Thursday, Friday, and Saturday-- Work and play
This Thursday after work I went to get dinner then went to choir practice. Friday after the work meeting Kim suggested we get frozen yogurt, and she, Lauren, Christine, Natasha, and I went to Razzy Fresh. Great new flavor of Belgian Waffle (les Gaufres Belgiques!) was there. Yesterday evening I graded the first page of my last section, saw the end of "Saving Mr. Banks" with Mom, and called it an early night. I am ~70% finished grading my quizzes this weekend, and need to grade a set of articles for their pre-labs. Also need to set up grade groups in CourseWeb. All this weekend...
54 (fifty-four) Day Streak on Duolingo Italian and French!!
Today I have been learning and practicing for 54 days days straight my Italian and French on Duolingo! I am on level 8 (eight) for each of those languages.
Week of Sunday 14 September-- First Sunday Back at Choir
Sunday the 14th of September was our first day back at choir. It was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. We sang
an introit (Let our glory be in the cross),
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Lord Have Mercy (Litany tone)
Gloria (J. Lee)
Psalm 78 (Batastini/Gelineau)
Gospel Acclamation (J. Berthier)
Sanctus (Mass XVIII)
Acclamations (Danish Mass)
Lamb of God (D. Isele's Holy Cross Mass)
Communion: By the Sign of the Cross (A. Motyka)
Recessional: We Glory in the Cross of Christ
Additionally, we sang for the preparation of gifts and for Communion
God So Loved the World (J. Goss)
Ave Verum (E. Elgar)
Ken played two voluntaries (before and after Mass), the postlude was by Langlais.
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Monday I got donuts for Joya's panel discussion about Opportunities at PITT. Students showed us that they had applied for absentee ballots or library cards. This week I reminded my students to send me an email if they have allergies to common substances, and about their flu shots. I went to a talk on Race and Health by Prof. Johnson of the University of Michigan at the Cathedral of Learning. Sat in the same row as Darve, my former UTA, now a medical student.
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Wednesday there was no Bible study and Carol W from CIDDE observed me at work that afternoon.
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Thursday our first gradesheets were due in the morning, I met up with Carol W of CIDDE regarding my observation, and I got my flu shot.
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Graded MORE this weekend (finished grading the prelabs before the weekend, but did not finish grading all four sections--graded 3/4 sections of the notebooks). Went with Mom and Dad to "Auntie Azon's Mass at the Cathedral....We all went to dinner at Dumpling House. I sat at the kid's table with Regina and John. Tita Trinita misses Auntie Azon very much. We got back in time to welcome k & K to Pittsburgh. I put a whole chicken and some pork in my freezer. We enjoyed spring water, kefir water, and I got a shoulder massage. Much food was eaten and enjoyed. I graded all day Saturday and Sunday.
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Monday, I took my students to Heinz Chapel, and after the tour I talked about Academic Integrity/Honesty and how it relates to the windows in the chapel.
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Tuesday, after work I went to the Library Meet and Greet (Wine and Cheese) and chatted with Carlos P, Margarete, and Marni H. Margarete and I walked to the Biology complex together.
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Wednesday (today) I caught up with my blogging journal, and will go to Bible Study this morning.
Saturday- Wellesley Service/ Day to Make a Difference; Maleficent
Today (Saturday) I awoke early to join Michele L. in our annual Pittsburgh Wellesley Club Day to Make a Difference at Family House in Shadyside. Ines C. joined us later. I went to campus for computer work, then I went to Mom & Dad's to have lunch and to bid Phyllis farewell. Then it was time to grade prelabs. After dinner I joined up with Debbie for a Disney movie (starring Angelina Jolie) called Maleficent. A great movie in the tradition of Frozen.
An early night to turn in! Wheeee!
Thursday- First Day back at Choir Practice; Friday- Ashing ovens!
This Thursday was our first day back at choir practice. We practiced practically all of Sunday's repertoire. Snacks were provided by Judi. Phyllis, Mom, and Dad greeted me after practice.
Friday, we had our weekly meeting, and experienced the power of the microwave ashing ovens! I met with my UTA afterwards (Joya).
Tuesday and then Wednesday- Bible Study with Phyllis
I went over last Spring's exam with one of my students Tuesday.
Wednesday (today) I went with Phyllis to Bible study. We read the readings for this Sunday, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. I caught up with online correspondence, and my blog, and will practice my 38th day of languages (French and Italian) online.
Friday and Saturday at Carnegie Museum of Art!
Friday night I went to an artist's talk by Sebastian Errazuriz for his first solo museum exhibition, Look Again.
http://www.cmoa.org/CalendarEvent.aspx?eid=23610&cat=All
I visited the galleries briefly, and was quite moved by the pieces in the Hall of Architecture. His talk focused on his work, which juxtaposes various objects and plays with the materials of objects, whilst keeping an artistic and a design element tongue-in-cheek. He is originally from Chile, and is now based out of New York City, and his parents came along for the talk. Through his artistic and design sense he forces one to rethink the quotidian, as he plays with materials, object placement, and design whilst keeping a functional sensibility intact.
A professed non-religious fellow, he shows this sentiment through his fly swatters, emergency crosses, popsicles, "El Santo" chair, and other fashioned objects. However, in deference to stories in the news, he designed and carried out the formation of a 33-story cross of light on the side of a building during the vigil of the trapped underground Chilean miners. He certainly plays to his audience, when prompted.
Much of his most recent work makes strong social statements, including his large tree in the center of a busy Chilean soccer/football stadium, "R" collegiate jacket, Occupy signage chairs, the piece "America Kills" (which featured statistics of war and veteran suicide), and timepieces which sweep seconds around a watch face but neither "keep" nor "measure" time, but allow us to be aware of its passage. The Shoes series was often humoresque, and I reminded Charles (who also attended, with Susan) of the phrase "don't cry over spilt milk" as we viewed one shoe in the series entitled "Crybaby."
My favorite pieces were "The Piano," "Duck Fan," and "Lampara de Lagrimas," a chandelier housing taxidermied multicolor birds, which makes a statement of the delicacy of life.
It was fun meeting Charles and Susan and their friends: Susan and Daryl, people in the Education Department at the museum, Carolina, etc.
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Today (Saturday) I met up with Stacy and Clare. We walked (slowly) to the Museum Cafe and enjoyed food and drink. We took in the exhibit "Faked, Forgotten, Found: Five Renaissance Paintings Investigated,"
http://www.cmoa.org/ExhibitionDetail.aspx?id=22195
but not before running into Hal as we greeted each other while he gave a gallery talk. One of the paintings investigated was examined using X Ray fluorescence, with various chemical elements peaking in patterns which told the story of modern (zinc oxide white) pigment finding its way to the most abundant element in certain parts of the painting's surface. This indicates a modern reworking of a surface, versus the flesh tones containing older lead white pigment.
Spotted Sebastian Errazuriz, the artist from the talk last night, as I exited the museum.
Had surf and turf for lunch at Mom and Dad's with William and his children. It consisted of lobster and steak, with other side dishes. We enjoyed eight carousels of slides from our childhood before we started glazing over...
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
This Tuesday I had office hours, then met with a couple of friends after lunch. Then I graded my Tuesday section.
Wednesday I took care of some correspondence, then met with a new add to one of my sections. I wnet in the eveing to the Prayers to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I also spoke with Greg on his birthday before going to the Cathedral of Learning's computer lab.
Thursday, Mom and I went to Mary Jane's for hair appointments. I met a young friend, who stated that grown-ups have it "good." "They can stay up late; go to sleep late."
Today (Friday) we had our work meeting, then I went to the PittARTS Arts festival, meeting with Joya, my UTA, afterwards. The PittARTS arts festival drew me in with the PITT Jazz Ensemble playing on the William Pitt Union Porch. I ventured inside to the booths about the arts organizations and venues (and cookies), then back outside for popcorn, more jazz, and a quick hello to Annabelle!
Sunday- Begin Again; Monday/ Labor Day- Mass, grade prelabs and Monday's online assignment
Sunday (yesterday) Debbie and I went to go see Begin Again, a movie critically acclaimed by Rolling Stone magazine.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1980929/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Keira Knightly and Mark Ruffalo star in this lighthearted romantic comedy about a down-and-out music producer and a young songwriter who collaborate to make a record album.
She also gave me today's lunch, chicken mole!! Homemade!!!
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Today was Labor Day. I went to 10 AM Mass (Fr. Kris celebrated, Ted W served, Audrey C lectored, and Don provided music ministry from the organ loft). S and her parents sat in the front row...her 15-month-old self was especially vocal yesterday, saying "Bye" a couple of times to the priest and deacon as they departed after Eucharistic Adoration. Chatted with Don after Mass, and had breakfast and graded prelabs. Had lunch (Debbie's chicken mole and rice) and started to grade all the sections of the online Academic Integrity assignment...finished my Monday section at about 5:30 PM. Been helping Mom and Dad and did a load of laundry.
