bethofalltrades: (Default)
bethofalltrades ([personal profile] bethofalltrades) wrote2009-04-23 04:36 am

(no subject)

I often forget that there are people who read my blog who don't read Amanda's.

This is a photo I took at Coachella:


We were at some fancy house in a fancy gated community near the site doing press. It was surreal.

My life is frequently very surreal.

I remember at some point this weekend, and god knows when it was, I looked at Katrina and I said, "Life is pretty amazing."

She agreed.

It is, actually. I saw Leonard Cohen play. He sang First We Take Manhattan and he got to my favorite verse and I cried a little.

I don't like your fashion business mister
I don't like these drugs that keep you thin
I don't like what happened to my sister
First we take Manhattan... then we take Berlin


Those words were written on a scrap of paper and pinned to my bedroom door all through college. I carefully unpinned the paper, which by that point was yellowing around the edges, when I moved. It's in a book somewhere, pressed between the pages to avoid wrinkles. And I got to see and hear the man SING IT LIVE. I closed my eyes and imagined that he knew that I was standing there and really feeling what he said.

I opened them and I was surrounded by a crush of thousands who were feeling it too. We sang the chorus of Hallelujah together.

The man is 74 years old. He spent five years in seclusion in a Buddist monastery. Leonard Cohen is an honest-to-god MONK. He radiated sheer JOY during his performance, joy and incredible grace. Seeing him play was transcendent.

Life is pretty amazing.

Love,
Beth

[identity profile] zaarwin-devolve.livejournal.com 2009-04-23 12:15 pm (UTC)(link)
I get to see Leonard next month. :) My wallet still kind of hates me but it's okay. How often does one get to see Leonard anyway?

[identity profile] weezerchild703.livejournal.com 2009-04-23 07:39 pm (UTC)(link)
This is TOTALLY blasphemy and I know it, but I miss the mark with Leonard Cohen... Maybe I'm just not listening to the right CDs as starters... but I only "get" less than a handful of songs. I'm determined not to give up though. Do you have any specific album recommendations to start off with?