why does time fly?
Because I should be writing my dissertation.
And, because I should be writing my dissertation, I shall tell you about my weekend!
Singing a big choral piece, like Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, is probably the closest I will ever come to knowing the ecstasy of athleticism. We rehearsed for 3hrs on Saturday (plus another 1.5hrs for commute and set up), performed regular Sunday service from 9am to noon, rehearsed for another 2hrs in the afternoon, and sang our hearts out in the evening. By the time I got home past 9pm on Sunday, I was exhausted and high in the best of ways.
The piece is terrific fun. It tells the story of Elijah - how he prayed for a drought so that Israel will return to worship the Lord, how he challenged the worshippers of Baal to a battle of prayers, how he defeated and slaughtered them, how he fled Queen Jezebel’s persecution, and how he finally ascended into the heavens in a fiery chariot. Our amazing soloists played their parts with gusto - I teared up every time I heard our soprano, whether she was a widow whose son had just died, or an angel of the Lord.
Meanwhile, the choir gets to play the “Israelite extras” as the scenes demand - we get to be hungry, boastful, bloodthirsty, thankful, awed, and comforting, sometimes changing moods with a flicker of the conductor’s hand. The piece was originally composed to be sung in English, which is usually not my preferred singing language, but it sure was fun to “taste” the words! Consonants like “sl” in “slay” or “br” in “brake” must be voiced melodramatically in order to “sound right,” and, well, how often do I get to do so many subito pianos and subito fortes?
I hope that choral singing will always remain one of my serious hobbies. It compels me to trust my “team” completely, which is a welcome relief from my usual mode of mild skepticism. There are so many things to track - pitch, rhythm, words, dynamics, tempo, expression - and when everything works, I feel unutterably grateful and humbled, because the whole is much, much greater than the sum of its individual parts. Singing makes me feel proud to be human.
Some fun lines to sing:
“The deep affords no water, and the rivers are exhausted. The suckling’s tongue now cleaveth for thirst to his mouth…”
“Baal! Baal! Hear and answer, Baal! Mark how the scorner derideth us!”
“Take all the prophets of Baal and let not one of them escape us: bring all and slay them!”
“Thanks be to God! He quencheth the thirsty land. The waters gather, they rush along, they are lifting their voices. The stormy billows are high, their fury is mighty.”
“Lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help. Thy help cometh from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved, thy Keeper will never slumber. He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. Shouldst thou, walking in grief, languish, He will quicken thee.” (from my favorite Psalm)
“Behold, God the Lord passed by! And a mighty wind rent the mountains around, brake in pieces the rocks, brake them before the Lord. But yet the Lord was not in the tempest. Behold, God the Lord passed by! And the sea was upheaved, and the earth was shaken. But yet the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there came a fire. But yet the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came a still small voice. And in that still voice onward came the Lord.” (I guess if you’re God, you get to make a big entrance)
“And when the Lord would take him away to heaven, lo! There came a fiery chariot with fiery horses, and he went by a whirlwind to heaven.”
***
I returned my students’ first paper drafts yesterday. On the whole I feel they did well, which has much to do with their previous training. A few students will have to work more than their classmates in order to pass the class. Childhood education is so important in helping students to acquire and to practice foundational knowledge and skills. How much of our national budget is devoted to K-12 education again?
***
Last night I went to dinner at my cousin’s house. We had said we would do dinner for about, oh, FOUR YEARS, because we live about, oh, TEN BLOCKS APART, but being young responsible women who are certain of the strength of family ties (in a good way), we kept letting other priorities take, um, priority.
Well, nothing like an impending birth to shift priorities - we finally made concrete plans instead of the “we really really must get together” ones as M is entering the second half of her third trimester, and I enjoyed one of the most delicious, cozy, and fun home-cooked meals I’ve ever had. There was tender and juicy chicken in olive oil, garlic, and sage; excellent crusty bread to wipe up the juices, perfectly steamed broccoli, pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream, and the most decadent balsamic vinegar I have ever tasted, which we drizzled on top of vanilla ice cream - tasted like $12-14 in a fancy restaurant, I venture.
Before, during, and after dinner conversation was just as good. I finally got to know my cousin-in-law a little more, and he is a wonderful man! Since I always thought that M is too good to be true, I am glad she found her perfect match ☺ . When I used their bathroom and saw their toothbrushes next to each other I melted with the “awww”s. They are the only practicing Mormons I know well, and it is fascinating to learn more about how they integrate their faith and life plans. Hearing about C’s mission experience in rural Chile, for example, gives me new visions of retirement…
***
I have had a very productive day: made important telephone calls, advised students, wrote, worked on tomorrow’s lesson, shopped for groceries, and started dinner. I think I deserve Bones tonight.
***
Argh! The best made plans of mice and men...I checked my flist!
First,
zandperl corrupted me: how could something so good feel so...uh, good? No! No! Stop!
Then...et tu,
enigmaticblues ?
What Your Soul Really Looks Like
You are quite expressive and thoughtful. You see the world in a way that others are blind to.
You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it.
You believe that people see you as a bit small and insignificant. People pay more attention to you than you think.
Your near future is all about change, but in very small steps. The end of the journey looks far, but it's much closer than you realize.
For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.
Inside the Room of Your Soul
And, because I should be writing my dissertation, I shall tell you about my weekend!
Singing a big choral piece, like Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, is probably the closest I will ever come to knowing the ecstasy of athleticism. We rehearsed for 3hrs on Saturday (plus another 1.5hrs for commute and set up), performed regular Sunday service from 9am to noon, rehearsed for another 2hrs in the afternoon, and sang our hearts out in the evening. By the time I got home past 9pm on Sunday, I was exhausted and high in the best of ways.
The piece is terrific fun. It tells the story of Elijah - how he prayed for a drought so that Israel will return to worship the Lord, how he challenged the worshippers of Baal to a battle of prayers, how he defeated and slaughtered them, how he fled Queen Jezebel’s persecution, and how he finally ascended into the heavens in a fiery chariot. Our amazing soloists played their parts with gusto - I teared up every time I heard our soprano, whether she was a widow whose son had just died, or an angel of the Lord.
Meanwhile, the choir gets to play the “Israelite extras” as the scenes demand - we get to be hungry, boastful, bloodthirsty, thankful, awed, and comforting, sometimes changing moods with a flicker of the conductor’s hand. The piece was originally composed to be sung in English, which is usually not my preferred singing language, but it sure was fun to “taste” the words! Consonants like “sl” in “slay” or “br” in “brake” must be voiced melodramatically in order to “sound right,” and, well, how often do I get to do so many subito pianos and subito fortes?
I hope that choral singing will always remain one of my serious hobbies. It compels me to trust my “team” completely, which is a welcome relief from my usual mode of mild skepticism. There are so many things to track - pitch, rhythm, words, dynamics, tempo, expression - and when everything works, I feel unutterably grateful and humbled, because the whole is much, much greater than the sum of its individual parts. Singing makes me feel proud to be human.
Some fun lines to sing:
“The deep affords no water, and the rivers are exhausted. The suckling’s tongue now cleaveth for thirst to his mouth…”
“Baal! Baal! Hear and answer, Baal! Mark how the scorner derideth us!”
“Take all the prophets of Baal and let not one of them escape us: bring all and slay them!”
“Thanks be to God! He quencheth the thirsty land. The waters gather, they rush along, they are lifting their voices. The stormy billows are high, their fury is mighty.”
“Lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help. Thy help cometh from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved, thy Keeper will never slumber. He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. Shouldst thou, walking in grief, languish, He will quicken thee.” (from my favorite Psalm)
“Behold, God the Lord passed by! And a mighty wind rent the mountains around, brake in pieces the rocks, brake them before the Lord. But yet the Lord was not in the tempest. Behold, God the Lord passed by! And the sea was upheaved, and the earth was shaken. But yet the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there came a fire. But yet the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came a still small voice. And in that still voice onward came the Lord.” (I guess if you’re God, you get to make a big entrance)
“And when the Lord would take him away to heaven, lo! There came a fiery chariot with fiery horses, and he went by a whirlwind to heaven.”
***
I returned my students’ first paper drafts yesterday. On the whole I feel they did well, which has much to do with their previous training. A few students will have to work more than their classmates in order to pass the class. Childhood education is so important in helping students to acquire and to practice foundational knowledge and skills. How much of our national budget is devoted to K-12 education again?
***
Last night I went to dinner at my cousin’s house. We had said we would do dinner for about, oh, FOUR YEARS, because we live about, oh, TEN BLOCKS APART, but being young responsible women who are certain of the strength of family ties (in a good way), we kept letting other priorities take, um, priority.
Well, nothing like an impending birth to shift priorities - we finally made concrete plans instead of the “we really really must get together” ones as M is entering the second half of her third trimester, and I enjoyed one of the most delicious, cozy, and fun home-cooked meals I’ve ever had. There was tender and juicy chicken in olive oil, garlic, and sage; excellent crusty bread to wipe up the juices, perfectly steamed broccoli, pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream, and the most decadent balsamic vinegar I have ever tasted, which we drizzled on top of vanilla ice cream - tasted like $12-14 in a fancy restaurant, I venture.
Before, during, and after dinner conversation was just as good. I finally got to know my cousin-in-law a little more, and he is a wonderful man! Since I always thought that M is too good to be true, I am glad she found her perfect match ☺ . When I used their bathroom and saw their toothbrushes next to each other I melted with the “awww”s. They are the only practicing Mormons I know well, and it is fascinating to learn more about how they integrate their faith and life plans. Hearing about C’s mission experience in rural Chile, for example, gives me new visions of retirement…
***
I have had a very productive day: made important telephone calls, advised students, wrote, worked on tomorrow’s lesson, shopped for groceries, and started dinner. I think I deserve Bones tonight.
***
Argh! The best made plans of mice and men...I checked my flist!
First,
zandperl corrupted me: how could something so good feel so...uh, good? No! No! Stop!
Then...et tu,
enigmaticblues ?
What Your Soul Really Looks Like
You are quite expressive and thoughtful. You see the world in a way that others are blind to.
You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it.
You believe that people see you as a bit small and insignificant. People pay more attention to you than you think.
Your near future is all about change, but in very small steps. The end of the journey looks far, but it's much closer than you realize.
For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.
Inside the Room of Your Soul