leonardcohenforum.com

I can not respect so-called "friends" who missed the chance a few posts above to call me an oxymoron.

The prefix "oxy" can denote "sharp", in which case an "oxymoron" is, in fact, an oxymoron.

My dear solong, I would not hesitate to call you "sharp", but I'd never call you a moron!

Geoffrey wrote:why sit for seven days with mirrors covered?
http://rainbow.chard.org/2012/09/26/fra ... agic-life/

it says "after the funeral, jane and her children returned to their empty apartment and sat shiva for seven days: mirrors were covered and comforts were forbidden."

do you think leonard's family also did this when he died? i understand it's a symbolic gesture, and have total respect for religious beliefs, but please enlighten me, someone, as to what good it does. surely it's just pure nonsense dreamed up by some mad patriarchal twat, is it not? if no proper answer is given, i'll presume i'm right. i've researched this on the internet, and as far as i can ascertain it's a psychological procedure, like praying.

what a great relief not to attend to appearance and actually devote time to the other type of reflection. could people finally make time to think of their departed loved one, and contemplate Life for just a little while.

when relatives or friends started talking about business one evening at my mother's shiva I was distraught and wanted to attack them. that's a bad memory of their ignorance.

Geoffrey,

Maybe this will answer your question www.chabad.org › Learning & Values › Questions & Answers › Life & Death

Best regards,
Mary

MaryB wrote: ↑Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:29 pm Geoffrey,

Maybe this will answer your question www.chabad.org › Learning & Values › Questions & Answers › Life & Death

Best regards,
Mary

thank you mary. yes it did

solongleonard wrote:what a great relief not to attend to appearance and actually devote time to the other type of reflection. could people finally make time to think of their departed loved one, and contemplate Life for just a little while.

when relatives or friends started talking about business one evening at my mother's shiva I was distraught and wanted to attack them. that's a bad memory of their ignorance.

agreed. that is really what it's all about, comfort - all of these religious traditions, prayers, rituals and symbols. god, truth or logic has nothing to do with it . . . it's all about giving and receiving comfort - and i can live with that. i know what it's like to mourn. at the moment the local muslim community is celebrating eid, a major festival about abraham, ishmail, god and satan, etc. the story is a fairy tale, of course, just like christmas, but it fills a void and gives followers meaning to their existence, without which they would be alone, have no leader, no father figure, no reason to continue, nothing. we have to show tolerance to people too afraid and insecure to look reality in the face.

the relatives or friends who used the occasion of your mother's shiva to discuss business were very wrong to behave in such a manner - and you would have been justified in asking them to stop. i was brought up to always be polite, use tact, and therefore developed a remarkable amount of social intelligence, so you can be assured that i would have just sat there and not talked unless spoken to. yet i am painfully aware that not everyone is as warm-natured and cultivated as myself, so i make allowances, which explains why every message i write here is worded with great care so as not to appear rude or upsetting. i see people gesticulating when talking on the phone. they know full well that the other person can't see them, but i wouldn't dream of pointing it out to them, and even if i did they wouldn't like it. one cannot force a simple person to display gratitude, and in any case, what merit exists in the applause of hands coerced into clapping?

clip from a quality movie released a couple of years ago that i'm pretty confident few in here have seen.
https://youtu.be/ARD5AUnl7_M

Did anybody actually listen to that beautiful bit of Schubert's Piano Trio that I posted on the previous page? It is very lovely, and I find that sort of music to be a very enriching way to spend a few minutes of one's time. In case you missed it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBuHBQaYZoU

Glad you all enjoyed it.

LisaLCFan wrote:Did anybody actually listen to that beautiful bit of Schubert's Piano Trio that I posted on the previous page? It is very lovely, and I find that sort of music to be a very enriching way to spend a few minutes of one's time.

it was indeed beautiful, and i beg forgiveness for not saying so at the time. a little different from the work of frank zappa, to be sure.
if you haven't seen the biographical 3-part series with udo samel, i highly recommend it - a gem!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090484/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

LisaLCFan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2017 6:03 am Did anybody actually listen to that beautiful bit of Schubert's Piano Trio that I posted on the previous page? It is very lovely, and I find that sort of music to be a very enriching way to spend a few minutes of one's time. In case you missed it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBuHBQaYZoU

How beautiful, how charming, graceful moving. Bert at his best, thank you

Bennyboy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:14 am Glad you all enjoyed it.

I am delighted that you have put the band back together. Please send my warmest regards to Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus.

Geoffrey wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:34 am

LisaLCFan wrote:Did anybody actually listen to that beautiful bit of Schubert's Piano Trio that I posted on the previous page? It is very lovely, and I find that sort of music to be a very enriching way to spend a few minutes of one's time.

it was indeed beautiful, and i beg forgiveness for not saying so at the time. a little different from the work of frank zappa, to be sure.
if you haven't seen the biographical 3-part series with udo samel, i highly recommend it - a gem!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090484/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Geoffrey, I understand that you may not know Frank's classical work. One of his most popular is his Yellow Shark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu80UHvQq_Y

I have also chosen this performance with the London Symphony Orchestra so you can enjoy the cover photo with a cat. Beautiful complex music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBtdfQrs77s

When you are ready try this as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlTgqitVZeQ

Geoffrey wrote:if you haven't seen the biographical 3-part series with udo samel, i highly recommend it - a gem!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090484/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

I have not seen it, and will definitely check it out. Thanks!

Geoffrey wrote:...clip from a quality movie released a couple of years ago that i'm pretty confident few in here have seen.
https://youtu.be/ARD5AUnl7_M

This one, I have seen. I have a weakness for Michael Caine!

solongleonard wrote:...I understand that you may not know Frank's classical work...

I had only vaguely recalled that Zappa wrote some classical music, and so I am glad that you've mentioned it, because I am always interested in hearing "new" classical works. I've just briefly listened to a bit of the links you provided, but it is very interesting stuff -- definitely worth more than just a quick listen! Thanks!