Anyway, as I sit her in the 9,000,000 degree computer lab, I've decided to do another "Things That Have Been Making Me Happy As Of Late" post, so let's get right to it!
- Chanter lessons: I've been making rapid progress on the chanter lately. Perhaps it's because my sight reading has drastically improved or because I'm finally getting a feeling for how bagpipe music is supposed to sound, but it doesn't take me nearly as long to learn songs these days. My teacher is abounding with encouraging commentary and fun songs to learn, so I've been enjoying spending time under her tutelage. That, and she busted out her pipes for me during our lesson today [I told her it was my Christmas wish]. SHE'S SO COOL. I can't wait to get my own set of pipes.
- School: I refuse to be dishonest, so I'll divulge just how well I've been doing in school this semester. I've gotten A's on all my tests and papers, including a 157/150 on my rather stressful second triterm for British Literary History. By the end of the semester, I'm anticipating ending all of my classes with at least an A-. AND TODAY WAS THE LAST DAY OF CLASSES! SCORE.
- Reading: Lately, I've been rereading Invasive Procedures by Orson Scott Card [remember when I got him to autograph it for me?]. I picked it up again because it was on hand. It's alright, but definitely not his best work [which would be anything with affiliated with Ender Wiggin]. However, what luck should come upon me but a recommendation from my favorite professor of the year, Dr. Petersen! During a discussion of nostalgia for Medieval ideals [or what they believed to be Medieval ideals] during the 18th century, she somehow brought up Dan Brown and the tripe he produces and passes off as "conspiracy fiction". She proceeded to recommend we read Foucalt's Pendulum by Umberto Eco--essentially, Dan Brown is Eco-Lite. I picked it up from the library yesteryday and BOY, it is hefty! It should last me clear through vacation!
- Broadway: For extra credit in my Theatre History class, we were given the opportunity to perform an excerpt from any song performed on Broadway at any point in the history of American theatre. Seizing the opportunity, I selected a partner and we sang "It Sucks To Be Me" from Avenue Q. I won't lie, it was pretty brilliant. I also helped out another friend of mine while ribbon dancing with three other people while she "sang"/rhythmically spoke "Over the Moon" from Rent. All in all, it was a good day in the theatre.
- Theatre: Speaking of which, after two years of rejected auditions, I finally got into a Mask Club next semester! I'm going to be in Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind, a Neofuturist play that will be directed by my dear friend Keith. It goes up March 4th, the day before my birthday, so if any of you have any sense of birthday wish fulfillment, you'll come see it. Mark it on your calenders!
- Pitas: Remember that post I wrote FOREVER ago about aptly naming your food establishment [hint: this is the same post in which I said I would open a restaurant called The Steak Dungeon]? Anyway, recently, I decided to give The Pita Pit another shot. IT'S DELICIOUS. I now love pitas with a burning fury that shall never be quenched.
- Ward Choir: This Sunday will be our ward Christmas program. Being on the ward choir council has been nice because it's prompted me to start going to choir--which is such a wonderful way to start the Sabbath! It also fills me with the Spirit and helps me to focus on how music puts us in an attitude of worship.
- Music Status Updates: In case some of you haven't been avidly following my status updates on Facebook/Twitter [yes, I have a Twitter now], I've started using them to broadcast my choices of Songs of the Day. I pick two songs that usually related by genre, sound, content, or mood. You should check them out--I'm doing this to educate people about supremely excellent music. I'm such a saint.
Happy Thursday!
