Mad Moments –

While basking yesterday in the warmth and comfort of the sun, my memory of the weather we'd had a couple of days earlier seemed almost surreal. It had been pretty weird; my lilac bush was wrapped up in a bedsheet like a mummy to protect its flowers from freezing and I’d covered a bunch of other plants. Tuesday was the epitome of weather weirdness. It was like a maniacal strobe and effects machine gone awry – with rotating bouts of sunshine, hail, darkened skies, and snowfall. This afternoon, we are watching the advance of severe thunder storms and tornadoes, as they make their way across Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.

Maybe Nature needs to play sometimes – to have her mad moments, just like the rest of us. It's as good an explanation as any.

Jamming –

It felt good to jam with a band-in-the-making last Saturday. Although they don’t do my musical genre-of-choice, (they do southern rock), it was a fun day and their wives served up some great food. The music had a lot of repeat patterns and became almost like a meditation. Yamaha (my keyboard) said to me, "What have you got me doing now?" I replied, "Just do it, you'll never have it this easy again".

Knox area musicians – I’d love to get together with a local or regional blues and/or jazz band or with musical individuals. If this describes you, please contact me. There’s something magical about the energy that flows among musicians when they play together.

Please check out my website at www.claralandau.com.

Bless The Lawnmowers –

I refer to the squad of commercial cutting, mowing, whacking, blowing machines that I damn, as they shriek, roar, and whine over the grass in the adjoining yards. These are city lots, so how big do you think they are? There are five men commanding the machines! The deafening noise is punctuated by the occasional shrill tweet of whistles the men use to signal to each other. How ludicrous it seems. Anyway, they seem determined and I'm sure they will beat that lawn into submission. When they are done, they will go away and once again we'll be able to hear the birds chirping and our own thoughts taking shape in our minds.

Why Write A Blog?

You probably have guessed, at this point, that, among other things, I also am a philosopher. I post to this blog when the spirit moves me to write – relatively often. As my regular readers know, I’m not shy about airing my opinions and sharing my experiences with a wide audience.

Often, we see people who send comments, especially inflammatory comments, in response to widely-read, online newspaper articles. Hiding behind an ego-stroking fake name, a pseudonym, it is easy for them to hurl insults back and forth, as no one knows who they are. I always use my own name, in the interests of accountability and credibility. That’s my old-school training, I guess, but it lets me and others know that my feelings and opinions are authentically mine. And that's why I write a blog.

U.S. Wolves & the Endangered Species List –

Here is a copy of my letter, recently postal-mailed to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. My letter seeks to keep the wolf protected, as ranchers already have the legal right to kill any wolf who may bother said rancher’s cattle. Please note that our Secretary of the Interior is a senator from Colorado, where there is significant special interest effort to lobby against the wolf. I sent a similar letter to President Barack Obama, asking him to overturn the Salazar decision. If you would like to protect the wolves from widespread and indiscriminate destruction (including pups and expectant mothers), please consider writing on their behalf.

Here is my letter:

Secretary Ken Salazar
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240

Dear Secretary Salazar:

In order to avoid a disastrous and barbaric mass destruction of U.S. wolves, please withdraw the plan to remove the protected status from this historically persecuted animal. Please conduct the rigorous kind of scientific review that President Obama has championed on other environmental and ethical issues in the past, rather than implementing the Bush-administration’s concept of wolf-killing, sadly so typical of that administration’s catering to special-interest lobbyists and of the smorgasbord of colossal damage for which it is responsible.

I well remember the sincerity, care, and insight with which President Obama voted on environmental and humane legislation while he was in the Senate. I am aware that our country is currently trying to solve a myriad of major problems – problems largely created by the previous administration – but we must not take our eyes off other important situations, such as the survival of the U.S. wolf. The last time wolves lost their protection, 110 of them were riddled with bullets within 120 days. I implore you to preserve what we still have left of our country’s environmental and natural heritage.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,


Clara M. Landau, Ph.D.

The “Dance, Dance, Dance” Link –

The post title is mine, not the dance troupe's. I came across this link recently. It’s great fun to watch, again and again.

The info about it says it is a commercial that was shot at the Liverpool Street Subway Station in London on January 15th. Only the dancers knew what was to happen; the general public didn't have a clue what was about to unfold. The link is on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM.

Enjoy!

Pre-storm –

There was one such time recently; it lasted between two and four minutes, during which the wind rose in the dramatic crescendo of waves and swirls that prefaces rain. It whistled in little howling voices and pushed us around on our porch balcony. It pulled my hair outward and upward. Dixie Lee’s ears blew backward and were close against her head. Small tree branches snapped and flew around before landing on the balcony floor and the ground below. We were too excited to go indoors, in too much wonderment to hide.

I swear we both morphed (at least in spirit) into wild beasts, with our fur ruffled and rippling, all senses at the ready, standing on our craggy cliff, our faces forward in the currents of wind and energy.

You probably can tell that I’m excited and energized by storms and weather phenomena and sometimes I seek them out, but this one came calling at my address. Dixie Lee and I stayed on the porch balcony until the danger point was nigh, at which time we ducked indoors and listened to the rain on the metal roof.

Song Population –

I wonder if there are millions or even billions of songs that have been composed and are still known throughout the world. Just closing my eyes for a few minutes and letting that mental ticker-tape of song titles travel across my mind makes me realize the incalculable amount of creative energy that has gone into song writing through the ages. I’ve contributed majorly, even disproportionately to the song population (if we were to imagine for a moment that everyone had a permit to give birth to two songs). Fortunately, the realm of artistic creativity doesn’t work that way!

And, to sum up on a kinda-sorta frivolous note: Two song titles popped up in my head, as dueling opposites of each other ... at opposite ends of the music spectrum in the world of cover songs (songs composed by other people); they are "Who Let The Dogs Out?" and "Let’s Build A Stairway To The Stars." Think of these as bookends to the vast library of songs out there in the world, and you may smile!

Saturday Journey To The Park in Threesome –

Today my daughter, the lovely Shara, drove down from Maggie Valley, NC to visit with me. I’m always ecstatic when she comes because we get a chance to girl-talk, shop, sip cups of tea, and go to lunch. We did those things today. And – we decided to drive to the park and do some walking. We didn’t want to disappoint Dixie Lee, my dog (see photographs of), so decided to take her along with us. The only wrinkle in the plan was the need to fit an 80-pound dog who is accustomed to riding with a seat belt wrapped around her, along with Shara and me, in the 2-seater cab of my truck. I was the driver; Shara had to wedge herself in the middle of the seat of the vehicle, somehow co-existing with a five-speed floor-shift. It was a comic and amusing ride, really a lot of fun. Our walk was great and there were a number of other people in the park with their dogs. When we ran out of steam, we carefully loaded ourselves back into my truck and drove back home. Along the way, Shara athletically managed to snap a picture of herself with my cell phone, next to Dixie Lee, who, by that time, was slightly drooling. What a great day that came to an end too soon, as always, as the hands of the clock spun around. And, as always, I waved goodbye and shed tears, as I watched Shara’s car drive out of sight on her journey home.

Predatory –

I’ve recently been told, in carefully chosen, delicate terms, that I am ... er, hmm, well ... seeking to entice a troubled, struggling man onto an erring path; the concept was articulated to me by said individual. Gosh ... I was told that he "can feel the tension" and needs to "distance" himself! Well, that certainly was unexpected, but I have thought of a rebuttal of sorts: Should it not be in my nature to fix my sight on the quarry? After all, I’m the Lady Wolf, not the Lady Deer or the Lady Salamander! My ego is tempted to flex its muscle and smirk "Sorry you just can’t deal with it' (it being that quietly elusive temptress quality that I find myself momentarily wishing to possess)! :)

Oak Leaf Friday –

Yesterday I spent the entire day clearing out oak leaves that had covered my flower beds, wedged themselves between, over, and under the gazillion rocks that border the walkway and garden, carpeted the front lawn, and tangled themselves intricately in the branches of my shrubs. Did I neglect to do leaf removal in the autumn? No, it had been thoroughly done by a handyman leaf service in November and again in January. Do I have oak trees? No, but the large yard perched on an incline across the street has oak trees. Why am I writing about this? Just to vent, I guess. The people who live there watch ever so gleefully each year as tons of oak leaves swirl, dance, and gust from their yard into their neighbors’ yards, those adjoining and those that are here on the downslope across the roadway. I’ve seen the oak owners strolling around their yard, winking at the brown, crispy leaves and waving "bon voyage". The "plus" is (and this is really a stretch but I was determined to find a plus) in finding that sometimes the bogged-down leaves have insulated a tender plant or an interesting caterpillar from the winter cold.

One Year Anniversary!

It’s been one year since computer Clarence III was vacuumed and bit the dust and replacement computer, Dexter March, came on the scene. They are both HPs. Clarence has since been repaired, I’m happy to say, and joins Dexter in celebration :)

The March Of The Seasons!

Spring is definitely in the air. My song "Spring Is In The Air" is on my "Is She Calling You?" CD. It’s light classical and I will put it up on my website for the next few months.

“Requiem For Animals” – Gift Offering

"Requiem For Animals" is my new classical music piece that I am offering to non-profit animal advocacy organizations as a gift. Use it as a film score, education tool, documentary background. Hear it on my website, which will soon be moved to www.claralandau.com on the link entitled "Passion & Compassion". If you like what you hear and want a CD of the song, contact me and I’ll send you one, absolutely free.

Bumper Stickers, Messages, and the Quality of “Wild” –

Today I saw a truck in the shopping center parking lot that was loaded (as is mine, though at the opposite side of the spectrum) with bumper stickers. I did not want to stick around until the truck’s owner showed up – to see his/her face and eyes and countenance.

The messages were pregnant with blatant and bold hate and intolerance. The one that hit me first and hardest was "Liberals are terrorists". Others included a little rhyme, "I won’t hide my white pride", "Seal our borders", and a message that was nastily directed (in a racial sense) at those who voted for President Obama. It saddened me to read them, so I made a conscious effort to re-direct my attention and thoughts to the quest for positive and longed-for solutions to this kind of blind hatred and intolerance. What a wonderful world we could have if we were to replace all hatred with compassion. Picture it!

Bumper stickers are the one way we can and do "advertise" what matters to us, what we believe, the way we think, where our spirit resides. Bumper stickers do affect people who see them. How often have you giggled when you found yourself waiting in traffic in back of a vehicle with humorous bumper stickers? Or shifted your thinking while viewing profoundly inspiring bumper stickers? Seen any political bumper stickers that were either to your liking or kind of got your hackles up?

Most of my bumper stickers are about kindness to animals, compassion in general, love, and beauty. One of them has an inviting message about Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Another of them (one of my oldest and original bumper stickers that I’ve had to shellac to help preserve it from the elements) says "Wild Women Don’t Get The Blues" (though I assure you they definitely do get the blues). Women tend to like that bumper sticker and view it with humor, sort of in a way that is equal to a wink. During the first couple of years my truck wore the message, I had two incidents involving gentlemen who were incensed by it. One shouted to me in traffic on the Kingston Pike, "You will burn in hell!" The other said something equally harsh about damnation. Another time, in front of the post office on Sutherland, a young man asked, in a very sincere tone, "Is it true that wild women don’t get the blues?" I replied, "It’s not true". He responded in a thoughtful tone and with downcast eyes, "I didn’t think so...wild men get the blues, too". Poor kid, I thought – he must be going through something.

Those zealots of judgement (I like the "e" in the word "judgement") among us who see things totally in polarized black and white – superior and inferior – bad and good – those who put disparaging labels on others for the sake of elevating themselves, apparently equate the word "wild" with "immoral" or "wicked". No! "Wild" means wild – untamed, free, natural, able to make one’s own decisions and travel on one’s own path, able to respect, honor and be at one with nature, able to be humane and human, able to recognize one’s interconnectedness with the rest of creation, able to err and forgive oneself (and others). I will strive to live out my days as a wild woman in all those ways.

Mattresses –

A year or so ago when Jerry bought himself a new mattress, I figured I’d keep up with the Joneses and get one for myself, too. Never mind that my ten or so year-old pink Jamison mattress still was fine. That decision? Bad, bad, bad. I was bad. I bought myself what was touted as a real deal, mattressly speaking. I won’t tell you where it was bought, but the initials BB do come to mind. The delivery men brought in the new sleep pad and carried away my faithful pink Jamison. I promptly had to go to Home Depot and have a thick piece of plywood cut to measurements to fit my bed, under the new mattress (the previous mattress had not needed one).

Today I went to one of the three furniture stores in the area that carry the Jamison brand, blissfully tried out the dozen or so of the samples there, and put in my order for a nice new Jamison. It is white...pink is no longer available. Anyway, it is scheduled to arrive next Saturday. Yippee! So, wherever you are, pink 1990s Jamison, I'm sorry I sent you away. Today I tried to set that right.

Our Economy, Ourselves –

Recently, while talking with a friend about the economy, job situation, and such, one of us mentioned that people may now begin (as they did in the "olden" days) to repair and maintain what they have, rather than throwing it away and buying a new one (of anything, but specifically vehicles). My truck is a 1991, which he already knew. As the conversation continued, I ventured that maybe some people snicker about my truck’s age, though not in my presence (because I’m so fiercely in love with my truck, Lance, about whom some of my earlier posts speak). "Well", I said, "we could say that’s how I walk my talk, or in this case, drive my talk". (I'm not shy about airing my disapproval of discarding things instead of maintaining them, of buying a new vehicle every couple of years, of manufacturing gazillions of new cars every year and filling up landfills with cast-offs.) Also, what I was referring to were the twin realities of our population growing exponentially (here in the U.S. as well as in what we think of as third-world countries) and our being among the most insatiable users of resources and a major influence in getting the people of other nations to follow our example as users. All facets of our economy have, over the years, become driven by blatant materialism and keeping the market glutted with products. So now we are seeing that train coming to a screeching halt, even jumping off the track. I often think in terms of imaging and that is the picture our predicament brings to my mind. I believe it will take a major shift in the way we view things and the way we do things ... and setting things in a direction that is more congruent with sincere bipartisan efforts to bridge the chasm between rich and poor.

House Concerts –

I’m getting word out in whatever ways I can that I’m wanting to do house concerts; you could say I’m soliciting them, because I am :) I’m eager to begin doing music performances again – at events, classy venues, people’s homes.

The Tragedy In Australia –

So sad that the people and animals in Victoria State, Australia have been devastated by recent wildfires. Following what must have been a truly hellish scene, the coming together, interaction, and compassion among people and between species, is the one precious and beautiful positive to surface in the aftermath.

Dennis, My Prison Pen-Pal –

Can you picture a flute made out of five cardboard cores of toilet paper rolls and scotch tape? He has fashioned the instrument as a close-to-exact replica of a real longitudinal (ala Native American) flute. He says "It was tuned to C , with the embouchure hole 48 mm from the closed end", adding "I took off (with a nail clipper!) about 1.5 cm to bring it up to a D". The five cardboard cores were saved and accumulated over a period of time, probably while the concept formed in his mind. A while back, he was attempting to root orange seeds in dampened paper towel, but he had to scrap the project because prison policy did not allow it. Imagine what life must be like for a prison inmate who, like Dennis, is a creative and talented musician. The tedium must be very difficult; yet, he’s come up with some remarkable art work, too (see picture of treble clef). I’ve been exchanging letters with him now, through a church program, for almost a year; I’m sure I get as much out of it as he does.

“Requiem For Animals” –

Five score sheets written in my brand of musical shorthand on pink note paper mounted on taped-together cereal box panels, are the original notation mode of my classical piece, "Requiem For Animals". The piano piece (which will easily and beautifully lend itself to full orchestration) drifted into the creative side of my head during late December and early January. Honoring the lives of animals, it is comprised of several interwoven segments that tell a story ... and characterize states of being and consciousness, from the perspective of an animal. The musical drama attempts to portray the moment of birth, early life in the natural environment, the advent of danger (by way of man), death, the following quietude, the re-awakening, the celebration of life in the cosmos.

I would love to have a humanitarian organization use this musical piece for a documentary, film score, or fundraising effort. It will be my gift. That was my intent from the moment of its conception.

And –

Five (5) cover songs, too! I recorded them the same evening as "Requiem". I did not get mechanical licenses for them, so can’t market them, but will play them for personal enjoyment. They are songs that have special sentimental meaning for me. One of them is a jazzed-up version of a song my mother sang to me when I was a young child. Some of them could be in or approaching the public domain – they are old.

Please Take A Moment –

Here are some sites you’ll want to visit if you care about animals –


Voice Of The Animal (education)
http://www.voiceoftheanimal.org

Wolf Haven International
http://www.wolfhaven.org

The Golden Carrot (horse rescue and retirement)
http://www.thegoldencarrot.org

Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue
http://www.midatlantichorserescue.org

Higher Ground (animal advocacy)
http://www.higherground-animaladvocacy.org

S.A.V.E. (education)
http://www.savinganimalsviaeducation.org

Last Chance For Animals
http://www.lcanimal.org

In Defense Of Animals
http://www.idausa.org

Horse Haven Of Tennessee
http://www.horsehavenoftn.com/

American Anti-Vivisection Society
http://www.aavs.org

Justice For Shadow
http://www.justiceforshadow.com

International Aid For Korean Animals
http://www.koreananimals.org

Defenders Of Wildlife
http://www.defenders.org


Thank you for caring :)

Believe It Or Not ~

Believe it or not, it's time to haul out my "Spring Is In The Air" classical song. I know it’s cold outside and many areas have snow and ice and power outages; yet, spring is in the air if you look and listen closely to Nature. In many ways, this is the most delicious time of year ... the very anticipation of early Spring! You know the saying "It’s always darkest before dawn"? Well, we could also say "It’s always bleakest before beautiful".

New Endeavors –

"Women In Music with Laney Goodman" is aired on many NPR stations across the country. I’ve just mailed in my 2nd submission and hope my music will be on her program.

I recently purchased the software for Music Time Deluxe, to make sheet music for at least 30 of my original songs. It comes with a 281-page user’s manual and is reputed to be easy to use. I need to get started with it soon.

A New Old CD Masterpiece –

"Chicago Blues Masters" – a Muddy Waters & Memphis Slim CD – what a find! I got it at McKay’s Used Books & CDs last week.

A New Year, Promises, Resolutions, House-Cleaning –

Welcoming 2009 by watching several marathon "Twilight Zone" episodes and then switching to Anderson Cooper’s Time Square gala television show a few minutes before midnight to watch the ball come down when the clock struck 12, I woke my dog to let her know it was an important moment. Yes, a quiet way to usher in the new year, but it works for me!

I was happy to bid farewell to 2008. Although I feel all the shoes haven’t yet dropped regarding the extent of economic woes – and all the broken systems and ills in our country and in the world, I’m hopeful that things will begin to get better and more humane.

I did make some promises to myself about things that will be good for me and others, and have a beneficial ripple effect in general. Sometimes I do this during the year, at various and sporadic times. So I don’t know if these qualify as "resolutions". They are promises. And that makes them more important for me to keep. I mean, when you make a promise, you should always make good on your word, right? That’s the way it feels to me.

Usually during the beginning of January, I clean out my files and closets and storage areas, sorting and re-arranging things. I haven’t done that yet...am "late" this January, but it’s on the verge of happening.

Again, I am attuned. The march of the seasons! The cocoon of Winter will soon give way to the birth of Spring. How lyrical it all is!

The Dancing Pot –

"The pot is dancing!", my grandmother would excitedly exclaim. A very young child, I would respond with wide-eyed glee, as the pot did, indeed, dance to a loud, lively tempo, on the old coal and wood-burning stove in my grandmother’s kitchen. A magnificent piece of invention and wearing a handsome gird of chromed steel all around the top, the stove stood on four sturdy, fancily-curved legs and had four round steel ‘plates’ on top, which were opened with a heavy-duty latching tool. I don’t know what the stove lids and opener tool were actually called. Venting the smoke from the stove to the outdoors was a fat galvanized pipe; it had a damper lever on it. The surface of the stove would sometimes glow red with heat and the lids had to be opened with care, to tend the fire within. Crackling and popping noises could be heard, depending on what fuel was being burned. My grandmother’s kitchen was such a blessed and magical place.

Once in a great while, the modern and lovely electric range in my kitchen produces a dancing pot; it is a rare happening – comical and poetic in a way.

Have You Noticed?

Have you noticed ...

- My revised website (at http://claralandau.home.comcast.net)?

- That insurance companies run our health care ‘system’ (and decide who will live or die)?

- That women’s dresses (and other clothing) sizes have shrunk drastically now that 99 and 44/100% of our clothing is made in China? I must tell you about the special, pretty dress I prepaid (which was mandatory) and ordered, a couple of years ago, to wear at my daughter’s wedding ... and the $350 african violet plant that was what I finally walked away with. Here is the story: I was measured by the clerk and ordered a dress two sizes larger than I normally take, since I learned that the dresses are made in some other part of the world. The dress came in weeks later and was way too small everywhere and seemed out of proportion. After several alterations and refittings at the store – each costing extra – it still didn’t fit or look right. Oh, but it can "for another $35". By then I thought of the dress in terms that bordered on hateful ... it was like a bouffant, exploding, giant blade of very green grass. When the price was about to approach the $400 mark, I said to the clerk, "enough" – but, see, that’s why they make you prepay, so you’re stuck. I told them to keep the dress and I walked out of the store carrying "Herbie", the one-leafed (dried-up-due-to-no-water-or-light) african violet that was on the counter next to the cash register. I already knew Herbie's name because I'd been back to the store so many times. "Keep the dress, and I’ll take Herbie and try to help him" is what I said as I left the store, leaving the astonished clerk staring. Herbie is thriving, to the extent that I’ve had to re-pot him twice. He is, by far, the most expensive plant I’ve ever brought home. (P.S. I bought a lovely, perfectly-sized dress off the rack at Sear's at 50% off, for the wedding)!

- That music soothes the human as well as "the savage beast" (or are they one and the same)?

- That the amount of daylight (in the northern hemisphere) is noticeably increasing? A seemingly small, yet significant and reassuring sign, is that I don’t need to put the porch light on at 5 p.m. now – not even at 6 p.m. (EST).

- That hardly any trains have cabooses anymore?

- That there still are some people who care about helping others, even though life – in general – has become ever so much more crowded, complex and stressful?

Anything else you can think of, dear reader, that has changed noticeably in relatively recent times, please send it along in a comment!

Author Louis L'Amour's "The Haunted Mesa" –

On my website, I mention that I love books and that all my favorites are non-fiction. Actually, I don’t recall reading a fictional book since I was a child reading July Bolton mysteries. Recently, though, "The Haunted Mesa" came into my hands by way of Jerry, who is an ardent fan of Louis L’Amour’s many books of adventure stories and mysteries. Mr. L’Amour passed away in 1988, but his books are still very popular and sought-after. Anyway, this particular book is intriguing and unusual and I’m at Chapter 29 of the 43 chapters. The book is spell-binding and enjoyable.