Yesterday late afternoon, after a quick salad and sandwich (and a discussion where we agreed to meet Don for a brief sight-reading session at 6:45pm), S and I headed to choir practice. S and Don started the choir rehearsal evening with a performance of a two-movement piano & violin romance by Gade (a Danish composer)[see below for first movement]. S then sat and listened to our choir practice.
We practiced music for this Sunday, and then we had a group discussion about the excitement this past Sunday. Many suggestions were made. I suggested that we enlist help from Pittsburgh Mediation Center, if necessary. Then, it was time for apple/fig/grape cake and rice salad by Paolo's wife. We enjoyed discussing over this delicious spread, and S and Christoph enjoyed talking to each other. K. had even said that she appreciated S's sense of style/fashion. We headed home, tired, and chatted for a bit longer before we called it a night.
~~~ Today we arose early (my first day of vacation) and had our showers, tea, and breakfast. After a few hours of practice with both violins, S packed the bags (asking me what I thought the difference between the two violins are); and S and I headed out for air, sun, and walking to have sorbets (which I brought from home), coffee, and a brownie at Maggie's Mercantile. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed our snack. Then, it was time to head home to get the bags to go to the bus stop for the 14:00 bus...We caught the bus to the airport. Due to sufficient emotion management (and a couple hugs), there were no emotional cryfests. S did self check-in at the United kiosk, and I saw S go through security at the main security checkpoint. We waved several times, blew kisses, and saw the wand technique of the TSA worker before a final wave and a blown kiss.
I boarded the next bus back to Oakland, and met Lynna there, who just came from presenting at high school admissions fairs. We chatted about various things, including the phenomenon of the Network, and as you get older, more people know you through the Network. She knows William, and I told her about how Joyce and Greg met.
Landing at Mom & Dad's, Mom said she was happy to see me.
~~~ 17:20 William and Marissa just called me to invite me to a Tony Kushner play at Carnegie Mellon tonight...Marissa is tired, so I'll meet up w/ William. After I meet Karina at the Newman Center, I'll meet him there tonight.
I had a doctor's appointment in Monroeville late this morning. I was pleased to hear the outcome/results.
Good Friday Service will be celebrated at 13:30. I will be in the choir loft by 13:00. I must walk home and pick up my choir folder.... ~~~ (written 8.30 Saturday) I made it back to Oakland in time to check my email at the main campus library, walk to get my choir folder at Mom & Dad's home, and get to the choir loft by 13.00.
During the veneration of the cross we sang probably the first celebration of "Crucifixus" by Bob Farrell (definitely a first at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland). Jennifer H., who stands next to me, and I agreed that it is a powerful piece of music to sing and hear sung. ~~~ The bishop processed into the Cathedral in silence. The first reading was Isaiah 52:13, 53:12 The psalm was Ps. 30, (Chrysogonus Waddell), with Don singing the solo from the loft. Second reading was Heb 4:14-16, 5:7-9 Gospel acclamation was "Glory to you, O Word of God," by Proulx The Passion was read by various people from the altar. We sang "Jesus, Remember Me" by J. Berthier Presentation of the Cross was sung by the Bishop "Behold, Behold the wood of the cross, on which hung salvation." to which we respond, "O come, let us adore." We sung "Were You There (spiritual)," "Crucifixus" (R.G. Farrell), "Adoramus Te Christe", and "Jesus So Lowly" during the Veneration of the Cross. O Sacred Head Surrounded (#434) was sung for the collection Attende Domine was sung during Communion De Profundis (W.A. Mozart) was the choral anthem. There was no closing blessing; people departed in silence. ~~~~ After the service, I took a nap and then Mom & I picked up William at Carnegie Mellon for the celebration of my and Solomon's birthday. We were planning on celebrating at St. Bartholomew's parish fish fry in Penn Hills, but there was no Good Friday fish fry. St. Irenaeus in Oakmont and 'Mac' in Bloomfield did have Good Friday fish fries, but we decided on making Solomon happy at the Penn Hills Eat N Park.
We enjoyed our meal (I had the whitefish sandwich and the salad bar), we gave Solomon his gifts (I gave him colorful wooden keys and a lock on the keychain), and Beata made me her second card for me (which I photo-documented) and presented me with their gift she had personally selected from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (a handmade Kenyan necklace).
Dad called us from the hospital on our way home (a medical emargency on his way home from television ministry), was happy to see us when he arrived home, and we watched a small portion of 20/20 on ABC, and then I collapsed into bed.
Yesterday was the beginning of Daylight Savings time. That morning about 7am I headed (dressed in my Sunday clothes) to my parents' home to accomplish some early morning work. Within ten minutes the emergency alarm went off. As far as we could tell, it was "the real thing." ("Who would be cooking or smoking at THIS hour?" I quipped.) I waited for my mom and dad to get dressed, then we headed downstairs to wait the arrival of the firemen, who had inspected the floor in question. ("Do you want to go to my house?" I asked Mom & Dad.) The firemen then asked Rich a few questions before departing. We finally jumped on the second elevator heading up, when my parents returned to bed and I got a little work done.
...my day began with a fire alarm going off. I arose early and then chose to stay away from the building, despite it's being a false alarm.
~~~~~ The meeting tonight was for lectors, lead by Fr. Andrew. We began with a reading from John, which I read. We heard ideas and dicta from various sources about reading the Word of God, including the Catholic Church Catechism on Sacred Scripture, Dei Verbum (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation from 18 November 1965, and a book entitled Messengers of God's Word (from the Do's and Don'ts section).
We were reminded that we were proclaiming God's Word; that God is speaking through us, and not to go too fast; that we are to understand the Word through brief study of the Scripture (commentaries or websites) and that Pope Benedict's encyclical Sacrament of Charity states that in the celebration of Mass, that reading the Scripture is a way of unifying with the Eucharist.
Part of practicing the reading is to pronounce it out loud (including the difficult parts of the passages); to BREATHE; and it is okay to be afraid----a holy fear.
It was nice to see my lector friends and to chat after the meeting with them and with Fr. Andrew.
I sit, patiently awaiting the return of Mom and Dad to their home. They are getting a ride from the airport from a transport company. Their flight was scheduled to arrive at 9:48pm and arrived at ~10:35PM. So, if they still need to go through customs, there is quite a bit to do before they are safe & sound at home.
~~~~~ I enjoyed choir practice, despite the fact that I did not sit on stage and sing with the rest of my section. Near the end, I did sing a Near piece, and followed along, taking notes, while the sections sang.
How absolutely appalling! The Leapfrog company has produced a child's learning toy that spouts a curse word when two "keys" are pressed on it. A grandfather is interviewed (in this news story segment hypertext linked above) about this toy and the lack of concern from the company that created it.
Today, most of my class had finished their independent variable data collection, so I sent them to the computer lab in the adjacent building until 45 minutes later. As they were finishing cleaning the lab, gathering their books and papers, the fire alarm went off. I reminded them to unplug hot plates, take items of value with them, as they exited. I grabbed the seating chart as I exited and mentally took roll at our designated meeting place. I reminded them to meet back in our lab before class ends, that I had locked the door, and they scattered to plot data in Excel in the computer lab.
When I returned at the agreed-upon time, some were already waiting. We did last-minute cleaning, and then had a brief discussion with overheads and Powerpoint slides about the data they had just collected today.
The weather, by the way, was balmy when we exited the building through increasingly loud, screaming alarms. I enjoyed the walk to and from campus today, with my (stately) cane and tugging my backpack-on-wheels with me.
Lunch, a couple of errands, and a nap followed.
Marissa and Beatrice have invited me to join them for an ice cream run. I gladly, unhesitatingly accepted. ~~~ Serendipitously, William had left a meeting with the dean up the street, so we met up and surprised Marissa and Beatrice with both of our presences. We had ice cream at DQ's (Mint Oreo sundae for me, plenty of babies) followed by dinner at Kassab's. Delicious hummus, gyro platter with a little bit of house dressing on the side. Yum. Beatrice charmed the waitress and the people at the table next to us.
William, Beatrice, and I returned to DQ's for a turtle sundae for William. Marissa spoke genealogy with her Mom whilst we dined there. Beatrice even "taught" her daddy the word "cane" which she had learned last week. She was making an attempt to get up (to walk?) and hold the cane concurrently. She was also corrected for trying to put her feet on the table's edge.
On the way home, we worked on inside voices. I played "big toe, little toe" with Beatrice, as I used to play "Low, high" with her balloon on the drive across the Birmingham Bridge.
What a nice way to end a great day as we crossed the Birmingham bridge, reopened again after several weeks closed for repairs.
Nancy and I spotted fourteen police cars heading west on 376 between the Allegheny County Jail/old Forbes Avenue offramp and the Squirrel Hill exit. Sirens wailing, lights flashing. Then, heading east on Fifth Avenue, we spotted another police car heading west toward Neville/Morewood. Much activity in town currently. ~~~ 7:30am Monday Turns out it was a car chase that ended in Cranberry with a blowout from the punctures to the getaway car's tires ~~~
There was a water main break at Neville this weekend, and the water flowed freely in Fifth Avenue from the north side of that street.
There was a fire noticed southeast of Oakland (heading south on Bigelow Blvd from Fifth to Forbes Avenues), as one gazed across Schenley Plaza beyond Schenley Park. I guess I will have to wait until the news tomorrow morning to hear where it was located. A large, thick, dark gray plume of smoke arose during rush-hour traffic.
I just returned from a meeting with Wellesley and other Seven Sisters alumnae, with the event led by Folly Patterson of the Wellesley Center for Work and Service (aka, the Career Center). The workshop was on "After Passages," about life transitions. We had a lively exchange over hors d'oeuvres and handouts. One interesting discussion ensued about computer communication and its difference from human contact. Great planning by Kelly U. and nice turnout! I handed off to Natalie M. a couple of CDs of RIS shows with Tim as guest speaker. I also shared with Natalie M. and Kelly U. the article from Jet Magazine which Marva had shared with me.
Back at Mom and Dad's home, Beatrice plays, despite a slight fever.
Back to grading!
~~~ Thursday, 25 October 2007; 9 AM
One of my friends and a University of California colleague emailed me yesterday about the fires in SoCal: No fires in Riverside, just a lot of smoke.
About an hour ago the emergency alarm went off. I was the first fire warden on my floor to knock on the doors. We noted who had responded on our sheets as soon as we were outside, in the lukewarm air. "No smoke, no fire, but the alarm is still on," as one of the firefighters said.
Conversations:
me (addressing Mr. Y): "So, young lady, when did you go to [insert name of Seven Sister college on his sweatshirt]?"
Mr. Y: Several times.
*
[re: a service dog who was by his mommy] his mommy: "He's running for mayor...he's really popular."
me: He's got more charisma!
~~~ I tired of waiting for the alarm to be turned off, so I hoofed it to my folk's home under the intention of finding out if there were an alarm there, too (there WAS a fire truck by their building).
The thin fingernail of a moon smiled down on us, and the uni students across the street tried to crash our "party," but to no avail. ~~~ I need my beauty sleep, because if I don't get it; Beauty turns to a beast!
