human beings, babies, children, friends, child development and education, traveling, Japan, California, San Francisco, languages, music, concerts, movies, filmmuseum, musicals, photography, bookstores, books, psychology, client-centered psychotherapy, being a nanny, Internet, tea, sushi, scented candles, postcards, photos, photo albums, japanese calligraphy, angels, colors, thoughts, good chocolate, Jambajuice, Starbucks, asian films, snail mail, art and crafts, museums, dreams, film music, intelligent conversations, little things, moon, night, solitude, literature, cirque du soleil, libraries, wasting time, observing people at airports, being a student, listening to stories total strangers tell me, making someone's day, collecting all sorts of things, meeting my friends for brunch/lunch/dinner, ...
I'd like to meet:
Friends from the past, the present, and the future. :)
... and nice musicians from California ;)
something to consider: There are many reasons why people are on MySpace and I don't know what's your motive to be here... I'm here to stay in touch with friends and to get to know new music (respectively help to spread the word for musicians I admire). I refuse to use this space as some sort of dating site or the like! Thank you, but no! :P Feel free to send a message (I'll probably reply eventually) but know that I'm not going to add you unless we've met in person, we've known each other for a while, it just feels right or you managed to otherwise have a significant impact on my life... Well, this doesn't necessarily apply to bands and artists, who I'll add based on different "rules". ;) I treasure friendship like little else and even though I'm aware that this is a rather public thing, I try to keep it as real and personal as possible. I want to actually be able to communicate with my friends and get to know them better. If I don't "add" you that doesn't mean we can't still become friends, though... :)
about the comment box: I decided to get rid of it (even though it took me a while to figure out how to get it up there in the first place) since, I guess, it didn't work for most of you... Feel free to leave me a little message, comment, book/music recommendations or other relevant info. Write whatever you want but write it yourself -no flyers or ads if possible as I have seen enough of those for two lifetimes already...
just out of curiosity, I thought I'd re-add this map again for a while... if I don't get to know who it visiting my page, at least I know the country of my visitors. That's a good alternative to setting this page to private, no? ;)
Music:
Can't live without it...
Well, for a start I could mention a few words about the music I decided to feature on my profile:
currently:
Thought this ReverbNation player was really neat. Now you can listen to more than just one of my current favorites. Just click the "play" button. :)
previous:
* Whenever I'm stressed out (January does that to me on a regular basis), I prefer listening to classical music, either orchestral or piano works. So, let me introduce you to "Bellatrix" by Rene Gruss ... yeah, sometimes I miss playing in a symphony orchestra...
* Michael from Unit 9 dedicated this lovely little track to me. :) It's a live performance of a different formation he works with but if you enjoy jazz, go check out Unit 9's profile. ;)
* yes, it's Tripdavon again. :) "Far From Grace" is one of the songs from their new album "The Enlightened Operative". It's almost impossible to say which song is my favorite (the entire album is amazing!) but this one, as well as "Nothing or all", "Resonate" and "Lifeline" are among my favorites. :)
* Dishwalla ... "Candleburn" is such a beautiful song. It has been one of my favorites for a while now. And, while I wait for Tripdavon's new songs, I thought a little change won't hurt. For some reason I'm really into California based music. I wonder why... I'm sure it's not just the piano... :D
* "Drifted" by Tripdavon ... in case you haven't already noticed, I've been listening to their music quite a bit lately. I was recently introduced to this promising, young Californian band here on myspace and by now I've already seen them live. So awesome! :)
* I've had Vienna Teng stuck in my memory ever since I heard "Daughter" for the first time about a year ago. It was the kind of song that, I guess, I just needed at that time. I recently came across two of her albums and realized she has so many other wonderful songs too. I love her voice and of course I love the piano part...
* DJ Krush ... he's one of the best known Japanese hip-hop DJs. I'm not sure if I'd actually call his music hip-hop, though... it's rather eclectic music with Jazz influences too... very interesting stuff!
* * *
where it all began: I basically grew up under a classically played Boesendorfer so the piano is and will always be my favorite instrument (yes, I miss playing it myself but that's a long story). For obvious reasons Chopin's piano music has a comforting effect on me. I also like Scriabin, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Dvorak, Satie, etc.
consequently I now like: Vienna Teng, Tori Amos, Ben Folds, The Dresden Dolls, Norah Jones, Keith Jarrett, Alicia Keys, Rachel Yamagata, Regina Spektor ...
next there was: American music of the 1960s (and Elvis), and I bought my first LPs (Queen, which has changed my taste in music forever, and ACDC, which was a bit too wild for my taste and thus ended up in my brother's music collection), then there were the Beatles, who became my second favorite band.
within the rock department I now like: Tripdavon, Dishwalla, Skunk Anansie, Skin, Placebo, Muse, Ash, Kings of Leon, Secret Machines, The Tea Party, 3 Doors Down, Garbage, R.E.M, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, Third Eye Blind, ...
and then I fell in love with beats and bass: and electronic music such as Tosca, Waldeck, Kruder&Dorfmeister, Vienna Scientists, DJ Spooky, Texta, Fettes Brot, Fischmob, MC Solaar, Thievery Corporation, Groove Armada, Supreme Beings of Leisure...
"back to the roots": I discovered Japanese music, especially: Shiina Ringo, DJ Krush, Sakamoto Ryuichi, DJ Makoto, Jazztronik, Honda Yuka, Isdatso, The Sushi Club, UA, ... and anime soundtracks (Joe Hisaishi!)
and not to forget: Triology, Bjoerk, Jack Johnson, Patrick Wolf, Nouvelle Vague, Rasputina, Poe, Apocalyptica, Air, Delerium, Rhea's Obsession, Switchblade Symphony, Jewel, Shakira, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Robbie Williams, Rilo Kiley, Zero 7, Goldfrapp, Pet Metheny Group, Ray Charles, Enya, Charlotte Church, Bauchklang, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Erinn Williams, Authority Zero ...
to sum it up: I listen to Classical music, Jazz, Alternative Rock, Drum'n'Bass (intelligent and downtempo), Ambient Lounge (i.e. Buddha Bar), Electronic stuff, Musicals, piano and orchestral music in any variation, Trip Hop, Starbucks music, and some Pop.
or even shorter: FILM MUSIC! :)
Movies:
Okay, so this list is getting quite long (and I'm not even adding all the movies that I like). :P The movies are listed in no particular order. I started with randomly adding them and then I continued updating the list chronologically as I watched them. Finally, I tried to organize them geographically... which wasn't that easy and is most likely not accurate since movie productions are so wonderfully international. :)
Europe:
Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain. Herzklopfen. Au revoir, les enfants. La Vita è bella. Léon. Sissi. Dancer in the Dark. Dogville. Être et avoir. Chocolat. Knockin' on Heaven's Door. Les Choristes. La Marche de l'empereur. La Tourneuse de pages ...
Asia:
Shall we dansu. Dare mo shiranai. Dolls. Hotaru no haka. Ran. Kagemusha. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi. Gamunui yeonggwang. Vibrator. Joze to tora to sakana tachi. Majo no takkyûbin. Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida. Riri Shushu no subete. Sekai no chûshin de, ai o sakebu. Wo hu cang long. Wandâfuru raifu. Tokyo Story. Mizu no Onna. Shin Sung-il-eui hangbang-bulmyung. Uri hyeong. Swing Girls. Waterboys. Aoi Haru. Vital. Scrap Heaven. Kichiku. Unmei janai hito. Hauru no ugoku shiro. Omohide poro poro. Kûchû teien. Canary ...
America:
The Crow. Fight Club. The Shop Around the Corner. Crash. Ballet. Childstar. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. American History X. 25th Hour. The Godfather. Lost in Translation. Down by Law. East of Eden. The Princess Bride. Dumbo. Hair. Nightmare before Christmas. Edward Scissorhands. Big Fish. Se7en. Before Sunrise. 1900. Big Daddy. Sweet November. Patch Adams. Dead Poet Society. City of Angels. My Big Fat Greek Wedding. American Beauty. 21 Grams. Taxi Driver. The Outsiders. The Red Violin. Something's Gotta Give. Dogma. High Fidelity. West Side Story. Center Stage. Marry Poppins. A beautiful Mind. Stranger than Paradise. Meet me in St. Louis. All the real Girls. Breakfast at Tiffany's. Keeping the Faith. Death to Smoochy. Never Been Kissed. Garden State. Mulholland Drive. Bajo California. The House of Mirth. Ray. Waking Life. I
Africa:
Tsotsi. Moolaadé ...
Australia:
Shine. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Green Card. Look Both Ways. Whale Rider ...
Television:
Six Feet Under, ER, Third Watch, The 4400, King of Queens, C.S.I., The Nanny, Scrubs, Friends, Golden Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, Dharma and Greg, O.C. (season 1), Simpsons, Home Improvement, Who's the boss, Charmed, Fuyu no sonata, The Cosby Show, Full House, ... Well, I've been living without TV for over five years now so all of the above are shows I either watched while I was young(er) or which I have on DVD... okay, I admit it, I do get my TV fix when I'm visiting my parents ;)
Books:
the list would be way too long if I added every book that I like so I make it a list of my favorite authors instead: Murakami Haruki, Amelie Nothomb, Miyazawa Kenji, Waris Dirie, Banana Yoshimoto, S.E. Hinton, Paulo Coelho, Michael Ende, Wally Lamb, Carl Rogers, Alice Miller, Leo Buscaglia, Oe Kenzaburo, Sei Shonagon, Boris Vian, Jeanette Winterson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Margret & H.A. Rey, Sandra Boynton, Hasegawa Machiko, ...
