When "We are the World" was released in 1985, I was a huge fan. Granted, I was only four-years-old but something about that song spoke to me. I guess I should say someone in that song spoke to me: Cyndi Lauper. My mother told me she remembers looking in the rear view mirror of our caravan to see me singing along to only Cyndi's part of "We are the World". Whenever there would be something about her, either on TV or in some media, mom would say "hey look, Anton, it's your girl!" Well, I couldn't be more hung up on my girl right now with her new single "Into the Nightlife". I have it on constant repeat. Enjoy it below.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thank you for the music..
Working for a research firm, I am continually barraged with new studies stating one thing or another about how raising or lowering a certain variable is certain or uncertain to increase or decrease how healthy or unhealthy you are.
My favorite studies are the ones that are including in my firm's Daily Briefy (The Nations Healtcare News in Five Minutes) under the Et Cetera heading. Today's Et Cetera claimed the following- "Research suggests choral singing has health benefits".
This title will keep a smile on my face for the rest of the afternoon. Below is the article.
Today's song: Warwick Avenue by Duffy
Et cetera: Research suggests choral singing has health benefits
05/27/2008
A growing body of research suggests that singing in professional, community, church, and school choruses may have health benefits, the Boston Globe reports, adding that the findings are “great news” for the approximately 29 million adults and children who participate in such activities. The Globe highlights a 2006 study led by a psychiatrist from the George Washington University’s Center on Aging, Health, and Humanities in which researchers tracked 300 people between the ages of 65 and 103 in three cities. For the study, one half of participants took part in an arts program involving chorale singing while the other half did not. After one year, the researchers found that the singers reported better health than at the outset of the study. Additionally, the singers had fewer falls and exhibited greater improvement in measures of depression, loneliness, and morale compared with the group that did not sing. Moreover, a paper published in 2004 by a musicologist and research fellow at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester found that along with an improvement in mood, a one-hour singing rehearsal appeared to result in the increased production of an immune marker in the saliva of 31 choral singers. While noting that “it’s not clear how much of the health benefit is due to hanging out with other people and how much to the artistic challenge,” the Globe concludes that “for whatever mix of reasons, choral singing is good for your health” (Foreman, Globe, 5/19 [registration required]).
My favorite studies are the ones that are including in my firm's Daily Briefy (The Nations Healtcare News in Five Minutes) under the Et Cetera heading. Today's Et Cetera claimed the following- "Research suggests choral singing has health benefits".
This title will keep a smile on my face for the rest of the afternoon. Below is the article.
Today's song: Warwick Avenue by Duffy
Et cetera: Research suggests choral singing has health benefits
05/27/2008
A growing body of research suggests that singing in professional, community, church, and school choruses may have health benefits, the Boston Globe reports, adding that the findings are “great news” for the approximately 29 million adults and children who participate in such activities. The Globe highlights a 2006 study led by a psychiatrist from the George Washington University’s Center on Aging, Health, and Humanities in which researchers tracked 300 people between the ages of 65 and 103 in three cities. For the study, one half of participants took part in an arts program involving chorale singing while the other half did not. After one year, the researchers found that the singers reported better health than at the outset of the study. Additionally, the singers had fewer falls and exhibited greater improvement in measures of depression, loneliness, and morale compared with the group that did not sing. Moreover, a paper published in 2004 by a musicologist and research fellow at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester found that along with an improvement in mood, a one-hour singing rehearsal appeared to result in the increased production of an immune marker in the saliva of 31 choral singers. While noting that “it’s not clear how much of the health benefit is due to hanging out with other people and how much to the artistic challenge,” the Globe concludes that “for whatever mix of reasons, choral singing is good for your health” (Foreman, Globe, 5/19 [registration required]).
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
TMI
People have got to stop sending me these questions. I can't help but fill them out over and over and over again.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? St. Anthony of Padua
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Tuesday- I cry at the drop of a hat.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? I have shockingly good handwriting.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Pepper Turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I will one day have a son named Henry
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Obvi
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? See previous question.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS ? yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Yes
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I gotta have my Pops!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I normally wear loafers.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? not really. Have you seen me?
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Breyer's Coffee
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes and laugh
15. RED OR PINK? Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOU? I seem to be balding.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST ? My mom mom.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Obvi
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans (brand new levis thank you) and brown driving moccasins.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Quacamole
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Justin and Karina
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Burnt Sienna
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? burning wood on a cold night and the smell right before it rains.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Tina Ciaramella
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Debatable- j/k
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Diving, Tennis, Gymnastics, Ninja Warrior
27. Hair Color? brown with flecks of red
28. EYE COLOR? Hazel
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? steak- medium rare, mashed potatoes, and asparagus
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Gosford Park
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Pink
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES? I can't decide. Both!
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Key Lime Pie
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I hope all of us.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND ? that's a toss up.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The People's History of the United States
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have one :)
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I didn't
42. FAVORITE SOUND? my family's laughter
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Thailand and China
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can walk on my hands for days
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Boca Raton, FL
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? St. Anthony of Padua
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Tuesday- I cry at the drop of a hat.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? I have shockingly good handwriting.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Pepper Turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I will one day have a son named Henry
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Obvi
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? See previous question.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS ? yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Yes
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I gotta have my Pops!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I normally wear loafers.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? not really. Have you seen me?
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Breyer's Coffee
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes and laugh
15. RED OR PINK? Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOU? I seem to be balding.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST ? My mom mom.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Obvi
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans (brand new levis thank you) and brown driving moccasins.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Quacamole
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Justin and Karina
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Burnt Sienna
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? burning wood on a cold night and the smell right before it rains.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Tina Ciaramella
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Debatable- j/k
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Diving, Tennis, Gymnastics, Ninja Warrior
27. Hair Color? brown with flecks of red
28. EYE COLOR? Hazel
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? steak- medium rare, mashed potatoes, and asparagus
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Gosford Park
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Pink
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES? I can't decide. Both!
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Key Lime Pie
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I hope all of us.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND ? that's a toss up.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The People's History of the United States
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have one :)
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I didn't
42. FAVORITE SOUND? my family's laughter
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Thailand and China
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can walk on my hands for days
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Boca Raton, FL
Go drink a bottle of yourself, Avian.
I've been tasked with finding diversions for a friend this week and as I was searching for a Molly Shannon clip from SNL, I came across this scene from Superstar, a movie I secretly adore.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Too cool
My sister has a way with words and an incredible job that allows her to travel to great places around the globe. She was recently in Finland and this is what she had to say about it. I wish my emails contained this much imagery.
Hello all - I have my first free, non-work day in helsinki tomoro, but I just wanted to share some highlights of this seriously cool place while they're fresh in my mind
1. reindeer. Tastes like steakums. (Tho served atop incredibly buttery yum mashed potatoes and with a delicious, if odd, sweet/bitter turnip and berry concoction)
2. sauna. I just returned from my first finnish sauna experience, completely sold on this bizarre tradition. I didn't know, but sauna's a finnish word. There's a part that's like the saunas we know - where you sit and sweat with strangers on a wooden bench while some kind of stove running electricity generates steam. Except here you do it naked (sexes strictly separated). It feels completely natural after about 5 seconds. You start to wonder why you'd ever consider clothes. Though, even at 100 degrees (celsius!), it's still not hot enough for some old broads, who sit sweating naked while wearing peaked wool hats. I'm told it's to protect their hairstyles, but I like to think they're just tough.
Then, there's a part that's fully finnish. You put on a bathing suit and head outside in the cold (abt 35 degrees fahrenheit). You pull back a flap on a wooden hut near a gorgeous pine-tree ringed lake. Smoke pours out. It's dark. You walk in and fumble around till you find a seat. Men and women are crowded together on log benches, amid soot-stained walls (you only see the soot, on you, when you get outside), sweating profusely and often chatting happily away. Someone takes a long - like six feet long - copper ladle, fills it with water from a built-in tap, then pours it on an enormous pile of hot stones in the corner. This makes it hotter. There's no electricity involved - I guess there must be fire somewhere ... But I don't know. It was too hot to think. My ears felt like they do when it's freezing out and you forget a hat. Like they were about to fall off. Several times, it felt too hot to breathe. It cools down after a while, after which someone gets up and pours more water on the stones.
You leave when you've had enough. Maybe after 3-5 min. You emerge from the hut. Smoke pours off your skin. Walk to the lake about 20 steps away. Water temp: just above freezing. Walk a short pier, then lower yourself slowly in on a wooden ladder. Don't jump - bad for the body. Similarly, don't get your head wet - bad for the brain. And it's so freaking cold, all you can think about anyway the second you get in is getting out. Limbs seize up. Bones hurt. One sauna veteran's goal: to stay in 13 seconds. I managed to swim from one wooden ladder to the next - like going from one side of mom and dad's kitchen table to the other - and they hailed me as a native (I didn't tell them I couldnt feel my feet). In winter, when the lakes and ocean are frozen over, they cut a hole in the ice and slip in. This, they say, can be dangerous - it's hard to swim if your body goes into shock. Some skip the swim altogether and just roll around in the snow.
After the cold, it's back to the hot. Then back to the cold. Then back to the hot. You're done when you're done. You shower and change, then get a cup of tea in the lodge and head home, feeling invigorated, exhausted, and very clean. Most finns do this every saturday. They start kids on it before they're a year old. Finnish parliament has saunas in the building. The central bank of finland owns about 20 across the country for staff and guests. Business and political deals are routinely struck in saunas. One finn said: we owe our independence to sauna!, only half kidding that the finns secured their freedom by working out a deal with sweaty, muddle-headed swedes and russians in the sauna.
Today's Song: Jos Sanot by Rajaton
Hello all - I have my first free, non-work day in helsinki tomoro, but I just wanted to share some highlights of this seriously cool place while they're fresh in my mind
1. reindeer. Tastes like steakums. (Tho served atop incredibly buttery yum mashed potatoes and with a delicious, if odd, sweet/bitter turnip and berry concoction)
2. sauna. I just returned from my first finnish sauna experience, completely sold on this bizarre tradition. I didn't know, but sauna's a finnish word. There's a part that's like the saunas we know - where you sit and sweat with strangers on a wooden bench while some kind of stove running electricity generates steam. Except here you do it naked (sexes strictly separated). It feels completely natural after about 5 seconds. You start to wonder why you'd ever consider clothes. Though, even at 100 degrees (celsius!), it's still not hot enough for some old broads, who sit sweating naked while wearing peaked wool hats. I'm told it's to protect their hairstyles, but I like to think they're just tough.
Then, there's a part that's fully finnish. You put on a bathing suit and head outside in the cold (abt 35 degrees fahrenheit). You pull back a flap on a wooden hut near a gorgeous pine-tree ringed lake. Smoke pours out. It's dark. You walk in and fumble around till you find a seat. Men and women are crowded together on log benches, amid soot-stained walls (you only see the soot, on you, when you get outside), sweating profusely and often chatting happily away. Someone takes a long - like six feet long - copper ladle, fills it with water from a built-in tap, then pours it on an enormous pile of hot stones in the corner. This makes it hotter. There's no electricity involved - I guess there must be fire somewhere ... But I don't know. It was too hot to think. My ears felt like they do when it's freezing out and you forget a hat. Like they were about to fall off. Several times, it felt too hot to breathe. It cools down after a while, after which someone gets up and pours more water on the stones.
You leave when you've had enough. Maybe after 3-5 min. You emerge from the hut. Smoke pours off your skin. Walk to the lake about 20 steps away. Water temp: just above freezing. Walk a short pier, then lower yourself slowly in on a wooden ladder. Don't jump - bad for the body. Similarly, don't get your head wet - bad for the brain. And it's so freaking cold, all you can think about anyway the second you get in is getting out. Limbs seize up. Bones hurt. One sauna veteran's goal: to stay in 13 seconds. I managed to swim from one wooden ladder to the next - like going from one side of mom and dad's kitchen table to the other - and they hailed me as a native (I didn't tell them I couldnt feel my feet). In winter, when the lakes and ocean are frozen over, they cut a hole in the ice and slip in. This, they say, can be dangerous - it's hard to swim if your body goes into shock. Some skip the swim altogether and just roll around in the snow.
After the cold, it's back to the hot. Then back to the cold. Then back to the hot. You're done when you're done. You shower and change, then get a cup of tea in the lodge and head home, feeling invigorated, exhausted, and very clean. Most finns do this every saturday. They start kids on it before they're a year old. Finnish parliament has saunas in the building. The central bank of finland owns about 20 across the country for staff and guests. Business and political deals are routinely struck in saunas. One finn said: we owe our independence to sauna!, only half kidding that the finns secured their freedom by working out a deal with sweaty, muddle-headed swedes and russians in the sauna.
Today's Song: Jos Sanot by Rajaton
Monday, April 14, 2008
Can't get you out of my head..
About a month ago, a good friend of mine went to NYC with her boyfriend and saw Spring Awakenings. A year ago, I listened to the show's soundtrack and wasn't immediately drawn to it, at least not in the way I was to Sweeney Todd when I first heard it. Thanks to my friend, I've been reintroduced and I can't stop listening. Here's a small taste:
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Should have seen the signs..
My friend Ben sent me this video about a year-and-a-half ago. It features the one and only Charlotte Church and an incoherent Amy Winehouse covering Michael Jackson's Beat It. It.is.hilarious. Charlotte is obviously pissed at how pissed Amy is and shoots daggers at her throughout the performance. Toward the end of the song, Charlotte has begun to prop Amy up and you can no longer hear any of Amy's singing.
An awesomely hilarious video and a song I would definitely buy on itunes if available.
An awesomely hilarious video and a song I would definitely buy on itunes if available.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Changes
Saturday morning I hosted an open house for potential roomates. Aside from the atrocious hangover I was nursing, it went well. I received upward of 15 responses and 7 confirmed they would be there on Saturday. Only 3 came to the apartment and I chose 1. Not terrible numbers when you think about it.
I spent a good amount of time e-stalking (thank you, facebook) the potentials and narrowed my field down to a top two. It was a little awkward interviewing the top two, asking questions to which I already knew the answers. My top choice arrived first and stayed for about 45 minutes, chatting with my roomate and my other friend who lives in the building. All around, I felt immediately comfortable and would have offered him the place on the spot but I had more people coming. Next a girl, an obvious nester, came with her boyfriend and proceeded to get argumentative with me in a discussion about American University, my former employer and her future alma mater. It was odd.
Right after she left, my second choice came with his boyfriend to see the place. They were incredibly nice, interesting, and seemed genuinely interested in the place. I felt genuinely attracted to my second choice and decided against living with him almost immediately for that reason.
I texted top choice later in the evening and he excitedly accepted. So, I've replaced my roomate, a task I thought would be impossible.
Today's song: Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra
I spent a good amount of time e-stalking (thank you, facebook) the potentials and narrowed my field down to a top two. It was a little awkward interviewing the top two, asking questions to which I already knew the answers. My top choice arrived first and stayed for about 45 minutes, chatting with my roomate and my other friend who lives in the building. All around, I felt immediately comfortable and would have offered him the place on the spot but I had more people coming. Next a girl, an obvious nester, came with her boyfriend and proceeded to get argumentative with me in a discussion about American University, my former employer and her future alma mater. It was odd.
Right after she left, my second choice came with his boyfriend to see the place. They were incredibly nice, interesting, and seemed genuinely interested in the place. I felt genuinely attracted to my second choice and decided against living with him almost immediately for that reason.
I texted top choice later in the evening and he excitedly accepted. So, I've replaced my roomate, a task I thought would be impossible.
Today's song: Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra
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