10.01.2019

# classical music # Edgar Allan Poe

The Chic Assignment, October 2019



Welcome to The Chic Assignment for October. I have another favorite musical selection for you this month, along with some remarkable poetry & prose from a writer that fits perfectly into the month of October. We are also going to focus on sleepwear and using our best.



Chic Assignment no. 1 Schubert's Serenade
Another one of my all-time favorite pieces, we are listening to Schubert's Serenade this month. We studied Schubert last spring for Ave Maria and this month, I am so pleased to usher in appreciation for the hauntingly beautiful Serenade. Here are a selection of performances on YouTube you can listen to for free.
A beautiful cello and piano performance.


Schubert's Serenade - an orchestral version


Itzhak Perlman on the violin


A beautiful piano performance by Khatia Buniatishvili


Chic Assignment no. 2 Edgar Allan Poe



This month we are studying the works of Edgar Allan Poe. I read the first half of The Raven in today's video and will read the second half in the check-in later in the month. Here is a list of his poetry from The Poetry Foundation . Also worth checking out is The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

Chic Assignment no. 3 Curate our seasonal sleepwear
As the season changes, we are good about curating our wardrobes and accessories, but what about our sleepwear. I believe it's important to be presentable always and that includes when we sleep. This month I will be doing a sleepwear post for inspiration. Meanwhile, assess your sleepwear. Perhaps get rid of anything that no longer serves you and purchase as your budget allows for quality, presentable sleepwear.

Chic Assignment no. 4 Use something you have been saving for later
We tend to save our best things for future events that rarely ever happen. That teacup that is collecting dust on the shelf, those pretty fall cloth napkins that you don't want to stain, that lovely blouse that is so perfect for fall, but you're saving for a special occasion... Choose something this month that you're saving for later and use it today. This will tune our hearts to using our best on a daily basis.


I am looking forward to hearing your findings from This month's Chic Assignment. Use the hashtag #TheChicAssignment to share on social media. Thank you for watching today's video


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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jennifer,

I love your monthly assignment, as usual. I love Poe! And your challenge to use one of our best items really struck a chord with me. I had just happened upon a TED Talk last week, which reminded me so much of you. It's called "Change Your Closet, Change Your Life," by Gillian Dunn. You may have already seen it--it's so in line with the values on the community that you've started here. If anyone has the time, it's really worth a view.
Thank you again for all you do!!

Blessings,
Nena

Kristyn Hall said...

My older kids (now in their late teens and early twenties) all love Poe. (My eldest liked to read Poe by candlelight in her early teens.) I found his stories too creepy when I was in high school, but came to appreciate him with my kids in our homeschool. We always use "The Bells" as an example of cadence when reading aloud. One of our cats is named Annabel Lee after the poem, and we like to go to a coffee shop called The Raven near my daughter's apartment. So yes, I have learned to appreciate Poe! Tasha Tudor had a tame crow named Edgar Allen Crow, which I think is so charming. I am looking forward to this video. :)

Unknown said...

Hi Jennifer,

First, thank you for reminding me about the beauty of life. I really appreciate the joy and excitement your posts have brought to me. As a history, English, music and architecture major in graduate school this is a wonderful reminder of the beautiful elements of human life.

Every month I look forward to the challenge. (Actually, I look forward to every blog!) There is always something exciting to challenge me. Back in March (or February) you suggested doing something while folding laundry. I thought
good grief! How can there be anything to bring joy while folding laundry - then I realized how much I enjoy harpsicord music and I don't seem to listen to it very often. Now I enjoy folding laundry and it was your suggestion that did it!

I wanted to mention to you the card game Authors. My sister and I played it as children and we learned about 12 different classic author. We taught it to my niece when she was 7 and she loves Louisa May Alcott because of it. She also knows the classic authors and their works.
Here is a link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1572814454/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=&sr=
This card game helped me learn about authors and this summer I was so excited and nearly crying when I toured Louisa May's home in Concord, Mass.

Thank you for all you do! I appreciate you and your work!

Brenda

Anonymous said...

Jennifer, Thank you for the tip on reading Tasha Tudor several months back. I am ready to cozy in for our chilly Minnesota Autumn and thought, I really want to read more Tasha Tudor. I found on Amazon Prime a 47 minute video called "Take Joy: The Magical World of Tasha Tudor." It looks like a charming combination of her drawings, family photo album and home & garden photographs. I am excited.

Erica said...

We have a tradition on Halloween night after trick or treating, of having apple cider and pumpkin pie and reading Edgar Allen Poe by candlelight. "The Premature Burial" and "A Predicament " are our favorites ...

Kgirl said...

Oh my goodness, the cellist's face in that first YouTube video. As if the music weren't mesmerising enough!!

I have lots of lovely sleepwear that I enjoy while reading in bed. But just for reading. I'll just leave this here: https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-sleeping-naked#sleep-quality

:-D

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Ladies, thank you so much for joining me for The Chic Assignment for October. I have enjoyed reading your observations and comments and am so excited for these discoveries. I look forward to catching up with you in the check-in.

With love,

Jennifer

Anna said...

Good day!
I really enjoy your chic assigment, but this one was surprise for me. I was reading Poe, when I was a teenager, his stories are so terrify! But I never read his poetry. It's so beautiful! Thank you so much fof this discovery! And for my chic education!

Anna said...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EseMHr6VEM0

Brittany said...

Jennifer! Like the ladies above I just love your work. I don’t know many people in my community who have your life and beauty values, but I am so grateful to feel part of a community here. I live in Canada and it snowed already! We barely had fall. It’s very sad. I’m making a plan to survive winter and one of my goals is to do all of your chic assignments. That will help give me something to focus on besides the limiting weather. I already Listened to all of your posted videos. And I need to get my sleepwear in order! I have been meaning to do that, so this is good encouragement. You really are so wonderful. Thank you!

Tami said...

Thank you for doing this! I didn't know you had this and I'm excited to join in. Thank you!

Tami said...

I'm so excited to find this! Thank you!

Janet said...

I've loved EAP since I was a kid & can still recite some of his poems, but this assignment made me re-read all his work -- what a delight! I'll admit to being a bit ho-hum about Schubert; I'm more of a Led Zeppelin or AC/DC kinda girl who grew up in a classical music kinda family & I've had my fill of Schubert. But to be fair, I DID sit through a couple of renditions of his Serenade & came to no harm :-) Ahh, yes. Nightwear. I sleep bareskin -- I absolutely cannot tolerate wearing clothing to bed & to be honest I like snuggling nekkid with my husband, even at 60 -- but I love gorgeous PJs, nightgowns & robes for before-bed relaxing & reading & have exactly the same problem your other readers have with finding good quality, age & life-style-appropriate things. Some savvy entrepreneur is missing out on a great marketing opportunity.