The Impossibility of February
by Jeni
Well, truth be told, February is my least favorite time of the year. I'm glad it's the shortest. It's too cold and often not sunny enough and the stress of starting a new semester and a new schedule is just too much. I had a nice reprieve last year in Southeastern Arizona. My cure, healthy talks with people I love and trust and sweet, sweet music.
Enter Maira Kalman, one of my favorite illustrators has begun posting once again on the NYTimes. Her new blog is titled "And the Pursuit of Happiness." It's lovely.
Her old blog "The Principles of Uncertainty" was turned into the book The Principles of Uncertainty in 2007, just in time to buy one, share it with the fine folks on internship and send it to my future (now) mother-in-law. I've since purchased another copy (that happens to be in the hands of a venerable Doctor of New Testament and I miss it everyday).
Each month she tells a story as she experiences it. Travel to Israel, a wedding in Japan, tassels on chairs and fancy tea cookies are only a few of the items she details in her illustrated detail. At Marc Ostlie-Olson's ordination this past weekend, I kept wanting to illustrate the day in the style of Maira Kalman. One professor had a tassel on his stole with flames of Pentecost decorating it. One of the boys O-O wore a fez as he greeted worshippers. I imagined that if Shaolin monks wore albs that they would wear one like Marc's new alb, along with a hood and sweeping sleeves. It's quite a way to experience surroundings.
Anyway, back to February and music. Maira Kalman's February offering in 2007 was titled "The Impossibility of February" and inspired this playlist:
1. Elephant Gun – Beirut – Lon Gisland LP
2. I Need All the Friends I Can Get – Camera Obscura – Let's Get Out of This Country
3. Parentheses – The Blow – Paper Television
4. Omaha – Tapes 'n Tapes
5. If This City Never Sleeps – Rosie Thomas – These Friends of Mine
6. New Round – Beck – The Information
7. Take the Long Way – Po' Girl – Vagabond Lullabies
8. Nettie Moore – Bob Dylan – Modern Times
9. Winter – The Rolling Stones – The Rolling Stones – Goats Head Soup
10. California Stars – Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue
11. Goin' to California – Led Zeppelin – IV
12. Not California – Hem – Funnel Cloud
13. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
14. Waiting for the Sun (Acoustic) – The Jayhawks – Save it for a Rainy Day
15. Chin Up, Cheer Up, – Ryan Adams – Demolition
16. Right in Time – Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
17. Here Comes the Sun – Nina Simone – The Very Best of Nina Simone (Disc 2)
We'll see what kind of music comes from the February.
Enter Maira Kalman, one of my favorite illustrators has begun posting once again on the NYTimes. Her new blog is titled "And the Pursuit of Happiness." It's lovely.
Her old blog "The Principles of Uncertainty" was turned into the book The Principles of Uncertainty in 2007, just in time to buy one, share it with the fine folks on internship and send it to my future (now) mother-in-law. I've since purchased another copy (that happens to be in the hands of a venerable Doctor of New Testament and I miss it everyday).
Each month she tells a story as she experiences it. Travel to Israel, a wedding in Japan, tassels on chairs and fancy tea cookies are only a few of the items she details in her illustrated detail. At Marc Ostlie-Olson's ordination this past weekend, I kept wanting to illustrate the day in the style of Maira Kalman. One professor had a tassel on his stole with flames of Pentecost decorating it. One of the boys O-O wore a fez as he greeted worshippers. I imagined that if Shaolin monks wore albs that they would wear one like Marc's new alb, along with a hood and sweeping sleeves. It's quite a way to experience surroundings.
Anyway, back to February and music. Maira Kalman's February offering in 2007 was titled "The Impossibility of February" and inspired this playlist:
1. Elephant Gun – Beirut – Lon Gisland LP
2. I Need All the Friends I Can Get – Camera Obscura – Let's Get Out of This Country
3. Parentheses – The Blow – Paper Television
4. Omaha – Tapes 'n Tapes
5. If This City Never Sleeps – Rosie Thomas – These Friends of Mine
6. New Round – Beck – The Information
7. Take the Long Way – Po' Girl – Vagabond Lullabies
8. Nettie Moore – Bob Dylan – Modern Times
9. Winter – The Rolling Stones – The Rolling Stones – Goats Head Soup
10. California Stars – Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue
11. Goin' to California – Led Zeppelin – IV
12. Not California – Hem – Funnel Cloud
13. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
14. Waiting for the Sun (Acoustic) – The Jayhawks – Save it for a Rainy Day
15. Chin Up, Cheer Up, – Ryan Adams – Demolition
16. Right in Time – Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
17. Here Comes the Sun – Nina Simone – The Very Best of Nina Simone (Disc 2)
We'll see what kind of music comes from the February.
posted by Jeni at 8:53 PM
1 Comments:
Do you know Dar Williams? She's got a killer song called "February," more evocative of the 'uggh' of the month than the hopefulness of things other that your submissions pointed to (apologies for the grammar--thanks for the bold preposition choice, btw).
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