The History Boys

Just saw The History Boys tonight at the Broadhurst. Fantastic show...thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Smart, funny and very moving.

Go and see it!

(And, coming in ten days, The Drowsy Chaperone! I guess the theatre season is officially underway!)

O Pioneers!

In light of my stated goal of reading every book I own, I have decided to just randomly grab something off my shelf.

The lucky winner? O Pioneers! by Willa Cather.

A little late afternoon read sounds quite pleasant.

See more progress on: read every book I own

Taking the Plunge

Years ago (in Chicago?) my sister bought me the best French press coffeepot ever.

I never use it, because it's so pretty to look at. And frankly, because making plunge pot coffee is so much more of a pain in the neck than using the drip coffeemaker. Or, if I'm honest, going to Starbucks.

Well, no more.

After soaking a year's accumulated NYC windowsill grime off of the device, I have decided to press it into service on this rather chilly April morning.

(A picture of it all in all its readiness to the right.)

The reason this is a pain is that it's actually a bit like cooking, in the sense that suddenly you're measuring and pouring and mixing and timing. It's all very involved. I mean, I love cooking, but not before morning coffee. Anyway, after finding out exactly how to do this on the Internet (thanks Internet!) I measured the coffee into the warmed pot (1 scoop per cup) added two cups (more or less) of near-boiling water, put the lid on and waited 4 minutes. At the end of 4 minutes....plunge! And pour.



The verdict? A few grounds, but seriously one of the most sublimely wonderful cups of coffee I've had in a long time. Rich and thick, with a nice texture to it. Not to strong, and not bitter or acid at all.

Kitty French Press Pot, welcome (back) to the family!!!!

Update

Well, class is winding up. There’a a hellacious amount of work between now and the last class: finishing a group presentation, doing about 3 weeks’ worth of reading (and associated reading quizzes) AND a final exam. But I’m glad I took the course….it’s really opened my eyes to the possibilities for me in the hospitality field.

I sat down last week with the career counselor and revamped my resume. It looks good, but it’s still going to be a hard sell until I get my first hotel job. But I’m optimistic. I went to Staples yesterday and bought fancy paper and everything. It’s also posted on HotJobs, Monster and CareerBuilder.

Boring pharma documents, I may be bidding you adieu soon!

See more progress on: find work I'm passionate about

Altruism Tuesdays at Hawkwild

And now, a periodic reminder to Help Public School Kids by Participating in a DonorsChoose Challenge.

Happy Easter!

Easter Rabbit
Originally uploaded by hawkwild.

I just played tourist and took some pictures of the Easter Parade and also some at Rockefeller Center.

Enjoy!

Tulip Time

Went on a little tulip buying frenzy today....now I've got them all over my apartment. Thank goodness there are inexpensive cut flowers in this town.

Now I'm off to take pictures of the Easter Parade.

Happy Easter!!!

AIDS Walk

awny2005_ir_02
Originally uploaded by Rob T Firefly.

My friend Chipper's doing the AIDS Walk. Help him out!

Howdy folks,

It's that time of year again - the 2006 AIDS Walk New York is coming up in May. As was the case last year, the Birch Family Camp team has made arrangements to keep ALL of the money our team raises and apply it towards keeping camp running for yet another year. We've set a collective fundraising goal of $20,000, and I've set a personal goal of $1000 (but I would love to shatter that). Please give as generously as you can - remember that every donation helps! For inspiration, check out my website for Birch pictures from past years:

http://web.mac.com/dd460/

Thanks for doing whatever you can to help Birch Camp happen this and every other year! If you want more information on camp (or would like to come volunteer) e-mail me. :)


Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support AIDS Walk New York

Chipper Dean

Quote o' the Day

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."

- Walt Disney

Photo Uploaded to Flickr.com on February 26, 2006

by olvwu

Concert Next Sunday

My former choir is having a concert on Palm Sunday:

Cantori New York
Mark Shapiro, Artistic Director

"From Darkness to Light"

Sunday, April 9, 2006
4 PM
Church of the Holy Trinity
316 East 88th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

Private cocktail reception and supper to benefit Cantori New York
immediately following the concert at Rathbones, 1702 2nd Avenue

Concert $20
Reception $30
Tickets for both available at www.cantorinewyork.com

• Notturno by Arnold Schoenberg. For harp and strings. NEW YORK PREMIERE. Anna Reinersman, harp
• Lua Descolorida (Colorless Moon) by Osvaldo Golijov. For women! ¹s chorus and strings.
• Et la vie l¹emporta (And Life is the Victor) by Frank Martin. For mezzo soprano, chorus, and chamber orchestra. NEW YORK PREMIERE. Charlotte Paulsen, mezzo soprano
• Three Sacred Songs by Hugo Wolf. For mixed chorus a cappella.
• Cantata #4, Christ lag in Todesbanden (Christ lay in Death¹s Prison) by J. S. Bach. For chorus and chamber orchestra.
  

New York, NY (February 25, 2006)--- Cantori New York, led by its Artistic Director Mark Shapiro, Church of the Holy Trinity (Episcopal), 316 East 88th St, on Sunday, April 9, 2006, at 4 PM. Tickets available at the door for $20 or online at www.cantorinewyork.com.

The concert will open with a characteristic Cantori touch: the New York premiere of a novelty work by a "young" Arnold Schoenberg. Schoenberg composed his No! tturno (1896) for harp and strings. This five-minute work was originally composed for an event hosted by the composer and eventual father-in-law to Schoenberg, Alexander von Zemlinsky.

Lua Descolorida (Colorless Moon) (2000/2002) by Osvaldo Golijov will follow the Schoenberg. Cantori will perform this work with women¹s chorus. This version communicates a tender anthem Golijov composed for Dawn Upshaw, on a text apostrophizing the moon. The ensemble for this five-minute work is women's chorus and strings.

The concert¹s centerpiece is the New York premiere of Frank Martin¹s last completed work, the poignant cantata Et la vie l¹emporta (1974--And Life is the Victor). In three strongly contrasted movements the composer confronts his final illness, first acknowledging its terrible pain and cruelty, next waging war on his despair, and finally emerging triumphant. The composition is a symphonically executed triptych in Martin¹s characte! ristic meld of dodecaphony and impressionism.

Works from earlier eras counterbalance the concert¹s first half. The Sacred Songs (1881) for mixed chorus a cappella by Hugo Wolf are rarely heard. In his eloquent chromatic style, Wolf also deals with life¹s ³necessary losses.²

And Bach¹s Cantata #4, Christ lag in Todesbanden (Christ lay in Death¹s Prison) for chorus and chamber orchestra unfolds another resurrection myth. Its chorale text will be familiar to listeners: Martin¹s second movement uses the same words.


This concert is the second in a gala season celebrating Shapiro¹s fifteenth season as Cantori¹s Artistic Director. The group specializes in new, recent, and neglected but artistically important works for voices and instruments presented in conceptually rich programs. This concert, thematically unified across a range of languages and sonorities, epitomizes Cantori¹s approach and showcases the group's highest s! tandards of musical excellence.

For Sale

I'm selling somthing on E-Bay!

As of this posting, it's a no-reserve auction and it's selling for 99¢!