First rehearsal down.

I actually feel pretty good about this run.  I wasn't feeling motivated at all, but as I got into it my body warmed up and I was able to make up for my 4.5 mph start.  But 5.6 mph average is lame.  Oh well.  

After my run an adorable old man came to talk to me while I was stretching. He told me when he was in high school he used to be able to run a 4 minute and 40 second mile.  He talked about how his wife lives in an assisted care facility that is 4 blocks away from his house.  He told me I reminded him of his granddaughter who also lives alone, but with a dog that she loves.  I loved the conversation, an felt like we both made each other feel really happy.

In a dither I came home and cooked fish while getting ready for class.  I realized midway through the process how absolutely bizarre this is.  If somebody would have told me I would be taking time out of my day to cook two fish fillets, I would have called them crazy.

My music history seminar today was...an unravelling experience.  An amazing music researcher named Margaret Bent wrote an article called, "Diatonic Ficta" which in itself is a sneaky title.  We are discussing the treatises and theory behind the music written during the renaissance.  Mostly monophonic chants and other religiously based music performed in monasteries.  What an incredible time to have lived. If I could go back to any point in history, I would want to go there right now.  They would literally pluck at monochord, (a string pulled taught) to decide the "start pitch".  Then from there sing hauntingly beautiful chants based on a highly complex modal system.  Modern minds can't even begin to define what it was they were doing theoretically, yet we try anyway.  So I have had the opportunity to read and discuss these horribly complex articles on this type of music, then critique the shit out of it, and hear other people do the same thing then present a counter argument which can also never be proven.  Oh I love this field.  

I taught after this class, then the Monster Concert rehearsals began.  Meet our new Monster.  His name is FrankenSteinway.  

The amount of time and stress that goes into this event immediately is worth it when you see how much the kids love it.  I love my job, despite the persistent head ache it gives me.