Funny book titles I'd like to see...
Okay, so my parents (and maybe your parents too!?) used to sit around and come up with funny book titles and authors for entertainment before TV and the Internet became a part of everyday life. I thought these were pretty funny and added a few of my own.
Yellow River by I.P. Daily
Bouncing Balls by Wong Hung Lo
Rustle in the Bushes by Izzy Onner
Hole in the Bedspread by Seymour Butts
Tiger's Revenge by Claude Balls
Rape in the Filling Station by Woo Pumped Ethel
Emancipation by Frieda Blaques
Ten Miles to the Outhouse by Willie Makeit and Betty Don't
Open Kimonos by Seymour Hair
Missed Opportunities by Ida Dunner
Open Relationships by Frieda Fondle
Ho testa bizzarra,
Son pronta e vivace,
Brillare mi piace, mi piace scherzar.
Se monto in furore di rado sto al segno,
Ma in riso lo sdegno fo presto a cangiar.
Ho testa bizzarra
Ma core eccelente…
I have a crazy head,
I am quick and lively,
I love to shine, I love to have fun.
If I get furious, I rarely stay that way,
But to laughter I soon change the anger.
I have a crazy head,
But an excellent heart…
{ Donizetti – Don Pasquale, Quel guardo il cavaliere }
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
La musique brûle dans mon âme...
Music burns within my soul...
I have always had a strong passion for music. I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t a part of my life. Growing up as the youngest in a family of six children, attending church, concerts, various school musical events and private lessons were a natural part of my daily life.
As a young child, I began formal training in Suzuki violin. I was exposed to recordings of the pieces I would learn to play, as well as recordings of great performances from the general classical repertory. Continuous exposure to recordings is similar to the effect of immersion that naturally occurs in the process of primary language acquisition. This disciplined method of training enabled me to memorize the music and internalize the nuances of pitch, tone, timing, articulation, and dynamics demonstrated in recorded performances. Learning within the Suzuki violin classroom structure I was able to work alongside peers who shared a common repertory, musical skills, and aspirations. Social interaction and the opportunity to play as a group were important features that made lessons productive and enjoyable.
After working within the finance industry (yes – a HUGE departure from music!) for about seven years, I needed to return to my true passion – music. I was drawn to a music and movement program called Kindermusik (A Good Beginning Never Ends™). One aspect of the Kindermusik philosophy that I embrace is allowing each child to develop at his or her own pace. This is very similar to the Suzuki Method that I grew up with. I love that Kindermusik gives me the opportunity to bring parents and children together while helping each child develop a lifelong love of music and learning! I am so lucky to be able to share my passion for music with others in a creative and fun way!
Let music be an integral part of your child's life, but don't make it your mission to mold a musical genius. I love that Kindermusik is process-oriented, not performance-oriented. Child prodigies like Mozart, who wrote his first symphony at age 8, are rare. But if you offer your child a chance to be immersed in the world of music (especially if you vary the selections), he'll probably grow up to be the kind of person who appreciates all kinds of music. Encourage him to take up a musical instrument, but don't push. It's like having a beautiful Monet print hanging in a prominent place in your home - you don't force the child to look at it every day, but it's there for him to enjoy. It's an enrichment process. The presence of music is what matters! When you expose your child to culture, he acquires a taste for the things in life that will feed his soul - Music does just that!
As Shakespeare put it, "If music be the food of love, play on."
Profitons bien de la jeunesse,
Des jours qu’amène le printemps,
Aimons, rions, chantons sans cesse!
Let us take good advantage of youth,
Of the days that spring brings along,
Let us love, laugh, sing constantly!
{ Massenet – Manon, Cours-la-Reine and Gavotte }
Click here to see a related NBC Nightly News video
I have always had a strong passion for music. I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t a part of my life. Growing up as the youngest in a family of six children, attending church, concerts, various school musical events and private lessons were a natural part of my daily life.
As a young child, I began formal training in Suzuki violin. I was exposed to recordings of the pieces I would learn to play, as well as recordings of great performances from the general classical repertory. Continuous exposure to recordings is similar to the effect of immersion that naturally occurs in the process of primary language acquisition. This disciplined method of training enabled me to memorize the music and internalize the nuances of pitch, tone, timing, articulation, and dynamics demonstrated in recorded performances. Learning within the Suzuki violin classroom structure I was able to work alongside peers who shared a common repertory, musical skills, and aspirations. Social interaction and the opportunity to play as a group were important features that made lessons productive and enjoyable.
After working within the finance industry (yes – a HUGE departure from music!) for about seven years, I needed to return to my true passion – music. I was drawn to a music and movement program called Kindermusik (A Good Beginning Never Ends™). One aspect of the Kindermusik philosophy that I embrace is allowing each child to develop at his or her own pace. This is very similar to the Suzuki Method that I grew up with. I love that Kindermusik gives me the opportunity to bring parents and children together while helping each child develop a lifelong love of music and learning! I am so lucky to be able to share my passion for music with others in a creative and fun way!
Let music be an integral part of your child's life, but don't make it your mission to mold a musical genius. I love that Kindermusik is process-oriented, not performance-oriented. Child prodigies like Mozart, who wrote his first symphony at age 8, are rare. But if you offer your child a chance to be immersed in the world of music (especially if you vary the selections), he'll probably grow up to be the kind of person who appreciates all kinds of music. Encourage him to take up a musical instrument, but don't push. It's like having a beautiful Monet print hanging in a prominent place in your home - you don't force the child to look at it every day, but it's there for him to enjoy. It's an enrichment process. The presence of music is what matters! When you expose your child to culture, he acquires a taste for the things in life that will feed his soul - Music does just that!
As Shakespeare put it, "If music be the food of love, play on."
Profitons bien de la jeunesse,
Des jours qu’amène le printemps,
Aimons, rions, chantons sans cesse!
Let us take good advantage of youth,
Of the days that spring brings along,
Let us love, laugh, sing constantly!
{ Massenet – Manon, Cours-la-Reine and Gavotte }
Click here to see a related NBC Nightly News video
Monday, March 3, 2008
Ne jamais perd de vue le pouvoir impressionnant de touche...
Don't ever lose sight of the awesome power of touch...
Touch is the only sense we cannot live without. Your child could be blind and be fine; she could be deaf and be okay; but without touching and being touched, a child will die. In 1920, Dr. Henry Chapin, a New York pediatrician, reported that the death rate for infants under two years old in institutions across the U.S. was 100%! These infants received adequate food and shelter. What was missing for these babies was caring touch.
Brain research confirms the critical role of touch in our mental and emotional health. When we touch one another, a hormone is released called the nerve growth factor (NGF). This hormone is essential to neural function and learning. We often overlook the fact that our skin is the largest organ of our body and has all sorts of nerve sensors for touch!
{ Becky A. Bailey, Ph.D. – I Love You Rituals }
Sadly, we have become a society of untouchables. It is becoming much easier to shop and buy presents for one another than to give or receive a hug. Infants are put into baby seats to be carried, in car seats to be transported, and in bassinets to sleep. We are becoming trained to touch babies only when they demand our attention. With "time" being the commodity most sought by parents in today's society, a quiet baby who is willing to entertain herself in the infant carrier frees parents to attend to life's other demands. Unfortunately, as we focus on other demands, our children are becoming more demanding.
Touch is becoming more of a metaphor in our society than a reality. When we speak of someone who is removed from reality, we say that he is "out of touch." We speak of people who have a "magic touch" or a "professional touch." We speak of someone who is quick to take offense or overly sensitive as "touchy." We never really feel secure unless we can "hold onto something," nor do we really believe that we understand anything until we have a "grasp on it." If we aren't paying attention, we will lose "touch" with ourselves and our children.
Are you keeping "in touch" with those you love?
L’amour est loin, tu peux l’attendre,
Tu ne l’attends plus, il est là!
Tout autour de toi, vite, vite,
Il vient, s’en va, puis il revient.
Tu crois le tenir,
Il t’évite,
Tu crois l’éviter,
Il te tient.
Love is far away, you can wait for it,
You don’t expect it anymore, there it is!
All around you, quickly, quickly,
It comes, goes away, then comes again.
You think you are holding it,
It escapes from you,
You think you are escaping it,
It grips you.
{ Bizet, Carmen – Habanera }
Touch is the only sense we cannot live without. Your child could be blind and be fine; she could be deaf and be okay; but without touching and being touched, a child will die. In 1920, Dr. Henry Chapin, a New York pediatrician, reported that the death rate for infants under two years old in institutions across the U.S. was 100%! These infants received adequate food and shelter. What was missing for these babies was caring touch.
Brain research confirms the critical role of touch in our mental and emotional health. When we touch one another, a hormone is released called the nerve growth factor (NGF). This hormone is essential to neural function and learning. We often overlook the fact that our skin is the largest organ of our body and has all sorts of nerve sensors for touch!
{ Becky A. Bailey, Ph.D. – I Love You Rituals }
Sadly, we have become a society of untouchables. It is becoming much easier to shop and buy presents for one another than to give or receive a hug. Infants are put into baby seats to be carried, in car seats to be transported, and in bassinets to sleep. We are becoming trained to touch babies only when they demand our attention. With "time" being the commodity most sought by parents in today's society, a quiet baby who is willing to entertain herself in the infant carrier frees parents to attend to life's other demands. Unfortunately, as we focus on other demands, our children are becoming more demanding.
Touch is becoming more of a metaphor in our society than a reality. When we speak of someone who is removed from reality, we say that he is "out of touch." We speak of people who have a "magic touch" or a "professional touch." We speak of someone who is quick to take offense or overly sensitive as "touchy." We never really feel secure unless we can "hold onto something," nor do we really believe that we understand anything until we have a "grasp on it." If we aren't paying attention, we will lose "touch" with ourselves and our children.
Are you keeping "in touch" with those you love?
L’amour est loin, tu peux l’attendre,
Tu ne l’attends plus, il est là!
Tout autour de toi, vite, vite,
Il vient, s’en va, puis il revient.
Tu crois le tenir,
Il t’évite,
Tu crois l’éviter,
Il te tient.
Love is far away, you can wait for it,
You don’t expect it anymore, there it is!
All around you, quickly, quickly,
It comes, goes away, then comes again.
You think you are holding it,
It escapes from you,
You think you are escaping it,
It grips you.
{ Bizet, Carmen – Habanera }
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