“Then take me disappearin’ through the smoke rings of my mind,
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.”

Bob Dylan and his back pages, apparently have nuthin’ on y’all!! 

“Watch out, because around that bend the road falls off sharply to the left…stay far over on the right when you do that.”  From “The Only Dance there is”  by Ram Dass aka Richard Alpert

Iren

Arija tries to make Anita’s post plain for others? ...

Good story for fans of “The Great Gatsby”.

No Arija, the “The Great Gatsby” was more in the vein of today’s (reality) tv shows. Where many of its plots depicted were not based upon fiction, but upon someone’s life—- usually that of the leading character’s.

Here’s what some say of Anita’s opening line and perhaps the reason why Schulz (of “Peanuts” cartoon strip) decades ago, chose the same opening wording ...

This lipid lump of prose has become the stereo typical starting line for fictional novels everywhere, most particularly of bad novels. It has also inspired the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, although there has not yet been an entry that clearly tops the original.

Mikus E.

P.S. Coincidentally, I am in the midst of writing a “fictional” novel.—-Yes, I have a working title and no I did not follow “lumpish” Anita’s opening lead!
Sidebar—- And if anyone is interested, I have the original draft of a short story authored by a close friend of mine that while whist in his own reality, included ME!
Hey, I am sure he will not mind my posting it (only if anyone requests it).—-and I think it is quite good ... in English though.
P.P.S. Here though is a good summary of Arija’s “The Great Gatsby”...

Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry “Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you!”
THOMAS PARKE D’INVILLIERS.

P.P.P.S. What happened to tangos?

Irena warns???

“Watch out, because around that bend the road falls off sharply to the left…stay far over on the right when you do that.” From “The Only Dance there is” by Ram Dass aka Richard Alpert

While Irena is correct in noting that one’s life is not ever pre-determined by oneself, it should be said that this if of little mettle if one truly believes.

Mikus E.

Mikus, the story I was referring to was “Double Bind” and unless you have read it you won’t have a clue what I am talking about.

Irena - 30 December 2009 06:11 AM

The tango scene from “Scent of a Woman”.  The steamy one from “Frida” is right there on the same page.  I even came across a tango done by Gidon Kremer. 
Irena

Just have seen Gidon Kremer’s big interview for St.Petersburg TV. He told about his new projects - theatre “Being Gidon Kremer” ( there is also in youtube, BTW).

And also reminded his project of Piazolla.

He has told a lot kind and warm words about Latvia and Riga ( his native city) there.

By the way, I also has told him at Moscow in 90th, he then told me: “My land is Latvia and it will be for ever”

I was very proud, i remember.

Regards,

Juris

And here I thought that bit of prose I posted was widely-known!  “It was a dark and stormy night” was indeed how the cartoon character Snoopy opened the novel he was forever working on - and which Charles Schulz eventually fleshed out as I posted above.  I absolutely cannot take credit for that snippet of brilliance!  I’ve always loved the pirates and doctors and girl in a tattered shawl selling violets - so cartoonishly disparate, but in the end, just a few sentences later, everything comes together and makes at least some sort of sense.

I wish the same for everyone who writes here.

Anita,

I had recognized the story, but I always thought the second sentence was:

“Suddenly, a kiss rang out!”

Pierre

I like that version!

Snoopy was inspired by the novel of Edward Bulwer-Lytton, _Paul Clifford_, published in 1830. The opening sentence of the book is:

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

This fine example of Victorian fustian may in turn have been inspired by Washington Irving’s _Knickerbocker’s History of New-York_ (1809), in chapter 63 of which we read:

“It was a dark and stormy night, when the good Antony arrived at the famous creek (sagely denominated Hærlem _river_) which separates the island of Manna-hata from the main land.”

Stephen

Bulwer-Lytton being sadly underrated, actually. Zanoni kicks ass, for instance.

/P

I think O.J. did it.
Not much additional to offer on the topic of tango, but enjoying Bajofando.

Andrejs

“Just have seen Gidon Kremer’s big interview for St.Petersburg TV. He told about his new projects - theatre “Being Gidon Kremer” ( there is also in youtube, BTW).

And also reminded his project of Piazolla.

He has told a lot kind and warm words about Latvia and Riga ( his native city) there.

By the way, I also has told him at Moscow in 90th, he then told me: “My land is Latvia and it will be for ever”

I was very proud, i remember.

Regards,

Juris”

Paldies, Juri!

This thread has traveled from tangos to movies, books—very interesting!  And Andrej M. just to let you know, we are still on the Netflix queue awaiting the arrival of “Assasination Tango”

So true about the thread traveling a gamut of topics. I’ll just add another to the roster.  This is for Juris.  Our very close friends are going on a barge cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow in April.  They are very curious if you or anyone you know have been on this cruise? 
From the glossy travel brochure it looks very nice but what do the natives say?

Arij, i have heard the best only about these cruises.

All my friends and my brother said it is great.

But the most interesting period is June as there are “white nights” in this time.

I have found some web guide in English http://www.cruisingholidays.co.uk/river/russia/index.htm

Perhaps,  it will help anyway.

Besides, i can also guide your friends as well as assist with accomodation at Moscow, of course.

Regards,

Juris

A big thank you, Juri for the website. They wanted a map of the water route and your website provided it.  As for their stay in Moscow, both have already been there and will not be spending any time there but flying straight home. It’s in St. Petersburg that they will spend 3 nights.
They do thank you for your offer to help them with accomodations and such.