Orff: Derrida:: cheese: apples

This past weekend, I had to read a ton of theory. Part of this delightful experience was my first encounter with Jacques Derrida (Sign, Structure and Play). I had heard tale of this guy, that he was super difficult (like unto Isaiah) and he would make my brain feel all stupid. I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to that reading. I actually read it 3 or 4 times before I started understanding.

My favorite piece of classical music is Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (a scenic cantata...). I love it. A lot. Have the thing memorized. It's sometimes a soundtrack to my dreams (and childhood memories, oddly enough). This is an epic love for epic music.

So, to make my foray with Derrida more bearable, I decided to play Carmina Burana while I (re)read. Thank you YouTube and UC Davis. But then something miraculous happened. I understood what Derrida was saying! I got it! And I don't think it was necessarily that the fifth time was the charm, it was the magic of Orff.

As different as these things are (post-structuralism/deconstruction and a 20th century rendition of medieval poetry) they complimented each other perfectly. One helped me understand and enjoy the other. Like eating alternating bites of apple and cheddar cheese--a weird combination but they compliment each other in a mind-blowing way. Or like bacon and chocolate. MMM.... bacon...

But anyways, I am always amazed at the real serendipity of life, and especially how contrasts line up in contrary and yet constructive ways. (And if you were hoping for more on what I think of Derrida, I let you know once it's percolated for a while.)