Archive for February, 2005

Onward we go

Thursday, February 24th, 2005

The concert was well-received and I had a great time.  My sincere appreciation goes to all the people who came and cheered and congratulated us.


It almost shocked me to realise how much of a strain the final, admittedly intense weeks of rehearsals were on people’s tempers, patience and sense of enjoyment.  I really didn’t notice it then, and I’m only just beginning to realise the scope of the fallout.  Was I really too sanguine to notice?  Or maybe I’d already adjusted my expectations appropriately in Vail.



So now it’s time to pick up the pieces and try and to haul my academics and the other aspects of my life into a decent state of optimal equilibrium.  So of course this weekend I’m leaving in the middle of my meets-once-a-week class, skipping another section entirely and heading off to New York to see Turandot at the Met.  I’m very, very excited.  I bought a guide to the opera with the full libretto (and a side-by-side translation), plus all sorts of notes and commentary.  Just can’t wait.


In the meantime, I’m very much swamped.  It’s 3.33am right now, and I’m just starting on the reading for History 1856 so I can post a discussion board comment before I go to bed.  Sigh.



This semester, I’m taking:


Social Analysis 10: Introduction to Economics (we study macroeconomics during the Spring semester, microeconomics in the Fall)
Engineering Sciences 6: Environmental Engineering (sooo easy, and satisfies Science B!)
Biological Sciences 55: Ecology (sections are too hard, but lectures are a yawn)
French 273: French Thought and Globalization (modern French philosophers in French!)
History 1856: Environmental History of East Asia (China, Korea and Japan)
Historical Study A-12: Global Conflict and Co-operation (intro to IR)

and I’m auditing History of Art & Architecture 170s: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Modern City and Suburb (this class has no work to begin with anyway)



All right, no more procrastinating.  Back to work!


 

Concert on Sanders!

Saturday, February 5th, 2005

Harvard Din & Tonics, with Chester French
Friday, Feb 18, 2005, 8pm
Sanders Theater, $8 (students)


Get your tickets from me! Feel free to email me or call me (617-319-5963) for more
information.

The Dins’ big "Matilda" finish.

Dins in Vail (28 Jan 2005)

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From the ashes

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2005

Me and my wonderful ski instructor Erich Windisch on the top of Vail Mountain – 11,000 feet above sea level!  Now 86 (!) years old, he was a ski jumper on the German Olympic team in ’52, is in the Ski Hall of Fame and has a ski trail on the mountain named after him.  Pretty cool, huh?  Thanks to Jon Wise who took this shot.

On Vail Mountain (30 Jan 2005)“> 

I’m alive, back from intercession and ready to face a new semester.  Sort of.  I got back from Vail at about 7am this morning having not gotten any sleep in about 24 hours, took a two hour nap, went fifteen minutes late to a class, registered, had lunch and then went to bed for the rest of the day.  Maybe not such a great start to the semester.

Tomorrow I will shop many many classes.

Intercession was an eventful week, and a lot of fun.  I read a couple of books, saw a couple of movies, had a number of good conversations, made a couple of important decisions and took four days for skiing lessons.  The skiing was magnificent, as was the weather and the scenery.  It’s great to feel so blessed.