Nickelback – If Today Was Your Last Day

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OlqERixVE

I have had interesting discussions lately with friends on the subject of love and of our paradigms and world views of what that is. My journey has been both wonderful and painful. In the process a friend from the Great White North sent me this song which is new to me. I hope you love the lyrics as much as I do.

I will tell you two things that came up in discussions on the subject of love that interested me:

  • We use words to describe what things are. But in different cultures those words carry different connotations. The thing itself has not changed, but the word we use to describe it can cause miscommunication. And as most of us know it’s our perception that is king. A thing does not necessarily have an inherent quality; it’s what we project on it. So two people might see something the same, but use different words to describe the same thing.
  • Are there many loves or just one? I had always had the understanding there were different types of love like Agape and Eros. But one person I talked to said “No! There is only ONE love”. This is a new way of thinking for me.

And this ties back into the Nickelback song posted here. Would your actions on love be different if it was your last day?

Songs by David Gates of Bread and Asian Relationships

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pfTfMoR8sg

“Everything I Own” performed by David Gates from Bread. The audio is a bit poor but I love the live performance footage. There are many people that sing good copies of David Gates’ voice on YouTube, but the performances don’t give me the shivers and goosebumps like David Gates’ vocals do.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24IfD-0VUu4

“The Diary” by David Gates of Bread. This song has always moved me so much. I’ve probably heard it a thousand times in my life. Each time I listen, I pretend I don’t know how the story is going to end. And then I get a little tear at the very end. I like the experience, it’s sweet.

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Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA Band 2009

zaia-band

The Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA band, June 2009 in Macau, China. A rare moment where all the musicians are together for a photo opp.

In this photo: Eduard Harutyunyan (percussion), Jay Elfenbein (viol, dare I say cello, strings, bass guitar), Darrin Johnson (drummer), Olivier Milchberg (guitar, Turkish banjo, plucked strings), Maria Andersson (singer), Steven Bach (keyboards – bandleader), Rose Winebrenner (vocalist), Racheal Cogan (recorder, EWI)and Conrad Askland (keyboards, assistant bandleader).

Buck Owens – Somewhere Between

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk1l0Gr1lU0

Read more info on Buck Owens at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Owens

I was reading on that link about Buck Owens, the Bakersfield Sound, the death of his guitar wingman Don Rich, and the revival of his career with Dwight Yoakum. There are some great videos of Buck Owens and Don Rich on YouTube. Here’s a couple videos I enjoyed with Buck and “Dangerous” Don Rich. Hope they make you feel good too…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkNsqdGm0wo

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfSPneMXCgk

More Dwight Yoakum

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ieK7Lv9Rbg

Here’s some more Dwight Yoakum. Guess I’m feeling a little homesick and Dwight makes me feel good. I lived south of Bakersfield for almost twenty years playing country music there and across the US, so Dwight’s my homeboy.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHxSh-SvFVA

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy9EixCPPG4

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyajDA_Ywcw

My First Private Lesson in Mandarin Chinese

I’ve lived in China over a year now and I don’t know any Cantonese or Mandarin. Surprisingly it’s been difficult to find a private tutor for Mandarin. Cantonese is the main language spoken where I live (Macau and Hong Kong), but variations of Mandarin are spoken throughout China. I had an interpreter tell me the best way to learn is to start with Mandarin and then go into Cantonese. Mandarin has four tones and Cantonese has nine.

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Robert Browning Recites His Poem (1889 Edison Cylinder)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYot5-WuAjE

This is one of the most important historic recording from 19th century. This recording contains the voice of great English poet, Robert Browning (1812 – 1889). Although the recording is very inaudible, it is still worth to hear one of the greatest poet of Victorian era.

It was recorded in a dinner party given by Browning’s friend the artist Rudolf Lehmann, on May 6th, 1889.

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