Peg Kerr's Journal

Here's the NaNoWriMo song (Kristina Horner of the Parselmouths/All Caps).

I've been listening to Peter Mayer a lot lately. Best songwriter evah.

I think it's high time a for a Jama Day.

No house elves were harmed in the making of this video, which has some surprisingly good special effects.

You can buy the song at iTunes or Bandcamp. The group Not Literally is on Facebook here.

I kidnapped Fiona tonight so that I could take her out to see The Lion King 3-D.

You must understand: for a period of perhaps three years, Fiona was OBSESSED with the Lion King. Perhaps it was because we started her watching videos relatively late in her childhood, so when she finally saw a movie like that it made a huge impact on her imagination. Our particularly special custom was that we woke her up with the soundtrack every morning. That is more profound than you may realise: each morning, she was awakened by Lebo M's joyful cry to the sun, followed by the hushed counterpoint, echoing across the African savannah:

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba [Here comes a lion, Father]
Sithi uhm ingonyama [Oh yes, it's a lion]

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Ingonyama

Siyo Nqoba [We're going to conquer]
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala [A lion and a leopard come to this open place]

And then a solemn, swelling incantation followed, calling her to life, to wakefulness, assuring her that life has pattern, meaning, order. Circle of Life makes me think of youth, family, right beginnings.

Then, as the sleepiness ebbed away and we wrestled her into her clothes, the bouncy, optimistic strains of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," started up, a cheerful ditty brimming with anticipation and good humor. That was a great way to encourage her to look forward to a new day.

It was wonderful to see the movie again, and fun to experience it in 3D. Unlike many standard movies that have 3D added, animated movies work very nicely in 3D. Since the colors are so rich and saturated, you don't have that murky sense that plagues some. It was wonderful to share it with her again.

I think that by beginning the mornings of her childhood with these songs, we gave her a very great gift.

I bought Greyson Chance's new album. And I'm enjoying it.

I had to. There's a song on it called "Heart of Stone." And it's really pretty good.

Delia likes him, too (she scorns Justin Bieber).

Tracks from the movie soundtracks (I still need to get the soundtrack for Deathly Hallows 2):
153 tracks
4 hours 44 minutes 48 seconds

All seven books as read by Jim Dale:
1692 tracks
4 days 20 hours 11 minutes 42 seconds

Wizard rock
1098 tracks
2 days 9 hours 21 minutes 43 seconds

Total: 7 days 9 hours 18 minutes 13 seconds.

Katy Perry meets Harry Potter

but once again you can download for free 17 Irish/Celtic songs, courtesy of Marc Gunn of the Irish and Celtic Music podcast.

Every year for St. Patrick’s Day, I compile a new list of St Patrick’s Day MP3 downloads that are 100% free and legal. Many of these artists are played regularly in the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. And ALL of these artists are generous enough to offer their music for free in the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine.

This year’s free downloads were featured in show #79 of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. You can listen to the show as a podcast, download the ZIP file, add the MP3s to your MP3 player, or burn them to a CD. It’s your choice. But it’s totally free.

STOP! Now share this great music with your friends. That’s right. You have our permission to cross-post this article on your website or blog.

I write this article every year and compile these free MP3s is to help promote independent Celtic music. If you find an artist that you really love on this compilation, go to the artist website, drop them an email to let them know you found them through the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. Then buy their CD.

Download “17 Celtic Music Downloads for St. Patrick’s Day” (98.5 MB)

To download, right-click the link and “save as” to the folder you choose. Then unzip the file. (p.s. these MP3s will only be up for a month, so download them soon).

See Marc's original post for a list of the songs with links to the musicians' music.

Because it's really worth posting again:

I've been playing this song by Luka Bloom today, which is all about light in dark places, and perfect for this time of year. Read what he has to say about the song here, which includes this:

Since 1993, at the start of every February, I have watched large groups of men and women gather in my home county of Kildare. They come to welcome the beginning of spring. They come to Kildare because it is the home of Brigid, whose feast day is February 1st. Brigid is the goddess of love, poetry, justice in prechristian Ireland, and she is the patron saint of Kildare.

People also come to Kildare at this time, to speak about justice in the world, or lack of it.

There is reflection, talk, music and dance. It is not a big trendy festival, but a gathering of people who want to celebrate the coming of spring, and who want to call Brigids’ qualities into the world, to light a spark for change.

And every year we gather to welcome the light into our world; and to hope that more light will shine in the world; and that someday out of the darkness of war, hunger, greed, poverty, will come the light of community, sharing, justice, music, dance, peace and love.

I wanted to write a simple song to share with everyone in Kildare,and to honour this noble celebration. ...
Even at the point of recording the song in April 2008, I could never have foreseen the hurt that people are feeling around the world in a few short months.

At the end of 2008, everywhere is fear, insecurity, corruption, unemployment...
And yet, I feel this is the most exciting moment imaginable to be alive.

There is such a window opening in the world for goodness, for community, for sharing, for simplicity, for kindness.

And this song is a call to people, to reach inside and be aware of the power in each one of us to do good, for ourselves, for our families,for our friends, for our villages and towns, and ultimately, for our earth.

In these dark times, many people feel powerless, unimportant, un-needed, marginalised.

This song came from the power of a group of people who want to shine a bright light for the earth and for humanity. ... I know that many people need to hear and feelwhat is contained in this song, right now. I know that songs of themselves don’t change the world.

But songs can also be prayers, blessings, and they can be a spark to ignite something beautiful in anybody.. This song is my prayer for the world, and I send it out at the start of this exciting and dangerous year, with love and hope in my heart, for our shared future.

Ian Axel uploaded a new version of the video I posted last year, somewhat re-edited. Just as much fun, and a slightly different sound.


This video makes me SOOOO happy.




( What I did today to make the world a better place )