Take A Chance

Catch a Spider-Man.

A day of culture. In the morning I went to see an exhibition of paintings from the Golden Age of Dutch Painting. This included seven paintings by Johannes Vermeer, the largest number of his paintings ever presented at a single exhibition in Japan. It was particularly interesting for me viewing these paintings because much of the action in the book I am currently reading, Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson, takes place in Amsterdam and London in the latter half of the 17th century. Most of the paintings at the exhibition depict life at the same time and place.

In the afternoon I went to see Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. An absolutely awesome film, one of the best big screen adaptations of a comic book ever. Hilarious, exciting, heart-warming and with an absolutely dazzling visual style - a definite must-see.

So who are today's artists on my Sony Walkman Countdown. Well, I'm really having to stretch things to make a link here, but it's ABBA, with 40 songs. You see, the Spider-Man dolls in the main picture, are in a claw machine so you have to Take A Chance to win one. And the woman in the Vermeer painting is doing whatever it takes to make Money Money Money. I guess things didn't work out in Las Vegas or Monaco.

I know a lot of people consider ABBA something of a joke but, come one, those perfect harmonies, those delicious, instantly memorable melodies, those perfectly crafted lyrics that tell real stories with valuable lessons (not even in their own language!) - anyone who says they don't like ABBA is pretty much saying they don't like music.

I'll sign off with my all time favourite ABBA song.

Chiquitita. (One of Arthur's favourite songs, too; he plays it a lot.)