Lots of lovely stuff in here. Love the Pianesi pic - have you read Susannah Clarke's 'Piranesi' novel? Divinely weird. Love Bessie Smith's potatoes. Love your promenading cats.
Thanks, June. No I haven't. I will have a look for it. It sounds intriguing. Potatoes: 😂 Those blues women had a way with words! Cats: a couple of princesses with a massive sense of entitlement. They'll have to go.
Thank you so much for including me, Terry. I'm honoured. Great article too. Cat walking, persiflage and Bessie Smith in one post. What more could one ask for!
‘With a preface by Neil Gaiman’ - the lad’s everywhere! (I’m on Tumblr, as is Neil. There is a very cool post doing the rounds at the moment suggesting that Neil is actually imaginary...) I might have a look around for that book. Could be good.
Apart from that, beautiful singing in there. I hope the cats enjoyed their outing. And congratulations with the students. I’m thrilled that they did so well. All the best.
1- How could I have lived my life without knowing about Jonas Kauffman in rehearsal? I was moved by his voice, his passion, the beauty of the music, the conductor, the orchestra. Wow, just wow. I'm watching the video for the 6th time. How do any of those people sleep after performing such beauty?
2- I played the clarinet. I can related to wind instrument challenges
3 - Love those cats, and I guessed Mocha was Mocha before you described her in the blue collar. An image of her to inspire a drawing!
4 - Bessie Smith was very wise
5 - "Most pupils in most circumstances raise themselves or lower themselves to the level of a teacher’s expectations" - happens at summer camp, too.
6-James Brown is the bomb. I would have played that tune when I DJ'd West Coast Swing dances.
7 - Edward Hopper is one of my favorites - love the photos, the reference to Nighthawks providing more drawing inspiration. Have you ever walked by the diner/restaurant that inspired Hopper's "Nighthawks"? It's near where he lived in Washington Square in NYC on Greenwich Ave. Field trip!
8 - Giovanni Piranesi’s Carceri etching is a thing of beauty. Master of mark making. Totally get the Escher reference.
9 - Husband shopping - always great to end reading your posts with a chuckle
3. Because she looked sounded like a Mocha. Her meow is precious
4. 😂
5. Yes, really! Summer camp counselors can raise a group up and make it the best of experiences, or they can be bleh and then the campers are bleh on steroids. Bleh x infinity. Kids pick up on that stuff.
6. Soul is some of the very best West Coast Swing music. The best.
7. Ohhhhh. NYC. I know someone who would love to recommend true NYC walks and cafes, where you feel like you're part of a neighborhood. It's the little quiet streets that surprise people, all that peacefulness in such a big city.
Thank you for your mention! Much appreciated. I am fascinated by Realms of Imagination! Not a huge fan of cats, but love the two miscreants, err...pretty blobs of blackness❤️
One of your best posts ever, Terry! You present things I didn't even know I was interested in, things I never heard of. 1.) Jonas Kaufman! Yeow! How have I never heard of him? He may be German, but he has Italian soul and passion, if you ask me. Beautiful. 2.) Tell me - do you actually receive "ultra critical" comments on your work?? Or is that hypothetical? I can't imagine it. 3.)As a former teacher, I agree with your statement on teacher expectations and applaud your students' success. 4.) May I borrow your color photo of essex station for a Substack story?
1. I hadn't heard of him until last week, when Elaine played that video for me.
2. I have done in the past. The comments were either (a) anonymous or (b) by people who were obviously lazy, professionally jealous or non-achievers, or (c) all of the above. I ignored them: I never give them the satisfaction of engaging on their level, and thank heaven that I don't have to live with all the cr*p in my head that they obviously do.
3. Thanks
4. Of course! I thought of you when I posted those pics. Look forward to seeing what you do with it or them (I assumed you'd like the b/w one better; use them bnoth if you like)
Thanks so much for sharing my article! Really enjoyed reading your maxims, particularly in light of our conversation about finishing things, and I'm going to try to adopt them as well as I can. But I do hope people like my potatoes.
LOL re potatoes. Another version, which I learnt from @sharronbassano, is something like If you don't like my pineapples stop shaking my tree". But I prefer the potatoes version!
Yes, lots of links. Love the cat walk. Which now makes me wonder why the fashion industry calls the stage a "cat walk." Models stride down that narrow stage as though they are gearing up for a jog, but a cat meanders. Hmmm. Maybe because of "cat calls?"
A bit behind on the week at the moment. Argh my inbox!
Great selection and variety as always, Terry. Appreciate these snippets of what's going on.
Essex station looks a bit foreboding in the black and white.
I know the TBR probnlem all too well, Nathan. <sigh>. Essex station FELT foreboding too. Thanks for kind words!
Lots of lovely stuff in here. Love the Pianesi pic - have you read Susannah Clarke's 'Piranesi' novel? Divinely weird. Love Bessie Smith's potatoes. Love your promenading cats.
Thanks, June. No I haven't. I will have a look for it. It sounds intriguing. Potatoes: 😂 Those blues women had a way with words! Cats: a couple of princesses with a massive sense of entitlement. They'll have to go.
Thank you so much for including me, Terry. I'm honoured. Great article too. Cat walking, persiflage and Bessie Smith in one post. What more could one ask for!
Exactly, Lisa. Chortle. Thanks for kind words 😁
Thanks for the shout out, Terry!
My pleasure, squire
‘With a preface by Neil Gaiman’ - the lad’s everywhere! (I’m on Tumblr, as is Neil. There is a very cool post doing the rounds at the moment suggesting that Neil is actually imaginary...) I might have a look around for that book. Could be good.
Apart from that, beautiful singing in there. I hope the cats enjoyed their outing. And congratulations with the students. I’m thrilled that they did so well. All the best.
Thanks, Beth. Yes, I think Mr Gaiman is imaginary. I notice that you are on first name terms. Ha!
He is VERY approachable. A terrific fellow.
Oh boy, where do I start?
1- How could I have lived my life without knowing about Jonas Kauffman in rehearsal? I was moved by his voice, his passion, the beauty of the music, the conductor, the orchestra. Wow, just wow. I'm watching the video for the 6th time. How do any of those people sleep after performing such beauty?
2- I played the clarinet. I can related to wind instrument challenges
3 - Love those cats, and I guessed Mocha was Mocha before you described her in the blue collar. An image of her to inspire a drawing!
4 - Bessie Smith was very wise
5 - "Most pupils in most circumstances raise themselves or lower themselves to the level of a teacher’s expectations" - happens at summer camp, too.
6-James Brown is the bomb. I would have played that tune when I DJ'd West Coast Swing dances.
7 - Edward Hopper is one of my favorites - love the photos, the reference to Nighthawks providing more drawing inspiration. Have you ever walked by the diner/restaurant that inspired Hopper's "Nighthawks"? It's near where he lived in Washington Square in NYC on Greenwich Ave. Field trip!
8 - Giovanni Piranesi’s Carceri etching is a thing of beauty. Master of mark making. Totally get the Escher reference.
9 - Husband shopping - always great to end reading your posts with a chuckle
Thanks, Mary!
1. I know, he looks absolutely hyped and spent at the same time by the end. He makes it seem so effortless.
2. I'm glad it's not just me then!
3. How? She and I are an item, by the way. We're thinking of eloping.
4. Indeed. 🤣
5. Really?
6. I thought he was soul than swing!
7. I love Nighthawks. I have never been to NYC. I really want to go one of these days.
8. Yes, I'm sure Escher must have been influenced or that there was some connection between the two artists.
9. Chortle!
1. SO spent, it was soooooo coolio
2. Nope, not just you
3. Because she looked sounded like a Mocha. Her meow is precious
4. 😂
5. Yes, really! Summer camp counselors can raise a group up and make it the best of experiences, or they can be bleh and then the campers are bleh on steroids. Bleh x infinity. Kids pick up on that stuff.
6. Soul is some of the very best West Coast Swing music. The best.
7. Ohhhhh. NYC. I know someone who would love to recommend true NYC walks and cafes, where you feel like you're part of a neighborhood. It's the little quiet streets that surprise people, all that peacefulness in such a big city.
8. Maybe they're brothers . . .
9. Big chortle!! 😂
Thank you for your mention! Much appreciated. I am fascinated by Realms of Imagination! Not a huge fan of cats, but love the two miscreants, err...pretty blobs of blackness❤️
Blobs of blackness: 😂
One of your best posts ever, Terry! You present things I didn't even know I was interested in, things I never heard of. 1.) Jonas Kaufman! Yeow! How have I never heard of him? He may be German, but he has Italian soul and passion, if you ask me. Beautiful. 2.) Tell me - do you actually receive "ultra critical" comments on your work?? Or is that hypothetical? I can't imagine it. 3.)As a former teacher, I agree with your statement on teacher expectations and applaud your students' success. 4.) May I borrow your color photo of essex station for a Substack story?
1. I hadn't heard of him until last week, when Elaine played that video for me.
2. I have done in the past. The comments were either (a) anonymous or (b) by people who were obviously lazy, professionally jealous or non-achievers, or (c) all of the above. I ignored them: I never give them the satisfaction of engaging on their level, and thank heaven that I don't have to live with all the cr*p in my head that they obviously do.
3. Thanks
4. Of course! I thought of you when I posted those pics. Look forward to seeing what you do with it or them (I assumed you'd like the b/w one better; use them bnoth if you like)
I thought he was Italian, too! He reminds me of Tomer Sisley, an Israeli and French actor born in Germany. Such passion. Wow.
He does seem Italian
Very. In the best way.
Thanks so much for sharing my article! Really enjoyed reading your maxims, particularly in light of our conversation about finishing things, and I'm going to try to adopt them as well as I can. But I do hope people like my potatoes.
The Jonas Kaufmann was 🔥
LOL re potatoes. Another version, which I learnt from @sharronbassano, is something like If you don't like my pineapples stop shaking my tree". But I prefer the potatoes version!
Absolutely. Jonas is the man!
Thank you for the shoutout! I much appreciate it.
I loved the sounds of birds and wind from your walk.
And the story about expectations is sooo good. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Holly!
Yes, lots of links. Love the cat walk. Which now makes me wonder why the fashion industry calls the stage a "cat walk." Models stride down that narrow stage as though they are gearing up for a jog, but a cat meanders. Hmmm. Maybe because of "cat calls?"
Hmm. I dunno! Maybe it's something to do with cats' gracefulness.