I had to record a very brief video message a few weeks ago for a very special scrapbooking juggernaut of a gal (Becky Higgins), and I decided to compile a series of outtakes. My contribution to Becky was only 11 seconds long. The outtakes? So much more than that.
A little holiday cheer—and goofiness—for you.
An Outtake for XMAS from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
|
|
Share in the Glory from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
If you love the Olympics, leave a comment today. Who knew beach volleyball could be that good?
|
|
Sigur Rós, a band that I've really come to love over the years, has a new album out, Valtari. Last week, I watched a video from the new record which was part of a mystery film project. The band gave a dozen different film makers a modest budget and asked them to come up with videos. The video below has created a buzz, initially because it features Shia LaBeouf in the, well, buff.
I've watched it a handful of times and while yes, it's trippy and weird in spots, it's also incredibly moving and beautiful.
I love what director Alma Har'el had to say about it: "For me, it's about not knowing how to get out of something without causing pain to somebody else. For other people it might be about candy and fish. I'm down with that."
I have been listening to this album every morning and soaking it in. Pure aural bliss.
Note: there is nudity in this video.
|
|
I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!
(Don't tell Dan but there's another man. Shhhhh.)
On this day that celebrates love, I'll tell you who I'm crushing on right now: It's Gotye, (pronounced go-tea-yay), also known as Wally De Backer, a Belgian-born, Aussie artist whose second album, Making Mirrors, is fast becoming my favorite album of the year.
I posted his "Somebody That I Used to Know" back in December after seeing it on Facebook and was instantly smitten. Mark my words: that man's gonna snag himself a Grammy come next Winter.
He has been compared to Sting and even Peter Gabriel in terms of his style. Considering PG is numero uno in my book, that's not bad company to be sharing.
Today I wanted to share another track off the album, a song called "Bronte." It's a beautiful, haunting tune, and it turns out, it's about his family friend's dog who passed away. The family put the dog down in the backyard. Gotye wrote this song for the dog and to commend the family on what an excellent job they did for helping their children cope with the grief, according to the Internet.
Hence the opening line "Now your bowl is empty, and your feet are cold and your body cannot stop the rocking, I know it hurts to let go."
So pet owners, it might make you a bit too sentimental. I'm just saying.
Aidan, who is also crushing on Wally—I love it when the teen and me can share music love—loves this video as well because it reminds her of a movie she loves, Princess Mononoke. But then again, give that girl some Japanese anime and she'll follow you anywhere.
I hope you like this song. Enjoy.
I'm thinking the tickets I bought to his show in Minneapolis will make me very happy. Very happy indeed.
|
|
Last week, my friend Amy posted the video clip below on her Facebook page and it was one of those songs that after it was done, I knew: I have a new favorite song and possibly album for the season. Gotye (pronounced Go-tee-ay), you complete me.
Maybe it's his thin, pasty, sparsely furred frame, or his unusually large mouth, or even the fact that when he starts to belt it out he's vaguely reminiscent of Sting, but I cannot get this song out of my head. I wake up and it's there. Plus, guest singer Kimbra is one hotsie totsie who can sing. That, and it's visually cool clip. And if you need any other reason, he's technically Australian. Enjoy.
The album is available on iTunes. Good stuff.
|
|
BEE DANCE from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
Happy Halloween everyone!
(Special thank you to the genius behind the Pumpkin Sexy Dance for your inspiration.)
|
|
American Gothic, updated. Photo by Aidan Zielske
It had to happen: no scrapbooking this weekend ergo, no Make a Page Mondays. You have to understand that life occasionally gets in the way of—gasp—my scrapbooking.
Still, I had time to continue workshopping my winter uniform. Lucy tights, Athleta skirt, Gap thermal tee and my Columbia Mighty Lite vest. Yes, I am the enabler. That, and I really hate coming up with new looks. One look for one season. Works for me!
With that in mind, I hope to get back to scrapbookin' real soon like, but until then, I offer up a very special birthday wish to Big Picture Classes. They're ringing in 5 years of teachin' scrapbookin' on the Internets. Who knew it could work so well?
They sure did. And I for one am proud to be a part of it. Happy 5th, BP. Love, Cathy.
Happy 5th Birthday to Big Picture Classes from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
|
|
(Of course, I jest… you can drink all you like!)
However, if you're interested in joining me for Me: the Abridged Version, class starts this Thursday. Registration will remain open until the 22nd, but of course, I'd love to have you sooner.
Here's a brief video message from me.
[note: although I say class starts NEXT week, I actually mean THIS week. I recorded this lovely snippet last weekend for a Big Picture promo.]
Me: the Abridged Version from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
|
|
On Sunday, the entire Zielske family and a host of relatives and friends gathered in Southern Minnesota (North Morristown, to be precise) to celebrate Dan's parents' 50th wedding anniversary.
Joan and Dan wanted to celebrate at home on their 100-plus-year-old farm and all of the siblings and wives and husbands and significant others helped to take care of the details to make it happen.
The farm looked simply pastoral:
The weather was cooperative, if not a shade on the sticky side, and the good predominantly German Lutheran guests ate pasta salads, drank their ice cold beers and mingled under the shade of a giant white tent.
There I am with my lovely (and much tanner than me) sisters-in-law, Deb, Joy and Anne.
There's me with my dashing better half.
And there, of course, is Cole with a llama.
But that's a story for another day…
The real story was celebrating 50 years of marriage. I've talked about my in-laws from time to time here on my blog. Dan has been a preacher for his entire adult life, retired now, but still stepping in for pastors here and there who need a fill in. Joan, aside from being a teacher and raising 6 kids, is also an accomplished organist, and has spent many a Sunday playing for the congregations to whom Dan has preached.
The siblings decided to put together a short program to honor Joan and Dan, and provide a little entertainment for the guests. We all worked on adding some Joan-and-Dan-specific lyrics to well known TV-theme show songs. From Gilligan's Island to The Brady Bunch, we worked our Zielske magic to bring some wide smiles to our guest of honor's faces.
I didn't even think to have someone film us singing. Aidan had the photography covered (she took all of the photos you see on this blog post, which explains why she's not showing up in any!) But Cole decided to film the last of our four songs using his new birthday camera. Way to go, Cole!
We tailored our various songs to different times in Joan and Dan's lives. The Gilligan's Island song covered their courting, marriage, and diving into parenthood. The Brady Bunch song covered life with 7 people. The Love Boat song covered Joan and Dan's years as foster parents. And the last song, the theme from All in the Family, was hoping to cover their influence, their service, and their legacy.
Joan and Dan don't do a lot of horn tooting, but they have spent countless hours of their lives in service to others. One simple example? They've gone down to Mississippi and Louisiana, not once, but several times since Katrina, and they are still helping people rebuild their homes and lives. This is part of their passion for life and it's inspiring. It's just what they do and who they are.
With that, I leave you with our short but sweet version of "Those Were the Days"…Zielske-style.
(My sincere apologies to Jean Stapleton.)
|
|
I Tweeted about this the other day, but I just had to post it here. I've decided that whenever I'm having a bad day, if I just think of Marcel and the overall sweet charm of this clip, I will find a way to smile because I don't think you can't NOT smile after seeing this. Enjoy.
|
|
