minor tidbits (only four things, though)

[jazzfish]

For reasons that are unclear to me, the first-year Suzuki strings song "Lightly Row," which is written in Dmaj, ends on an F#. If you know any music theory you are probably twitching just a bit right now. If you don't: I don't know how to describe it other than that songs have a pitch (or two) that they're "supposed" to end on, that when the song ends on that note it Feels Right and when it doesn't, it Feels Really Off.

Thing is, I knew this in fourth grade and I called it out, and all my teacher said was "well... it doesn't end on a D, it ends on F#, so just play it like that." Which, argh. TEN-YEAR-OLD ME WAS RIGHT DAMMIT.

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Currently rereading Kat Howard's An Unkindness Of Magicians, because I remember almost nothing about it and the sequel's here. Mostly what I remember is that I devoured it in the space of like three days around solstice '21, in the midst of an enjoyable trip to the different smallish town of Smithers. So I figured it'd be good, but I had no context other than that. Can confirm: it's good. Hoping to have more coherent to say about it.

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I've been meaning to go to 4th Street Fantasy literally since it started up (again?) in like 2008. But at first it collided with Origins, a gaming con that was the highlight of my summer, and then I moved and stopped going to Origins but at that point adding another stateside con seemed expensive. And then it more or less fell off my radar. I'd see people talking about it every spring and think "oh right, that would be neat, maybe next year."

Anyway, it's in Minneapolis, which means I can combine "go to the con i've been meaning to go to for ages" with "see steph for a bit". So, going to 4th Street this year. Maybe I'll see you there?

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I am feeling shockingly functional this week. Here's hoping that maintains. And that it's sustainable when I'm doing actual income-related program activities.

Comments

[sartorias]

It'd be great to see you there!

[jazzfish]

!!! It would indeed!

[shanaqui]

I've been tempted by An Unkindness of Magicians for ages; useful to hear that it's good! I don't know why I hesitate.

[jazzfish]

I have read, mm, two and a half of Kat Howard's books (Unkindness and Roses & Rot, plus The End Of The Sentence, her horror novella collaboration with Maria Dahvana Headley) and have thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I have her short story collection on my shelf but I have to be in a particular mood to dive into a short story collection these days. So, strong recommend just in general.

(Full disclosure: I've also paid her for an editorial review of a story I wrote a decade ago, which her comments strengthened immensely, though I think that was before I'd read any of her writing.)

[mrissa]

Fourth Street: yep!

[jazzfish]

Yay! I'd figured, but still, yay!

[aamcnamara]

I will also be at 4th Street this year, for the first time in a long time! Let's hang out by the pond or something!

[jazzfish]

Excellent! I am wholly on board with this.

[reedrover]

Yay for positive thoughts.

And wtf about the F#! There’s only one modern song I know that uses F# properly and that’s a filk song, “Temper of Revenge,” that drove my father crazy.

[jazzfish]

Huh! I'm used to F# existing, so much music for cello/viola is written in Gmaj or Dmaj (or sometimes Emin or, more rarely, Bmin), but ending on not-the-resolving-tone is just UTTERLY WRONG.

("G flat" I have trouble getting my head around despite it being functionally equivalent to F#. And do not get me started on the song that had an "E#" accidental in it. IF YOU MEAN F NATURAL JUST BLOODY SAY F NATURAL.)

[carbonel]

I look forward to seeing you at 4th Street!

[jazzfish]

oh! Likewise!