It’s been quite a year for West African music. Much-loved Ali Farka Touré passed away, not without leaving us one last album. He’s survived by his nephew Afel Bocoum, who has started getting lots of attention for his music. Tartit, with their Tuareg electric guitars, brought out a new album as well. Toumani Diabaté and Ba Cissoko each put out some great eclectic yet still tradition-steeped music.
Rosanne Cash dealt with her father’s passing (and the death of other family members) in Black Cadillac. Neil Young expressed his thoughts on Living With War. We went Crazy over Gnarls Barkley, The Dixie Chicks continued as outspoken as ever on Taking the Long Way, and Bob Dylan reflected on Modern Times.
Folk music is alive and well and mutating into new forms every day. In fact, I don’t know if it’s technology and the global village thing, but it seems to me that increasing numbers of musicians perform stuff that blends an amazing variety of influences from many genres, past decades and corners of the globe (what a funny expression). Pete Seeger would say it’s all folk music.
At any rate, it’s the music that helps remind us who we are and what we can be. I don’t think I could have gotten through the year without it.
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Now you can listen to some of my favorite online radio, right from this site! Check out the new streaming radio and enjoy. Let me know if you have any of your own favorites you’d like me to add.
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No, not that kind of kinky. Wash your mind out with soap! The band Kinky is from Monterrey, Mexico but now they’re in California. Coincidence: my co-worker Diana is from Monterrey and she loves them too. Watch the video, or visit the band’s Web site.
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Slime, actually, once you mix it with liquid. I’m sorry I never tried it before; it is making a real dent in my fatigue. I had previously sworn by steamed dandelion greens, but this is even better. I doubt I could have gotten through my recent Christmas shopping/wrapping/shipping marathon without it.
You see, what with fatigue and all, I get a little behind schedule. Some of the gifts were late birthday presents that were due back in June or September! My family is very forgiving. Still, it’s a relief to be (momentarily) caught up.
There are lots of similar products and I’m sure most are equally good.
I mix it into my herb tea with a few drops of stevia for sweetening. I have to keep stirring as I drink to prevent the last few swallows from becoming complete sludge, but the mixture doesn’t taste bad at all.
Anyone else have a favorite supplement?
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No more exhausting shopping marathons, no more white elephant parties. Swapping donations, that’s where it’s at. I give to your favorite cause, you give to one of mine: Second Harvest Food Bank, the Re-evaluation Foundation, Doctors Without Borders.
OK, that takes care of the adults. Now, the twelve-year-old who already has everything!? That is another quandary!
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Thanks to the Mac-on-Stick how-to, I’ve installed a virtual Mac Plus on my iPod Shuffle.
All of the pleasure, and none of the hassle! No more struggling with foot-long torx screwdriver, no more trying not to electrocute myself on Mac Plus innards. Vintage fun in my pocket, ready to plug into any Mac!
I grabbed myself some old games at the Macintosh Garden like Fool’s Errand, one of the best puzzle/story games of all time. Isn’t it pretty? Am I on a tarot kick or something? I don’t know.
If you long for this kind of nostalgia but don’t have the means or time for this project, go enjoy yourself over at the Web SE.
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