list

My wife, inspired by others in her field, recently made a list of the 100 hundred things she'd like to accomplish in the next three years. I decided I would try it myself, but was doubtful about reaching 100. Many of my goals are a little less specific than others' and address some more basic issues...issues that, once they become clearer, will most likely lead to more specific goals. Anyway, I got about 30...(not necessarily in order of importance)

1. Consider myself happy more often
2. Do not confuse lucky with happy
3. Stand up for my preferences
4. Have preferences
5. Take Nissa to Spain
6. Take Nissa to New Orleans
7. Find a job unlike my current one
8. Read something by William Faulkner
9. Write more
10. Finish the Borstal Holiday record
11. Put some of my rap songs in a more presentable state
12. Rip my records and make them available on the internet
13. Develop my new band
14. Be more forgiving
15. Talk more when I have the urge
16. Take my almost constant urge to draw more seriously
17. Allow situations to be uncomfortable if honesty leads to that
18. Make more friends
19. Play the drums more
20. Learn more about the drums
21. Work on improving
22. Make more decisions
23. Watch less t.v. after work
24. Read something by Flaubert
25. Read something by James Joyce
26. Pay more attention to local issues and scenery
27. Avoid dwelling on things beyond my control
28. Identify those things beyond my control
29. Spend more time outdoors
30. Go camping
31. Figure out what it is I am doing
32. Figure out what it is I want to do


It's an interesting exercise. We'll see what happens.

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Untitled 3 (samskeyti) by Sigur Ros from the album ( ) (yes, that's the name...they're from Iceland): I was introduced to this band by a friend in college who knew about such things. I had agreed to see them live without having heard them (it was a thing to do) and was given a burned copy of this album in order to bone up before the show. The vocals are all in either Icelandic, a made up gibberish language, or a hybrid of both (reportedly, I don't know what he is saying at all), but it hardly makes a difference. They create one of the most unique impressions on first listen of any group in recent memory. Needless to say, I was intrigued to say the least before the show...I was also intrigued by a warning on the internet that it was not a great idea to smoke pot or do heavier drugs at the show because the effect of their music is so calming that people sometimes pass out (not that I had planned to, but it is an unusual, if not unheard of, thing to suggest to mostly college-aged fans!) The show was amazing...it still ranks as the greatest non-punk show I've ever been to (not favorite, best)...the combination of the music, lights, and projected images the band used created what felt like nothing else but the physical embodiment of what it feels like to be in love (I'm not kidding or exaggerating). I cannot guarantee that effect by listening to this track in mp3 form, but notice how appropriate it is for the quieter moments in your life, and how, in more chaotic ones, it adds a little tranquility. My college roommate used to suggest I try to meditate when I got really worked up...this is the song I always played. It is simple, but brilliant. Incredibly deep, yet nothing more than it needs to be.



Here are a couple different video versions (you can hear the audio only version by clicking the pic) to show how affecting it is even in different settings:
The first is the band playing at a school in Europe's morning assembly

And this, from their amazing DVD Heima (Home in Icelandic)...incidentally one of the greatest music DVDs I've seen. I'd like to see Iceland someday.

p.s. apparently "samskeyti" means "attachment" in Icelandic...no wonder...