Tuần trước đọc một bài phỏng vấn R. Kelly trong tập chí GQ rất thú vị. Tuy đã nghe nhạc R. Kelly hơn 20 năm nhưng tôi chưa hề biết gì về anh, ngoài những scandal tình dục với những cô gái trẻ dưới vị thành niên. Theo bài phỏng vấn anh là người đã bị hảm hiếp bởi một người đàn bà lớn tuổi hơn anh trong gia đình. Lúc đầu anh thấy lạ và shock nhưng rồi càng lúc càng phê nên cũng chơi luôn.
Thêm một điều rất ngạc nhiên là Kelly bị vấn đề về việc đọc. Khi đọc anh chỉ nghe ra điệu nhạc nên bị phân tâm. Không phải là một người thích đọc vậy mà anh viết ra những bài nhạc rất hay như bài nổi tiếng của Michael Jackson “You Are Not Alone” hoặc bài nâng cao tinh thần “I Believe I Can Fly.” Nhưng nói đến R. Kelly thì phải nói đến những bài tình dục của anh. Tôi còn nhớ lần đầu tiên nghe hai bài “Your Body’s Callin’” và “Bump n’ Grind” lúc học lớp 8. Với giai điệu r & b slow jam và chất giọng baritone đầy nam tính, R. Kelly đã làm rung động biết bao nhiêu nệm gối và đã chịu trách nhiệm cho biết bao nhiêu đứa trẻ ra đời. Nhạc của anh có tên gọi là nhạc đễ sinh sản trẻ em.
Có một lần, cách đây cũng 10 năm, tôi có bàn về âm nhạc với một ca sĩ và nhạc sĩ trẻ Việt Nam. Cô cho rằng nhạc của R. Kelly quá trắng trợn nên không có chất quyến rũ kính đáo như nhạc Việt. Tôi thì không đồng ý. Nếu như nhạc có thể làm cho con người trở nên thèm thuồng thì lá quá quyến rủ rồi. Ví dụ như mấy câu này: “My mind’s tellin’ me no but my body, my body’s tellin’ me yes.” Tạm dịch: “Đầu tôi thì nói không nhưng cơ thể tôi thì nói có.” Đó chỉ là những cử chỉ khiêu gợi sơ sơ. Sau này anh đi thẳng vào vấn đề như: “Girl, please let me stick my key in your ignition.” Tạm dịch là: “Em, xin cho anh cài chìa khóa anh vào ổ của em.” Theo tôi đó là những ca từ hiện đại. Có những bài của R. Kelly, tôi nghe mà không thể nhịn cười nhất là những đề tài nói về ẩm thực như “toss salad.” Nhắc đến đồ ăn, R. Kelly chơi luôn một chầu Buffet qua album thứ 13 của anh mới ra lò tháng 12 năm ngoái. Đáng tiếc là album không đem lại sự đổi mới cho R. Kelly.
Cao Nguyên
Thượng giới là đây chẳng xa xôi
Nếu mùa xuân ấy tựa vai tôi
Nói nói cười cười dưa hạt trắng
Rượu hồng say khướt bởi đôi môiThoảng như nàng hỏi một đôi lời
Tưng bừng pháo nổ rộn trong tôi
Bao điều muốn nói… Sao khó nói!
Chỉ bảo nàng ơi, Tết đến rồi!
Mượn bài thơ dễ thương này của anh Cao Nguyên đễ đón xuân. Đây là một trong 39 bài thơ anh viết và gôm vào một quyển sách. Trong những ngày sắp tới quyển sách đó sẽ có một trang nhà riêng tôi đang hãnh diện và vui sướng được thiết kế. Nếu bạn nào thích đọc thơ, hãy chờ đón tin ở đây.
If you’re looking for stimulating reads this weekend, check out these articles:
There’s a scene in Mad Men where Pete Campbell tried to make love to his wife, but she refused. With humiliation and embarrassment, he said something along this line: “You want to throw away the one thing that matters the most in this relationship?”
Glad to hear I am not the only one thinking this way. Love, kids, money, companionship, and everything else matter in a relationship, but that also is a major part of the package. I am not saying Pete should have done that with another married woman in his neighborhood, but I understand why he did it.
Spent the entire rainy morning cleaning up the house and listening to some holiday music. Here are the three albums I am enjoying:
Big Band Holidays by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis: Classic holiday songs orchestrated in big band jazz led by Marsalis and joined by Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, and René Marie. What more can you ask for?
Believe by David Benoit Trio with Jane Monheit holding down the vocals: The David Benoit Trio crafted a beautiful album for the holidays. Their rendition of “Believe,” which comes from The Polar Express, gives me so much memories of the kids. They used to love this movie.
Seasons of Love by Bích Vân & Vân Anh: Although this is not specific for the holidays, the broadway tunes and the classical and jazz arrangements made it an exceptional album for this time of the year.
Check these albums out if you have a chance and happy holidays.
Email from a reader:
Hello Donny,
I am the guy who just paid 0.02 $ for your book Professional Web Typography. This is not because that’s how much I think your efforts are worth. I’m in a difficult financial situation right now and what I paid for the book is pretty much all I have on my bank account.
I want to become a professional graphic designer specialized in type design and I can’t afford an education in that field so books like yours are life-saving for me. I don’t have a steady internet access so I needed that pdf version of your book to be able to work at any time.
As soon as my financial situation will get better, I will pay for this book. This is a promise.
For the incredible help your book has already offered me, thank you Donny.
I understand his financial situation. As long as it is not a spammer, I appreciate any support.
By Dr. Seuss
The first time I heard of Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! was in a graduation speech at Vassar College delivered by Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Jackson’s charisma drew me in. I bought the book when Đạo, my first kid, was born. I never imagined that I would apply it to myself, but here it is. I am sure you have read it many times already, but I still want to post the full text without the illustrations. Enjoy:
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.It’s opener there
in the wide open air.Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.And then things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place……for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.NO!
That’s not for you!Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.Except when they don’t
Because, sometimes they won’t.I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.On and on you will hike,
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!
Happy graduation!
Vietnamese Typography is now only $12 for a paperback copy and only $5 for the PDF copy. If you need a stimulating gift for someone special for the holidays, pick up a copy. I also would like to thank those who had purchased and supported the book.
Update: Thanks to Anh Hùng for ordering 10 paperback copies.