Amy and I are currently at the Tsai computer while waiting to get in for the Collaborative Piano/Composition Project Recital. I know I called David with this fabulous news, but I will be watching the one and only John Malkovich tonight in performance. The piece Molly's playing for has a narrator part, and the composer who wrote the piece (Jacob) knows JM from a posh store he works at in Cambridge. I'm very excited about this. I already saw him at CFA last week after he came for a rehearsal. Ha! This'll be hilarious.

Amy leaves tomorrow. :-( After that starts the absolute craziness till May 18th, which is Graduation Day - I have a performance of significance EVERY weekend from now till May 15th. Joy.

If it doesn't become spring here soon, I may die.

Amy Kant!

Amy has been here for the past couple days, and so far, we are having a great time! This afternoon we are heading downtown to meet Mr. Carlisle, who was an English teacher at our high school and who ran all the dramas and musicals that we were a part of while attending Wisco. I haven't seen him since he left before my senior year......it'll be so good to see him!

My recital is exactly four weeks from today, and I'm confident I'll be ready if I have enough time to practice. Only problem - I really don't have enough time. Poor Molly is absolutely swamped right now with recitals she's playing for, so we haven't even started the Copland sonata. I'm not overly concerned, I just am overwhelmed with everything that is going on. Quintet hasn't been going well - we haven't had a rehearsal where ALL people are present for over a week now. Hopefully that will change soon - and the last mvt is so incredibly difficult, I have trouble seeing straight when I think about it.

I can't worry about that now - tomorrow Amy and I shall babysit little dearie Adelaide, hear Heidi play at Emmanuel, and go to the Aquarium!

Another Snow Picture

In the absence of anything useful to say, here is another Milwaukee snowstorm picture. Our car got completely stuck after we pulled out of the driveway. Hannah and Dad immediately got out of the car. Inside the car, at the moment of this picture, Mom and I are debating whether to get out and help. Eventually I did and we shoveled the car out of the street. Of course, 10 min. later, the snowplow guys came. Typical.

PS - I realize these pictures aren't nearly as adorable or fun to look at as the ones of Emily Ruth on Mary's blog. Don't worry.

I don't know HOW the snow is staying like that, but all four corners of my parents' house looked like this on Friday after the snowstorm, picture courtesy of Hannah Braun. This is over the windows of what USED to be my bedroom, but my parents moved into it the day I left for BUTI in 2002. Anyway. I'm back in Boston now, sad that my long weekend at home is over, but happy to be back into the swing of school and such. Amy Kant comes to visit in three days!

Good Friday Canceled

Milwaukee received about 12 inches of snow in an all-day blizzard yesterday, and as a result, all Good Friday services at church was canceled. This has never happened in my lifetime before. Watching the news, it didn't look like ANYONE had Good Friday services in Milwaukee. I partially blame the fact that Easter is so early this year - apparently we cannot have it on March 23rd again until 2160. The last time was in the 1800s. This is all based on what Mrs. L told me yesterday at the L and C Koz's Good Friday bash, though, so who knows. Anyway - for it being Easter weekend, it sure feels like Christmas outside. Good thing I got here Thursday morning!

Is it really appropriate to have a party on Good Friday night? Especially to NOT call it off when even church was called off???? Who knows. I guess not, since all THREE St. John's pastors were at this event. Hannah and I walked the mile home around 9:45, her shoveling a path for me in my clogs with her knee-high boots. It was good times!

I've been having a good time at home. I thought I was going to be the only daughter home this weekend, but Hannah surprised me by showing up late Thursday night!  We've been mostly eating, talking, shopping, and watching college basketball. I'm doing pretty good so far on my bracket - I've only missed 7 on the whole first round. Beating Hannah, at least.......

I hope you all have a lovely Easter, and that the Easter bunny brings you something special!

The weather here right now is so crappy I could cry. Where the hell is spring??

Molly and I dyed Easter eggs last night - decorated eggs include our fishies and one egg for each of these categories: French, German, Russian, and American composers. We are dorks.

I finally found a sub for that gig - Anaar. Thank goodness.

I'm heading home to Milwaukee for Easter weekend tomorrow - looking forward to it. Just hope I actually get things done - I have a tendency to do NOTHING while at my parents' house.

Things I have learned tonight:

1. Hannah cannot make toffee. She can however make an excellent brown sugary thing that has chocolate and pecans in it, and it will taste spectacular in your oatmeal! Just ask Bill Braun!

2. It only takes five minutes to make your lunch the night before and it saves about $6 tomorrow.

3. If you throw out the baby AND the bathwater, all you get is a wet and critically injured baby (from For Your Consideration).

4. Spring break is over and I didn't get anything really done. I realized that tonight when the clock struck 12....

5. There is drama in the basement of my Milwaukee home....oh, the drama.....at least they're being smart about it NOW.

6. Tomorrow the sun will shine! One day closer to spring.....

I did finally manage to go to the grocery store. Whole Foods is the best place on earth.

I just got home from seeing The Other Boleyn Girl. I had read the book by Philippa Gregory about a year ago, and while I had enjoyed it, it really is historical fiction, the key word being FICTION. I also have read a lot of biographies on the Tudors, especially Elizabeth I, but also including one about Anne Boleyn I read last summer that was written recently. While the historical fiction novel by Gregory focuses on Anne Boleyn being an evil, incestuous, deceiving woman, the bio that I read shed light on some important information that is not seen very commonly, namely, that most of what we know today about the whole break with the Catholic Church and Anne's trial was written by her enemies. According to this bio, she was a fierce Protestant, knew Martin Luther's writings extensively, and saw an opportunity to change the religion of England.

Ok, obviously, I'm Lutheran, so I was quite attentive at that part of the bio. But the fact that most of what we know today about Anne's convictions and trial were written by her enemies is quite enlightening, and was on my mind as I watched this movie. I think so much of what is assumed today about Anne (ex: she did NOT have 6 fingers on one hand) is exaggerated to such an extent that makes her truly evil. I wish Philippa Gregory had decided to focus on a different side of Anne Boleyn's history instead of the one that has been told for the past four hundred years.

The movie stays true to the novel, of course, being of the same title and having the author help with the screenplay. I enjoyed Natalie Portman's portrayal as Anne very much, but am kinda confused as to why somebody didn't dye Eric Bana's hair red, since Henry VIII had quite reddish hair, as did Elizabeth I.

Spring break is over. This is such a sad day. Tomorrow is the last concert for Cantata Singers, which I am very much looking forward to. The one last night went really well.

Oh, and our rent went up $12.50 a month for me and Molly. This isn't too bad......but I knew it was coming.

I am severly procrastinating from walking outside. It snowed a little this morning, and now its just cold and gross. I HAVE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE. THIS IS VITAL. But I just can't seem to move myself from this chair. I am all showered, dressed, etc etc and ready to go, but I just can't do it. I have no food in this place. Its 3:15, and I haven't eaten yet today, and had to make earl grey tea this morning instead of coffee because I ran out of coffee yesterday. But I can't make myself just go. AGHGHGGHGHGHGHGHGH!

This is pathetic.

Maybe I should make a grocery list first. Maybe that will get the motivation spirit moving.

Weird

This story was on the front page of my Metro yesterday, I talked about it with Heidi at lunch, and I come home to this link she emailed:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/woman-stuck-in-bathroom-for-how-long/20080313080209990001

There are SO many questions I have about it, but we may never know!

Last night, for the first time in MANY years, I went to a play. And this play was in downtown Boston, at the Charles Playhouse. Emily R's actor friend is in the show Shear Madness, which is actually the longest running nonmusical ever - since around 1987. Its a whodunit comedy murder mystery, and was really well done. I recommend anyone to see it. Afterwards, I got to meet some of the actors and we hung out for awhile. It really is amazing to me how much a freelance musician and a freelance actor use the same words and have the same lifestyle. All in the name of art and culture.

Speaking of freelance musician: tonight is the first concert for Cantata Singers.

I am having the most terrible time trying to find a replacement for a gig at the end of March. I said yes to it before I knew Amy would be coming to visit that same weekend, and it seems like EVERY violinist I know has a conflict. I've even asked Nat, who really is a violist but plays violin at Emmanuel. I have about two more people on my mind that would be able to do it. Then, I'm out. This is serious. And I've been working on it for over an hour.

Today is rainy, gross and cold. As Adelaide said: "Its a lion day!" This OF COURSE was going to be the afternoon I got my grocery shopping done. Now, with the weather, that is very unlikely. Thank goodness I did my laundry yesterday. That was also becoming a desperate situation.

Who knew spring break could be filled with so many desperate situations?

I haven't been sleeping well lately, but last night really was the worst. I have no idea when I finally slept, but I did wake up at 5, then 6ish, then 7 before just giving up and reading until around 9, when Molly and I headed to the corner cafe for breakfast. I really hope this doesn't become a trend.........my head hurts.

Soon I will head downtown to meet Heidi and Peter for lunch, which should be lovely.

Still really nothing new to report. Its spring break. I have rehearsal tonight for Cantata Singers. Today I've paid bills, kept trying to find a replacement for this gig at the end of March when Amy Kant comes to visit, and am stalling to actually GO to BU to practice my parts for tonight.

In the absence of anything remotely intersting to say, how about a picture instead?


This one is worth a thousand words. To me.

Problems with rain and words

I really don't have anything of much interest to say. I'm sorry if I bore you all.

After a few days of sun and almost (ALMOST) spring weather, yesterday was downright crappy. Yuck. I am still wearing my clogs with the hole in the right big toe area, and when I left yesterday it didn't seem like it would be too much of a problem, but I was wrong. Not only did I accidentally step in every puddle downtown, I even slipped and fell while crossing the street and my entire shoe filled with water. I had gotten a new pair for Christmas, but since Dansko clogs are all handmade, the pair my mom got was just too small, and now they are on backorder, blah blah blah. So the ones with the hole it is, for now. Its looking like my left one might be getting a hole shortly too.

Today, though, the sun is out, although it is very windy. Heidi is bringing Adelaide over soon for some babysitting and fun. I wish you could all see her now - she is four and a half, VERY articulate, tall, and smart as a whip. And still the funniest person I know. A few weeks ago, when I was at their house, Heidi mentioned how tired she (Heidi) was, and how she needed to go to bed. Adelaide hadn't really heard the whole thing - she was doing something else - but her ears picked up on "tired" and "bed" and IMMEDIATELY she shrieked "I'm not tired! I don't need to go to bed!"

I have Cantata Singers this week, and we're doing (among other things) Brahms' German Requiem. Last week with some friends I mentioned it, but somehow my brain decided to combine "German" and "Brahms", so instead of "Brahms Requiem" or "German Requiem" I said "Germs Requiem." Tatiana is STILL reminding me about it and laughing her head off. I think I'm dyslexic sometimes.

Blah blah BLAH. My life is boring at the moment. Sorry.

Highlights From Today:

Quintet rehearsal:
Alyssa blowing her nose with her left hand while holding a long open A with her right during the slow mvt of Schubert Quintet.
Alyssa getting up to turn the fan on.
Alyssa getting up to turn the fan off.
Alyssa getting up to turn the fan back on.
Said fan then falls to the floor with a TERRIFIC crash.

Quintet coaching canceled.

No orchestra!

Singing happy birthday to Peter.

Mango cheesecake and wine with friends.

It is spring break! Yay!

The concert is done and over. It went as well as it probably could have - a couple spots here and there that were weird, but altogether not bad at all. So relieved. And so happy its over! And EXTREMELY happy that I have NO orchestra tomorrow! Yay!

In other news, Ari is one of the concerto competition winners!

Tomorrow is the last day before spring break. All I have is quintet rehearsal in the morning and then a coaching in the afternoon. Tatiana and I may go hear the BSO tomorrow night - Julian Kuerti is conducting his debut. He and I were TMC fellows together in 2005, so I want to go and root for him.....he is very talented, and conducted at Emmanuel when I played there the terrible weekend in January that I had the flu.

Time is flying by.......

It is a beautiful day in Boston today - I think it rained a lot overnight, but now it is sunny and in the fifties. Spring is finally coming!

I'm finally catching up to all the stuff I put off and put off until the competition was over. Speaking of which - the finals were last night, and this morning I saw Peter, who informed me that NO ONE knows who won yet. Not one person has announced anything. I checked the school of music office, as well as the scheduling, and it seems like its a very well kept secret at the moment. Peter charged me with letting him know as soon as I know.

In my opinion, the whole thing last night was handled weirdly. Ari played first, and I went to hear him, and the judges didn't seem like they were really paying attention (two of them were the former Boston Globe critic, Richard Dyer, and Tamara Smirnova, the assistant concermaster of the BSO - I don't know who the third guy was). They were whispering and then stopped Ari to tell him to start at rehearsal number 105 - and he looks at the piano score of the pianist playing and tells the judges that he just played rehearsal 105. Dyer then says "Just start somewhere near the end." What the heck is that?

OH! I just heard gossip - they are going to announce them in about an hour.

Good grief.

I played for my first Baroque opera orchestra rehearsal last night. We're doing Semele by Eccles. Beautiful music. I was SO uncomfortable for the first half hour (no shoulder rest+no chin rest+my long neck = a very slippery and tippy baroque violin). After awhile I was getting the hang of it more, no longer had to do this elaborate thing when I put it up to make sure it wouldn't fall, and started to enjoy myself.

This afternoon is the final three hour dress rehearsal for chamber orchestra. By tomorrow night around 9ish, this whole Haydn symphony leading extravaganza will be over. Thank goodness.

Brett Favre is finally retiring.

Hannah has called already this morning near tears. So glad I'm not in Milwaukee at the moment. It would drive me crazy.

I'm sure though, when I AM home in two weeks, that it will still be the number one subject.

Today, not only did I lead the entire orchestra for Haydn, I led the actual rehearsal for about 20 minutes as well, while David sat in the hall.

I'm laughing out loud right now, it sounds so ridiculous.

Ok. While it kinda is annoying, I am having a little bit more fun now, but leading an ENTIRE orchestra is exhausting. I have to give a lot of cues, which means moving around, which I know some people (who I will not mention) think that makes me look like I'll fall out of my chair. I haven't fallen out yet, but I did almost drop my bow today. That was fun!

Trivia night tonight. I'm determined that we shall conquer!

I like how young we all look in this picture, especially David (you can click on it to make it bigger).

I like Kimby's sultry look.

I like Kitty's exuberant smile! :-)

I like how I am wearing the exact same thing - even the same jewelry - right at this moment. Just noticed that.

I like how happy we look.

Today, fortunately, the weather gods decided to let it be sunny. February apparently was the wettest February on record in Boston this year, so I'm glad its over. I'm sure there is more snow and cold on the horizon, since I've never known a March in the north to be exactly pleasant, but spring is on its way. Thank goodness. I love winter, but this one has been very long, snowy, rainy, and cold. My down jacket is starting to get uncomfortable in its bulkiness. And I miss wearing summer skirts and dresses.

Speaking of summer, my summer plans are finally shaping up. I'll be in Washington with the CCE girls in June, then Minnesota for the Wels worship and arts conference at the end of July, Milwaukee for a bit after that, then Pennsylvania for my cousin Shelley's wedding in early August. Paul - I will probably have to leave from Philly to get back to Boston - maybe we can meet up??!?!?

Last night I heard Boston Baroque do Purcell's King Arthur. It was very enjoyable, and now that I'm taking Baroque violin this semester, am getting more into it. Tatiana and I also had the BEST - ABSOLUTE BEST - mango cheesecake. Anyone coming to Boston will join me and we will go have some. Because it was that good.