Recently, in an attempt to accomplish some Christmas shopping (if I dare use the C-word) , I darkened the doorway of a certain retail establishment for the very first time. This very successful business caters to a certain physical and spiritual practice that is purported to induce a calm meditative approach to life. Given that, I expected to be greeted either by library-esque silence or possibly Glenn Gould’s recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations playing softly in the background. Instead, I stepped through the doorway into a blaring wall of sound. And not good sound. The music struck me as some sort of screechy tween drivel. My immediate reaction was: WTF? I can’t understand why anyone would feel the need to blast the music so loudly in a retail outlet. The staff were pleasant and helpful but the racket was ungodly. The remainder of my Christmas shopping will be down elsewhere. —Bilateral transfer
This article appears in Nov 20-26, 2014.
The staff at most burrito joints are perpetually high and they play death metal because it kills hippies.
File away for future reference.
Yup! The grass is always greener, eh? Givin’ up on ‘ole Jesus for that Buddha guy and you end up in (your own version of) Hell…
I wonder what would happen if you started to believe in yourself and your own capacities to manage your Life?
Perhaps joining Christian Mingle and visiting the christian bookstore would be more apt to induce the coma you were seeking.
TWEEN DRIVEL
“Instead, I stepped through the doorway into a blaring wall of sound. And not good sound. The music struck me as some sort of screeching tween drivel.” Bilateral transfer
What we have here is an unambiguous assesssment of “tween drivel” from the perspective of one who clearly is acquainted with the very best of classical music. The embedded question, of course, is just what constitutes that tween drivel. The answer is to be found in the phrase “blaring wall of sound.” But what is its significance?
The blaring wall of sound constitutes the embodiment of a muddled. mindless romanticism, the polar opposite of a clear and perspicuous classical rationalism. The blaring wall of sound amounts to little more than an empty emotional outpouring, a vapid gush so characteristic of the adolescent mind – if those two words can be used together in the same sentence – as well of course, of those “adults” afflicted with mental infantilism. Happily, for most it is simply a stage one passes through but, not so happily, such cerebral infantilism is a characteristic which continues unabated well into adult life. One need look no further, of course, than the present site.
(Avatar #84: “The Sad Story of Mary Tudor,” Part I)
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Back when I was a teenage pump jockey the owner would let us play our own music on the evenings and weekends. It was always a thrill to see the look on someones face when they were welcomed to our petrol community with Social D, the Ramones and GBH.
If anyone knows Fairview it was the station with the squeegee juggler. I miss that guy 🙁
montrealman: “What we have here is an unambiguous assesssment of “tween drivel” from the perspective of one who clearly is acquainted with the very best of classical music.”
I am not one who is given to idolatry but Mr. Gould’s musical gift was of such extreme rarity that it is difficult not to be filled with wonder at his accomplishments. His interpretations of Bachs equally impressive works are nothing short of brilliant.
If he were to enter the business described in the bitch he would probably react similarly to the bitcher as Gould has been quoted as having said:
“The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.”
― Glenn Gould
You didn’t recognize the smooth, calming tones of Yoko Ono?
The business in question is part of a chain so I susupect that the music is “progrmmed” by head office which makes it even more perplexing.
RSVP
: ZippyZigZag (11/24, 10:03AM)
Hear! Hear! My God, I wish I had said that or at least I would do if your assertion to the effect that “as Gould has been quoted as having said” did not throw the entire quotation into question if not in doubt. Everything would appear to turn of who quoted Gould has having said that as I’m sure you will agree.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
MM:
I’m not quite sure what you are getting at in your previous post.
This part was my own writing: ” am not one who is given to idolatry but Mr. Gould’s musical gift was of such extreme rarity that it is difficult not to be filled with wonder at his accomplishments. His interpretations of Bachs equally impressive works are nothing short of brilliant.”
This part is widely attributed as being a quote of Gould:
“The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.”
although I have seen a shorter version “The purpose of art is the lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.”
Source: Commencement address at York University, Toronto, Canada, 6 Nov. 1982
The last few years I celebrated the commercialism of Christmas was by ordering on-line. No crowded stores, no cloying Christmas music and no endless wandering from mall to mall in search of the ‘perfect’ gift.
Now Christmas is just a big meal with friends and family.
Gift-free, guilt-free and debt-free. Now that’s my kind of holiday.
It’s difficult for many families to break with tradition but I know one large family that got past that reluctance by simply picking names. Now each person only has to buy one gift!
RSVP
: ZippyZigZag (11:29AM)
What I was getting at in my previous post was not so much the substance of Gould’s quotation but rather your unattributed assertion to the effect, “as Gould has been quoted as having said.” As I thought I made unambiguously clear in my post, the issue turns on who (or what) is quoting Gould. If, as you point out, the quotation comes from Gould’s commencement address at York University in 1982 – oddly, I was not there to verify this – then the citation is no longer in question, to say nothing about being in doubt. But one cannot be too careful in these matters. I trust you will agree.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
mm:
Je comprends et je suis d’accord.
The attribution of that quoatation can be found in at least two publications :
The Yale Book of Quotations (page 319)
Oxford Essential Quotations
went grocery shopping and i now have a boney m earworm
What is “a boney m earworm?” Were you shopping in the shellfish department?
no
^^Should have said New Kids on the Block instead. He still has a Danny crush from ’91.
If it’s “Rasputin” then that’s liveable; if it’s their Calypsucky Xmas tune – that’s horrific.
Rasputin=Russia=snow all the attributes of Christmas
this was hark the herald…nice avatar commander
SCREEE!
The Boney M Christmas album is a classic.
Here’s a challenge. Get half snapped and then listen to this at high volume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7aaIlAfCU…
Black Friday Bargains Come Early to Ferguson, MO.
“No 72 Inch Flat Screen; No Justice” say area activists.
Fuck dat Luluman store with their see-thru made in china kids leggings. They blast the music to cause a frenzy of temporary insanity so you buy all the crap for 400 dollars just cuz it gut some stupid logo on it. Get into da Giant Tiger and get you some XL leggings bitch dat cover your ass.
my christmas playlists definitely include boney m, some charlie brown and of course the classic pogues song
Don’t let the mod know about that one, Painey.
She’ll pay a house call and bowdlerize ya.
This is my favourite Christmas song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMTxrFTr7hk
And for those of you who like to sing along:
(Chorus)
Ho ho fucking ho,
What a crock o’ shit,
We all work for Santa Claus,
We’ve had enough, we quit.
Cos we do all the fuckin’ work while he stars in the show,
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
I’m Rudolph and I quit.
Just who’s he think he is?
That little fat cunt sat back in the sleigh,
crackin’ that fuckin’ whip.
And me stuck up the front, with these other useless cunts,
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
(Chorus)
Ho ho fucking ho,
What a crock o’ shit,
We all work for Santa Claus,
We’ve had enough, we quit.
Cos we do all the fuckin’ work while he stars in the show,
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
And what about us elves,
we’ve had enough as well,
workin’ in that freezing factory, it’s cold as fucking hell,
we work until we drop, with our bollocks freezin’ off,
stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
(Chorus)
Ho ho fucking ho,
What a crock o’ shit,
We all work for Santa Claus,
We’ve had enough, we quit.
Cos we do all the fuckin’ work while he stars in the show,
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
I’m Santa Claus’ wife,
I know what he’s really like,
sneakin’ into them little kid’s rooms
he’s a fuckin’ paedophile,
A devious old drunk,
and I’m married to the cunt,
So stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
(Chorus)
Ho ho fucking ho,
What a crock o’ shit,
We all work for Santa Claus,
We’ve had enough, we quit.
Cos we do all the fuckin’ work while he stars in the show,
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho.
Thank you, Monty Python!
^^^BRILLIANT!^^^
Stick yer Christmas up yer arse, ho ho fucking ho!
and another classic NSFW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4G_qTwgzmk
I am an atheist but I really like Christmas carols. real carols, not the jingle bell stuff. except for ‘i’ll be home for christmas’. that one’s a gutter.
‘White Christmas’ should be taken behind the barn and riddled with buckshot. Then thrown on an electric fence.
Pity the poor retail workers who are forced to absorb this sentimental drivel from the day after Hallowe’en until New Year’s. I’m sure, that by Boxing Day, most employees are ready to drive a candy cane stake through Santa’s enlarged heart.
When Brenda Lee starts pewling about the Christmas Party Hop, I say a little prayer that Bill Cosby will show up with an offer of a wassail cup full of ludenog.
me too bad dog, on both counts. i’m trying out a new savoury recipe today
I am drooling just by imagination pg. I need to make blinis or something.
I wonder if I can get the spun sugar green for a crappy xmas Croquembouche?
Must start experimenting…