vol. 23

there is no plan...
-- dan pink

roger hooked me on to dan pink after he saw him at a conference last week -- this is the kind of guy that we should have for an in-service -- not freakin' feedback lady -- i went out, no, rushed out friday afternoon and picked up both of his books -- i finished the adventures of johnny bunko in about half an hour -- it's written japanese, manga-style and was very entertaining, while also a great read for anybody looking for a little kick to the pants...there is no plan is pink's first lesson -- more to come over the next several days...

• many of you know just how much i like pointillism and works done in the pointillistic style -- pink has a blog entry on his front page dealing with something i would have loved to have seen -- and you have to love his shout out to chuck close, one of my all time favorites... pics are now on the side in case that link didn't work for you... i think pink nailed the description by saying "think chuck close meets betty crocker"
  
• i mentioned last week that steve lopez, author of the soloist, has a way of describing classical music in a way that really reached me -- here's a sample: "Napoleon Bonaparte was the original inspiration for Beethoven's Third Symphony, but as legend has it, the composer's opinion of the man changed when he saw the liberator become a tyrant. he called his symphony Eroica, which means heroic, and intended it as a tribute to courage rather than to a single man. This is information I've gotten from Nathaniel, a patient teacher who seems to enjoy being able to offer me the gift of his knowledge. The Eroica begins with two short blasts that blow you back into your seat. Then, having gotten your attention, Beethoven gets the string sections going with a conversation that swoons and swells. There's romance and suspense in the piece, the anticipation of a bold and defining statement... The third was once described as a composition in which dark clouds dissolve into sunshine... The second movement tiptoes into the hall like a rumor of death...
• for emphasis, i've italicized the parts that really strike me...
• i will see that performed live at some point, some where...