Things have been busy in my life. I'll post some pictures from my visit to Reykjavik soon. I hope.
In other news: my Mom's retirement community is closing because it can't be made fire-safe and is in a dangerous area for fires. So my Mom had to find a new place to live. Fortunately, the organization that runs her old community also runs others, and since my Mom has something called "life care," that's super important. So she got that news.
And then she got diagnosed with cancer. But for reasons that make total sense, the surgeon says they can't operate, and they've got her on some other drugs. As I understand it, she's likely to die with cancer rather than of cancer, if that makes sense. And she knows this. But it's still really upsetting, and she wishes she could just have an operation. But if a surgeon says an operation would be too dangerous, you know they'd like to operate if they could, so it really would be too dangerous.
At first my Mom said she didn't want me to come out and help. And now she does. And she's upset that my brother doesn't seem as concerned as she thinks he should be. And so on and on.
I need to get plane tickets to go out.
My violin teacher found a way better job, and is leaving the area. For me and the other students here, I'm really sad. For her, I'm happy. She's been a kind and enthusiastic teacher.
It turns out the partner of another colleague over in music can teach violin, and has been willing to take me on, among other students. He seems very good, and pays a lot more attention to detail. I'm adjusting, but still a bit sad.
I've been reading a lot, and now I need to just write. And write. Someone find me some writing mojo, please.
Showing posts with label Sabbatical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sabbatical. Show all posts
Monday, June 24, 2019
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Greenwich, Just Super!
Sunday's when the BL is closed, and so it's my day to play tourist for real. I'd never been to Greenwich, and thought I'd spend half a day there, and then go birding at Regent's Park or something. I didn't. Greenwich filled the day!
Getting there was a bit confusing. I looked up and saw there's a bus from Russell Square Station, but it's from the Square, not the station, and I didn't find it, and the tube was there, so off I went on the tube. I couple changes and I was looking for the DLR, but instead there was a replacement bus, so I took that to the DLR station, and then caught another train to the Cutty Sark station.
When I got off, the Cutty Sark was right there, so in I went. WOW! I grew up going to the Balcutha, and this reminded me a lot of that.
They've cut a hole into the starboard aft section of the main storage deck, and that's where you enter the ship.
There are several "cabin" areas built on the main deck. Here's crew quarters, with nice bunks (a bit short, but...)
And, (if I recall correctly), the steward's area.
The Salon, what I think would be called a "wardroom" now, where the officers and more highly skilled crew members ate together, and where the master did chart stuffs.
From the Cutty Sark, I walked up the hill to the park and observatory. I didn't take as many pictures in the observatory as I sometimes do, because I was so busy looking at all the cool stuff and reading the information. It was fascinating!
Here I am, standing over the Prime Meridian. Somewhere, I've got a picture of me at the "Mitad del Mundo" in Ecuador, the Equator line, so this could be paired with that, eh?
Here's inside the Royal Observatory, which was designed by Christopher Wren. Damn, he's amazing!
Walking down from the observatory after, this is another Wren masterpiece, The Queen's House, set against the backdrop of very modern London.
Getting there was a bit confusing. I looked up and saw there's a bus from Russell Square Station, but it's from the Square, not the station, and I didn't find it, and the tube was there, so off I went on the tube. I couple changes and I was looking for the DLR, but instead there was a replacement bus, so I took that to the DLR station, and then caught another train to the Cutty Sark station.
When I got off, the Cutty Sark was right there, so in I went. WOW! I grew up going to the Balcutha, and this reminded me a lot of that.
You can see how the construction works. From inside to out: The white painted metal is original structural metal. Then there's a layer of caulked wood planking, and on the outside is a copper-based metal cladding, which served (before it was copper, I think, but some other metal) to deter barnacles and such from growing on the side, and thus helped keep the ship faster and in less danger of problems (than was typical with unclad hulls).
On the inside, the white painted stuff is original metal, some showing fire damage (from the 2012? fire; I can't remember the date, but it was fairly recent, while the ship was deconstructed a lot, and so the parts that had been moved weren't damaged, but the metal scaffolding inside was). The darker grey is new structural steel support (more on that later).
The ship was built to move tea quickly during the tea trade, but the Suez Canal opened, making steam ships MUCH more practical, so it moved to the Australian wool trade and such.
Here's looking down the storage area.
It's amazingly large! You can see some of the displays, which were quite good, informative, and well-thought out. You go through the main storage area, and then the "Between Decks" storage area, before climbing up to the main deck. The complexity of the rigging ropes must have been overwhelmingly hard to learn!
When you're finished looking inside, you exit, and can go down underneath the ship. Remember those dark grey-painted steel structures I mentioned in the inside? They're attached to these MASSIVE steel supports all along the outside. So basically, the ship is supported by an interior scaffolding and hangs on that, and the scaffolding is supported from the outside. So the hull doesn't have anything but gravity working on it, and thus isn't deformed as it would be if the whole weight were resting on it. Someone really smart came up with this idea!
Here I am, standing over the Prime Meridian. Somewhere, I've got a picture of me at the "Mitad del Mundo" in Ecuador, the Equator line, so this could be paired with that, eh?
I started out of the observatory about 3:20, thinking I'd still make it to the park, but the National Maritime Museum was right there, free, and open for another hour and a half, so I had to give it a go. I was glad I did, and could have spent a good many hours there! Alas, I didn't have enough time, so...
I saw a picture of Sir John Hawkins, who has much to answer for in pursuing the trade in slaves from Africa to the Americas and Caribbean.
And in a different vein, here's the coat Admiral Nelson was wearing at Trafalgar, when he was hit by a bullet, making a fatal wound. You can see the hole from the bullet, but I think the coat's been cleaned and looks to be amazingly preserved.
When the Maritime Museum closed, I headed back towards the DLR, but along the way, I saw a bus stop for the bus to Russell Square (I remembered the number)! So I hopped on the bus instead. And went to the upper floor.
I had a pretty good view for about an hour. Interestingly (to me, anyway), my university has a tradition of buying used London double-decker busses, so I've ridden them before, just not IN London. But now I have. For real.
All in all, this was a GREAT day. If I had it to do over, I'd leave WAY earlier so I was there right when Cutty Sark opened, and then I'd have more time to see the Maritime Museum.
***
On Monday, I left the Library early and went to the Tate's exhibit on Van Gogh. It was just superb. I had the best time! If you can get there, go!
Monday, May 13, 2019
Week 52/66: Working at the Library and Playing in London
What a busy time it's been! Since I last wrote, I had a lovely visit with my cousin's daughter, M, who's studying at St. Andrew's. (M is A's sister, the ballet dancer I visited in Pittsburgh.) First, like A, M is wonderful. Gosh, my cousins have been doing a great job raising kids! M is kind and nice, also smart, feminist, and fun!
M got here in the mid-afternoon Saturday, to King's Cross, and I showed her the British Library first. Then off to our hotel. We had a few minutes in the British Museum (before it closed) and then went and saw The Play that Goes Wrong together, and enjoyed that. The next morning, we went to see the changing of the guard along with a couple thousand of our closest friends. I didn't see much, but I hope that M, being a tad taller and nearer, was able to see a bit more. We walked from there to Horse Guards Parade, which was closed for a service (but saw a band march by), and then on to the Tower! As usual, the Tower was fun. We spent most of the day there, and then went over the Thames to Southwark, had dinner, and went to see Pericles.
Pericles was very good. They played it with a cast of 8, which necessitated some cutting (They cut the "read aloud the shield things" for example). But the energy was good, the audience reactive, and the played moved well. I thought they did an especially good job with the Antiochus/incest part, and with Pericles communicating his fears about Simonides.
In the age of "Me, too," I was worried that the prostitution part, or the "Marina's too pure to be prostituted" part would feel flat, but it didn't. Marina was just great at playing that seriously, but not innocently. She was really good.
The next morning, Monday, we reconvened and M chose the Tate Modern for the morning. We'd figured we would spend the morning at the Tate Modern and then go to the British Museum for a bit before her train, but the Tate Modern was so good that we spent the time there. She can come back for more another time.
On Tuesday, back to the Library, except I left early to see a matinee of 12th Night. This was played by the same 8 person cast that played Pericles, and again, the small cast necessitated some cuts (which I noticed more because I've taught it a fair bit.) It was very good! They cross-gender cast the four romantic roles, but not Malvolio or Antonio. Feste was super.
I walked and ate at The George in Southwark, which is supposed to be one of the oldest staging pubs in London. The food was okay, the ambience okay...
This picture is from the 1853 edition. But I've looked at the 1609 edition, and there aren't any images, certainly not this fabulous bear eating the guy's head. I haven't been able to figure out where the image came from, or if it's later (as I suspect) and thus couldn't have inspired Shakespeare.
I've been falling into two holes, good ones, I think, one about the bears, and one about arts and such, which I think is actually way more fruitful right now. I was reading Henry Peacham's Graphice, from 1609, and found some fun additions:
M got here in the mid-afternoon Saturday, to King's Cross, and I showed her the British Library first. Then off to our hotel. We had a few minutes in the British Museum (before it closed) and then went and saw The Play that Goes Wrong together, and enjoyed that. The next morning, we went to see the changing of the guard along with a couple thousand of our closest friends. I didn't see much, but I hope that M, being a tad taller and nearer, was able to see a bit more. We walked from there to Horse Guards Parade, which was closed for a service (but saw a band march by), and then on to the Tower! As usual, the Tower was fun. We spent most of the day there, and then went over the Thames to Southwark, had dinner, and went to see Pericles.
Pericles was very good. They played it with a cast of 8, which necessitated some cutting (They cut the "read aloud the shield things" for example). But the energy was good, the audience reactive, and the played moved well. I thought they did an especially good job with the Antiochus/incest part, and with Pericles communicating his fears about Simonides.
In the age of "Me, too," I was worried that the prostitution part, or the "Marina's too pure to be prostituted" part would feel flat, but it didn't. Marina was just great at playing that seriously, but not innocently. She was really good.
The next morning, Monday, we reconvened and M chose the Tate Modern for the morning. We'd figured we would spend the morning at the Tate Modern and then go to the British Museum for a bit before her train, but the Tate Modern was so good that we spent the time there. She can come back for more another time.
On Tuesday, back to the Library, except I left early to see a matinee of 12th Night. This was played by the same 8 person cast that played Pericles, and again, the small cast necessitated some cuts (which I noticed more because I've taught it a fair bit.) It was very good! They cross-gender cast the four romantic roles, but not Malvolio or Antonio. Feste was super.
I walked and ate at The George in Southwark, which is supposed to be one of the oldest staging pubs in London. The food was okay, the ambience okay...
I have to admit that I like the uneven stuff you sometimes see with older buildings.
That night, I went to see 1 Henry IV, played by the same cast that had played H5, except with a much fuller house, on a nicer evening, and voila, much more energetic performance. They did the fighting mostly by waving around flags, which I thought worked pretty darned well. Hotspur was outstanding. Hal only slightly less so. Falstaff didn't do much for me. A woman played the role, but I don't think that was it. I'm not sure...
On Wednesday, I spent an almost full day at the Library, but then went to 2H4, and it was a drizzly feeling evening (I don't think it actually drizzled, but if felt like it might), cool, and the crowd was VERY thin (and got thinner after the intermission). And the play just felt flat. Hal was very good in the crown scene, but Falstaff wore on me. H4 was good throughout. It might be that the play just has never worked as well for me as part 1.
The rest of the week was, predictably, Library time! And a very good time it was!
I read about this travel narrative by Gerrit de Veer about the exploration voyages of William Barents (1594, 1595, 1596), and read that the Winter's Tale bear eating bit might have been inspired by an image there: (Sorry to be sideways; I've tried to correct it.) (Notice the Paddleboarders in the mid-ground!)
I've been falling into two holes, good ones, I think, one about the bears, and one about arts and such, which I think is actually way more fruitful right now. I was reading Henry Peacham's Graphice, from 1609, and found some fun additions:
The date of 1678 make this too late for the poet Thomas Carew, but there's a lawyer of that name on Wikipedia active at that time, who died a couple of years later. I have no idea who the shield thing belongs to, but if anyone has thoughts, I'd love to learn!
Okay, more later on my big Sunday outing!
Saturday, May 04, 2019
Henry 5 at the Globe
I went to see H5 at the Globe last night. H5 was played by a Black woman, who was very good, very commanding. Overall, though, it was a cool evening, had rained earlier, and the house was probably less than half full, so the cast had difficulty developing the energy I usually see.
I like to think we're all happy with gender and race blind casting. I thought I was. But then the Alice and Princess Katherine scene came, and I decided maybe I wasn't so comfortable as I complacently thought I was. Katherine was played by a middle aged white man, not in drag; that is, there was no attempt to look "feminine" except that he wore a dress. He didn't seem to have a wig on (was partly balding with short hair), and he seemed definitely middle-aged.
And boy, did that challenge me!
For those not familiar with Henry 5: French Princess Katharine pretty much knows she's going to be married off to Henry, the English king; in this scene, she's with her waiting gentlewoman, who seems to know a bit of English, and starts asking for translations of words for body parts. Hands, fingers, arm, elbow, neck, chin, feet. For those who have French and English, there are near homophones of "naughty" words in the pronunciations, "dilbo," "cun" "foot" and so forth.
Some of the amusement from the scene traditionally comes from watching a presumably innocent young woman talking sexy, and finding the license to say "foot" for example, funny. With this Katherine, however, the humor there didn't really work for me, which weirdly made the sort of cruel gap of the knowing audience laughing at the innocent young woman stand out all the more. So that was interesting.
And when the courting scene (where Henry meets Katherine and "courts" her, though we all know this is a pretense since her father will decide and she has no choice) came, I didn't feel any of the amusement in the teasing from Henry about language and such. Maybe the two actors didn't have chemistry, or maybe it was my hangup with the man playing Katherine?
Usually, in race and gender blind casting, at least in Shakespeare, you see people of color playing white roles, and women playing men's roles. On one level, that makes sense because there's a paucity of roles for women and people of color in the plays. But it means that you have actors from traditionally less powerful groups (people of color, women) playing characters from a more powerful group (white men). But in Katherine's casting, a white man played a woman, and a woman with pretty much no power at all (since she's basically a political pawn).
***
Otherwise: the production seemed a bit rough at the edges, with people either stepping on each other's lines in the prologue, or not quite speaking together (if they were supposed to be speaking together).
There were times I really couldn't hear well (I was in the upper gallery for the first time, front row). But usually I could. And I couldn't always understand what I was hearing, and not only because it was French...
***
I'm trying to find reviews of this production, but don't see any. I'm wondering how long it's been playing? (It's pretty early in the season, after all.)
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Week 50/66: Back to my Happy Place
I'm off to the British Library this coming week for a two week visit. I have reading plans, theater plans, and fun plans.
But first, I have a lot to get done.
Today, I planted some garden seeds...
It's too early for some things, probably (given our average frost dates), but some things will probably be okay. Yesterday, I planted some native flower seed in my deck planters, so hopefully they'll be okay.
I thnk I've made all the travel and hotel arrangements I need, and have theater tickets.
I need to do the union books before I go, and make sure all our dues are paid up. And I need to write a check to reimburse an officer for some expenses.
And I need to get my computer checked for viruses.
I really need to practice violin (which is what I'm doing after I finish posting), clean the house a bit, and do some laundry. And I need to find my passport (it should be pretty easy), my BL reader's card (should be easy), and figure out what to pack, and yes, pack.
I need to fill out a form for my financial advisor.
So the list is getting more manageable...
But first, I have a lot to get done.
Today, I planted some garden seeds...
I thnk I've made all the travel and hotel arrangements I need, and have theater tickets.
I need to do the union books before I go, and make sure all our dues are paid up. And I need to write a check to reimburse an officer for some expenses.
And I need to get my computer checked for viruses.
I really need to practice violin (which is what I'm doing after I finish posting), clean the house a bit, and do some laundry. And I need to find my passport (it should be pretty easy), my BL reader's card (should be easy), and figure out what to pack, and yes, pack.
I need to fill out a form for my financial advisor.
So the list is getting more manageable...
Monday, January 28, 2019
Week 36/66: The Glories of the Huntington
I spent last week visiting a friend and working at the Huntington Library, and it was fabulous! I learned new stuff, was reassured by learning some other stuff, did some organizational work, and read really neat texts.
Best of all, I learned there are some manuscripts I could look at. And they live in the British Library, so I'll be able to look at them when I go there!
I got back yesterday evening, learned that we were expecting a big snow storm, so went and got gas for the snow thrower, and got a pizza. Already this morning I've cleared my drive, so the gas was a good investment! (I might have had enough, but you always want to have plenty!)
This week, I'm going to be buckling down and writing, writing, writing. I'll also be practicing, of course.
I finished the Coursera music theory course, and am now working my way through the textbook materials for the NWU music theory course. Fortunately, I have friends in the music department for whom music theory is second nature, so one has been checking my homework and helping me with things I find difficult. It's fascinating and fun so far.
Best of all, I learned there are some manuscripts I could look at. And they live in the British Library, so I'll be able to look at them when I go there!
I got back yesterday evening, learned that we were expecting a big snow storm, so went and got gas for the snow thrower, and got a pizza. Already this morning I've cleared my drive, so the gas was a good investment! (I might have had enough, but you always want to have plenty!)
This week, I'm going to be buckling down and writing, writing, writing. I'll also be practicing, of course.
I finished the Coursera music theory course, and am now working my way through the textbook materials for the NWU music theory course. Fortunately, I have friends in the music department for whom music theory is second nature, so one has been checking my homework and helping me with things I find difficult. It's fascinating and fun so far.
Wednesday, January 02, 2019
Week 33/66: Welcome the New Year at the Halfway Point
Happy New Year!
My sabbatical's halfway over. It's been glorious!
I usually give a rundown on my biking over the year, but I hardly biked this year. Going on a long trip, even though I took my bike and used it a few times, really breaks up the summer and the biking mojo.
When I got back from my trip, it seemed to rain non-stop for three weeks. (It didn't really, but it felt like it.)
In violin news, I'm still on book 4, though I'm working on the 3rd Seitz concerto movement and the first movement of the Vivaldi A minor concerto. I'm also working on a violin concerto by Oskar Rieding in B minor. I always thought "minor" meant it was going to sound saddish or something, but neither of these feels that in the least. And the Rieding is quite surprisingly beautiful (surprising because I'd never heard of him before a couple of the viola students were playing this piece in studio).
Last year at this time, I was starting to practice again after a hiatus in the UK. I had fun in the UK, but I'm happy to be practicing more. There are times when I feel like I'm not making any progress, but then I think where I was with shifting and double-stopping a year ago, and I've definitely improved, especially on shifting. Vibrato, not so much.
My sabbatical's halfway over. It's been glorious!
I usually give a rundown on my biking over the year, but I hardly biked this year. Going on a long trip, even though I took my bike and used it a few times, really breaks up the summer and the biking mojo.
When I got back from my trip, it seemed to rain non-stop for three weeks. (It didn't really, but it felt like it.)
In violin news, I'm still on book 4, though I'm working on the 3rd Seitz concerto movement and the first movement of the Vivaldi A minor concerto. I'm also working on a violin concerto by Oskar Rieding in B minor. I always thought "minor" meant it was going to sound saddish or something, but neither of these feels that in the least. And the Rieding is quite surprisingly beautiful (surprising because I'd never heard of him before a couple of the viola students were playing this piece in studio).
Last year at this time, I was starting to practice again after a hiatus in the UK. I had fun in the UK, but I'm happy to be practicing more. There are times when I feel like I'm not making any progress, but then I think where I was with shifting and double-stopping a year ago, and I've definitely improved, especially on shifting. Vibrato, not so much.
In 2018, kept a reading list for the first time in many years. Looking at the list, I read 52 books (not counting books for work, but including books on CD while driving). I made an effort to read books by women and people of color (recognizing that both of these categories are potentially problematic and even if they weren't, I can't necessarily tell from just names.). How did I do?
29 by women, 23 by men.
11 by women of color, 3 by men of color.
20 non-fiction (almost all the books on CD are non-fiction because I'm limited in my choices: mostly the library has non-fiction, or mysteries, or thrillers, and I avoid mysteries and thrillers; most of the books on CD seem to be by white men). 30 fiction. 1 poetry, 1 play
Top favorites for the year (in no particular order):
Tommy Orange, There There
Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Jesmyn Ward, Salvage the Bones
George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo
Ahmed Saddawi, Frankenstein in Baghdad
Clementine Beauvais, Piglettes
Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow
Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Jesmyn Ward, Salvage the Bones
George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo
Ahmed Saddawi, Frankenstein in Baghdad
Clementine Beauvais, Piglettes
Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow
(Notice a pattern? Even making an effort, I didn't read that many books by people of color. And the books by women weren't among my favorites, mostly.)
The only author I read more than one book by was Louise Erdrich.
While 2018 was a political mess, it was a good year for me, personally.
I hope 2019 holds good things, too.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Week 30/66: Pittsburgh and Fallingwater
What a lovely time I had visiting my friend. It's hard to pick out the highlights, but here I go.
In order:
There's something I'd never heard of, but should have, called the Carnegie International. It's an amazing program/exhibit/collection of very contemporary art, put on every few years. This was the 57th edition.
Much of the art is intellectually challenging, as art should be. Some is incredibly beautiful, some quirky and odd, and some utterly fascinating. One of my favorite "pieces" was in this big marble hall, a very classical looking room. The floor in the central area of the hall was covered in sort of rivers/islands of rusted machinery (very three dimensional), coal, and these white crystal looking small rocks (about less than an inch around?). I don't often think about how beautiful rusted machinery is, but the colors were beautiful, and the shapes, and it made me think. And the coal was surprisingly sparkly, as were the white rocks.
Another fascinating piece was a sort of neon outlined room with an 8 hour (I think) video loop running on a big screen TV in front of four chairs. We just got drawn in by the whimsical weirdness of the videos. The artist appears in the videos, in widely varied costumes, and weirdness ensues. For example, in one setting, the artist was dressed as Mr. Rogers on the Neighborhood set, with the puppets and stuff singing "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.
That was GREAT! Having a really good art museum within a short drive is something I really miss living here in the NorthWoods.
Maybe even better, though, and probably my highlight: one of my cousins' daughters (A) is studying ballet at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Because I live so far away from pretty much everyone else in the family, I hardly know any of my cousins' kids, most of whom I've seen only as little kids. But A took the time to come have dinner with my friend and I, and it was just the best. A is lovely: she's kind and thoughtful, fun, interested and interesting, and just really cool in the best way.
And the next evening, we went to see The Nutcracker with A dancing! I must admit, I've never been to the ballet before, so I'm a novice. But it was stunningly beautiful, almost overwhelmingly beautiful. I'm so happy I went. (And it was even more special that A was dancing, of course.)
The two slightly lesser lights of my visit would be the Pittsburgh Glass Center, which was really wonderful. If I lived closer, I'd LOVE to take some of their classes. What a great community resource!
We also went to visit the Contemporary Craft Center. Another fabulous community resource. They had a really interesting and challenging show of quite politically smart works using found objects. So good! It's heartening to know there are artists working in places like Pittsburgh to make challenging, wonderful art!
The last highlight of my trip was a visit to Fallingwater. Yes, THAT Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright house. I hadn't realized it was built for a Pittsburgh department store owner and his family, and so a fairly easy drive out of Pittsburgh. (For some reason, I thought it was in New York State...)
In order:
There's something I'd never heard of, but should have, called the Carnegie International. It's an amazing program/exhibit/collection of very contemporary art, put on every few years. This was the 57th edition.
Much of the art is intellectually challenging, as art should be. Some is incredibly beautiful, some quirky and odd, and some utterly fascinating. One of my favorite "pieces" was in this big marble hall, a very classical looking room. The floor in the central area of the hall was covered in sort of rivers/islands of rusted machinery (very three dimensional), coal, and these white crystal looking small rocks (about less than an inch around?). I don't often think about how beautiful rusted machinery is, but the colors were beautiful, and the shapes, and it made me think. And the coal was surprisingly sparkly, as were the white rocks.
Another fascinating piece was a sort of neon outlined room with an 8 hour (I think) video loop running on a big screen TV in front of four chairs. We just got drawn in by the whimsical weirdness of the videos. The artist appears in the videos, in widely varied costumes, and weirdness ensues. For example, in one setting, the artist was dressed as Mr. Rogers on the Neighborhood set, with the puppets and stuff singing "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.
That was GREAT! Having a really good art museum within a short drive is something I really miss living here in the NorthWoods.
Maybe even better, though, and probably my highlight: one of my cousins' daughters (A) is studying ballet at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Because I live so far away from pretty much everyone else in the family, I hardly know any of my cousins' kids, most of whom I've seen only as little kids. But A took the time to come have dinner with my friend and I, and it was just the best. A is lovely: she's kind and thoughtful, fun, interested and interesting, and just really cool in the best way.
And the next evening, we went to see The Nutcracker with A dancing! I must admit, I've never been to the ballet before, so I'm a novice. But it was stunningly beautiful, almost overwhelmingly beautiful. I'm so happy I went. (And it was even more special that A was dancing, of course.)
The two slightly lesser lights of my visit would be the Pittsburgh Glass Center, which was really wonderful. If I lived closer, I'd LOVE to take some of their classes. What a great community resource!
We also went to visit the Contemporary Craft Center. Another fabulous community resource. They had a really interesting and challenging show of quite politically smart works using found objects. So good! It's heartening to know there are artists working in places like Pittsburgh to make challenging, wonderful art!
The last highlight of my trip was a visit to Fallingwater. Yes, THAT Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright house. I hadn't realized it was built for a Pittsburgh department store owner and his family, and so a fairly easy drive out of Pittsburgh. (For some reason, I thought it was in New York State...)
I've been to several pretty darned fancy houses in my time, but Fallingwater is special. It's much smaller than most fancy houses I've taken tours of, more intimate, and also beautiful in a different way. It's not massively beautiful, the way, say Burghley House or Versailles are. In a way, it reminded me of the Gaudi houses, Casa Battlo say. They feel like real people could live in them, and actually live and enjoy them. Fallingwater's smaller than Casa Battlo (not being an apartment building), and so even more intimate.
And now, it's time to really buckle down on the sabbatical work. The goal for the next week is to post a couple times, and focus better on that.
Meanwhile, Happy Holidays for those who are celebrating the season!
Friday, November 16, 2018
Week 26: Birding Interlude
I'm keeping busy, reading lots, doing some writing, and I went to the Southwest for my niece's recital and got to do a little birding. (My Sister-in-Law and Mother were along, so it really was minimal birding.)
Anyway, a couple of pictures!
I think this is a Lesser Goldfinch. I'm not sure, though.
A Verdin! You can't really see in this picture, but there's a bit of reddish at the shoulder tip of the wing. Very exciting!
Great Egret!
Abert's Towhee!
The Lesser Goldfinch, Verdin, and Abert's Towhee were all lifers, as were some American Avocets (no good picture, alas). Other good for me birds include Black-Necked Stilt, Ring-Necked Ducks.
I also think, pretty sure but not absolutely, that I saw a White-Winged Dove and a Gila Woodpecker.
***
In other news, I'm now working on the first Vivaldi piece in Suzuki Book 4, the Concerto in A Minor, first movement. It's so beautiful and fun to work on, but so hard, too!
I posted back here about turning in my promotion portfolio. I've now received the call from my department colleagues that they voted to promote me, so that's good news.
I got my teaching assignments (tentative) for next year; I asked for, and got, Chaucer. And I immediately had my first anxiety dream, well over a year in advance. Ugh.
Finally, the elections turned out pretty well here in the Northwoods. There's a sliver of hope now that at least things won't get worse this coming year.
Back to work!
Anyway, a couple of pictures!
I think this is a Lesser Goldfinch. I'm not sure, though.
A Verdin! You can't really see in this picture, but there's a bit of reddish at the shoulder tip of the wing. Very exciting!
Great Egret!
Abert's Towhee!
The Lesser Goldfinch, Verdin, and Abert's Towhee were all lifers, as were some American Avocets (no good picture, alas). Other good for me birds include Black-Necked Stilt, Ring-Necked Ducks.
I also think, pretty sure but not absolutely, that I saw a White-Winged Dove and a Gila Woodpecker.
***
In other news, I'm now working on the first Vivaldi piece in Suzuki Book 4, the Concerto in A Minor, first movement. It's so beautiful and fun to work on, but so hard, too!
I posted back here about turning in my promotion portfolio. I've now received the call from my department colleagues that they voted to promote me, so that's good news.
I got my teaching assignments (tentative) for next year; I asked for, and got, Chaucer. And I immediately had my first anxiety dream, well over a year in advance. Ugh.
Finally, the elections turned out pretty well here in the Northwoods. There's a sliver of hope now that at least things won't get worse this coming year.
Back to work!
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Week 21/66: The Rain it Raineth Every Day
At least that's the way it feels around here. There's a constant drizzle punctuated by some serious downpours. I don't feel like going out or doing anything much.
So, I joined a gym. I've been thinking about it a while, and talked to some friends, especially one who goes to a gym near me (as does his wife) and likes it. The thing is, I'm at an age where I really need to use weights/resistance to retain bone density, and I'm just not doing anything in the rain, and I can no longer fool myself that I'm going to.
My goal for now is to work a bit on strength and also on cardio so that I'll enjoy cross-country skiing more than I otherwise would.
In real sabbatical news: I turned in my promotion portfolio. It should be fine, but it needed to be done, and was taking up a huge amount of psychic energy in procrastination. So now I'm back to work on revision stuffs.
Since coming back from out west, when I'd practice, I'd pretty quickly get a nasty twinge in my left shoulder. I was able to practice maybe 10-15 minutes without pain, and then it wasn't fun at all. I talked to my violin teacher about it (after several stupid weeks), and she suggested some changes in terms of position, chin rest, and shoulder rest. (She says I've been pinching up with my shoulder.) So just after my last post, I went to a string instrument shop in a nearby small city and spent some time with the proprietor, a retired nurse, who had my try out some things. My teacher had suggested a chin rest that fits more over the bottom center of the violin, so I now have one of those, and a different shoulder rest. The proprietor told me to be sure to work up slowly (I have to reteach my shoulder not to pinch up).
The upshot is, I'm now practicing without twingy pain, though my shoulder gets tired (but not for half an hour or so). Hopefully between working out, working up, and the new position, things will be better all around.
Happily, I've been able to practice more (two sessions on most days), and have been practicing the orchestra pieces, so hopefully I'll be less lost at orchestra rehearsal tomorrow. I also have a violin lesson tomorrow.
One more violin thing: I feel a little overwhelmed and dismayed. There are three newish skills to work on (shifting, double-stops, and vibrato; and shifting involves both the actual moving of the hand AND learning to play in different positions). And then there's basic bow work and fingering work, and my lesson pieces and orchestra pieces.
Each of the skills involves different work, mostly in technique books. (I practice playing in different positions by playing Suzuki Book 1 pieces in second and third position.) Vibrato I work on least, though I should step that up (right now, maybe a minute or two each session). And each of the skills is important, but not immediately for my orchestra, for example. (The shifting and double-stops are both
Anyway, at this point, it feels like I'm working on each of these things, but not really improving at all, moving from one exercise to another (or even re-doing the same exercise). I hope this is one of those things where I'm going to feel a noticeable jump in improvement.
So, I joined a gym. I've been thinking about it a while, and talked to some friends, especially one who goes to a gym near me (as does his wife) and likes it. The thing is, I'm at an age where I really need to use weights/resistance to retain bone density, and I'm just not doing anything in the rain, and I can no longer fool myself that I'm going to.
My goal for now is to work a bit on strength and also on cardio so that I'll enjoy cross-country skiing more than I otherwise would.
In real sabbatical news: I turned in my promotion portfolio. It should be fine, but it needed to be done, and was taking up a huge amount of psychic energy in procrastination. So now I'm back to work on revision stuffs.
Since coming back from out west, when I'd practice, I'd pretty quickly get a nasty twinge in my left shoulder. I was able to practice maybe 10-15 minutes without pain, and then it wasn't fun at all. I talked to my violin teacher about it (after several stupid weeks), and she suggested some changes in terms of position, chin rest, and shoulder rest. (She says I've been pinching up with my shoulder.) So just after my last post, I went to a string instrument shop in a nearby small city and spent some time with the proprietor, a retired nurse, who had my try out some things. My teacher had suggested a chin rest that fits more over the bottom center of the violin, so I now have one of those, and a different shoulder rest. The proprietor told me to be sure to work up slowly (I have to reteach my shoulder not to pinch up).
The upshot is, I'm now practicing without twingy pain, though my shoulder gets tired (but not for half an hour or so). Hopefully between working out, working up, and the new position, things will be better all around.
Happily, I've been able to practice more (two sessions on most days), and have been practicing the orchestra pieces, so hopefully I'll be less lost at orchestra rehearsal tomorrow. I also have a violin lesson tomorrow.
One more violin thing: I feel a little overwhelmed and dismayed. There are three newish skills to work on (shifting, double-stops, and vibrato; and shifting involves both the actual moving of the hand AND learning to play in different positions). And then there's basic bow work and fingering work, and my lesson pieces and orchestra pieces.
Each of the skills involves different work, mostly in technique books. (I practice playing in different positions by playing Suzuki Book 1 pieces in second and third position.) Vibrato I work on least, though I should step that up (right now, maybe a minute or two each session). And each of the skills is important, but not immediately for my orchestra, for example. (The shifting and double-stops are both
Anyway, at this point, it feels like I'm working on each of these things, but not really improving at all, moving from one exercise to another (or even re-doing the same exercise). I hope this is one of those things where I'm going to feel a noticeable jump in improvement.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Week 20/66: Some Things Got Done
I didn't finish the revision, but I wrote the narrative stuff for my promotion application. It took a while, but wasn't as horrid as I'd feared, primarily because I had the big "Review After Tenure" last year and as I reported, it went very well. So this should be fine. I wrote the stuff about what I've done since the last review, and will include stuff from the last review (since promotion isn't just a "what have you done this year" thing).
I did one thing that should be really good, and was also awarded a "Feminist Service Award" last spring, which looks good.
I'm going to a concert that should be very good this evening, and I had a good violin practice today, so I'm feeling a bit more hopeful about the world.
The big goal for this week is to finish the revision so I can submit it and add it to the promotion narrative.
I did one thing that should be really good, and was also awarded a "Feminist Service Award" last spring, which looks good.
I'm going to a concert that should be very good this evening, and I had a good violin practice today, so I'm feeling a bit more hopeful about the world.
The big goal for this week is to finish the revision so I can submit it and add it to the promotion narrative.
Sunday, September 23, 2018
Week 19/66: Revision Work
I'm making progress on my revision work, which is a good thing, because I have to get it submitted this week. Wish me luck.
Last weekend, I went camping with a friend. Let's just say, it was a bit frustrating. For some reason, they really wanted to visit all these swimming "holes" they'd used as a kid. Okay, I can definitely see visiting a swimming hole, taking a nice swim. Good. But then they wanted to visit another. And another.
In the end, I was irritated at myself that I'd gone camping with them. I'd have been happy with staying at our campsite and spending a relaxed morning rather than visiting swimming holes here and there. But yes, each was beautiful.
I think it's maybe because I'm at a point where I don't feel a strong attachment to any place from my childhood, really. None are "mine" in any sense, and I've come to terms with not going back. I think my friend, though, if having some family issues, and going back to places that made them happy as a kid is a way of dealing.
I went paddle boarding today, and did better than I've done before. I was able to do it long enough that my arms as well as my legs started getting tired.
And that's the week that was. This week, I need to work on those revisions and just get them done. Period.
Last weekend, I went camping with a friend. Let's just say, it was a bit frustrating. For some reason, they really wanted to visit all these swimming "holes" they'd used as a kid. Okay, I can definitely see visiting a swimming hole, taking a nice swim. Good. But then they wanted to visit another. And another.
In the end, I was irritated at myself that I'd gone camping with them. I'd have been happy with staying at our campsite and spending a relaxed morning rather than visiting swimming holes here and there. But yes, each was beautiful.
I think it's maybe because I'm at a point where I don't feel a strong attachment to any place from my childhood, really. None are "mine" in any sense, and I've come to terms with not going back. I think my friend, though, if having some family issues, and going back to places that made them happy as a kid is a way of dealing.
I went paddle boarding today, and did better than I've done before. I was able to do it long enough that my arms as well as my legs started getting tired.
And that's the week that was. This week, I need to work on those revisions and just get them done. Period.
Sunday, September 09, 2018
Week 17/66: Making Progress
I made some progress on various fronts this week, all of which are good. And yesterday I had a fabulous day. It started at the farmers' market, where I found Zestar apples, the best eating apples around, even a bit better than Honeycrisp. Then I went for a morning kayak with some friends, where we saw some Bald Eagles and had a lovely time. I went home, did laundry and mowed, then showered, practiced violin, and went out for pizza with several friends/colleagues, some of whom are fairly new, and so they got a chance to know different people around campus who are nice and friendly, and vice versa. There was ice cream! All in all, a pretty great day.
Progress on the article front for revision, but nowhere near done yet.
Finished reading a good book that a friend lent me and returned it.
Worked my way back up to near the end of Book 3 in Suzuki, started doing technique exercises again, and had a really helpful lesson. I'd been frustrated by my tone, and my teacher helped me see that it was a bow position issue, and gave me some exercises to work on to help me. She's SO good at seeing things and then giving me ways to work on them. And also kind and encouraging.
In more exciting news, there's an orchestra in town of intermediate adult string players! I emailed, and it looks like my skills are about there, so I'm going to go. It starts near the end of September. I'm excited to get to play with a group. We'll probably sound like a so-so middle school orchestra, but it should be fun anyway, and I probably won't be so far the worst that it's plainly embarrassing.
I also used my new paddle board for the second time, for about 20 minutes. My legs shake the whole time, so it's really tiring. But I'm getting a tiny bit more stable each time. If you figure the cost of something, and then divide by the times you've used it, you begin to get an idea of if you should have just rented something or not. It's sort of a mind game: with all the accoutrements, including an electric air pump, I'm now at $400 a ride, about. So I've got a ways to go...
This coming week: I MAY try to go north for a day or two to see the Aurora Borealis.
The big push is to make progress on the revision.
I also want to catch myself back up on Suzuki, and work on my priorities: bowing/tone, shifting, double stops, Suzuki, and vibrato. In that order. It's not like any of those is really totally independent, because in order to make progress in Suzuki, I'll need to have shifting and double stops working pretty well. And in order to do anything, bowing/tone has to be solid at my level. Vibrato just needs a little work every day, I think, and it will come.
I'll try to get out on the paddle board at least once, and get some exercise every day.
Progress on the article front for revision, but nowhere near done yet.
Finished reading a good book that a friend lent me and returned it.
Worked my way back up to near the end of Book 3 in Suzuki, started doing technique exercises again, and had a really helpful lesson. I'd been frustrated by my tone, and my teacher helped me see that it was a bow position issue, and gave me some exercises to work on to help me. She's SO good at seeing things and then giving me ways to work on them. And also kind and encouraging.
In more exciting news, there's an orchestra in town of intermediate adult string players! I emailed, and it looks like my skills are about there, so I'm going to go. It starts near the end of September. I'm excited to get to play with a group. We'll probably sound like a so-so middle school orchestra, but it should be fun anyway, and I probably won't be so far the worst that it's plainly embarrassing.
I also used my new paddle board for the second time, for about 20 minutes. My legs shake the whole time, so it's really tiring. But I'm getting a tiny bit more stable each time. If you figure the cost of something, and then divide by the times you've used it, you begin to get an idea of if you should have just rented something or not. It's sort of a mind game: with all the accoutrements, including an electric air pump, I'm now at $400 a ride, about. So I've got a ways to go...
This coming week: I MAY try to go north for a day or two to see the Aurora Borealis.
The big push is to make progress on the revision.
I also want to catch myself back up on Suzuki, and work on my priorities: bowing/tone, shifting, double stops, Suzuki, and vibrato. In that order. It's not like any of those is really totally independent, because in order to make progress in Suzuki, I'll need to have shifting and double stops working pretty well. And in order to do anything, bowing/tone has to be solid at my level. Vibrato just needs a little work every day, I think, and it will come.
I'll try to get out on the paddle board at least once, and get some exercise every day.
Monday, September 03, 2018
Week 16/66: Getting Busy
The semester starts for everyone else this week, and for me, it's time to really buckle down.
The big goal this week is to revise an essay I should have revised ages ago, and send it out. In order to revise the essay, I'm rereading the text first, and then will work on revisions. I also need to make sure I have a good handle on the journal's submission requirements.
Second on the list is to email the head of our promotions committee and let him know I'm planning to go up for promotion.
Today, I went to the city Labor Day gathering. It was disappointingly sparsely attended, alas. But I did have a nice chat with a local party volunteer, and am planning to get involved in volunteering this fall since I have more time than ever before during an election.
On Saturday, I volunteered for a local voter registration thing on campus, but they didn't realize that people can't register until they've lived somewhere for ten days, so talking to students moving into the dorms didn't seem effective. But then I realized that they weren't really so much interested in registering voters, but more in getting students to put their names on a list to be reminded to vote and so forth. I recognize the importance of such lists, but since I was more interested in registering folks to vote, I was less than thrilled.
And that's the week!
The big goal this week is to revise an essay I should have revised ages ago, and send it out. In order to revise the essay, I'm rereading the text first, and then will work on revisions. I also need to make sure I have a good handle on the journal's submission requirements.
Second on the list is to email the head of our promotions committee and let him know I'm planning to go up for promotion.
Today, I went to the city Labor Day gathering. It was disappointingly sparsely attended, alas. But I did have a nice chat with a local party volunteer, and am planning to get involved in volunteering this fall since I have more time than ever before during an election.
On Saturday, I volunteered for a local voter registration thing on campus, but they didn't realize that people can't register until they've lived somewhere for ten days, so talking to students moving into the dorms didn't seem effective. But then I realized that they weren't really so much interested in registering voters, but more in getting students to put their names on a list to be reminded to vote and so forth. I recognize the importance of such lists, but since I was more interested in registering folks to vote, I was less than thrilled.
And that's the week!
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Week 14/66: The Year Begins... Again
I've returned from my adventure, about which I'll be blogging in the next few days, if only so I can enjoy seeing the pictures later. I had a fabulous time, but because of the fire, didn't actually go to Yosemite. Another time, I hope!
On Monday, the day after I got home, I started coming down with a nasty cold. Ugh. I've been coughing and sneezing, and barely sleeping. Today, fortunately, is way better, especially about the coughing.
There are now 52 weeks, one full year, to my sabbatical. I feel like I've wasted a bunch of time, but I had a great vacation, and cleared my mind, and should be ready to get back to work. (It would help if my brain weren't clouded by coughing and sneezing stuffs...).
Here's a quick rundown of the trip:
21 July: left home. Drove west.
23 July: arrived at Donner State Park for camping. My site was beautiful, and not too far from the water.
24 July: a semi-relative (in that blended family, not really a relation, but family nonetheless) came and we went white water rafting. I probably hadn't seen this person, E, since I was maybe 10 and she was 18 or so. Back then, she was a scarily cool teenager, and I was a not-cool kid. Now, she's just plain cool, and fun, and a pleasure to know better. In the morning, before rafting, I rode my bike around the lake. Glorious. I did more of that, too.
26 July: I drove down to Sacramento to stay with my cousin, M. The problem with living so far away is that I haven't gotten to spend a good long time just chatting with certain cousins since we're both adults. We corrected that, and M is more fabulous as an adult than she was as a kid, and she was a pretty amazing kid. We visited a used bookstore, REI, rode bikes, and talked, read, and talked some more.
29 July: On Sunday, M and I met her sister, A, and went to Big Basin State Park to backpack. M had made arrangements when she figured out how bad the air at Yosemite was, and that the authorities were evacuating parts of the Park (though not the part where we were planning to be). She also texted our aunt (who's more my generation than not), K, to invite her to camp with us. K texted back to say that she couldn't come Sunday, but would "run in" on Monday morning and hike out with us.
A is as wonderful an adult as M, though quite different. We drove together and had a lovely chat along the way. Our hike in (the long way) was about 8 miles, and boy was I tired. My tuna dinner was GREAT in that eating outside when you're really hungry way.
30 July: True to her word, badass K met up with us at our campsite in the morning and hiked out with us. It was so good to get to talk with her, too!
When she got there, A pulled a birthday cake out of her pack, lit it, and we celebrated my birthday. I was almost in tears because it was so unexpected and kind. (She'd backpacked it in!)
After hiking out, we went to have dinner with my Mom, and that, too, was very good.
31 July: Rosie the Riveter National Park.
1 August: My Mom and I drove over to Santa Cruz and then up the coast to Pescadero, where we stopped to visit the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, then up to Half Moon Bay and Princeton.
2 August: We had lunch with my Aunts, four sisters who are just lovely.
3 August: San Juan Bautista
4 August: New Almaden Quicksilver Mine
5 August: Up to Pt Reyes, and then to Fort Bragg
6 August: North to Richardson Grove State Park, the Avenue of the Giants, with a detour to Shelter Cove (because on my map it looks like you can go north, but you really can't without much more serious four wheel drive than my Subaru. Or so said the locals hanging at the volunteer fire department). Ended the day in Eureka.
7 August: Drove through Redwood National and State Parks, and up to Coos Bay.
8 August: Drove up to Tillamook before heading inland to Portland, where we had dinner with my second cousin, D, his wife and son. So long since I've seen D!
9 August: North on 5 to Seattle Area, where we had a snack with old friends of my Moms, and I left her with them before continuing up to Bellingham to see my friend C and her husband, D.
10 August: with C, went to Mt. Baker for a short hike.
11 August: with C, went to a local fair
12 August: with C, went kayaking, then decided to try out paddle boarding. So fun!
13 August: started back home, spent the night in Idaho
14-15 August: Glacier National Park!
16 August: Drove to Yellowstone and camped with thousands of loud people.
17 August: Drove through parts of Yellowstone, then out through the Lamar Valley, and out the North East Gate. Then I took 212, the Beartooth highway, east. Holy cow, it's beautiful but sort of scary (WAY scarier than Highway 1!). Drove all the way to Miles City.
18 August: Visited TR National Park, and drove across North Dakota to Fergus Falls.
19 August: Home!
On Monday, the day after I got home, I started coming down with a nasty cold. Ugh. I've been coughing and sneezing, and barely sleeping. Today, fortunately, is way better, especially about the coughing.
There are now 52 weeks, one full year, to my sabbatical. I feel like I've wasted a bunch of time, but I had a great vacation, and cleared my mind, and should be ready to get back to work. (It would help if my brain weren't clouded by coughing and sneezing stuffs...).
Here's a quick rundown of the trip:
21 July: left home. Drove west.
23 July: arrived at Donner State Park for camping. My site was beautiful, and not too far from the water.
24 July: a semi-relative (in that blended family, not really a relation, but family nonetheless) came and we went white water rafting. I probably hadn't seen this person, E, since I was maybe 10 and she was 18 or so. Back then, she was a scarily cool teenager, and I was a not-cool kid. Now, she's just plain cool, and fun, and a pleasure to know better. In the morning, before rafting, I rode my bike around the lake. Glorious. I did more of that, too.
26 July: I drove down to Sacramento to stay with my cousin, M. The problem with living so far away is that I haven't gotten to spend a good long time just chatting with certain cousins since we're both adults. We corrected that, and M is more fabulous as an adult than she was as a kid, and she was a pretty amazing kid. We visited a used bookstore, REI, rode bikes, and talked, read, and talked some more.
29 July: On Sunday, M and I met her sister, A, and went to Big Basin State Park to backpack. M had made arrangements when she figured out how bad the air at Yosemite was, and that the authorities were evacuating parts of the Park (though not the part where we were planning to be). She also texted our aunt (who's more my generation than not), K, to invite her to camp with us. K texted back to say that she couldn't come Sunday, but would "run in" on Monday morning and hike out with us.
A is as wonderful an adult as M, though quite different. We drove together and had a lovely chat along the way. Our hike in (the long way) was about 8 miles, and boy was I tired. My tuna dinner was GREAT in that eating outside when you're really hungry way.
30 July: True to her word, badass K met up with us at our campsite in the morning and hiked out with us. It was so good to get to talk with her, too!
When she got there, A pulled a birthday cake out of her pack, lit it, and we celebrated my birthday. I was almost in tears because it was so unexpected and kind. (She'd backpacked it in!)
After hiking out, we went to have dinner with my Mom, and that, too, was very good.
31 July: Rosie the Riveter National Park.
1 August: My Mom and I drove over to Santa Cruz and then up the coast to Pescadero, where we stopped to visit the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, then up to Half Moon Bay and Princeton.
2 August: We had lunch with my Aunts, four sisters who are just lovely.
3 August: San Juan Bautista
4 August: New Almaden Quicksilver Mine
5 August: Up to Pt Reyes, and then to Fort Bragg
6 August: North to Richardson Grove State Park, the Avenue of the Giants, with a detour to Shelter Cove (because on my map it looks like you can go north, but you really can't without much more serious four wheel drive than my Subaru. Or so said the locals hanging at the volunteer fire department). Ended the day in Eureka.
7 August: Drove through Redwood National and State Parks, and up to Coos Bay.
8 August: Drove up to Tillamook before heading inland to Portland, where we had dinner with my second cousin, D, his wife and son. So long since I've seen D!
9 August: North on 5 to Seattle Area, where we had a snack with old friends of my Moms, and I left her with them before continuing up to Bellingham to see my friend C and her husband, D.
10 August: with C, went to Mt. Baker for a short hike.
11 August: with C, went to a local fair
12 August: with C, went kayaking, then decided to try out paddle boarding. So fun!
13 August: started back home, spent the night in Idaho
14-15 August: Glacier National Park!
16 August: Drove to Yellowstone and camped with thousands of loud people.
17 August: Drove through parts of Yellowstone, then out through the Lamar Valley, and out the North East Gate. Then I took 212, the Beartooth highway, east. Holy cow, it's beautiful but sort of scary (WAY scarier than Highway 1!). Drove all the way to Miles City.
18 August: Visited TR National Park, and drove across North Dakota to Fergus Falls.
19 August: Home!
Friday, July 20, 2018
Week 10/66: Bardiac's Big Adventure Begins
I'm mostly packed, and head out tomorrow morning.
Keep your fingers tightly crossed that they somehow put out the fire in CA near Yosemite. I hope to be camping in Yosemite in about a week. (Though, even I realize that the fire isn't ALL about me.)
I may be able to post in a week or two. Or not. Hopefully, I'll be back home in about 3 weeks.
Keep your fingers tightly crossed that they somehow put out the fire in CA near Yosemite. I hope to be camping in Yosemite in about a week. (Though, even I realize that the fire isn't ALL about me.)
I may be able to post in a week or two. Or not. Hopefully, I'll be back home in about 3 weeks.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Week 9/66: A Good Week
I got my restart. I did some hiking, some research/writing, and finished the mid-summer weeding of the garden.
My trip is slowly coming together. I still need to find out if I need to get/bring certain stuff. My cousins are used to living in a city where they can get pretty much anything, and I'm not. So they're less antsy about this than I am.
My Mom's up in the air: she keeps telling me to do the planning, but the planning depends on a firm date from her for getting together with my aunts, and that hasn't happened yet.
I need to start making a list and checking it twice! And hiking! And practicing! And writing!
In birding news: I've had a male Eastern Towhee on the deck the past couple of mornings. And this morning, there were four Rose-Breasted Grosbeak fledglings, doing the goofy fledgling stuff. The oriole fledglings seem to have mostly moved on; I haven't seen them yesterday or today (I may have just missed them), and the House Finch fledglings are doing their own thing and not begging any more.
The local Robin has been eating more seed this year than I've ever noticed before.
I've come to the realization, not at all unexpected, than emotionally, I could retire right now and never be bored and keep plenty busy with all sorts of fun. Financially, not so much. Still, it's good to feel excited about sabbatical in this way, and enjoying summer.
My trip is slowly coming together. I still need to find out if I need to get/bring certain stuff. My cousins are used to living in a city where they can get pretty much anything, and I'm not. So they're less antsy about this than I am.
My Mom's up in the air: she keeps telling me to do the planning, but the planning depends on a firm date from her for getting together with my aunts, and that hasn't happened yet.
I need to start making a list and checking it twice! And hiking! And practicing! And writing!
In birding news: I've had a male Eastern Towhee on the deck the past couple of mornings. And this morning, there were four Rose-Breasted Grosbeak fledglings, doing the goofy fledgling stuff. The oriole fledglings seem to have mostly moved on; I haven't seen them yesterday or today (I may have just missed them), and the House Finch fledglings are doing their own thing and not begging any more.
The local Robin has been eating more seed this year than I've ever noticed before.
I've come to the realization, not at all unexpected, than emotionally, I could retire right now and never be bored and keep plenty busy with all sorts of fun. Financially, not so much. Still, it's good to feel excited about sabbatical in this way, and enjoying summer.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Week 8/66: I need a restart
What a bust of a week last week and so far this week.
There's the Yosemite camping trip in the works, and I've decided to drive out to CA, visit family, friends, and then friends in Seattle. So I've told folks.
Midweek, I got a call from my Mom, asking me to bring out a small sewing machine which has been living at my Brother's house. She says my Brother or Sister-in-Law will bring it to me (it's a three hour drive one way). Okay, I say. That will work.
On Monday, I decided, well, there's about ten days until I leave, I'd better check when they're bringing the sewing machine. So I called. And my Sister-in-Law tells me they're flying out on Wednesday for most of a week. If I wait for them to get back, then there's four days for them to bring it. Except, it's been 8 years since they've come to my house, so it's not like they just hop in the car and come. They could, but they don't. So I have a feeling things will go like this: they'll get back, and then something will come up, and then it won't be convenient for them to come, and then the day before I'm planning to leave, I'll need to drive three hours each way to pick it up or feel like I've let my Mom down and couldn't do this one thing, blah blah.
So I said I'd go yesterday, Tuesday, and pick it up. My Sister-in-Law sounded a bit frustrated with me, like she could tell that I didn't believe they'd bring it. And truth is, I didn't. And I wanted to not be making the trip the day before I started three long driving days.
I sent a text to a friend at the two thirds there point, and arranged to have dinner.
I ended up leaving later than I planned, which was fine, and had a nice (late) lunch with my sister in law, and a lovely chat. (Frustration not evident on either side, so that's good. Family well and happy, so that's excellent.)
I went on a hike Sunday, and it was harder for five miles than it should have been. So I was planning to go on Tuesday. And then I thought, well, I'll just get up early on Wednesday. But of course, after dinner with my friend, I was hopped up on caffeine for the drive home, got home at midnight, and didn't get to sleep for hours. So woke up late.
And there's the day, half gone. So I need to restart.
1. I need to plan my trip a bit, because my Mom wants to drive up into northern CA, where she hasn't been for years, but it's so beautiful, and it will be lovely. But that means I'm not going to camp my way up. Still, it will be beautiful and lovely, and we should probably make reservations or at least plans at a hotel or two.
I DID manage to make white water rafting reservations for the Truckee river with someone I barely know from Facebook but feel like we'll really enjoy visiting. My Dad has a half-brother who's younger than I am, and who I grew up playing with. And this is that uncle's half-sister. So sort of related. I remember her as this ultra-cool 16 or 18 year old when we were 9 or 10 or so. At those ages, 7 or 8 years are huge. At our ages, not at all. And on Facebook, and in chats, I really like her and think she sounds like a good human being who's also smart and fun.
And now, I'm heading off to the office to WRITE. Period. For at least two hours. Period.
Sabbatical begins anew NOW.
There's the Yosemite camping trip in the works, and I've decided to drive out to CA, visit family, friends, and then friends in Seattle. So I've told folks.
Midweek, I got a call from my Mom, asking me to bring out a small sewing machine which has been living at my Brother's house. She says my Brother or Sister-in-Law will bring it to me (it's a three hour drive one way). Okay, I say. That will work.
On Monday, I decided, well, there's about ten days until I leave, I'd better check when they're bringing the sewing machine. So I called. And my Sister-in-Law tells me they're flying out on Wednesday for most of a week. If I wait for them to get back, then there's four days for them to bring it. Except, it's been 8 years since they've come to my house, so it's not like they just hop in the car and come. They could, but they don't. So I have a feeling things will go like this: they'll get back, and then something will come up, and then it won't be convenient for them to come, and then the day before I'm planning to leave, I'll need to drive three hours each way to pick it up or feel like I've let my Mom down and couldn't do this one thing, blah blah.
So I said I'd go yesterday, Tuesday, and pick it up. My Sister-in-Law sounded a bit frustrated with me, like she could tell that I didn't believe they'd bring it. And truth is, I didn't. And I wanted to not be making the trip the day before I started three long driving days.
I sent a text to a friend at the two thirds there point, and arranged to have dinner.
I ended up leaving later than I planned, which was fine, and had a nice (late) lunch with my sister in law, and a lovely chat. (Frustration not evident on either side, so that's good. Family well and happy, so that's excellent.)
I went on a hike Sunday, and it was harder for five miles than it should have been. So I was planning to go on Tuesday. And then I thought, well, I'll just get up early on Wednesday. But of course, after dinner with my friend, I was hopped up on caffeine for the drive home, got home at midnight, and didn't get to sleep for hours. So woke up late.
And there's the day, half gone. So I need to restart.
1. I need to plan my trip a bit, because my Mom wants to drive up into northern CA, where she hasn't been for years, but it's so beautiful, and it will be lovely. But that means I'm not going to camp my way up. Still, it will be beautiful and lovely, and we should probably make reservations or at least plans at a hotel or two.
I DID manage to make white water rafting reservations for the Truckee river with someone I barely know from Facebook but feel like we'll really enjoy visiting. My Dad has a half-brother who's younger than I am, and who I grew up playing with. And this is that uncle's half-sister. So sort of related. I remember her as this ultra-cool 16 or 18 year old when we were 9 or 10 or so. At those ages, 7 or 8 years are huge. At our ages, not at all. And on Facebook, and in chats, I really like her and think she sounds like a good human being who's also smart and fun.
And now, I'm heading off to the office to WRITE. Period. For at least two hours. Period.
Sabbatical begins anew NOW.
Wednesday, July 04, 2018
Week 7/66: Time Slides By
I'm late posting this week's post because I'm feeling a bit bad that I didn't get much done last week.
I did finish a draft of the assessment document I said I'd do. Now the Program Director wants to give me feedback. And that probably means a second draft. Ugh. Do not want.
I didn't write any of my sabbatical project, get enough exercise, or practice enough in the past week.
On the other hand, this week I went for a good bike ride, got my bike tuned up and picked it up, and finished about half of a little side project for a friend's birthday.
Okay, for this week:
Finish the little side project
Go on a longish hike with my pack
Do at least a bit of writing
The biggest news from last week is that I made an executive decision to drive out to California for the backpacking adventure in late July. I booked 3 nights at a state campground at Donner Pass, one of the best places in the world, so that I can get a bit of time at altitude before the backpacking.
And I've made arrangements to visit another friend and some family. So that's a good adventure in the offing.
I did finish a draft of the assessment document I said I'd do. Now the Program Director wants to give me feedback. And that probably means a second draft. Ugh. Do not want.
I didn't write any of my sabbatical project, get enough exercise, or practice enough in the past week.
On the other hand, this week I went for a good bike ride, got my bike tuned up and picked it up, and finished about half of a little side project for a friend's birthday.
Okay, for this week:
Finish the little side project
Go on a longish hike with my pack
Do at least a bit of writing
The biggest news from last week is that I made an executive decision to drive out to California for the backpacking adventure in late July. I booked 3 nights at a state campground at Donner Pass, one of the best places in the world, so that I can get a bit of time at altitude before the backpacking.
And I've made arrangements to visit another friend and some family. So that's a good adventure in the offing.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Week 5/66: Starting to Write
This week, thanks to Top Left Quadrant, I started writing an essay. I'd put outlining the essay as one of my goals, and so felt just enough pressure to actually do it. And then yesterday, I went to the office to work on a different project, but didn't have the information I needed, so decided to just start writing the essay instead. So I did. I didn't write much, and it's not very good, but it's actually there, in pixels and everything.
I also found more little research to do, and was able to do that.
The other project's been frustrating. It's an assessment report, and I need actual assessment numbers and such. But I didn't really have those. Now I have significantly more of them, and that's really going to be useful.
I haven't hiked since my big hike. It's been either really hot (heat index of 112F) or raining. I'm hoping to get out this afternoon, at least to walk around a local park. The rains have been really bad in some areas, including where I took my last hike, and it doesn't seem fun to go and slog through mud with a pack, not when I'm mostly trying to get into basic shape.
I finished reading Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. I had high hopes for it, but I was a little disappointed that it ended up being more of a straight "love overcomes" sort of narrative. I did enjoy the blogging stuff, though. But the whole thing seemed more dated than a lot of books, perhaps because blogging seems dated these days? Are there still blogs making loads of money? No doubt, but I don't seem them mentioned as much. Anyone else?
I started Helen Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni, which seems fun so far. I hope it doesn't end up being another "love overcomes" thing with the two of them getting together.
I recently listened to a CD of a book called The Music Shop, by Rachel Joyce. It seemed oddly familiar. And then I read a review of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry (or maybe I read of review of The Music Shop?), which I'd also listened to, and there it was, the same basic "male curmudgeon who runs a small shop devoted to a specialized artistic thing unexpectedly finds true love." I bet there's a similar novel where the main character runs an art supply shop somewhere and also needs to find true love. (If anyone recognizes where I probably read this review, please do let me know.)
I also found more little research to do, and was able to do that.
The other project's been frustrating. It's an assessment report, and I need actual assessment numbers and such. But I didn't really have those. Now I have significantly more of them, and that's really going to be useful.
I haven't hiked since my big hike. It's been either really hot (heat index of 112F) or raining. I'm hoping to get out this afternoon, at least to walk around a local park. The rains have been really bad in some areas, including where I took my last hike, and it doesn't seem fun to go and slog through mud with a pack, not when I'm mostly trying to get into basic shape.
I finished reading Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. I had high hopes for it, but I was a little disappointed that it ended up being more of a straight "love overcomes" sort of narrative. I did enjoy the blogging stuff, though. But the whole thing seemed more dated than a lot of books, perhaps because blogging seems dated these days? Are there still blogs making loads of money? No doubt, but I don't seem them mentioned as much. Anyone else?
I started Helen Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni, which seems fun so far. I hope it doesn't end up being another "love overcomes" thing with the two of them getting together.
I recently listened to a CD of a book called The Music Shop, by Rachel Joyce. It seemed oddly familiar. And then I read a review of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry (or maybe I read of review of The Music Shop?), which I'd also listened to, and there it was, the same basic "male curmudgeon who runs a small shop devoted to a specialized artistic thing unexpectedly finds true love." I bet there's a similar novel where the main character runs an art supply shop somewhere and also needs to find true love. (If anyone recognizes where I probably read this review, please do let me know.)
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