Thursday 17 April 2008

Why don't cats play the theremin?

Whilst we're on the subject of minority instruments and those who play them...

The Husband is a big fan of Jean Michel Jarre. I don't really understand why, something to do with innovation, and being the first to bring certain electronic sounds and instruments into the mainstream, that sort of thing. Not my cup of tea, but it keeps him happy.

He recently forked out £75 to hear Jarre play live at the Royal Albert Hall, and was sadly disappointed to find out that the Grand Master of popular electronic music is, in fact, completely rubbish when it comes to live performance.

One of the innovative electronic instruments that he uses on his albums is the theremin. This is a bizarre, antenna-based instrument, invented in the early twentieth century. I can't explain how it works, because I don't do physics, but to cut a long story short, the performer stands between two antennae, and waves their hands around in the air to create the music.

The Husband had been looking forward to seeing one played live. You don't see them around much, unless you're seriously into avant-garde music.

I suspect that when he sees this, he will agree that he might have been better off saving his money, and spending the evening on YouTube instead.





I have been very ill all week with a flu-like thing which just won't go away. There are some areas of life where my approach tends to be much more masculine than one might expect. Shopping for clothes is one of them. Interest in celebrities and the details of their lives is another.

Having a bad cold is probably the finest. It's been 8 days and I'm still a rancid bag of snot and misery. I'm already reduced to posting videos of cats being amusing instead of real bloggage. If I'm not better by the middle of next week, then I'll have no option but to post a picture of my arse.

Wish me well, for all our sakes...

10 comments:

Queen Goob said...

I've had that same cold for more than a week - I'm quite proud of how well I can now "hock a loogie".

Gosh a picture of your ass or a picture of the phlegm you've shot out of your lungs….I’m torn.

Luka said...

Oh, we've all had to resort to an arse pic or two in our time.

It is the new test card of the blogging generation.

Hope you feel better soon!

Melissaria said...

Queen Goob: Now, like most women, I am horribly self-critical of my body, but even so, I think my arse is still hugely preferable to what has been been getting hoicked down the sink on a regular basis for the past week and a bit! Hope you are also better soon - it's a nasty one.

Luka: 'It is the new test card of the blogging generation.' I'm still tittering to myself about that...so true. I swore I would never go there, but it is so tempting when nearly a week's gone by, and still can't think of anything amusing to write. It's just the link with alpha baboonery that holds me back.

Maria said...

Most mds tell you that a cold usually lasts about ten days to two weeks for adults.

This just floors me. Because my daughter can slap a cold off in about four days, but me? About two weeks.

Something about their little powerhouse immune systems fighting the good fight while our old immune systems are walking to the rescue instead of running.

MommyHeadache said...

I am devastated that you did not post your buttocks as promised. I will come back soon in the hope of seeing your orbs ;) I hope it will not be disappointing like when there's an eclipse and I say, "Was that it?"

oh and that cat video is just plain disturbing!

Kate said...

Hi, I'm a first-time visitor, coming over from Maria's blog. I laughed about Jean Michel Jarre. My husband (also a Brit) is also a fan.

Melissaria said...

Maria: Well, my little boy started it, and I knew it was going to be rough because he was utterly wretched for a good 5 days, plus 2 days of high temperature beforehand, which isn't like him at all. We're also still in a chicken pox incubation period, so far, no spots, but with 4 or 5 days to go before I can declare him clear - I think if he came down it, that would just about finish me for now!

EmmaK - I am sorry to disappoint, and can't make any arse-related promises for the future. I don't mean to tease - sometimes it is very tempting to pull a big moonie at the world, and it really has been one of those weeks!

Kate: Welcome to a fellow Jarre widow! I don't know what they see in it - does he like Mike Oldfield and Kraftwerk too? Synthesizers are clever, but it's not always an attractive or soothing sound is it?

Anonymous said...
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Ms Robinson said...

Are you still covered in snot. When you wipe it off you will find nothing has changed in the world.

Elizabeth Hurley resurfaced totally airbrushed in the Times in yet another pointless interview

Gordon Brown is still in trouble and his 10p tax abolition looks like a mistake

I had sole charge of my godchildren on the weekend and survived. I don't what you parents go on about...

Hugs

Melissaria said...

Ms Robinson: Many thanks for the hugs - yes the snot is still here; in fact my boy has forgotten how to say 'tissue' or 'loo roll' - these things are all just called 'Mama sneeze aachooo' now.

You got to give the kids back, I'm guessing, and there's the rub - 2 years of not much sleep and counting makes most things less funny. Apart from 'Mama sneeze achoo', obviously...

Liked the Guardian article - sadly comments were closed by the time I got there, are you doing another?

In the meantime, will be posting some more news soon, when I have stopped swearing about mortgage companies being unable to differentiate between company owner/directors and declared bankrupts for lending purposes, the big, stupid shower of bastards...