december songs 30

december songs 30 is the valtari mystery film experiment—16 short films based on songs from the sigur ros album valtari. i haven't watched them all, because who has that kind of time, but i ran into them today while cleaning the living room and every time i looked up i saw something beautiful or bizarre. and i am always in for hearing some sigur ros.
 

go here to see the list of the 16 videos. or start with the one below and move through them all. enjoy!

Leaning Towards Solace from Sigur Rós Valtari Mystery Films on Vimeo.

december songs 2

i am making it a goal this december to find a video a day that just says it. maybe it is bitter, hopeful, tragic, or celebratory. maybe it inspires. i do hope that some of you may also find it cathartic. let me know...

december song 2 is by sigur ros, and it is called glosoli. it is challenging for me to pick just one sigur ros video, as they are all so artful. this is a favorite song of tristan's. he used to ask me to play elf music in the car, and specifically the song that rocked out. glósóli is it! lyrics follow.

Nú vaknar þú

allt virðist vera breytt

ég gægist út

en er svo ekki neitt

úr-skóna finn svo

á náttfötum hún

í draumi fann svo

ég hékk á koðnun?

með sólinni er hún

og er hún, inni hér

en hvar ert þú....

legg upp í göngu

og tölti götuna

sé ekk(ert) út

og nota stjörnurnar

sit(ur) endalaust hún

og klifrar svo út.

Glósóli-leg hún

komdu út

mig vaknar draum-haf

mitt hjartað, slá

úfið hár.

Sturlun við fjar-óð

sem skyldu-skrá.

og hér ert þú

fannst mér.....

og hér ert þú

Glósóli.....

Translation

Glowing Sun

Now that you’re awake

Everything seems different

I look around

But there’s nothing at all

Put on my shoes,

I then find that

She is still in her pyjamas

Then found in a dream

I’m hung by (an) anticlimax

She is with the sun

And it’s out here

But where are you…

Go on a journey

And roam the streets

Can’t see the way out

And so use the stars

She sits for eternity

And then climbs out

She’s the glowing sun

So come out I awake from a nightmare

My heart is beating

Out of control…

I’ve become so used to this craziness

That it’s now compulsory

And here you are…

I’m feeling…

And here you are, Glowing sun…

And here you are, Glowing sun…

And here you are, Glowing sun…

And here you are…

at autumn's entrance

during the exact moment of autumnal equinox our little family had a jam session!

a few days later dan and i treated ourselves to a sigur ros concert to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary, and 20 years together. i am still under the spell of their dreamy, raucous, hypnotic music. it was a lovely evening that i wish could be repeated. i wasn't permitted to bring my slr camera into the venue (poor dan ran it all the way back to the car which was parked a good distance away), so these are a variety of not so fantastic cell phone pics (with the retro camera app).

the concert closed with the song, untitled 8, which was just mind blowing. here is a live version of it from their great documentary, heima.

feeling good afterward. . .

and would you believe after all these years of living here (well, it's only been 8), i saw lambeth field for the first time? i found the row of white pillars impressive, not that there is a shortage of white pillars in charlottesville.

while our week began with a big concert at the john paul jones arena, it closed with local music and food at the tom tom founders festival block party. charlottesville is good fun, ya'll!

this week my mother arrived to begin her new life in virginia. my brother drove her down from michigan and paid us a short visit. we ate greek afelia, celebrated the libra birthdays, and sadly bid my brother farewell, until next time!

today, after so much planning, packing, anxiety, and apprehension, my mother walked into her new home for the first time. the truck full of her furniture and belongings has not arrived yet, but she has a sweet, clean abode waiting for her, awash in dappled light and looking out onto a pastoral scene. i hope she loves it. we are happy she is here. 

below are some shots from her new digs. i think we'll be spending quite a bit of time on her nice patio.

dan christened the patio with a nap. . .

and here are some fine shots by tashi, my lovely artistic teenager

my mom's front door looks out onto a woodsy horse pasture bordering the property. tristan and i were pretty excited about the horses. though i think this one might actually be a unicorn. . . a good omen?