Friday Music: Original and Interpreted

What do you get when you combine (sort of) the talents of Linkin Park, Josh Groban and Adele*? That’s easy – renditions of songs I love, by artists I love, and great music for a Friday afternoon.

First up: “My December” – written by Mike Shinoda.

And: “Rolling in the Deep” – written by Adele and Paul Epworth

* Mix up a lot of Celtic, Early, Classical, Rock, Alternative, and Pop music, put the music library on “shuffle” and you get interesting sounds like Green Day followed by Gilbert and Sullivan. 

Kreatiewe skryfkuns inspirasie en “Finish Year”

Creative Writing Masterclass met Keith Gray – Plot and milieu 
Hier is twee video’s deur die skrywer Keith Gray. Die eerste handel oor plot, die tweede oor milieu. Die res van die reeks video’s kan ook op You Tube gekyk word.

Finish Year
Ek kan nie glo dat die konferensie net ’n paar weke weg is nie! Ek het ’n bietjie verlof gevat so om die komende naweek na Vrouedag om my tyd te gee om die referaat en voordragte finaliseer. Terselfdetyd soek ek rond op die internet vir ’n paar illustrasies van draugar om te gebruik, maar meeste van die sketse lyk meer na zombies of dié wat in speletjies – soos Skyrim – gevind word as dié wat in die middeleeuse tekste beskryf word. Hierdie twee lyk darem meer soos dié in die tekste (behalwe vir die horings wat ongelukkig byna altyd bygevoeg word, maar mens kan seker nie als hê nie.)













So ek gaan vir my ’n hoop jelliebone aanskaf – die beste lekkers om te eet terwyl mens studeer in my opinie – en dubbel so hard studeer hierdie week.

Creative Writing Inspiration and Finish Year

Creative Writing Masterclass – Plot and Setting
Here’s two more videos by writer Keith Gray. The first is about plot and the second is about setting.

Finish Year
I can’t believe that the conference is only a few weeks away! I’ve taken some leave around the coming weekend to give me some time to finalise the paper and the presentation. I’ve also been wandering around the internet looking for a few illustrations for the presentation and have noticed that the most drawings of draugr are made to look a lot more like zombies or those found in games – like Skyrim – than the ones described in the actual medieval texts. These two, however, are closer to those described in the texts (with the unfortunate addition of horned helmets, but you can’t have everything).

So, I’ll stock up on jelly beans – the best study candy in my opinion – and hit the books double as hard this week. 

Draugr from Medievlists.net

Photo Courtesy of Richard Styles and Stock Exchange

Ewige boeke: die Silwer Bybel

Een van my gunsteling manuskripte is bygevoeg tot die “Memory of the World”-register. Dit word die Silwer Bybel (Codex Argentium) genoem en bestaan uit ‘n gedeelte van die Gotiese vertaling van die Bybel en is geskryf op pers perkament met silwer en goue ink. Maar hier is ‘n baie beter beskrywing en mens kan ook hierdie wonderlike manuskrip sien*:

*Daar is nog foto’s van hierdie manuskrip op my Pintrest-borde.

Everlasting Books: The Silver Bible

One of my favourite manuscripts has been added as part of the Memory of the World Register. It is called the Silver Bible (Codex Argentium) and is a part of the Gothic translation of the Bible, written on purple parchment in silver and gold ink. But, here is a much better explanation and you get to see the wonderful manuscript*:

*There are some more pictures of the codex on my Pinterest boards here.