First of we've gained two new followers which suppose shows what a bit self publicity can do.
Seeing we're on the build up to Christmas needless to say the other events that take place during this season have already started and amongst them is the grand tradition of the Christmas ballet show. I love the dances, costumes and music to many of these ballets.
Coppéllia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. The ballet is based on two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann (The Sandman), and Die Puppe (The Doll) premiering on May 25 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial de l´Opéra.
The story of Coppélia concerns a mysterious and faintly diabolical inventor, Doctor Coppéliuswho has made a life-size dancing doll. It is so lifelike that Franz, a village swain, is infatuated with it, and sets aside his true heart's desire, Swanhilde, who in Act II shows him his folly by dressing as the doll and pretending to come to life. It's a favourite of mine having bought many years ago the Mari recording of the music on an imported HMV UK record.
Where shall I start this week?
I suppose I could start by saying I managed to straighten out some differences at work with people that were beginning to really bug me because while I like what I do and it has it's 'little' opportunities that many sadly don't have, this 'big' stuff was taking the shine off it.
Also I feel a bit more at ease with past events, events that really shook me, being able to go about everyday business without having that must be 'watching over your shoulder' feeling all the time.
I'm also winding down yet another part of my internet existence as this particular place has lost much of its functionality and as so few really visit it, I've come to the conclusion the time I spend on it is better spent on my 'little time' . It's that much more rewarding.
Anyway to fashion and this was a Pansy flared dress while aimed at and in groan up sizes sizes isn't a million miles removed from a teen dress available from top shop:
I thought it was cute working well with a few accessories without being too fussy (I don't like fussy designs).
Well I guess the good news is I'm feeling better than I was around this time last week as was really down in dumps with some work related stuff best not gotten into on a publicly accessible blog and wanting more 'little' time something I understand most of us struggle with.
Thanks to everyone in chat this week including our guests from US camp.
I've already gotten two self presents sorted so it's just a question of putting some money aside for a few things for my family as like a good many others facing big bills we've decided to par down what we get each other.
As I think I've mentioned the odd time in Chat I've been re-reading Malory Towers, the classic story of a all girls high school on the coast of Cornwall, South-west England directly overlooking the sea as written by Enid Blyton.
I bought a set of the original six volumes recently with the front cover of the slip case using this illustration the girls arriving at school. My school skirts are very similar to that of the girls on the far right which is more junior/middle school one. The current editions use some ghastly cheap computer generated images of girls while this 2004 set is more classy.
So far in I've just finished the Fifth volume.
Her books were a big part of my childhood that I loved mainly for their sense of innocent adventure, well observed characters and moral tales interwoven into the narrative.
With Malory Towers we see the world of this boarding school which is a Castle like building with four wings, mainly through the eyes of Darrell, a first year boarder aged 12 getting to grips with induction procedures, new school rules, making new friends who as the series progresses we learn all about, their strong points and well their failings and learning to take on more responsibilities for themselves.
Each wing has inter-house competitions and for some sports their are coveted matches with other schools, the values of giving your all for your team and team mates, honour and being a gracious winner are write right through.
We also have escapades, ill thought out actions like going awl to perform and becoming so ill we can't sing, playing tricks on teachers and even some serious stuff like poison-pen letters not to mention theft.
For some such stories were (possible are even) a fantasy -a school life in childhood never experienced but preferable to the one they had - but to me much of this was very much like the reality apart from the poison-pen letter bits.
Newsflash: I did play tricks on people back then!
You could say it was really a guide cluing me in to what I was to experience making the transition from day school easier.
I hope to re-read a few more of her series in the upcoming year.
Coming the month before Christmas is white might be the last Teenbeat edition of this year tm with part of a trend thought the last few years in Europe at least of offering older albums in special low price packs.
To me Steve Lukather, Jeff Poraco and Bobby Kimball were not just in demand LA based session players gracing many albums in the 70's an the 80's - just check the notes on your albums from that era for the extras! - but the core of a talent group going under the name of Toto who released many albums but to which with the exception of 1982's IV with it's clutch of hit singles like Africa and Rosanna don't register on the general public's index of sings they know.
Tot's music is perhaps best characterized by strong arrangements involving horns, keyboards and other instruments as well as fairly thoughtful lyrics in a sound which does also rock
Their first album shows promise with Child's Anthem and Hold The Line which as I recall was a 45 but the first side is lacking a bit of something, the second - you can tell I was brought up in the lp era - is a strong set.
The next album in the pack is 1979's Hydra which has more of uniform concept showing the potential of rock to be musically challenging in the title track especially and is the home to '99' a Favourite of mine..
1981's Turn Back I feel got lost in a clutch of splendid releases that year although it contained Goodbye Eleanor a fast paced rocker and is a very strong album.
The pack does include IV which was huge seller and a good album but one I felt was a bit too mellow and almost too polished while it's follow up Isolation from 1984 has more of a rock feel with songs like Carmen, Holyanna and Stranger In Town the video of which is etched in my memory.
If you've ever been curious about Toto or just wish to explore some classy music this set is a cheap way to do it.
