A Scandal In Belgravia

Spoilers abound, reader beware.
 
I write this post in part to respond to a comment on my Spock and Sherlock article.  I also write it to squee profusely over the new episode of Sherlock from the Beeb.

I must preface this by stating my views on Irene Adler herself.  Doyle's original Scandal in Bohemia is the most famous and most recreated of the original canon, perhaps save for Hound of the Baskervilles.  There have been many spins on Irene.  Holmes admired her for being the only woman to fool him.  There had been 2 men, but Watson does not deign to name them.  This has led to fan fiction writers as well as professional writers to want to suggest that Sherlock and Irene had something else going on, particularly during his two-year sabbatical (resulting in a wide variety of "next generation" detectives, ranging from Raffles to Damian to Nero Wolfe).

That said.

I was at first totally on board with shipperdom on the coupling, but I've realized that in all honesty, Adler is not the be all end all for Holmes.  To put her into modern terms, in the context of her original story, Irene took nude pics with her ex-boyfriend and then threatened to post them on the internet before his wedding.  She's not a rocket scientist to begin with -- she's street smart and a grand actress.  She's not a "strong" woman.  She got to where she was by plying her trade -- actress and being "that girl."  We all know "that girl" -- she is not strong on her own, but she is the puppetmaster.  She makes the world spin around her. 

My reactions to the episode:

First off.  Poor frickin' Molly.  I really don't like how they're treating the character.  However, she does have a purpose, as I will detail below. 

Second off.  They do like to tease the Holmes/Watson shippers, don't they?

Third off.  I am satisfied that they are keeping "what" Sherlock is ambiguous.  Gay, straight, virgin, asexual, bisexual -- up to you.  Doesn't matter.  Sherlock = Sherlock.  That is all. 

This first episode of Series 2 was about Sherlock's heart, and I realized it long before Mycroft spoke to Watson. It proves that he does have one.  I do not interpret this series or any other series to be misogynistic as far as the depiction of women.  As I posted in "Spock and Sherlock," Sherlock lives in a predominantly homosocial society.  In order to maintain that same sort of environment and feel, women are limited in how they can enter into the storyline.  You can't have a female Watson.  Mycroft can't be female.  Neither can Lestrade -- see Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century or Laurie King's books.  Molly serves that purpose -- she is the epitome of "girl" -- and she does not fit in Sherlock's world.  Honestly, Molly is an incarnation of a Cumberbitch (a favorite term of mine for lovers of our favorite Sid the Sloth impersonator).  More generically, she is the perky girl sidekick that fiction writers always want to write in so Sherlock can go kiss someone other than John Watson.

Doesn't work, does she?  But that is her purpose -- to show that her character type does not work and probably should not attempt to be fused into the Sherlockian world. 



In contrast, the character of Mrs. Hudson has a new spin to her, and I like it.  Sherlock got her husband executed, and she owed him a favor.  Very strange starting grounds, but it's delightfully quirky.  The one note of consistency throughout Sherlock's incarnations, from the canon to Rathbone to Brett and to this one, is that Sherlock Holmes respects her.  The new Mrs. Hudson is decidedly a sly one herself, as she did manage to sneak the phone away from the burglar while playing the damsel in distress.  Both Sherlock and John snap at Mycroft when he tells their girl off -- good show, lads.

Mycroft.  I wish he was fatter, frankly, but he is all the manipulative statesman I could wish for.  I do hope the relationship between our Holmes boys becomes more civil, however.  The banter in the original canon is far less contentious, and much more fun in general when you know the two of them aren't at each other's throats. 

I would like to address the concerns of the commenter.  As indicated previously, I don't think Irene is strong or "had the rug pulled from under her" -- it was never there in the first place.  She is an adventuress -- she is neutral chaos, like Catwoman in the 1990s Batman the Animated series.  Neither good nor bad - she just makes it all interesting for herself.  She is not beholden by Moriarty, nor does she fall victim to him as portrayed in the most recent movie.  This Irene is a completely free agent who just happens to cross his path. I like her better than the Downey Jr. film version.  Rachel Adams' Irene is the sacrificial lamb, the cocky little thing that got herself over her head.  Irene Adler in the book and in this TV appearance is far from over her head.

True to the source material, Irene is a slave only to her heart.  I do not think we will see her again, as we do not see her in the original canon.  I would be disappointed if we did; Sherlock doesn't do that romance thing.  However, in the name of keeping Sherlock himself delightfully ambiguous, we have that scene right out of Lawrence of Arabia or 1001 Arabian Nights or something of that nature.  The final scene is Sherlock finally laughing to himself.  He takes pleasure in that memory -- and whatever came after; the shipper machine has been going full-tilt on THAT topic since January 1 on fan fic sites.  This is not Holmes making himself cry to coax a reaction out of a widow or being sweet to con Molly.  This is just Sherlock with no other window dressing.

As to the sexuality issue, particularly in Irene's scene with Watson:  again, ambiguity is the goal.  However, the scene can also be interpreted as how "exceptional" Sherlock is.  Irene suggests that for both of them, Sherlock could be the one exception to their normal behavior.  This subject somewhat tackled in Brokeback Mountain. Jake Gyllenhal's character, Jack, was gay But what about Heath Ledger's Ennis?  He didn't have a string of male lover -- just Jack.  He could never get him out of his head.  Is there that one exceptional man that makes him break all the rules?  In one of my favorite films, Orlando starring Tilda Swinton, there is a distinct possibility that the person you fall in love with is simply that -- a person.  You can worry about what bits they have later.  Additionally, Irene does not make it a point to fall in love with clients or rivals; Sherlock may be an exception for her that way, but the best way to illustrate is using the sexuality thing.  However, the point is not what Irene and John are; the point is what Sherlock is to them.  And he's the one that just makes them fall over themselves.  He makes them feel alive - that isn't necessarily sexual, even for Irene. 



I found this opening episode delightful and very true to the character of Irene.  As to Sherlock -- well, he was a bit ambiguous in the original books in some regards, but I also think that in the books he was much more savvy and well-mannered than our latest versions.  Jeremy Brett was the last "polite" Holmes I can think of.  Being a gentleman was the norm, and Doyle's Holmes complied with that.  Recent versions have had him being ill-mannered, but with the excuse that he has a brilliant mind, and that makes it all peachy.  This version is no exception, though I do give credit to Cumberbatch and the writers for portraying the character as a self-acknowledged sociopath. 

Below is a small write up I did 3.5 years ago to vent my frustrations over the misrepresentation of Holmes in fan fiction and other media. 

"Holmes is not some misogynistic, insensitive, boorish, self-centered prima donna.

"He's a Victorian.  He is two-faced and multi-faceted.  He disapproves of drinking and drug to excess, but partakes of cocaine when driven to boredom and ennui.  He understands the class system and enjoys his aloof position in it, but constantly ignores it when pursuing a case.  He has friends all over and makes sure they do not mix -- it's not because he is embarrassed.  It is because the social differences in Victorian England were enough to be other countries.  To mix them would be unwise and unprofessional.  The rich and the poor gap was fairly wide, despite the rising middle class.    And he does not discriminate who he takes cases from.  His fees are flat, unless he decides not to charge at all -- he gets paid enough to keep his mouth shut by the royals to do charity work at his discretion.  If anything, the royals bored him and he'd refuse their cases, and yet spend weeks working on some poor person who would never pay him. 

"Holmes thinks women are overcomplicated creatures (as do I), but he would never disregard them or their problems right off.  He is a gentleman, first and foremost.  It is not because he thinks they are horrible or useless -- he's the eccentric genius and while charming in his own way, he's no Casanova.  Let Watson deal with the niceties.  He admits in Doyle's canon that he has never loved anyone -- but if he did, he would be in the same position as one of his clients, desperate to avenge his beloved's death.  He is a consummate professional, and while his female clients can give him a good chase and an intriguing puzzle, once it is solved, they are not integral to his life.   Neither are the men.  He treats them the same -- non-entities after the job.  Recognition, yes, but beyond that would be unprofessional. 

"Read the Veiled Lodger case, however.  Of all the cases, this is the one where Holmes breaks the rules and touches a woman to comfort her.  She'd gotten her face ripped off by a lion.  Even Holmes cannot help but be affected by her.  He feels compassion for her and is willing to help her.  Irene Adler is the only woman to ever stir anything more than that passing, intellectual interest in him -- he keeps her dirty photograph in his private files.  Even then, there are no hints that he ever pursues her, one way or another.  As to his treatment of Mrs. Hudson, Holmes was always an ideal tenant -- minus horrible smells from chemistry, shooting VR into the wall, and tacking up his post using a knife in the mantle.  However, he always repaired and paid for his misdeeds and never sassed the landlady. 

"I'm not going to say Holmes loved kids, but they had their uses (and not the ones you're thinking of, you sicko).  Baker Street Irregulars ring a bell?  In an era of well-meaning social reform, children were still uneducated and locked out of factories; school was too expensive now that there were only parents working in the factories rather than having the eldest three work in there while the youngest three got a basic education.  Now nobody could work, and nobody could afford school.  Boys became pickpockets and petty thieves.  Girls, much the same, with the addition of prostitution.  Holmes did spend time with his contacts in opium dens and other houses of ill repute, but he hardly endorsed the corruption of children.  Holmes used the street children as informers and spies -- small size, inconspicuous in a crowded London street, and smart as whips, many of them.  He paid them better than a John would, on the Victorian scale.  It was better to be in Mr. Holmes' employ and find odd bits and bobs of information and get fed by Mrs. Hudson rather than be completely on the streets minus the point where the family would regroup. 

"One man's petty theft is another's grand larceny -- do not forget the class scale differences.  When children and women were threatened, Holmes was generally pissed off.

"Should someone get in his way during a case, yes, he'd bite and be an absolute jerk.  Yes, he was intelligent and flashy at times, but despite his confidence and almost arrogance, he often let Scotland Yard take credit for the good he'd done -- better to have confidence in the police than in one man. 

"Sherlock Holmes himself was created because of a lack of confidence in Scotland Yard; he was birthed in the middle of the Jack the Ripper serial killings.  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made the ultimate detective.  A gentleman, a brilliant man, a man who was not corrupt or lured by prostitutes, a man who had no professional grudges and would not pervert justice for his own gain.  He was the answer to the Jack the Ripper problem.  Sherlock Holmes the myth was a powerful enough creature back in those dark times that almost immediately, post was directed toward 221B Baker Street in the hopes that Holmes would get it and save them all from this menace that walked among them.  Saucy Jack knew their streets, their hours, their churches, and their children.  He walked among them during the day, killed the women by night."

Spock and Sherlock: Same Cut, Different Cloth

This article originally appeared in the USS Navras newsletter.  All mine, no stealing.  

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is rife with literary references, predominantly Shakespeare (though not in the original Klingon).  Captain Spock joins the literary spree with the words, “An ancestor of mine maintained that if you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains – however improbable – must be the truth.”  While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the words, the man who “spoke” them was Doyle’s creation, the great detective, Sherlock Holmes.  Even before this, Mirror!Spock in the Original Series episode “Mirror, Mirror” used this quote as well while attempting to solve the mystery of the changed crew members. 

These quotes simply cement what many fans think: Sherlock Holmes and Spock are cut from the same cloth.  Both value logic and solve the problems presented to them by those of lesser intellect.  Neither are social butterflies by nature; left to their own devices, both men turn inward.  They are tall, angular, and far from conventionally handsome.  Their mind is their greatest asset. 

In the hands of fans and in the course of fan fiction, these character aspects manifest in exaggerated fashion.  The observer can lay the canon sources for both Sherlock and Spock alongside their depictions in fan fiction or pastiche and gain insight on how different these characters are…and yet how different.  However, a head-on approach here can be used due to the recent proliferation of Sherlockian media in the form of the 2009 Guy Ritchie film, the BBC serial starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and the Fox television series, House.  Given that this is appearing in a Star Trek newsletter, one would assume some reader familiarity with Spock, even if it is only with the 2009 reboot. 

One of the predominant features of Sherlock Holmes, along with his staggering intellect, is his eccentricity.  Sherlock is an emotional, passionate man.  He is passionate about the chase and solving the case, even if his client cannot pay him; as the detective says, he works on a flat fee, except when he waives it entirely.  While placing great value on logic when comes to detection, Sherlock is a Bohemian.  He is unconventional and uncaring as to external perceptions.  While neat in his hygiene, he casts everything else to the wind.  His biographer, Dr. Watson, also describes the darker side to Sherlock in graphic detail in “The Sign of Four.”  While he has his high intellectual highs, Sherlock also has cocaine lows, injecting a seven-percent solution of cocaine (or morphine, according to Watson).  He will brood, shut in for days on end.  Left to his own devices, he is destructive and undisciplined; throughout the Doyle canon, the reader hears of the mess and the lack of consideration for poor Mrs. Hudson.  This goes as far as to shooting holes into the wall in the shape of Queen Victoria’s epigram, VR.  It has been confessed by the creators and writers of the television series, House, that the grumpy, drug-addicted doctor is heavily based off of Sherlock’s dark side.

However, the “lighter” side of House is also briefly seen, mostly taking the form of his love of music.  Pianos, guitars, and an extensive CD collection represent the unburdened Gregory House, just as the Stradivarius violin embodies the active Sherlock.  For those unfamiliar with the music world, a Stradivarius violin is considered the ultimate violin to own, constructed by Antonio Stradivari in the 1600s.  While it is controversial as to whether its sound is truly superior, the name Stradivarius is still a symbol of musical luxury and desirability, as Tiffany is to jewelry.  Sherlock also enjoys outings to the theatre and orchestra.  Combined with the drug usage, Sherlock, in short, is a hedonist.

Sherlock is also not insensitive to the needs and fears of others.  In the case of “The Veiled Lodger,” the client is a woman who was mauled by a lion at the behest of her ex-lover.  He does not hesitate to reach out to her with a comforting hand – something shocking to fans that would have Sherlock scoff at her tearful story.   Sherlock expresses concern and worry at times over his clients, most notably in “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches,” when he indicates that he would not want his sister to be in his poor client’s place (whether Sherlock has a sister or not is immaterial).  He also jokes with Watson periodically and is willing to laugh at misfortunes, such as when his tracking dog takes the wrong split in a trail.

Laugher is simply not an option with our Vulcan.  Spock is philosophically light years away from Sherlock.  His quarters are depicted as Spartan, with the exception of the lyre, his one luxury. While Sherlock and Spock share a love of music and talent, the similarities do not stretch much further.  Spock’s life is ordered and structured compared to the periodic chaos of Sherlock’s.  While this is fostered by Starfleet, this also seems to be an innate part of Spock’s nature due to Vulcan philosophy.  The emotional discipline and orderliness of Spock’s knowledge is a dramatic contrast to extreme emotions of Sherlock and his haphazard collection of facts. 

Spock lacks vanity as part of his philosophy, but he is excessively meticulous about external appearances, particularly because he is half-human.  He makes every effort to conceal his human side by, as some would put it, out-Vulcaning the Vulcans.  In “Journey to Babel,” Sarek permits himself a slight smile, but it is only under duress (“Amok Time,” most famously) or when making music (“Charlie X”) that Spock allows himself an emotional outlet.  While Sherlock wouldn’t care about what others thought of him, this preoccupies Spock.  He has a need to find his place in the universe; this is part of the likability of his character, while the allure of Sherlock (and House) is the opposite.  Sherlock cares not for the rest of the world’s opinion.

Spock is a clean-cut member of Starfleet.  Spock taking drugs or having mood swings would be associated with alien influences or biological difficulties –or a bad writer!  A fan doesn’t watch Spock to see him crash and burn.  While he experiences emotional conflict within, Spock is not a character in turmoil.  That said, Spock, much like Sherlock, is not a creature lacking in compassion either.  While he can hardly be called “cuddly” and may lack bedside manner, Spock expresses compassion and concern for those around him.  Even as he suffers from the affects of the Psi 2000 virus in “The Naked Time,” he attempts to let Christine Chapel down gently after she bares her soul to him.   “Requiem for Methuselah” shows Spock mindmelding with Kirk to help him to forget the tragic-lost-love-of-the-week.  This is a nicety, not a necessity.  The ultimate example of Spock’s compassion, overriding even his logic, is his devotion to the crippled Christopher Pike in “The Menagerie.” 

The connection between Spock and Sherlock is possibly genetic.  However, their defining characteristic is their use of logical processes to solve problems.  However, how each applies logic is different.  Spock’s logic is part of his entire life philosophy.  It is all-encompassing and holistic.  Meanwhile, Sherlock’s is compartmentalized and isolated to his job; he uses his logic to help others, not necessarily himself.  Sherlock surrenders freely to his emotions and moods, while Spock reins his emotions in.  As indicated earlier, both fit the archetype of the lonely thinker.  However, they are made of different stuff.  Once one looks further into these men, they are startlingly different because of how they act out their roles and how they use their gifts.

Postscript:  The final part of this rambling report is a bit of a sidebar.  Both Sherlock and Spock in the realm of fan fiction have a notable following that believe that they are either gay or at least bisexual due to their close association with another male character, Dr. Watson and Captain Kirk.  Sherlock was not given this treatment until the late 1980s and early 1990s, but Spock had been under scrutiny since the initial run of the Original Series, coming to great prominence in the 1970s’ fanzines.  There are two reasons that occur to this writer as a student of history and film interpretation. 

The first reason for this can be found in the homosocial environments that Sherlock and Spock exist in.  Sherlock and Watson live in the Victorian and Edwardian era.  Even at the turn of the twentieth century, men and women were segregated in their activities.  Homosociality is the norm; men exclusively socialized with men, and women socialized only with women.  Also common during this time are romantic friendships – great, consuming passions for friends of the same sex without ever have sexual desire for them. It is only a modern innovation that men and women “hang out” together; this only becomes the norm after the sexual revolution in the 1960s.

Even though Spock was “born” in the 1960s, he still exists in a military organization, which, even today, is predominantly homosocial.  Uhura was on the bridge, but her role was limited to “hailing frequencies open” in many episodes.  Spock still works mostly with men.  For anyone who has been in the military, there is an innate bond with those the person has served with.  While the writer has not experienced military service, it has been indicated that there are intangible elements to this bond that can push a person to go further for a brother in arms. 

The best modern, civilian comparison to a nineteenth romantic friendship or the bond between brothers in arms is perhaps the recently coined term “work spouse.”  While at work, a pair functions as a great couple, expressing care and concern for their other half.  More often than not, these people are romantically involved or married to someone else, and the spouse doesn’t feel jealousy; the very nature and basis of the relationship is non-competitive and supportive.  Outsiders may perceive these relationships as “something more” regardless of the context. 

The second reason is that neither Sherlock nor Spock expresses their sexuality overtly.  Unlike the womanizing Kirk and Watson (definitely comparatively, in Watson’s case), they are monks in comparison. Judging strictly from Doyle’s canon, it could be argued that Sherlock is the earliest incarnation of an asexual person.  One must always keep in mind that sexual labels are a new innovation, so attempting to apply them to pre-twentieth century characters can get tricky.  Spock, while less ambiguous due to his entanglements in the Original Series, still is not a predominantly sexual being (though fangirls may hope otherwise!).  This probably is another essay within itself, so this brief addendum comes to an abrupt halt.

Fall! And Awesome Asian Fusions!

Starting to cool down finally in Texas.  I think that's part of what I miss about the Northeast: consistent, fairly even seasons.  3 months each, and generally with not massive amounts of cross-over.  Texas?  70 degree Christmases and then a yearly February blizzard it seems.

Next weekend will be busy, between symphony, another Trek event, and my first go at a farmer's market since I left London.  Greenwich had a lovely market on Saturdays, and I did spend quite a bit of pocket money (got my wallet there!).  I used to walk about the entire neighborhood and get great deals AND delicious crepes.  Mmmm.

I also want to do a lot more fall cooking once it consistently is cooler -- gobbling down apple cider and pumpkin treats seems inappropriate in 80 degree weather.

I mentioned awhile back on Facebook that I had created a Thai Peanut Stir Fry.  It's actually an amalgam of three different recipes that I pulled together, and it is delicious.  I scaled it down so that it's 'Dinner for 2' but you can expand it as needed  -- it scales well.

What you'll need:

2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts

Marinade:

• 3/4 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons JIF® Creamy (or extra crunchy) Peanut Butter
• 1 tablespoon CRISCO® All-Vegetable Oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (I used lemon)
• 1/2 large clove garlic, minced (I love garlic so I doubled this)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Stir Fry:

• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger  (or 1/8-1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger; depends on how much you like ginger)
• 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts (the chestnuts store well in tupperware, so if you buy a can of them, you can use half and store the others later)
• 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
• freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetables for the stir fry can simply be one cup broccoli, but I personally added 3/4 cup broccoli, 3/4 cup of carrots.  Bean pods are also good additions.

Sauce: 

• 1 (10 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 small onion, grated
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce  (optional)
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes  (optional)

1.  To start, clean and then cut up the chicken into medium cubes or stripes.

2.  Mix up the marinade in the plastic bag using the ingredients above.  This tends to be the messy part of the operation, so putting the bag in the sink may be prudent.  Make it to your taste;  I love garlic, so my mentality was 'more the merrier!'   Soy sauce is salty and can be overpowering, so if you're not a big fan, use a minimal amount.  Same goes for the cayenne -- you will taste it later!.

3.  Once all the ingredients are in, seal the bag (important) and shake it until everything is well mixed.  You may have to find trouble spots and smoosh them through the bag, such as clumped peanut butter or brown sugar.

4.  Once mixed, add the chicken pieces.  Seal the bag, give it a good shake, and then stick it in the fridge overnight (or at least for two hours, if you're already hungry from handling all those ingredients).

5.  About ten minutes before I anticipate starting the stir fry, I set up the sauce in a small pot.  Peanut sauce has two different schools of thought: sweet or spicy.  Because the marinade already has soy sauce in it, you may want to eliminate it from the sauce.  The red or cayenne pepper adds a kick, but if you don't like spicy, you may want to drop it.  It's not a huge kick, but it certainly warms you up.  Those two ingredients alone really change the flavor of the sauce, so it is cook's discretion.  I prefer the sweet peanut sauce for this dish, eliminating the soy and pepper.

6.  Just add all the sauce ingredients to the small pot, stir til smooth, and then heat to a boil, stirring frequently. 

7.  After it hits boil, keep stirring and drop the heat to low, just to keep it warm while you attempt not to burn the house down with the stir fry.

8.  For the stir fry, grab a 12-inch frying pan or a wok, at the least -- 10 inches isn't big enough (that's what she said).  Heat to a medium-high heat -- it'll be ready if you flick a bit of water off your hand on there and it sizzles.  Add the garlic, peanut oil, and ginger, stirring quickly.

9.  Jack the heat up to high, and empty your chicken marinade into the fry pan.  Yep, whole thing, especially the liquid.  This is where it veers away from a traditional fry.  You have to make sure the pan is super hot to make sure a) all bacteria is killed; b) the liquid is gone (or nearly so) by the end of the 'stir fry' phase.  Stir quickly and make sure the chicken is rotated around for an even cook.

10.  Once the chicken start looking 'done', add the broccoli, then carrots, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in that order, stirring after each addition.  You can elect to add 1/4 cup soy sauce for the final 2 minutes of the fry, but I found that it made it too salty and really overpowered every other ingredient.  Plus, due to the marinade, it leaves a lot of excess fluid.

11. Your stir fry is considered 'done' about 2-3 minutes after the addition of the mushrooms (all veggies are tender).  Your marinade should also be cooked away.  I like well-done mushrooms, so I left mine on a bit longer.

12. I have a two-quart size bowl that I dumped the pan into, but a mixing bowl will probably suffice as well.  Serve with the sauce (which has been sitting quietly on the back of the stove top).  I also normally do rice with it, but you should probably be able to figure that bit out, if you're attempting this.


I've made this twice, cooking on Saturday, and it's never made it to Tuesday -- I normally eat the entire thing by myself in rapid succession.

Summertime and Making Rank

While I'm waiting for latest moving assessor to come through and toss a number out to transport my worldly possessions, I'll bang out an entry.  With any luck, he'll arrive in the middle of this. 

Moving the second-to-last week of June.  I've already started packing; trying to get one box done a day means less of a rush later and less stress on the cats.  They'll go to the vet the day of the move, and I'll go back to FW and bring them to the new place once the basics are set up for them (and me!).  At the moment, my current culinary goal is to eat everything in the fridge and not buy anything else.  So that's a budget saver.....

Yeah, the last two weeks of school murdered my paycheck. The gas hike has not helped.  I just have to make it to August financially and then it's all good. 

EDIT: and then the guy showed up, haha.  Got a good deal, and I am set to go for June 23, huzzah.  Now to pack!

As some of you (most of you) know, I went to the Dallas Comic Con and met Leonard Nimoy.  Not a great hotbed of interaction, but hell, I met a legend and he was very polite.  I was sort of bothered by the fact people would just drape themselves all over him.  Yes, I know it's his job, and yes, I know I just paid $65 for this.....but

He's an icon and a man, not a a prop.  So I said good morning, thank you, and any kind words I could muster.  Beyond Mr. Nimoy and the sheer joy of watching him live (and having a geekgasm hearing him do Henry V), I also had a following of those who liked the costume and makeup.  I had the time of my life -- one of my top days, even with the 5:30 wake up call for makeup! 

Yes, I did wake up that early for the Vulcan ears and the Vulcan eyebrows.  I'll probably do a more detailed post later on the how-to- aspect.  However, that did get me in touch with a couple of gentlemen from the USS Navras, a chapter of Starfleet International....

You know what's coming....

So yes, I got recruited as the Chief Science Officer, with a rank of Lieutenant Commander.  And I am a Vulcan.  Token alien crewmate?  Possibly, but I loved the ears and the makeup. I think I'll render an alias for the crew, as Anna is not a very Vulcan name.  I have a few ideas, but we'll see.    I need to get a new uniform/costume, but that's fine; it's one of the awesome grey/black ones from First Contact.  And I get to write articles about being nerdy about science, like NASA, weather, books, Star Trek news, etc.  Research! 

So other than upping and renewing my devotion to Trek, I'm also doing the same for Sherlock Holmes.  Going to read the entire series (hopefully) before I pack it away.  I have a book by Alan Forrest I want to get through as well as another about Eleanor of Aquitaine, but I've found myself finishing a Study in Scarlet and the Sign of Four in rapid succession.  Well, not much to do these days other than read for fun and plow through TV series on Netflix.  This is really my moment without school and work in over a year.  I can barely remember what it's like!  I mean, what did I DO? 

The truth is stranger (and better) than fiction.

 I'm currently reading Geoffrey Treasure's Mazarin: The Crisis of Absolutism.  Giulio Mazarini started in his native Italy and through connections, worked his way up to lay cardinal.  He ends up as the famed Cardinal Richelieu's successor, first minister of France, protector and godfather of Louis XIV, and close confidant of Anne of Austria, Louis' mother and queen regent. 

Of course, there is extensive discussion of the rumor of Mazarin's exact relationship with Anne -- just confidants, united for Louis' protection?  Or something more?  Louis XIV himself indicated something more, given how much he adored Mazarin and extended him courtesies (such as riding out to meet him personally) that normally were reserved for other royals.  Some go as far to suggest that Mazarin and Anne even got married in secret.  There's no real evidence and no recorded "walk of shame" for either, but Treasure, despite citing this evidence, tells the tale of Anne and Mazarin as if it was a marriage in perilous times.  No overt lovey dovey crap, but he certainly illustrates the desperation while parted as well as the kind opinions each held of the other, not to mention the great schemes the pair cooked up together. 

My previous readings of Eye of the Lynx (a book on the Lincean Academy of Italy), The Assassination of Henry IV (establishment of absolutism in France), and Music in the Service of the King (French court music history, delightful read, horribly rare book) all tie neatly back to this and to the interesting connections between France and Italy during the 1600s.  Given that I have done research on Louis XV and even later, Napoleon (a Corsican who neatly hedged between Italian and French), it's pretty epic when the names and places are read as a great, overarching tale, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy or Terry Pratchett's Discworld. 

And I think this is why I tend to cope with history better than some -- I read it as if it's a novel.  You get to book's end, and then you say, "and this all really happened."  Minus the lack of room for fan fiction in most cases, most of it is outrageously brilliant -- the defenestration of Prague, Abelard and Heloise, Eleanor of Aquitaine,  Houdini -- more than just their popular images suggest.  What we generally know and see on TV (save for the Hitl-- History Channel and its kin) are the "fan fiction" or parody interpretations. 

Random spouting as I cruise through the book.  Back to the grind!

Cat Parent Woes and Wobbles

For those that aren't cat people, this post probably won't interest you at all.  In fact, it will probably annoy you, so you may want to skip it.  But! Those who have fuzzies probably may want to take a read or two.

As most of you know, I am a "meowmy" to Memphis, a 1.5 year old black domestic short hair, and Tenny, a 1.5 year old tabby domestic medium hair with one eye.  Very easy to tell apart.  Despite popular belief, they are both girls; I always wanted a black cat named Memphis, regardless of gender, and Tenny (short for Tennessee) goes well with it. 

Cat food is one of those things that people normally say, "It's just a cat.  It's fine" when it comes to brands, types, and quality.  I guess it's a philosophical question: "What is Hecuba to he and he to Hecuba?" as Hamlet says it.  Me personally, I consider the cats my furry children: I'm responsible for their health and well-being, they make me happy, and both sides of the equation enjoy the others' company. Since I've put them under my care, they are my responsibility.  They could have gone to a different home -- but they didn't. 

That all said, I accidentally got "into" cat nutrition.  Memphis decided to scream her furry little head off outside a friend's apartment, and since he couldn't take her, I did.   Upon arriving home, I attempted to feed her the Meow Mix my friend gave me.  Baby couldn't do it; her little teeth couldn't crunch the kibble.  Plan B it was then! I had gotten the little furball a bunch of tiny 3-oz cans of wet food for her to try, ranging from Walmart's Special Kitty to Iams to Newman's Own (I was looking more for baby serving size than ingredients).

Well, ate she did.  Some more than others.  Hmm.  Why?  And was there something I should be feeding her, since she was so little?  And so down the rabbit hole of catfood I went.


It's best to start early on a soft, high grade food.  Kittens are very easy to switch foods; older cats, not so much.  For pet owners trying to get the cat over to a healthier food, I think steps are key. Your cat likes the cheap cat food because it's tasty -- supertasty because it's been sprayed with chemicals that make it taste ridiculously good.  But that hides the fact it's not real meat.  Cats are obligate carnivores -- their diet is almost exclusively meat, unlike a dog, who can eat meat and non-meat food.  As a result, cats don't process grains, fruits, and vegetables very well. Then there are things that make foodies nuts when they see it in human food: high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors, animal byproducts. All that filler is junk food.  What happens when you feed a kid exclusively junk food instead of a good diet?  Fat kid.  Fat cat.  More on this later. 

Online searches immediately made me feel bad that I fed Memphis Special Kitty and Iams that first week.  I felt far less guilty about Newman's Own.  When I got Tenny, I switched her from her dry food to the food I had settled on for Memphis: Felidae Cat and Kitten canned with the equivalent dry food as a bribe. It was an affordable cat food that I could buy a case of -- and Felidae has a frequent buyer program wherein if you buy 12 cases, you get one free.  Sounds like alot, but when you have two fuzzies, it goes surprisingly quick. 

This was fine until May 2010.  Then Memphis started getting red ears and itchy, so much to the point that  I thought she had ringworm.  We'd had an outbreak with Tenny's arrival (poor dear), and I thought it had been conquered.  Fortunately, the vet assessed it as an allergy or irritation to something in the environment.  Nothing had been changed, so he suggested looking at her food to see if she'd developed an allergy to something. 

Just like humans, cats will develop allergies as they get older.  Most adult humans have some level of lactose intolerance and can't drink straight, whole milk anymore without some consequence.  Apparently this was the case with Memphis.  The problem was what. She was already on an all-natural food.  So I grabbed a few cans of the grain free Felidae.  With adequate experimentation, Memphis' problem causer was brown rice.  She hasn't had  fire-engine red ears since I switched her over to completely grain free food.

The transition was easy -- it was within the same brand, and it really was just an elimination of an ingredient more than a complete switch.  If your cat food make has a healthier or grain-free variation of its food (I know Fancy Feast does have grain free varieties, for example ), go ahead and start on that, adding a bit of it to the mix everyday.  It got to the point where if I didn't mix the food, Memphis would eat the grain free and leave the side of the plate with the grain cat food alone.  

Of course, the problem now is that there is one store in the whole city where one can purchase Felidae Grain Free.  Another problem point is that most dry food, even if they have "grain free" as a plug, do have brown rice somewhere in the list.  Now that I had a healthy baseline food, the next mission was to branch out. 

We first started with Innova's Evo last summer.  That was a great filler to stretch out those Felidae cans, but it wasn't very well received.  I mixed 3 spoonfuls of Felidae with one spoonful of Evo to start, and then gradually pared down the Felidae contribution and raised the Evo.  I continued to feed the Felidae dry, as finding a dry food without rice is MUCH harder than finding a wet food without it.  Evo wasn't sorely missed when I stopped feeding it out last summer, but I think I'll try it again just to see how goes it.

Much like introductions, introducing a new food takes about a few weeks before all things are well.  Also like introductions, you start with very small, brief exposures, and work your way up.  Evo was not fed exclusively as a meal until week 6.  If you cat has a few days of diarrhea whenever you add more of the new food, but then it regulates, let the cat be regular before changing the food content again.  It could take months before the cat is completely switched.  Slow and steady wins the conversion race.    Also, make sure the fuzzy eats every day, even if you have to bribe it with old food.  This process is easier if you're just trying to add new things to the diet rather than a complete conversion. 

That said, I'm using a different tactic at the moment to explore flavors for the cats.  I haven't committed to one "official" secondary food yet.  Rather, what I'm doing is trying to sort out what flavors the cats like.  Felidae Cat and Kitten is a mix of chicken, turkey, lamb, and fish.  So on the weekends -- when I'm home and can observe them all the time and take care of emergencies -- I feed them small 3 oz can or pouch of different food rather than the Felidae.  I split it between the cats.  It's just one meal, once a week, that's out of the ordinary.  Should they reject it out of hand, the Felidae is procured and immediately gobbled.   I normally put Felidae out before I go to bed these nights so that they aren't hungry, since their dinner was smaller than usual.  At times, if they really enjoyed dinner last night, they may make a stink about eating "the usual" again the next morning.   Remember, you know they like their regular food, and the other food is simply being used as a treat right now. 

Once you start using that new food as more than a treat, you may see a change in litter box output, as I indicated previously -- that's fairly normal.  If it doesn't normalize within a week or if the cat behaves differently, then you need to be concerned and stop the new food, and let the cat get back to normal on their regular diet.  Watch carefully.  I haven't reached this point yet,  as I'm just doing "Saturday night treats" in order to feel out what my cats like.  I've only had one bad reaction to a Saturday night nom, and that was Memphis and the Wellness Beef and Chicken.  Apparently, the princess no can has cheeseburger, because even though she loooooves it, it doesn't love her back and makes her vomit.  Tenny ate it fine.

Whenever you go hunting for a new food, check to make sure there aren't any recalls out for any reason -- you don't want a sick cat, and you also don't want a "false negative" on your kitty dietary exploration.  Cats are smart -- if it's a bad can or a bad case, and they can tell, they will turn their noses up at it.  We had one bad can this week -- a regular grain free Felidae one.  Rest of the case was fine, but Memphis staunchly refused to go near her food bowl, and Tenny (who is a living garbage disposal) picked at it and then threw it up immediately, then again during her nap.  Not good.   It was the last can in that case, and so far they've been very happy with the new case of Felidae.   

Both cats have turned their noses up at straight chicken, be it Blue Wilderness or Wellness.  Tenny loooves turkey though, but prefers the Wellness over the BW, judging from how much she ate.  Duck is an eh response for both cats in the Wellness variety.  Memphis has become a fish snob, particularly over salmon Wellness.  Both cats eat Wellness tuna with gusto, but I've found that most cat experts would caution against using fish-based cat food as a main dietary staple, since there is risk of mercury and other issues with fish. So fish a few times  a week is fine, but not every day. 

On the downside, both don't like shellfish at all, and Memphis can't tolerate beef.  So far, those are my findings.  I've taken out the Wellness beef and salmon can I was going to give them next week, and I'm keeping it on the side to donate to a shelter or something.  Even when experimenting, I make sure the fuzzies don't go hungry -- they aren't punished for not liking something. 

Costs.  That's the last thing I'll discuss here, and for a lot of people, it's the bottom line as to whether they'd go through all this for the cat.  I think that's unfortunate, but true.  Feeding a cat cheap food can result in obesity, urinary crystals, dehydration, and a lot of other health problems.  These may accumulate into an early death or massive vet bills to avoid that. The extra money per can or per bag you spend is more of a sting coming out of the pocketbook, but it beats the vet bills later.  Additionally, cats eat until they get what they need -- your can will likely eat less of a better brand than they would a low-grade brand.  So instead of a full can of cat food, they may only  need to eat half.  Without the additives and fillers, they get more of what they directly need and skip the poundage.  There are many stories I've seen where the food switch resulted in a cat losing a lot of weight, but regaining it in the form of muscle.  Cats are more active, playful, happy, and look gorgeous on better food.  Those things are not measurable in $$ but the lack of vet bills and the additional number of years you get with your cat are.  Good food paired with regular vet visits and playtime result in the happiest cats. 

Other than the research I've found using my fuzzies as guinea pigs, I do have to give credit where credit is due to the various blogs and support groups I've read. 

www.thewayofcats.org -- the first cat blog I ever stumbled upon, and it's been a massive help in terms of food and behavior modification.  And Toys!  And cat stress reduction!  And human stress reduction! And really everything else -- I think everyone should be reading this.

www.ibdkitties.net -- one Catster member's website; Alex the cat has a sad story, but the mission she inspired is impressive.  Alex's owner has great advice on switching and is an advocate of the raw diet.  I haven't discussed it here, as it is something to be learned and mastered. She also has a massive list of grain-free, healthy foods for people to try who can't do raw. 

www.catster.com -- the forums on food and nutrition are excellent sources.  There are a wide variety of cats with a wide variety of dietary requirements, issues, and cautions.  And it's a great group to go for support -- they've seen it all, and they all are cat crazy like you are (if you managed to read the entire post, haha).  They were brilliant when I was stressed over having Tenny's eye removed.

Phoenix Rises.

Well, time to post a long-overdue update.  In short, my soul was consumed by school. And then I quit my job and joined the circus.

I did well though for fall 2010:  2 A's and a B, and the B was in the difficult, satisfying course.  I think I may be running an A this term, though I am not sure.  But at least I'm more secure with my progress this term as compared to last.  Decidedly lighter course load -- two study courses and a historic bibliography course (only an hour). 

But I've also undergone some major life changes over the past six months, mostly related to school... and they only came to a head about two weeks ago!  Firstly, my 2002 Escort died a painful death: transmission went kaputski.  Cost to fix?  $2500. Cost of downpayment for a new car:  $3000 to get it under my budget. You can guess which one I chose.

This turned out to be a fortunate occurrence, because the same week I was scrambling through car drama, it became evident that a parting of the ways at my job was imminent and that there was a possible job waiting in the wings. 

I have started working at UNT as a curriculum coordinator/events person for the Jewish studies program. Yep, no more front office stuff or medical field jobs.  I've officially crossed over into the academic realm.  I walk from my job to my classes. 

Some of you will never understand the magic of that.  I don't expect everyone to, but believe me, I'm happy.  I've considered moving up closer to UNT, but at the moment, I'm content where I am; not a lot of places have as much room as I do now, and if they do, they have a no pets or a one-pet only policy. 

Speaking of the fuzzies, for any curious parties, they are doing well.  Bit out of sorts with the new schedule, but they're coping.  Well, Tenny is; Memphis is being a little princess about it. 

I figured I would scrawl something tonight, as I think my brain is too tired for German, course work would knock me out, but Sherlock Holmes would keep me up to all ungodly hours.  One more short day of work this week (or maybe not!) and then a hair cut probably on Saturday.  I was really stressed the last few weeks during the fireworks, so the hair needs a lop to get rid of all the dead ends. 

I did read an interesting Governor Christie article from the NY Times yesterday, so I may post on that tomorrow after work.  I think it would be prudent for me to blog since I'm all brain work now, rather than juggling two very different lives.

Until then -- adieu. 

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.