domenica 11 gennaio 2009
random guest list
I wonder how it would be to make a party with all the people that I see online at the moment in skype.. Probably the best description would be 'quite randomized social experiment', as a lot of them are from totally different groups and have never met before, so the constellations would be rather interesting. Best would probably be if I was not present at that event, so the unifying factor would not be there either.. (and noone could eat me in case of things not working out ;)
giovedì 8 gennaio 2009
one or the other or the same?
it never ceases to amaze me that there are people which are very important to me just maybe because of some facet of their character which proves to be the helping hand or the stone to stumble over which gives me the needed direction for my next steps.
quite often these people are probably not aware of their good influence on me and not always i can tell them (either i do not even know them as they might have impressed me by there way of behaving in passing by, or at the time when their behaviour is influencing me it is painful and so i cannot yet show/notice my appreciation for it).
this phenomenon in itself fascinates me a lot already. but even more interesting i find how the roles in this play change depending on the people with whom i interact. maybe it is best to use an approximate example to explain my point. each person biologically has parents, some have siblings, and some later might have a partner and children. let's pick one person which is in this full family network. it is clear to see that this person then has a lot of different roles with respect to nearly all of the others: the one of a child, the one of a sibling, the one of a partner, the one of a parent.. all those being just different facets of the same person, and likely to influence one another.
so with people around it is similar. maybe the roles are not defined that clearly in terms of family concepts only (especially as the definition of friendship is very hard to be put down with precision; again i wonder if it is rather a matter of personal attitude or not..). nevertheless, there seem to be similar patterns: one person takes a certain role when relating to me; possibly a role which i cannot at first understand.
however, what recently has happened is that all of a sudden i find myself exactly in this 'other' role, being unexpectedly confronted with the inside view and challenges, when interacting with somebody else (whilst they might be taking on 'my' own old role...) summing up, the result is rather .. well .. i dont know if more frightening or fascinating. probably both. often it gives interesting clues about what other people might have gone through when having to put up with me.. and at the same time, it makes it a bit easier to understand what the other one in 'my' other skin is going through.
of course these are only hypotheses, and it is likely that i skipped some things which would make my flood even close to consistent. but could it not be that everyone is incorporating (consciously or inconsciously? nearly?) all different roles in their personality? and that discovering one after the other would lead them to finally get an idea about their own identity?
quite often these people are probably not aware of their good influence on me and not always i can tell them (either i do not even know them as they might have impressed me by there way of behaving in passing by, or at the time when their behaviour is influencing me it is painful and so i cannot yet show/notice my appreciation for it).
this phenomenon in itself fascinates me a lot already. but even more interesting i find how the roles in this play change depending on the people with whom i interact. maybe it is best to use an approximate example to explain my point. each person biologically has parents, some have siblings, and some later might have a partner and children. let's pick one person which is in this full family network. it is clear to see that this person then has a lot of different roles with respect to nearly all of the others: the one of a child, the one of a sibling, the one of a partner, the one of a parent.. all those being just different facets of the same person, and likely to influence one another.
so with people around it is similar. maybe the roles are not defined that clearly in terms of family concepts only (especially as the definition of friendship is very hard to be put down with precision; again i wonder if it is rather a matter of personal attitude or not..). nevertheless, there seem to be similar patterns: one person takes a certain role when relating to me; possibly a role which i cannot at first understand.
however, what recently has happened is that all of a sudden i find myself exactly in this 'other' role, being unexpectedly confronted with the inside view and challenges, when interacting with somebody else (whilst they might be taking on 'my' own old role...) summing up, the result is rather .. well .. i dont know if more frightening or fascinating. probably both. often it gives interesting clues about what other people might have gone through when having to put up with me.. and at the same time, it makes it a bit easier to understand what the other one in 'my' other skin is going through.
of course these are only hypotheses, and it is likely that i skipped some things which would make my flood even close to consistent. but could it not be that everyone is incorporating (consciously or inconsciously? nearly?) all different roles in their personality? and that discovering one after the other would lead them to finally get an idea about their own identity?
mercoledì 7 gennaio 2009
a dream
was keeping me busy during this day. i think i will have to add something more to my future possible projects, as this could be one of the few dreamy things which i could tackle directly in real life: it is departing, following an ancient path, leaving behind all usual life surroundings. the possibilities are quite vast but still.. just the person which accompanied me in the dream does not know about their luck yet (and don't ask me who it was, i will not tell ;) but anyway, i wonder what it should mean to dream of a person.. if it is not just some qualities of them which make them enter your dreams, which could be found also in others, maybe even yourself? i don't know. it's not important right now anyway, as my idea still will have to wait for about more 2 years and god alone knows what will be then... :)
martedì 6 gennaio 2009
the aim of music
The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.
Mit aller Musik soll Gott geehrt und die Menschen erfreut werden. Wenn man Gott mit seiner Musik nicht ehrt, ist die Musik nur ein teuflischer Lärm und Krach
— J.S. Bach
domenica 4 gennaio 2009
4'33" or the absence of silence
today these music scores fell into my hands by mere chance. Of course I had heard about John Cage and his (in)famous piece before, but actually laying hands on the score and seeing how to write down 'nothing' really impressed me. It is nearly an offence to people to mock them in such way; but at the same time it is an act of a genius. In a handwritten introduction, one finds how to perform this piece:
It can be performed by any instrument or combinations of instruments, and there are different versions of subdividing it into the compulsory three movements. How this is done is up to the performer(s).
Then there is the piece - sketched down on one page three movements, all of them tacets... simply
nothing else...
Now my curiosity was definitely too much so I started searching more information on this piece. The most interesting ones I collected here for you:
first performance by david tudor
The reactions to this first performance were quite strong, from confused to furious. Somehow I can not even imagine how these people must have felt, being confronted with such performance, totally unexpectedly. At no time before this 'nothing', which actually reveiled the absence of total silence, had counted as music or had been performed as such in public. (Actually, the idea was not completely new. Other silences existed already at the time, however written down in another, more verbose way... )
By now, the piece has become very famous and is being performed with all kinds of groups of musicians for quite enthusiastic audiences. For me the most peculiar of those was the following:
performance by the bbc symphony orchestra
Isn't it incredible? To let this whole bunch of world class musicians sit and do nothing, apart from existing? As the presenter states, these performances incur a lot of tension.. I really believe this - actually I wonder if I could even sit out those 4 and a half minutes without bursting into laughter half way through!
But then, it surely must be a very fascinating experience.
If you are interested you might enjoy this short essay on the idea behind the piece, this article "the sounds of silence", and also the following one which raises the question who actually owns 'silence'?
last but not least, I wanted to share with you another one of John Cage's works - a sonata for prepared piano:
It can be performed by any instrument or combinations of instruments, and there are different versions of subdividing it into the compulsory three movements. How this is done is up to the performer(s).
Then there is the piece - sketched down on one page three movements, all of them tacets... simply
I
tacet
II
tacet
III
tacet
nothing else...
Now my curiosity was definitely too much so I started searching more information on this piece. The most interesting ones I collected here for you:
first performance by david tudor
The reactions to this first performance were quite strong, from confused to furious. Somehow I can not even imagine how these people must have felt, being confronted with such performance, totally unexpectedly. At no time before this 'nothing', which actually reveiled the absence of total silence, had counted as music or had been performed as such in public. (Actually, the idea was not completely new. Other silences existed already at the time, however written down in another, more verbose way... )
By now, the piece has become very famous and is being performed with all kinds of groups of musicians for quite enthusiastic audiences. For me the most peculiar of those was the following:
performance by the bbc symphony orchestra
Isn't it incredible? To let this whole bunch of world class musicians sit and do nothing, apart from existing? As the presenter states, these performances incur a lot of tension.. I really believe this - actually I wonder if I could even sit out those 4 and a half minutes without bursting into laughter half way through!
But then, it surely must be a very fascinating experience.
If you are interested you might enjoy this short essay on the idea behind the piece, this article "the sounds of silence", and also the following one which raises the question who actually owns 'silence'?
last but not least, I wanted to share with you another one of John Cage's works - a sonata for prepared piano:
venerdì 2 gennaio 2009
giovedì 1 gennaio 2009
Ein gutes neues Jahr!
An nou fericit! šťastný nový rok! naya saal Mubarak Ho! शुभं नववर्षम्! !سنة سعيدة Urime viti i Ri! Feliz Ano Novo! Felice Anno Nuovo! Mutlu Yıllar! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! BONNE ANNÉE! Sretna Nova godina! Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Kiortame pivdluaritlo! Onnellista Uutta Vuotta! Boldog Ooy Ayvet! Sanah Jadidah! Laimīgo Jauno Gadu! laimingų naujųjų metų! Godt Nyttår! C Новым Годом! 圣诞快乐并贺新禧!есела Коледа и щастлива Нова година!Καλά Χριστούγεννα κι Ευτυχισμένος ο Καινούριος Χρόνος! חג מולד שמח ושנה טובה クリスマス、新年おめでとうございます schöni Wiehnachte und es guets Neus! เมอรี่คริสต์มาส และสวัสดีปีใหม่ a freydikn nitl un a gor freylekhn nay-yor!
mercoledì 31 dicembre 2008
To my friends
Thank you all for being in my life this year! It made it so much richer and colourful and brought a lot of happiness into it.
Thank you also for the difficult moments we had to overcome; I could learn a lot from them, which helped me to grow a bit more to whom I should be (even if the moments themselves were not the most pleasant ;).
And also in good times, I was astonished by your many talents, your friendlyness, your generosity, your frankness, your honesty - just to mention a few. I just hope I also can bring some joy into your lives.
To all of you I wish a peaceful, joyful, interesting, and blessed new year!
Hope to see you again soon in 2009!
:)
Thank you also for the difficult moments we had to overcome; I could learn a lot from them, which helped me to grow a bit more to whom I should be (even if the moments themselves were not the most pleasant ;).
And also in good times, I was astonished by your many talents, your friendlyness, your generosity, your frankness, your honesty - just to mention a few. I just hope I also can bring some joy into your lives.
To all of you I wish a peaceful, joyful, interesting, and blessed new year!
Hope to see you again soon in 2009!
:)
lunedì 29 dicembre 2008
revising beliefs
Recently I once again realised that I'm invariably getting older... - ok nothing new, and I admit I don't really mind (- yet?)
But there was one characteristic of a growing up person which keeps striking me as I observe it on some people around me:
They start becoming serious. Not in the 'no fun' way of mentality. But rather in a very fascinating way: they start to link their actions to their beliefs and convictions.
Maybe at first this seems trivial - they probably were doing this all the time one might think. But in fact this doesn't seem to be the case. Somehow very often people - especially when they are still young - have very strong (sometimes unreflected) opinions and expectations on many things and other people; without, however, living up to the standards they set. So when growing up, some of them start to revise these standards, to shape and correct their childhood beliefs, and to follow them themselves.
This process seriously intrigues me, as all of a sudden people take on the responsibility for their lifes and themselves; they are no longer just a passive product of what others imposed on them. Instead, they become active and face a challenging task, as if they were woken up from sleep, ready to change the world.
But there was one characteristic of a growing up person which keeps striking me as I observe it on some people around me:
They start becoming serious. Not in the 'no fun' way of mentality. But rather in a very fascinating way: they start to link their actions to their beliefs and convictions.
Maybe at first this seems trivial - they probably were doing this all the time one might think. But in fact this doesn't seem to be the case. Somehow very often people - especially when they are still young - have very strong (sometimes unreflected) opinions and expectations on many things and other people; without, however, living up to the standards they set. So when growing up, some of them start to revise these standards, to shape and correct their childhood beliefs, and to follow them themselves.
This process seriously intrigues me, as all of a sudden people take on the responsibility for their lifes and themselves; they are no longer just a passive product of what others imposed on them. Instead, they become active and face a challenging task, as if they were woken up from sleep, ready to change the world.
mercoledì 24 dicembre 2008
24th December
The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
[Luke 2:1-14]
A joyful and blessed christmas to all of you! I wish you to be able to leave all the social stress behind and arrive in your heart at what you are actually celebrating: God becoming human, to save every single one of us.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
[Luke 2:1-14]
A joyful and blessed christmas to all of you! I wish you to be able to leave all the social stress behind and arrive in your heart at what you are actually celebrating: God becoming human, to save every single one of us.
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