My afternoon walk today suddenly turned into an old-school-cellphone video shoot in stellar pixelated 240p resolution, which again blossomed into a spontaneous music video that lastly even found its way online as an ode to winter season! ;-)
Due to the almost impossible task to translate this poem adequately into English, I’m afraid there’s only the original German version to read so far:
Stumm gebor’n in stiller Runde,
regt sie sich in aller Munde,
in aller Ohren, in aller Pracht.
Vom Gedanken gekürt zum Glauben,
durchträumt sie Tag,
durchwacht sie Nacht.
Bleibt beharrlich hart - doch treu! -
mit wallend’ Wucht im Geiste derer,
die im Antlitz jenes Edels leuchten,
bis zur Erinnerung sie einst verglüht,
zurück in Sphären wandert, wartend;
auf Funkes flammend Auferstehung.
Gefühlsgeschürt sie hoch dann sprüht,
im Kleide frischer Feuersglut,
dem Ruf voraus zu neuem Glanze,
im Tanze jauchzend und befreit.
Reißt alle mit sich, hoch wie nieder,
doch stets exakt zur richt’gen Zeit.
Again already I can’t avoid sharing my enthusiasm, however this time not for a song, but for a little film called A Ghost Story
(though its soundtrack is just as beautiful!). The majority might probably dislike the movie, as it’s very slow-paced and requires patience at some points. Nonetheless I most warmly recommend it to fans of arthouse films.
Every now and then I happen to discover a little musical gem on Youtube... and this one is a very good example for my conviction that there’s nothing more complex than simplicity!
True beauty often shys away. It’s inconspicuous to the average eye. But it’s always around us. Just look closer. Just pick it up and touch it. Just bring it to light. And it will shine and reveal all its splendor to you!
Old man in the field, sitting on your small folding chair. Your car is parked slantedly several yards away at the roadside. Your gaze is placidly wandering across the slowly sloping landscape before you. Over hills, trees, fields and the first houses, behind which the lake is hidden that I am just returning from.
A small canvas stands on your knees, which, along with the grip of your left hand, form your provisional easel. In your right hand, a brush patiently awaits to capture your senses’ impressions on canvas and the sun, which is slowly approaching the horizon, colors the moment peacefully and preciously.
I can’t help but brake my bike. To look at the picture in which you’re painting a picture. Thus I stand unnoticed diagonally behind you on the roadside and wonder whether I should go to you. What might your painting look like? But the silence of the moment is too beautiful. The grace of the scene too impressive. The smile on your face too happy to jeopardize its evanescence by my appearance. So I linger where I am, enjoy to be a part of the image that in turn surrounds you. Finally, you put the brush on the canvas and your movements make it clear that your ouevre is in the works now.
I don’t want to disturb you. I do not have to see the result. This very moment was all that matters. And as I realize your smile has been conjured unnoticeably onto my face, I quietly start pedalling to continue my ride.
Lauern schon im Dunklen gierend Seelenfresser nach der Beute,
verlocken im Paillettenkleid verirrtes Licht zur Reflexion.
Warten, bis es nah genug in Trugbilds Torso Wahrheit wähnt,
umringen Opfers Ohnmacht dann, die Spieglein voll von grünem Geifer.
Schnappen schnell nach allen Gliedern, zerfetzen sie bis zum Gedärm,
laben sich an warmem Blute, schlürfen schmatzend Energie.
Sattgesaugt wird abgelassen, träge ob des Wanstes Fülle,
von der Hülle jener Form, die nun bereit zum letzten Akt.
Als Zeugen allerletzten Zuckens, wachend, wie ihr Werk verwest,
rülpsen sie, bis lebensleer das Licht erlischt im Seelenhaus.
Verdaut wird nun, was einst erstrahlt, im Schlafe dieser schwarzen Schemen,
bis sie geweckt von kaltem Hunger erneut ein Seelchen zu sich nehmen.
To lovers of mesmerizing creativity, storytelling and performance, I want to entrust a little movie gem I happened to discover by chance last week.
As it managed to still crawl back into my mind over the past couple of days, I think it deserves a mention.
As if this man wasn’t cool enough already, he gave a truly inspiring speech today at the CineMerit Award Gala in Munich, with one sentence in particular reinforcing one of my own strongest beliefs:
"If you truly want something, you need to have three things. One: Perseverance. Two: Patience. And Three: A tiny bit of luck!" - Thanks Mr Cranston, it was great to expierence you in person once!
I’ll see you again in 25 years!
, Laura Palmer said at the end of season 2 in the early 90’s. Who would’ve ever imagined this actually becomes true?! Thank you, David Lynch, for fucking with our minds again and managing to recapture the exact same magic of this gem of a TV show after all this time in season 3 now. Still feels so unreal, but it IS happening again and the owls are not what they seem. Welcome back, Twin Peaks and Agent Cooper!
Once again it’s time to recommend an absolutely beautiful piece of music. Being one of my favorite bands anyway, Oh Wonder have surpassed themselves once again with this acoustic version of the song Ultralife from their new album. Simply dreamy and delightful! :)
Knospen von Gefühlen, schenk’ ihnen Wärme, wässer’ ihr Ziel. Lass sie sprießen gen Himmel, geduldig am Stiel der Sehnsucht empor zur Vollendung, bis sie erblühen im Lichtermeer, duften nach Glück, berauschend in aller Reinheit des Wunders Werk.
Mes chers amis de France et tous les autres Français: Si, quelle qu’en soit la cause, vous pensez à voter pour Marine Le Pen lors des prochaines élections présidentielles, réfléchissez encore une fois, je vous en prie!
Voter pour elle n’est pas un acte de montrer à votre gouvernement votre colère ou comment vous n’êtes pas d’accord avec la politique actuelle. Voter pour elle et son agenda est une décision dangereuse, myope et stupide. Non seulement pour vous et votre pays, mais aussi pour vos voisins européens, comme nous en Allemagne.
Je vous exhorte donc à rester bien pensé, à garder la vue d’ensemble et à réfléchir aux conséquences d’un gouvernement dirigé par le Front National. Aussi, si vous n’avez pas l’intention de voter pour elle, mais de ne voter pas du tout, réfléchissez encore une fois!
Votre vote compte effectivement, alors ne prendez pas une autre décision mauvaise qui jouera en effet en faveur des populistes de droite, en empêchant un candidat compétent de recevoir votre vote.
Et enfin, si vous êtes sûrs à 100% que vous allez voter pour Le Pen, contactez-moi, afin que je puisse toujours essayer de vous changer d’idée (ou vous botter le cul)! ;) Merci pour votre attention et ne me décevez pas, ni l’Union européenne!
Bisous et embrassements,
Julian
A lovely anecdote by this older gentleman and very cool blues musician: Like today, he was recently playing in the English Garden, when two policemen approached and told him he couldn’t play there and disturb the peace. At that moment, the bells of a large, nearby church started to chime audibly louder, so the old man asked the police why that was allowed, but his much quieter music was not. The policeman replied: "That’s something totally different, those are sacral emissions!"
Music has always played a crucial role in my life and is an integral part of me. So it’s not surprising that, from time to time, I discover a new song which just simply enchants and captivates me. Be it through its melody, its lyrics, the accompanying music video, or - ideally - all together. That feeling will surely be familiar to some of you as well. In such moments, I often feel the urge to share my enthusiasm. I imagine how the particular music would spread rapture and magic among other people just as much, if they heard it. Or, how different their reaction might probably be and create quite distinct, individual emotions.
Even way does music have a lot of influence on our mind and feelings. That is why, henceforth in the section Mind Salad, every now and then I’ll call attention to certain music or songs that genuinely touch and spark me, subsumed under the new category "EarGasm". I always consider shared joy as the best, and especially music connects so many people across all barriers, so that at best, you’ll be able to make part of my enthusiasm when I present and link to a particular ear jewel - at least in my opinion ;) - in the future.
Let’s start today, with a freshly released and stunningly beautiful song by a band that has already sneaked into my playlist a while ago with other, beautifully crafted work.