Re: Rayner's post got me thinking about pretty much the same thing. I think it doesn't concern me as much as it concerns him, maybe because I'm too much of a loner, but also I think these sort of things need to be let be. I mean, there's nothing I can control about the way I relate to people or the way they relate to me except to always spend time with my friends whenever I can, which I do anyway.
He's right though, some friendships DO drift and are drifting because of army. There isn't much I can do. I think the more worrying part is that I haven't made many new friends. Of course my section mates and platoon mates count, but that's more of being forced to live together. I still haven't found anyone new to just share the things that I love with.
I think one day my laissez-faire attitude to life will get me killed. I mean, whatever happens happens and you have to deal with it. But until then I refuse to worry.
In other news, army has not delivered any surprises in the crap department: it's still crappy. On the upside, we get a hell lot of free time now: on the downside, the sergeants never let us get more than 1.5 hours without ordering rifle cleaning. The past week has been full of PT: 2 x ability group run, which is basically endurance running, 2x double strength training (which is 4, YES.), SOC and one 60:120 speed training. all in 4 days. Plus, I got remedial training on saturday which meant a late bookout and some -very- painful thighs. Fucking ranger hops. After bookout I went to play paintball with the 20th Legion (my team) and achieved record highs of fatigue level. Adrenaline only keeps you going for so long. This time, I managed not to kill any team members... but I still shot Terence after he was out. Bugger. I need to upgrade my IFF software. Still, I'm getting the hang of the basics. It is very fun.
So, I guess until next bookout I'll be PTing some more. Next week looks far better than last week, but this being Viper company there will still be much manly fun. And games day as well, during which I am part of the awe-inspiring Tentage Assembly Team. Yes, quite possibly the least manly event in games day save the cheerleading squad. On the other hand, just watching the combat race made me tired, so maybe this was a good idea. When keng comes your way, accept it with open arms, that's what I say.
adam
Sunday, May 25
Friday, May 16
This one's a bit of a blast from the past: The Getz/Gilberto recording of 'The Girl From Ipanema' which was my audition piece for the jazz club. One of the first jazz recordings I ever heard, and studied obsessively. I can recite the portugese lyrics, if anyone wants to hear. Anyway:
Listening to the recording with the benefit of some experience and the freshness of having come back from 2 weeks of field camp/mad PT, it strikes me as a huge pity that bossa nova went the sordid way of easy listening, lounge music and boom-chuck-boomchuck generic, wishy-washy music. Because when it begun (and this is one of THE definitive bossa nova recordings) it had an immense delicateness that somehow lost its way along the line. Paul Desmond echoed my sentiments on the liner notes of Bossa Antigua I believe - something disappeared along the line which is so present on this recording. It is a (pardon me if I try to describe) sense of wanton freedom and a delicate appreciation of nature. The latin beat of the guitar is finely balanced against the jazz outlined by the hi-hat. There is no 1 rest rest 4 1 rest rest 4 bass. The bassist plays only on the 1 which gives the sound a folk-like simplicity (again, my vocabulary fails me). The arrangement is clean (and free of synth strings and Dave Weckl's massive overplaying. Good Lord) and largely consists of a guitar accompaniment which is romantic but not sloppy (is that Joao Gilberto? I'm not sure). Stan Getz's solo echoes the melody (supposedly a crime in modern jazz) but does not strike one as a lazy solo - it fits the mood perfectly. Astrud Gilberto's singing is as perfect as ever - detached and dare I say wistful.
My point in all this waxing lyrical is that this is an intelligent, finely constructed jazz recording that should be evaluated on its own merits rather than by what eventually happened to bossa nova. It's also one of my all-time favourite songs.
adam
Listening to the recording with the benefit of some experience and the freshness of having come back from 2 weeks of field camp/mad PT, it strikes me as a huge pity that bossa nova went the sordid way of easy listening, lounge music and boom-chuck-boomchuck generic, wishy-washy music. Because when it begun (and this is one of THE definitive bossa nova recordings) it had an immense delicateness that somehow lost its way along the line. Paul Desmond echoed my sentiments on the liner notes of Bossa Antigua I believe - something disappeared along the line which is so present on this recording. It is a (pardon me if I try to describe) sense of wanton freedom and a delicate appreciation of nature. The latin beat of the guitar is finely balanced against the jazz outlined by the hi-hat. There is no 1 rest rest 4 1 rest rest 4 bass. The bassist plays only on the 1 which gives the sound a folk-like simplicity (again, my vocabulary fails me). The arrangement is clean (and free of synth strings and Dave Weckl's massive overplaying. Good Lord) and largely consists of a guitar accompaniment which is romantic but not sloppy (is that Joao Gilberto? I'm not sure). Stan Getz's solo echoes the melody (supposedly a crime in modern jazz) but does not strike one as a lazy solo - it fits the mood perfectly. Astrud Gilberto's singing is as perfect as ever - detached and dare I say wistful.
My point in all this waxing lyrical is that this is an intelligent, finely constructed jazz recording that should be evaluated on its own merits rather than by what eventually happened to bossa nova. It's also one of my all-time favourite songs.
adam
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