The Sidney Awards

Links to some great reading ... here and here

[sic]

Okay, this is a little strange but here goes. Anyone reading academic articles inevitably comes across that little notation "sic", inserted to indicate an error in whatever one is quoting. "Sic", which translates from the Latin as "Thus,so", is meant to indicate that the error is present in the original and not through the fault or oversight of the present writer.

I've always wondered why people bother – might as well just correct the 'error', especially if it's a grammatical or spelling mistake. But "sic" is often used as a dig at whomever one quotes as well. First, it demonstrates fallibility in one's sources, especially useful if you're arguing against them. Second, "sic" can be put to ideological uses as well. If one reads feminist journals, one comes across examples such as

"Speech is no mere verbalization of conflicts and systems of domination. . . it is the very object of man's [sic] conflicts" (Foucault 1972b, 216)

I'm assuming that "sic" was used because the authors of the essay objected to Foucault's (or the translator of Foucault's) universalizing use of "man" to refer to "humankind".

And what really prompted this entry. Check out the multiple "sic"s on the tracklisting of this CD of Rev. Gary Davis, one of the greatest blues/ragtime/gospel fingerstyle guitarists that ever recorded material! I can't for the life of me figure out why "sic" is used here. Ok ... maybe "Baby, What You Going To Do" (track 3) is ungrammatical (but come on, it's a title and these are the blues... ) and perhaps these were titles the Rev. gave to his performances aren't the proper ones.

Anyway – it's just really strange.

Nothing but the Radio on ...

It must be the terrible weather that makes you turn on the radio a lot (internet radio in this case) and hang out with voices coming across the void on waves of sound. A few weeks ago, we attended a "Sweet Honey in the Rock" concert. It was superb acapella singing for over two hours and extremely inspiring as well. I'd learnt about the group when I was in JC (and getting into the whole protest music phase) and it was a real treat to watch them in concert. Anyway, here's a link to the NPR page where they perform and talk about their music. At least listen to the track "I Remember, I Believe", which was written by the founder of the group Bernice Johnson Reagon. It's a tremendously good song and it's sung fantastically by the group.

Another thing I've been listening to is the "Prairie Home Companion". It sounds silly, but there's some great humor and bluegrass, folk, jazz, and gospel on the program. The host, Garrison Keller, is really funny and sings wonderfully too and they've got great special effects guys doing all sorts to sound effects acrobatics. A recent program featured Billy Collins, a former poet laureate whose office was right opposite mine at Lehman College (Never caught a glimpse of him though -- must have had different teaching days). Anyway, his poems are really great -- funny, smart and poignant. Here's a link to the program, and play the clip from about 10.35 to hear Collins read. The third poem, "Schoolsville", came on while I was picking up some groceries. He started reading it just about when I pulled into the carpark so I stayed in the car, because the moment was just perfect. The show also features the wonderful Madeleine Peyroux!

Iron and Wine

By divine providence and sheer good luck (actually I was searching for something for a section title for my chapter), I visited the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and Lo and Behold, Iron and Wine was slated to play live at the station!
It's worth a listen if you like Iron and Wine. If you aren't already a fan, I sure this set will convert you. He mainly sings material from his new album : The Shepherd's Dog. He does an acoustic version of "Boy with a Coin" which is really great, even though the rich textures of the album version is also mind-blowing. He also sings the extremely moving "Ressurection Fern" and does a very tender version of the epic song "The Trapeze Swinger" (where there's a point when he has to censor himself for radio), and the hauntingly beautiful (if grammatical strange) "He Lays in the Reins".

Listen to it here! (I'm glad I listened to it 'live' cause the link doesn't seem to work properly -- then again, it might just be my connection and you might have better luck)

Other Iron and Wine performances:
NPR World Cafe. (Interview and Studio performance)
In Concert

Sourdough's Song

Sourdough shows why every dog should have her own theme song. For those of you who want to hear it (and those of you who want to turn it off just in time), it comes on in the second half of the video. In the meantime, one could do worse than Gerry Mulligan playing at the Village Vanguard ...

Sourdough in the Snow

Meme (with thanks to and text from AnonymousNoises)

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, iPaq etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool…

01 - OPENING CREDITS: Penance (OST The Mission) - Ennio Morricone
02 - WAKING UP: Vertigo -Chris Potter
03 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Easter - Patti Smith Group
04 - FALLING IN LOVE: Free - Ornette Coleman
05 - FIGHT SONG: Old Friends - Simon and Garfunkel
06 - BREAKING UP: Bad Whiskey - Skip James
07 - PROM: My Old Flame - Charlie Parker
08 - LIFE: African Mailman - Nina Simone
09 - MENTAL BREAKDOWN: Love Comes to Me - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
10 - DRIVING: Freedom Time - Lauryn Hill
11 - FLASHBACK: Equinox - John Coltrane
12 - WEDDING: Breathless - The Corrs
13 - BIRTH OF CHILD: Lazy Bones - Skip James
14 - FINAL BATTLE: Blue in Green - Bill Evans Trio
15 - DEATH SCENE: Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - Bob Dylan
16 - FUNERAL SONG: All or Nothing At All - Diana Krall
17 - END CREDITS: You Got the Pocket Book, I Got the Key - Stefan Grossman

Sourdough plays fetch!

Visiting

The past two and a half weeks have been an enjoyable if physically exhausting time. Edna's brother, cousin and friend visited and we tried our best to show them a good time. That's not that easy to do in Lansing though I think they did have quite a relaxing and hopefully fulfilling time. I got a lot of practice driving since Edna had to be in school and I'm the one with the "flexible" schedule.

The most memorable trip we took was to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It was memorable largely because of the rugged beauty of the dunes and the magnificent views of Lake Michigan. Of course, there was the crazy climb. We were at the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, with all the other old folks and retirees, admiring the views of Lake Michigan. Then Edna decides that it would be fun and challenging to scramble down the 450 foot bluff. There's actually a warning sign that suggests that you not try it but, well, I guess the thrill of being physically challenged augments one's judgment. If Edna was going, I was as well. I'd seen one young man crawl up and sit breathlessly on the boardwalk, so I knew that it would be difficult. Anyway, we made the descent easily enough and the high bluff loomed ominously above us. Going down, we passed another guy, who could only say, "It's very tough ..." as he scrambled up the sand past us.

To give an idea of how physically demanding the thing was: we had to climb on all fours, we kept slipping because of the sand, and we had to stop every twenty steps because our hearts were beating so hard and our limbs were fatigued. And we're not exactly out of shape -- we've been running quite a lot. After a while we realized that we were providing some entertainment / drama for people at the top who were taking pictures of the Asian couple crazy enough to make the climb. We did make it, after about half an hour of climbing, and were congratulated by an old couple who were monitoring our progress up the bluff ("We were wondering if you'd make it before the park closed ....") Apart from the sense of achievement, we came away with sand filled shoes, forearms, quads, and gluts that ached for several days after, and a healthy respect for warning signs (more me than Edna).

Anyway, some pics:

The long descent. If one looks carefully, you can actually see a person at the beach already. This was the other guy that tried the climb while we were there.










This pic was taken at about the half-way mark, it was about a 45 to 60 degree (?) incline. Anyway, after a while you lost sight of the boardwalk at the top of the bluff and really began to feel alone.

















Of course we finally make it down and have all the way up ahead of us.












One of our many rest stops. I think the number of stops we made dissuaded anyone else from attempting the climb...












"Let me be your manifestation in the granite streets of the cities, leaving you free for all unencumbered missions. I will be your mark. You will be my meaning. I will be your sign. You will be my signification. You will be the freer, relieved of the mark I carry, to move more fully, further, faster." (S.R. Delany, Flight From Neveryon)

HOooooooowwwwwwwl

Here's a recording of Ginsburg reading Howl commemorating a 50th Anniversary:

Howl