Good Wednesday Morning, Folks!

[Clintmax]

I hope all of you out there in DU land are doing just fine! I am too, thank you very much! I'm off work today, so you know the drill...clean the house, clean the house, clean the house.

[tjwmason]

1. Good morning Clint.

How's tricks?

Hope that you have jolly day off - even if it is spent cleaning.

[Clintmax]

3. Morning, TJ!

Well, I'm not ONLY going to clean house, but it does need some attention! I'm doing fine...having coffee and DU! How's everything at work today?

[tjwmason]

7. Glad to hear that there's other things going on.

Work is fine today, one of the best of my fellow bitches in this office is off today, so it's somewhat quiet. On the otherhand I've got Shostakovich playing - so I'm a very happy boy.

I've had coffee, and will be going to get some tea in a little while to top up the alertness levels.

[Clintmax]

11. Tea...

I used to drink it all the time. When my grandmother was alive, she'd make iced tea that was to DIE for! I can't make it like she did, but I sure wish I could!

Do you listen to anything besides classical?

[tjwmason]

16. Probably about once a month or so

I put on one of my jazz C.D.s (interestingly Shotakovich did actually cross over between the two worlds), and if jazz or world-music come on Radio3 then I'll keep listenning - but basically yes entirely classical.

I don't really listen to the mainstream of classical either - tending mostly to modern and to early music, almost entirely missing out the 19th century which is the definite heartland.

I would point out that there's probably a million times more variety across the classical world than elsewhere. I do very occasionally here a piece of pop/rock &c. and recognise that it's very good music (though 99.9% is utter dross), but it's just not my cup of tea.

This tea won't be iced, but neither will it be 'normal' tea as I mostly drink green-tea (keeping my own stash here at work).

[Clintmax]

19. Ah, ok...

I'm into music in a big way, myself. And I like most all genere's. Pop, rock, country, techno...but rap can go straight to hells as far as I'M concerned!

I have a huge music collection and I even have software on my computer that is made for radio stations that automates the music. It mixes the songs together, inserts the station ID jingles and commercials when I specify it...and everything else! So, I just create a list of songs I want played, it creates the playlist, I click play the first time and it takes over from there! I don't have to touch it again until the playlist is complete! I love that!

[tjwmason]

33. Sounds good.

I'm still mostly based on C.D. - but I have a few M.P.3s (nowhere near as much classical to download), including some ripped from C.D. - I find them most useful if I want to listen to a piece of music which lasts longer than one C.D. so I don't have to change discs half way through.

[Clintmax]

36. A piece of music which lasts longer than one CD????

Holey moley! Who in the hells writes a song that's over 80 minutes long???

[tjwmason]

39. A fair dash of my collection.

Admittedly not 'songs' per se but then very little of what I have is songs. Just looking around my desk I have

Messiaen - Livre du Saint Sacrament (for organ) 1 1/2 discs

Handel - Semele (oratorio style) 2 discs

Handel - Judas Maccabeus (oratorio) 2 discs

Paert - Kanon Pokajanen (choir) 2 discs (one being a fair dash shorter then full)

Wagner - Siegfried (opera) 4 discs

Poulenc - Dialogues des Carmelites (opera) 2 discs.

That's just from the few things that I've brought into work with me.

One of my pet hates is when a single part of a larger work is extracted and put separately - it's all too common these days, but I avoid C.D.s with that on like the plague.

[Clintmax]

40. Wow!

I didn't realize.

[tjwmason]

44. That's one of the things I don't like about pop/rock &c.

There is so little variety - everything is pushed into a song 3-4 minutes long.

I have plenty of shorter pieces - especially motets, but there's just so much that can't be fit into a tiny weeny little space of time.

[Clintmax]

42. We need to expand your musical horizons, Mister!

I'll burn you a CD of some really good pop, rock and New Age. Once you hear one of MY CD's...you'll never turn back again!

[tjwmason]

46. Do you want me to expand yours?

A quick waltz through 1600 years of musical development.

From the plainchant of the Te Deum, through the renaissance polyphony of Tomaso Luis de Vittoria, a quick side-track into early opera, the French organ school in its several generations, perhaps Messiaen's Quator pour le fin de temps (written in a Nazi P.o.W. camp), through to the harsh intellectualism of the post-war, to the return to tonality with the mystic minimalists.

Not being funny, but the typical classicist's musical horizons are already far wider than just about anybody else. It's just that we fallaciously lump it all together and pretend that it's one genre - when in reality there's about 40 different and highly individual genres in there.

[Clintmax]

47. I've never even HEARD any of those names before.

It's all too much for me!

[tjwmason]

49. I rest my case.

The vast majority of classical music is totally unknown to the vast majority of people.

[Clintmax]

51. I think we two just need to agree to disagree about music.

You must understand...my favorite radio stations all have names like: Hot 106.7, Hot 105.9...Top 40 don'tcha know.

[tjwmason]

55. That's fine by me

I never expect anybody to agree with me about anything.

But it is a little bug-bear of mine when people claim that claim that classical music is narrow.

[Clintmax]

58. I never said classical was narrow.

I just don't like to limit my musical taste to only one genre. Like, I couldn't listen to only rock all the time. Or Pop. Or Country. Or any other for that matter. It has to be all mixed up.

All I was suggesting was you listen to something other than classical sometimes.

[tjwmason]

62. You didn't but loads of other folk do.

They're generally ignorami who don't know of any composers beyond Mozart, Beethoven and possibly J.S. Bach.

Plus my point was that if you're going to split pop, rock, country &c. into separate genres then that which we commonly call classical is in reality at least 10 separate genres.

[Clintmax]

63. Oh ok...

Yes, I guess pop, rock, country, new age etc. could just be classified as "popular music" and that IS the genre. I stand corrected.

[tjwmason]

67. But it's been a charming conversation nonetheless.

and I'm sure we've learned stuff too.

[Clintmax]

68. Yes it has, and yes we have!

[swimboy]

73. Whew! Quite a discussion.

I'm glad it ended happily. Good morning, Zeurmes! Has your tea had a chance to complete your energy spectrum? I'm working to a deadline tomorrow so I'm not sure I'll get my quota of posts in today. I need to escape the 700 Club (very bad associations with that name, especially here in Virginia). I'm back up to speed today--a good thing as I go straight from work to a reception for our gubernatorial candidate (Tim Kaine) and then directly to choir practice. I'm counting on grazing a sufficient meal at the reception.

Thanks for the information on Eurovision. I had heard the term once or twice (in connexion with ABBA ) and it was nice to learn that the countries of Europe use the festival to slam one another.

Have a good afternoon and evening. I'll look in from time to time.

[tjwmason]

74. I'd find it very difficult to fall out with Clint.

Hurry up getting out of the 700 Club - I have actually seen it a couple of times (I occasionally flick over to the religion channels for a laugh)

If you need any help getting out of it - I'll happily act as a foil for your posting. If not - have a jolly day, I'd be interested to know about the gubernatorial candidate (we so rarely get any information on sub-national elections elsewhere - and it is worth noting that state governors are the prime folk to become Presidents).

Any interesting music for the choir?

[swimboy]

84. Thanks for your offer to help me escape.

I can't in good conscience mount a concerted effort here and now as I have some work I need to produce for tomorrow! I'd like to take you up on it some time soon, however.

Tim Kaine is running for Governor of Virginia. He's a good man I've known since he served on our local City Council. He is very smart and positive--helped bridge a lot of rifts in the city government.

His opponent is cut out of the same cloth as George Bush, mainly going negative on his rivals without offering anything of substance of his own. His current mantra is that he is the "Pro-Life, Pro-Death penalty candidate" and he's been busy trying to smear Kaine for being opposed to killing people to demonstrate that it is wrong to kill people. He is backed by a whole pack of mean-spirited 'religious' people. His negative ads have not been working and he is pulling them back. He also claims he will cut taxes and simultaneously pay for lots of new programs. Virginia tends to be behind the times but it would be catastrophic to usher in a Bush-league administration when we have just managed to recover fiscally from the recklessness of the last Republican administration.

That may be more than you intended to hear!

[tjwmason]

85. Any time you want - just give me a shout.

The gubernatorial race sounds fascinating, certainly not more than I intended to hear. I've been told by a few Americans (strangely nearly all being Virginians) that I should visit Virginia - it being the most English of the states.

I do find local politics interesting - over here it's practically non-existent. Successive governments since Ted Heath's in the early '70s have emasculated local government, now most of the money which they spent is not raised locally but comes out of central government funds - they have remarkably little power as well. In local elections most people tend to vote on how they think central government is doing (thus the unpopular Tory government of John Major lead to a collapse in the number of Tory councils - and now the number of Labour councillors has dropped sharply). Hope that you have good fun this evening.

[Clintmax]

65. Check your messages, TJ...

Just sent you one.

[Clintmax]

69. Nevermind, TJ...

It is asking you to register. I'll send it the old fashioned way.

[Clintmax]

45. *singing* "Foglie e il vento ci porta

Siamo ali verso il blu
Stringimi e lasciati andare
Il mio vento ora sei tu"

[tjwmason]

48. Sounds like part of an opera.

I'm guessing 19th century too - which suggests Verdi, Puccini, perhaps Rossini.

[Clintmax]

50. Good guess...

but no...it's part of "Mille Lune Mille Onda" by Andrea Bocelli. You know...the guy who makes you

Here's a link to the full lyrics:
http://www.abmusica.com/cieli_di_toscana.htm#Track%202

edited to add link

[tjwmason]

52. I've never heard him - so I can't comment.

But when I had a quick look at his discography it didn't seem to be quite my taste.

[Clintmax]

53. LOL!

You have SO heard of him! We two have discussed him before! You even told me the other day that he seems to be stuck in 19th century italian. That's when you went

[tjwmason]

56. I have heard OF him - I've never heard him.

I've no idea what his voice is like - his choice of music doesn't appeal to me. I was ing at the composers.

[Clintmax]

59. Oh ok...

I totally misunderstood what you meant. I get it now.

[NMMNG]

2. Good morning Clint!

[Clintmax]

4. Hello, Miss Buffy!

Good to see you this morning!

[NMMNG]

10. Likewise, as usual

[Clintmax]

12. Well thank you!

Any big plans for the day?

[NMMNG]

14. Nah

Go home, sleep, wake up, shower, dress. Don't know what between that and coming back to work.

[Clintmax]

17. I have days like that...

I kinda like it too...I'm not so much a "plan it out to the minute" kind of guy.

[NMMNG]

18. I'll probably just do some cleaning and organizing

I have some catching up to do after being away for over a week.

[Clintmax]

21. I know THAT feeling!

Same here. So I'll be starting THAT process a little later.

[billyskank]

5. Morning Clintsters!

[Clintmax]

6. Hello, hello, hello!

I see you have your OWN good morning thread today!

[billyskank]

8. That was Heidi being far too nice to me

I love her to bits!

[Clintmax]

9. So do I, Dude!

But, I don't get to talk to her anymore.

[billyskank]

13. That sucks

[Clintmax]

15. I know it, Man!

I think she goes to paint and stuff before I get up, so I don't see her around here very often anymore. But it pleases me to no end when I DO get to talk to her!

You have any big plans for the day...or are you already at work?

[billyskank]

26. Nah I'm already at work

my big plan for today is get my code working and documented.

[Clintmax]

28. That's right...you write software!

I hope all goes well!

[Mutley]

20. Mornin' Clint!

I'm doing pretty good. I went out with my parents yesterday and they were much cooler than usual. It was fun.

How are you?

[Clintmax]

22. I'm cool, Mutley!

Glad to hear you had a better time with your parents than you thought you would! I know yesterday you were .

My parents are 800 miles away from me, so I don't get to go over to their house anytime I want to anymore. Not since we moved down here to Florida. But I DO call and talk to them at LEAST once a week.

[Mutley]

23. They were probably just being nice to me because it was my belated

birthday dinner. They're not mean, just a little... wacky. They live about 130 miles from me, so they're not that close to me, but not as far as your parents are from you.

Phew! What is taking my coffee so long to brew?

[Clintmax]

24. I wonder about the coffee sometimes too!

Sometimes I stand around the kitchen taping my foot thinking; "Come on you stupid coffee maker! Get on with it already!" Then I get so impatient I pull out the carafe and pour a cup before it gets done. I hate waiting!

[Mutley]

25. Me too.

I feel like I put it on twenty minutes ago. I'm about to go fill a cup even if it's not done. Thanks for the idea! Need. My. Coffee.

[Clintmax]

29. LOL!

I hear ya, Sista! So. Do. I.!

[Mutley]

31. LOL!

I'm a sista!

[Clintmax]

32. OK so now I'm TOTALLY embarassed!

I knew that, Mutley...I'm just so used to adding "brother" after "I hear ya" that it was just automatic. I fixed it though!

[Mutley]

34. Nah, it's cool.

A lot of people here think I'm a dude. Probably because the cartoon Mutley was a dude. It doesn't bother me.

[Clintmax]

35. Well, I will no longer!

[Mutley]

37. :D

[Clintmax]

38. *hugs*

[newyawker99]

27. Good morning Clintmax!

[Clintmax]

30. New Yawker!

Hello, hello! Good to see you today! How's every little thing?

[Truebrit71sbruv]

41. Mornin' Clintster...

... or afternoon as it actually is over here in Denmark...

[Clintmax]

43. Well, hello Truebrit!

DENMARK! Wow! I'd LOVE to come see Denmark!

[Truebrit71sbruv]

54. Hey there!

Well you'd be MOST welcome. It's a great country - and very welcoming to foreigners (am a Brit living here with my Danish g/f and our 15month old daughter). But my brother lives in the states and pointed me towards DU so hence my popping up here!

[Clintmax]

60. Well welcome to DU!

Glad to have you! And you're MOST welcome here!

[Truebrit71sbruv]

64. Thank you

Is good to be here amongst fellow discerning & dissenting loons!

[Clintmax]

66. Yes it is!

I love it here! Welcome again!

[progmom]

57. clintmax!

[Clintmax]

61. PROGMOM!

Hello hello! Always good to see you!

[AirmensMom]

70. Good morning, Clintmax!

[Clintmax]

76. Hello, Airmens!

[swimboy]

71. Good morning, Clint!

Hope you're having a great day at home! Enjoyed the musical mystery tour you and TJ took us through this morning! Clive Driskill-Smith is coming from England to give an organ recital at my church next month. Check his website to see if it sparks your interest in organ music and why I want to offer that he can stay at my house!

[tjwmason]

75. Good morning swimboy.

I'm glad that you enjoyed our chat above - music is a most fascinating topic - and there's so much out there that very few people know about too.

[Clintmax]

77. Heya, Swimboy!

I'm not really into organ music, but he definately IS a cutie! I hope you have a nice day!

[southlandshari]

72. Good morning, Clint!

Thank you for being such a bright spot here and helping us all start the day with a kind word and a smile!

[Clintmax]

78. Well thank you, Miss Shari!

I'm glad to be part of DU, that's for sure! And thank you for all YOU do too!

[WCGreen]

79. Mornin' Clint....

I use to have a room mate named Clint...

Hope Wilma spares you the drama....

[Clintmax]

80. Hello, WC!

Once upon a time, Clint was pretty much a unique name. I didn't know any other Clints all through High School or anything...now all of a sudden, I meet other guys named Clint all the time. Strange. You doing OK today?

[WCGreen]

81. Yep, I sure am....

Thanks for askin'

[Clintmax]

82. Good to hear!

I've been watching the information on CNN and The Weather Channel about Wilma. I REALLY need to get my little butt in gear and get started on this house. It looks like Wilma took up residence in here with ME!

[WCGreen]

83. There ya go, living in sin.....

All for a great blow job.....