Thoughts and Plots

The Journey to Wit's End

2010-03-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

Ever been to your Wit's End? It's easy enough to get there. Make a right at frustration and pacing, left at the stress fork, and on into the land of anxiety. There you'll find the wit's end visitor's center where usually you're only option is the full day tour. Once you get in there, there's no getting out. Armed guards at all entrances while they send out a very good look alike of you to take your place in the real world. Only this look alike doesn't act like you at all. The look alike is grouchy, panicky, paces back and forth, yet everyone else doesn't know the difference because there are no differences physically between you and this look alike. Now sometimes, sometimes you can break out of the Wit's End visitor's center before the day is over. However this is rare and you must know the layout of the building thoroughly. If the guards so much as catch a wiff of you trying to escape they will take you down and bring you back kicking and screaming.

I had the lovely opportunity of vising Wit's End today. As always the tour was "enjoyable". Only this time they were able to rope me into taking a supplementary tour as well. How lovely.

In all seriousness though, it is not a fun experience. Once I get to my wit's end I never really know how to get back out. I get out, but this is only gradually. Until then I feel trapped in my own mind, like I'm against a jail cell window rattling the bars trying to break free while this stressed out, anxiety filled other me is pacing around like a crazy person. It's a frustrating experience to be sure. Anyone out there who's been to Wit's End? Post a comment.

Close your Eyes and Listen

2010-03-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

I don't promise that I'll write as often as the other two, but when a thought hooks me, boy can I go on about it. My latest thought? Music compositions. Music without words. Not your everyday music by your latest rock "star" (I use that term loosely) that you hear on the radio. I'm mostly talking about music made for movies and games. There is really something to be said about this music. I was gong through some songs on a soundtrack from a movie that I just adore (I adore the soundtrack, not necessarily the movie). As I was listening to it...I could really hear the creative energy, hard work, and just pure effort that went into making this soundtrack. I thought the movie itself was cute; not great, but cute. But the music...the music made it that much better.

I was listening to the opening song and at the same time watching the opening scene from this movie. This particular movie was an adventure movie and the people were fighting on a ship in the middle of the ocean (and no it's not Pirates of the Caribbean, though that is another one of my favorite movie soundtracks). For just a moment, I closed my eyes and I listened, really listened to the music. And the music was composed in such a way that I was able to imagine myself on that ship in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of all the action. That, for me, is what signifies a good song/soundtrack. The piece not only enhances the visual aspect of the movie (so it's not just people hacking away at each other, but a battle of epic proportions) but it should also be able to stand by itself. So if you're composing something to accompany a fight scene, that piece should not only enhance what you're seeing but, if you listen to the song just on its own, then the piece should sound like a fight scene. You should be able to close your eyes and see a fight scene. The song should enhance your imagination to the point where you can see what the music is trying to tell you. The song communicates, not through words, but through pictures. If you can imagine a fight scene, not necessarily that particular one from the movie, but any fight scene filled with high flying adventure surrounded by those with a magical glint in their eye, then you've heard a real treasure, a gem.

That particular piece from the opening scene...it spoke of adventure. Not necessarily danger as some music is able to do, but it swept me up in it's high energy. It made me want to gallop off into the distance, laughing alongside a companion as I went into my next adventure. It made me want to be on that ship and fight against the bad guys. I wasn't necessarily in danger though. I was fighting, yes, but I was having the time of my life. It seemed all those people on the ship were fighting, not to win, but just for the hell of it. Like Peter Pan and the Lost Boys vs. Captain Hook. It was all just a big game for them (and no this movie isn't Peter Pan either). Closing my eyes for a moment, I was there, swept up in the grand adventure. That's how much I liked that soundtrack. I could see how much work and dedication was put in to making it because the composer was able to give an exact sound to the moment. If that fight scene had to have a sound, then that's what it should sound like. It was able to make me think of that event just by listening to it. Granted, this happens also because my imagination is rather large and active in the first place. That and I am able to really immerse myself in the music. I ask you though, try it. Close your eyes, and just listen, see what comes to mind. See if you can see what the music is trying to tell you. We may not speak the same language, but if you try...I promise it's worth it.

It's Been Too Long

2008-08-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well, time for a little honesty... I had typed up this sprawling entry all philosophizing and hypothesizing about life and human nature and all the blather everyone likes to go on about at least once or twice. Then I said "Screw it," and decided to save the entire thing for another day. Yay for the power of executive decision making!

I'm here to inform the masses of you who follow this blog (Ha. Yeah, it's a joke. Laugh it up.) of a few things. One: name change. The internet coding for an ampersand annoys the ever-living nonsense out of me, so we are no longer to be referred to as "M&K's Magical Kaffeeklatsch." Two: we might have an additional contributor in the near future, but it's not a definite sort of thing. Oh, the thrill of a coming surprise! Three: college. It's big and nasty and everyone I know seems to be scrambling to finish their preparations to greet it once the fall semester rolls in. That's why we're a little behind schedule on the whole blogging front. The internet falls to the wayside in lieu of life, you see. And that's all the Magical Kaffeeklatsching information I feel like dishing out at the moment.

For another topic of discussion: moi. Or, more specifically, my interests. I've got lots, but writing has to be amid the top three. Clearly, or why else would I even bother with a blog? So here's a little something I've come across - a collection of six word memoirs. Very neat, in my opinion. Certainly concise. And for those of us that find themselves a little inspired, and a little on the young side, there is SMITHteens! I've just joined and started submitting a few things. In case you're looking for me, I'd be right.... here. (Hyperlinks: can you tell I'm fond of them?)

And, well... I think that's all I've to say for the time being! What have you to offer?

- Kaz

Ambiance

2008-07-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Say it like this: ‘aahm-bee-ahnsss.’ Stretch the vowels as long as you want. Let the word dance across your tongue. Let it settle in your mouth and taste it – taste the warmth of it. It’s like sunshine radiating from your throat. I love words. I love the cadence and the lilt and the mood of words. I love soft words and harsh words and sturdy words. So I keep a list of my favorites. It’s pages long, set up in a Word document with tiny margins and landscape orientation. I’ve got several columns per page, and they’re in no particular order. I just jot words down as they come to me. So I thought I’d give the world a bit of a look-see into my list. You know, just for fun. Because for me, words are about as fun as it gets. (Wow, that sounds terribly nerdy of me. >.<)

Arabesque – it’s a ballet term. Can you feel the grace and power in the word? The stretching leg muscles, the delicate hands? They’re there. Now try to see what you can feel for each of the words following…

Bakery – Companionable – Dodecagon – Evanescent – Frumpy – Ginglymus – Heather – Incandescent – Jitterbug – Karmic – Lugubrious – Marionette – Nautilus – Oust – Paisley – Quicksilver – Rapture – Sesquipedalian – Trebuchet – Undulate – Vicariously – Woebegone – Xylem – Yelp – Zenith

So, that’s it. One of my several obsessions! Words, words, wordssss. The other main ones being collecting bottles, photography, and poetry. Also I have a weakness for a good blueberry pie and the website deviantART. Is that enough self-exploration for one day? I think so.

Signing off,

Kaz