Followers

Saturday 21 December 2013

Merry Christmas;


Christmas 1961

Christmas (Old English: Cristesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass" is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December night 24 and Christmas day December 25 by billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide, which ends after the twelfth night. Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world's nations. 
In this spirit I wish you all, believer or non believer, Christian or non Christian,

A very Merry Christmas!  

May the New year 2014 be a wonderful year for you.




Wednesday 18 December 2013

Wednesday; Gaudeamus igitur; Graduations;



My daughter and my grandsons.

Both my grandsons have finished their student life, graduated and  will start their jobs in 2014.



Lucian, 24 has studied Medicine at University of Queensland. Starts as a junior doctor at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane. His aim is to become a specialist surgeon. 




Felice 21, here with his mother,

Felice has studied Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering,
 also at University of Queensland, he finished with Honours.
Starting a grad job   with Glencore Xstrata,
 one of the world's largest global diversified natural resource companies

A new period of life for both boys, or better said young men, Both have done so well, always.


Gaudeamus igitur
"De Brevitate Vitae" and "Gaudeamus" . For the work by Seneca the Younger.
"De Brevitate Vitae" ("On the Shortness of Life"), more commonly known as "Gaudeamus Igitur" ("So Let Us Rejoice") or just "Gaudeamus", is a popular academic song in many European countries, mainly sung or performed at university graduation ceremonies. Despite its use as a formal graduation hymn, it is a jocular, light-hearted composition that pokes fun at university life. The song dates to the early 18th century, based on a Latin manuscript from 1287 It is in the tradition of carpe diem with its exhortations to enjoy life.

It was known as a beer-drinking song in many ancient universities and is the official song of many schools, colleges, universities, institutions, and student societies.The lyrics reflect an endorsement of the bacchanalian mayhem of student life while simultaneously retaining the grim knowledge that one day we will all die. The song contains humorous and ironic references to sex and death, and many versions have appeared following efforts to bowdlerise this song for performance in public ceremonies. In private, students will typically sing ribald words.
The song is sometimes known by its opening words, "Gaudeamus igitur" or simply "Gaudeamus". In the UK, it is sometimes affectionately known as "The Gaudie". The centuries of use have given rise to numerous slightly different versions.
Johannes Brahms quoted the hymn in the final section of his Academic Festival Overture. Sigmund Romberg used it in the operetta The Student Prince, which is set at the University of Heidelberg. The hymn is also quoted, along with other student songs, in the overture of Franz von Suppé's 1863 operetta Flotte Burschen (the action being once again set at the University of Heidelberg).

When sung, the first two lines and the last line of each stanza are repeated; for instance:
The first
Gaudeamus igitur
Iuvenes dum sumus.
Post iucundam iuventutem
Post molestam senectutem
Nos habebit humus.

Let us rejoice, therefore,
While we are young.
After a pleasant youth
After a troubling old age
The earth will have us.

In between are 8 more!




Sung by the great Mario Lanza.


©Photos/Titania Everyday/Ts

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Tuesday; chores;


This morning in the garden
I tidied a clump of giant Heliconia bihai;
it can grow to 3 meters or higher.
It had lots of dried leaves and stalks to cut out.
Its beautiful, interesting flowers are just emerging. 






Some rather tired blooms of Epiphyllum oxipetalum,
 no wonder they were open all night
 to welcome the night flying moths.






Looking up,
clouds are shifting and pushing  the summer sky  into cobalt blue fragments. 


It was hot and sweaty work, not yet finished, but the clump looks already so much better again.


©Photos and Text Ts