'a velocity of being'

got my hands on the book finally...pick up any page at random or sequentially, anything works...some pages lead you to other interesting books. recommend to all book-loving individuals.

//this is a collection of original letters to the children of today and tomorrow about why we read and what books do for the human spirit, composed by 121 of the most interesting and inspiring humans in our world: jane goodall, yo-yo ma, jacqueline woodson, ursula k. le guin, mary oliver, neil gaiman, amanda palmer, rebecca solnit, elizabeth gilbert, shonda rhimes, alain de botton, james gleick, anne lamott, diane ackerman, judy blume, eve ensler, david byrne, sylvia earle, richard branson, daniel handler, marina abramović, regina spektor, elizabeth alexander, adam gopnik, debbie millman, dani shapiro, tim ferriss, ann patchett, a 98-year-old holocaust survivor, italy’s first woman in space, and many more immensely accomplished and largehearted artists, writers, scientists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and adventurers whose character has been shaped by a life of reading. accompanying each letter is an original illustration by a prominent artist in response to the text. // 

courtesy themarginalian.org
 

modern torture devices

how does one even wear and move around with circled ''heel-less ankle strap peep-toe platform'' ??

i love the smell of rain

damn,this has taken the romance/charm out of 'i love the smell of rain'!

 

 

"The chemical structure of geosmin, the compound behind the smell of the Earth after rain, which itself is known as petrichor. Geosmin is a compound released by certain soil bacteria called Actinomycetes, and falling rains cause it to be released into the air. We are sensitive to 10 parts per trillion, or one drop in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Next time you’re dancing in the rain with someone , tell them how much you like the smell of (4S,4aS,8aR)-4,8a-Dimethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalen-4a-ol."

 

here are more details on petrichor and what causes the earthy smell after rain. 

 

more gyan:  petrichor is absorbed best in clay soil. it  is the built up chemical/oil released by plants into dry soil/in drought conditions to inhibit seeds from germinating. these are absorbed by certain soils and rocks. once it rains, the oil and the accompanying scent is released into the air: time for growth phase of plant life cycles to begin!

 

and if you want this smell bottled note that: "Several perfumers try to recreate that complex smell of the forest floor; upturned, a little decayed, yet at the same time fresh, cooling, a sort of clean all the same. Great vetiver fragrances, such as Guerlain's classic Vetiver and Vetiver pour Elle, Route du Vetiver by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier , Chanel's Sycomore, Lalique Encre Noire or F.Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire mingle that particular freshness that the exotic grass root of vetiver possesses alongside a smokier, mustier background which brings on a crepuscular tinge. Some patchouli fragrances, notably Voleur de Roses by L'Artisan Parfumeur utilize the more wine-like facets of the rose and the Indian leaf material to render a scent that approximates well a garden after the rain. Herbal accents and iris notes alongside grassy-musty ingredients (such as vetiver, angelica, wormwood or oakmoss) also produce this effect as in Roadster by Cartier, L'Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu, the stupendous Derby by Guerlain, Angeliques sous la Pluie (F.Malle) and Dior Homme.".  

 

for more details on the above...

bon appetit

 courtesy matt dawson, a freelance illustrator

first book of jazz by langston hughes

 

"Prolific poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist Langston Hughes is considered one of the fathers of jazz poetry, a literary art form that emerged in the 1920s and eventually became the foundation for modern hip-hop. 

In 1954, the 42-year-old Hughes decided to channel his love of jazz into a sort-of-children’s book that educated young readers about the culture he so loved. The First Book of Jazz was born, taking on the ambitious task of being the first-ever children’s book to review American music, and to this day arguably the best. 

 

Hughes covered every notable aspect of jazz, from the evolution of its eras to its most celebrated icons to its geography and sub-genres, and made a special point of highlighting the essential role of African-American musicians in the genre’s coming of age. Hughes even covered the technicalities of jazz — rhythm, percussion, improvisation, syncopation,blue notes, harmony — with remarkable eloquence that, rather than overwhelming the young reader, exudes the genuine joy of playing."

 

the above description is courtesy the marginalian.org

 

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

the entire book 

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

can be read at ariel winter's flickr page where he has posted scans of each page.

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

new math

New Math lived from 2008 - 2014 as a stand alone site.

The design for the site was done by the unbelievably talented David Mikula.
It was updated weekly until 2010.

The content in its entirety can be accessed by clicking on the image below.

 

 

 (once you access the website, click on the image to see the entire content)

nice sounds

reproducing this from an old facebook post. the first 10 additions are by me. the remaining are comments from various friends. feel free to add in the comments..

 

 

CAT: 

1)sound of waves 

2)melodious music playing in the distance 

3)pitter patter of rain 

4)sparrows chirping 

5)rustling of trees in the gentle breeze 

6)giggling of a child

7)sizzling of oil/tadka 

8)distant bells 

9)crickets 

10)hum on a quiet morning/night 

 

SK:

11) Sound of corn on the grill

12)wind thru pine trees

13) crackling Bon fire on a cold night

14) wind in your ears when you are on a swing

15)Gentle waves of an ebbing tide

16)Sound of snow falling (actually a silence)

17)Peaceful breathing of my boys asleep

18)Far off music of an approaching ice-cream truck 

 

AG:  

19) a babies laugh 

20)Birds singing in the morning

 

PL:

20)Our child saying Hi Mamma after coming from school 

21)my dog's dancing legs (making the sound of his nails) after seeing me

22)sound of OM in a group

23)a flowing river, waterfalls

24) rustling of dry leaves in fall

25) Rama teacher's classical violin

26)a cuckoo in summer mornings

27)a Rooster's crow every morning

 

NR:

28)the sound of silence.

 

PV:

29)Sound of a train in the distance, and also when you're riding it. Love to be lulled to sleep by that rhythm!  

30)Sound of someone practicing a musical instrument as you pass by on the sidewalk (this could become a not-so-nice sound if you linger for a while 

 

ST:

31)Cackle of a child

 

SV: 

32)The rustle of the dry leaves on the ground as the wind nudges and pushes them on a path and they rasp against each other.  

33)a silent dinner at home or outside where all you can hear is the cutlery against the crockery. It makes me feel so good and "together"

34)cutlery against crockery'...comfortable silences or imminent storm. 

 

AK:

35)Opening of an envelope or opening folded letter 

 

Sinister Sounds 

SV:

1)the sound of the wind entering through a tiny crevice...woooooo   

 

SK :

2)the sound of chalk or nails on it ?

3)My younger son practicing 'Theme from Jaws' when it's really quiet in the house

 

 

 

Served her right .....a duck (cricket variety) !!

 (an old post from my facebook account)

A woman brought a very limp duck into a vet's surgery. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's chest. After a moment or two, the vet shook his head sadly and said, 'I'm so sorry, your duck, 'Cuddles' has passed away.

The distressed owner wailed 'Are you sure ?'

Yes, I am sure. The duck is dead,' he replied.

'How can you be so sure,' she protested. I mean, you haven't done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something'

The Vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room, and returned a few minutes later with a black Labrador retriever. As the duck's owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his paws on the table and sniffed the duck from top to bottom.. He then looked at the Vet with sad eyes and shook his head.

The vet patted the dog, and took it out, and returned a few minutes later with a cat. The cat jumped up on the table and also sniffed delicately at the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on its haunches, shook its head, mewed softly and strolled out of the room.

The vet looked at the woman and said, 'I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably, a dead duck'. The vet turned to his PC, hit a few keys and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman.

The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill. '$ 150!', she cried, $ 150 just to tell me my duck is dead!'

The vet just shrugged, and said 'I'm sorry. If you'd taken my word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the 'Lab' report and the 'Cat' scan, it's now $ 150.

van gogh never

 

In her Starry Night pop culture series Van Gogh Never, artist Aja Kusick often adds cartoon characters to the iconic scene....

 

'applied' maths

 

Three men went into a diner, and each ordered a cup of coffee.

The waitress brought the three cups of coffee and a dish with twelve lumps of sugar.

Each man took an odd number of lumps of sugar, and when they had finished, there was no sugar left.

How many lumps did each man take?

It requires only a few moments to recognize that the sum of three odd numbers must be odd itself, so there must be a trick somewhere.  

for the answer scroll down

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"The first man took one lump, the second man took one lump, and the third man took ten lumps.

 “Aha!” you will cry, “ten is not an odd number!” 

And then, we slyly inquire, “Do you know anyone who takes ten lumps of sugar in his coffee?” 

– M.H. Greenblatt, Mathematical Entertainments, 1965 

looking sharp is easy when you haven't done the work

 

for more of these meme gems, visit demotivators aka reality checks. Aptly named despair, INC ....

 

to know how demotivators came into being , read the origin story.

 

 

 

more visual word play

 

visual word play

 

go winglet!

 

 

GOooooo winglet!!!
it’s a drag without you....

Winglets are the tips or wing tips of an aircraft's wings that reduce the induced drag of flight and thus reduce fuel consumption, among other things. What does this mean? In simplest terms, a winglet is an aerodynamic wing angled at the end of an aircraft wing. This photo was clicked in 2019.

GO gone..... 

Go Air, the low cost airline filed for bankrupcy in 2023.

question of the day..

can an OST compel one to watch the movie?

the ost youtube link

ps: haven't yet watched the movie 'bandyta' I could not find it online.