Monday, March 21, 2011

A Chantar M'er


One of my favorite songs (and one of my favorite singers). A song written by La Comtessa de Dia (Beatritz De Dia) in the late 12th century in the Occitan language, marvelously sung by Azam Ali. Here is an English translation:

I must sing of what I do not want,

I am so angry with the one whom I love,
Because I love him more than anything:
Neither mercy nor courtesy moves him,
Neither does my beauty, nor my worthiness, nor my good sense,

For I am deceived and betrayed
As much as I should be, if I were ugly.

I take comfort because I never did anything wrong,
My friend, towards you in anything,
Rather I love you more than Seguin did love Valensa,
And I am greatly pleased that I conquered you in love,

My friend, because you are the most worthy;
You are arrogant to me in words and appearance,
And yet you are so friendly towards everyone else.

I wonder at how you have become so proud,
My friend, towards me, and I have reason to lament;
It is not right that another love take you away from me
No matter what is said or granted to you
And remember how it was at the beginning
Of our love! May Lord God never wish
That it was my fault for our separation.

The great prowess that dwells in you
And your noble worth retain me,
For I do not know of any woman, far or near,
Who, if she wants to love, would not incline to you;
But you, my friend, have such understanding
That you can tell the best,
And I remind you of our sharing.

My worth and my nobility should help me,
My beauty and my fine heart;
Therefore, I send this song down to you
So that it would be my messenger.
I want to know, my fair and noble friend,
Why you are so cruel and savage to me;
I don't know if it is arrogance or ill will.

But I especially want you, messenger, to tell him
That many people suffer for having too much pride

Beatriz Martin Vidal









Visit artist's website: http://beatriz.carbonmade.com/

Friday, March 11, 2011

The Meaning of Life


BE HAPPY
SHOW UP
FOLLOW YOUR HEART
FIND A NEW PERSPECTIVE
HAVE A SENSE OF WONDER
FIND PEOPLE YOU LOVE
SET GOALS
HELP OTHERS
DANCE
PAMPER YOURSELF
FACE YOUR FEARS
GO TO A MUSEUM
EXERCISE
LIMIT TELEVISION
GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE
LIGHTEN UP
GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
READ BOOKS
BUY YOURSELF FLOWERS
DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF WITH OTHERS
DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP
BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS
DON'T FOCUS ON NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
FOCUS ON CREATING WHAT YOU DESIRE
MAKE TIME JUST TO HAVE FUN
KEEP THE ROMANCE IN YOUR LIFE
MAKE A GRATITUDE LIST
LOVE YOUR MOTHER EARTH
WANT WHAT YOU HAVE
BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Algerian Women Through Art


Eugène Delacroix - Women of Algiers


Pierre Auguste Renoir - Woman of Algiers


Pierre Auguste Renoir - Algerian Woman


Jean-Baptiste Ange Tissier - Algerian Woman and Her Servant


Frederick Arthur Bridgeman - Algerian Girl


Frederick Arthur Bridgeman


Frederick Arthur Bridgeman - Algerian Woman on a Terrace


Frederick Arthur Bridgeman - Portrait of a Kabylian Woman


 Frederick Arthur Bridgeman - Haren Fountain 


Paul Elie Dubois - Portrait of an Algerian Woman





Saturday, March 5, 2011

Quote of the Day


 "It does not matter much whom we live with in this world, but it matters a great deal whom we dream of".

Willa Cather (1873-1947) 

All the Love in the World

Friday, March 4, 2011