Zapping sponges in the microwave

I am certainly not one to shy away from science experiments in the home; however, what would ever prompt a person to think that it is a good idea to put a dry sponge in the microwave?

I think the American public has demonstrated on more than one occassion that the introduction of multiple purposes for household appliances is a bad idea.

Deep thought for a Monday

Some people are like slinkies.

They don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

The reviews are in...

The reviews are in and it seems that all of the hard work and effort invested in this year's concerts for young people were appreciated by the most important people...the kids.

Final Music Director Candidate

This weekend the symphony presented the last of the Music Director Candidates, J. Smirnoff. (This image is from this concert) The level of musicianship was superior.

Wendy's performance of the Shostakovich cello concerto was breathtaking. She truly was a monster. The personality exposed by the playing was not what one would expect after speaking with this demure woman. Wow.

Unfortunately not many people were able to see this concert. Ten inches of Amarillo snow kept a majority of the audience at home. There were honest concerns that the orchestra would out-number the audience. Fortunately this was not the case. The stagehands had a small wager on the housecount for the evening. The official housecount was 241; the pool was mine with money on 242. (Or more accurately, I didn't have to buy someone beer).

The committee will meet later this month to decide who will be the next MD. The decision is surely to be one of the most closely guarded secrets in Amarillo. Regardless of the decision we will be lucky to work with any of the talented candidates.

Elephants Yeah!

As most stories are, it's a long story.

The short version begins with the tale of an Elephant and an operatic aria, La Donna Mobile, as performed here. And ends with the creation of a 5 foot elephant. Funny, no?

Chad at Starbuck's thought so.

Time to hide...

It's one of those weeks. I wish I had the opportunity to step back from the chaos, take a moment to hide, and eventually breathe.

Sigh.

The weekend will soon be over and that will be that. Until then, it's necessary to take one step at a time.

The picture is from the last time I needed to hide. The picture was taken approximately 30 minutes prior to house open for the New Year's Eve gala...I had yet to fix my hair or put on my cocktail attire. Yikes!

WWWweeeeee!

That's the sound we made as we went sledding late last night. There was snow, there was ice, there was a hill...that made for a recipe for grand amusement. What? No sleds? Who cares! Who needs a stinkin' sled anyway when garbage bags and storage container lids will do the job?

Working on the resolutions...

Today I took steps towards improving myself via one of those often overwhelming New Year's Eve resolutions. One of my resolutions was to improve my spiritual health and become more involved in my Catholic faith. This afternoon (despite the ice storm) I was trained to serve as a lector at St. Thomas the Apostle here in Amarillo. Hopefully I will appear on the lector roster in time for the Lenten season.

I know that guy!

Hey, I know that guy! That's what I said as I watched the newest MasterCard commercial featuring Peyton Manning as a clumsy mover pushed an upright piano out the back of a moving truck. (You can watch the commercial by clicking here and choosing the commercial Die Hard Peyton.) I did a quick google search and found contact information for the guy I believed the mover to be, sent a quick email, and sure enough my suspicions were confirmed. It was the guy I spent time on stage with. Ok, honestly he was generally the lead and I was some sort of organic movable scenery, but I was on stage at the same time!

Still not sure who the mover is? CHS class of '98 should recognize this guy. Do you give up? Here's the answer.

SAM

Today marked a first...I spent the morning at a local recording studio laying down the audio tracks for our upcoming education concerts. No, this time I was not just there to make sure that everything ran smoothly. This time I was the talented voice of SAM (Space and Music). Do I have a future in voice overs? The answer to that is probably not. I will say that the whole process went rather smoothly and I laid down the 25+ tracks in a very short period of time. On Wednesday 3,000 students will hear my vocal talents (modified to sound a little mechanical) as they are transported on a tour of outerspace.

Party images from NYE

Chip got the party started a little early with the DSC'ers.

Once the lights went out the Havanna lounge was the place to be.

People in New York City dined on bagels with lox and black and white cookies.

Folks on the 3rd floor partied in Mexico City.

The pillars of Rome adorn a portion of the southwest grand lobby.

Of course there was champagne for all, tacky (yet fabulous) NYE tiaras and noisemakers, a balloon drop, streamer launch (well, it was supposed to be) and dancing with a jazz band and even a few pieces with a Latin flair.

Thanks to JB for the pics.

Lesson learned on New Year's Eve

Balloon clips do not, I repeat, do not keep the air in a balloon necessary to have an aesthetically pleasing balloon drop. It may seem easier to use a clip, but it is best to tie a knot in the balloons or one may have to inflate new balloons an hour prior to house open. I'm just saying....

Another addition to the list of musicians...

I added a co-worker to the list of musicians that I have worked with. E.B. gave a stellar performance on New Year's Eve and one day I will be able to say that I know that guy. Go EB!

Musician in the Rain

Originally spotted at Red Robin in Amarillo, this image has caught my interest. The image is entitled Musician in the Rain and was captured by Robert Doisneau.