Late, As Usual

Well, not usually. I'm not late normally.  That's a bit awkward as everything in Texas theoretically goes slower, but I'm still on East Coast speed.  But yes, it's been nearly a month since the last blog, which must be remedied.

I've been devoured by school.  Classes are going well, but the Taskmaster's class has become an episode of Survivor -- who will be eliminated?  Who can't take another day without their phone or their chocolate peanut butter cupcakes?  Starting at 12, one dropped once he saw the syllabus, another was in all my classes and dropped them all, both girls dropped, and then there was a meltdown last class during book reviews.  So it's me and six boys playing academic hardball.

I have not changed much since my elementary school days.

I've managed to get some other small things done around apartment, like cleaning, repairs, and getting my bookcases up!  Huzzah.  That was a project two weeks in the making due to the hectic reading pace I have to maintain.  Week after next is a happy exam in my 18th century England class...which I have some minor anxiety about, but as long as I remember warming pans and whorehouses, I think I'm set.

Still trying to finish reading this week's work for Witchcraft class.  I have no idea where my time went.  Ah well.  Off I go. 

The Graduate Student and the Gravedigger

Just survived my first week back at school.  It was only two days, but when you're working 40 hours on top of it....very hard.  You should give a hug to all people who work and go to school at the same time.  And not those crappy student office jobs they have on campus -- those are ridiculously cushy, I've realized, and I wish I had one again!

It went really well, despite utter exhaustion Tuesday night -- that'll reboot anyone's sleep system!  Tuesday night was Britain's Long 18th Century.  It going to be an interesting cross-section of not only political history (which has been the trend in recent years; people are more interested in that than the 'culture' of the times -- forget music, art, and war!) but of more passionate pursuits of love, war, and arts.  At least that's the aspiration.  I hope it follows through. I've loved history of Britain in the Medieval to Early Modern Era, but this is a bit later and should give me a rounder notion of things.

Wednesday started at 2 with European Witch Hunts -- these seems most akin to the era and things I want to study in school.  It's various aspects of witch hunts and trials in Europe from the mid-1400s to the later 1700s; people were hung as late as the French Revolution for witchcraft!  Often times the reasons were fairly obvious:  a Jewish witch, a Gypsy witch, a gay witch, a heretical witch -- they weren't actually witches, but you can guess why they were executed in these draconic times.  However, those accused of being diabolic witches -- in covenant with the devil, doing the dark arts, etc. -- often a more personal or political vendetta a la Anne Boleyn by Henry VIII.

Wednesday night will be my downfall in all likelihood -- an immersion course in European diplomacy and war during the age of Enlightenment and Revolution.  This guy is a taskmaster.  This is going to be what I call a grunt grade -- if I can grunt through this, I can hack it in the academic world.  I may not get an A, but this is the red badge of courage type deal.  I win if I get over a C, in short.  If nothing else, I'll improve my writing, which this course focuses on.  I'll email the professor to forward his most severe critique of my paper to him -- I know I have to work on content by myself, and I have a better idea of how to do it now.  However, if it's a technical issue, then it's on me. 

If I don't get an A, this guy is stuck with me until I do. Stubborn as hell be I. 

I don't intend on dropping courses this term -- if I am disciplined, I will do fine.  Just a matter of divvying my time up well, and using this weekend to my distinct advantage.  I've plowed through one background reading already, so I'm at work on the first military book.  I need to get through a book a day, which is doable. I'll need to take copious notes, as indicated by the veterans in this class, and bring them with me. 

Two classes would pose no problem.  The third complicates things.  However, I can doggy paddle as needed.  I know I'm innately "good" at academia enough to pass and not fail utterly, but I'm ambitious (Napoleonic complex?). 

I wish grad school offered the pass/fail option at times, but I pulled a B out of the wreckage of my poor marks last term (well, poor for me; I'm nuts).  If I can do it then, with the massive time lost during my days to the commute.... I'll push myself for this.

When my grandfather died, it was discovered that the Ukrainian gravedigger was a very smart man with his money.  He lived for almost twenty five years on a pension from the Greenwood Cemetary in Brooklyn, the war reparations he received from Germany for being a forced laborer in WWII, and social security.  He died of esophageal cancer -- he lasted fourteen months when given a "maybe six months, maybe Christmas" diagnosis. The last few months were a steady decline, the final two weeks a plummet to the ... well, not the bottom.  I'm very sure he went up.  Because none of us have a hope in the world of "up" if he didn't go that way. 

Despite the very humble beginnings, very humble life, very medical-infused end, he managed to leave behind a significant amount to his two sons, who split it evenly and then divvy'ed it out to his grandchildren.  It was a shocker to everyone.  He lived a frugal, Spartan life -- and the "spartan" comment is coming from a gal who went 6 months without a TV in her apartment and still doesn't have a damn thing on her walls.  It was not a massive fortune, but a lot more than anyone had anticipated, especially after medical bills.

I had paid off a good amount of my student loan while I was working as a teacher, but he took care of the rest, in short.  The money is all gone at this point -- put into college education or mortages and the like.  Things that needed to be taken care of -- nothing frivolous. So don't ask me for a loan, I never had the money in my hands -- it went straight to AES to set me free for the future, and anything leftover went to stuff other family needed.  Digo didn't like spending money on stuff he didn't need, and the question of "Why are you spending money again?!" always rang through the apartment or condo when he heard my dad had made a major purchase

But college education?  That you needed.  Graduate school? You gotta be free of undergrad debt before you do that, in my opinion.  

I'm not going to blow this.  I will work through this, because someone worked for decades in a graveyard for me to be here, doing this. 

Wisdom Teeth: The Saga Continues

I had all four wisdom teeth pulled last Thursday.  Two of them were normal extractions, but the other two were surgical, and the lower left in particular was a piece of work.  Half in, half out, and being a bully.  I'm back eating solid food again, but I've quit the pain medication despite a need for it; my tolerances have risen, so despite knowing my pain has decreased, to make a dent in it, I would have to up my dosage to 2 vikes and 3 ibuprofen, compared to the one Vicodin I had started with.  Due to dry socket complications, I had a second prescription for Vicodin, but that sits forlornly in bathroom, not even half empty.  I stopped before I could not stop. 

I'm currently typing this on 2 ibuprofen to take the edge off.  I'm also currently on anti-nausea medication that is normally prescribed for cancer patients due to the packing my sockets have been packed with; they leak clove oil and anesthetic, which makes me nauseous.  Why I'm nauseous today, however, is a question; sick of it poking me in the cheek, I pull the last bit of stuffing out Sunday and rinsed thoroughly with salt water.  I haven't been sleeping well either.  I do try to get in 8 hours, but it's been broken up and in fragments since last Thursday.

Was there an earthquake at 4:25 AM Central time?  I was jolted out of my sleep when my apartment vibrated, it seemed. I was lying on my bed, and I felt my fingers drumming at a rapid rate on the mattress -- but I wasn't doing it.  I lay there for about a minute, waiting for something.  Then I went out to the main room to see if something had fallen, but nope, the kitties were asleep and not causing mischief. 

At least, I hope it was an earthquake.  Otherwise, I wonder if I had a seizure and came out of it during a dream.

As I said, many very weird dreams lately, usually composed of someone meeting a sticky end in a quasi cartoonish, always horrific fashion.  Post trauma from surgery, who knows?  Either way, I need to get my act straight by tomorrow -- first day of classes.

The Lovers, The Dreamers, And Me. And a Frickin' Dead Armadillo!

I just had an urge to use that utterly whimsical title for no other reason other than to quote Kermit.  And use the armadillo for some good reason.    I had a few very, very strange dreams last night though.  First, I was Data from Star Trek ungoing 'surgery' and then I was Vincent Valentine from FF7 undergoing "good surgery" [if you've played the game, you understand] and celebrating [I now want a Vincent Valentine birthday cake, and I think I have the means to do it], and then I had this weird blend of movie-making, dish washing, FFXIII, mad dogs, and Angela Lansbury. 

And no, it's not the Vicodin I take before I go to bed.  This is within the "normal" range of dreams for me; abnormal is nightmares. 

I'm about halfway done with my first essay for my challenging professor's class; his compressed undergrad class was an utter bear, and given the fact I need to read about 20 books for his class alone this term, I'm bracing myself for many a late night and have accepted the fact I need new bookcases to house this coursework. 

I'm also contemplating a new desk.  I may go thrift for it, or I may buy new.  Not sure yet.  My study is still in the embryonic stages, but it will happen before fall semester is over. 

Third night of the Baroque Festival tonight.  Sort of hesitant due to work tomorrow and the schoolwork I need to do before then, but tonight will probably be the best.  I can already tell the tickets has sold the best; the closest I could get to the stage was 10th row.  I managed to get fifth row these past two concerts....I had wanted 8th row, which they would normally be, but they have put aside the front orchestra for these special nights, so I am closer than anticipated. 

Anyone, last night was a different sort of concert from the usual.  It started out with Purcell's Abdelazar, which was an assembly of the background music from the opera and the intermezzi music. It's British baroque, and the only example of it in the festival [Handel is a German who became an English citizen living in England who served a German English King - gotta love Queen Anne and the succession to Sophia of Hanover's line].  I like Brit Baroque, decidedly.  Bach's Brandenberg Concerto IV had one of the violinists from the USSR (now Azerbaijan) and two of the flutists doing their thing.  I couldn't help but notice how different this violinist was from the American I had seen the previous night (who seemed to be in pain and misery) or the Taiwanese gentleman (who seemed to just barely tolerate the American).  He minimized movement.  He could stand stock still with minimal shoulder movement; it was all in his elbow.  I saw it when he was sitting as well; he wasn't hunched over like others.  He sat back in his chair, legs relaxed, the only movement the hinge of his elbow as he drew the bow back and forth over the strings.  Economy of movement, to use a Napoleonic war term, but it applies here.  He also was wearing a tunic rather than a tux for his solo, which I always like.  All the best violinists in FWSO seem to be either Taiwanese (our concertmaster and assistant/associate concertmaster are) or from the former USSR (Ukrainian or one of the other satellite states). 

See kids, having overbearing parents who make you practice does pay off!!

Rameau was a vibrant and interesting; I can't quite describe it adequately, but I now desire to buy the work on CD if it's available.  Les indes galantes was epic in terms of expanse of music covered -- from dirges to celebratory numbers. 

The second half was Peruvian and Bolivian music from the Baroque music.  However, it wasn't completely alien; they were European colonies at this point, so they did have violins and instruments parallel to a 'normal' orchestra.  They did have guitars and other percussion instruments that are truly South American.  They even had a guitar made from a frickin' dead armadillo.  There was a dead armadillo onstage!  I feel that the second half dragged on a bit too long, however.  The first half was done in an hour, which sped by quickly, but the second half was an hour and a half of unfamiliar music -- always harder to sit through than fan favorites. 

The first four compositions were South American sacred music.  No problem; it had a choir and a solo soprano.  Well done.  Then there were two pieces that... just didn't work for me.  They were written by anonymous authors, and while that is never an indicator of quality, they simply padded the performance a bit much for my tastes.  The last two pieces had elements of spoken word, and those were much more of an interesting ride!

We have had classical South American music performed at FWSO many times before; the Caminos Del Inka organization specializes in it, and until this year, the conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya had integrated it into our symphonic season.  It's been discontinued, simply put, because it is too hit or miss.  There are purists that want their European/American classic music, period, endpoint.  Others are more open to to wild and interesting sorts of music.  I'm of the latter sort that will give anything a listen, but you will not succeed in making me sit through anything twice that I do not enjoy.  I do like South American classical music, but because I "didn't feel like going", it was enough for me to skip last year's concert -- South American classical music has not really crossed over into the popular consciousness.  And many exchanged tickets out of that concert.  So it's not the FWSO's cashcow by any means. 

Last night was fun, but as I said, two pieces could have gone and while the second half would have been shorter, I would have been able to sit through it easier.  It's been the only concert I've ever had thought of sneaking out early.  It was just dragging on so long.  Despite sleeping til 1 yesterday, I was sleepy! 

Skipping introductions, Baroque and Dinner

I think anyone who's reading this blog has a fairly good idea as to what they're getting into.  So let's skip the awkward, "Hi, I'm Anna" post that usually comes off as a weak version of an online dating profile.

(I tried that once, actually. I've deleted my profile since then because, in all honesty, the men on there are single for a reason. They have no passion or interest or personality; it's not because they're like me and are too busy for romantic extracurriculars unless they're tripping over one as part of their routine.  They just don't have the 'something' that makes others gravitate toward them.  I thought it was a crummy idea in the first place, but since everyone around me seems to be either newly involved, newly married, or newly parented, I felt a bit out of sorts.  The lesson learned is never go looking for something.  Go do something else and 'something' will eventually make you busy enough not to worry about it.)

I've just returned from the Bass Hall in Fort Worth from the first night of the Baroque Festival.  Baroque is a music period, not musicians playing broken instruments.  This is late 1600s through to the late 1700s, so think powdered wigs, Shakespeare, France before Marie Antoinette and the Revolution, etc etc etc.  It's actually a lot of dance and party music.  So instead of Ke$ha and Lady Gaga, this is what people would be getting their freak on to or listening to relax after a long day instead of Kenny G or Michael Buble.  This was pop music at one point, after all.

I really enjoyed the music, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the solo pieces until the Oboe Concerto by Marcello.  The soloist seemed very young and nervous; I don't if that's just how she is normally, but I was surprised to find out that most of her career has been as a first chair oboist and as a soloist.  She seemed scared to me, in all honesty, but what came out of her was absolutely beautiful.  I am not slamming the bassoon player or the dueling violin players prior to her, but.... they lacked the spark she had.  Chamber music/Baroque music is very niche and has a small listening audience, so perhaps this was her element moreso than theirs?  

The first half wasn't overly spectacular but the second half was -- it had that soloist, Pachelbal's Canon and then Water Music by Handel.  The Canon was set up so that the audience could see the three rounds separated out on stage, so there was a clear visual of one section repeating the prior section's part and rounding through the entire piece.   They then threw in a second smaller piece by the same gentleman, and I liked it.

Water Music was a favorite for the players as well as for me.  It was originally composed by Handel in 1717 for George I of England; he said, "I'm having a party on A BOAT, MOTHA---errm, I need music for it"

So Handel whipped up Water Music using an unheard of 50-man orchestra with a CONDUCTOR of all things on a boat that floated next to King George's; the harpsichord at the time was the instrument that was the guiding force behind music groups, but they couldn't have it in this situation because it was too heavy to be on the boat.  Conductors were a fairly recent addition; prior to the 1700s, it was the piano/organ/harpsichordist running the show, since most of the time, that was also the composer. 

So yes, the show ended well.  Prior to that, I had dinner with my old boss, who had been generous enough to baby-sit my drug addled ass after I had my wisdom teeth yanked last Thursday.  No longer in pain, but I did have a nasty dry socket that finally allowed me to get off Vicodin yesterday afternoon.  I've taken one this evening to calm me down after the night, plus I went back to my regular eating habits, which is a bit of a shock to my mouth still. 

Ferre Restaurant is about $25 a plate, so I might do that again.  I had a great organic greens and carrots salad with a balsamic white vinagrette and pine nuts and goat cheese (I would recommend anyone to try it; it tastes way better than people think it does -- saltier than cow cheese).  Delicious.  Pacific Salmon, and then a well-executed Creme Brulee.  Me personally, I prefer that dessert to be caramelized as usual on top, but warmed on the bottom so you're not getting freezing custard after nice warm sugar.  I only had one place do it like that, and that was the Grand Hotel in St. Annes On the Sea back in 2004.  It was my first one, and I've been disappointed by follow-up tastings until now.

Anyway, I'll probably be talking about food, music, my much beloved cats (found Memphis and rescued Tenny), occasionally work if it doesn't violate privacy law, and my return to school.