Listened to the State of the Union last night. I followed the last part of it and the first part of the GOP rebuttal on Twitter last night (#SOTU in the Twitter trending topic lingo). I haven’t used Twitter exactly like this before. It is interesting to watch all of the various comments go by.
I admire Obama’s continued attempts to lead this fractious country. Plus as I keep insisting, words are important. Meaning is important. So many politicians (and journalists) use a devalued language that veers between dissembling and manipulation of the listener that is disconnected from their conscious purpose and the historical conversation of their ideas. Basic clarity and honesty are difficult to achieve in this environment, but I think that President Obama is going after these more than most of his fellow politicians.
I mentioned to Eileen that sometimes a president is primarily talking “past” the congress directly to his audience of the country and/or the world. I got the feeling last night that Obama was addressing many of his ideas directly to congress.
Yesterday was a fruitful and satisfying day for me. After finishing my blog, I worked on developing a program for the Feb 14th choral recital. I took the choral works I had the choir more or less ready to sing and added possible instrumental works. Here is how it looks this morning:
O Lord, in thee is all my trust by Tallis – choir/harps.Fantasy 3 by Gibbons – violin cello [fantasia 3 link]O Lord, Increase my faith by Gibbons choir/harps.Fantasia 1 by Gibbons – violin cello [link to gibbons fantansia 1]Sanctus by Lotti choir/strings/harpsTrio sonata mov by Lotti – violin/harps R.H. on 2nd part…/cello“O most Holy Birth-giver of God, Save Us” by Arvo Pärt (from triodon) choirIrish Ho Hoane anon dance from Fitwilliam Virginal book – violin, viola, cello, harpsichordPurge me, O Lord from all my sin by Tallis – choirAndante from BWV 1014 Sonata in B minor for Violin by BachAch wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig BWV 26 by J.S.BachA second movement from BWV 1014My Soul Longs for Thee by DowlandDowland harpsichord pieceFantasia by Morley harpsichordIt was a lover and his lasse by Morley
![](http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/harpsichord-stephanie-cox.jpg)
Interesting article about the president and us generation x….
http://blogs.hbr.org/erickson/2010/01/our_first_year_with_a_generati.html
David J