Katzenjammer!

katzenjammer —
1. Hangover
2. Distress; depression
3. Confusion; clamor; uproar.

Etymology: from German, from Katzen, plural of Katze (cat) + Jammer (distress, wailing).

I’m going to find a way to throw that word into my conversations wherever possible…

Newsflash!
Another independent bookstore bites the dust!  J O’Donoghue Books in Anoka will be closing in February 2011. Damn you e-books!

But I did take advantage and buy some sheet music — not because I want to drum these tunes out on the piano but because either the sheet music covers or the words to the songs interested me.

A few examples of the lyrics:

In the Land Where They Don’t Say Goodbye — I won’t bother to quote the lyrics. From the title, you get the jist of it.

Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White — Another love song, need I say more.

That’s All I Want From You — “A little love, that slowly grows and grows. Not one that comes and goes, THAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU…” blah, blah, blah…

Heart of Stone — “Hearts made of stone will never break…”

Stolen Love — “Darlin mine, how you deceived me, You spurned my love for someone new… Stolen love wil bring you sorrow… When you play with fire, trouble you borrow. Stolen love is a losing game.”

And my favorite:

Hitsitty Hotsitty — “My friends all think I’m goofy, They just can’t figure me out… Hitsitty hotsitty, hootsie tootsie, It’s a lovely day.”

Yes, it’s difficult to find any non-love themed music – new love, mature-everlasting love, lost love, angry love, pleading-down on your knees-begging love, go to hell love. It’s all there.

Which is why I’ll probably send the sheet music off with my son to see if he can create some art of it.

But as far as the friends all thinking I’m goofy, well, here’s proof. Klatzenjammer! (3rd meaning) That’s me in the middle on the couch at  a Christmas gathering of stable (double meaning?) pals. At least dogs find me irresistible.

Another bookstore find was a book on Baron Adolf de Meyer whose “camera defined the beauty and elegance of the 1920’s.” I wish I had more time to study photography and work on improving my own photos but here are a couple samples of Adolf de Meyer’s work:

I know I’m bouncing all over the place here, but there was an owl in the tree when I arrived home. He was bigger than the owl I usually see, but I think this is the one I often hear at night, as this tree is right by my bedroom window. Unfortunately, it was too dark to get a clear shot (the owl is that blob in the top middle), but I liked the eerie beauty of the photo all the same.