Sending out a little love and some groovy music for your midweek coffee break with I’m Yours by Jason Mraz. Jason has a fun website too, click on his name and check it out! Happy Wednesday:)
The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another… and leaves us with the feeling that something is right in the world. ~Leonard Bernstein
When I downloaded Paul McCartney’s song Let it Be the other day from iTunes, I also found the version in the video above from the movie, Across the Universe. Sung by veteran stage actor Carol Woods and 15 year old Timothy Mitchum, the song is set against a scene depicting a family losing their son in Vietnam and the Detroit riots of 1967. I grew up in Detroit, only six miles from the epicenter of the riots. As a seven year old child at the time, I thought that the riots happened “downtown”, far away from my own quiet, tree lined street. And in many respects I suppose it was far away. As a white family, our experience of life in Detroit and in our country during the 60s was very different than that of African-Americans living only a handful of miles away.
When I look at Detroit today, I’m saddened to see that racial, social, and economic separation and isolation continues to have devastating effects on neighborhoods, on schools, and most importantly on children. And as I watch the nightly news and listen to the never ending debate over the political and military issues of the Iraq War, I can’t help but wonder if there ever really will “be an answer” or if mankind is destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. But you know, when I listen to beautiful music like the song Let it Be, when I see exquisite art and watch inspiring movies and plays, when I look up at the night sky and see the glory of a lunar eclipse, or when I look down and into the eyes of a newborn baby it gives me hope, and isn’t that what keeps us all putting one foot in front of the other most days?
One of my favorite quotes is by the poet Emily Dickinson, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.” Isn’t that lovely? Have a peaceful and hope filled weekend dear readers:)
If you’ve never heard Idina Menzel sing you’re in for a real treat today. She’s a Tony Award winning actress, singer, and songwriter and the video is from her new solo album, “I Stand”. Idina’s voice has a distinctive and lovely tone and the lyrics to the song Brave are uplifting and empowering, the perfect follow-up to my previous post. You can hear other cuts from the album on her website by clicking on her name. I’m going over to iTunes right now to download a few of her songs!
Mr. bookbabie surprised me with an Apple iPod touch for Christmas. It doesn’t have the phone (because I don’t use my cell phone much) but it has the same cool touch pad. I am now in the learning, or pulling – out – your – hair -wondering – am – I – too – old – for – this – technology, phase of MP3 ownership. I was able to get some Christmas songs on it yesterday and I got the docking speaker thingy working before my family came over, but you couldn’t really hear the music above the din of holiday joy (and madness). As well as songs, it also holds audio books which will be great for long plane rides (like the European adventure that we can’t afford right now but continue to plan anyway!). Thank you Mr. B!
bookbabie 