An Explanation for Chaos, by Julie Schumacher---I'm reading the last, title story

CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, by George Saunders---I'm reading the novella at the end: "Bounty"

Hmm...I think I've discovered a pattern. The problem is with me, not with the books. I zipped through all the stories up until the last of each, and then I started trading back and forth. Maybe it's really a subconscious effort to prolong the experience?

Book(s) I plan to start very soon, here:

Concertina, by M.J. Fitzgerald




(Post in progress...Lost started!)

PBS World: Worth Procrastinating For

A lot of good stuff on PBS World today! I should be doing my homework for fiction tomorrow, but these shows keep pulling me back in.

I have to leave the house at an ungodly hour tomorrow, ("working interview"), so I need to start trying to sleep around 7 pm. I can't remember the last time I went to bed so early.

*

Recommended Viewing!

From the PBS Independent Lens website:

In the 1920s, Zulu singer Solomon Linda composed "Mbube," a hit melody in his native South Africa. Decades later, it skyrocketed to the top of the international pop charts as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

A LION'S TRAIL follows this beloved song's rocky history, from South Africa to Brooklyn and back, asking why Linda died penniless---while American artists made millions off of his music.

A Global Voices film. Also features Pete Seeger. More links here.
Solomon Linda, far left, above.

*

From the WGBH website:

AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange: Being Pavarotti

"Being Pavarotti" tells the story of a South African teen who sets out to become a successful opera singer.

AfroPop celebrates Africa's cultural and historical growth through six films. These programs, each introduced by actor Idris Elba, explore the complex lives of contemporary Africans, both on the continent and abroad. The series includes an examination of the efforts of African AIDS activists, a profile of two young South African hip-hop disc jockeys, the touching story of one Cape Town boy's love for opera music, and a look inside the blossoming Nigerian film industry.