Saturday, 21 April 2007

Ode to Mantovani

Just now I listened to a BBC Radio 4 programme about Mantovani and his music. I have always loved "Some Enchanted Evening" and it is the Mantovani version that grabs me with its sweeping strings and crescendos. The music lifts you up and keeps on lifting until you feel your heart is going to burst with joy and then it lifts you some more.

This music is so rude or is it just me. Listening to it I feel like I am clad in a long satin sheath gown with the music purring and slowly, ever so slowly, stroking me. I want to shift just slightly so that its caresses hit the sweet spot but it doesn't and I feel flushed and want to dance into the arms of Mr Doris. To have his arm around my waist and the other gently holding my hand as we spin around the room with only eyes for each other. A world of passion but also a world of innocence.

I'm listening to a Mantovani Fan site juke box with tiny excerpts. Sadly no "Some Enchanted Evening" but I am bowled over by so many of the pieces especially, "When I fall in love" which is one of those significant pieces in my life. This was the tune that Mr Doris and I walked down the aisle to just after we were married and one that I scoured many music shops for the right version before our marriage. The version I found was good but this one was so much better. Ah well.

Such beautiful music shouldn't have been relegated to the lifts and shopping malls.


Original Comments:

Jo said...

Such a sweet post Doris. I have a picture in my mind there of you lost in your romantic reverie, and in the arms of Mr Doris. You are a bona fide softie aren't you darling? ;-)

Monday, April 23, 2007 12:15:00 AM


jane said...

Hi Doris! I'm so glad you're back amongst the blogging.

I have to admit, I've never heard of Mantovani. I'm not very cultured, I know. But "When I fall in love" *gasp*, it's one of those breathtaking songs that makes my heart skip a beat and dance on it's own. I never tire of hearing that song.
It is no wonder you & Mr. Doris played it during your wedding. It is so perfectly fitting.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007 5:35:00 PM



Chandira said...

Ah! Sweet... meanwhile I was with 2,000 sweaty punks moshing to Iggy and the Stooges, which in it's own way was equally romantic.. ;-)
Robert showed his love by coming with me, which was really something he didn't want to do.
Now he likes Iggy, which is even better! A convert!

Happy listening. :-)

Saturday, April 28, 2007 9:36:00 PM



Ally said...

Aw! I feel that way about 'Still Crazy After All These Years' by Paul Simon :).

Sunday, April 29, 2007 9:53:00 AM

Saturday, 7 April 2007

The Ego and The Age Project

I finally looked at The Age Project which has been on the side panel of a friend's blog for ages now. The idea is that one submits a photo and others see the photo and rate how old they think you are. I've seen similar when others rate how attractive they think you are which I think is far too arbitrary and anyway I couldn't cope with being rated "less than".

Having looked, I was quite captivated by the Age Project. I like watching those TV makeover programmes where they take people on to the street and ask members of the public to rate how old they are. A bit of me is quite fascinated as to what age people think I am especially as I grew up always looking much younger than my age. Thank goodness it was back then or else if it was these days I'd have never gotten into discos or pubs with the strict age laws.

These later years, age has caught up on me so that a careful look reveals the age lines and wear and tear. Even still, they are not too bad. But the other day there was a group family photo in which I looked how I hadn't looked before. Not that it was particularly flattering - just different and I looked very young.

This was the photograph I submitted to The Age Project last night. The photo was cropped so it was clearly just me. Other people amazingly submit photos where they are not the only person in the photo so how are we supposed to know which person is the subject? On those I was so piqued I'd put in a ridiculous age that was say, maybe a combination of the three ages.

So I am not sure what it was, whether it was just karma, when the first (and only) vote came through and put me at a full four years more than my real age. This shouldn't be a problem except when the photo clearly looks a good ten years younger than my real age. And vanity thinks even younger still! I hadn't expected that I would feel quite so flushed with upset. Flaming cheek. I was muttering all round the house last night the figure that had been quoted. It is now ingrained in my brain. My ego was so evidently dented that the subject even invaded my dream world last night but that is another story of me having a virtual mid-life crisis!

I did what any self-respecting person would do and deleted my Profile and started again with a different pic. It is a slightly funny pic so I don't take this so seriously this time. That's the idea anyway.

Puzzle: I think younger people want to look older and the older people want to look younger. At what age does does this difference occur?


Original Comments:

Ally said...

I don't know - but I'm 36, have stopped wanting to look older and don't yet want to look younger. Perhaps you could put together some sort of survey? :).

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 9:46:00 AM



Jo said...

I did it. And I got it nearly nearly right!!

Obviously I can't possibly reveal my true age...but it does make a big difference which pic you use I think!!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 6:53:00 PM



Britmum said...

Well I want to know which pic it is? Is it the first one that appears? I am such a nosey old bag that I have to know which one is you? O.k. I am going to sulk until you tell me. lol

Take care and hugs Doris xx

Thursday, April 12, 2007 10:58:00 PM



Melony Louise said...

To answer your puzzle, the need to look older stops when one no long needs to look of a legal age, and the need to look younger starts when one stops even being carded.

I joined, but the only vote as of now is my own ... so it don't really count, haha.

Monday, April 16, 2007 6:23:00 AM



Chandira said...

I'm 35, and want to look a little younger. Not much, just to lose a few greys that have started coming in. And we won't mention other bits of the anatomy that aren't where they used to be. Good question.

Yes, one day you're being hit on by hot 18 year olds, next somebody says you look like you're 42 when you're 35. Arghh.. I know the feeling. ;-)

Thursday, April 19, 2007 5:52:00 PM