Classical Piece of the Week: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20

Missed the last one? Here's a link to Polonaise from Eugene Onedin.

When you first start to devote yourself to an activity, whether it's violin or gymnastics or anything else for that matter, you naturally turn to the professionals. You watch them, listen to them, analyze them. And as you stare in awe at their pure talent, you wonder if you will ever be able to achieve that level of accomplishment. This week's piece, Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 by Pablo de Sarasate, is that accomplishment. Most pieces sound easier than they actually are. This piece sounds just as hard as it is. When played right, it can really make an audience imagine wonders. It will tear your heart apart, make it pound, and make it race with excitement.

Canadian Chess Challenge- More than Just a Tournament

Your opponent is glancing in different directions. His eyes pry away from the chessboard, looking left and right. You gulp nervously, a little bead of sweat trickling down your forehead, your brain doing a hundred different summersaults. The opponent slowly gets up, walking with calm and ease to the water fountain, with seemingly the most time in the world, as you take frantic looks at the chessboard, analyzing the next move you could make without putting you in peril. You move your last remaining pawn. Press down on the chess clock. Your opponent comes back, hastily looks at the board, and glides his Queen toward that black square. Checkmate. 

Chess, quite an intricate sport. Some people know the basics, like me, and could possibly put on a close to decent match. But even fewer people know how to really play it. Openings, middle game, endings, tactics. And when they do play, they are transported into a completely different world, where the soul of chess shines above all things else.

Saving June, a book review

by Hannah Harrington
published in 2011
a to the moon and back 4/ 5 stars
Goodreads / Amazon / Website

 "Now I'm counting up the days, counting all the ways
I never said what I meant, but it's too late 'cause
June is over and so are we
And I'm the one left, with nothing to save."

Saving June is like a hum. A steady hum that can sometimes go a little off track, but still keeps its senses anchored to the ground. And sometimes, there are rattles and sparks thrown in the way, and that hum just turns even more powerful, until it wraps around you and then suddenly you're breathing the same air it's breathing.

Saving June is about a road trip. And then some. Haley's older sister June just killed herself. Discovering her in the car, a bottle of sleeping pills in her hand, Haley cannot stop thinking of what June could have been. June, smart, sociable, a loving daughter. But June, weak in depth, concealed, revealing only partially her whole. So Haley decides to bring June's urn to California, the place where Haley thinks June wanted be set free. In comes along June's trusty side kick and best friend, Laney, and the mystical Jake Tolan, who has an apparent connection with June. Together they set off for a roadtrip of a lifetime, a roadtrip of undetermined length and spontaneous decisions. But a roadtrip for one sole purpose, and that is to save June.

100 Followers+ Update!

Hi! Long time no see! Well, I won't drag on with an introduction, so let's go straight off to the points. First of all...

YAY! I reached one hundred followers! When I updated my feed and saw 99 followers creep up to 100, a giant smile just sparked on my face! I honestly feel so thankful to have such great readers like you guys. And even more for those who take that extra couple of minutes to put a comment on my post. It honestly means SO much to me! I love all of you guys so much! (*Kissy, smoochy face*)

And also, you might have realized that I haven't been posting very regularly these past few weeks/month, and as much as I'd like to blame time, I think it's only partially the cause. The thing is, I write when I feel something. I do not like writing with a schedule, because sometimes I just can't connect with the words. And I want each and everyone one of my posts to have a meaning, a passion. So I guess you could say I'm a little spontaneous when it comes to blogging.

And I hope you bare with me and my weird schedule for the rest of your lifetime a little longer,

because I love having you

here.

Classical Piece of the Week: Polonaise from Eugene Onegin

Missed the last one? Here's a link to Valse Sentimentale.

Why hello there! It's been such a long time since I have written a post, but I promise I will make it up to you, because I am here to present you an absolutely incredible work of music. It's called the Polonaise from the opera Eugene Onegin by Ptyor IIyich Tchaikovsky. And yes, I am aware that my last CPW was by Tchaikovsky too, but I seriously do not want to let go of my healthy (slightly turning compulsive) obsession with Tchaik, so Polonaise will it be.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a book review

Author: Stephen Chbosky
Pages: 213
Year Published: 1999
Rating: A hearty 4/ 5 stars
Goodreads / Amazon / Trailer   

The problem was nobody was there to play Rocky, the muscular robot (I'm not quite sure what he is). After looking around at everybody, Mary Elizabeth turned to me.
"Charlie, how many times have you seeen the show?"
"Ten."
"Do you think you can play Rocky?"
"I'm not cut and hunky."
"It doesn't matter. Can you play him?"
                                                                            "I guess."
                                                                            "Do you guess or do you know?"
                                                                            "I guess."                                  
                                                                            "Good enough."                                                        

Charlie (sighing)

Charlie (chuckling softly)

Charlie.

Sometimes, it's that book that's all weird and unstructured and messy that draws you in. And this is one of them.

Charlie is a freshman. He is also very socially awkward, but very aware of what surrounds him. Or more like unaware that he is aware. He notices the little details that people leave out, and he perceives the silent emotions emitting from a person's soul.

Classical Piece of the Week: Valse Sentimentale

As she peers out the window, a cloud of fog swarms near her view, leaving the objects of her sight mere shadows. She turns herself around, back in the vision of her cozy room, and with her wrinkled fingers, she carefully picks out a disc from her classical collection. It has been a long time since this one has been played, she thought, as she gently blows off the dust that had settled on the disc. Valse Sentimentale by Ptyor IIyich Tchaikovsky, were the words engraved on the label. 

With great gentleness, she places the disc onto the phonograph, and positions the needle onto the former. And a few wobbly turns of the handle later, the disc starts to revive. First, with a sharp, raspy sound, until soothing strokes of a harp can be perceived through the haziness. Then, the slightly wavering, but oh so alluring melody of a violin drowns off all other sounds, and even the lighted candles in the room seem to be swaying to the beautiful valse.