http://youtu.be/SWE6EOmXLZM
When I was growing up – admittedly in a rural area – we were sent out to play in a woodland or in the fields for hours on end, an apple the only provision. Supervision? What supervision? We were trusted to be home by mealtimes. I don't think anything very serious ever happened to any of us. We explored a "big cave" that had probably once been a fox den or was maybe simply a hollow left when a boulder tumbled down the steep slope after a heavy rainfall.
We were allowed to develop our natural instincts and learnt to trust them.
The worst that ever happened was a very young boy falling off the garden swing at his house. He broke his arm and was a hero in plaster for several weeks. I was about four at the time. When I was about nine, a friend swung me around, holding on to one of my arms and one of my feet. The landing was a bit rough and I scraped the top of my other foot. Sore for a few days, but the memory of that exhilarating flight in mid-air has remained with me ever since.
I have unforgettable memories of playing Indians, clambering up trees and ambushing our persecutors with tiny pebbles, of lugging big rocks into the middle of shallow streams, building dams to have a dip in a proper pool. Those were communal efforts that taught us the fine art of communicating to achieve a common goal. There was much shouting and laughter and we all got wonderfully brown tans in the process. Although suncream was unheard-of until much later, I don't recall ever having sunburn or heatstroke or anything of the kind.
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Friday, December 10, 2010
A Message of Peace
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Chilean miner Edison Peña on the David Letterman Show, with interpreter Cassandra
Great to see you back here, and great to see a wonderful colleague on one of the biggest US TV shows. My only gripe: why not give us her full name? How patronising, how condescending of Letterman and his writers! And he has to read his introduction of her from his crib sheet, too...
But here's the video – enjoy! The fun really starts at about 1:15 in the first clip – just drag the locator button in there and watch the rest.
By the way, Cassandra says that for over twenty years she has been "an interpreter for indigenous peoples' leaders in UN negotiations on the environment and human rights."
Proud of you, woman!
But here's the video – enjoy! The fun really starts at about 1:15 in the first clip – just drag the locator button in there and watch the rest.
By the way, Cassandra says that for over twenty years she has been "an interpreter for indigenous peoples' leaders in UN negotiations on the environment and human rights."
Proud of you, woman!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Song for the day: A Boy and a Girl
A perfect song for a stormy morning after a stormy night – the sun just bursting through the clouds.
BYU Singers
Conductor: Dr. Ron Staheli
Composer: Eric Whitacre
Original lyrics: Los Novios, by Octavio Paz
Los novios
Tendidos en la yerba
una muchacha y un muchacho.
Comen naranjas, cambian besos
como las olas cambian sus espumas.
Tendidos en la playa
una muchacha y un muchacho.
Comen limones, cambian besos
como las nubes cambian espumas.
Tendidos bajo tierra
una muchacha y un muchacho.
No dicen nada, no se besan,
cambian silencio por silencio.
A boy and a girl
Stretched out on the grass,
a boy and a girl,
savoring their oranges,
giving their kisses like waves exchanging foam.
Stretched out on the beach,
a boy and a girl,
savoring their limes,
giving their kisses like clouds exchanging foam.
Stretched out underground,
a boy and a girl,
Saying nothing,
never kissing,
giving silence for silence.
(I'll add the translator's name as soon as I've been able to find out who it is.)
Peace, Paz!
BYU Singers
Conductor: Dr. Ron Staheli
Composer: Eric Whitacre
Original lyrics: Los Novios, by Octavio Paz
Los novios
Tendidos en la yerba
una muchacha y un muchacho.
Comen naranjas, cambian besos
como las olas cambian sus espumas.
Tendidos en la playa
una muchacha y un muchacho.
Comen limones, cambian besos
como las nubes cambian espumas.
Tendidos bajo tierra
una muchacha y un muchacho.
No dicen nada, no se besan,
cambian silencio por silencio.
A boy and a girl
Stretched out on the grass,
a boy and a girl,
savoring their oranges,
giving their kisses like waves exchanging foam.
Stretched out on the beach,
a boy and a girl,
savoring their limes,
giving their kisses like clouds exchanging foam.
Stretched out underground,
a boy and a girl,
Saying nothing,
never kissing,
giving silence for silence.
(I'll add the translator's name as soon as I've been able to find out who it is.)
Peace, Paz!
Thursday, October 07, 2010
National Poetry Day (UK): George Herbert, The Call
Today is National Poetry Day in the UK. Inspired by Sarah Mohr-Pietsch's presentation of listener requests for their favourite settings of poems to music, here's my choice, The Call by George Herbert (1593-1633):
THE CALL
Go to 05:22-07:40 for "The Call", a moving rendition by baritone Thomas Allen at the Last Night of the Proms, 2004.
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
And such a Life, as killeth death.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
And such a Life, as killeth death.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.
Go to 05:22-07:40 for "The Call", a moving rendition by baritone Thomas Allen at the Last Night of the Proms, 2004.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
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