Viggo on Kate Bush.

It had to happen...Impossible to skip...Kate Bush being the essence of cattiness ever since she posed as a lioness on the cover of her album Lionheart. And my big butch black tomcat has an opinion on everything anyway, as you well know by now.

V: First of all, what is that ridiculous photo doing here? That's not me!

Q: Sorry. I thought it was quite amusing...

V: Amusing? It is degrading! It makes us felines look like utter idiots. As if we...mublmublzzmublb...

Q: Excuse me?

V: Okay. I do like a good box myself. From time to time.

V: Good GRIEF, woman!

Q: Concentrate on the Kate Bush angle, Viggo.

V: Right. Kate Bush, Kate Bush...you know, my mind's a blank. 

Q: Viggo!

V: Pffffffft, keep your claws sheeted. Kate Bush. The uttermost catlike singer I have ever heard. The grace, the agility, the power, the glossiness, the balance, the control, the warbling, the range, the...

Q: That's just a summing up. Come on, you can do better than that!

V: I was just getting started.  

When I first heard her latest album, I was blown away. I remember it well. You had ordered it from Bol.com and it arrived just before Christmas last year in an intriguing cardboard envelope which smelled divine, and you put it on really loud and I felt these vibrations through the tips of my whiskers. And then this...voice...It took all my self-control not to howl along..."I....am...SKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" 

Wonderful!

And on Ariel she used those divine bird sounds, it makes me shiver all over, delicious!

Do you know, there is not a lot that I feel we have in common, you and I. You are my woman, and I appreciate you looking after me, but that's about it...Well, I like the occasional cuddle. But Kate Bush is our common ground, absolutely. 

As a black cat, I am in the know. Kate Bush is the quintessence of English wicca, but the good side. It's no surprise to me that she is referred to as such by folks on the Internet. That Kate even looks like a cat. Have you seen her eyes? And those pointy ears and teeth. I bet she smells good.

Q: She's supposed to be a vegetarian.

V: What? Impossible. No meat? No!

Q: Hmmm. That's what I read.

V: Oh! Oh! The disappointment! The heartbreak! 

Q: Now who is being ridiculous?

V: Shut up, you flexitarian you! It's bad enough that you hang your bird feeders out of my range. Us cats need blood! Fresh blood! With feathers on! Oh...go on, post another photo of 

some pampered neutered cat that never hunts, why don't you? I'm done!

Grey Days - Time for Kate Bush!

Women of Ireland

Hi there. A quick one today, as I am ill with flu and my energy level is at an all-time low.
Seriously, taking a trip to the loo is the equivalent of climbing Mount Doom at the moment. 

So what do I do, flat on my back or - alternatively - hanging crookedly into the pillows? I listen to Kate Bush, obviously. When I was little and ill my Gran used to cook me pudding; now that I am Gran material myself (don't mention this to my daughter though, I don't want her to get ideas) I have to provide my own comfort, so Kate it is. (Use the link at the top of this post)

Could be worse, eh?

Christmas? Humbug! (Unless You Happen to Like It...)

Hiya!
Admit it...you cannot wait for December 24th to arrive...even if it's just because you are exhausted and desperately need some time off.

So...how do you keep on keeping on?

Stay positive.

Oh..SUCH an open door!

I know. But it actually works.

Did you know that when you smile, even if and when you have nothing to smile about really, but simply use your muscles to twist your mouth into a smile, your brain synapses fire off 'happy dust'? 

(If Viggo could hear me now...I can hear him scoff. "There is no such thing as happy dust, woman!")

It's amazing what you can learn (for free!) by watching TED talks.

So....I am actually looking forward to the holidays, and the whole Christmas experience. I am already planning the menus, and making plans, and thinking about what presents to buy for my loved ones, and having fun anticipating.

Only 2 weeks to go..Yay.

I'll link you to a Christmassy song by the lovely Lisa Hannigan, just to get you in the mood.

Lisa Hannigan

(By the way, it is in aid of the Irish homeless)

Ho-ho-ho!

Trouble Sleeping? Try My 3 Easy Tips.

Hi there, Sleepless in...(where ever you are)
One of the recurring topics of my workdays is bad nights. People don't get the kind of sleep they would like, they don't get enough sleep, they wake up feeling almost as tired (if not more tired) as when they went to bed.

I am one of those people that has always had trouble falling asleep. I remember roaming my room as a child, and hearing my parents go to bed. It's not that I wasn't tired, I was. It was more that I couldn't seem to turn off the thoughts running through my head.
Now, as an adult fast approaching sixty (Frith! How did that happen?) and far too busy at work, my head is so chock-a-block-full of thoughts and worries that it is an effort to stop the merry-go-round in my brain.

Since I am against sleeping medication (I've seen too many people dependent on that stuff) I've had to experiment with natural remedies. 
Alcohol does not work for me. It simply wakes me up. Not a good idea when you want to go to sleep. Sleepy Time Tea: it tastes of grass (the green stuff cows eat) and does not make me sleepy.
Massages: nope. They wake me up. Hot showers - ditto. Sex: pffffffffft.

Right. I promised you three things that DO work though.
At least, they work for me, and perhaps they'll work for you too.

1. Make sure you unwind on time before you attempt to sleep, and try to go to bed at the same time every evening.

So turn off that TV or switch off your laptop, tablet, iPad, mobile at least 30 minutes before you close your eyes. No reading either!! You need to condition your brain; it's time to sleep!

2. When you actually go to bed, make it into a ritual (again, to help your brain to realize it is time to stop running around like a troupe of crazy apes).

Mine is: open the balcony door a crack to let the fresh air in, light some Japanese incense (I never said I am a logical person), set my alarm, prepare my docking station (more about this in #3)turn off the light.

Then: relax your body, starting with your toes. Visualize them getting heavy and sinking into your mattress as if you are lying on a warm sandy beach, and work you way up along your body until you've reached your head. Try to focus on your body and whenever some random thought pops into your head (like: how on earth do I pay this month's sewage bill?), push it away again and watch it float into outer space, or down into the muck, where ever, as long as it doesn't get your attention. This does take some practice, but I promise it becomes easier when you do it more often. On a good night I can actually feel my heart rate slowing down.

3. Put on a CD that is sure to put you to sleep. (AHA! I can see you getting either frustrated or exasperated, or downright angry now. But give me a chance to explain)

This, again, takes some time. But by careful deduction, and trial and error (No, Talking Heads do not work for me!), you will be able to find a track that calms you down. 
Now, concentrate on the music. No thinking!!! Just concentrate 100% and let the music take you away.
Have you ever heard of Ane Brun? She's from Norway, and weird and wonderful. Her song 'Worship' is sure to put me to sleep within minutes. I love that song, but I hardly ever get to hear it beyond the first couplet. 
Worship

It must be the heartbeat-like rhythm. Almost like being in the womb.

Anyway. It beats pills. And no side-effects!

Sleep well!

Counting Down Towards Christmas Are You? 4 Musical Suggestions.

Hiya! Nice of you to drop in again.
It is December 1st, and in my neck of the woods that means the final countdown towards the Christmas holidays for people like me who work in education, and also for most people who are looking forward to a couple of days off.

Now, I've never made it a secret that I am a humanist with Pagan and Buddhist tendencies. But that doesn't mean that we ignore Christmas in our house. On the contrary! We like the tree, and the trimmings, and some of the music, and the good company, and especially the spirit.

What could be better than joy to the world and peace to all mankind? Or the other way around?

To help you get into the mood as well (early), I'll link you to some of my favorite Christmas-time music.

Kate Bush - December will be magic again

I've loved Kate Bush from the first notes of Wuthering Heights, and like this wintry song a lot. The artwork is from the film 'The Snowman' - also one of my favourites.

Loreena McKennitt - God rest You Merry Gentlemen

Trust Loreena to make good use of this traditional Christmas carol. Even when as a child I didn't quite understand all the lyrics, I did understand the line 'let nothing you dismay' (because I looked it up), and it spoke to me.

Paul McCartney - We All Stand Together

Okay, okay, okay, so call me corny. I love this song!

Siouxie and the Banshees - Il est ne

This is a curious rendition alright! But give it a try, do. I've picked it because as a child I used to sing this with my step-father, and he would have had a fit if he could hear this Siouxie version. Which is precisely why I've chosen it for you today.

So, what is YOUR december music?

Rotterdam Like You've Never Seen It Before! Beautiful!

Hi there!
Not a musical post as such (although the piano sounds fine), but one about the city where I was born and where I travel to to go to work.
I came across this by accident, idly surfing, and want to share it with you all, as it is

WONDERFUL

It was produced by Eric van Vuuren, and I hope he will not be cross with me for sharing it with you. But as he's posted it on FB originally I am fairly confident it will be okay.

Here it is.

Enjoy!!!!A bird's eye view of Rotterdam

Duncan de Moor - Boy, Can That Boy Sing!

Hiya,
Due to extreme working hours fatigue (such fun to be a teacher in the Wetlands) I couldn't find the time for a new post before. But now here it is.
And today I am going to introduce you to a singer from my hometown, Hellevoetsluis.
His name is Duncan de Moor, he went to the same school as both my kids, left to go to the Rockacademie in Tilburg (yes, that does exist) and is now shining in The Voice of Holland. So far he has survived the Blind Auditions, the Battles and one live show (called The Clash)

Duncan de Moor - Stolen Dance

Duncan keeps saying he sees himself as a frontman for his band, more than as a solo artist. Which is commendable. The band is called The Slick and Suited and they are sort of famous in the small towns where they have so far performed.
Duncan singing his heart out on TV helps, of course. And so does the innocent on camera flirting going on between him and Voice of Holland coach Ilse de Lange (she of The Common Linnets' fame).

Duncan de Moor vs Rob de Nijs

Why am I writing him up? Two reasons.
1. I admire his pluck and talent. 
His voice is distinctive. You can like it or not (it is quite sharp), but you absolutely cannot say it is a 13 to the dozen voice.
2. He comes from Hellevoetsluis and he oozes fun and enthusiasm.

Secretly I would like him to win. 

So go, Duncan. Make us Wetlanders proud!

Update: Aaaaaahhhhh...he got voted out...semi-final...Well, proud of him anyway!