Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne

Statue of Scottish Poet Robert Burns in Central Park

By Robert Burns (1788)	Original Scottish Gaelic Lyrics	The Version Most People Sing Today
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days o' lang syne?	An còir seann luchd-eòlais dhol à beachd, 'S gun chuimhn' orra bhith ann? An còir seann luchd-eòlis dhol à beachd, 'S na làithean a bha ann?	Should old acquaintance be forgot, And never come to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, And mmmm old time?
CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my jo, For auld lang syne, We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.	Air sgàth an tìm a bh' ann a rùin, Air sgàth an tìm a bh' ann, Gun gabh sinn fhathast cupan tlàth Air sgàth an tìm a bh' ann	CHORUS: For old acquaintance mmm, my mmm For old lang syne, We’ll lah lah  mmmm mmm mmmmmm For olden times.
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp! And surely I’ll be mine! And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne. CHORUS	Bha sinne còmhla feadh nam bruach A tionail neòinean annt', Ach 's sgìth air seachran ceum ar cas Bho'n tìm o chian a bh' ann.	Should old acquaintance be forgot, Mmmm mmmm la la mmm mmmm? Mmmmm mmm la la mmmmm mmmm For odd tang stein. CHORUS
We twa hae run about the braes, And pu’d the gowans fine; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot, Sin auld lang syne. CHORUS	Bu tràth is anmoch sinn san allt Ag iomair 's sinn nar clann, Ach dhealaich cuantan farsainn sinn Bho'n tìm o chian a bh' ann.	Should old acquaintance mmm la la mmmm And never MMM mmmmm mmm La la mmmm mmmmmm ya te da For old lamb wine. CHORUS
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! And gie's a hand o’ thine! And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught, For auld lang syne. CHORUS	Mo charaid earbsach gabh mo làmh, 'S sìn fhèin do làmh a-nall, 'S gun gabh sinn, cuach gu crìdheil làn Air sgàth an tìm a bh'ann.	(You have got to be kidding me.) SHOULD OLD  mmmm mmmmm la la mmmmm Mmmmm mmmm MMM mm mmm mmm? LA LA mmmm la mmmm mmmm For awl lamp twine. CHORUS
	Gu cinnteach 's leat do bharail fhèin, 'S mo bharail fhèin tha leam-s', 'S gun gabh sinn cupan caoimhneil làn Air sgàth an tìm a bh' ann.

Happy 2013 from The Daily Prep!

Dispatch from my Father: Ski Jumping, Salisbury, Connecticut, 1961

Here are some photos taken by my father from 1961 when my parents went to the annual ski jumping event in Salisbury (in the northwest corner of Connecticut), held in February.

The ski jumping continues today  although the old, wooden ski jump was recently replaced by a shiny new metal one.  And the wool sweaters and leather gloves have been replaced by "performance" materials, inevitably visually dramatic.  Snow making machines often enough replace Mother Nature.  And even skiing goggles will increasingly be augmented with heads up displays for the skiers  showing altitude, wind-conditions, ranking, Twitter feeds, and what nearby restaurants still have open tables.

So yes, Plutarch's Ship of Theseus comes to mind.  If you have replaced the handle of your grandfather's axe twice, and its head four times, is it still your grandfather's axe?

Many people have fond memories of downhill skiing.  The week between Christmas and the start of the new year has traditionally been reserved for many families' pilgrimages  

Both my husband and I grew up downhill skiing.   His family spent day trips going to the little hills dotted with glove-shredding rope tows.  They belonged to a local ski club that had a lodge in New Hampshire, and many cold Friday nights he spent en route to destinations north.  They also went once or twice a year on ski trips to real mountains with real snow, including in Colorado and Switzerland.

My skiing experience was limited to the lifts that were near my schools and college.  I spent my time on the ones that were (and are), as my friend Joe Lotuff recently described to me, "classic, woolly, old school, New England ski areas".

Skiing is a relatively new sport.  But to some it has inverted from a meditative place to get away from the crazy of the rest of life to a breeding ground for a whole new kind of crazy.

These thoughts crossed my mind as a I looked through these pictures.  And, of course, I also thought, "what fabulous sweaters."

(See also Reggie Darling's Nordic sweater post here.)

Merry Christmas

Christmas includes a celebration through music.  (This can cut both ways; I know of some people who have a standing contest each year to see who can avoid hearing The Little Drummer Boy the longest.)    But a Christmas without music just wouldn't be Christmas. And the day so far has provided a full range.

Christmas Eve began with a quiet dog walk through Central Park.

Everyone knows the names of the dogs, but not their owners.

Here is a New Hampshire native to whom we are related six different ways.

We listened to Bing Crosby in the car while doing errands.

Madison Square Park, in the Flatiron District, is the home of the original (and I think best) Shake Shack.

My husband's college roommate and I were laughing at my terror during our 2 am trips to Papaya King from over 20 years ago.

We went to the Flower District for some last minute items...

...and past where the cabs fill up...

...to get a bit of ice.

We did the final errands by foot. Street performers played carols. Interesting people were everywhere.

A highlight of so many Christmas seasons is Evensong at Saint Thomas.

Saint Thomas

Is this one of the ones that your family donated,  C.L.?

We left Saint Thomas and had to get back for the event, but still took a bit of a detour.

The crowds were extraordinarily thick...

....but the view worth savoring before heading back. 

Preparations were almost done for the holiday festivities, where two generations living on the same floor open their doors and guests spill out into the hall.

Her childhood  Steinway, made in 1908, is signed by a slew of famous poets.

All talk, while waiting, always turns to sailing.

Now, the guests, including so many old friends, are arriving. Ray Cohen and Dennis Buck, on the nose-to-nose pianos, take breaks from holiday music to "play in" some of the accomplished guests with signature pieces as well as inside jokes.

Comedy writer ("Laugh-In") Lesley Davison and architect (Los Angeles Museum of Art) Hugh Hardy

It is already an evening of great performances with bassist Tom Hubbard and pianist Tedd Firth.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Daily Prep


 For those who like jazz, here is a pre-carol warm up: