A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 09:59 PM

Why not check out these calypso bands, they may contain musicians who view of calypso might appear commercially compromised - but they may have some techniques you can learn from. Also perhaps tricks of diction and communication that the record companies got the original artist you have heard, to abandon.

Unless you are a very big star, or you are recording for a folk label where they don't expect to sell many copies - the musician is not the boss when he goes into a recording studio. When a company is putting up big bucks to record and promote a record that they think has a good chance of making them money, they take over. They are taking the financial risk - and they call the shots.

learn from whoever you can.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:05 PM

They might not be native Trinidadians though. Call me a purist or whatever you like but I read on one blog (just one person's opinion, so you can disregard it if you want) that the best way of learning from another culture and avoiding cultural appropriation is to learn from someone from that culture. As I said, maybe I should ask my singing teacher.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other t
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:07 PM

Two perspectives/examples to compare:

Eek-A-Mouse (Jamaican singer) venting about foreign singers (and locals from privileged class) stealing the spotlight from the sufferas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDnBJio67pA

I have to admit I have a similar feeling when someone says, "Hey, Gibb, have you heard this Hasidic Jewish guy (Matisyahu) who sings reggae? He's really good." What's so great about him that I need to hear it? So what if he does a passable version of reggae for the ears of outsiders? There are so many great Jamaican artists that one could never scrape the bottom if they only looked at Jamaica. So why would I necessarily look to this American guy just because he is being put on the TV because he is a novelty? If he were my friend, I would support him. Not being my friend, I have no reason to disrespect him. Nevertheless I would naturally look to the artists involved in and accepted by the native culture of reggae music, first -- who are masters of all the subtle aspects of the music that bring satisfaction.

Gotta respect Eek-a-Mouse for speaking his mind, advocating for the "people who grow with reggae music" and not taking the liberal "it's all good" approach.

(The transcription of the video was written by someone with poor English skills. Let me know if you need any clarification.)

Second example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR0oQwrlZD8

Not only is David Rodigan, a White man from England, very widely accepted/respected in his genre (reggae sound systems/clash), many Jamaicans consider him to be among the best. Part of this is because he has developed the relationships and gone through the experiences to earn that respect. He has not been exploitative (either actively or passively). And, luckily, in this particular genre, one's "skills" ultimately count for more than one's nationality/color/etc.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:14 PM

Gibb Sahib, do you believe that I should sing calypso? I said maybe I'll ask my singing teacher...

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:27 PM

You can't learn or grow as an artist in a vacuum.

The artists you may have available to learn from, may not be the best. Just like the friends you have, may not be the best people in the world. But folk music without real folks - rather like friendship without friends is not really possible. We must make do with what we have, and life is a miserable business without them.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:33 PM

And BTW, I agree with you when you say that to learn music from another culture, you need to respect it and become aware of its context as well as involved in the culture of the music as well as forming relationships that will gain you respect- and the best way to do it would be to be taught by someone from that culture who has extensive experience of the tradition. That's partly why I started this thread in the first place- if I didn't want to learn the tradition correctly, I wouldn't have asked, I'd just have assumed I could do whatever I want and people would love it. Now does anyone have any tips as to how I might go about learning the tradition accurately and respectfully in the future, as well as having fun, by finding tradition bearers in my home city?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:58 PM

I would find a message board for calypso lovers and mention the generic area at least. mg

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 11:04 PM

Calypso counts as "roots music" doesn't it? I may try and find roots music forums and ask the posters. Thanks for the suggestion.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 11:20 PM

Sorry, I meant "world music".

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other t
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 11:44 PM

"World music" means nothing.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 12:04 AM

It's what they categorise it as in CD shops, even, I believe, on Smithsonian Folkways. It's a catchall term, not a genre name. it's just a broad category for the uncategorisable genres that don't belong to the broader ones and for a kind of "exotic" category. I'm sorry if I sounded like I thought that it did mean something. Most shops which sell CDS slam anything that doesn't fit the broader genre categories into "world music" which means any music which originates in places whose music styles are obscure and not really "popular", such as traditional West African music, for example. I hope this doesn't come off as angry or rude. 

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 12:25 AM

So, to go back to the question I asked a few posts earlier, does anyone have an idea how I could find tradition bearers in my home city? Would it be beneficial to ask on a "world music" message board?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 01:16 AM

if it is a big city as opposed to a small town, for your personal security reasons, I would just post it here. I am assuming that is not your real name. mg

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 01:24 AM

Does anyone have an idea how I could find tradition bearers in my home city? I don't
know how because most of the calypso performers in Sydney appear to provide party music. I have almost no knowledge of the folk music scene beyond what's posted on these boards?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 02:29 AM

"World music" means nothing."
There's a story of a veteran Irish fiddle player who went into one of the big record shops in Dublin,
As there was no 'folk' or 'traditional' section, he beagn to riffle his way through the 'world music' racks, looking to see if there was a copy of his own album.
Not finding it, he rather disgruntledly went to the counter and asked, "got anything from anywhere else?"
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 02:42 AM

Morwen, you don't sound rude at all, and I hope I don't. Just being brief is all.
Clarification: "world music" means nothing that would be PRODUCTIVE to your purposes. Its very broadness makes it even less useful than "roots music" or "folk music" for use in *specific* study.

Go ask some Trinis!...and leave the folk biddies to their Anglophile warblings and bleatings :)

By the way, I learned music in a foreign culture over the span of 10 years. Had a formal, native teacher -- a hereditary professional, "born into" the tradition. Lived in the country 4 times (for spans of a years, months), also brought the teacher to my home 9USA) twice. Traveled all around and studied the playing of many performers. But I could only ever be considered an amateur, someone who "takes an interest." People would be flattered by my interest. However, I could never be a professional within that culture. No amount of skill/fluency would do it. My sense of ethics -- instilled by my teacher -- tells me that while I could appear as facsimile of a performer in other cultural spheres, that I *should* not. So I don't.

Moral of the story is that there is no blanket answer. Those that are saying, "It's no problem, go for it!" have not had occasion to consider all the situations. In my opinion they are speaking from a relatively narrow, even ethnocentric perspective.

It's culture-specific. Which is why you have to talk to people in calypso culture, not the strummers of dreadnaughts with hootenany straps -- mostly well-meaning, kind, welcoming liberals, but who have not had much experience living a life where your existence was so crappy that music was your only option for survival...and you don't take kindly to other with far more options taking over your music, imperfectly at that, as privileged choice. True, they may smile and praise you for learning their tradition -- but don't take advantage of their generous nature or code of hospitality. The resentment may not be obvious until, like with most colonized nations, there had to be an independence struggle.
Although people use the language of political correctness and inclusiveness, "colonizing" of a sort still goes on -- particularly in the global music industry.

It helps to think that some genres of music are in essence the people who have created them. They are not abstract forms available to anyone who would adopt their stylistic features. You might become one of the creators, and thus part of the music. Yet there's a profound difference between performing in a musical style and being one of its creators.

best wishes,
Gibb

P.S. I teach a university course right now called "World Music." :-)

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 03:18 AM

Thanks, Gibb! But the problem is I don't know any Trinidadians personally to ask. If I can ask you, when and how did you realise you would never be a professional in the style you were studying? What style was it?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 03:23 AM

So, about the fact that I don't know any Trinidadian people to ask? What should I do about that? And how should I go about doing that?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 04:03 AM

If you can afford it, a trip would be a great place to start, unless you have already. mg

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 04:13 AM

Yes, probably. But for how long? A one-week trip isn't going to tell you much. People in the tourist industry are trained, pretty much expected, to be hospitable to travellers visiting their country. Unless it was something like a gap year or longer than that.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 04:22 AM

Gibb, do you have suggestions on how I could ask Trinidadians how they feel about this? As I've written, I don't know any Trinidadians personally. GUEST mg suggested a trip, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't tell me anything personally. I highly doubt the other situations I've thought about mightn't help much.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 04:24 AM

*might

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 05:43 AM

Does anyone have an idea how I could find tradition bearers in my home city?

Music shops have noticeboards for small ads.

Gumtree or whatever your local electronic small-ads board is. (You may have to repeat the ad every few weeks, as things tend to drop into invisibility quite fast).

Ask around any place that might have calypso music fans going to it - food shops or eateries with a Caribbean clientele, for example.

You sound determined enough that I can't imagine something along those lines not working.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 05:44 AM

Thanks, Jack. Definitely think of those suggestions.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: Max Johnson
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:41 AM

he began to riffle his way through the 'world music' racks, looking to see if there was a copy of his own album.

He should worry. When one our albums went on sale at HMV on Oxford Street, we eventually found it under 'Easy Listening'. The bastards.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:47 AM

Gibb Sahib, lighten up. Of course Morwen should (eventually) seek out actual Trinidadian practitioners if she wants to refine her craft. She should not, however, be required to seek anyone's permission to pursue her passion. The only limiting advice I'd give her is to sing in her own voice without attempting to mimic anyone else.

Your stale, bigoted swipes at those of us "dreadnought-strumming liberals" are not appreciated. This young woman does not need advice from anyone who puts limits on her dreams. The advice she's mostly gotten here is the same as yours. Don't be miffed that she's getting it from people who don't teach world music classes.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 07:04 AM

Can't help thinking if an artist wanted to be regarded as an august personage within a a traditional artform unblemished by sordid commerciality, would you choose the name Eek a Mouse...!

As you say brother Guest, the man talketh enormous bollocks. And did not Jesus say unto us, you will know Satan and his envoys by the enormous bollocks they talketh unremittingly.

You know bloody well if Paul Simon was making an album Graceland Three (subtitled Paul and the pygmies of Mongolia) - all the 'world musicians' would be queue-ing up to sell our Paul a few crotchets. Dreadnought strumming liberal or not.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,Azizi
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 09:35 AM

Greetings to all those who earlier greeted me by name and greetings to those who didn't. I'm not writing this to elicit greetings but to express a concern I have.

I've been reading this thread with a great deal of interest (as opposed to skimming posts). And it occurs to me that taking on a persona and then asking for assistance from persons who post to an online community is one technique that a blogger could use to stimulate discussion and to inform readers about a particular subject or particular subjects. And I believe that MorwenEdhelwen1 may be using this technique.

Of course, there's no way of verifying this. And yes, I'm also aware that some people could (also) think that I put on a persona while blogging for a particular purpose or purposes. However, while I admit to an overarching reason for many of the posts I used to write on this forum (to increase the awareness of African American and other Black cultures), I did so and do so openly without the use of any persona.

However, it's possible that MorwenEdhelwen1 is actually a 17 year old Chinese girl from Australia who wants to be a Calypsonian. It's also possible that MorwenEdhelwen1 knows a lot about rather obsure (to most people) Calypsonians, and also (from this thread and, in particular other Mudcat threads) has exhibited a skill in doing online searches, but somehow didn't know that there were Chinese Calypsonians and also didn't know about Calypso message boards. It is also possible that rather than spend her time on Calypso and other Caribbean blogs, Morwen would prefer to spend her time and energy asking insistent questions about "obscure" (to most people) Calypso records and engaging in pointed conversation with persons on this folk music forum which-by now-she has realized has few if any posters who know much about Calypso music.

Again, all of this is possible. But I have my doubts.

And I don't like those persons who I consider my online friends to be fooled.

Yet I could be wrong. And, if so, my apologies to MorwenEdhelwen1.

Whatever the reason/s this thread was started, I am glad that this discussion elicited information about Calypso music as well as comments about the general subject of people performing music that isn't indigenous to them.

As the original poster wrote:

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 10:33 PM

And BTW, I agree with you when you say that to learn music from another culture, you need to respect it and become aware of its context as well as involved in the culture of the music as well as forming relationships that will gain you respect- and the best way to do it would be to be taught by someone from that culture who has extensive experience of the tradition. That's partly why I started this thread in the first place...

-snip-

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other t
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 11:09 AM

anonymous GUEST (who sounds like a troll),

anyone who puts limits on her dreams. Oh, boo hoo, limits on her dreams! Why don't you strum me a song about it? Well, this is why she made the query -- to get the sense if there are situations out there where one would be limited. And there are, of which one needs to be aware. She didn't ask it so that people could boost her confidence.

"Lighten up"? Don't be silly. The whole reason I mentioned world music classes was humor and irony. A few posts up I had said that "world music" means nothing (in other words, it's a b.s. category, but we sometimes have to deal with it). Perhaps you haven't learned to read smiley faces, the universal Internet language of lightness broadcasted to warn sensitive people. Lightness is one thing -- in discussion-- but the issue is serious. People have had their livelihood and traditions messed up by assuming outsiders who decide they don't need permission to take on the music developed by others and use it for their own promotion.

She should not, however, be required to seek anyone's permission to pursue her passion.
Why not? Why make this blanket statement? Can you speak for everyone?
Why is it that in India you literally ask for "permission" ("Do I have permission?") from your teacher and audience before you play? If you totally disregarded all of these gestures of respect, you wouldn't be part of that world of music making at all. And then where would you be? If your dream is to strum a sitar in front of hippies n England, well then you've reached it. Use your spending power to buy an instrument, teach yourself through recordings, and screw those damn Indian musicians who are limiting your passion!

But "permission" doesn't accurately characterize the relationship you want. Your "permission" sounds like a legal right. You don't need permission to be a jerk to someone. But that doesn't mean you should do it.

Alan Whittle,

august personage within a a traditional artform unblemished by sordid commerciality, would you choose the name Eek a Mouse
This makes no sense. Who said anything about an "august personage"? A "traditional artform"? Who said commerciality blemishes? And if you are absolutely clueless about reggae culture (which can be gathered from your earlier posts), what makes you think you could judge the appropriateness of an artist's name?

Your Paul Simon analogy is disgusting, because it suggests that there is nothing to music besides the most money you can make from it. I'm starting to think you're a troll, too.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 01:50 PM

'I'm starting to think you're a troll, too.'

Lets just leave it that you're starting to think....don't overdo it.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,lively
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 04:37 PM

"However, it's possible that MorwenEdhelwen1 is actually a 17 year old Chinese girl from Australia who wants to be a Calypsonian. ... I have my doubts"

It seems to me that Morwen is doing a pretty fine job of faking being a seventeen year old enthusiast for Calypso in order to blog about the thoughts of middle-aged folk enthusiasts.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,glueman
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 05:27 PM

Does this mean you have to be a middle class baby boomer to perform prog rock?
As a musical voluptary and aural sensualist I'm of the sing what the hell you please school, just treat the stuff with respect. I recall a college tutor who was raised in Kingston, Jamaica who spoke with the broadest West Indian accent imaginable. Only in the UK did people think she was taking the micky because she was white.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:08 PM

You are wrong, Azizi. I would talk to a calypsonian if I knew one. Tell me why you have doubts. I don't have a blog and have no intention of starting one.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:11 PM

I don't know of any messageboards about calypso either. Can someone provide me with an example?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:11 PM

If you do, I'll go post there.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:15 PM

And all your other assumptions about me, Azizi, are true. I didn't know much about Chinese calypsonians and I use the internet a lot.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 06:56 PM

All right, I have started to post on a blog.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other t
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 07:10 PM

All right, I have started to post on a blog.

LAWLZ

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other t
From: GUEST,Paul Slade
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 07:13 PM

For God's sake, just play the music you love and let the rest take care of itself. It's only when different traditions come together that anything new is born anyway, so who knows what amazing Chinese/Australian/calypso hybrid you might accidently invent?

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 07:14 PM

Is Guest lively being sarcastic? Post a *comment* on a blog.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 07:47 PM

I'm waiting for responses to my comment- will tell you what I get.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: Janie
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 11:05 PM

No need to react defensively to Azizi's post. Take her at her word, which includes an apology if she is off base.

I have no opinion one way or the other, but find it very interesting to read the varying perspectives.   I haven't been posting because I have nothing to say or to add, but am learning a lot by reading.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 11:50 PM

Virtually everyone here is singing music from someone else's culture. The best solution for most is to listen to source recordings of the
people who created thge Music. Smithsonian Folkways has som magnificent early recordings of calypsonians.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,MowenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 12:21 AM

I accept your apology, Azizi. Yes, Dick Greenhaus, I could listen to the recordings, but they wouldn't give me the skills I would need to be a traditional calypsonian, such as the ability to improvise insults. You need an actual person steeped in the tradition to teach you how to improvise songs. That's my problem- I don't know where to look for a tradition bearer. Maybe I'll continue my normal singing lessons first.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 01:12 AM

You can not be a traditional calypsonian. You can learn their music, sing it, enjoy it, but like they say in Maine, a cat can have kittens in the oven but it don't mean they're biscuits. Like others have said, sing in your own voice, however it comes out, bow to the masters of the tradition as well as the unknown tradition keepers...keep up your studies, do songs that are age appropriate, and you are probably getting into a genre that can be risque, so don't sing anything that would embarrass your family, at least until you are of age...travel to the source as soon and as often as you can..perhaps if you are in college yet you can consider a semester at sea type of thing..or foreign exchange..you are too young to travel alone so go with a group..

There are lots of cruises to the Caribbean...if you are working or have a summer off maybe you could get a job on one...mg

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 01:16 AM

Here you go..a semester at sea

http://www.semesteratsea.org/enrichment-voyages/overview/december-2011-voyage.php

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 01:55 AM

Guest mg, I'm a little confused on what you mean. Do you mean "not traditional" in the sense that it would be different if I was actually Trinidadian? If I was immersed in the tradition and culture and learnt the skills extensively, wouldn't I be considered a calypsonian in some sense if I wrote my own pieces and competed in competitions? I understand that the difference between a calypsonian and a calypso singer is that "a calypso singer sings other people's songs while a calypsonian writes their own material". From Wikipedia. (That article was obviously written by someone knowledgeable- most people outside of Trinidad won't know the difference unless someone tells them).

Recently, (in 2006) an Australian woman, Fiona Graham, an anthropologist with an extensive knowledge of Japan, went through the rigourous training, got registered and became known as "Japan's first western geisha" (LIza Dalby, the other "first western geisha" never actually went through the training. She only lived in an okiya, took a geisha name and dressed up in a kimono) . Now obviously there is a difference between Japan and Trinidad and Tobago, but the two situations are basically the same. Liza Dalby is not a geisha, because she never went through the training. Fiona Graham (Sayuki), is because she was trained and registered as a geisha in Asakusa, the geisha district of Tokyo. Would you describe Sayuki as a "Traditional geisha?" She is certainly accepted as one by most of the locals, or as least it seems so from the news articles I've read about her (which admittedly, seem to be focusing on her, so they wouldn't show much of the problems she's faced- but I would trust her word because she's had the training). In the same way, if I didn't get the training, I would only be a calypso singer. But if I did, and then went on to perform in tents at Carnival, then I would be a calypsonian. I just wouldn't be a Trinidadian one. You just can't sing a few calypsos and then describe yourself as a calypsonian.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 02:03 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypsonian.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 02:11 AM

BTW I am still in high school in Australia.

Subject: RE: A very uncomfortable question- perform other trads
From: GUEST,lively
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 02:52 AM

Morwen, yes I was being sarcastic. I personally found Azizzi's lengthy off-topic post essentially saying "I believe that Morwen is a lyer and a fraud" pretty inappropriate and verging personal attack - albeit phrased very eloquently. I don't care if you're blogging or if you're not, it's none of my business. Have a fun day talking about calypso all.