So May kind of... didn't happen on this blog. Not because I haven't been doing anything blog-worthy. I've just been lazy about updating. But in a nutshell, I've been ( Read more... )

Okay, I have to admit to being one of the many Canadians suffering from Obama envy. Especially now when all we have is Stephen Harper (who could probably make even the most exciting passages from Harry Potter snooze-worthy). Even Michael Ignatieff doesn't excite me very much. So I'm enjoying Obama from a distance ( Read more... )

I know this post formula has been used to death, but it seemed so appropriate for a day like today:

Ten Things I'm Loving Right Now...1. Snowstorm! A week before Christmas and the world looks beautiful ( Read more... )

Two short carols today, between my choir's dress rehearsal and concert. First, one that we're doing ourselves: Joubert's Torches. Of course, in a choir of 9-11 year-olds we don't have any tenors and basses... and there's no organ in the school... but it's basically the same piece. This is a Dutch choir.

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And here's my daily dose of King's. This is ( Read more... )

The world is white! It's amazing how the November grays can be brightened so much overnight. Good old Canadian snow storms. Suddenly the carols blaring from every store don't seem so presumptuous, and the ball of sparkly Christmas yarn is even prettier, and the little 1-3 choir kids singing Away in a Manger with all that whiteness behind them is ( Read more... )

Dad first showed me this video last March, I think, mainly because of the Cory Band (the red coats), who, apparently, are the some of the niftiest brassers in Europe. They're cool, to be sure, but I bought this song this morning, and I completely fell in love with the choir's sound. I have a thing for men's choirs, a deep, rich, chocolatey, melt-in ( Read more... )

I've always gotten the feeling that life is a hell of a lot easier when you're a natural speaker. Teaching, at least, is probably easier. I plan choir rehearsals out almost word for word, deciding exactly how I'm going to phrase things. Otherwise I ramble on for ten minutes and end up with a room full of kids staring blankly at me and raising their ( Read more... )

The great thing about going out with friends you've known since elementary school is that there's never any tension. And silliness is almost expected. So Jocelyn and I singing our lungs out at the Mamma Mia sing along movie isn't totally crazy.

Is it?

I couldn't care less if it was. We had a great time taking off for the city at 9 pm to do ( Read more... )

I'm listening to the Stanford Mag & Nunc in G at the moment. If I happen to die anytime soon, will someone please remember that I'd like the Nunc dimittis done at my funeral? That and Rupert Lang's Kontakion. If anything could turn me into a spiritual person, those two pieces could.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace ...and the ( Read more... )

Fall is undoubtedly my favorite time of year. Maybe because it always feels like a new beginning, maybe because it means Christmas is coming (I'm a christmas NUT, as I'm sure you'll find out), or maybe because the colors are so gorgeous ( Read more... )