“No one can make or break you, but you:” An interview with Heather Bright of “Bright Lights”

Many of you know I help run a classical music blog and I’m not averse to raving about how awesome, say, Faure is. While looking for new music recently, I encountered “Bright Lights,” which makes excellent electronic, dance and house music: check them out at wearebrightlights. Heather Bright was willing to take time out of …

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April 2, 2013 – 4:01 pm | By ashok | Posted in music | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Briefly Noted: “Sex House,” The Onion’s Reality TV Parody

Spoilers galore ahead Sex House: Meet the Nymphos, Ep. 1 Sex House is written and acted well, with a very high production value. But it is also crass, filthy, gross and creepy. As a trashy critique of trash, it hardly seems necessary. Isn’t the best response to the garbage that is reality tv to leave …

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March 29, 2013 – 5:31 pm | By ashok | Posted in media | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Links, 3/27/13

Alison Croggon: “For me writing remains, at a profound level, significantly about not having a career. In the older sense of the word, it is a vocation, a calling.” “He [Nabokov] said we did not need to know anything about their historical context, and that we should under no circumstance identify with any of the …

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March 27, 2013 – 4:53 pm | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (1)

Quick Note: Published a Review of Michel Serres’ “Biogea” in Zeteo

If you’re short on time, Part II is what I’m thinking about at the moment. The talk about science and religion isn’t about getting a firm conclusion, but about getting a grasp on what Serres implies and seeing where his ideas take us. See if you like: Review of “Biogea,” by Michel Serres

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March 22, 2013 – 3:46 pm | By ashok | Posted in blogging, personal | Comments (0)

Emily Dickinson, “To die — without the Dying” (1017)

With thanks to Thomas Lowery To die — without the Dying (1017) Emily Dickinson To die — without the Dying And live — without the Life This is the hardest Miracle Propounded to Belief. Comment: What is “the hardest miracle propounded to belief?” What does one who wants to believe find most difficult to accept? …

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March 22, 2013 – 4:16 am | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Comments (0)

Garden

You thought you were safe. We all think we are. On this spinning rock, living off the light of a dying star. – Maiday Darkened club, noise blaring. Neon shirts stand tall, an ecosystem of tropic wonder. The drinks are cheap and terrible. The smells are strong, an undercurrent of human not bleached out. Strobe …

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March 21, 2013 – 3:05 am | By ashok | Posted in writing | Comments (0)

Emily Dickinson, “Denial — is the only fact” (965)

Denial — is the only fact (965) Emily Dickinson Denial — is the only fact Perceived by the Denied — Whose Will — a numb significance — The Day the Heaven died — And all the Earth strove common round — Without Delight, or Beam — What Comfort was it Wisdom — was — The …

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March 19, 2013 – 4:55 am | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Comments (0)

Briefly Noted: Leo Strauss, “German Nihilism”

Leo Strauss, “German Nihilism” (in Interpretation Vol. 26 No. 3 Spring 1999) 1. At first, the value of Strauss’ lecture seems to be that of a historical document. It is delivered in 1941 shortly after the fall of France and before it is clear the U.S. will enter war. Strauss, a German Jew, asserts that …

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March 17, 2013 – 7:04 am | By ashok | Posted in philosophy, politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Links, 3/13/13

“Meet the men who spy on women through their webcams” (h/t Josh) – sometimes it’s hard to understand the way women are treated in certain gaming/tech circles. I get the feeling this explains far too much. Animal Control in Amarillo, TX might have done something wrong – I wonder if pit bulls do face more …

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March 13, 2013 – 4:40 am | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (0)

“Untitled,” Harvey Shapiro

Untitled (from Poetry, December 1964 – found here) Harvey Shapiro That one wrote out of a life lived So I envied him. Naturally, I could imitate his manner But the life lived (which, believe me, I do not want to hear about) Was his. To others I leave The memory of themselves. Comment: 1. “That …

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March 12, 2013 – 4:55 am | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Comments (1)