Till we have built Jerusalem, In England's green & pleasant Land

[sovay]

Well, yeah, duh:

(nicked from Gwenda Bond)

You Are Archery

You are a bit of a traditionalist. You like old fashioned things with deep traditions. You also like to see the result of your accomplishments right in front of you. If practice makes perfect, that's fine by you. You like to practice a skill.

What Olympic Sport Are You?

I did archery for seven years. I won medals; I was not Olympic-quality. I still miss it. Between seventh grade and my first year of college, I probably had better posture than ever before or after in my life.

I am naturally biased, but at the moment Chariots of Fire (1981) may have my vote for cleverest title allusion ever.

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Somehow I heard the music from Chariots of Fire before I ever saw it, and when it got to the part where the kids sing "Jerusalem," the hairs stood right up on my neck, and I played the piece over and over again. My mother explained to me that it was the Blake poem and that it was sung as a hymn in England. The verse with those arrows of desire is just brilliant, and the tune it's sung to is perfect, and I could sing it (and do, when no one's around) over and over again.

I'm not going to bother with the quiz, I'm sure I'll end up a spectator or someone accused of doping or something, but I think it's marvelous that you ended up archery :-)

[sovay]

and when it got to the part where the kids sing "Jerusalem," the hairs stood right up on my neck, and I played the piece over and over again.

That's a very reasonable reaction. I have a college a cappella recording; I may need another.

I'm not going to bother with the quiz, I'm sure I'll end up a spectator or someone accused of doping or something

You never know. nineweaving got badminton, which is both weird and cool (and I hadn't realized was an Olympic sport . . .).

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Weird and cool, maybe; but I'd just wiffle in the air. I have no peripheral vision whatsoever.

Nine

[shirei-shibolim.livejournal.com]

Jerusalem is definitely a good one.

[sovay]

Jerusalem is definitely a good one.

Between the religions of the two protagonists, the mysticism and the Englishness, it was pretty near perfect.

[clarionj.livejournal.com]

Ha, that's wonderful that it chose archery for you. I love when life's so easily in sync. :)

[sovay]

I love when life's so easily in sync.

Admittedly, it's a fine-tuned selection of, oh, five questions. But I'm still amused.

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

I seemed to have gotten the same thing. Unfortunately, full-contact Marco Polo is still not an olympic sport, as it involves fighting and water.

[sovay]

Unfortunately, full-contact Marco Polo is still not an olympic sport, as it involves fighting and water.

One day the committee will regret its oversight!

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

It may or may not be worth noting here that some of the most disturbed double takes I have managed to provoke from people have been by casually singing "Jerusalem" to the tune of the verses from "Yellow Submarine", which for some reason is among the things that tend to come out when I am doing the washing up.

[sovay]

casually singing "Jerusalem" to the tune of the verses from "Yellow Submarine", which for some reason is among the things that tend to come out when I am doing the washing up.

Awesome.

I assume you are aware that you can also sing "Girlfriend in a Coma" to the tune of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" . . .

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

That one I had not come across before.

I presume you know the obvious ones such as the "Clementine"/"Mack the Knife"/Ode to Joy clade (to which you can get"Venus in Furs" to belong with a small modicum of forcing) but I was particularly pleased to finally find something that sonnets scan to: "Stairway to Heaven". (Though one has to skip over the bridge.) I also really like how "Hello Mother Hello Father" fits to "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

I also recently, courtesy of ISIRTA, was very pleased to note that "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" goes to the Dam Busters March.

[sovay]

I also really like how "Hello Mother Hello Father" fits to "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

Now that I want to hear.

[sovay]

Then again my long-distance sport is reading.

I would volunteer you to read for the U.S. any day. Especially if there was sporking involved.

Postcards From The Province Of Hyphens

[sa-jathan.livejournal.com]

OT but worthy -- A note to let you know I received a beautiful copy of this today in the mail and have been swallowed by it. Just the first three so far and I had to stop and report in. "Etz Chayim" stirs in me the same turmoil I felt when I first read Caitlin Kiernan's short story "In The Water Works" about ten years ago (and I give her credit for breaking my world into tiny pieces of light and darkness). I have greatly enjoyed your work in Sirenia Digest and look forward to reading the rest. Also, tomorrow, I believe, brings a copy of "Singing Innocence and Experience."

Happiness is discovery.

Best wishes to you.

[sovay]

"Etz Chayim" stirs in me the same turmoil I felt when I first read Caitlin Kiernan's short story "In The Water Works" about ten years ago (and I give her credit for breaking my world into tiny pieces of light and darkness).

I am honored; truly. Thank you for telling me.

Best wishes to you.

And to you. Enjoy the rest!

[sa-jathan.livejournal.com]

I am honored; truly. Thank you for telling me.

I am glad. And you are very welcome.

My apologies for being tardy. I will quickly catch up.