First Day of Fall Semester 2010
Today was the first day of fall semester, and I taught a 9.00 Monday morning laboratory.
Mom, Dad, and I ate at the Japanese and Chinese buffet on the way to the Waterfront. We ran into their friends from medical missions, as well.
Maureen and I went for smoothies at the Asian restaurant just a short while ago.
Labels: biology, dining, family, medical mission, neighbors, Pilipino culture, Songs, work
Heaven on Earth: A Second Life
When at a street fair in Philadephia this past month, I overheard someone saying, "And when dancers stop dancing...." referring to the second career of dancers after their oft-times truncated performing life is over. I turned to my friend Sara and said, "There's not a whole lot of us dancers who dance again after stopping. [and, as in explanation:] Now, my new hips let me dance again."
I know that my original acetabular structure should not have allowed me to dance--no, wait, to WALK. But I was able to dance (en pointe), run, hurdle, rockclimb, horseback ride, ski (downhill and nordic), do aikido (including taking high falls), and a multitude of other activities. It's a wonder that I could even walk (and I've been told that by others, too). I was blessed.
Then the structures became arthritic, and I am fortunate that I live in a time and place on this planet that I could get physical therepy, then subsequently obtain operations to "repair" my hips. I'm older now, and can't do most of the activities I mentioned that I could do fifteen or more years ago, due to limitations on my new bionic hips. But I'm doubly blessed, because I've been given a second chance on life. I can still walk. I can still dance. One of my friends calls my situation a "second life." And it is so. You hear people talk about Heaven as a place where there is no pain, and where one can dance and play like when younger, and where you are surrounded by people who love you. My, my, my, then: I am now living a Heaven on Earth! [*Pyuh, pyuh, may I not be jinxed*]
It reminds me of the song sung by Lee Ann Womack, "I Hope You Dance."
Labels: BAD, dance, exercise, love, music, Songs, surgery, walking
Thankfulness Posting
Last year I shared my thankfulness song with my orthopedic surgeon. This year, I shared it with my primary care physician, who visited me every day in the hospital.
I have a lot to be thankful for:
Conditions that are relatively easily treated by common, standard procedures;
Kind, highly skilled, competent, and NICE doctors: anesthesiologists, surgeons, pain management team, etc.;
Nurses and nursing assistants who were kind, generous with their time, and on-time with my medications;
post-operative care (nurses, and physical therapists) who have helped me to get to where I am now.
My parents, who care for my basic needs and my dressing and anticoagulant injection and antiembolism stockings every day (NOT a small feat), as well as my snail mail.
Thankful for a "repeat performance" from last year's operation, so that I knew to prepare/ask about:
my IV drips' placements, so they do not interfere with a walker post-operatively;
my type of pain medication, so it does not interfere with my systems so drastically;
my selection of music post-operatively, so that I can enjoy various types of music as I heal.
Labels: exercise, family, music, pain, singing, Songs, surgery, thankfulness
Up Early
So, I'm up early today---listened to the morning interview of Lois Lowry on the early Sunday radio show, headed to Mom & Dad's to do a few errands and to review my work for next week, and to check my email (nothing new since late last night)...I think about the friends and family I spoke with yesterday: Auntie Chi and Uncle Sonny, Luce (and her upcoming visit), Nancy (and our plans for Wednesday, Saturday, and then for Friday), Grace Y. (and our plans for Jenny to visit), Maureen (and our plans for after Mass); and the message not left for Anjali (including the thoughts of her---by many alti and soprani in choir---upon singing the conclusion of Bob Farrell's "Crucifixus")...and I write of these thoughts here.
I think of Mom and I watching "Dancing with the Stars" last night, our pleasant dinner with Dad after they returned from shopping...I think of the stars as I travel between Mom & Dad's home and mine early in the pre-dawn: The Big Dipper/ Big Bear/ Ursa Major visible from our urban outposts...and I heard little birdies in the trees twittering to each other as I travelled between our two locales early this morning.
I think of our friends, Rita, Elaine, and Mary Lou, to whom I delivered slices of homemade chocolate cake last night---and how Kevin and Rich in the garage turned down cake(!)
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After choir practice and singing in the choir during Mass Maureen and I drove to the Chinese buffet in Monroeville to meet my parents there. We enjoyed lunch there, and then I drove Maureen and I to the Monroeville Mall for some shopping. We went to Panera Bread near her home for a snack. Then I headed home and brought her to the Oratory for Eucharistic Adoration late in the afternoon.
Labels: biology, blogs, Choir, dance, dining, excited, laundry, music, seasons, singing, Songs, St. Paul Cathedral, stars, TV, writing
Prepare for work, concert...Toto le héros
Today I ran some errands on campus, in Squirrel Hill, and napped soundly before watching Once with Mom. I also prepared for work on Monday, listened to the sound files for the concert Wednesday (we have a dress rehearsal tomorrow after lunch after noon Mass), and napped again.
Tonight Karina, Jeff, and I will watch the movie Toto le héros. It was recommended to me by a former coworker at the Carnegie, Tim, who claims it is his favorite film. There may be others who join us...Jeff's last day here is Sunday (tomorrow) night, and it'll be nice to see him again before he heads back to Maine.
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Jose and Fabiola joined us...we got veggie and sausage pizzas, too.
Labels: biology, Carnegie, Choir, Church, cinema, dining, library, music, organ, sleep, Songs, St. Paul Cathedral, work
Once
Watched a movie, Once, this afternoon with Mom. Great poetic lyrics for the songs the lead characters in the movie wrote. Some ballads lulled Mom to sleep. Glen Hansard from the movie was the first Irishman to receive the Academy Award for best Song.
The district in which they show the street performers is just as it is in Dublin, Ireland.
Labels: cinema, dreams, music, singing, sleep, Songs
Lysistrata
After a long afternoon nap, Nancy C. and I went to the Studio Theatre at the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh for the Repertory Theatre's version of Lysistrata by Aristophenes, and directed by Kaitlyn Wittig, who was last seen in Big Love last season, which Nancy and I also saw. We enjoyed some dishes (paneer for me) at Victor's restaurant afterwards.
Labels: humor, international culture, Pittsburgh, school, Songs, theater
Parish Picnic, September 2008
After noon Mass with Fr. Andrew Fischer, Roseanne from pastoral council and I handed out name tags at the Parish Picnic on the rectory lawn. She departed to dine, and Maureen soon sat with me at the name tag table. After a while we decided to get burgers, salads, chips, and watermelon. We then joined my parents who had arrived later, bearing a homemade lemon cake. I wandered off to get dessert and got caught up in conversation at other tables. After chatting at our table for a bit with Gloria L., we enjoyed the company of various others.
As mom and dad took leave, Maureen and I decided to collect my bag from her car. On the way out we had a lengthy discussion with Dan and Don from choir.
A nap was in order, then I sent two emails to my students, one focusing on administrative issues and safety.
Labels: Choir, Church, dining, email, family, pastoral council, Pittsburgh, singing, sleep, Songs, St. Paul Cathedral, work
Que Sera, Sera
I caught the tail end of the movie The Man Who Knew Too Much, a movie that my siblings and I had watched with my mom when we were very young, about five years old. I recall being interviewed when in college when I referred to a song from the movie, "Que Sera, Sera":
There was a movie we were watching when I was a very young child, with my mother...An American in Paris, or something of the sort. There was a song in the movie with lyrics:
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
And my mother turned to us children and deadpanned, "That is not true. You can control what happens to you." I will never forget that song and my mother's response to it.
Watch this Hitchcock movie and see the irony of the lyrics as the movie comes to a close.
Labels: cinema, international culture, school, singing, Songs, travel, Wellesley
Time to Go
to the hospital, with prayers preceding me and trailing behind!
Hail O Surgery Day
Blest day which is long awaited!
After the surgery day
I can stoop down to the earth.
Here's the tune for the words above.
Labels: BAD, health, music, prayer, singing, Songs, surgery, writing
Songs, Encyclopedia
In addition to the "Safety Song" which I give to my students every semester, earlier this week I came up with two versions of a ditty: Version I is "My Mommy Loves Me So," and version II is "My Doctor Cares for Me." Don kindly had used the software program on his laptop computer, Finale, to set these to sheet music format for me, most recently the ditty's two versions.
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I spent most of the early part of this afternoon collecting resources to write an encyclopedia article, the first draft is due mid-July. I plan to work on it when I am out of commission with my hips, post-surgery.
Labels: accessibility, BAD, encyclopedia, music, Songs, surgery, writing
