Saturday, August 24, 2024

More fun with toki pona, a constructed language

A while ago I was on a language kick, probably because I was holed up because of Covid. Studying a foreign language doesn't require much material and you don't actually have to go anywhere (though I suppose that's the point of learning it in the first place). Toki Pona only has around 120 words, and it appealed to my newfound minimalism ... so I thought, "Sweet! I can learn this alongside Swahili!" Then I got bored and doubted I'd ever use it, so how minimalist is that? Recently however I made a return, because I like the super-smart creative people who know it, and it's better than doom-scrolling. So here are some fun videos I found recently. The first one is from jan Telakoman, who teaches the language in an immersive way, telling cute little stories. The second is an 18 minute guide explaining the grammar.

Friday, August 23, 2024

Saturday, August 10, 2024

First ever film of Appalachian music

I love bluegrass, and this hundred-year-old clip even has buck dancing! After hearing the tune, I immediately thought of "Country Boy" by John Denver. Video by The Folk Revival Project.

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Young lady recreates "Sweatin to the Oldies"

If you remember doing this back in the day, be prepared to feel *real old.* My mother had the VHS tape, and I did it once or twice ... but I was already pretty fit. This workout was no joke, though ... it was fun but you really did sweat!