I've been absent from the blog for a while. I doubt many folks are reading these days; heck, why would they? I think the blog thing is mostly done, no?
Blogs were great for folks who were doing something new and challenging: grad school, new faculty, new jobs, new positions, new hobbies, and so on. The day to day of most peoples' lives, once they've gotten pretty good at whatever they're doing, is less interesting to write about and read about, both. There's less to process day to day, and often, more mundane stuff keeping one busier.
I think as I come off sabbatical, I'll be learning a lot about teaching again, so hopefully, I'll have something worth writing about.
In the meanwhile, I wrote my SAA paper and am looking forward to SAA.
I took a class at the local nature center on bird banding, and have gone to two sessions. In order to be able to do the actual banding, you have to take the class, and then go to many sessions and gain skills. So mostly at the sessions, I've been observing, and then acting as scribe, writing the coded notes about the birds we're banding (while someone else does measurements and the banding). I've released a bird, and learned and practiced the two basic ways of holding small birds, the bander's grip (you put your fore and second finger on either side of the bird's neck and use the other fingers to hold and manipulate the body), and the photographer's grip (you put your fore and second finger in front of and behind both legs above the ankle at the calf. Birds' legs are sort of like a dog's hind legs in that the long bone just up from the foot is actually part of what's foot bone for humans, and the joint is the ankle, while the actual knee is quite close to the body.)
I've really enjoyed doing the scribing and observing.
Spring has hit here in a big way; we've got major melt, and I've even taken my first bike ride of the season. At that point, I realized that my bike's shifting was really sloppy, so I took it in to the shop for a long-overdue tuneup. That was last week, and I haven't been out again yet, but maybe today. I got a new cassette and chain, which makes sense, since the old one had about 5k miles on it.
I went to an Alexander Technique session, and learned some helpful stuff. I'm thinking of signing up for a summer session that's a week long. I took in a section I really have trouble with because I'm holding my left hand too tightly. The first time through, I played it so horribly (I'm very nervous playing in front of people, even my teacher), I was really ashamed. But the teacher was helpful and kind, and I played it better after that; she gave me some help that loosened my hand up by loosening my back up.
I think I've mentioned viola studio before. Basically, at the university, the students studying a given instrument (or voice students generally) meet as a group with their lesson teacher and do something together for an hour. Often, a student will play a piece they're working on and the group will give them feedback, telling them what they're doing well, and what needs work. As I understand it (and it makes sense, given that they're all studying with the same teacher who has a given focus), usually the comments reinforce what the teacher's been saying. So if the teacher really focuses on, say, bowing, the students will all have learned to focus on bowing, and that will come out in the comments. For students preparing for a recital or auditions for grad programs, playing in front of a small group also works as a dry run and helps with nerves and such.
At the last couple of studio sessions, Strings had her students make videos of themselves practicing, and Strings also made a video of herself practicing. HOLY COW, she's really amazingly disciplined! She was starting to learn a really difficult piece, and started off with a few notes, like a set of triplets, and turned on a metronome and played them oh so slowly, several times, until she could play them well 5 times. Then she clicked up the metronome 5 steps and did it again, and so on, until she was playing it fairly fast. And then she put the metronome all the way down, and started with the second set of triplets. When she got them at that speed and clicked up, she added the first set and played them together. And as she clicked up, every other time, she'd add the first set again.
For the third set of triplets, she started with just them, clicked up and added the second ones, and on the third click up, she added the first ones, too. She followed that pattern all the way up. By the end of a few minutes, she was playing several sets of triplets at high speed. (These were in a piece of very contemporary music, and so, as seems usual with contemporary music, very difficult, widely spaced with string crossings and shifts.)
In addition to Vivaldi's A Minor violin concerto in the Suzuki book, I'm still working through the Rieding concerto, which I blogged about back in January, when I was first starting it. Strings checked me off on the second movement, so I've started on the third movement, and this week, I've been using Strings' practice method, since this movement is pretty hard, with some fast bits.
I haven't practiced enough (I really, really have to get my mojo back in several ways, and part of why I'm blogging again is hoping it will help with that). But, what I've done, so far, seems to be very slow but effective. What I mean is, it takes me FOREVER to get a bit so I can play it well 5 times in a row at each metronome setting, and there's a definite limit to my speed for some parts, but once I've worked through to that limit, I can pretty much play with pretty good accuracy consistently. But, yeah, it takes me forever to slowly click up.
In other news, I joined a weight loss app thing on February 23rd. I've lost about 4 pounds, but it's very slow, and I'm frustrated. Still, I REALLY need to get to a healthier weight and be more active, so I'm trying this. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
That's about all the new stuff. I don't know what to say about the admissions scandal that hit last week about folks with money bribing to get their kids into elite schools. Okay, I do have a few things to say. Really rich people have been doing this totally legally since elite schools began. The thing is, most of the people caught up in this scam weren't really rich, but rather pretty high earners. They may have incomes that are pretty high, but they don't have the sort of money that buys new buildings or adds wings to hospitals. Really rich and important people don't have to bribe anyone or even make actual donations. If Malia Obama applies to school X, the admissions folks recognize her name and she's in. Same thing happens with George Bush's kids (either George Bush, since the elder was the ambassador to the United Nations and then head of the CIA when the younger generation was heading into college and such. Admissions folks at elite universities know those names. If you're important enough, you don't have to tell anyone who you are because they know.
But these folks, these folks weren't that important or rich; they were well off enough to pay some bribes. It sucks, and it's wrong and unethical and so forth.
I don't buy for a moment that the kids weren't aware. If you're suddenly getting a diagnosis that means you get longer to take a test or someone's coaching you about the answers, and you're a minimally smart 17 year old, you know. If your parents are pulling that sort of BS, you know, because they've done it before. That doesn't mean that at 17 you'd feel like you have a way to stop it even if you wanted to, of course.
And the false diagnosis thing is the part I actually hate most. They took a system that's really important for people who actually have a disability or problem and need to take tests in a quiet room or with more time, and made people trust the system a whole lot less. And the people who actually need accommodations are working against difficulties and disadvantages, and now these semi-rich people have made their lives more difficult.
I'm also irritated that they've claimed the bribes as donations on their taxes because it means the rest of us are helping pay for their dishonesty. Or were. (And I'm sure what the feds found is just the tip of the iceberg.) But then, really rich folks do that all the time, too.
So, that's where things are. I'm going to try posting at least twice a week for a while. Good to be back, I hope!
Sunday, March 31, 2019
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 09, 2019
Sunday, January 06, 2019
Week 34/66: Happy Violin News
Work is slowly progressing.
In violin news: I've been working on three pieces, with different emphases.
Seitz, the third piece in Suzuki book 4, has really a hard double stops passage that goes on forever. I was working on this for a while, and then got it good enough that Strings started me on the next piece, the first movement of Vivaldi's concerto in A minor. That one has no double stops, but serious shifting, and some fast passages where you have four notes, and one changes and the other three repeat, and so on, with other changes.
Thus:
Those are difficult for me. First, I tend to mess up the rhythm, so I have to work slowly with a metronome. Second, well, string crossings! (Here's Itzhak Perlman's recording.)
Finally, during viola studio, a couple of the students played a viola transcription of a violin concerto by Oskar Rieding, opus 35. (Here's Itzhak Perlman's recording. I don't sound this good!) The Rieding is beautiful, really. And it's a student piece, so not hugely difficult on the face of it.
And then there was a break while Strings and I were both away.
I have to confess, I have a pretty strong dislike of the Seitz. The double stops get my left hand all gummed up. But for the last week, I almost totally focused on that piece. And it payed off! Strings has checked it off!
She also told me that the focus of the Rieding has to be really good, smooth bowing, and that the more I pay attention to my bowing, the better. That's a continuing thing with me (as with most students, I'd guess, you pretty much always need to improve bowing until you're darned good).
So the good news is that I can focus on Vivaldi this week, which is a total joy, though really difficult.
***
In other news, I'm doing a Coursera course on music theory. It's an 8 week course that looks like it ran last year from the University of Edinburgh, and it's interesting, but also a bit irritating. I kept failing one of the quizzes. I finally asked Strings, who teaches music theory, one of the questions, and she explained it, but also, it was a bit unfair. There were two or three correct answers (describing a chord), and I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't accept one of them. But I finally passed that quiz, and now I'm onto the next section.
My plan is to then start reading the stuff from NWU's music theory courses, so that I'll get it more deeply. I probably should have just started there, to be honest...
In violin news: I've been working on three pieces, with different emphases.
Seitz, the third piece in Suzuki book 4, has really a hard double stops passage that goes on forever. I was working on this for a while, and then got it good enough that Strings started me on the next piece, the first movement of Vivaldi's concerto in A minor. That one has no double stops, but serious shifting, and some fast passages where you have four notes, and one changes and the other three repeat, and so on, with other changes.
Thus:
Those are difficult for me. First, I tend to mess up the rhythm, so I have to work slowly with a metronome. Second, well, string crossings! (Here's Itzhak Perlman's recording.)
Finally, during viola studio, a couple of the students played a viola transcription of a violin concerto by Oskar Rieding, opus 35. (Here's Itzhak Perlman's recording. I don't sound this good!) The Rieding is beautiful, really. And it's a student piece, so not hugely difficult on the face of it.
And then there was a break while Strings and I were both away.
I have to confess, I have a pretty strong dislike of the Seitz. The double stops get my left hand all gummed up. But for the last week, I almost totally focused on that piece. And it payed off! Strings has checked it off!
She also told me that the focus of the Rieding has to be really good, smooth bowing, and that the more I pay attention to my bowing, the better. That's a continuing thing with me (as with most students, I'd guess, you pretty much always need to improve bowing until you're darned good).
So the good news is that I can focus on Vivaldi this week, which is a total joy, though really difficult.
***
In other news, I'm doing a Coursera course on music theory. It's an 8 week course that looks like it ran last year from the University of Edinburgh, and it's interesting, but also a bit irritating. I kept failing one of the quizzes. I finally asked Strings, who teaches music theory, one of the questions, and she explained it, but also, it was a bit unfair. There were two or three correct answers (describing a chord), and I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't accept one of them. But I finally passed that quiz, and now I'm onto the next section.
My plan is to then start reading the stuff from NWU's music theory courses, so that I'll get it more deeply. I probably should have just started there, to be honest...
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!
Monday, December 03, 2018
Week 29/66: Off to Visit a Friend
I haven't been accomplishing what I should be, but I'm headed out on a long-planned trip to visit a friend.
When I get back, I need to really buckle down.
When I get back, I need to really buckle down.
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!
Monday, October 29, 2018
Week 23/66: Stress and Despair
I tried to post on the Top Left Quadrant site, but seem to be unable. Or something. But I was able to post with a different browser.
I'm stressing a lot about election stuff and social violence. I've spent some time canvassing with union folks, so I'm trying to contribute. But I'm so worried that we'll lose and it will be even worse, and I'll feel even worse because I put energy in. I saw this article, "'They are so sick of losing': hopes of Wisconsin left tempered by past" today in The Guardian and it speaks to my stress so clearly.
What's new? (This is mostly what I wrote at the TLQ site.)
1. I dropped out of the orchestra. I was stressing a lot because I felt so inadequate about my playing ability. But I talked to the leader and hope to rejoin next fall. I've been playing about two and a half years (with about six months lapse when I was away), so another year should see significant improvement if I keep practicing. I have been progressing in lessons.
2. I dropped the revisions and just started a new paper, the one I've been really thinking about. I've written several pages, first draft quality, but pixels on paper!
3. I joined a gym, though I haven't gone enough.
New goals:
1. Work on paper.
2. Get garden prepped for winter.
3. Keep practicing violin.
4. Get regular exercise.
In other news: a friend gave me a plant today, and I'm more frustrated than makes sense. I feel like I can't take care of it (I have no good light in winter without a massive light project, and will be away, etc.) I'm looking to rehouse it... and somehow, I'm resentful that my friend gave it to me. She said she likes giving people plants but doesn't get them for herself because they're hard and die. But she doesn't realize that may be a good reason not to get them for someone who doesn't already have plants around... ahh, well, I need to get over this.
I guess I'm feeling like giving someone a house plant is a bit like giving them a puppy. Yay, puppies! But if you want one, you're probably doing that on your own (assuming you're an adult and such). And if you don't, having one to take care of is a responsibility. Of course, a plant is not the responsibility that a puppy is, but still, it's a life and you shouldn't just dump it. And this one, my friend says, can't be put outside.
Am I totally wrong about this?
I'm stressing a lot about election stuff and social violence. I've spent some time canvassing with union folks, so I'm trying to contribute. But I'm so worried that we'll lose and it will be even worse, and I'll feel even worse because I put energy in. I saw this article, "'They are so sick of losing': hopes of Wisconsin left tempered by past" today in The Guardian and it speaks to my stress so clearly.
What's new? (This is mostly what I wrote at the TLQ site.)
1. I dropped out of the orchestra. I was stressing a lot because I felt so inadequate about my playing ability. But I talked to the leader and hope to rejoin next fall. I've been playing about two and a half years (with about six months lapse when I was away), so another year should see significant improvement if I keep practicing. I have been progressing in lessons.
2. I dropped the revisions and just started a new paper, the one I've been really thinking about. I've written several pages, first draft quality, but pixels on paper!
3. I joined a gym, though I haven't gone enough.
New goals:
1. Work on paper.
2. Get garden prepped for winter.
3. Keep practicing violin.
4. Get regular exercise.
In other news: a friend gave me a plant today, and I'm more frustrated than makes sense. I feel like I can't take care of it (I have no good light in winter without a massive light project, and will be away, etc.) I'm looking to rehouse it... and somehow, I'm resentful that my friend gave it to me. She said she likes giving people plants but doesn't get them for herself because they're hard and die. But she doesn't realize that may be a good reason not to get them for someone who doesn't already have plants around... ahh, well, I need to get over this.
I guess I'm feeling like giving someone a house plant is a bit like giving them a puppy. Yay, puppies! But if you want one, you're probably doing that on your own (assuming you're an adult and such). And if you don't, having one to take care of is a responsibility. Of course, a plant is not the responsibility that a puppy is, but still, it's a life and you shouldn't just dump it. And this one, my friend says, can't be put outside.
Am I totally wrong about this?
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.
Saturday, October 06, 2018
Master Class
The other day, I sat in on a violin master class. I've sat in on a few different master classes for musicians these past couple of years, so if you haven't, here's my basic understanding of what happens.
First, the musician giving the class sits either on stage or in the audience, depending. Then a student performs a piece they've prepared. And then the musician giving the class works on whatever areas or skills they think will be most useful to the student. As they work together, the master also usually talks to the group as a whole, making suggestions about practice skills and strategies and such.
Other students watch and take notes.
The other day, the master violinist worked with two students, each for about 40-45 minutes (including the initial playing of the piece).
In all the master classes I've seen now (maybe four or five), the teachers have been incredibly kind and rigorous at the same time; they've all seemed to take the students' work seriously, and have focused in on really specific areas for further work. And in all the master classes I've seen, the students have been amazingly brave and worked hard to get what the teacher was working on. (I say "brave" because I think it takes real bravery to expose your work and then stand there and absorb critical help, even the kindliest critical help.)
I gather this is a long tradition and happens all over the world in classical music settings (maybe in other music settings, too, I don't know).
Imagine if writers were paid to take that time with students? Not in a class of 20, but one on one for half an hour a week?
Of course, only music students who are pretty serious get chosen for master classes, so it's not everyone. Two of the violin students on campus got to work with this superb violinist, and there are maybe 15 or 20 violinists studying here?
***
It's fascinating to watch a master class, by the way. For the first student, the master worked on their hand frame for a bit, which seems daunting. (The hand frame is the way you hold your left hand to do fingerings and such while the right hand holds the bow. If you have a good hand frame, you can shift positions and do vibrato and stuff. I'm working on the very basic level myself, but the idea of trying to change my hand frame in a lesson is daunting. It seems like the sort of thing you work with a teacher on for a long time and practice at even longer.)
She also worked on intonation a lot with both students. Intonation on the violin is shockingly hard because if you put your finger down just a tiny bit differently than you should, you're flat or sharp.
And she worked on starting a note with confidence. There aren't any frets on a violin keyboard, so when you put your finger down to start, say on a D above the open string D, you have to know and be confident that your finger placement will be absolutely perfect. And it's one thing for that D, which is played with the third finger in first position; if you've really got your hand frame, then your body knows that placement and you can bow with confidence.
But if you switch to, say, fourth position and play a higher note, then it's a lot harder, I gather (I'm not there yet). You REALLY have to have practiced it so much that your hand frame in fourth position is as confident as in first position, and that's a whole lot of practice.
(If you look at my violin, or the violins of lots of "younger" players, we have tape across at several places to help us know where to put our fingers initially. But once students develop a really good ear and hand frame, the tapes go away. I'm not there yet. At any rate, no one seems to use tapes for above first position.)
First, the musician giving the class sits either on stage or in the audience, depending. Then a student performs a piece they've prepared. And then the musician giving the class works on whatever areas or skills they think will be most useful to the student. As they work together, the master also usually talks to the group as a whole, making suggestions about practice skills and strategies and such.
Other students watch and take notes.
The other day, the master violinist worked with two students, each for about 40-45 minutes (including the initial playing of the piece).
In all the master classes I've seen now (maybe four or five), the teachers have been incredibly kind and rigorous at the same time; they've all seemed to take the students' work seriously, and have focused in on really specific areas for further work. And in all the master classes I've seen, the students have been amazingly brave and worked hard to get what the teacher was working on. (I say "brave" because I think it takes real bravery to expose your work and then stand there and absorb critical help, even the kindliest critical help.)
I gather this is a long tradition and happens all over the world in classical music settings (maybe in other music settings, too, I don't know).
Imagine if writers were paid to take that time with students? Not in a class of 20, but one on one for half an hour a week?
Of course, only music students who are pretty serious get chosen for master classes, so it's not everyone. Two of the violin students on campus got to work with this superb violinist, and there are maybe 15 or 20 violinists studying here?
***
It's fascinating to watch a master class, by the way. For the first student, the master worked on their hand frame for a bit, which seems daunting. (The hand frame is the way you hold your left hand to do fingerings and such while the right hand holds the bow. If you have a good hand frame, you can shift positions and do vibrato and stuff. I'm working on the very basic level myself, but the idea of trying to change my hand frame in a lesson is daunting. It seems like the sort of thing you work with a teacher on for a long time and practice at even longer.)
She also worked on intonation a lot with both students. Intonation on the violin is shockingly hard because if you put your finger down just a tiny bit differently than you should, you're flat or sharp.
And she worked on starting a note with confidence. There aren't any frets on a violin keyboard, so when you put your finger down to start, say on a D above the open string D, you have to know and be confident that your finger placement will be absolutely perfect. And it's one thing for that D, which is played with the third finger in first position; if you've really got your hand frame, then your body knows that placement and you can bow with confidence.
But if you switch to, say, fourth position and play a higher note, then it's a lot harder, I gather (I'm not there yet). You REALLY have to have practiced it so much that your hand frame in fourth position is as confident as in first position, and that's a whole lot of practice.
(If you look at my violin, or the violins of lots of "younger" players, we have tape across at several places to help us know where to put our fingers initially. But once students develop a really good ear and hand frame, the tapes go away. I'm not there yet. At any rate, no one seems to use tapes for above first position.)
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.
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Intermezzo: I Joined an Orchestra
When I took up the violin, I hoped to one day be able to play in a community orchestra, to make music with other folks. A few weeks ago, my violin teacher told me about a community orchestra for "intermediate" string players, and gave me the email address for the leader. So I emailed, and tonight was the first rehearsal.
Let's just say, I have a WHOLE lot of practice to do. There are retired music teachers and such in there, as well as a bunch of health professions folks, and pretty much everyone plays way better than I do. But everyone was friendly and encouraging, especially the conductor/organizer.
The conductor/organizer (let's call her Maestra, shall we?) runs a cello studio in town, and does the intermediate string orchestra as part of her professional work. There's a nominal fee for the "semester" which probably covers the purchase and copying of parts and a stipend for her.
The music was hard for me, especially sight reading, but I think with a lot of practice, I'll be able to do my part to make it. The overall level is higher than I'd thought, but that will be nice as I improve. Meanwhile, we have to skip next week because there's a concert by the grown up community orchestra, so I have two weeks to work on the music.
I was thinking of it as a middle school level orchestra, but I'm guessing it's more high school level, except everyone was so friendly that it felt really good even though I wasn't keeping up musically.
***
I had a good lesson today. I'm progressing on my piece; plenty still to work on, but at least my practice showed. And my teacher started me on one small part of the next piece, so I'm pretty excited.
Let's just say, I have a WHOLE lot of practice to do. There are retired music teachers and such in there, as well as a bunch of health professions folks, and pretty much everyone plays way better than I do. But everyone was friendly and encouraging, especially the conductor/organizer.
The conductor/organizer (let's call her Maestra, shall we?) runs a cello studio in town, and does the intermediate string orchestra as part of her professional work. There's a nominal fee for the "semester" which probably covers the purchase and copying of parts and a stipend for her.
The music was hard for me, especially sight reading, but I think with a lot of practice, I'll be able to do my part to make it. The overall level is higher than I'd thought, but that will be nice as I improve. Meanwhile, we have to skip next week because there's a concert by the grown up community orchestra, so I have two weeks to work on the music.
I was thinking of it as a middle school level orchestra, but I'm guessing it's more high school level, except everyone was so friendly that it felt really good even though I wasn't keeping up musically.
***
I had a good lesson today. I'm progressing on my piece; plenty still to work on, but at least my practice showed. And my teacher started me on one small part of the next piece, so I'm pretty excited.
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.
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