Thursday, April 03, 2008

Chasing shadowy pavements



Shadows are interesting examples of the interplay between light and dark. Sometimes when we have a power outage here at night, the kids and I amuse ourselves by making shadow puppets. Block the candle's light with your fist and fingers arranged just so and look! There's a rabbit. Move your fingers slightly and the figure on the wall becomes a dog. Bring the other hand into play and the dog transforms into a bird flapping its wings (though I flip a different kind of shadow bird when the kids aren't around).

But those are just illusions. The rabbits, dogs, and birds on the wall aren't really what they seem to be; they are just the visual results (in candlelight) of a person's hands doing various things to give an impression of being something else.

The play of shadows in the video of the song Chasing Pavements, by Adele, doesn't create such illusions. But the illusions shown in the video are enthralling nevertheless -- at least to me they are. I so much enjoy how the video was done: two people in a special dance while lying down, plus the awesome interplay later in the video between the shadows of people dancing vertically and the two lying horizontally. Pure magic. This is one song and video I actually appreciate as an earworm and eyeworm for now.

(Does anyone notice the shadows that are cast when he or she is doing the horizontal tango with someone else? I certainly don't.)

Part of the song goes:

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there

Well, the pavements in my life are mostly un-smooth and imperfect. I know, I know, I should find ways of filling those cracks and potholes so that I don't fall into them, instead of trying to find new pavements to walk or run on (or after) - especially when I'm half-shod or even barefoot. That, however, like many other things, is easier said than done.

Sometimes though, when the sunlight (or moonlight) bathes everything underneath it just so, then the pavement looks absolutely perfect. Magical, even. But that doesn't change the fact that pavements are still too hard and painful for things like horizontal dancing - with or without the alluring shadows.

10 comments:

Daddy Papersurfer said...

Every now and again you'll find some decent pavements young Lizza *hugs*

[I'm trying to envisage a situation of 'doing the horizontal tango' that doesn't involve someone else but quite frankly, I can't ..... *scratches head and looks perplexed*]

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

very cool...thanks for sharing

Photo Cache said...

a post worthy of a gold medal...ooops still hung up on the previous post :) have a good summer lizza!

Anonymous said...

Interesting post and interesting video.

H said...

Liz darling... sometimes the pavements unsmooth and imperfect just lead up to roads [somewhere, sometime] that you're meant to appreciate, all the more for the rough ride behind you.

Keep walking my dear. In fact run. And you might realise you're flying!
hugs

Mimi Lenox said...

Your insight always amazes me. Well done.

Prometheus said...

Brilliant, mon ami. Magnifico. Speechless, Prometheus is.

"There are no facts. Only interpretations." - Friedrich Nietzsche.

Lizza said...

DaddyP: Or maybe I should make my own. Send me some top-quality cement, please.

Bond: Thanks!

Photo: Thanks. Summer is good so far. It's damn hot, but that's to be expected.

Citizen: Glad you thought so.

H: Wow, sis. You just made me look at the glass of water in a more optimistic way. But then somehow you always do that.

Mimi: Thank you. Your uplifting words, as always, are appreciated.

Prometheus: Thank you, mon ami. Rendering you speechless is an achievement! Now, get back to blogging! I (and your other buddies) want more of your posts.

Edong said...

first time in your blog and for sure this will not be the last... great post...

Lizza said...

Thank you, Edong. We're city-mates, I see. Drop in anytime!