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Friday, January 1, 2010

happy new ear


i read this blog title on a greeting card once

We've all heard this sad story. Vincent van Gogh lived a short, deeply tormented life, throughout which he sought (in vain) his place in the world. He died, by his own hand, feeling his life was a miserable failure. Unbeknownst to Vincent, the work he did pioneered the Expressionistic style and, 150 years after his birth, his name would be world famous.... more here


there is something compelling for me about vincent van gogh. his infamous brush strokes are captivating because they read as so driven and deliberate. his colors were muted, but still powerful and strong and his subject matter was usually of a very simple nature.

but his inner-haunting must be imprinted on his canvasses as well. i think that many times when we drink in a  vangogh we respond to the emotion behind his work as much as the images themselves. and i think that his perpetual self torture that has now become infamous, creates as much a stir as his determination to express himself.

if you have read my blog at all over the last 3 years, you can certainly understand how easily i can relate to his most defnite chemical imbalance, and how i could naturally admire his tenacity at working with what he had. i have only to hear his story and a door in my heart opens and lets light in.

even if the story of van gogh slicing his own ear is not true, i have no doubt whatsoever that his turmoil was. there is no other line of thinking for me than it is noble to battle through frustration, hardship, discomfort, and pain by processing it through one's talents somehow. if this is pursued throughout a lifetime, one will have less regrets. i intend to see the next decade in such a manner. could it be a promise, or a pledge, or a threat? that's for you to decide



I remember when, I remember
I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place
Even your emotions have an echo in so much space
And when you're out there without care
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much


today's sound choice is a bit fanciful.i heard that rolling stone magazine nominated this for best crossover record of the decade. i know that when it was getting airplay, it got it across the board. anyway, here is gnarls barkley with "crazy"



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2 comments:

Java said...

If I'm going to be crazy, I want to be a creative genius while I'm at it. If I'd get out of my own way and try something, perhaps I would be. A creative genius, that is, 'cause I'm already crazy.

Unknown said...

Perfect song choice! I think that creative genius and a touch of madness arise from the same place and often intertwine. Here's to the madness of genius, may we all be infected just a little!

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