Hello Dolly
Just second-coated two doors. LJ out at career mentoring meeting.
So the other night we watched the Country Music Awards. It was much much better than many of the other awards shows I've watched - I do like to watch awards shows, they are good for people watching. Anyway, I really enjoyed this show, there was more music and less talk and there seemed to be an atmosphere of support and respect among the artists. But the BIG highlight for me was that Dolly Parton performed. I love her. I really do. Her voice has a lightness and a clarity to it that reminds me of snowflakes and fresh air, of nature. You know that 'Who would you have to dinner if you could have anyone' question? Well, Dolly would be on my guest list for sure. I've seen her interviewed on television and she appeared articulate and compassionate and intelligent and spiritual. At the awards she sang with Elton John, whose singing and musicianship I also enjoy, though the 'vile pigs' comments less so. They sang John Lennon's Imagine and Dolly sounded wonderful. Country music is big business here in Calgary and while there are certain aspects of the culture that can sometimes surround it that I don't enjoy, there is so much country music I love. I've been trying to share some of this love with LJ and though he softens from time to time, he seems to feel that if he professes admiration for any music other than rock and metal, he will somehow be disloyal to some kind of music god (James Hetfield/Kerry King, I don't know who specifically). That's not to say he doesn't enjoy other kinds of music, I catch him enjoying them all the time...it's just that when cornered on it in a discussion we always get into a big tiff (which is contributed to by our mutual love of debates - LJ's love and devotion to arguing over EVERYTHING being greater (though only slightly) than mine) and he refuses to state (on the record) that he likes country. However, even with the argumentative LJ, there is an admission of Dolly Parton's greatness and I recall once instance where he even requested, yes requested, that I play a Dolly CD. For real.
Watching the CMA awards, I also noticed that Carrie Underwood, winner of 2005 American Idol (a title snaffled from the rockin' Bo Bice) has lost a LOT of weight. She was looking mighty skinny up there when she sang Jesus Take the Wheel (honestly, who thinks of these song titles?) which made me kind of sad because she is a very beautiful woman and very young and I find the whole pressure to be thin thing really really disturbing. Of course, here I am assuming that she's been badgered into the weight loss by the media/publicity company whatever, and I could be totally wrong but she was perfectly healthy looking before and it would have been nice to have a role model (especially one who appeals to the kind of mainstream American market - perhaps that which most needs these kind of role models) who isn't super-thin.
Speaking of weight and health, while I don't worry excessively about my own, I am beginning to think that I will have to come up with some kind of fitness strategy for the winter here in Calgary. At home, in Australia, in Taiwan and in England I was always able to walk everywhere (actually scratch that for Taiwan because in the summer it was a two-block maximum before the heat exhaustion would set in) and walking has always been my preferred form of exercise. I am not a gym person. I have never used a weight machine. The idea terrifies me. People looking at me exercising...no bloody way. LJ has a friend here who is a yoga teacher and who has offered me a free one on one session. I should do it, but my sefl-concious reflex gags at the thought. However, with the aul' snow on its way I have to do something or I will get really out of shape and I worry a lot about the effect that would have on my energy levels (I need all the energy I can muster at the moment). So, eek, I might have to 'work out' in some way. Yuck.
So the other night we watched the Country Music Awards. It was much much better than many of the other awards shows I've watched - I do like to watch awards shows, they are good for people watching. Anyway, I really enjoyed this show, there was more music and less talk and there seemed to be an atmosphere of support and respect among the artists. But the BIG highlight for me was that Dolly Parton performed. I love her. I really do. Her voice has a lightness and a clarity to it that reminds me of snowflakes and fresh air, of nature. You know that 'Who would you have to dinner if you could have anyone' question? Well, Dolly would be on my guest list for sure. I've seen her interviewed on television and she appeared articulate and compassionate and intelligent and spiritual. At the awards she sang with Elton John, whose singing and musicianship I also enjoy, though the 'vile pigs' comments less so. They sang John Lennon's Imagine and Dolly sounded wonderful. Country music is big business here in Calgary and while there are certain aspects of the culture that can sometimes surround it that I don't enjoy, there is so much country music I love. I've been trying to share some of this love with LJ and though he softens from time to time, he seems to feel that if he professes admiration for any music other than rock and metal, he will somehow be disloyal to some kind of music god (James Hetfield/Kerry King, I don't know who specifically). That's not to say he doesn't enjoy other kinds of music, I catch him enjoying them all the time...it's just that when cornered on it in a discussion we always get into a big tiff (which is contributed to by our mutual love of debates - LJ's love and devotion to arguing over EVERYTHING being greater (though only slightly) than mine) and he refuses to state (on the record) that he likes country. However, even with the argumentative LJ, there is an admission of Dolly Parton's greatness and I recall once instance where he even requested, yes requested, that I play a Dolly CD. For real.
Watching the CMA awards, I also noticed that Carrie Underwood, winner of 2005 American Idol (a title snaffled from the rockin' Bo Bice) has lost a LOT of weight. She was looking mighty skinny up there when she sang Jesus Take the Wheel (honestly, who thinks of these song titles?) which made me kind of sad because she is a very beautiful woman and very young and I find the whole pressure to be thin thing really really disturbing. Of course, here I am assuming that she's been badgered into the weight loss by the media/publicity company whatever, and I could be totally wrong but she was perfectly healthy looking before and it would have been nice to have a role model (especially one who appeals to the kind of mainstream American market - perhaps that which most needs these kind of role models) who isn't super-thin.
Speaking of weight and health, while I don't worry excessively about my own, I am beginning to think that I will have to come up with some kind of fitness strategy for the winter here in Calgary. At home, in Australia, in Taiwan and in England I was always able to walk everywhere (actually scratch that for Taiwan because in the summer it was a two-block maximum before the heat exhaustion would set in) and walking has always been my preferred form of exercise. I am not a gym person. I have never used a weight machine. The idea terrifies me. People looking at me exercising...no bloody way. LJ has a friend here who is a yoga teacher and who has offered me a free one on one session. I should do it, but my sefl-concious reflex gags at the thought. However, with the aul' snow on its way I have to do something or I will get really out of shape and I worry a lot about the effect that would have on my energy levels (I need all the energy I can muster at the moment). So, eek, I might have to 'work out' in some way. Yuck.
