During my week off-blog a glut of news stories fought for prominence. I didn't read or listen to much from the hyper-ventilating writers and characters on TV - just enough to realise the core of events and results.
The face of James Comey greeted us each morn in the breakfast areas of our hotels, thankfully with TVs' sound muted. The moving news clips at foot of screens offered us as much as we needed, or wished, to be knowing. So far nothing of great value appears to have emerged, other than fodder for journalists, TV pundits and hyperbolic bloggers and commenters. A side-effect, for me, has been lots of hits on my June 2016 post about James Comey..."it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good".
I was interested to discover the UK's election result, however, and though Ms May held onto her position by the skin of her teeth, it was good to see Jeremy Corbyn's excellent showing. The UK's tide might, at last, be turning leftward after many years of conservative or pretend-left (à la Blair) experiences. The election result kind of mirrored USA's 2016 campaigns, with regard to Bernie Sanders' burgeoning support - though here that was undermined by You Know Who and her dastardly minions.
One result of the UK's election that I definitely dislike is Ms Mays' proposed linking up with the DUP - Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionists, in order to form a stronger government. A side effect of this could easily be a resurgence of those horrible hate-filled, blood-soaked and dangerous years of The Troubles. I trust not, but am not optimistic. Brexit ? It's going to be a rough ride!
It's Music Monday - let's see - what song would best reflect current atmospheres? I'm feeling a tad flummoxed in general - how about Joni Mitchell's song from the 1960s: "Both Sides Now" - here sung, for a change, by Judy Collins -
Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way
But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away
I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day
I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all.
The face of James Comey greeted us each morn in the breakfast areas of our hotels, thankfully with TVs' sound muted. The moving news clips at foot of screens offered us as much as we needed, or wished, to be knowing. So far nothing of great value appears to have emerged, other than fodder for journalists, TV pundits and hyperbolic bloggers and commenters. A side-effect, for me, has been lots of hits on my June 2016 post about James Comey..."it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good".
I was interested to discover the UK's election result, however, and though Ms May held onto her position by the skin of her teeth, it was good to see Jeremy Corbyn's excellent showing. The UK's tide might, at last, be turning leftward after many years of conservative or pretend-left (à la Blair) experiences. The election result kind of mirrored USA's 2016 campaigns, with regard to Bernie Sanders' burgeoning support - though here that was undermined by You Know Who and her dastardly minions.
One result of the UK's election that I definitely dislike is Ms Mays' proposed linking up with the DUP - Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionists, in order to form a stronger government. A side effect of this could easily be a resurgence of those horrible hate-filled, blood-soaked and dangerous years of The Troubles. I trust not, but am not optimistic. Brexit ? It's going to be a rough ride!
It's Music Monday - let's see - what song would best reflect current atmospheres? I'm feeling a tad flummoxed in general - how about Joni Mitchell's song from the 1960s: "Both Sides Now" - here sung, for a change, by Judy Collins -
Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way
But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away
I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day
I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all.
2 comments:
Aha! So you're at least *partly* to blame for the earworm I experienced on Sunday/Monday, when these lyrics kept repeating throughout the day:
"I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's cloud's illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all"
In another cloud-related synchronicity, I took a different route while walking on Sunday, and as I reached the top of a hill, I couldn't help but notice the most amazing cloud formation stretched out along the horizon. There were layers of clouds, some dark, some light, with a bright white cloud shaped like a large alien spacecraft perched on top; its uppermost edge appeared perfectly straight, then tapered saucer-like along its two sides where it joined the other clouds.
There was another walker just behind me and when she caught up, I pointed it out. She and I stood there staring for a few minutes, she was clearly as amazed as I was, commenting that it was almost "unbelievable."
LB ~ Hey there! I've given myself an earworm with that song too - it's still dancing around in
my head. :)
Yes, cloud formations can be wonderfully inspiring to the imagination - I think we've come across something like the one you describe, in the past. Sometimes, too, cloud scenes remind me of a René Magritte painting, when the blue sky behind is just the right shade of blue.
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