The icon says it all, really.
I have not been keeping up with posting or with commenting on the entries of others nearly as much as usual, for which I apologize--and please, please forgive me for all the missed birthday wishes. ~cringes~ RL has consumed too much of my energy and time and--just lately--a good chunk of my brains, too.
(Pauses to consider metaphor of RL-as-zombie.)
Anyway. I have had too much to do and too little time to do it in, a situation that might well not resolve itself for oh, say, the seven remaining weeks of the semester. ~growls~ But that's just the way it is, and I will, as always, Deal With It. With gritted teeth, if necessary, but still. Dealing.
Oh well. The day is considerably lightened, at least, by yet more gorgeous sunshine and warm temperatures. (This is by far the most beautiful, temperate early March that I can recall; if I didn't know better, I'd swear it was April.) There will be rain later this week, and it won't stay quite this warm--above 50!--but spring has definitely sprung, and that is cause for both rejoicing and restless yearning. To assuage said restless yearning, I have pulled out all my spring-related, lighthearted BPAL scents: The Host of the Air, Eos, Gwyneth, Viola, Juliet, Croquet, High-Strung Daisies. Today I'm wearing Marcilla, which is all lilacs and muguet and green tea and nectarines. It's very feminine and classic and clean and putting me in a good frame of mind, which is decidedly appreciated.
The weekend was... not refreshing as I would have hoped, but I did manage to get some good things done. I'm current on grading (~dance of joy~), slow-simmered a pot of from-scratch beef goulash for hours (yum yum yum) and I managed to get the house clean and tidied and ready for Easter. Yes, I'm weeks early, but considering the amount that needs to get done by then, and the fact that I'm hosting Easter because practically everybody else will be either convalescing or just about to give birth by then, it needed to be done now. I can keep this clean until then. Besides, it's a mood-booster. It's easier to work in a clean and neat space. (For me. I do appreciate that this isn't the case for everybody.) I also squeezed in some time to meet with Mom and discuss the Easter menu... again, needs doing now so that it won't be too onerous later. I think we've settled on something elegant, but sane. Ask me again in three weeks if my opinion has changed. *g*
It is stressful to be planning this--so much to do by then, including jury duty (ugh) and finishing my Exchange story draft, as well as beta-reading the others and finishing my crack_broom recs--but I'm also enjoying the opportunity to fuss, since at the same time last year... well, fussing was not even in my vocabulary of possibility. Dad had just had his accident, and there was a very strong possibility of no Easter at all, in any way, since I hardly had the time or energy to remember to feed myself regularly, let alone do anything outside of Survival Mode. (Thank you, Scoffy, for the apt term.) It was by the grace, thoughtfulness and generosity of friends and family that we were able to enjoy something nice last year, and since this year brings kidney operations (Crazy Aunt Joan) and knee-replacements (her fiance) and business trips (Cousin M's husband) and grieving (his parents) and an imminent caesarean section (Cousin M) for those same family and friends, I'm quite happy to have the opportunity to offer them my time and effort (and cooking and baking) in return. I'd do it even if I owed them nothing, of course, but this adds a layer of satisfaction.
The weekend was topped off by watching the Oscars and enjoying virtual Oscar parties on LJ and Buzz. It is immeasurably more fun to watch these things when allowed to dish and snark and share observations in more or less real time with one's good friends. I mean, it would be even better if the party didn't have to be virtual... but I'm still quite happy that technology allows us to have this much. Thanks for the laughs, ladies! :D
As for Little Brother and his first semester of music school, he's continuing to do well, though the stress level is very high and the amount of practice and ensemble time required means that he has very, very little time for anything outside of music and school. Somehow, he's shoehorned his job in there, too. He just had a scare last week, regarding his wrists, when he started to feel a significant amount of pain. I'm sure that those of you who are or know musicians will understand just why wrist pain would be so alarming, above and beyond being simply uncomfortable.
After freaking out over the possibility of RSI or carpal tunnel or tendonitis, he made an appointment with the specialist, rather than his GP--which turned out to be a good move. The specialist recognized certain telltale signs, and after some x-rays and our imaging tests to confirm, Younger Brother has a surprising diagnosis of Madelung Deformity, which in practical terms means that his radius is too short and leaves a certain amount of play in the wrist. (Interesting side note: it's both genetic and recessive, and it is possible that my own wrist issues are also due to this. I had ruefully put it down to RSI, but that isn't necessarily the case. I have to make my own appointments to get it checked out.)
His case is very mild, relatively speaking, and can be easily managed with the proper wrist supports and anti-inflammatory drugs, which is frankly a relief to him, because now he knows that it isn't something he can help, and he didn't do it to himself by practicing too much or in an improper way. It shouldn't hamper his long-term plans. And after a week of the braces, he's already feeling some improvement and back to practicing as he did before. In fact, I have plans to see him in his first Wind Symphony concert this evening, and he's been slated to play an arrangement of Liszt's Liebestraum for marimba later this week, as part of the Arts@Noon program. He's played it for me, and although I am hardly unbiased, I think it sounds gorgeous, very expressive and romantic. He's also working on an arrangement of Muse's Hysteria for the Percussion Pops Ensemble (he's playing the synth part here, on the vibraphone) and this arrangement of the Dill Pickle Rag for the Percussion Ensemble (playing the primary xylophone line--and yes, he does play it that fast. O.o).
It is wonderful to see somebody you love grow to be confident in their own talents and reap the success they deserve. It really is. Strangely, it is more satisfying than even your own successes, keen as those are. :-)
So... that's it for right now, really. Trying to keep up with the vQ, as I can. Fielding e-mails left and right--and it's all I can do to keep up with the work ones right now, so I apologize if I'm behind with any of yours. Pondering ideas to make special Easter baskets for the Godkids. And really looking forward to the spinach pie and falafel and hummous pita I have planned for lunch, because I missed breakfast and am OMG hungry now. Happy Tuesdays are wished to all of you--except, of course, for those of you for whom it is already Wednesday. Happy Wednesday, in that case. ;-)
(Pauses to consider metaphor of RL-as-zombie.)
Anyway. I have had too much to do and too little time to do it in, a situation that might well not resolve itself for oh, say, the seven remaining weeks of the semester. ~growls~ But that's just the way it is, and I will, as always, Deal With It. With gritted teeth, if necessary, but still. Dealing.
Oh well. The day is considerably lightened, at least, by yet more gorgeous sunshine and warm temperatures. (This is by far the most beautiful, temperate early March that I can recall; if I didn't know better, I'd swear it was April.) There will be rain later this week, and it won't stay quite this warm--above 50!--but spring has definitely sprung, and that is cause for both rejoicing and restless yearning. To assuage said restless yearning, I have pulled out all my spring-related, lighthearted BPAL scents: The Host of the Air, Eos, Gwyneth, Viola, Juliet, Croquet, High-Strung Daisies. Today I'm wearing Marcilla, which is all lilacs and muguet and green tea and nectarines. It's very feminine and classic and clean and putting me in a good frame of mind, which is decidedly appreciated.
The weekend was... not refreshing as I would have hoped, but I did manage to get some good things done. I'm current on grading (~dance of joy~), slow-simmered a pot of from-scratch beef goulash for hours (yum yum yum) and I managed to get the house clean and tidied and ready for Easter. Yes, I'm weeks early, but considering the amount that needs to get done by then, and the fact that I'm hosting Easter because practically everybody else will be either convalescing or just about to give birth by then, it needed to be done now. I can keep this clean until then. Besides, it's a mood-booster. It's easier to work in a clean and neat space. (For me. I do appreciate that this isn't the case for everybody.) I also squeezed in some time to meet with Mom and discuss the Easter menu... again, needs doing now so that it won't be too onerous later. I think we've settled on something elegant, but sane. Ask me again in three weeks if my opinion has changed. *g*
It is stressful to be planning this--so much to do by then, including jury duty (ugh) and finishing my Exchange story draft, as well as beta-reading the others and finishing my crack_broom recs--but I'm also enjoying the opportunity to fuss, since at the same time last year... well, fussing was not even in my vocabulary of possibility. Dad had just had his accident, and there was a very strong possibility of no Easter at all, in any way, since I hardly had the time or energy to remember to feed myself regularly, let alone do anything outside of Survival Mode. (Thank you, Scoffy, for the apt term.) It was by the grace, thoughtfulness and generosity of friends and family that we were able to enjoy something nice last year, and since this year brings kidney operations (Crazy Aunt Joan) and knee-replacements (her fiance) and business trips (Cousin M's husband) and grieving (his parents) and an imminent caesarean section (Cousin M) for those same family and friends, I'm quite happy to have the opportunity to offer them my time and effort (and cooking and baking) in return. I'd do it even if I owed them nothing, of course, but this adds a layer of satisfaction.
The weekend was topped off by watching the Oscars and enjoying virtual Oscar parties on LJ and Buzz. It is immeasurably more fun to watch these things when allowed to dish and snark and share observations in more or less real time with one's good friends. I mean, it would be even better if the party didn't have to be virtual... but I'm still quite happy that technology allows us to have this much. Thanks for the laughs, ladies! :D
As for Little Brother and his first semester of music school, he's continuing to do well, though the stress level is very high and the amount of practice and ensemble time required means that he has very, very little time for anything outside of music and school. Somehow, he's shoehorned his job in there, too. He just had a scare last week, regarding his wrists, when he started to feel a significant amount of pain. I'm sure that those of you who are or know musicians will understand just why wrist pain would be so alarming, above and beyond being simply uncomfortable.
After freaking out over the possibility of RSI or carpal tunnel or tendonitis, he made an appointment with the specialist, rather than his GP--which turned out to be a good move. The specialist recognized certain telltale signs, and after some x-rays and our imaging tests to confirm, Younger Brother has a surprising diagnosis of Madelung Deformity, which in practical terms means that his radius is too short and leaves a certain amount of play in the wrist. (Interesting side note: it's both genetic and recessive, and it is possible that my own wrist issues are also due to this. I had ruefully put it down to RSI, but that isn't necessarily the case. I have to make my own appointments to get it checked out.)
His case is very mild, relatively speaking, and can be easily managed with the proper wrist supports and anti-inflammatory drugs, which is frankly a relief to him, because now he knows that it isn't something he can help, and he didn't do it to himself by practicing too much or in an improper way. It shouldn't hamper his long-term plans. And after a week of the braces, he's already feeling some improvement and back to practicing as he did before. In fact, I have plans to see him in his first Wind Symphony concert this evening, and he's been slated to play an arrangement of Liszt's Liebestraum for marimba later this week, as part of the Arts@Noon program. He's played it for me, and although I am hardly unbiased, I think it sounds gorgeous, very expressive and romantic. He's also working on an arrangement of Muse's Hysteria for the Percussion Pops Ensemble (he's playing the synth part here, on the vibraphone) and this arrangement of the Dill Pickle Rag for the Percussion Ensemble (playing the primary xylophone line--and yes, he does play it that fast. O.o).
It is wonderful to see somebody you love grow to be confident in their own talents and reap the success they deserve. It really is. Strangely, it is more satisfying than even your own successes, keen as those are. :-)
So... that's it for right now, really. Trying to keep up with the vQ, as I can. Fielding e-mails left and right--and it's all I can do to keep up with the work ones right now, so I apologize if I'm behind with any of yours. Pondering ideas to make special Easter baskets for the Godkids. And really looking forward to the spinach pie and falafel and hummous pita I have planned for lunch, because I missed breakfast and am OMG hungry now. Happy Tuesdays are wished to all of you--except, of course, for those of you for whom it is already Wednesday. Happy Wednesday, in that case. ;-)