Cat, Grand Ideas

Windows Live Writer

I’m testing out a new program to help me blog easier.  Yes, dear reader, now I can blog MORE and MORE!

Let’s see how this works—how about some pictures of my cat?

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Aww…look at that cutie!

OMGkitty

This is not my cat.  A friend found this photograph on the web.  I consider it to be the cutest photo in the world.  Occasionally my friend and I will email the photo to one another just to be overcome by conflicting emotions of cute and sad.

On a fun note:  I’ve recently been doing some internet research about running and gear and such, and came across a blog I really enjoy called SkinnyRunner.  I had commented on a recent post–there was a sign that said something about Run Fast Aunt Ham.  Well, I occasionally refer to my cat as “the Ham” or “Fat Ham” (because her tummy resembles a ham… 😉  ).  So I just had to comment!  And now I am internet famous (ha!) in that the blog author answered my question in a later post.  Okay, well I was tickled by it!  Really I’m just jealous because that author has many more readers than I do (and awesome legs, I want legs like hers but long like mine!)  Then again, she puts much more effort into it, so that is fine.

Teaching

Sleepy Wednesday

I’m feeling very sleepy today.  I taught all morning at Child of God, came home for lunch, and will shortly be headed off to the St. Louis School for Ballet to teach four students (one new, one viola 🙂 ).

The students at Child of God are excited because we will have an opportunity to perform for the school at the beginning of December for “Grandparent’s Day.”  I love getting ready for performances–it gives the kids a goal and really encourages them to work hard.  I try to make performance as low stress as possibly by planning far in advance, doing lots of “practice” performances, and talking through every step of the performance, starting with walking onstage, to bowing and walking offstage.  Obviously some of the students will still freak out a bit, but if they know their music really well that helps so much! I cannot emphasize that enough–as adults we often perform pieces we do not know that well, but for students, they MUST know it forward and backward.  Otherwise you are just setting them up for disappointment, and performance at that age should be about success and fun.

I thought it would be fun to include a few pictures of the space where I teach.  I really like the room I get to use at Child of God.  It is for art and music.

The piano I play on
Space to set up in front of the piano, plus tables to unpack on
White boards to write music or assignments on

As you can see, the room is fresh and new looking, and is a great place to teach.  In case you are wondering, the tennis balls under the chair legs are to keep the floor from scuffing.

 

 

 

Random thoughts

Free SLSO concert for students on Friday

Just wanted to post this link about Friday’s concert.  It’s free for high school and college students (with valid ID, I guess?) on Friday night at 7 pm.  Powell Hall, Friday night, October 15,  7 pm, FREE FREE FREE.

Program is:

Copland Clarinet Concert (with principal clarinetist Scott Andrews)

Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements

Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings (with Andrew Kennedy, tenor, and principal horn Roger Kaza)

Shostakovich Symphony no. 9

It’s the same program as Saturday night will be (which I might attend if I’m not too tired).

 

 

Travel

Cowbell!

I just love getting presents in the mail.  However, I’m pretty terrible about MAILING presents.  In fact, I have a small pile of gifts from my cruise (yes…almost two months ago) that I keep meaning to mail.  Or maybe I’ll just wait and deliver them in person.  In any case…not the point.

The point:  Today I received a small package in the mail from my sister Leslie.  Now, she could have waited to give me this in person, but lucky for me she didn’t!  She was in Luzerne, Switzerland for a few weeks over the summer.

It's a cowbell and a luggage (violin case) tag!

The package was ringing when I got it, so I knew it was a bell of sorts, but WOW!  It’s a fantastic bell.

Up close on the cowbell, very detailed picture!

Thanks Leslie!

Food, Practicing, Running

“Cheat” night

Tonight we went to Pi in the Central West End for some (long awaited) pizza.  Chris and I split a deep dish pizza…I love the crust there.  It’s corn meal based, and is just uniquely delicious and crunchy.  When we go we usually split a pizza and a salad–the salads come in a large size, perfect for sharing.  Tonight we had the Bada Bing, and the pizza was a mix of the South Side Classico and the Western Addition (half and half, not some odd combination).  We left feeling completely stuffed and happy!

The rest of the week should be okay, especially with such an easy Monday (thanks again Columbus Day!).  I’m most excited about my first 5k race on Saturday and my chamber music rehearsals (for the Chamber Project Concert) on Sunday.  I’ve been working hard for both–I ran 2 miles STRAIGHT today (NO walk breaks), and of course I’ve been practicing.  We are playing three pieces:  Beethoven Trio for Flute, Violin, and Viola; Ravel Introduction and Allegro; and Mozart Clarinet Quintet.  (I feel like there is just too much punctuation in that sentence, but I’m currently quite tired and don’t feel like looking it up.  The Beethoven is the only one I haven’t played before and is therefore most difficult.  There is a really neat variation movement I am looking forward to, among other parts.  I just love Beethoven variation movements (I’m sure my readers can think of many–Eroica, Op 18 #5 for starters).

 

Food, Teaching

Happy Columbus Day!

Today is a half day for me as one of my schools is closed.  Though I don’t get paid vacation/days off, they are still really nice to have on occasion to regroup.

Sunday was a great day.  I met a good friend, Melissa, for brunch at Koppermann’s Deli in CWE.  (She had a Groupon).  The food was quite good, and the weather was perfect for outdoor seating.  I always like to try the eggs benedict at new breakfast places (even though I doubt the hollandaise sauce is actually “diet-friendly”) and though I still think nothing compares to the Inn on Coventry (in Cleveland Heights), this was pretty good.  It was a nice place to eat, and I would definitely return if the weather was nice outside.

After brunch we headed over to St Louis Community College to see our friends at Chamber Project St. Louis play a concert.  They did a bunch of shorter pieces for various combinations of instruments by composers such as Jennifer Higdon and Libby Larson, among others.

Program:

AMERICAN ACOUSTIC
with guest
Amanda Kirkpatrick, piano

Program for October 10, 2010
DASH (2001) and Lullaby
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
flute, soprano saxohone, piano

Doppler Effect (2008)
Adrienne Albert
flute, clarinet, piano

Black Birds, Red Hills (1987)
Libby Larsen (b. 1950)
viola, clarinet, piano

American Counterpoint (2002)
David Gillingham
flute, clarinet, saxophone

Barn Dances (2001)
Libby Larsen (b. 1950)
flute, clarinet, piano

 

I enjoyed watching/hearing them play!  I look forward to performing with the group on their November 5th concert.

It was a nice relaxing Sunday–got to practice, ran 4.5 miles on the treadmill (including some hill practice) and did a bit of reading as well.  I’m just reading for fun right now–I’m loving the True Blood series of books by Charmaine Harris.  I recommend reading the series if you need quick, easy entertainment.

Remember my obsession with the “retro camera” app?  I thought it would be fitting to get a few “retro kitty” pics.

 

She was very tired

 

 

Chris couldn't resist giving her a good tickling!

 

thoughts about violin, teaching, running, life.