Friday, February 19, 2010

New Year, New Stuff

A new year brings with it new stuff. For the most part, the new stuff in this new year has been good stuff. Bring it on 2010.


New in Entertainment:

Tivo: My parents got us a Tivo with a lifetime subscription for Christmas! Commercial free TV is the greatest thing since sliced bread. We don't watch a lot of sports, but we were able to watch the Superbowl in a single hour. Great game this year! Also, it looks like it's going to be a good season for Project Runway. :)

Books: Master and Margarita is a fascinating read and I highly recommend it. The book is about Stalin's Russia and is based on Goethe's Faust. It is highly symbolic and has essentially three stories going on at once: a mimicked Faustian story, a story about Russian commoners being tormented by "the devil", and the story of Christ's crucifixion from Satan's/Judas's/and Pilot's point of view. It gives poignant insight into what it is like to live under a totalitarian regime.

I'm now reading Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. It's quite depressing and hits a little too close to home, so I'm actually anxious to finish and start Proust's Swann's Way.

Movies: We saw "Sherlock Holmes" which we thought was pretty good, although unexpectedly Harry Potter-like.


New Employment:

I have a lot of new students this year. I'm teaching more than double at Lorain County Community College than I was last year. I also have completely booked my schedule at the Avon School of Music. My numbers at the Strongsville School of Music are still small however. I have about thirty students now and they keep me very busy.

There was a misunderstanding about my contract with the Mansfield Symphony, and they have had to make cutbacks, so I won't be playing with them the rest of the season. I feel very badly about this since it is nearly the only professional playing I've been doing here in Ohio.

My friend is a manager at the Barnes and Noble Oberlin College Bookstore. She asked if I could help out for "Rush Week" (the first week of classes). It was really fun. Turns out adult cash registers are even more fun than kiddie ones.

I have decided to be an Air Traffic Controller. For real. It turns out it is pretty hard to get into the field, so wish me luck.


New in Weather:

We have been part of the Eastern Snow Assault. The mountains of snow that have been blockading the streets are just now starting to melt as the sun as finally come out the last two days.


New in the House:

We finally finished the bathroom renovations. It looks and feels so much better in there! I used a sawzall, and even designed and built a cabinet from scratch.

We are indefinitely caring for a little chihuahua named Scramps. He is an excessively cuddly dog and is good company for me when Steve is at work in the mornings.


(Not) New in Politics:

Democrats had the presidency, overwhelming majorities in the house and the senate, public support, and still couldn't get a decent health care bill passed because insurance companies have so much fiscal power.

Corporations are now free to buy seats in public office.


New this Week:

Steve and I gave away our Valentine's Day tickets to hear Pierre Boulez conduct Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn with the Cleveland Orchestra because Steve was sick. Now Steve is still sick and so am I, but with two different illnesses which we are trying not to pass on to one another. :( It's miserable over here. Still, Valentine's Day was enjoyable. We exchanged gifts, made sugar cookies, and Steve got me a big bouquet of Irises!

6 comments:

Amy said...

I love Tivo and Project Runway, who is your favorite this season? I hope you get over your sicknesses soon!

Erica Jessop said...

TIVO is AMAZING its weird to think that I ever used to watch t.v. with commercials?! I read the Bell Jar years ago and found it to be quite depressing as well, but worth the read I guess let me know who you like your next book I am always looking for new reads!

Ashlee & Christian said...

Yeah, love your update. It is so fun to read all that you are doing. I hope you guys get feeling better, but seriously there is nothing better than having tivo when you are sick :)

Unknown said...

Good luck in your training to become an Air Traffic Controller!

Audrey said...

I realize your post is an old one, but I just saw your name on Kjirsti's blog and wanted to check on you. We're sad to lose David and Jacqui in our ward.
I listened to The Bell Jar on tape and the reader did such a great job of relaying the depression and crazy thoughts that were going through Plath's head. It was a crazy journey--literally and figuratively.
Glad to see you're doing well!

kjirsti said...

Ummm. I'm pretty sure you haven't posted since February. Common Mar help me out!