Babelfishing Poetry: "Ha Ha, I Got Something Japanese"


Hello! Are you looking forward to the weekend? Me too. I am hoping the rain holds off long enough on either Saturday or Sunday to get out to a nearby nature preserve for a couple of hours.  Otherwise I guess D. and I will have to pick a local museum to visit as an indoor activity.   To bide the time, let's enjoy some more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, tinker with the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week's song, from the 1976 film Car Wash, is R&B band Rose Royce's lovely "I Wanna Get Next To You" (listen to song here).  Enjoy. 


Ha Ha, I Got Something Japanese

Sit, Chair.
In the right hand, sweetie. the Tao of Things him
but the words you say.
and the blind man can, we will.

dime, I don't have
time
black and green, speak with your left hand.
Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it?
I'd like to.

the dream of sailing and
mine eye is scheduled.
You, to you, I am well.
No women, no agreement, no ask a question, a private find.

nice and chosay'.
I have you aggressive?
speak to me.
who said mind?

miss money, I am a boy and I know not.
It can imagine Acquisition
I see no value these days.
I want to always.
I'd like to.

Is your baby?

Oh, Yes, our State, and the Acquisition is removed
Ha ha, I got something Japanese.
It made me cry. dream.
and I want it.

I want.


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SJSU Extras


Here are some out-takes from my trip to the Beethoven Museum at San José State, of other things that caught my eye while on campus.


Y.U.H.





Art 216.





Bradford pear leaf, an echo of autumn.





Mmm-hmm.  It be like that.




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Beethoven Museum


On Saturday D. and I visited the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San José State University.  It is the only museum and library for Beethoven research located outside Bonn, Germany (Beethoven's birthplace).   Here are some of the pics I took.


The Center's sign shows Beethoven's signature on it.





The position of the light reflections on the glass in this frame make it look like Ludwig's wearing pink lipstick.  A rather punk look, if you ask me.





This is a bronze maquette of the Beethoven figure from the Beethoven Monument in Vienna.





Beethoven reluctantly agreed to have a life mask made, and he apparently disliked the experience so much he had a hissy fit and cut the procedure short by grabbing it off his face, flinging it across the room, and making a hasty exit.





The museum showcases examples of the most common types of keyboard instruments during Beethoven's time, including harpsichords, clavichords, and foretpianos (forerunner of the modern piano).





This is a replica of a Jean-Louis Dulcken Fortepiano from ca. 1795, built by Janine Johnson and Paul Poletti in 1985.  The woods used to build this instrument include basswood, maple, mahogany, Swiss pear, lemonwood, cherry, walnut, spruce, beech, and poplar.   This instrument has 66 keys, fewer than the modern piano's 88.





Harpsichord by Eric Herz, Boston, 1977.  It is not known how much Beethoven played the harpsichord in his youth before it became eclipsed by the then-new fortepiano, but the publishers of his early pieces (up to Opus 27) marketed them for either instrument.  Cross-promotion was a thing even in the late 18th Century.





This catalog lists Beethoven's scores available for use by the Philharmonic Society of London in 1813.





Beethoven was not above scratching out his mistakes.





Part of the current exhibit, "A Short Biography of Beethoven."





In this penciled note, Beethoven asks his nephew to deliver an enclosed letter to his publisher Schlessinger.  (Read about Beethoven's fraught relationship with his nephew here.)





Creating masterpieces apparently made Beethoven grumpy.





A bust scowls down on us from a glassed-in shelf.





Grumpy McGrumperson.





If Beethoven had a cat, I'll bet it would be Grumpy Cat.





Beethoven was a snappy dresser.





This electronic keyboard in a corner looks incongruous in this setting.  I can't imagine any members of the American Beethoven Society wanting to play the Moonlight Sonata on it. (And I have no clue why linens are being stored on its bench.) 





Detail from "Beethoven and the Storm" by C. Schweninger, which commemorates Beethoven's decision not to take his own life out of despair over his worsening deafness.  In Beethoven's own words, "It seemed impossible to leave this world until I had brought forth all the music that was within me."  In the painting, Beethoven faces a stormy sky with a small section of clouds breaking open into rays of sunshine, representing the triumph of light over darkness.





Even the chair cushions have a Beethoven theme.





Read a brief article about Beethoven the man here.


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Monday Movies: Ladder Truck T1


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty-four seconds of a ladder truck making a tight turn while returning to the station after responding to a late-night emergency in my neighborhood a few years ago.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "Hello, Nice Yesterday"


Hello, how are you? How was your week? As well as possible, I hope.  I have been struggling with pretty bad insomnia ever since coming home from my sleep study last week (oh, the irony).  I can't seem to fall asleep until well after 3 AM, and I wake up after 5 1/2 hours or so.  I hope this pattern changes to something more reasonable soon.  Until then, let's enjoy some more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, tart up the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week's feature is English post-rock band Talk Talk's "Life's What You Make It" (watch Talk Talk's critter-infested video here, or watch alt-rockers Placebo's environmentally trenchant cover video here, or listen to a contemplative interpretation by Duncan Sheik here, or listen to this cool yet bouncy acoustic version by orchestral pop band The Divine Comedy here, or listen to Weezer's sludge-like rendition here.)  Enjoy. 


Hello, Nice Yesterday

Raw child.
I cannot remove it.
Hello, nice yesterday.
I am sorry.

Subsupply.
The oldest
unwillingly dark,
naked beauty.

Having children.
Ceremony of ceremony.
It is stable.
Tomorrow is a disease.
Nothing has changed.
Life indispensable.

Life is a must.
Everything's okay in Tokyo.
I will do this, and I will.
Absolutely.


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Sleep Study


Due to cold rainy weather (and general exhaustion) there was no field trip this weekend, so instead here are some pics from my overnight sleep study on Tuesday January 2nd (what a way to begin the New Year) at Stanford's Sleep Medicine Clinic.

Here's the room I was in.  The cabinet contained supplies for getting me wired up with sensors.





The other corner of the room.  The cushion of the chair under the TV pulls out into a cot so a spouse or attendant can stay overnight with the patient if needed.





Cameras on the wall facing the bed, so the patient can be observed for sleepwalking, restless leg movements or any other physical phenomena that may contribute to sleep problems.  The camera on the left has a little infrared LED emitter just below it to be able to see the patient when the lights were out.

Also, the little spotlight up on the right is aimed at a spot next to the cabinet, where the patient sits to have the wires and sensors attached.





How was I supposed to sleep with all that crap on me?!  In addition to what's in the pic, there were also over a dozen electrodes plastered all over my forehead and scalp, as well as a pulse ox sensor attached to my forefinger (oh, and 2 leg sensors as well).  I was not allowed to reposition any of that stuff. It had to stay where it was all night long. Good thing I’m not a stomach sleeper.





The next morning I awoke well before my alarm, for reasons unknown.  (I am not a morning person.)





Once I was up proper and got unwired from what felt like 20 pounds of hardware, I got a better look out the window.  My room overlooked the parking structure, which was all that was between that side of the building and Highway 101 a mere 250 feet away.  There was absolutely no traffic noise at all; the room was soundproofed very well.





When I got home and washed all the electrode stickum goo off me, I received a care package from a very kind friend.  After a stressful, disruptive night in a stange place several miles from home, it was wonderful to enjoy a special "breakfast of champions" that morning.




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Monday Movies: Traffic Stop 2


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty-two more seconds of the surreal light show created by a late-night traffic stop by police across the street from my window last month.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "On The Road To Kafr El-Dawwar"


Hello all!  So nice to see you. Come in and have a look around -- the kettle is on, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and make yourself comfortable.  I have just completed an overnight sleep study at Stanford's Sleep Medicine clinic, to see if they can figure out why I haven't had refreshing sleep in a very long time (possibly sleep apnea, possibly something else going on) and maybe shed some light on my mysterious daytime "graying-out" events.  Somehow I was able to sleep almost normally in spite of a billion wires and sensors attached all over me and several pounds of hardware strapped around my torso.

It will be at least 3 more weeks before I will know anything further.  So to while away the time, let's enjoy some Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, shake up the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

This week's song, from Siouxsie and the Banshees, is "Kiss Them For Me" (watch Siouxsie's video here, or listen to indie rockers School of Seven Bells' cover here, or listen to singer-songwriter Anna Nalick's version here).  Enjoy. 


On The Road To Kafr El-Dawwar

Bright and shiny,
Royal Tulip luxury blind.
Bags and cars.

The most beautiful
regret the inconvenience.

Who has access to the party?
Ringtones, lost endocentric voices,
give back.

Or, perhaps, perhaps, or none at all times.
I'm not gonna let you.

Quiet clean light,
powder incense.
Italian city sculptures, hot from the carving.
The center of beauty, sitting.

Kiss, postponed.
My kiss, the second half.

On the road to Kafr El-dawwar,
a shower of stars hit the monitor,
shimmered, striking 10
quality lightweight black lanterns.

Snout.
Thrust.
My snout,
completion.


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Randall Museum


On Saturday, after doing an errand in San Francisco, D. and I visited the Randall Museum, our first visit after their renovation.  Here are some of the pics I took.


We enter the Wild In California exhibit, featuring the various habitats found in the Bay Area, and the creatures commonly found therein.





A crayfish crawls around in a riparian habitat exhibit (the glass was very thick, thus the slight blur in the pic).





A collared lizard snoozes in a burrow.





A hare rests in a corner of the desert habitat exhibit.





This desert tortoise is feeling antisocial at the moment.





Friendly pond turtles swim around together in their riparian tank.





A raccoon pokes its head out of a hollow log in its enclosure.





This garter snake is curious about the activity outside its tank.





Downstairs in the Ocean exhibit we see many interesting creatures in tanks.  Here are some blackeye gobies.







This model of a sea star has cutaway sections to show its internal structures.





Speckled sanddabs have excellent camouflage, hiding on the sandy bottom.





The skin of this large ochre sea star almost looks like upholstery.





A purple shore crab scuttles around in its tank.





The views from the outdoor terrace are some of the best in San Francisco.








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Monday Movies: Mummy Scan 1


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Twenty-one seconds of a CT scan of the mummy Hatason at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.  Enjoy.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "Juice Sobbing Jars"


Hello all!  Thank you for dropping by again, it's so nice to see you! I hope, wherever you are, you're safe and warm on this chilly December day.  You are right on time for more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, scramble the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

What better way to wrap up 2018 than with Beyoncé's sassy "Single Ladies" (watch video here).  Enjoy. 


Juice Sobbing Jars

Suitable for all girls.
Apply, Yu girl.
For all the girls' sons.
All girl.
Quickly select your phone now.

Sleeping under the circumstances of misgivings.
I am injured.
You've chosen this, but you need to walk right now.
Cash on delivery.
Han Angwen,
don't listen to me.
Three years, juice sobbing jars.
I can't do bad things.

The world's death district.
I am a child of a woman.
I am a love person, conforming
the man who supervised me.
Blood is permanent and fast.
South Korea case grammar fun.
Tell me what you want to do.
Otherwise, there is only one
once you skip soul.

If you want, you need a gang.
If you want, we'll edit it.
Don't get angry when you see it.
If necessary, we will edit it.


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Guadalupe River Trail - River Oaks Pkwy to Rte. 237


On Sunday D. and I got out of the house and spent some time on the Guadalupe River Trail, between River Oaks Parkway and Route 237.  Here are some of the pics I took.


The trail runs on top of flood control levees.  We appreciate the trail's flat, even, paved surface.







A ground squirrel basks on the sun-warmed metal of a flood control cistern next to the trail.





A great egret hunts in the river's channel.







A look at the channel, choked with vegetation.





A pair of mallards have a grooming session on some rocks in the river.





Just north of Route 237, the channel widens, a half-mile from where it joins San Francisco Bay.





The clouds are gathering as a weather system moves closer to the Bay Area.





Sow thistle floof and flower.







Teasel.





Another great egret hunts along the east bank of the levee.






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Monday Movies: Santa Nods Out


Monday Movies: 20 seconds (more or less) of video from the world around me.

This week: Nineteen seconds of a somnolent animatronic Santa nodding out in the Viet Museum's holiday display at San José History Park last December.  Enjoy.




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Legion Of Honor


On Friday D. and I went up to San Francisco for our anniversary to enjoy the afternoon in the Legion of Honor.  Here are some of the pics I took.


I love the mauve color on this gallery's walls.  It's a bold choice, but it works really well.





This is Dutch painter Ferdinand Bol's The Crowning of Mirtillo, 1650.





Here's a view through several galleries toward Monet's Water Lilies.





An ornate chandelier hangs below a skylight.





Whoever curated these galleries was not afraid of color.





This carved marble face is flanked by intricately detailed flowers.





This massive chandelier looks like it's on steroids.





This 1702 terracotta bust by Antoine Coysevox is a self-portrait.  He certainly made himself look very self-confident.





This intricately carved 15th Century Spanish Mudéjar ceiling takes my breath away.  It shows the popular Moorish style that was prevalent at that time.





This painted wood piece depicting the Burial of the Virgin is from 16th Century Germany.





This alabaster piece from 15th Century England depicts the Coronation of the Virgin.





This 1882 terracotta bust of Diana is by Jean Alexandre Joseph Falguière.  I love the little crescent moon on her head.





This mummy mask is an idealized image of the deceased as a resurrected being.





Here's another view through several galleries.





Outside the museum, we see dusk settling in over the Marin Headlands across the Golden Gate.





A not-quite-full moon rises through wisps of fog in the east.




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Babelfishing Poetry: "The Beer Is Drunk And Playing Cards!"


Hello! FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!! WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEEEEEE!!!!!! ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!  WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!  Here comes some more Babelfishing poetry, where I take song lyrics, run them through an on-line translator such as (but not necessarily) Babelfish, revise the punctuation a bit, and wind up with a quirky kind of poem.

Here's Elmo and Patsy's lighthearted holiday song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" (watch video here).  Enjoy. 


The Beer Is Drunk And Playing Cards!

Barclay Granny,
on the way home from the Dacheg's house Christmas Eve.
Or, perhaps, like a Santa said,
but we are dad and I am the prince's jester.

There are so many drunk some nog
and straightway attracted to him.
But if your player that medication,
the door saw him standing snow.

They started to clean Christmas morning.
Now apply this first attack.
He is happy the poison he prints
I downloaded only onto Christmas back.

You are all proud of you.
Fruit is good.
Will I see the football?
The beer is drunk and playing cards!

I am a friend, and partly divided by the neighbor.
The Present keeps the status quo.
Start a detention.
Always guide the car guy and elves.


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