Michelle getting her groove on.
Karen and Catherine were finalists in the dance-off!
Jen
Our Judges - Dean Shay, Ruth and Mariko.
Arlyn teaching the Todo-Todo.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The last day of January - how did we get this far? It's really cold here in Massachusetts. They had predicted our first significant snowfall over night and when I awoke this morning there was not a snowflake on the ground. Nadda! How disappointing and cruel! It's like being told that when you wake up the next morning it will be Christmas and then why you wake filled with that giddy excitement they say "we take it back - there is no Christmas this morning". BOOOOOO!
At any rate - classes began last week. I like my schedule - it's basically the same as last semester with a few different classes. In place of the Schumann class I took on Friday's last semester I am now taking 20th and 21st Century American Art Song. I also dropped French and am taking Intermediate Feldenkrais (go to http://www.feldenkrais.com/ for more information).
I've also taken up running again - and trying to be serious about it. I've also got some fabulous new running partners to help motivate me. Actually, I think we do a pretty good job of motivating each other and keeping each other in check. We're a little mini Longy running club. We're trying to come up with club logos for T-shirts. So far we have: Front I only run... Back so I don't have to practice! (which is a copy cat of a shirt I have that says I only run...so I can eat Chocolate Cake.)
We also have Accelerando to the Finish! and Run Forte!. Adam came up with one too - but I can't remember. So anyhow - yeh - in addition to being running penguins (http://www.johnbingham.com/penguin.html), we are huge music geeks!
Ashley and I are running a 5 miler next weekend and we're training for (but not 100% completely commited to) a half-marathon in April. April 1st to be exact. April Fool's Day. Oh, what fools we are!
Not much else is new. It's going to be a very insanely busy semester - and somehow.... I'll make it through.
At any rate - classes began last week. I like my schedule - it's basically the same as last semester with a few different classes. In place of the Schumann class I took on Friday's last semester I am now taking 20th and 21st Century American Art Song. I also dropped French and am taking Intermediate Feldenkrais (go to http://www.feldenkrais.com/ for more information).
I've also taken up running again - and trying to be serious about it. I've also got some fabulous new running partners to help motivate me. Actually, I think we do a pretty good job of motivating each other and keeping each other in check. We're a little mini Longy running club. We're trying to come up with club logos for T-shirts. So far we have: Front I only run... Back so I don't have to practice! (which is a copy cat of a shirt I have that says I only run...so I can eat Chocolate Cake.)
We also have Accelerando to the Finish! and Run Forte!. Adam came up with one too - but I can't remember. So anyhow - yeh - in addition to being running penguins (http://www.johnbingham.com/penguin.html), we are huge music geeks!
Ashley and I are running a 5 miler next weekend and we're training for (but not 100% completely commited to) a half-marathon in April. April 1st to be exact. April Fool's Day. Oh, what fools we are!
Not much else is new. It's going to be a very insanely busy semester - and somehow.... I'll make it through.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
Back to Bean-town
I'm sitting here on a rainy Monday mid-afternoon at work and am actually glad that I'm here stuck in front of the computer so that I can get a lot of much-needed e-mailing and letter writing done. A lot has happened in the past 2 to 2 1/2 weeks so bear with me as I go through them as briefly as I possibly can. I'll takes Dave's suggestions and just do an outline instead of writing paragraphs and paragraphs. I promised him - so here goes. Bear with me as I haven't done an outline since last year's Research and Materials class and specifically stayed away from the means for a long time.
I. Christmas
A. Drive home to Ohio with Jennifer and Karen
1.) Drop off Jennifer in Akron
2.) Drop off Karen at the BP in Lodi
a.) Karen accidently picked up my PHONE instead of her iPod (I LOVE YOU Karen) which I realized as I got in the car and she and Evan were driving away - to which I started chasing them across the BP parking lot and am quite sure I got a lot of laughs. Needless to say, I did not catch up with her and then thought "Oh, well, I'll call her!" to which I realized I couldn't because shehad my phone!
B. Christmas Eve
1.) Go to brother's for Christmas Eve dinner
a.) my brother made a DELICOUS pot roast or something thereof
b.) Christmas Eve service at St. Matthew's in Westerville - what a story this is. There was to be a 1/2 hour of music starting at 10:30 and then the service was supposed to start at 11. Well, at 11:10 the choir still had 5 anthems left to sing and at 11:35 they began the processional! 35 minutes late the service started! I was supposed to meet Sarah in St. John's parking lot so she could follow me home totally on the presumption that both services would get out around the same time and she wouldn't have to wait long. Well, at 12:30 we had just started Communion and I knew(because I know how long St. John's serviceslast) that she was well out of her service so during the Eucharistic Prayer, God forgive me, I got out my phone and texted "we are just now starting Communion, Dad and I are leaving to come get you when we are done." to which I get the reply "hurry up, becasue I don't feel safe!" So as soon as Communion was done my dad and I high-tailed it out of there while my brother and mom stayed until the end. By the time we all got home and got to bed it was well past 2 am! Yawn! How on earth were we to be able to get up early to open prezzies I ask?
C. Christmas Morning
1. WE GOT PREZZIES!!!!!!
D. Time with the Shelby Folk
1. Tuesday night Steve and Carrie and Sarah and Kevin and I went over to the
Haverfields where Amy and Andy and Anna were awaiting us. We sat around, talked, went through the bedtime ritual with Anna (which was really sweet btw), played fooseball (not I), Steve (H.) shared a wedding garter fiasco with us on DVD (don't ask) and then sat and talked some more. It was great hanging out with everyone!
II. New Year's Time in Columbus
A. Ride to Columbus
1. Simon got bored and chewed his leash into 7 different parts. That's ok because he got a brand new OSU leash and collar! GO BUCKEYES!
B. Time with Steph and Joe
1. Good times. Thanks again SO MUCH Steph and Joe and Zach and soon-to-arrive Noah
for letting me stay with you. Let's see - we went grocery shopping, ate at Max and Erma's, organized baby clothes, went on brief runs with Sarah (the dog), played Play-Doh and Candy Land (who won? Joe or Me??? he he he). Again - good times!
C. New Year's Eve
1. Went to Church at St. John's - met up with the folks and bro at PF Chang's for
lunch - relaxed for a bit back at the house - went to Karen's for an hour or so to hang out - then over to Dave's for the rest of the evening and to bring in the New Year. What a pair of old fogies we were - sat on the couch until the ball dropped and then I went home!
D. New Year's Day
1. Dave and I took Thurston and Simon to a VERY MUDDY dog park in Whitehall. Thick
with mud - and it was cold too! But the dogs had fun. Actually Thurston had fun and Simon who hates mud and getting wet (what a BIG baby) had a little fun.
2. Sat around and relaxed with Steph back at the house - watched some football and
Audra McDonald that she taped for me from the night before.
3. Went up to the Hoggie's on Sawmill and met Susan Fred and Seth, Jason Aubrey
Aria and Liam, Nan Jim and Ben for dinner. Mmmmmmm...
4. Went over to Jason and Aubrey's for a bit, visited, and played the DVD version
of Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture edition!
E. Departure
1. Told Arlyn I would meet her at 8:00 about 5 minutes from Steph and Joe's house
a. 7:32 Steph comes in the room saying "aren't you supposed to meet Arlyn at
8:00. I had turned my alarm off in my sleep and the alarm clock was still in my hand.
2. Had a really fun time riding back with Arlyn!
F. Orla, Jarrod, and NYC
1. Left Thursday morning on the Chinatown bus bound for NYC to meet up with Orla
and Jarrod who had been in Manhatten since New Year's Eve.
a. Arrived in Chinatown, NYC - met up with the two and took off for what would
be one of many walking adventures!
b. skated on Rockefeller Center skating rink (see pics and video)
c. ate in the West Village at a really good Japanese Restaurant
2. Day 2 - shopping!
a. Goal: find jeans for Orla (as well as spend her Victoria's Secret Gift Cert.)
b. Goal Accomplished: found 2 pairs of Jeans for Orla
c. Met up with Holly in Times Square and had pre-dinner drinks at The View - revolving bar!
3. Day 3 and departure
1. Spent the morning travelling to the Upper West Side to H&H Bagel (see pic and description for further details!)
2. Took Taxi to Chinatown - dropped off in the wrong spot (I TOLD HIM!) and found my way to the Fung Wah bus stop.
4. ORLA it was great to see you and meet Jarrod! xx
G. Back Home and Back to Work
1. That sums it up. Made it interesting anyhow. Tonight the Buckeyes play for the National Title! OH-IO!
I'm sitting here on a rainy Monday mid-afternoon at work and am actually glad that I'm here stuck in front of the computer so that I can get a lot of much-needed e-mailing and letter writing done. A lot has happened in the past 2 to 2 1/2 weeks so bear with me as I go through them as briefly as I possibly can. I'll takes Dave's suggestions and just do an outline instead of writing paragraphs and paragraphs. I promised him - so here goes. Bear with me as I haven't done an outline since last year's Research and Materials class and specifically stayed away from the means for a long time.
I. Christmas
A. Drive home to Ohio with Jennifer and Karen
1.) Drop off Jennifer in Akron
2.) Drop off Karen at the BP in Lodi
a.) Karen accidently picked up my PHONE instead of her iPod (I LOVE YOU Karen) which I realized as I got in the car and she and Evan were driving away - to which I started chasing them across the BP parking lot and am quite sure I got a lot of laughs. Needless to say, I did not catch up with her and then thought "Oh, well, I'll call her!" to which I realized I couldn't because shehad my phone!
B. Christmas Eve
1.) Go to brother's for Christmas Eve dinner
a.) my brother made a DELICOUS pot roast or something thereof
b.) Christmas Eve service at St. Matthew's in Westerville - what a story this is. There was to be a 1/2 hour of music starting at 10:30 and then the service was supposed to start at 11. Well, at 11:10 the choir still had 5 anthems left to sing and at 11:35 they began the processional! 35 minutes late the service started! I was supposed to meet Sarah in St. John's parking lot so she could follow me home totally on the presumption that both services would get out around the same time and she wouldn't have to wait long. Well, at 12:30 we had just started Communion and I knew(because I know how long St. John's serviceslast) that she was well out of her service so during the Eucharistic Prayer, God forgive me, I got out my phone and texted "we are just now starting Communion, Dad and I are leaving to come get you when we are done." to which I get the reply "hurry up, becasue I don't feel safe!" So as soon as Communion was done my dad and I high-tailed it out of there while my brother and mom stayed until the end. By the time we all got home and got to bed it was well past 2 am! Yawn! How on earth were we to be able to get up early to open prezzies I ask?
C. Christmas Morning
1. WE GOT PREZZIES!!!!!!
D. Time with the Shelby Folk
1. Tuesday night Steve and Carrie and Sarah and Kevin and I went over to the
Haverfields where Amy and Andy and Anna were awaiting us. We sat around, talked, went through the bedtime ritual with Anna (which was really sweet btw), played fooseball (not I), Steve (H.) shared a wedding garter fiasco with us on DVD (don't ask) and then sat and talked some more. It was great hanging out with everyone!
II. New Year's Time in Columbus
A. Ride to Columbus
1. Simon got bored and chewed his leash into 7 different parts. That's ok because he got a brand new OSU leash and collar! GO BUCKEYES!
B. Time with Steph and Joe
1. Good times. Thanks again SO MUCH Steph and Joe and Zach and soon-to-arrive Noah
for letting me stay with you. Let's see - we went grocery shopping, ate at Max and Erma's, organized baby clothes, went on brief runs with Sarah (the dog), played Play-Doh and Candy Land (who won? Joe or Me??? he he he). Again - good times!
C. New Year's Eve
1. Went to Church at St. John's - met up with the folks and bro at PF Chang's for
lunch - relaxed for a bit back at the house - went to Karen's for an hour or so to hang out - then over to Dave's for the rest of the evening and to bring in the New Year. What a pair of old fogies we were - sat on the couch until the ball dropped and then I went home!
D. New Year's Day
1. Dave and I took Thurston and Simon to a VERY MUDDY dog park in Whitehall. Thick
with mud - and it was cold too! But the dogs had fun. Actually Thurston had fun and Simon who hates mud and getting wet (what a BIG baby) had a little fun.
2. Sat around and relaxed with Steph back at the house - watched some football and
Audra McDonald that she taped for me from the night before.
3. Went up to the Hoggie's on Sawmill and met Susan Fred and Seth, Jason Aubrey
Aria and Liam, Nan Jim and Ben for dinner. Mmmmmmm...
4. Went over to Jason and Aubrey's for a bit, visited, and played the DVD version
of Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture edition!
E. Departure
1. Told Arlyn I would meet her at 8:00 about 5 minutes from Steph and Joe's house
a. 7:32 Steph comes in the room saying "aren't you supposed to meet Arlyn at
8:00. I had turned my alarm off in my sleep and the alarm clock was still in my hand.
2. Had a really fun time riding back with Arlyn!
F. Orla, Jarrod, and NYC
1. Left Thursday morning on the Chinatown bus bound for NYC to meet up with Orla
and Jarrod who had been in Manhatten since New Year's Eve.
a. Arrived in Chinatown, NYC - met up with the two and took off for what would
be one of many walking adventures!
b. skated on Rockefeller Center skating rink (see pics and video)
c. ate in the West Village at a really good Japanese Restaurant
2. Day 2 - shopping!
a. Goal: find jeans for Orla (as well as spend her Victoria's Secret Gift Cert.)
b. Goal Accomplished: found 2 pairs of Jeans for Orla
c. Met up with Holly in Times Square and had pre-dinner drinks at The View - revolving bar!
3. Day 3 and departure
1. Spent the morning travelling to the Upper West Side to H&H Bagel (see pic and description for further details!)
2. Took Taxi to Chinatown - dropped off in the wrong spot (I TOLD HIM!) and found my way to the Fung Wah bus stop.
4. ORLA it was great to see you and meet Jarrod! xx
G. Back Home and Back to Work
1. That sums it up. Made it interesting anyhow. Tonight the Buckeyes play for the National Title! OH-IO!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Times Square
Times Square
Friday Night Jarrod, Orla and I met Holly (Kodaly Institute Fall 2000) for a pre-dinner drink in The View (revolving cocktail lounge) atop the Marriott in Times Square
Toasting to The View
H&H Bagel - this Bagel shop in the Upper West Side. Jarrod heard that it was one of the largest bagel manufacturers in the world (and the website does, indeed, back him up on this). He'd been pushing to go two days in a row so Orla and I made a promise that Saturday morning we would go there for Breakfast. Starving, we excitedly approached the H&H location and upon ordering our bagels realized that all we were to recieve was the bagel of our choosing (no cream cheese, jam etc.) and absolutely no place in the building to sit. HA HA HA!! Luckily, it was 70 degrees outside so were able to find a park bench and eat our dry bagels (whole wheat, blueberry, and sesame seed) and drink our orange juice after which we didn't Breakfast take 2 across the street at Starbucks!
Jarrod and H&H
Jarrod has conquered the H&H Bagel
Times Square
Friday Night Jarrod, Orla and I met Holly (Kodaly Institute Fall 2000) for a pre-dinner drink in The View (revolving cocktail lounge) atop the Marriott in Times Square
Toasting to The View
H&H Bagel - this Bagel shop in the Upper West Side. Jarrod heard that it was one of the largest bagel manufacturers in the world (and the website does, indeed, back him up on this). He'd been pushing to go two days in a row so Orla and I made a promise that Saturday morning we would go there for Breakfast. Starving, we excitedly approached the H&H location and upon ordering our bagels realized that all we were to recieve was the bagel of our choosing (no cream cheese, jam etc.) and absolutely no place in the building to sit. HA HA HA!! Luckily, it was 70 degrees outside so were able to find a park bench and eat our dry bagels (whole wheat, blueberry, and sesame seed) and drink our orange juice after which we didn't Breakfast take 2 across the street at Starbucks!
Jarrod and H&H
Jarrod has conquered the H&H Bagel
Monday, January 01, 2007
I thought this was pretty funny (the petition below) so I thought I'd post it on my blog to keep engage everyone until I can find the proper time to post pics from December, my trip home to Ohio, and my "outline" of events that took place. :-P
I return to Boston tomorrow. Enjoy!
Name: Petition to revoke the independence of the United States of America
Type: Just for Fun - Outlandish Statements
Description: To the citizens of the United States of America, in the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories.
Except Utah, which she does not fancy.
Your new Prime Minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair MP, for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a Minister for America without the need for further elections.
The House of Representatives and the Senate will be disbanded.
A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up "aluminium." Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.
The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour'; skipping the letter 'U' is nothing more than laziness on your part. Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters.
You will end your love affair with the letter 'Z' (pronounced 'zed' not 'zee') and the suffix "ize" will be replaced by the suffix "ise."
You will learn that the suffix 'burgh' is pronounced 'burra' e.g. Edinburgh. You are welcome to re-spell Pittsburgh as 'Pittsberg' if you can't cope with correct pronunciation.
Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary." Using the same thirty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "uhh", "like", and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.
Look up "interspersed."
There will be no more 'bleeps' in the Jerry Springer show. If you're not old enough to cope with bad language then you shouldn't have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary, then you won't have to use bad language as often.
2. There is no such thing as "US English." We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of "-ize."
3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier).
You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents --- Scottish dramas such as "Taggart" will no longer be broadcast with subtitles.
While we're talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon." If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire.
4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters.
British sit-coms such as "Men Behaving Badly" or "Red Dwarf" will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can't cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness. Popular British films such as the Italian Job and the Wicker Man should never be remade.
5. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen", but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.
6. You should stop playing American "football." There are other types of football such as Rugby, Aussie Rules & Gaelic football. However proper football - which will no longer be known as soccer, is the best known, most loved and most popular. What you refer to as American "football" is not a very good game.
The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays "American" football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football.
Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nancies).
We are hoping to get together at least a US Rugby sevens side by 2008.
You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the 'World Series' for a game which is not played outside of North America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls' game called "rounders," which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.
7. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don't believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
8. The 4th of July is no longer a public holiday. The 2nd of November will be a new national holiday, but only in Britain. It will be called "Indecisive Day."
9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap, and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.
All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call 'French fries' are not real chips. Fries aren't even French, they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium. Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called "crisps." Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat.
Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.
11. As a sign of penance 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.
12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling "beer" is not actually beer at all, it is lager . From November 1st only proper British Bitter will be referred to as "beer," and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as "Lager." The substances formerly known as "American Beer" will henceforth be referred to as "Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine," with the exception of the product of the American Budweiser company whose product will be referred to as "Weak Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine." This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in the Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.
13. From the 10th of November the UK will harmonise petrol (or "gasoline," as you will be permitted to keep calling it until the 1st of April) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the Former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon -- get used to it).
14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.
15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.
16. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).
Thank you for your co-operation.
Contact Info Website: www.fco.gov.uk
Office: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Street: King Charles Street
City: London, England
I return to Boston tomorrow. Enjoy!
Name: Petition to revoke the independence of the United States of America
Type: Just for Fun - Outlandish Statements
Description: To the citizens of the United States of America, in the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories.
Except Utah, which she does not fancy.
Your new Prime Minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair MP, for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a Minister for America without the need for further elections.
The House of Representatives and the Senate will be disbanded.
A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up "aluminium." Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.
The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour'; skipping the letter 'U' is nothing more than laziness on your part. Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters.
You will end your love affair with the letter 'Z' (pronounced 'zed' not 'zee') and the suffix "ize" will be replaced by the suffix "ise."
You will learn that the suffix 'burgh' is pronounced 'burra' e.g. Edinburgh. You are welcome to re-spell Pittsburgh as 'Pittsberg' if you can't cope with correct pronunciation.
Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary." Using the same thirty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "uhh", "like", and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.
Look up "interspersed."
There will be no more 'bleeps' in the Jerry Springer show. If you're not old enough to cope with bad language then you shouldn't have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary, then you won't have to use bad language as often.
2. There is no such thing as "US English." We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of "-ize."
3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier).
You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents --- Scottish dramas such as "Taggart" will no longer be broadcast with subtitles.
While we're talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon." If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire.
4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters.
British sit-coms such as "Men Behaving Badly" or "Red Dwarf" will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can't cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness. Popular British films such as the Italian Job and the Wicker Man should never be remade.
5. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen", but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.
6. You should stop playing American "football." There are other types of football such as Rugby, Aussie Rules & Gaelic football. However proper football - which will no longer be known as soccer, is the best known, most loved and most popular. What you refer to as American "football" is not a very good game.
The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays "American" football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football.
Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nancies).
We are hoping to get together at least a US Rugby sevens side by 2008.
You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the 'World Series' for a game which is not played outside of North America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls' game called "rounders," which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.
7. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don't believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
8. The 4th of July is no longer a public holiday. The 2nd of November will be a new national holiday, but only in Britain. It will be called "Indecisive Day."
9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap, and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.
All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call 'French fries' are not real chips. Fries aren't even French, they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium. Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called "crisps." Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat.
Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.
11. As a sign of penance 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.
12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling "beer" is not actually beer at all, it is lager . From November 1st only proper British Bitter will be referred to as "beer," and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as "Lager." The substances formerly known as "American Beer" will henceforth be referred to as "Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine," with the exception of the product of the American Budweiser company whose product will be referred to as "Weak Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine." This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in the Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.
13. From the 10th of November the UK will harmonise petrol (or "gasoline," as you will be permitted to keep calling it until the 1st of April) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the Former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon -- get used to it).
14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.
15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.
16. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).
Thank you for your co-operation.
Contact Info Website: www.fco.gov.uk
Office: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Street: King Charles Street
City: London, England
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
December 19 - my last voice lesson of the Fall Semester and the last "class" of the semester at that. YAY! I'm officially on Winter Recess. It's been kind of a different semester for me. I was busy - but not as overwhelmed "busy" as I was during my masters. I almost feel a bit busy. But 3 less credits (which is three less courses because most of our courses are 1 credit each) will do that to you.
Since I, again, haven't written in nearly a month I'll retrace my steps back to the beginning of the December.
December 1 - I remember this day clearly because when I got up at 7:30 in the morning to run it was 65 degrees outside and I ran alongside the Charles River in shorts and a sports tank-top. Eventually - that day (and the day before) were both balmy - springlike days reaching into the 70's. "Welcome Global Warming". BUT then it got cold Friday night and into the weekend.
I also remember this weekend because my oldest friend Sarah (not "old" as in like 95 years old - but the friend I've known the longest in my life thanks to those library reading times) was in town for some classes along with her colleague and friend, Heather. It was great to see her - and I remarked that she was very lucky because she was only in Boston for the weekend but in that weekend she was able to experience what it's like in Boston during the spring/summer and also the winter! It was a 2-for-1 deal! We had fun on Saturday night - went to the North End and had a good Italian meal and evetually found was, according to a local in their class, THE best pastry shop in the North End with THE best Canolis. Yeh... they were pretty good. After - Sarah and Heather and Karen (who met us for dinner as well) took a little night-time tour of Boston in the Boston Common/Downtown Crossing area.
December 7 - my friend Rachel's Birthday and a celebration at Algiers Cafe which is right in Harvard Square. I've lived in Cambridge for 2.5 years now and walked past the cafe probably a zillion times (well - not really that many) and didn't realize it was a cafe. But now it's one of my most favorite cafes here - along with Cafe Paradiso. They have food, and turkish coffees, and espresso, and desserts. Speaking of desserts.....
So I met Louis and Rachel at the cafe and then 3 more people from Fellowship showed up. We all ordered drinks and after recieving them someone asked Rachel if she had had a cake that day and I'm pretty sure she replied "no" because we all decided we needed to get a dessert for her. I don't remember exactly what was on the dessert menu - I think some normal things like a chocolate cake of some sort, maybe tiramisu - I don't know. But, there was something called Basbousa. Of course, there are no descriptions and we were all saying to each other "what's that?" So someone - again it was so long ago I don't remember who - said "That's it! THAT'S what we're getting for Rachel's birthday "cake". We're going to order it and no one is allowed to ask what it is. It will be a surprise." So, we ordered it and while we were waiting for it to come we had to go around the table and make up our own description of what it might be - but the rule being it had to be something completely farfetched. So we had "Carmalized Rat" and "something with mint leaves..." and the list goes on. I decided I wanted to liken Basbousa to a "seven-layer bar" only - the layers would be something to the effect of mashed potatoes, raspberry preserves, whipped cream, lamb, mint leaves, honey, and something else I cannot remember. (yes, I have a very short memory!!!) Would everyone like to know what Basbousa actually is?? Well - it's a cake-like dessert which uses semolina in place of flour. (semolina is coursely ground grain.) This dessert also had honey and almonds and was topped off with rose water syrup. It was, ummmmmmmmmmmm, interesting. I actually think that without the rose water syrup it would have been quite tasty - but from the get-go it had this aroma of rose perfume from the rose water syrup. It was quite sweet - which was fine - but then it had this after taste of, well, having eaten a cake doused in rose perfume! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL! :-)
December 15 - Schumann Song Cycle concert. It went so well and it was great to hear everyone's piece within it's cycle and also quite polished. I've written a lot about Schumann and this Song Cycle class in previous blogs so I won't bore everyone to snores - but it was just really amazing. The Frauenliebe und -Leben went so well and the way we performed it was really quite effective for both performer and audience. Just as a reminder - the songs in the cycle decpict the emotional stages of a woman's life from the time she first sees the man of her dreams through engagement, marriage, motherhood, and then finally - the very sad death of her husband. The postlude in the final song (mourning his death) is actually a restatement of the theme of the first song (when she sees him for the first time). Yumi and Bree and I shared the cycle - each singing 2 or 3 songs (there are 8 in all). Jane (our teacher) did a little staging for the performance so that as the postlude to the a song was finishing the next person to sing would slowly move into place and the next song would begin instantly without having the interruption of the one song ending, the person who sang it sitting down, and the next person getting up and getting into place. It was quite effective. Then during the postlude of the last song (Yumi sang the last song - she was AMAZING) Bree and I - at seperate times - got up and slowly moved and stood next to Yumi. There we were - all the stages of this woman's life - the young girl, the mother, and now the widow. It was really quite something. I felt
a little teary-eyed standing up there and even Karen said she got a bit misty ("a tear" said she).
So the Frauenliebe is not the only song I performed. I also performed Mondnacht which is gorgeous and very decievingly difficult. It's from his Liederkreis, op. 39.
Now that I have everyone interested in Schumann and his song cycles I can direct you to some good recordings to check out!
Schumann Lieder: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Deutsche Gramophone
Schumann:Liederkreis Op. 24; Dichterliebe Op. 48 and 7 Lieder: Ian Bostridge, tenor EMI Classics
Schumann Lieder: Robert and Clara : Barbara Bonney, soprano Decca
December 17 - Bree's Recital!!!! It was amazing and she sounded and looked so beautiful! Brava to her! and shame on all of you who didn't come and could have!!!! tsk tsk...
Also - that evening (almost immediately after) was the Vocal Chamber Ensemble class concert. It went really well. Karen and I sang our two Purcell (Hark! How the Songsters of the Grove and No, Resistance is but Vain), Faure's Ave Maria, and Donizetti's L'aurora. Again - it went so well. Our voices fit so well together and we were very happy with our performance. Some of which was the best we had ever done. We just got up there and had fun and we rocked!
And now - it's today. I'm leaving on Friday to come home. I can't believe this semester is over with already and that I have one more semester to go. Which reminds me - I REALLY need to figure out the rest of my recital. I have three sets down and two more to choose. Last year at this time everything was already planned out! Why am I so behind this year. I think - I need to be done with school. For a while. :-)
I hope to try and see everyone while I'm at home. I'm in Shelby from the 22nd-28th and then Columbus the 29th-1st. I leave to come back to Boston on the 2nd and then NEW YORK CITY here I come. Reminder: I don't have mobile service at my parents house so if you need to get ahold of me via phone call me at my parents house and if you don't have that info then email me because I do have email access. Word to the Columbus gang - what's going on New Years Eve???
Hugs and kisses and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. xxxxxxxxx
Since I, again, haven't written in nearly a month I'll retrace my steps back to the beginning of the December.
December 1 - I remember this day clearly because when I got up at 7:30 in the morning to run it was 65 degrees outside and I ran alongside the Charles River in shorts and a sports tank-top. Eventually - that day (and the day before) were both balmy - springlike days reaching into the 70's. "Welcome Global Warming". BUT then it got cold Friday night and into the weekend.
I also remember this weekend because my oldest friend Sarah (not "old" as in like 95 years old - but the friend I've known the longest in my life thanks to those library reading times) was in town for some classes along with her colleague and friend, Heather. It was great to see her - and I remarked that she was very lucky because she was only in Boston for the weekend but in that weekend she was able to experience what it's like in Boston during the spring/summer and also the winter! It was a 2-for-1 deal! We had fun on Saturday night - went to the North End and had a good Italian meal and evetually found was, according to a local in their class, THE best pastry shop in the North End with THE best Canolis. Yeh... they were pretty good. After - Sarah and Heather and Karen (who met us for dinner as well) took a little night-time tour of Boston in the Boston Common/Downtown Crossing area.
December 7 - my friend Rachel's Birthday and a celebration at Algiers Cafe which is right in Harvard Square. I've lived in Cambridge for 2.5 years now and walked past the cafe probably a zillion times (well - not really that many) and didn't realize it was a cafe. But now it's one of my most favorite cafes here - along with Cafe Paradiso. They have food, and turkish coffees, and espresso, and desserts. Speaking of desserts.....
So I met Louis and Rachel at the cafe and then 3 more people from Fellowship showed up. We all ordered drinks and after recieving them someone asked Rachel if she had had a cake that day and I'm pretty sure she replied "no" because we all decided we needed to get a dessert for her. I don't remember exactly what was on the dessert menu - I think some normal things like a chocolate cake of some sort, maybe tiramisu - I don't know. But, there was something called Basbousa. Of course, there are no descriptions and we were all saying to each other "what's that?" So someone - again it was so long ago I don't remember who - said "That's it! THAT'S what we're getting for Rachel's birthday "cake". We're going to order it and no one is allowed to ask what it is. It will be a surprise." So, we ordered it and while we were waiting for it to come we had to go around the table and make up our own description of what it might be - but the rule being it had to be something completely farfetched. So we had "Carmalized Rat" and "something with mint leaves..." and the list goes on. I decided I wanted to liken Basbousa to a "seven-layer bar" only - the layers would be something to the effect of mashed potatoes, raspberry preserves, whipped cream, lamb, mint leaves, honey, and something else I cannot remember. (yes, I have a very short memory!!!) Would everyone like to know what Basbousa actually is?? Well - it's a cake-like dessert which uses semolina in place of flour. (semolina is coursely ground grain.) This dessert also had honey and almonds and was topped off with rose water syrup. It was, ummmmmmmmmmmm, interesting. I actually think that without the rose water syrup it would have been quite tasty - but from the get-go it had this aroma of rose perfume from the rose water syrup. It was quite sweet - which was fine - but then it had this after taste of, well, having eaten a cake doused in rose perfume! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL! :-)
December 15 - Schumann Song Cycle concert. It went so well and it was great to hear everyone's piece within it's cycle and also quite polished. I've written a lot about Schumann and this Song Cycle class in previous blogs so I won't bore everyone to snores - but it was just really amazing. The Frauenliebe und -Leben went so well and the way we performed it was really quite effective for both performer and audience. Just as a reminder - the songs in the cycle decpict the emotional stages of a woman's life from the time she first sees the man of her dreams through engagement, marriage, motherhood, and then finally - the very sad death of her husband. The postlude in the final song (mourning his death) is actually a restatement of the theme of the first song (when she sees him for the first time). Yumi and Bree and I shared the cycle - each singing 2 or 3 songs (there are 8 in all). Jane (our teacher) did a little staging for the performance so that as the postlude to the a song was finishing the next person to sing would slowly move into place and the next song would begin instantly without having the interruption of the one song ending, the person who sang it sitting down, and the next person getting up and getting into place. It was quite effective. Then during the postlude of the last song (Yumi sang the last song - she was AMAZING) Bree and I - at seperate times - got up and slowly moved and stood next to Yumi. There we were - all the stages of this woman's life - the young girl, the mother, and now the widow. It was really quite something. I felt
a little teary-eyed standing up there and even Karen said she got a bit misty ("a tear" said she).
So the Frauenliebe is not the only song I performed. I also performed Mondnacht which is gorgeous and very decievingly difficult. It's from his Liederkreis, op. 39.
Now that I have everyone interested in Schumann and his song cycles I can direct you to some good recordings to check out!
Schumann Lieder: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Deutsche Gramophone
Schumann:Liederkreis Op. 24; Dichterliebe Op. 48 and 7 Lieder: Ian Bostridge, tenor EMI Classics
Schumann Lieder: Robert and Clara : Barbara Bonney, soprano Decca
December 17 - Bree's Recital!!!! It was amazing and she sounded and looked so beautiful! Brava to her! and shame on all of you who didn't come and could have!!!! tsk tsk...
Also - that evening (almost immediately after) was the Vocal Chamber Ensemble class concert. It went really well. Karen and I sang our two Purcell (Hark! How the Songsters of the Grove and No, Resistance is but Vain), Faure's Ave Maria, and Donizetti's L'aurora. Again - it went so well. Our voices fit so well together and we were very happy with our performance. Some of which was the best we had ever done. We just got up there and had fun and we rocked!
And now - it's today. I'm leaving on Friday to come home. I can't believe this semester is over with already and that I have one more semester to go. Which reminds me - I REALLY need to figure out the rest of my recital. I have three sets down and two more to choose. Last year at this time everything was already planned out! Why am I so behind this year. I think - I need to be done with school. For a while. :-)
I hope to try and see everyone while I'm at home. I'm in Shelby from the 22nd-28th and then Columbus the 29th-1st. I leave to come back to Boston on the 2nd and then NEW YORK CITY here I come. Reminder: I don't have mobile service at my parents house so if you need to get ahold of me via phone call me at my parents house and if you don't have that info then email me because I do have email access. Word to the Columbus gang - what's going on New Years Eve???
Hugs and kisses and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. xxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Go, lovely Rose-
Tell her that wastes her time and me,
That now she knows,
When I resemble her to thee,
How sweet and fair she seems to be.
Tell her that's young,
And shuns to have her graces spied,
That hadst thou sprung
In deserts where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.
Small is the worth
Of beauty from the light retired:
Bid her come forth,
Suffer herself to be desired,
And not blush so to be admired.
Then die-that she
The common fate of all things rare
May read in thee;
How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!
-- Edmund Waller
Tell her that wastes her time and me,
That now she knows,
When I resemble her to thee,
How sweet and fair she seems to be.
Tell her that's young,
And shuns to have her graces spied,
That hadst thou sprung
In deserts where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.
Small is the worth
Of beauty from the light retired:
Bid her come forth,
Suffer herself to be desired,
And not blush so to be admired.
Then die-that she
The common fate of all things rare
May read in thee;
How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!
-- Edmund Waller
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
How did it get to be the week of Thanksgiving already? How did this happen? After this week is over there are 3 more weeks left in the semester. Oh the agony!
It's officially winter here in New England! FINALLY! lol - well I don't know about "winter" so much as it's finally cold. Our Autumn has been very mild. It's been in the 60's and 70's most of September, October, and even the first part of November up until now. Yesterday was the first real "cold" and it feels like it's here to stay. I don't care as long as the weather just decides. This going back and forth from chilly to warm and muggy and back to chilly wreaks havoc on my sinuses and my singing. Wouldn't you know it though Thanksgiving is supposed to bring with it a Nor'easter that's coming up the coast. It's only going to be rain - can you imagine what it would be like if it were snow??!!
Not too much time has gone by since I last posted so I'll start from the past and work my way back up to the present.
So let's see... Saturday was the BIG GAME! We had a small party of 5 Ohioans celebrating at my apartment. We were loud and raucous and I'm sure that the neighbors were wondering what on earth was going on next door. Actually... it was a big "game day" here in Cambridge as well as it was Harvard-Yale day. Home game! I was walking Simon at 9:30 am and the house on the corner was well into a party with what had to be a crowd of 50-75 people and good number of them doing beer funnels out on the front porch. Yes - at NINE-THIRTY in the morning. Igh!
It's actually quite funny to see all these Harvard-ites get worked up about this game. It's the last game of the season and they go all out: tail-gaiting, regalia, their small little band that doesn't really have uniforms, people walking in packs to the stadium. This is what it's like at a NORMAL university with a NORMAL football team on a NORMAL gameday. I think that Harvard wouldn't know what to do if they had to set up a "mini-court" on campus during gameday or had to hire a police force to guard their goalposts. No offense to my Harvard friends that read this blog (Rachel). It's just very humourous - that's all.
So anyhow - back to Saturday. Brian and Karen and Jenny and Bob came over and we had a good time.
Sunday was the Longy SAC hosted Thanksgiving dinner. It's traditional that SAC hosts this dinner the Sunday before Thanksgiving. SAC provides the Turkey, stuffing, gravy, rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, and drinks. Then we ask everyone to sign up to bring other side dishes and desserts. We always have a good turn out and it's a lot of fun. Every year we've ordered 2 fully cooked turkey's and 2 full dinners (the dinners include all the sides SAC provides)from Shaw's (like Krogers to those of you not out on the East Coast) and we pick them up hot and ready to serve when we get back. We've never had a problem with this before. So, Sunday, Brooke and I go to pick up the food and drink and we get to the deli, give them our order number and the guy comes out from the back with 2 huge boxes filled with our complete order. But there was a slight problem - everything was COLD and the "fully-cooked" turkey was still wrapped in the plastic packaging that turkeys come in when you buy them at the store. Brooke and I took one look at the order, then each other and then started to have a panic attack. Literally. We couldn't figure it out. We ordered this EXACTLY the way we ordered it last year (we didn't have to tell them last year we wanted it HOT when picked it up. "Fully cooked" meant FULLY COOKED!) So we called those decorating back at School and let them know that some serious microwaving was about to happen upon our return. Dinner was to start sometime after 5:00 - it was 4:30. We got back and the nuking began. Luckily, the turkey was thawed and was actually fully cooked - it just had to be heated and there were microwave instructions. While Jen and Elinor and myself microwaved the potatoes, gravy, and stuffing, Brooke and Brian carved those two gobblers. Once the sides were done we started on the turkey slices until they were steaming hot. We kicked butt because everything was on the table by 5:15 - hot and ready to eat. Not exactly like our Kodaly Institute feast 5 years ago - but definately still a good dinner.
Yesterday was slightly stressful because last night's vocal seminar was a bit like a mini mid-semester jury - except not. It's really too much detail and too much unnecessary information to go into why all of us were unhappy with this little set-up. Instead of complaining (I'll keep that to all of us in the voice department)I'll just explain what we had to do which won't sound nearly as bad as it really was, nor really as bad as 1/2 the semester has been in this class. So, 1/2 the voice faculty was sitting in "panel-like" formation in the back of the recital room - all set with their pens and pencils and forms on which they critiqued our presentation. We had to come in, slate our name, the piece, the composer, the poet, and then give a small spiel that would draw in our audience - something interesting about the composer or song. Next we had to recite the text of the piece as a monologue. If the piece was in a forgeign language we had to first recite it in English in a literal translation - but as a monologue. Then take a moment and recite the text in it's original language as a monologue and then take another moment and sing the piece. For example: I sang Süsser Freund by Robert Schumann (I think I posted it in a previous blog perhaps a month or 2 ago). So I came in, did all the slating stuff, and then gave the literal English translation as a monologue, took a moment, and then recited the German text as a monologue, took a moment, then sang the piece. It actually went well. But it was quite stressful. "Class" began at 6:15 and I was number 17 to go on the list so I didn't actually get to perform my piece until well after 8:00. It was torture and it was ridiculous which was the general sentiment amongst, actually, all the performers.
BUT now - it's Tuesday. Classes officially are over tomorrow evening but I don't have class on Wednesday so I am officially on break! Woo-hoo! Although I have a lot of practicing to do - I won't have class and that means some good ol' R&R.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:17
It's officially winter here in New England! FINALLY! lol - well I don't know about "winter" so much as it's finally cold. Our Autumn has been very mild. It's been in the 60's and 70's most of September, October, and even the first part of November up until now. Yesterday was the first real "cold" and it feels like it's here to stay. I don't care as long as the weather just decides. This going back and forth from chilly to warm and muggy and back to chilly wreaks havoc on my sinuses and my singing. Wouldn't you know it though Thanksgiving is supposed to bring with it a Nor'easter that's coming up the coast. It's only going to be rain - can you imagine what it would be like if it were snow??!!
Not too much time has gone by since I last posted so I'll start from the past and work my way back up to the present.
So let's see... Saturday was the BIG GAME! We had a small party of 5 Ohioans celebrating at my apartment. We were loud and raucous and I'm sure that the neighbors were wondering what on earth was going on next door. Actually... it was a big "game day" here in Cambridge as well as it was Harvard-Yale day. Home game! I was walking Simon at 9:30 am and the house on the corner was well into a party with what had to be a crowd of 50-75 people and good number of them doing beer funnels out on the front porch. Yes - at NINE-THIRTY in the morning. Igh!
It's actually quite funny to see all these Harvard-ites get worked up about this game. It's the last game of the season and they go all out: tail-gaiting, regalia, their small little band that doesn't really have uniforms, people walking in packs to the stadium. This is what it's like at a NORMAL university with a NORMAL football team on a NORMAL gameday. I think that Harvard wouldn't know what to do if they had to set up a "mini-court" on campus during gameday or had to hire a police force to guard their goalposts. No offense to my Harvard friends that read this blog (Rachel). It's just very humourous - that's all.
So anyhow - back to Saturday. Brian and Karen and Jenny and Bob came over and we had a good time.
Sunday was the Longy SAC hosted Thanksgiving dinner. It's traditional that SAC hosts this dinner the Sunday before Thanksgiving. SAC provides the Turkey, stuffing, gravy, rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, and drinks. Then we ask everyone to sign up to bring other side dishes and desserts. We always have a good turn out and it's a lot of fun. Every year we've ordered 2 fully cooked turkey's and 2 full dinners (the dinners include all the sides SAC provides)from Shaw's (like Krogers to those of you not out on the East Coast) and we pick them up hot and ready to serve when we get back. We've never had a problem with this before. So, Sunday, Brooke and I go to pick up the food and drink and we get to the deli, give them our order number and the guy comes out from the back with 2 huge boxes filled with our complete order. But there was a slight problem - everything was COLD and the "fully-cooked" turkey was still wrapped in the plastic packaging that turkeys come in when you buy them at the store. Brooke and I took one look at the order, then each other and then started to have a panic attack. Literally. We couldn't figure it out. We ordered this EXACTLY the way we ordered it last year (we didn't have to tell them last year we wanted it HOT when picked it up. "Fully cooked" meant FULLY COOKED!) So we called those decorating back at School and let them know that some serious microwaving was about to happen upon our return. Dinner was to start sometime after 5:00 - it was 4:30. We got back and the nuking began. Luckily, the turkey was thawed and was actually fully cooked - it just had to be heated and there were microwave instructions. While Jen and Elinor and myself microwaved the potatoes, gravy, and stuffing, Brooke and Brian carved those two gobblers. Once the sides were done we started on the turkey slices until they were steaming hot. We kicked butt because everything was on the table by 5:15 - hot and ready to eat. Not exactly like our Kodaly Institute feast 5 years ago - but definately still a good dinner.
Yesterday was slightly stressful because last night's vocal seminar was a bit like a mini mid-semester jury - except not. It's really too much detail and too much unnecessary information to go into why all of us were unhappy with this little set-up. Instead of complaining (I'll keep that to all of us in the voice department)I'll just explain what we had to do which won't sound nearly as bad as it really was, nor really as bad as 1/2 the semester has been in this class. So, 1/2 the voice faculty was sitting in "panel-like" formation in the back of the recital room - all set with their pens and pencils and forms on which they critiqued our presentation. We had to come in, slate our name, the piece, the composer, the poet, and then give a small spiel that would draw in our audience - something interesting about the composer or song. Next we had to recite the text of the piece as a monologue. If the piece was in a forgeign language we had to first recite it in English in a literal translation - but as a monologue. Then take a moment and recite the text in it's original language as a monologue and then take another moment and sing the piece. For example: I sang Süsser Freund by Robert Schumann (I think I posted it in a previous blog perhaps a month or 2 ago). So I came in, did all the slating stuff, and then gave the literal English translation as a monologue, took a moment, and then recited the German text as a monologue, took a moment, then sang the piece. It actually went well. But it was quite stressful. "Class" began at 6:15 and I was number 17 to go on the list so I didn't actually get to perform my piece until well after 8:00. It was torture and it was ridiculous which was the general sentiment amongst, actually, all the performers.
BUT now - it's Tuesday. Classes officially are over tomorrow evening but I don't have class on Wednesday so I am officially on break! Woo-hoo! Although I have a lot of practicing to do - I won't have class and that means some good ol' R&R.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:17
Monday, November 13, 2006
Our trip to Salem on Halloween weekend.
The first picture of the Cry Innocent performance - a re-enactment of one of the Salem Witch Trials. It's a fun performance because they act out the first 1/2 hour or so of it and then it's audience interaction time. Members of the audience are allowed to stand and ask questions of the defendent as well as witnesses. It's basically an improv for the actors and makes for a different show each time!
The other pics are of the group that went.
The first picture of the Cry Innocent performance - a re-enactment of one of the Salem Witch Trials. It's a fun performance because they act out the first 1/2 hour or so of it and then it's audience interaction time. Members of the audience are allowed to stand and ask questions of the defendent as well as witnesses. It's basically an improv for the actors and makes for a different show each time!
The other pics are of the group that went.
It's been a long time since I've updated this blog (in the words of Karen 5 days ago "You NEED to update your blog!!!). Instead of starting where I left off I'm going to start from yesterday and work my way backwards.
So yesterday... yes, yesterday. A day that everything needed to go as planned so I could stay somewhat sane. First I had church in the morning, then a rehearsal at 1:00 which was for another rehearsal from 1:00-3:00. A rehearsal at 3:15 for the Voice Department Coffee Concert at 4:00 and then an audition over at NEC at 7:30. At any rate, if the 1st half of the day was to be an indication of how the 2nd half of the day was going to go then I knew I was sunk. Luckily - things got much better as the day went on. First of all, my alarm went off quite early and I kept hitting snooze thinking - "Why is the alarm going off so early? This is not a day that I have to get up early." And then 5 or 6 hits of the snooze later it was 8:35 and I sat up suddenly exclaiming to myself "OH MY GOSH IT'S SUNDAY! I have to be at Church at 9:00!!!!" So I was late to our warm-up for choir - but I am never late so I didn't feel so bad. Then the service went over by like 30-45 minutes because it was Confirmation Sunday and not only that, it was DOWNPOURING and I didn't bring an umbrella and because of everything else that was going on that day I had a choice: Walk home, be absolutely soaked, take the time to dry off and re-do yourself for all your performances later today and then be very late to your rehearsal OR wait for a ride home, be dry, take the time to focus when you get home and only be slightly late for your rehearsal I opted for the latter - and my group was completely fine and very understanding about me having to be late - THANK GOD! I think that because I took the time between getting home and the first rehearsal I was actually less stressed and ready to begin the second half of my day which went fantastic. But, have you ever had one of those days where, not only do you have a specific way you want it to go and not only does everything start to go the complete opposite of what you planned - but it's a snowball effect of being able to sort of predict and see how wrong everything is going to be. Igh. Perhaps God's way of trying to get my attention I suppose! "SLOW DOWN" He says! LOL. What a little, little human being I am! :-)
So that was yesterday. Don't worry - I'm not going to go through a hour-by-hour, day-by-day synopsis of the past 2 1/2 weeks! Nobody (not even me) is that interested in what's going on with my life.
Friday - I dropped my phone. Big surprise, eh? Well it hit the floor so hard that the LCD display screen went blank and remained blank. So - I had to get a new phone. Good news and bad news. Good news: I had this phone for 5 years so I got a really good upgrade deal AND I wasn't replacing a relatively new phone. Bad news: I lost a lot of numbers. Some of you are going to have to send me your phone numbers again.
This past Thursday Ashley and Bree and I went to Scullers Jazz Club to see Audra McDonald perform. Amazing. Really - just simply amazing. The nice thing is that the Club is such an intimate setting so there's really no bad seat in the house. I smiled, I got teary-eyed, I laughed, I was moved - just really, simply moved. And she did some favorites too! Stars and the Moon (Stef and Orla - she's the one on the recording I played for you way back in the day for our Institute Cabaret night!!), My Stupid Mouth, Bill - and then some new ones as well.
Last Sunday was Longy's International Night I hosted a Hungarian Table. Mostly because I wanted to make Palacsinta which is a crepe-like pancake. I opted to make the Gundel palacsinta which is a dessert crepe and filled with a cremey substance which is a sweet-cream base with walnuts, raisins, candied orange peel, and rum. The palacsinta is then folded and topped with a chocolate sauce (which I didn't make but used Hershey's - much easier) and then tradition is that you pour rum (or the chocolate sauce has rum in it) on top and light it a-fire. Being that we were at school I couldn't do that. But they were a great hit anyhow. I also taught a Scottish dance. Woo-hoo. In addition I learned a Philipino dance called the Todo-Todo and some other crazy fast calorie burning dance. Michelle took video on my camera so I'll see about posting that on here.
The week before that was the annual SAC trip to Salem. The weather was a big big bummer - 35-40 mph winds, downpouring and raining sideways!!! It was fun though and we went to acouple of re-enactments of the Salem Witch trials.
Can it be that it is only a week and half until Thanksgiving??? How is this so? After the break is done it's 3 weeks of finishing up the semester - loads of performances. I really need to decide what I'm doing on my recital and also what I'm doing next year - SOON. Igh! Stuff I don't even want to think about - but seriously need to very very soon.
That's all for now folks. When I get home (or this evening) I'll try to post some pics from the Salem Trip and International Night.
P.S. everyone shout out a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY (on the 16th) to Orla who joins the ranks of us in our last year of being 20 something. :-) Love you Shennanigans!!!!! xxxx
So yesterday... yes, yesterday. A day that everything needed to go as planned so I could stay somewhat sane. First I had church in the morning, then a rehearsal at 1:00 which was for another rehearsal from 1:00-3:00. A rehearsal at 3:15 for the Voice Department Coffee Concert at 4:00 and then an audition over at NEC at 7:30. At any rate, if the 1st half of the day was to be an indication of how the 2nd half of the day was going to go then I knew I was sunk. Luckily - things got much better as the day went on. First of all, my alarm went off quite early and I kept hitting snooze thinking - "Why is the alarm going off so early? This is not a day that I have to get up early." And then 5 or 6 hits of the snooze later it was 8:35 and I sat up suddenly exclaiming to myself "OH MY GOSH IT'S SUNDAY! I have to be at Church at 9:00!!!!" So I was late to our warm-up for choir - but I am never late so I didn't feel so bad. Then the service went over by like 30-45 minutes because it was Confirmation Sunday and not only that, it was DOWNPOURING and I didn't bring an umbrella and because of everything else that was going on that day I had a choice: Walk home, be absolutely soaked, take the time to dry off and re-do yourself for all your performances later today and then be very late to your rehearsal OR wait for a ride home, be dry, take the time to focus when you get home and only be slightly late for your rehearsal I opted for the latter - and my group was completely fine and very understanding about me having to be late - THANK GOD! I think that because I took the time between getting home and the first rehearsal I was actually less stressed and ready to begin the second half of my day which went fantastic. But, have you ever had one of those days where, not only do you have a specific way you want it to go and not only does everything start to go the complete opposite of what you planned - but it's a snowball effect of being able to sort of predict and see how wrong everything is going to be. Igh. Perhaps God's way of trying to get my attention I suppose! "SLOW DOWN" He says! LOL. What a little, little human being I am! :-)
So that was yesterday. Don't worry - I'm not going to go through a hour-by-hour, day-by-day synopsis of the past 2 1/2 weeks! Nobody (not even me) is that interested in what's going on with my life.
Friday - I dropped my phone. Big surprise, eh? Well it hit the floor so hard that the LCD display screen went blank and remained blank. So - I had to get a new phone. Good news and bad news. Good news: I had this phone for 5 years so I got a really good upgrade deal AND I wasn't replacing a relatively new phone. Bad news: I lost a lot of numbers. Some of you are going to have to send me your phone numbers again.
This past Thursday Ashley and Bree and I went to Scullers Jazz Club to see Audra McDonald perform. Amazing. Really - just simply amazing. The nice thing is that the Club is such an intimate setting so there's really no bad seat in the house. I smiled, I got teary-eyed, I laughed, I was moved - just really, simply moved. And she did some favorites too! Stars and the Moon (Stef and Orla - she's the one on the recording I played for you way back in the day for our Institute Cabaret night!!), My Stupid Mouth, Bill - and then some new ones as well.
Last Sunday was Longy's International Night I hosted a Hungarian Table. Mostly because I wanted to make Palacsinta which is a crepe-like pancake. I opted to make the Gundel palacsinta which is a dessert crepe and filled with a cremey substance which is a sweet-cream base with walnuts, raisins, candied orange peel, and rum. The palacsinta is then folded and topped with a chocolate sauce (which I didn't make but used Hershey's - much easier) and then tradition is that you pour rum (or the chocolate sauce has rum in it) on top and light it a-fire. Being that we were at school I couldn't do that. But they were a great hit anyhow. I also taught a Scottish dance. Woo-hoo. In addition I learned a Philipino dance called the Todo-Todo and some other crazy fast calorie burning dance. Michelle took video on my camera so I'll see about posting that on here.
The week before that was the annual SAC trip to Salem. The weather was a big big bummer - 35-40 mph winds, downpouring and raining sideways!!! It was fun though and we went to acouple of re-enactments of the Salem Witch trials.
Can it be that it is only a week and half until Thanksgiving??? How is this so? After the break is done it's 3 weeks of finishing up the semester - loads of performances. I really need to decide what I'm doing on my recital and also what I'm doing next year - SOON. Igh! Stuff I don't even want to think about - but seriously need to very very soon.
That's all for now folks. When I get home (or this evening) I'll try to post some pics from the Salem Trip and International Night.
P.S. everyone shout out a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY (on the 16th) to Orla who joins the ranks of us in our last year of being 20 something. :-) Love you Shennanigans!!!!! xxxx
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