I am morally opposed to having books I like turned into movies.
Yes, it's a weird personality quirk.
No, I haven't seen any of the Harry Potter or LOTR movies yet

The Golden Compas is a great book, and I'm sad to see that it's going to be a movie. HOWEVER, this is just too cool to pass up!

I came out as a bird (but the cool part is that you can change me into something else if you think that's wrong!) Check it out!!




via Chris

+Dandelions seem to have popped up over night. (I noticed them on the way to work this morning). Other people might hate dandelions, but I say they're pretty!

- I couldn't sleep last night. My brain just wouldn't settle down (and I kept thinking about work. AAAGGGHHHHH. Very tired

- Major Ear Worm of the week is A Divine Image by William Bolcom. It's catchy, and I can't get it out of my head!

+ I got to have fire roasted chicken wraps for dinner last night (and there were enough leftovers for lunch today!)

+ I get to go camping next weekend

- I have to work on Saturday, and on Sunday (and then M,T,W,R,F). Ugh.

+ The generic version of Crystal Light's Raspberry Ice is very good.

I'm rather happy that Fox canceled Drive
I wanted to like that show.
(Because who doesn't love the idea of a secret illegal cross coutry road race?)
Plus Malcom Renyolds (from Serenity) was a driver!

Alas, the show was pretty awful
Canceling it (and putting viewers out of the misery) was the right thing to do.
I'm going to go read a book now

This (otherwise unremarkable) article should be tragic.
It should make me sad.

Instead it sparks curiosity.
And inspires me to do a google search for "undetectable poisons" or "ways to kill people" just to see what comes up

I guess that makes me a bad person.

One of my former students is all grown up and giving her first grown-up recital next month!
It's cool because I live 250 miles away and haven't heard her play in years, yet she invited me to come to her recital.
It's exciting!

Excerpt from her lj -

I'm more excited for Julie to come down. She hasn't heard me play since I was in 7th grade. . . . I've seen her since then, but I haven't played for her that I recall. And she was my first violin teacher, so her opinion is honestly what matters most, at least as far as other people go.

I admit that part of me sats up a little taller and smiled.
(*I* have the opinion that matters most!)
But mostly I'm excited to listen as a "connoisseur" instead of listening as a teacher.
It's going to be fabulous -
And I can't wait for her recital!

I went for my first official bike ride of the season today
It was painful and long and I wondered how anyone could ever think bicycling was fun. My legs were tired, and hills were too steep, and the wind seemed to constantly be working against me.

I got downtown (about 6 miles) and decided to turn around, come home, and live my life as a couch potato from now on.

But before I got back home (somewhere around the 10 mile mark) the endorphins kicked in and life became good again. The hills weren't so bad, and the wind felt kinda nice.

Bicycling is fun.

Here’s an article that (literally) warmed my heart.

Drinking a traditional cup of cocoa at bedtime can help to lower blood pressure as effectively as prescription medications, researchers say. Foods rich in cocoa, such as dark chocolate, also appear to improve circulation and reduce the risks of heart attacks, but drinking tea may not, an analysis of several studies suggests.

Horary for hot chocolate!

* Easter was good – Dinner included cheesy potatoes and asparagus (and there were enough leftover for today’s lunch! What more could a person ask for!?) PLUS someone at work brought in leftover cake – so I even have an afternoon snack! It’s a beautiful day!

*I’m thinking about taking a class this summer – but it has to be something that won’t require writing papers. (Because the thought of writing another academic paper makes me want to run away and join the circus). A short course in American Sign Language sounds intriguing, and I’m also thinking it’d be good to take a refresher on all that Spanish I’ve forgotten since high school.

*Scotland’s Burning (also known as “The Stupidest Song Ever Written”) is stuck in my head.

*I’d very much like to take a day off work to do some serious spring cleaning (but that seems like an improper use of a day off!) Dear ‘ole Dad always liked to clean on his days off. Is this the first sign that I’m turning into my parents?

No one knew it, but the fiddler standing against a bare wall outside the Metro in an indoor arcade at the top of the escalators was one of the finest classical musicians in the world, playing some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made. His performance was arranged by The Washington Post as an experiment in context, perception and priorities -- as well as an unblinking assessment of public taste: In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?

This is a fascinating article, (via Daniel) and it'll be interesting to listen to the commentary from the Classical Music Industry in the next couple of days.

My two cents - While it is a depressing to think that few people noticed/cared that JOSHUA BELL WAS PERFORMING. I'm not sure that The Bach Sonatas and Partitas were the best choice for a subway station concert. They might be masterpieces, but the unaccompanied Bach is also difficult listening! It seems unfair to expect an audience unfamiliar with the music, to simply sit down and listen in the middle of their morning commute. (Even concert goers get a program - which gives them hints on what to listen for and expect). The general public is not familiar with the form/style of baroque music, and without context the audience doesn't have a chance!

Also, it would be interesting to do similar experiments in different cities and see if the arts-friendly/creative class cities did any better than Washington D.C.


UPDATE: The special edition "behind the scenes" tour of this article is avaliable right here!
Here is one of the great joys of journalism -- you get outrageous opportunities, such as being able to sit next to Joshua Bell in his apartment, and have him explain classical music to you.

Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
- A. A. Milne (via Christopher Robin)

In the past I've posted a seasonal list of books I want to read.
The problem with such a list is if I get bored with a book (or decide 50 pages in that I don't like it) I still feel complelled to read it (Becuase I said I was going to read it). Ths sorta takes the joy out of reading.

AND SO - I am chaging the timing. Instead of making a list of books I want to read over the course of a particular season, I'm making a list of books I DID read. (Because I really like looking at other people's book lists, and feel that I should shrae too!)

NON-FICTION
Lights Out, T. S. Wiley and Bent Formby
Housecalls, Patch Adams
So You Wanna be a Rock & Roll Star, Jacob Slichter
When Jesus Came to Harvard, Harvey Cox


BIOGRAPHY
First they Killed my Father, Loung Ung
Suncatcher, Madeline L'Engle
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, David Quammen
Speaking of Faith, Krista Tippet


FICTION
24 Girls in 7 Days, Alex Bradley
Achiles, Elizabeth Cook
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert A. Heinlein
The Unwritten Girl, James Bow


KID'S BOOKS
Martin, Brian Jacques
Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren
Sky of Now, Chaim Potok
Women of Camelot, Mary Hoffman