December Is When Spring Begins in Secret

12/03/2022

December Is When Spring Begins in Secret

As usual, December arrived with a lot of dread. Another year gone, the world in disarray, non-stop coverage of the corrupt and pointless World Cup, the knowledge that we have three-four months of snow and cold before actual spring starts (unless we have a warm winter, a perverse but undeniable hope in the global-warming era): these are just a few of the terrible things we must endure in December 2022.

In the park, most of the plants have entered winter mode, which means a lot of naked tree branches and brown leaves, but as I looked a little closer, I was pleased to find trees already budding. December has a silver lining, perhaps.

And while this isn't a sign of spring, the absence of leaves gives the beautiful architecture of the elm trees a chance to shine.

I've been listening to the new Weyes Blood album, which is called And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow. It's a perfect soundtrack for December. I first became obsessed with Weyes Blood three years ago, just as the pandemic was unfolding. Titanic Rising (from 2019) and her previous album (Front Row Seat to Earth, which might be my favorite) were on constant repeat in 2020. Her songs are always sad, but are too beautiful and strange to feel hopeless. As many reviewers have pointed out, she often seems like the sonic and spiritual descendant of Karen Carpenter. I remember getting a notification from [the corporate music streaming service to which I subscribe] saying that I was one of the most avid listeners of Weyes Blood. I felt a little embarrassed about it, like I was stalking her. This year, Weyes Blood was third on my most-listened-to list, after Beach House (who I can now feel embarrassed about stalking) and Cemeteries (who isn't new, but I didn't know about until this year).

I'm looking forward to listening to new music this year, and visiting the park many times.

I hope they repair the hole in the path where I recently twisted my ankle! It was a bad sprain, but I've recovered :)

The December light is scarce but magical.

Against all reason, it keeps us coming back for more.

Posted at 03:35 PM in Expression, Science Projects | Permalink

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Music: Death Culture at Sea and Saturnine

Listen or download songs and records from my indie-rock past with Saturnine here and Death Culture at Sea here.

Music Video: Remembrance of Things Past

Watch the rock opera Remembrance of Things Past written and performed by Saturnine and Frances Gibson, starring Bennett Madison and Sheila McClear.

Video: The Chaos Detective

The Chaos Detective is a series about a man searching for 'identity' as he completes assignments from a mysterious organization. Watch the first episode (five parts) on YouTube.

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Expression//Reaction//ScienceProjects

12/03/2022