LOR Logic

I'm not a big Tolkien fan, though I thank Peter Jackson for making available to me his beautiful animated illustration of the Lord of the Rings, without which, my knowledge of hobbits would be greatly diminished. Anyway, there's a line from Arwin to her father, speaking about a vision of the future they've seen where she marries Aragorn, the king of men.

In the vision, she and he have a child. Her father, fearing the Middle-Earth equivalent of Armageddon, wishes her to leave on the last of the elfin space ships, which just happen to look like normal sea-faring vessels except for the warp drive, hidden below deck. Clever creatures, those elves!

Fearing her father is right, she almost leaves, but along the way, she suddenly realizes a fundamental truth about divination... though the odds are short for her vision to come true, one thing is certain: if she leaves, there will be no chance she and Aragorn will wed and have a child.

So... internalizing... even when all the odds are against you, you can't win if you don't play. Haha, I should write slogans for lotteries!

I know this is my year for the WSOP. I can't afford a ticket, but if I'm at least out in Vegas, that only brings me closer to my dream and closer to (now unseen) opportunities to get in the game. One thing is for certain: if I'm not in Vegas come July, there's no way I'll make the final table.

Montmontre Musicals

Cole Porter is a musical genius. I've always loved his songs and his music. His ability to put together chords fascinated my ear from first listen, and his lyrics... he captures what it's like to be in the heights of love's passion, and too, in the depths of her longing. And I'm not the only one who thinks so! Quoting from the book of Wikipedia:

He was noted for his sophisticated (sometimes ribald) lyrics, clever rhymes, and complex forms. He was one of the greatest contributors to the Great American Songbook.

(He was from Indiana too!)

Such a joy it was to finally see the Hollywood version of his musical, Can-Can! The songs truly belong in a love story set in Paris! The dancing (esp. Shirley McClain) is uniquely superb and most entertaining (and I'm not talking about the can-cans!) And the singing... well, it is the Chairman, after all! Yay serendipity! I really must get to starting a collection of these musicals!

I wish there were more singing and dancing in American movies today and less horror and violence, but perhaps these are more indicative of our times than our tastes? Seems to me now more than ever, we could use more happiness, love, and joy in lieu of death, despair, and fear.

But regarding the Great American Songbook:

For its devotees, the GAS (as it is sometimes abbreviated) represents a level of musical and lyrical sophistication that has yet to be equaled.

Amen! But we're gonna try!

Fair Weather Friend

Part of composing is writing lyrics... so here's the poem du jour. Inspired by actual events!

Fair Weather Friend
by
Clio

When I ask you for lunch, you always say,
"It depends on the weather, depends on the day."
But the food tastes the same, no need to pretend
I know you're just a fair weather friend.

Party at ten, I ask when you will come?
I'm not sure, you say, I think it might storm!
The guests are the same, the fun never ends,
When I'm with my fair weather friends.

When the day is fine when the day is right,
That's when I'll find you.
But when the going is rough and life is tough,
I won't depend on you!

Some friends are forever and some for the night,
Some we let go, and some we hold tight.
With me, you see, no need to pretend,
To me you're just a fair weather friend.

Wicked Little Town

Most people have never heard of the movie, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." This is unfortunate for many reasons. First, it's a great movie, evolving from a ground-breaking NY play. Second, it touches on (in a positive and uplifting (but not cheesy) way) some very complex themes that are of significance to those outside the transgender community. Finally, the soundtrack was written by one of the best songwriter/composers since Cole Porter- Stephen Trask. The man is pure genius.

On of the songs, Wicked Little Town, is really two different versions of the same song. The first part is sung by Hedwig, and is a soothing poem to her masculine half, here represented by the androgynous Tommy Gnosis, and the second part is a response from Tommy to the feminine side represented by Hedwig.

As I said, the movie has complex themes... the soundtrack is more so. (And I haven't yet talked about the song written based on Plato's Dialogs!)

Anyway, this song faithfully represents to me both halves of myself struggling to make sense of it all, and of my experiences in Muncie (and around the world).

First, Hedwig's version to the young boy she loves who is in the same situation she was in when she was a young boy, and, the situation I find myself in now.

You know, the sun is in your eyes
And hurricanes and rains
And black and cloudy skies

You're running up and down that hill
You turn it on and off at will
There's nothing here to thrill or bring you down
And if you've got no other choice
You know you can follow my voice
Through the dark turns and noise
Of this wicked little town

Oh Lady Luck has lead you here
And they're so twisted up
They'll twist you up, I fear

The pious, hateful, and devout
You're turning tricks 'til you're turned out
The wind so cold it burns
You're burning out and blowing 'round
And if you've got no other choice
You know you can follow my voice
Through the dark turns and noise
Of this wicked little town

The fates are vicious and they're cruel
You learn too late you've used
Two wishes
Like a fool

And then you're someone you are not
And Junction City ain't the spot
Remember Mrs. Lot and when she turned around
And if you've got no other choice
You know you can follow my voice
Through the dark turns and noise
Of this wicked little town

And then we have Tommy's reply, also a painful realization of my present condition:

Forgive me,
For I did not know.
'Cause I was just a boy
And you were so much more

Than any god could ever plan,
More than a woman or a man.
And now I understand how much I took from you:
That, when everything starts breaking down,
You take the pieces off the ground
And show this wicked town
something beautiful and new.

You think that Luck
Has left you there.
But maybe there's nothing
up in the sky but air.

And there's no mystical design,
No cosmic lover preassigned.
There's nothing you can find
that can not be found.
'Cause with all the changes
you've been through
It seems the stranger's always you.
Alone again in some new
Wicked little town.

So when you've got no other choice
You know you can follow my voice
Through the dark turns and noise
Of this wicked little town.
Oh it's a wicked, little town.
Goodbye, wicked little town.

Musically, the song is not like anything on the radio. Check out the chord progression on the chorus: G7/D, C, Cm, G, G7, C, Cm, G. The Beatles used to experiment with chord progressions going from major to minor of the same chord, but you just don't hear that kind of stuff anymore. Throw in some arpeggiated bass lines with right hand quarters and you've got an idea.

I'm trying to sing and play this song but am having difficulties because of the interplay of rhythmic patterns throughout the voice and right and left hands. Let alone the fact that I don't know how to sing with any known technique! But I'm trying. The song is so beautiful and the effect is so strong when I've only just barely played it, I can't wait until it's second nature and I can simply emote the song instead of actually trying to play it.

By the way, if you watch the movie, don't confuse how a transsexual looks in everyday life versus how she looks on stage... it is after all, a movie about an eastern European punk-rock band! We don't always wear metallic eye-makeup with sculpted blush! (Well, okay, we do, but there are the in-between moments when we are washing it off!) :)

Earl Gets His Freak On

From the latest episode of "My Name Is Earl." Despite often laughing at people, this show does a pretty good job of showing people a better way to live. Personally, I was impressed at how the bearded lady came to accept who she was, but more than that, how she was compassionate to Earl not understanding what it was like to be treated as a freak.

To quote, "If we leave here, people gawk at us... I don't expect you to understand... You don't know what it's like to have strangers pointing and laughing at you because of the way you look..."

Hmm... did I say that earlier or am I confusing a previous post with this week's episode? Surreal is the word for 2007, pass it on.

The natural reaction to most people treating you like a freak, once you come to terms with the fact that you aren't (anymore than anyone else, usually less so) is to want to tell the world to go procreate with itself, but that doesn't get one very far, and, if you're a tranny, it's likely to get you killed.

So how does one cope? Hiding? Well, if you can master your immediate environment, that can be a very attractive option, but ultimately, one that is infeasible. Ignoring? You can't. Putting on a show? I've seen many 'freaks' do this to great effect, but I've become too shy for now to make that happen.

You know the funny thing? Given the chance, I wouldn't change who I am. By living with respect and accountability, I live with no regrets, and I would not sacrifice the being I am today for something different... I would however take a crowbar to a few billion heads on this planet and use it to open up their minds.

The real question is ... how to do that?

The Filles!

OMG! How could I not have known such a thing existed!

There I was, image-fishing on the web for a tri yin-yang (like this), when I came across a page that also had this movie poster... I was immediately attracted to it. It looked like it could be a musical! Gasp! A Gene Kelley movie I haven't seen? Whee! And Cole Porter wrote the music? Squeal! He's my favorite composer (he lived in Indiana too). And Mitzi Gaynor too! Not to mention it's a Sol Siegel production of an MGM film... what's not to love?

Unless you're like ... straight. I wouldn't know what straight people do for fun.