There's always lots of musical stuff going on in our lives. Last month, the Master Arts Chorale performed with 3 groups from Biola. It's always interesting to hear how other choirs interpret music. Right now, we're rehearsing for our December 8th concert. The main piece we're doing is Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna, which is really challenging. All the parts have to sing out of their ranges. I sing alto, and we're singing from the F below the staff to the G above. Most of us don't mind that low F, but the G is a killer.
Jacob sent in an application (complete with photos and demo CD) for the LA Opera, but was rejected with a one-sentence email. How disappointing! But tomorrow he's auditioning for the Palm Springs Opera. He had completely forgotten that he applied for the audition, since he sent it in several months ago, and just found out about it this week. First place is $5000, so I really hope he wins. At least he'll get to sing for them - LA didn't even give him a chance.
Joseph has been learning to identify composers - he likes (ugh!) Radiohead best, whic he calls "Roadahead," as well as Verdi, Bach, Charles Ives, and a few others. The other day, I was sitting in my room when Joseph came toddling in. I asked him what kind of music was playing, expecting him to say something like "happy music" or "people singing," but instead he said, "Rachmaninoff!" Jacob was playing the Rachmaninoff Vespers, which we've sung parts of in concert. I can't wait until he starts singing with us.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Fall is here ...
... but it sure doesn't feel like it yet. The Santa Ana winds are keeping the temperatures up in the 90's in the daytime. We bought 2 cords of eucalyptus firewood, but have only been able to use the woodstove a couple of times so far this season. I like warm weather as a rule, but I'm looking forward to sitting in front of the fire with a cup of tea and a knitting project. Or, as is usually the case, a grandson in my lap with a pile of picture books - "Read it, Grandma!"
Joseph is growing up so fast. He talks all the time, and we can actually understand most of what he says. He tries hard to say the words correctly, and eventually corrects himself if he learns something wrong at first. People's names are very important to him - he wants to learn and remember the names of everyone he meets. Unfortunately, if he doesn't know someone's name, he points at them and says, "What's that?" very emphatically. I guess he can get away with it now since he's only 2, but I sure hope he learns to ask more politely soon.
Last weekend, I went to the CLA (California Library Association) conference in Long Beach. I had only intended to stay until 6 or 7, but I ended up going to dinner with three colleagues and we talked for a long time after dinner. I gave one of them a ride home (she lives in Victorville), and I didn't get home until after 11:30 that night. It was worth it, though. I ran into a lot of old friends, and learned a lot about some of the databases we currently use at the library. I also found something I wish we had - AquaBrowser. This is a really cool adjunct to the library's public catalog. You can try a demo of it from their website. The vendor at the conference had me thoroughly convinced that we need this for our library system, but as I am a lowly library assistant, second from the bottom of the food chain, there's not much I can do. I did talk with my branch manager when I got back - he's used it before, and knows what a valuable tool it can be. Also, he said that Riverside County, which we are affiliated with, may be getting it. If they get it, we'll have to have it too so that we can keep up.
Another booth that I spent a lot of time at was the Big Cozy Books booth. I'd like to have them build a toybox-sized bench for the bus to replace the junky toybox we have now. The hard part will be talking the bosses into spending the $450 or so that it will cost. It would look cool, though, and it would last forever, unlike the $75 piece of crap we have in there. If I was rich and had the room, I'd buy a bunch of their stuff for home. I love the big pink eraser.
I haven't gotten my Kamaka back from Marc yet, but I did meet another ukulele player and collector. He's a 5th grade teacher at one of the schools here in Fontana, and has about 55 ukes in his collection. He goes by the name Diesel on the Flea Market Music site. When I visit his school with the bookmobile at the end of the month, I'm going to bring a few of my nicer ukes to show him, since he let me play his 1927 Harmony soprano (in mint condition).
Well, I should probably head for home now. I'm sitting in a Panera Bread bakery, eating a crumbly scone, drinking tea, and enjoying the free wifi. The rest of the family, including Kevin and Cheryl, are visiting Brian's mom to celebrate the October and November birthdays. I had to work today, so was left out of the festivities. I'm enjoying the free time, though, and everyone sang happy birthday to me over the phone.
Joseph is growing up so fast. He talks all the time, and we can actually understand most of what he says. He tries hard to say the words correctly, and eventually corrects himself if he learns something wrong at first. People's names are very important to him - he wants to learn and remember the names of everyone he meets. Unfortunately, if he doesn't know someone's name, he points at them and says, "What's that?" very emphatically. I guess he can get away with it now since he's only 2, but I sure hope he learns to ask more politely soon.
Last weekend, I went to the CLA (California Library Association) conference in Long Beach. I had only intended to stay until 6 or 7, but I ended up going to dinner with three colleagues and we talked for a long time after dinner. I gave one of them a ride home (she lives in Victorville), and I didn't get home until after 11:30 that night. It was worth it, though. I ran into a lot of old friends, and learned a lot about some of the databases we currently use at the library. I also found something I wish we had - AquaBrowser. This is a really cool adjunct to the library's public catalog. You can try a demo of it from their website. The vendor at the conference had me thoroughly convinced that we need this for our library system, but as I am a lowly library assistant, second from the bottom of the food chain, there's not much I can do. I did talk with my branch manager when I got back - he's used it before, and knows what a valuable tool it can be. Also, he said that Riverside County, which we are affiliated with, may be getting it. If they get it, we'll have to have it too so that we can keep up.
Another booth that I spent a lot of time at was the Big Cozy Books booth. I'd like to have them build a toybox-sized bench for the bus to replace the junky toybox we have now. The hard part will be talking the bosses into spending the $450 or so that it will cost. It would look cool, though, and it would last forever, unlike the $75 piece of crap we have in there. If I was rich and had the room, I'd buy a bunch of their stuff for home. I love the big pink eraser.
I haven't gotten my Kamaka back from Marc yet, but I did meet another ukulele player and collector. He's a 5th grade teacher at one of the schools here in Fontana, and has about 55 ukes in his collection. He goes by the name Diesel on the Flea Market Music site. When I visit his school with the bookmobile at the end of the month, I'm going to bring a few of my nicer ukes to show him, since he let me play his 1927 Harmony soprano (in mint condition).
Well, I should probably head for home now. I'm sitting in a Panera Bread bakery, eating a crumbly scone, drinking tea, and enjoying the free wifi. The rest of the family, including Kevin and Cheryl, are visiting Brian's mom to celebrate the October and November birthdays. I had to work today, so was left out of the festivities. I'm enjoying the free time, though, and everyone sang happy birthday to me over the phone.
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