Raising Voices: Community Choirs Gospel Concert
Sunday afternoon at four thirty Mom, Dad, and I attended Raising Voices: Community Choirs Gospel Concert at Carnegie Music Hall. We joined the Pittsburgh Gospel Choir (directed by Dr. Herbert Jones) in singing the first and third verses of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson whilst a photographic image (of mothers sending their boys to camp James Weldon Johnson,) captured by Charles "Teenie" Harris was projected upstage. This group was followed by M.A.D.E. in His Image, Mount Ararat Dance Ensemble (directed by Desiree Davis)'s two performances, the first of which was extremely aerobic. The Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church Mass Choir (directed by Katim Brown), followed; and the Wesley Center A.M.E. Zion Church Choir (directed by Rev. Jacqueline Dewberry) finished the program. We saw Maryann and her parents, and Cheryl and Marcia from my building at the reception.
Labels: Carnegie, Choir, music, photography, Pittsburgh
WHeeeeeee! (the Geico Pig, Maxwell)
Saw the latest Geico piggy commercial...
Pina and Jeremy Evans!
After a day of grading, Maureen and I saw a matinee. We watched the movie Pina, (in German, "Pina - tanzt, tanzt, sonst sind wir verloren") about Pina Bausch, founder of Tanztheater Wuppertal. Bausch was born in the city of Solingen, known for its production of cutlery and knives. Many of the scenes in the movie included influences from Merce Cunningham and other modern choreographers, and filming in the environs of Wuppertal, including around and on the Schwebebahn. THe cinematography was excellent, with in-your-face moments with the dancers during filming of the choreography.
After the movie, Maureen and I went to Bakery Square for some grocery and organizational shopping. We had soup for dinner at Whole Foods.
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This morning I recorded my grades and electronically recorded my grades, as well. I saw Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz, "the Human Pogo Stick" win the Sprite NBA Slam Dunk contest.
Friday Fun II, February 2012
Maureen and I went for pizza and French fries last night, then grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and at Target afterwards. She showed me some of what she had purchased in her hometown after that, and we had a great time.
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Saturday, 25 February 2012
Today we will watch a movie about Pina Bausch's life and choreographic and dance work.
Work Evaluation this week
Wednesday I was evaluated at work. Elia liked how I engaged the students, with my asking them to use "thumbs up, or thumbs down" and "call it out" when I wanted an answer. My explanations included examples, and non-examples: "Is [enzyme] an intermediate? Thumbs up or thumbs down!"
I also strived to have them link how their former classes (0050 and 150, 160) were linked to this class ("You've seen this biochemical pathway before, glycolysis, in Fermentation and Respiration lab..."), and how the presentations they had just delivered related to what I was presenting in front of the class now.
She liked how I knew all the students' names.
Elia indicated she would borrow from some of my techniques for engaging the students. I welcomed that, and I was honored.
Visitors from the Philippines this week
Mom's medical school classmate, Mercy, and her daughter visited Mom and Dad this week. They arrived Monday, and I took her daughter, Gigi, on a tour of part of Oakland (including two of the Cathedrals and my workplace) before I went to work. Wednesday I took Gigi to the computer labs and to the Law School for information, we passed by home plate in Posvar Hall, and stopped by the main branch of the first Carnegie Library, where we met Cathy, Lisa, and others. We looked at the dinosaur sculpture, and stopped by the museum before we headed back to my parent's place. I ate and took a nap before work. They departed on Thursday morning.
Friday Fun and a Memorial Mass for Cardinal Bevilacqua, February 2012
This Friday Maureen and I went to the North Hills for our evening meal. I had liver and onions with mashed potatoes, gravy, and sugar snap peas. Rolls were on the side. We also did some shopping.
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Today was a memorial Mass for the late Cardinal (and some-time Pittsburgh Bishop) Bevilacqua. Bishop Zubik celebrated the Mass. Songs we sang included:
The King of Love my Shepard Is (Gaelic Melody)
Kyrie (plainsong)
Antiphonal Gloria (J. Lee)
Psalm 41 (M. Guimont/ D. K. Fellows)
Gospel Acclamation (J. Chepponis)
Preparation of Gifts: Ubi Caritas (J. Biery)
Acclamations from the Deutsche Messe, Schubert/ Proulx
Agnus Dei (A.Lotti)
Communion: God is Love (A.G. Murray)
The Lord Bless You and Keep You (J. Rutter)
Recessional: O Holy God, Our Sins Forgive (Melody: Old Hundredth)
Postlude: Gigout's Toccata, played by Ken, with Don assisting with the stops (whew!)
The Artist
This evening Charles, Susan, and I went to see The Artist. A silent movie about redemption. The leading man, Jean Dujardin, physically reminded me of Clark Gable (at the beginning of the film), and then of Gene Kelly (at the end of the movie). The leading lady, Bérénice Bejo, physically reminded me of Karen Carpenter, and, in moments, of Angelina Jolie. A great movie, all around.
Tacos on Sunday...
Tacos on Sunday are getting to be a traditional treat! Sunday morning Dad helped me to enter my grades in my grade sheets. I went to choir practice, and sang at the noon Mass. We then went for tacos Sunday afternoon. Naps ensued.
Today I had a meeting with Stacey, a coworker. Then I had leftover General Tso's Chicken for lunch and observed V's class. Printed out my agenda for work this week. Met with Paige, who is sending transfer applications close to her home. Organized my work folders for tomorrow. Spoke with Charles about going out this evening, meeting Susan there, and organizing ourselves. Will go home for a short nap, as I think I may be fighting off a mild cold.
No Choir Practice This Week...
No choir practice yesterday, which meant an opportunity to see College/ Uni Jeopardy yesterday night with Mom. Also a relaxing evening which included grading of papers. Spoke with Maureen, Mom, and Jane last night by phone.
Checked our plagiarism software this morning for results on the last assignment handed in. Had breakfast. Updated my virus protection on the computer. Sent some emails. Will grade some more.
Tuesday in February, 2012
This morning, Dad and I took the car to the shop. Mom had made apritada for lunch, and We enjoyed that before I went for a short nap then to work. It is gel week for genotype identification of plasmids this week. We also do phenotype identification as well, on various media plates.
Mom and I watched the last part of the movie The Spirit of St. Louis with Jimmy Stewart.
Cardinal Newman's Homily
Saw Christina, Beth, Donna, and Danelle at the Cardinal Newman Homily discussion tonight. We looked at excerpts from Sermon 26; the discussion was facilitated by Father Steve Lowery.
Mom and I watched the end of the Bean movie tonight, beginning right at the crux scene of the movie.
St. Paul Miki and Companions
Today I lectored at Mass in the morning (saw Stacy from choir on the way there), with Fr. Daniele Vallecorsa celebrating and Anu serving and J.R. providing music ministry from the loft. We sang "Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven" as well as the acclamations, and "Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All." The Mass was celebrated for the deceased members of Rosemarie F.'s family.
Readings were: I Kings 8:1-7, 9-13; the psalm reading was 132: 6-7, 8-10; and the Gospel read by Fr. Dan was Mark 6:53-56.
Approximately 39 people from the congregation received Holy Communion at that early Mass.
Celebrating Consecrated Life
Today we celebrated a Mass with Bishop Zubik (saw Fr. Jim Gretz, Fr. Ray Utz, and Christina Mc late yesterday, and they all helped in this celebration) for consecrated life).
Among the pieces we sang were:
Lord, Help Us Walk Your Servant Way (Tune, St. Peter, A.R. Reinagle)
J. Lee's Antiphonal Gloria
Psalm 147 (H. Hughes, D. K. Fellows)
Alleluia (J. Chepponis)
O Lord, We Believe – R. Kreutz
Acclamations from the Deutsche Messe, F. Schubert
Agnus Dei from Antonio Lotti's Missa Brevis
Communion: The Cry of the Poor (J. Foley)
Draw Us In the Spirit’s Tether – H. Friedell
Recessional: Your Hands, O Lord, in Days of Old (tune, W.A. Mozart)
William's family joined Mom, Dad, and I for Mom's homemade flan dessert. I joined their family for an outing at the Carnegie Museums (I viewed the Madeleine Albright decorative pins exhibit first), met up with them at the head of the Natural History Grand Staircase, and then we enjoyed the Discovery Room (including the microscopes and the Folk Doll box. We made our way to the Carnegie Library Main branch, where I checked out two books that were on reserve for me. I said hi to Rebecca in the Children's department while the two children played a computer game with Diego from Dora the Explorer. The children enjoyed a snack or apples and animal crackers, we walked toward their car (stopping for a visit to the metal Diplodocus carnegii sculpture on Forbes Avenue), and I walked back to Mom and Dad's place to get some work done.
Maureen and I met up and we chatted about our respective weekends over snacks at Whole Foods.
Went back to Mom and Dad's for more prep work for observing a class tomorrow afternoon.
Sleep?
After watching the end of The Glenn Miller Story with Mom (with Jimmy Stewart and June Allison), I turned in to sleep at about eight last night.
I awoke about 1.30 am, downloaded new software onto my phone, cleaned out paperwork in my living room, listened to WQED, and returned to sleep about 4.00 am. I awoke at about 7.15 this morning and have been taking care of correspondence. Breakfast is next, followed by grading.
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~ 15.00
I finished grading pretty much all of my prelabs from this week. Now to grade the quizzes...
End of a week, February 2012
Twenty minutes of my lab class yesterday was lost to a fire alarm going off (it wasn't a drill) from ~14.00 to ~14.20. My class stood outside in the sub-40 Fahrenheit windy parking lot across the street from work. When we returned to the classroom, my class powered through, without a minute to spare! (I had to do the powerpoint from their printouts of it, though.)
Yesterday, soon after choir started, Fr. Breier arrived to bless each of our throats (and our health) for St. Blaise's Day (which is today).
Jamie, a soprano in choir, celebrated her birthday yesterday. There was a delicious white almond cake from Big Bird there!
Today, our work meeting went well, with discussions of how to utilize TurnItIn to detect plagiarism.
Electrophoresis of digested plasmids in lab next week!
Midweek, February 2012
So William stopped by for lunch today. We took care of a family document, had a fun lunch, and I had a few-minute nap before going to work. I made corrections on a shared answer key, and then taught. Boy, am I tired!
