The Hermaphrodite

1 He had an iron peg for a nose; his future wife, named Kciroy, she was a toothless dwarf and thus, they would soon marry, and that in itself is a long story, that I shall try to make short in a jiffy. 2 She was the morbid princess of Oxas, a puzzled little kingdom in the high mountains of Bulgaria, during the early Dark Ages. 3 The king upon his daughter's wedding day, gave his son-in-law Ailepho, double golden nose-plugs, to plug those hug nostrils of his, likened to a hogs snout, without a snout-just deep rooted holes. 4 They smelt worse than rotten game, skunk-holes you could call them, even worse than, devils-breath. 5 To be honest, there are no words in those far-off vocabularies that would have described such a stink. 6 Ailepho was in his middle years, whereas his wife, half his age, and the father, twice the age of Ailepho. 7 Soon after they had married, Kciroy gave birth to a hermaphrodite; the Princess Dwarf went absolute into rage over the sight of the child, and Ailepho, likewise. 8 As for the king, he took it no different than he had when his wife-now deceased, gave birth to Kciroy, that is to say: his daughter and when he allowed his daughter to marry Ailepho, now his son-in-law: -like to like, same to same, simply taking it as a human tragedy in sum. 9 But to go back to why the king allowed Kciroy to marry Ailepho: to be put in a nutshell, it was as this: he got rid of all the rats, with that cursed smell of his throughout the kingdom. 10 No more said on the subject that was the deal, lock-stock-and barrel: "Get rid of the rates, the rats the rates!" 11 Well, now seven years had passed, and the old king was still alive-eighty-seven to be exact, and the child was no more a child, he was a youngster of formal reasoning. 12 Thus, out of bitterness, he was called 'it' not by the grandfather of course, but rather the mother and father: out of repugnance.

13 Now before I go on with this story it must be explained, if only for the sake of psychology, or insight, what started as a good omen, or out of good will, as often it does, ends up in a state of ill-will. 14 A child knows at the age of six months, the nature of his mother and father, hence the child has to adjust, for the purpose of survival, smile when the child doesn't want to. 15 Cry the child will, when the child knows s/he can get out of that cry whatever he or she wants. 16 On another note before we go on, evil knows evil, as well as a fool knows the mind of a fool, as much as a thief knows the heart of another thief. 17 And let it be said, a king knows how much his people will take before they rebel, he knows what they mostly need, that will settle them down. 18 With this in mind I continue with the story.

19 Back to the poor child: was 'it' more male than female? 20 Or vice versa? 21 This of course was gossip among the inhabitants of the kingdom. 22 Who is to say? 23 I mean, does it really matter, and on the other hand, some things may never be known, and for the better, and less gossip. 24 The prince and princess never loved this child, and that was the thorn, and the child and Grandfather knew this-in particularly the child. 25 It was obvious; such things cannot be kept in secret forever. 26 And the child remembered when it was just three years old, one evening, his mother had left the bedroom window open, hoping the crows and the hawks and the ravens, and even perhaps the great owls would pick out the eyes, and pluck out the guts and eat the child alive, little by little unto its death, and low and behold, profess it was an accident. 27 But the child was smart, he unplugged his father's golden nose plugs that night, and slept under his bed, thus, he had saved himself, and in the morning, put the plugs back into his nostrils, and rushed back into his bed, with the windows open, this seemed to its parents to be an omen of some sort, that is to say, leave well enough alone. 28 Well, the child may have been a hermaphrodite, but it had a memory like an elephant. 29 At seven years old, the age of formal reason, this event came to haunt him (I shall now call him, him, because I really don't like the name 'it', respectfully). 30 And to say the least, the child was getting tired of watching so carefully, his mother and father, lest he stop and they poison him, or push him off the tower wall, who's to say what goes on in a morbid mind.

31 It happened on the boy's seventh birthday; he snuck into his father and mother's bedroom, pulled the golden pegs out of the father's noise, and it stunk up the whole kingdom, to kingdom-come, you might say, and no one could find the golden pegs, especially made with two shutoff valves to be put deep into those big hole like nostrils. 32 In addition, he pulled off (softly) the iron nose, his grandfather had made for Ailepho, causing even a more deadly sticky and suffocating uproar. 33 Oh it was terrible; everyone in the kingdom wore masks. 34 Day after day, they could not find those pegs, nor was the goldsmith around to make him new ones-where he was, only the child knew, and played dumb, he had paid him well, to take along trip to China or somewhere, that same distance: again, who's to say. 35 In any case, the persistence in these pestilential gusts from his nostrils was so disgusting, that they curled man and beast's eyelashes. 36 Well what could the king do? 37 What started as a good omen, turned out to be an evil one, rebellion was emanating throughout the kingdom; consequently, he had them both beheaded, in lack of a crime, he called it, causing rebellion. 38 And yes, 'it' took its rightful place as King and Queen of Oxas in due time.

39 And perhaps it is better said, in this case anyhow: if one dares to beat out resistance or existence of another they breed in hatred, and mayhem, if not dark dreams and revenge. 40 Such as it is, in this case, where like to like, was not liked: the hunted becomes the hunter.

By Dennis Siluk Dr.h.c.

Getting Those Creative Juices Flowing

Some artists can get into the zone whenever they want. They get their equipment ready and can paint just like that. They seem to be able to get their creative juices whenever it suits them. Most people are not as efficient as this. Most people need a little bit of extra help to get the juices flowing and the creativity going. Here are some tips that will help you get in the zone for a really productive period of painting.

Exercise

Scientists have concluded that doing a bit of exercise every now and then is a good way to boost creativity. Whether it's a strenuous gym session or a relaxing walk in the park, all physical activity can be good. Physical activity makes you think more flexibly and creatively. For it to work really effectively, you should be doing physical activity regularly so your body's used to it. If you only exercise once in a while, all the energy will go into the movement, and not to firing up those creative juices. Many artists, writers and other creative people strongly recommend any form of physical activity before starting work.

Brain training

Do a few brain training puzzles before you get started on your painting. The good thing about brain training activities is that they can be quite easy and quick, but they still get your brain going. There are loads of great puzzles to get your brain fired up - sudokus and crosswords are two of the most popular ones. Alternatively, you could try brain training exercises that are more related to the work you're about to do. Challenge yourself to do a quick painting in a limited amount of time or try painting something you've never painted before. The possibilities are endless!

Read

Reading can be a great way to boost creativity. All sorts of books can help you before you get started on your painting, from novels and autobiographies to factual books and reference guides. Think of the sort of book you find mentally stimulating, something that made you feel motivated and creative. Read a chapter or two before every painting session and, if you can, pick up some ideas while you read.

These are just a few ways you can boost your creativity. It's always good to do a warm-up session before you tackle a big creative project. Doing little things to boost your creativity can make your painting session much more interesting, manageable and enjoyable. Do you know of any other ways to boost creativity?

By Joanne Perkins

Violin Strings for Beginning Players

Once the parent purchases a violin for your child who is a beginning player, the parent quickly finds out that the violin, bow and case is only the beginning. To allow one's child the richest playing experience - especially if the child is taking lessons in school or studying privately - an additional minimum investment in the proper violin accessories is necessary.

Probably the single most important accessory to purchase is better and additional violin strings. One cannot overstate the importance of good, high-end violin strings, and for a number of reasons. If a parent purchases a beginner violin online or from a private party, odds are that the violin is outfitted with cheap, low-end strings. On the other hand, if a parent purchases a beginner violin from a reputable violin shop, odds are that the violin is outfitted with higher-end strings that are appropriate for that particular violin.

Violin strings come in many, many different qualities and brands and just changing and upgrading the strings can noticeably improve the sound of the violin. The right strings can actually make playing the violin easier for the student; the easier the violin is to play, the more likely it is that the child will continue to play it.

If a parent decides to upgrade the strings for the beginning student, the best thing to do is to take the violin to a local violin shop that not only maintains and repairs violins, but that also sells accessories for the violin. Ask them their advice on which strings are appropriate for the student violin. If you purchased the violin from an online store or a private party, this would be a good time to ask the violin shop if the violin is properly set up for a student player.

Not only will they recommend and restring the violin, but they may also recommend a new bridge, a carved piece of wood that supports the strings on the violin. Adjusting the size and position of the bridge can, like upgrading the strings, make the violin much easier to play, as well as improve the sound of the instrument.

Once the violin is restrung, a parent should not hesitate to ask the violin shop to instruct them on how to restring an instrument, in case that the student breaks a string while playing. This brings up an important point: Make sure that you purchase a backup set of strings to keep in the student's violin case. While a student is learning to play and to tune his or her own instrument, it is very likely a string can break.

By Nathan Weiss

The 110-Most Interesting Readings

Here is my selection for the best readings, a personal list, out of a 1000-selections.
The Gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke, John) 31 A.D.
Epic of Gilgamesh
(John Garn Gardner & John Maier, translated: poetic) 2700 B.C.
Iliad (Homer: poetic) 800 B.C.
The Odyssey (Homer)
Aeneid (Vigil)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (J.R.R. Tolkien, translated)
Alexander Trilogy (by: Mary Renault) three-books 325 B.C.
The Republic (and, Plato's Atlantis, 450 B.C.)
Grendel (John Gardner)
Beowulf (9th Century)
The Tale of Troy (by John Masefield; Epic Poem) 1250 B.C.
Book of Job (Poetic) 2200 B.C.
Song of Solomon (Poetic) 1000 B.C.
Sandalwood and Jade (Poems by: Lin Carter) 1951
Galleon of Dreams (poems by: Lin Carter) 1953
The Great Stone Face (Hawthorn)
A Movable Feast (Hemingway)
The Unvanquished (by Faulkner)
In the Beginning... (Joseph Ratzinger)
Dracula's Guest (Bram Stoker)
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
(Only Novel by E.A. Poe) 1838
The Story of Philosophy (by Will Durant)
The Raven and other Poems (Edger Allen Poe) 1845
Silence in the Snowy Fields (poems by Robert Bly)
The Branch Will not Break (poems by James Wright)
Life of Cicero (by Robert Harris) 2 books
Pillars of the Earth (by Ken Follett)
Tobacco Road (by Erskine Caldwell)
The Road Back (by Erich Maria Remarque)
The Source (by James Michener)
Before Adam (Jack London)
This Side of Paradise (by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Huckleberry Finn (by Mark Twain)
Absalom, Absalom! (By Faulkner)
Sound and the Fury (by Faulkner)
Life along the Mississippi (by Mark Twain)
Men without Women (by Hemingway)
Save Me the Waltz (Zelda Fitzgerald)
Robin Hood (11th Century)
Hamlet (William Shakespeare)
Ariel (Plath: poetry)
Theseus: The King Must Die &
The Bull from the Sea (Mary Renault) 2-books (1250 B.C.)
The Grass Crown & Sequel (Coleen Macaulay) 2-books
The Book of Folly (Anne Sexton)
Crow (Ted Hughes: Poetry)
Lilith (by George Sterling: Poetic)
Nigger to Nigger (E.C. L. Adams)
The Liar of the White Worm (Bram Stoker)
The Game (by Jack London)
Anomalous Phenomena &
Homeward Bound (Jules Verne) SF 2-books
A Night in Lisbon (by Erich Maria Remarque)
Night over Water (Ken Follett)
Chicago Poems (Carl Sandburg)
Twenty Poems of Georg Trakl
Twenty Poems of Cesar Vallejo
Tender is the Night (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
The Children of Húrin (by J.R.R. Tolkien)
The Man with the Hoe (Markham: Poetry)
Twenty Prose Poems (Charles Baudelaire)
In Country Sleep (Dylan Thomas: Poems)
The Selected Poetry of Robinson Jeffers
The Last Trumpet and the Woodbridge Demon
The Tale of Willie the Humpback Whale
Dark Odyssey (Donald Wandrei)
Mary, Called Magdalene (Winthrop & Frances Neilson)
Windy McPherson's Son (Sherwood Anderson)
The Fifty Column... (Hemingway)
Go, Down Moses (Faulkner)
Verses in Ebony (Robert E. Howard)
The Notorious Jumping Frog... (Twain)
The Night Born (Jack London)
The dragons of Eden (Carl Sagan)
The Grand Design & Black Holes
(Stephen Hawking... ) 2-books
Music for Chameleons (Truman Capote)
The Doctor and the Devils (Dylan Thomas)
The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
Habitant of Dusk (August Derleth: poems)
Songs and Sonnets Atlantean (Donald Fryer: 9000 B.C.)
The Four Million (O. Henry)
The Dwarf (Par Lagerkvist)
The Windmills (Los Molinos) Poetry of: Juan Parra del Rigo
The Last Tomb (Michael Grichton as: John Lange)
Private Latitudes (Michael Crichton)
Journey (by Jams A. Michener)
The Colossus (Plath: poems)
Men at War (Hemingway)
Scenes and Portraits: The King of Uruk
(By Frederic Manning)
Arch of Triumph (by Erich Maria Remarque)
Heaven Has no Favorites (by Erich Maria Remarque)
Hawthorn's Short Stories (1946, Edition)
The Tomb (H.P. Lovecraft)
The Star-Treader (Clark A. Smith: poems)
The Dunwich Horror (H.P. Lovecraft)
Granite & Rainbow (Essays by Virginia Woolf)
Lectures in America (Gertrude Stein)
The Stolen White Elephant (Twain)
Chamber Music (Poems by James Joyce)
Pomes Penyeach (by James Joyce)
Strange Waters (George Sterling)
Death by Demand (Eldritch Stories)
Ecstasy (by Donald Wandrei: poetry)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8501696

By Dennis Siluk Dr.h.c.

A Cool Saturday in Athens ((1995) (Poetic Prose))

I must have asked a dozen times in my lifetime, others "What's the real meaning of life; what is happiness," and I didn't really want a strict religious answer, nor a strict, secular answer, just one from the heart, if you know what I mean, no philosophical jargon, or Shakespearean Sonnets to explain the simplicity I was looking for.

To be quite honest and frank, I never got a good answer. Matter of fact, what I got was folks thinking I was quizzing them, or presenting them with a trick question, surely a hard question because no one could really answer it to my liking. When in essence, it was straight forward, as straight and forward as anyone could get, or make it. For the most part the question was avoided with smirks, and smiles, and pats on the back, and then back to whatever the conversation was prior to my little jaunt, as it was accepted as.

But this all came to focus one day when I was in Athens, Greece. It was a Saturday, a cool day, in 1995.

I walked down to an old park area, lots of high foliage, weeds and grass, and open spaces, and high burly and bushy trees, also in the distance, was an old ruin's, a kind of Parthenon style of ruin's, dating to about 400 B.C., high pillars and all, Corinthian style, it was constructed for the legendary Theseus, so I was told, which Mary Renault in her two books so heroically, with attention to detail, describes: "The King Must Die," and "The Bull from the Sea."

As I looked about, realizing it was about lunch time, I saw several small groups, they looked like little packs of individuals, some Jews, some Greeks, some Turks-I suppose if we sorted out religions here, we had a sort of triangle, the Hebrews, Muslims, and Christians. Not that it mattered it was just so. A few made the sign of the cross, a few put their hands and palms up towards the heavens, a few were counting beads, then they pulled out bread and sausage and some cheeses from their baskets, and passed a bottle of wine around. A few had bottles of beer, and one person was playing something like the mandolin, while a few toddlers tried to dance.

They were all sitting around in circles, for the most part.

Far-off, there were a group of women, in a circle, with a woman in the middle of the circle, and everyone holding their skirts high and low, so you could not see what was going on, and no one needed to know beyond that.

There were old men, young women, kids, just a good assortment of the cross-cultural populist: eating, drinking, dancing, breathing in the cool and fresh air-a few steps away from the busy carbon dioxide streets of Athens, talking to one another, sharing conversations, thanking God for this day.

I said to myself: how can I not know what happiness is, or for that matter, the purpose of life, it's right in front of you.

Here was the thing my heart was looking for, that I felt the world should have more of.

Funny as I write this out, I was raised in an extended family, Russian-American, and every weekend, on Sundays, that's exactly what my family would do, all the relatives got together, ate at our home (my Grandfather and mother raised me) and the family drank some vodka, and ate sausage and bread, and cheeses, and talked until late afternoon, and us kids played, wherever. And sometimes I could hear the old 78-records playing. Hick, I didn't need to search for what happiness was, or the purpose of life, I had it in my pocket all the time, and I just forgot it was there.

Need I say more!

By Dennis Siluk Dr.h.c.

Musical Performances at Local Theaters

For most people, theaters are places to watch the latest film releases. And with so many new films coming out on a monthly basis, there's always something new to watch during your free time on the weekends! However, sometimes it's fun to watch live people perform on stage. What different types of live performances can you see at a local performing arts venue?
Broadway
Broadway performances use music, dancing, and theatrical acting to tell a story. Beginning in a theater located on Broadway Street in New York City, Broadway has become an intricate part of the American culture since the mid-19th century.
Some of the most popular Broadway plays have been The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, The Lion King, Wicked, and Les Miserables. In addition to being performed on stage numerous times, these shows have also been made into feature-length films.
Ballet
Ballet uses music, dance and facial expression to convey emotion and tell a story. This form of entertainment has been around since the 15th century. It first became popular in Italy and gradually made its way throughout Europe. In the beginning, ballet was a form of entertainment provided only for rich noblemen and noblewomen.
Towards the late-19th century, ballet settled in Russia. Some of the most popular ballets like The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake were created during this time. These ballets continue to be performed in theaters all over the world.
Musical Performances
From individual instrumental performances to marching bands or large symphonies, there are a wide variety of ways to enjoy beautiful, inspiring music. Performing arts theaters often host local artists as well as world-renowned performers throughout the year. You can usually find schedules and purchase tickets for performances online.
Advantages to Attending Musical Performances
Individual artist performances inspire others to learn and enjoy music. Whether you enjoy the classical sounds of piano, the airy sound of a wind instrument, or the percussive beat of drums, taking music lessons empowers an individual to enjoy music at any time!
Many instruments can be combined to make a beautiful medley of sound. From a string quartet to the soaring sounds of a symphony, the many instruments combine to create a beautiful world of sound. A marching band combines the sounds of wind and brass along with percussion to lift the spirits and stir patriotic emotions.
Even larger instruments can be combined together. Piano players who enjoy making music together can enjoy piano duets and even quartets on two pianos. Playing the two instruments together is quite a rhythmic feat. And watching a piano quartet play is amazing!
Vocal Performances
From soloists to barbershop quartets to large choirs, the voice is a beautiful instrument. Sopranos, altos, tenors and basses combine together to create music. Some use songs with words and instrumental accompaniment, while others use vocal sounds to create haunting melodies without any words.
Just the Beginning...
Ballet, Broadway, and musical performances all open the door for wonderful musical performances. And at these same theaters you can also experience plays, speeches, and a wide variety of other non-musical performances too.

By Anders Abadie

5 Tips on Building an Effective Website for Artists

What follows are five effective tips for building the type of website that will garner a maximum response. Your website should focus visitors on the works you have created and minimize any distractions.

Buy your Own Website

You don't want to use any "free" web hosting services because they are never free. They are paid for by distracting advertisements and have domain names so long and confusing that no one will ever work their way back to the website. The myriad of ads will make your art look bad and worse, gives the website the appearance of being cheap and tawdry. This is why having your own website will work wonders for your art. Plus, purchasing a good website today is very cheap and well worth the effort.

Be Sure its Mobile Compatible

Today, more people use mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to surf the web. This means that your website needs to be compatible with these devices in some manner so that your work can stand out. While your artwork may not look stunning squeezed down to a 4" screen, if your website is compatible then at least it will be functional and useful to those who want to view what you've accomplished.

Remember Image Sizing

One of the biggest problems that many websites for artists have is that their images are simply too large or take up too much space. This can be problematic for downloading your website and the slower it goes and the more likely people will go somewhere else rather than wait. This means that you have to be extra careful about the size and type of image that you display. For example, a.jpeg displays nearly as well as a.bitmap, but takes up only a fraction of the space. It's okay to use one big image on the home page, but limit your pictures to something reasonable for the rest of the pages so that they load faster.

Be User Friendly

This means make your website as friendly and open to visit as possible. You don't want to force any registration, passwords or the like. Plus, you'll want your website to be as easy to navigate as possible so that visitors can find everything that you have to offer. Think of your website as a free gallery for everyone to see and visit.

Be Clear about Purchases

When offering your works of art, the prices you charge should be reasonable for the effort that you put in. Be sure that you make purchasing the art easy and simple, plus you will need to offer a return and refund policy. If you don't, then expect few sales at best since many buyers will want to see the art with their own eyes first.

By following these tips, you can create a more effective website for artists that work for you.

By Matt McWilliam 

An Awesome Career Graph of the Music Magician David Sylvain

As an artist, Sylvain has a shadow that has stretched across 30 years of music history; his immaculately written lyrics have provided inspiration for a number of artists with his songs of spiritual and emotional quest, singer and composer David Sylvain really occupies his own musical space. David Sylvain is a former English singer-songwriter and musician born in Backenham on 23 February 1958. He is a son of a plasterer and a housewife. He was educated at Cat Ford Boys' School, at Cat ford, and South East London. In his 16 years of age, he along with his brother Steve planned to form a band, which lately became famous in the name of Band Japan.

Their other comrades of that band were guitarist Rob Dean, bassist Mick Kern, keyboardist Richard Barbieri and Sylvain's Brother Steve Jansen as a drummer and this group starts their dream journey as a group of friends. A changed had been coming to the band Japan after they signed the contract with renowned Hansa, and therefore, they move fast and grab the number-one spot of rock band ranking in all over the Europe and its surrounding areas. The band suffered from personal and creative clashes, particularly between Sylvain and Kern. And that clash became bigger after Sylvain's relationship with Kern's former girlfriend Yuka Fujii, a photographer, artist and designer. The band Japan was one of the leading bands of the New Romantic movement at the start of the 80s.

Before dissolving, Japan played their final concerts in December 1982. The demise of Sylvain's band in Japan has led him on a more adventurous path that saw him delivering deeper into the worlds of avant-garde, jazz, ambient and improvised music. Furthermore, in this year Sylvain released his first solo joint effort with Ryuichi Sakamoto. Sakamoto's first contribution to Sylvain's work though was as a co-writer of "Taking Islands in Africa."

Sylvain's debut solo album, Brilliant Trees in 1984, got some critical acclamation, and it featured the UK Top 20 single Red Guitar. The time span of between 1980 and 1990 David started to concentrate into his solo career. In 1985, Sylvain released an instrumental EP Word with the Shaman, in collaboration with Hassel, Jansen and Czukay, a recording that re-released the same year as full-length album Alchemy: an Index of Possibilities. The album contained important contributions from renowned guitarists Robert Fripp of King Crimson and Bill Nelson of Be-Bop Deluxe. In 1990, Sylvain collaborated with Russell Mills and Ian Walton on the elaborate multi-media installation using sculpture, sound and light titled Ember Glance - The Permanence of Memory.

Furthermore, in 1990, Sylvain reunites with the former members of Japan for a new project. A restless soul and a poet, he became one of the shapeliest-shifting artists in a modern form of music. In the early 1990s, guitarist Robert Fripp invites Sylvain to sing with progressive rock stalwarts King Crimson. Sylvain declines the invite, but Sylvain and Frappe recorded the album 'The First Day' released in July 1993. He released his next album in the year of 1999, by the name of "Dead Bees on a cake", which was his first proper solo album after the "secret of the beehive".

After that, Sylvain reached to the limelight for several times with his wonderful experiments in music, but all those times he came along with some collaboration. Their skills along with Sylvain's voice tune made those collaborations memorable for all the time. Though after 1999, he released only two albums under his name, one of them is "Blemish", which was based on Sylvain's new invented creation of music on 'Samadhi sound', and that album became more popular due to that experimental town in the year of 2003. After Blemish, Sylvain's fans were lucky to beat him for one time more in 2009, the album name was Manafon. This is an average hit till today.

By Anwar Ali Ansari

Power Ranking of Fantasia Sequences

The Pastoral Symphony segment suffers from being the most childish of all the sequences. The humor suffers from too much slapstick. It is not as innovative as in The Sorcerer's Apprentice or Dance of the Hours. Furthermore, the animation is bland and not particularly memorable. Walt Disney had originally intended for the centaurs to be much more wild and beastlike, but concerns by the studio and censors ended these plans. As a result, the centaurs are merely pretty. There are some good moments, such as the storm scene, but this ends before it can become too threatening. The segment is cute, but not much else.

6. Nutcracker Suite

This second piece of Fantasia is extremely beautiful, but that is about all there is to say about it. Scenes such as leaves falling, ice fairies, and Russian flowers are beautiful to look at, but because there is no story, they are ultimately forgettable. This number is gorgeous to look at, but when one is done watching the film, it is hard to remember. This is still better, however, than being geometrically animated and forgettable, like the flamingo with a yo-yo in Fantasia 2000.

5. Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

This opening piece is meant to represent what the audience imagines while hearing a piece. At first the viewer can plainly see the instruments. Then one can see images that could be perceived as instruments. Finally the instruments disappear completely.

This is one of the reasons I like Fantasia. This sequence does not have a story; rather it introduces the audience to the concept of Fantasia, for example, when the strings' moving bows become an abstract. The sequence does not pander to children and put in a story, as Fantasia 2000 did with its "abstract" number, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. Yet the earlier opening number has more educational interest because it introduces the orchestra.

This sequence has beautiful animation and I admire the ambition of it, but ultimately it lacks the emotional power of the final four on the list.

4. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

This is probably the most famous sequence from Fantasia, and justifiably so. Making Mickey Mouse a sorcerer in the first place is funny. Then we see how badly he botches his simple task of mopping the floor, and while we're laughing, we also sympathize.

We've all probably messed up some simple job, but not spectacularly as he does. The juxtaposition of his fantasy of ruling the universe with the out of control flood inspires sympathetic pity and anxiety, but also laughter at the ridiculous grandiosity of his aspirations. When the brooms multiply so dramatically, it's funny, but also terrifying because they are trying to drown poor Mickey. Likewise, the sorcerer's return is frightening, reassuring, and funny all at once. Mickey has been caught, and everyone can identify with the fear that inspires. At the same time, he puts an end to the madness Mickey started. And the ease with which he does so, as well as the bop on the bottom he administers with the broom, is comical.

While it is entertaining, however, this sequence does not have the fast-paced humor of the next entry on this list or the beautiful animation of the final two entries. It is excellent, but the final three here are great.

3. Dance of the Hours

This is arguably the high point of humor in Fantasia. The dance between the hippo and the alligator is the ultimate anti-Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire. While that pair personified grace, the hippo smushes the alligator, who nevertheless retains his romantic drive and debonair aplomb. The humor comes from the fact that both seem to think that they are graceful. In fact all the animals seem to believe that they are great dancers.

Though this sequence is highly amusing, the final two on my list combine drama with masterful combinations of animation and music that tell memorable and moving stories.

2. Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria

Night on Bald Mounta

in is my favorite part of Fantasia. The animation, showcasing the dead returning to the devil captures the insane evil evoked by the music. Bela Lugosi modeled for the animation of the devil, and his smile can be seen as the devil revels in torturing the souls in his hands. There can be no mistaking who he is as soon as he emerges from the mountain.

Why is this sequence on the number 2 spot then? For one reason: Ave Maria comes after it. Ave Maria is nice, but it is blandly, even sentimentally, good. The choral introduction and accompaniment emphasize the goody-ness with syrupy, inappropriate slides, and the personal, pleading quality of the prayer in the piece is reduced when the choir soars over the high parts of the solo, implying that heavenly balm will smooth over actual, human troubles. This is replicated in the animation, which reduces people to faceless lights in the beginning, then soars to saccharine heavenly vistas by the end.

Night on Bald Mountain, as good as it is, has the major flaw of being followed by an unmemorable number. But I believe that the final entry on this list encapsulates everything good about Fantasia and has no flaws.

1. Rite of Spring

This sequence manages to contain all the aspects that make Fantasia good. It has powerful, abstract visuals, such as the opening lava storm. It also has the same terrifying, raw almost primitive might as Night on Bald Mountain. This time, however, it is not softened by a feel-good Ave Maria choir; rather the dinosaurs just die. It does not explain why to children, thus allowing them to draw their own conclusions. The films Dinosaur, and more recently Walking with Dinosaurs, could have taken a lesson from this sequence. One does not have to put in dialogue and frame things as good versus evil for children to be interested.

By William D Wehrs

Singing Success? Reviews And Ideas To Hone Your Voice

Everyone is gifted with talents such as singing, dancing and even acting. Some individuals may even have numerous talents that can be used to their advantage. These talents can also help individuals open new opportunities to make their future better. As an individual, gifted with talent, it is best to hone your skills.

When it comes to singing, not everyone has a wonderful voice. Individuals with charming and harmonious voice will have the advantage when it comes to singing. Because of persistence and determination, they can achieve singing success. Reviews and ideas are listed below to help you hone your voice.

Get rid of bad habits - Smoking, drinking and even other bad habits may affect your voice. Therefore, it is best to get rid of such routine. By removing

these routines in your daily life, you can be sure that you can protect your vocal chords from factors that may ruin it. It is also essential to have a healthy diet and body to ensure that you can improve your skills.

Invest in time and effort - Even if you have a lovely voice that can serenade thousands of people, it is still important to invest time and effort to practice. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect." So, as an aspiring singer in karaoke bars or a performer on the stage, you need to spend sufficient time practicing to further improve the quality of your voice. You also need to exert effort to improve your skills rather than being satisfied with what you have. With this, you can be on top of the competition. Another way to improve is to look for vocal exercises and routines that will allow you to warm your vocal chords before singing.

Opt for singing lessons - Most artists these days also sign up for singing or voice lessons. This is needed to help you learn the best practices when singing. Singing lessons can also help you ensure that you can enjoy other singing exercises such as diaphragm breathing techniques, vocal tone and pitch training, resonance and strength training, and even agility and flexibility. However, before signing up for singing lessons, you need to look for a reputable school to help you achieve your goal. Reviews from experts can be a good option to find the best school. This can help you determine the effectiveness and quality of teaching that you need. Reviews can also help you evaluate singing lesson providers.

By Amanda W Williams

The Different Types of Bars That Can Be Hired Using Mobile Bar Hire

There are many different types of bars that can be hired out. People might think of a bar as a static object which will probably stay in the same place for years and years. But this doesn't have to be the case. In many venues bars are actually hired out and this is ideal for things like events which only happen every so often and don't need a bar situated in the same place for a long period of time. Bars can easily be moved around and they come in a variety of different types which will be talked about in more detail below. Services offering mobile bar hire can be used to provide these types of bars.

You might think a bar is just as it is and can only come in one particular shape, style or colour. Many establishments, such as pubs, use stationary type bars but there are many other places as well as events and occasions which are ideally suited to using mobile bar hire services. Bars for these types of places can be tailored to suit exactly what it is the customer is after. Bespoke bars are offered so customers are not only limited to bars which are of a particular style or shape.

People don't tend to want the same thing and sometimes having something slightly different can make your event stand out and make that special occasion even more special. Events are a great time to let your inner creativity come out and a bar is often something that should be suited to the theme of a particular event. It might be that your event is themed around ice and this is a great type of bespoke bar that can be provided by services offering mobile bar hire. The style of ice can be catered for and this makes it specific to your event.

Alternatively if you're happier having a simpler solution you can get some that come in standard shapes and sizes such as straight or circular. Straight ones can conveniently fit in amongst other furniture because they can be placed against a wall. Circular bars are a good way for the bar to stand out as the centrepiece of an event by being placed in the centre with access from any area of the event location.

On the other hand you might not want something quite so simplistic. Services providing mobile bar hire offer glowing bars which use LED lights to create a glowing impact across the whole bar. This can help a bar stand out and make your event more spectacular.

Some people choose mobile bar hire providers that offer branded bars. These types of bars have brand images and logos on them. They are good for the brand because they create more awareness amongst potential customers. They are also good for consumers because a brand that is expected to be sold behind the bar can easily be displayed and a good quality brand image can be portrayed about the event itself.

By George Soderburg 

Violin Rosin: Essential for Beginning Players

So, you've purchased your child a violin. Most likely, whether you purchased the violin from a private party, online, or from a brick and mortar violin shop, you now have a violin and violin bow in a violin case. That's a great start but, unfortunately, only the beginning of acquiring the most essential violin accessories necessary to providing your child the most complete playing and learning experience possible.

One of the small but very important accessories you can purchase for your child is violin rosin. Actually, "important" doesn't go far enough. Violin rosin (or rosin for the viola and cello) is essential. It's so vital that even if you have a bow and a violin, your child will not be able to play the instrument without rosin.

What is rosin? Rosin is a small, smooth and semi-transparent round or rectangular cake that fits in the palm of your hand. It is made from the tree sap of various conifers, like pine, that is hardened and varies in color from light amber to very dark brown. Rosins are now available in a synthetic blend made for those who are allergic to tree sap.

How is it used? The student should tighten their bow to the appropriate tension for playing and then rub the bow hairs back and forth along the cake of rosin. Typically, a bow only needs a few passes across the rosin once the hair has been broken in but a freshly rehaired bow may need quite a bit more passes across the rosin to achieve the desired effect. The rosin is a sticky substance that adheres to the bow hairs and allows the bow to better grip the violin strings by increasing friction when drawing the bow across the stings.

There are different grades of rosin available for beginners, intermediate players or professionals and rosin does differ between instruments. The smaller string instruments like violins and violas typically require the lighter rosin, while cello rosin tends to be darker colored. The quality of rosin is dependent on other substances that have been added to the mix that modify not only the color of the cake, but also the friction properties. Rosin ranges in cost, from anywhere between $3 a cake to $48 for the higher-end professional grades.

It's always best to ask the advice of a professional, whether you're purchasing rosin at a violin shop or an online violin store that sells violin accessories like rosin. You may also ask your child's teacher for his or her recommendation of which grade of rosin is best for your child.

Just remember: each time the violin is played, rosin dust accumulates on the strings over time. It is wise to purchase string-polishing cloths to wipe away excess rosin from the strings every so often.

By Nathan Weiss

How to Prepare for Any Event

It's quite rare that you can write and read a one size fits all guide which will work for (almost) any situation within a particular field. When it comes to event furniture hire and planning though, there's a basic system you will always need to follow in order to make sure everything goes perfectly to plan.

• Setting the date

You will be working around this for everything you do next, so it's vital that you get this sorted in advance. Make sure it's something you can do, and one which gives you enough time to plan the rest of the event and organise event furniture hire and the like. While it might be tempting to change the date so that everyone can come, you'll find that this is rarely - if ever - the case anyway.

Most events can be planned and organised in two weeks, but longer is always preferable.

• Sort the guest list

This is another important factor which will help you to determine how big a venue you will need and how much event furniture hire you will need to do. Work out just who you'll be inviting, and remember that around 20% of your invitees are likely to turn down your invitation due to other commitments.

• The venue

Now you know how many people you will be asking to attend, you can look for venues large enough to host this number. Always pick somewhere which can cope with the maximum you'll be having (as well as few extra places in case you've forgotten anyone, or someone wants to take a plus one along with them.

The venue should be easy to reach. You might have guests who plan to walk, drive, or to take public transport, so make sure all of them will have a way of attending. No parking can be a real parking, but if there's a public car park nearby, provide instructions on how to get from there to the venue on foot.

• Send the invites

Now everything is set in stone, it's time to let your guests know. Give them as much notice as you can, so this can be done as soon as you have booked the venue. Ask whether there are any specific dietary requirements which will need to be catered for, and provide contact details so you can answer any questions which may arise.

• Furniture hire

Now you have an empty room, and people who will be in attendance. Make sure they're not making a wasted trip by filling that room and preparing your event. You're likely to need an event furniture hire company to provide seating and tables, but the needs will differ from event from event. If you're not sure what you need or what would work well, speak to the event furniture hire company themselves who will be able to give you the best advice possible (after all, they're likely to have done this before).

• Catering

If your event requires food and drink, now is the time to organise that particular element. This might be a sit down meal or it could be a just light refreshments like tea and biscuits.

By George Soderburg