I'd been introduced to the nyckelharpa through the music of Väsen a little over a year ago by a dear friend, and through that lovely chain of discovery that is the internet, yesterday I found the music of Bardou. I certainly don't claim to be a source of real knowledge on the band, but it appears to be two blokes, one with the incredibly fascinating nyckelharpa and the other with a 19-string arch/harp guitar.
Yes. Chew on that for a moment. I barely understand what that means, either. But I don't play the music, lady--I just listen to it.
But here are these amazing fellows doing "Greensleeves," which I found to be a really lovely boon to my less-than-festive spirits.
Definitely check out the rest of their tunes at YouTube.
The video is certainly the most interesting part of this post, but there is a wee stitch more that I've been chewing on. That thing is something that I'm certain many folks are experiencing at this part of the year: holiday burn-out. This year, I know it's a combination of a) my job is at its most stressful from November 29-December 18, which kind of puts the damper on getting super-festive in preparation for holiday things b) poor planning (the job stress has been a constant since 2003--by now, I should know this and perhaps do my holiday shopping ahead, no? yes.) c) piling on a lot of holiday travel (also not new, of course).
The preparation issue is the only one of these things that I really get to control. But I do get to control that, so I ought to put something on my calendar in July that says "do holiday shopping now, you cricket-brained farthingale." I always put it off, hoping that I will be able to find the perfect gift for my loved ones, which never actually happens, and then I'm stuck bad-temperedly flinging things into a basket at the mall. And that's something no one wants.
What's your annual holiday bane, that thing you swear you will never do again and then repeat year after year?
I always get that false feeling of accomplishment along about December 1st, when I've purchased several (but not ALL, by any means) of the necessary gifts, and it lulls me into thinking I have LOTS of time to finish everything, which is never true. And I'm up 'til all hours finishing the icing on that last batch of cookies, and wrapping something that I didn't buy until two days before Christmas. But the main thing I keep hoping I can change is spending the week before Christmas in the company of Scrooge, Marley and their surly assistants. I promise myself I will save vacay time so I don't have to work in that toxic atmosphere. But it isn't entirely within my control, either. Things come up. Like weddings and that. *shrug*
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