You Have Just Heard Pffllmgqt
The biggest hazard facing a world music DJ, like I, is the unrelenting ruination of names and tracks. I don't speak anything but English, and barely that. I helpfully studied Latin and ancient Greek in college; so I can play all the Ave Marias I want with a clear conscience. And I can quote John Wilkes Booth (sic semper tyrannis!, but I can't tell you the name of my favorite song on a particular CD.

Could you remember Muziki Ni Kazi Yetu by Culture Musical Club? Or Valse de Ximena by Vayo? How about Lountang by Ablaye Cissoko or Ah! Que de Peine et d'Amour by Matapat? I can tell you what they sound like, but if someone said "what is that song by Matapat?" I couldn't tell you. Nor, in fact, could I tell you any lyric from any of these songs. Except that I know the Matapat song Ah! Que de Peine et d'Amour begins with, oddly enough, "ah! Que de peine et d'amour."

Then there are the artists. Did you know "Moh Alileche" is prounounced "Moe Ali-leesh?" Can you say "Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian" quickly and correctly? How about "Hariprasad Chaurasia", "Halau Hula Ka No'eau", "Branko Krsmanovic", or the "She'koyokh Klezmer Ensemble"? Yeah, I can't either.

Photos of the day: At the Carwash

Yeah, that's right, I'm a tacky 70's hit.

But then again, at least I'm clean.

Well, my car is anyway...

Photo of the day: Nude at a Picnic

I'm through with representational painting.

Eavesdropping
Overheard at the grocery store:
Should we get soap or frozen waffles?

(I didn't know they were interchangeable.)
.....
Overheard at the gas station:
Man on cell phone: Yeah I know I said I was sick yesterday, but today I really am sick.

(He was wearing shorts and had the top down on his convertible.)

.....
Overheard at the shelter:
Woman 1: Did you know that Donna got engaged?
Woman 2: To Jack?
Woman 1: No, Tony.
Woman 2: Who's Tony?
Woman 1: Her fiance.

(Um...duh!)

Photo of the day: I've Waited 80 Years for this Martini

I ordered it back when I was a slip of a girl in a flapper dress, dancing the Charleston with Binky Foxerton. I wonder whatever happened to old Binky?

Photo of the day: The Scary Old Tree From Your Childhood

Whether it haunted your mind after reading a scary story or brushed against your bedroom window on windy nights. Maybe you had to walk past it on a snowy day. Or maybe you ran past it because if walked too slowly it might get you. We all have scary trees from our childhood. Here's mine.

Permission
Wonderful advertisement in favor of marriage equality.

Photo of the day: Impression: Smear

This is what a camera sees right before a kitten licks it. Tongue courtesy of Daphne.

The year so far in photo review

One of my goals for this year was to post a photograph a day on this blog. I am happy to say that I have been able to do this. I am unhappy with the quality of many of them. I have a lovely camera, which I have no idea how to use properly because I don' know where the manual is. I've tried the old-fashioned method of "fiddling" with things, but that hasn't seem to helped. I know that I can take a good photograph and I know I have a good eye. It's only the execution that I can't figure out. Lighting, exposure, and the "what does this button do" stuff that are so crucial to actually being successful.

I love photography. One of my childhood dreams was to be a photographer for National Geographic. I've always wanted to be better, and took a few classes in the course of my checkered college career, but it's always boiled down to not ever knowing how to get the most out of my cameras. I suppose I'll have to roll up my sleeves and just try everything and take notes, but it's frustrating. Even more frustrating, though, is posting photos that I'm not particularly proud of just because I need one for today.

Oh sure, over the past 6 months I've posted a few good ones. But most are deservedly forgotten. So now that we stumble into part 2 of 2009 I guess my new goal is to take better photographs. Bear with me while I try to get better.

Photo of the day: Drawers

Everything is labeled so nicely. You know exactly what size to put where. Now if only you knew what "they" were.

Photo of the day: Organization

There's something vaguely pleasing about this. Don't ask me what or why. I won't answer.