#see also all i want by joni mitchell for the line 'want to knit you a sweater/want to write you a love letter'

[leonardcohenofficial]

do you have any songs about mail or postmen or letters that you could rec? im making a List

oooooooooh here’s a few off the top of my head

please mr. postman / the marvelettes sunrise letter / passion original broadway cast the letter / the box tops return to sender / elvis presley i’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter / dean martin strawberry letter 23 / the brothers johnson dream letter / tim buckley

[glennmillerorchestra]

tagged by my kitchen concert friend b @frogeye-pierce to share my answers to these fun little questions! thank you b, and i have to say i wholeheartedly agree with you on the goodwill jacket section thing :') pretty long so it's under the cut!

nickname: gia! or g by some people

zodiac: aquarius baby! just like alan alda ;)

height: 5'4 but tbh i'm usually wearing shoes with at least 2 inches of a heel on them, so it's usually around 5'6!

last movie i saw: midnight lace (1960) - i watched half last night, and i'm watching the other half tonight! so far it's kind of creepy, but in a fun, fashionable way (and y'all better not cancel me for this but rex harrison is lowkey a dilf)

last thing i googled: rote sonne (1970) because i saw a set of stills from it here and wanted to add it to my watchlist

favorite musician: TOO many to count, but i am going through an intense paul mccartney phase at the moment (if you couldn't tell by literally everything i've been posting) so i'll go with macca as of now!

song stuck in my head: auntie's municipal court by the monkees (sound of the sunset, sound of the sea...)

other blogs: that's a secret only i know... but i don't think it's too hard to guess who it is if you see it!

blogs following: 104

amount of sleep: about 7-8 hours on average, but my sleep schedule is really screwy, and i'm trying to fix it!

lucky number: 7 and 24! i don't really know why, but they're the numbers that always tend to draw me in

what am i wearing: this vintage 70s red and pink housecoat that i thrifted for a dollar and shortened into a micro-mini dress! rest assured it was paired with bright red gogo boots earlier today

dream job: mm. having a bit of a crisis with that right now, but i would say something where i can be free and work how i would want to! i think something along the lines of maybe screenwriter or director, and if i really want to get bold, i'd say throwing act*r into the mix would be fun too

dream trip: i'd love to visit a lot of different countries in my lifetime but recently i've had this insatiable urge to bundle all my friends into one van and just camp around the states for a while, spending time out in the wild and seeing all the beautiful places i haven't seen yet! just a really extended camping trip with close pals for weeks and weeks!

favorite food: there are SO many good ones, but i've really been digging kimchi sundubu jjigae lately. i'm also partial to a good falafel plate, and a really good dish of pasta marinara :)

play an instrument: guitar, piano and flute! i'm not really a master at any of them, but i'm having fun just moving along, and i think that's really all that matters, right? i have goals to pick up the bass and the drums at some point in my life as well, and i've also always wanted to learn the cello!

languages: primarily english, but i have taken/am currently taking a german course, so i'm trying to incorporate more german into my daily life! i'd like to become mostly fluent/at least competent in the language by the end of next year! klingt gut, ja?

favorite songs: hmm. at the moment i would say the run of the mill demo by george harrison (hi hazel), calico skies and the silly love songs demo by paul mccartney, and people's parties by joni mitchell!

random fact: um! i like to read cookbooks as actual reading material while i'm relaxing, and that led me to start a collection of vintage cookbooks with godawful recipes in them that are just WILDLY entertaining to read :) treasured 50s gelatin mold cookbook my beloved

describe yourself as aesthetic things: record player crackles, patterned thrift store chairs, battered old cowboy boots, 70s burnt orange and avocado green, the strumming of an acoustic guitar, white doves with olive branches, crescent moon poking out through shadowed trees, leather bound journals, cable knit cardigans with big wooden buttons and a gold necklace that reads "goodluck" in cursive

i'll tag @runofthemilldemo / @plaid-nightmares and @horaetio if y'all haven't done this yet and want to!

[shochmonster]

84 Questions

original: https://fuckyeahsurveys.tumblr.com/post/61049002526/84-questions

Put your music player of choice on shuffle and list the first 10 songs Guns of Brixton - The Clash Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys  Chainsaw - Nick Jonas California - Joni Mitchell Make It Wit Chu - Queens of the Stone Age This Woman’s Work - Kate Bush The Bad Thing - Arctic Monkeys Between the Bars - Eliot Smith Drown - The Smashing Pumpkins Different People - No Doubt

If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Would you take anyone with you? I’d take @duoloopo to the UK. I’d like to see places other than London.

What is your preferred writing implement? (eg. Blue pen, pencil, green pen)  I use my iPad stylus the most, but I have this heavy mechanical pencil I really like for drawing. 

Favourite month and why? October. I just love the fall vibe. 

Do you have connections to any celebrities (even minor)? List them. I went to undergraduate school with Rebecca Sugar. We used to ride the bus between NYC and DC together on holidays. 

Name 3 items you could pick up from where you are. Can of seltzer, pencil case, stack of bills

What brand logo is closest to you currently? REAL Skateboards

Do you ever play board games or other non-computer games? Got any favourites? I love Small World and Munchkin. 

A musical artist you love that isn’t well known Laura Stevenson and the Cans

A musical artist you love that is well known Red Hot Chili Peppers

What is your desktop background currently? Thomas Barrow on the beach in the Season 4 Christmas Special

Last person you talked to, and through what you talked to them @duomaxwell02 with my face :O 

First colour name you can think of that isn’t in the rainbow White

What timekeeping devices are in the room you are currently in? Two wall clocks, though one is very old and doesn’t wind anymore. I also have a clock @duoloopo ‘s dad made for me. It’s on the piano. 

What kind of headphones do you use? JBL Bluetooth, noise canceling 

What musical artists have you seen perform live? Foo Fighters (3x), Incubus (3x), Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, Audioslave, Justin Timberlake, Troy Sivan, Arctic Monkeys, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Queen (but with Roger Daughtry, not Freddy... for obvious reasons.). Probably a whole bunch of others I’m blanking on. 

Does virginity matter to you? Not really. 

What gaming consoles do you or your family own? PS4, PS2, PS1, XBox 360, N64, Gamecube, Wii, NES, SNES, various Gameboys, Nintendo DS, PSP

What pets do you have? What are their names? Two cats, Hemingway and Renji

What’s the best job you’ve ever had? I like freelance art gigs the best. As for ‘normal people jobs’, I once was a sign painter for Whole Foods. That was pretty fun, minus the work drama. 

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? Food service. 

What magazines do you read, if any? I’ll pick up Time once in a while

Inspiration behind your URL? My classic original URL was LinkWorshiper and had been since AIM first existed. I picked it because Zelda was the first fandom I ever joined. Now I’ve changed all my handles (except on AO3) to reflect my actual name, as my literary agent thinks it’s more professional. 

Inspiration behind your blog title? Mean Girls. I always chuckle imagining Thomas and Jimmy as some Edwardian version of the Plastics. 

Favourite item of clothing? My Downton livery waistcoat. And the stiff bosomed shirt and collars I have to go with it. 

Are you friends with any exes? Nah. By the time I felt comfortable enough to possibly try, I also didn’t care enough to. 

Name at least one book you loved as a child. His Dark Materials (the trilogy by Philip Pullman). I still love them and am jazzed that he’s writing more these days. 

What’s your native language? If that language has distinct regional variations, which variation? (eg. AU English, US English) US English, mostly a northeastern dialect/accent

What email service do you use? Gmail

Is there anything hanging on the walls of the room you are currently in? So much stuff. I have a mood board full of Downtons stuff over my desk, various DA posters and memorabilia, plus some artwork I’ve done, and some of my JC Leyendecker collection. The aforementioned wall clocks, a San Francisco cable car bell, Sailor Moon and a few other little knickknacks, like my hamsa. To name a few lol. 

What’s your favourite number, and why? 212 because it’s Manhattan’s area code and also because it used to be the notation for one of my favorite ships in an old fandom. 

Earliest moment in your life you can remember? Sitting under the table and looking at my grandma, who was wearing a Cruella Deville dress she’d knit herself. Like, it had the actual Disney character on it. Pretty cool to a little guy, I guess!

What did you have for dinner yesterday? Quesadilla 

How often do you brush your teeth? Whenever they feel gross

What’s your favourite candy/chocolate? Lately, I’ve been into Junior Mints. 

Have you had other blogs on Tumblr? Do you have any other blogs currently? This blog used to have my old handle, linkworshiper. I did a small Whole Foods blog when I worked with them, but it never went anywhere. 

If you were suddenly really hungry, what would you choose to eat? Sushi

What fandoms would you consider yourself a part of? Downton Abbey, though lately I’ve been crazy busy and not as active as I once was. Casually still poking at old fandoms like Zelda and Gundam Wing to name a few. 

If you could study anything, what would it be? More art education can’t hurt. Maybe some formal history education. 

Do you use anything on your lips? (eg. Chapstick, gloss, balm, lipstick) Chapstick 

How would you describe your sense of humour? Seinfeld 

What things annoy you more than anything else? Mouth noises

What kind of position are you in at the moment? Sitting

Do you wear much jewellery? Nope

Who is the leader of your country, currently? Any other levels of government with leaders? (State, region, province, county, district, municipality, etc) Three supposedly equal branches of government, currently being run into the ground by a clown 

Last 3 blogs on your dashboard, not including any of your own @halcyondaze @mab1905 @lavender-hued-melancholy

What do you carry your money in? I try to never carry cash, but I carry a small wallet 

Do you enjoy driving? Why or why not? I like it but sometimes it feels like a chore, especially during a commute. @duoloopo thinks I’m a shit driver so she tries to drive whenever she can, which has pluses and minuses. 

Longest drive you have ever been on? Savannah GA to San Francisco, CA in a UHaul

Furthest away from home you have ever been? Germany 

How many times have you moved house? God, I don’t even know. More than ten. 

What is on the floor of the room you’re currently in, not including furniture? Cat toys, unused canvases

How many devices do you own which can access the internet? Phone, computer, iPad, various game consoles 

Is there is anything that is guaranteed to always make you happy? Thomas and Jimmy <3 <3 

Is there anything that always makes you sad? Thinking too hard about being a failure

What programs do you currently have open? I just rebooted, so only Chrome, Spotify and Photoshop

What do you associate the colour red with? This line in the Kate Bush Song Blue Symphony, which goes, ‘I associate love with red, the color of my heart when she’s dead.’ 

Last strong smell you can remember smelling? The Greek food I ordered in for dinner

Last healthy thing you ate? Roasted veggies

Do you drink tea or coffee, and how much per day? I prefer tea, and I drink coffee for energy, though sometimes I think it just makes me crash harder. 

What do you associate the colour blue with? The sky

How long is the closest ruler you can find? 12 inches

What colour pants/skirt/etc are you currently wearing? Dark blue

When was the last time you drank water? About a minute ago

How often do you clear your browser history? Rarely

Do you believe nude photos can be artistic, rather than erotic? Yes

Ever written fanfiction for anything? Oh God, yes. You can still find it under Link Worshiper on AO3, though some of my ‘classics’ have been removed since I turned them into original manuscripts 

Last formal event you attended My cousin’s wedding

If you had to move your birthday to another date, which one would you choose and why? Maybe inch my birth year up just by two so that I’d stop being called a damn millennial. At my age, I really just don’t relate to the generation even though technicalities make me a part of it. 

Would you prefer to be at a beach or in the countryside? Beach

Roughly how many people live in your town? 52,000

Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? Leonard Nimoy :D 

Favourite place to shop? Can be a certain store or a place where there are multiple stores I haven’t really gone shopping since the pandemic. Right now, it feels like the only place to buy anything is Amazon XD

Do you have a smartphone? What kind? If you don’t, do you want one? Samsung. It’s not a Galaxy but is a new model and a fraction of the price. 

What is your least favourite colour, and why? I don’t think I dislike any colors honestly. 

How do you spell grey/gray? Grey. I’ve got too many British online associates to ever go back. 

Go to your dashboard and describe the image shown in the radar section (below the “Find blogs” link) It’s Umbrella Academy fanart of Klaus. He’s in black and white with this hands over his eyes and the background is red. It’s very graphic. 

What difference is there between how many followers you have, and the number of blogs you follow? 736

How many posts do you have? 8,859

How many posts have you liked? I can’t find the stat D: 

Do you post mainly reblogs, or your own content? Mainly reblogs but I pepper in my own content when I can. Lately, I haven’t had time to do as much fanart though, and I kind of feel like it’s not worth bothering to post my original stuff. Nobody follows my blog for that. 

Do you track any tags? No. 

What time is it currently? 7:33 PM CMT

Is there anything you should be doing right now? Waking up @duoloopo. TIME TO JUMP ON THE BED. 

tagging, if they feel like it: @abbys-little-whippersnapper​ @bumblebarrow​ @irrationalgame​ @downtoncat​ @mab1905​ @duoloopo​

and everyone who I’ve forgotten

[clubpassim]

Women in Folk - The Ladles

Hey there!

Katie here, excited to bring you a very thought-provoking conversation with The Ladles!

The Ladles, Katie Martucci, Caroline Kuhn, and Lucia Pontoniere, formed in the Fall of 2014, in the New England Conservatory dorm rooms. Interestingly enough, they formed for a reason similar to what we're discussing: They were the only three women undergraduates that year in the Contemporary Improvisation program at NEC. “Being in such a boy’s club[...]”, they said, “[...]we naturally gravitated towards each other and started hanging out, singing Joni Mitchell, knitting, and playing music together. We decided to perform at a friend's house concert, and the rest is history!” The group has been performing together for about four years now, though individually they’ve all been playing for the better part of their lives, starting to sing and play as young children. When asked who their biggest musical influences were, they responded with Mountain Man, Meredith Monk, and The Boswell Sisters; all artists with rich harmonies that have played a part in helping The Ladles form their own rich and beautiful harmonies. That, paired with their varying musical backgrounds, has shaped their sound into the unique blend they’re known for having. The band is currently working towards the debut of their first full-length album, ‘The Line’, coming out on July 12th! “We are super excited about this, as we've only got an EP recorded and we really want to share these songs”.

They will be doing an album release tour around the northeast beginning on July 11, 2019. To stay up to date on the progress of their album, tour dates, etc., make sure to follow them on Instagram, check them out on Facebook, or visit their website! And be sure to come hear them play at Club Passim on Friday, July 19th, 2019 at 8 pm. You can buy tickets online here.

The next portion of the interview was focused on their experiences as women in the folk community.

[full interview under the cut]

Club Passim: Talk a little about your experiences as a female artist/all-female group in a heavily male-dominated music genre.

The Ladles: Well, to begin with, we felt it right away when we all arrived at New England Conservatory and realized how few women were in our program. It can definitely create a divide, and it's easy to feel judged for how you play and what you play. There's a sense of needing to prove yourself. Styles of music that include more improvisation tend to be more male-dominated. This is because we believe men are allowed to make more 'mistakes' than women in our society. We don't have to look very far to see examples of this. Improvisation is all about making mistakes and being vulnerable; you figure things out as you go and you will make a fool of yourself. But because women don't have that same sort of leeway, they often shy away from that level of exposure.

We're sure many women can relate to the experience of feeling pressure to present as "perfect." As we have continued to grow as musicians and The Ladles has grown as a band, it's been easier to let go of perfection in favor of taking risks and learning new things. In those moments, we certainly make "mistakes" but also feel more creative, authentic and fulfilled.

CP: Do you notice a difference in how you’re treated by other artists, venues, audiences, and industry professionals before vs. after you play?

TL: We definitely have. Condescending comments like, "Wow I'm surprised at how good you are!" We literally have had people say that. But the vast majority of audiences and venues are very supportive and treat us with respect.

CP: Do you feel you are viewed differently on stage by men v. women?

TL: I think this varies more person-to-person, rather than men vs. women. Of course, there is a measure of objectification that is inherent with performance, whether you are female or male. That being said, the presence of the "male gaze" is undeniable (obviously among straight males) when you are a woman being viewed on stage by a man.

CP: Often, all-male bands have a heavy female fanbase that buy merch, go to many shows, support, etc. Do you feel you have the male gender's support of your music in this same way? Why or why not do you think that is?

TL: Our fanbase is pretty equally male and female. The men who enjoy our music respect us as musicians and genuinely enjoy what we have to offer. In our generation, there is generally more awareness among men of respecting women (at least in the lovely bubble that we live in, in the northeast). But honestly we see it throughout the country - even in the deep south where Lucia is living these days - things have changed a lot between our generation and our parents’.

At the same time, one cannot ignore the violence and oppression that women face en masse. The abortion laws being passed in various state legislature around the country are a good indicator of the ways in which women continue to be policed. Women in every profession have to deal with these questions of respect, creative/intellectual worth, body image, and entitlement. Femme musicians just have the added experience of navigating that in public, on stage.

CP: Incredible classical artists such as classical pianist Yuja Wang use their performance attire as a way to express themselves. This provocative style of dress has been viewed as “distracting” from the music. What are your personal thoughts on women using fashion and sex-appeal as a means of bringing in more audience members and assisting in selling their music?

TL: Performers should be able to dress and act however they want! They are creating a performance, and that includes a visual aspect. If a woman is using her sex appeal, go right ahead girl! The bigger issue here is that sex appeal and skill are not mutually exclusive. A woman can be an incredible musician and not fit society's typical (and ridiculous) standards of beauty and be overlooked and ignored. On the other hand, a woman can be an incredible musician, fit some of those ridiculous standards of beauty, and therefore not be taken seriously. There's no "right" way to do this, so just be yourself and wait for everyone else to catch up.

CP: In your opinion, how can men be more aware or informed about women in the music industry?

TL: Men can include women in their projects, they can support their femme friends' shows and projects, and they can examine their own experiences! Really just talk to your female friends and listen to what they say about their experiences.

CP: What do you do in a situation when you feel disrespected by the artists/co-workers you’re surrounded by?

TL: Try to address it, as quickly as possible. It can be super hard, but it's important for both parties. Sometimes people aren't even aware that they're acting in a way that feels disrespectful to you. Learning to trust your gut and to vocalize those feelings is hard work, but really the only way to bring about change in a work environment and step into your power.

CP: What message do you want to display as a woman in folk music?

TL: We think it's important to stop making subsections of musicians - "Women in music" "All female band"  etc. We don't want to be defined as "female musicians", we just want to be musicians! We should be able to transcend that label. It can be creatively limiting to put yourself into a box that labels you a certain way. We are happy to talk about our experiences as women living in a society that still takes issue with women living public lives, in fact, it's absolutely essential dialogue that can be informative for women and men. But why not ask men to examine their experiences as well? How have they benefited from sexism? What has been easier for them because of their gender? What do they not understand about life as a femme creator? What is their experience of working with women? Establishing that expectation, that men should be examining their experience and including women in their work, is necessary for us all to move forward.

CP: What words of wisdom/encouragement do you have for aspiring women in folk?

TL: Build community and be true to yourself and your music! If there's emotion and intention behind music, it's always good music. Who cares if anyone likes it or not? If it feels like a true expression to you, then it has merit. There's a wonderful letter from Martha Graham to Agnes de Mille that captures this idea beautifully:

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action,
 and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. 
And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. 
The world will not have it. 
It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. 
It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. 
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. 
You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate YOU. 
Keep the channel open.”

Thank You, Katie, Caroline, and Lucia for your thought-provoking answers. My favorite points you made were how improvisation-based genres are usually male-dominated and the reasoning behind it, and that it is everyone’s job to help establish the expectation that both men and women should reflect on their differentiating experiences with sexism in the workplace, and then talk about it more.

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for the next installment of the ‘Women in Folk’ blog!

- Katie

Want to hear more from The Ladles? They will be performing at Club Passim on Friday, July 19th, 2019 at 8 pm. You can buy tickets online here. 

PC: Elizabeth Maney

[leonardcohenofficial]

Top 5 lines from Joni Mitchell’s songs

“she will love them when she sees them; they will lose her if they follow/and she only means to please them/and her heart is full and hollow like a cactus tree/while she's so busy being free” (“cactus tree” from song to a seagull)

“we can't return, we can only look behind from where we came/and go round and round and round in the circle game” (“the circle game” from ladies of the canyon)

“laughing and crying, you know it’s the same release” (“people’s parties” from court and spark)

“i am on a lonely road and i am traveling, traveling, traveling, traveling/looking for something, what can it be?” (“all i want” from blue)

“i want to knit you a sweater, want to write you a love letter, i want to make you feel better, i want to make you feel free” (also “all i want” from blue)