tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63008709766209310352024-03-13T06:52:25.693-04:00Robyn's Random RamblingsMusic, dreams, bacon... It's all fair game here! Join the discussion. :-)GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-46394024317131749252019-07-14T00:09:00.000-04:002019-07-14T00:15:57.946-04:00Fanboy Expo 2019 - Saturday Recap <div>
Ok. My plan was to get a selfie with Walter Koenig (Chekov from Star Trek), an autograph from (and maybe selfie with) John de Lancie (Q from Star Trek) and Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver, Stargate SG1), and an autograph and selfie with Cary Elwes. Here's what I was getting signed: A hardback copy of Elwes' book about the filming of the Princess Bride and a DVD set of "Legend," a short-lived TV show from the mid-90s starring Anderson and de Lancie. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I got to Fanboy Expo around 1:45 p.m. First I got in line to meet John de Lancie, as the line was pretty short. Richard Dean Anderson's booth was right next to de Lancie's but he wasn't there. I figured I'd swing back by after meeting up with my friends Mary Beth and her mom Beth (here on out I will refer to them as "the Bowmans" đ), as I knew they were in line for Cary Elwes. I got an autograph and selfie with John and was smiling so huge that my cheeks were hurting afterward. I am such a fangirl and I own it proudly. After our photo (which wasn't actually a selfie--one of the volunteers took the photo with my camera) John glanced to his left and asked "Is Richard over there?" as he knew I'd want his autograph next on the DVD. He was most likely on break. I thanked John for coming to Knoxville, completely forgetting to say how much I loved his portrayal of Q, and went in search of the Bowmans.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd7W2TJ6Uxo/XSqr5PAsVWI/AAAAAAAAYtI/KmDfPmrsllADesnD22xSUkxfY_63ANYjgCLcBGAs/s1600/20190713_135813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd7W2TJ6Uxo/XSqr5PAsVWI/AAAAAAAAYtI/KmDfPmrsllADesnD22xSUkxfY_63ANYjgCLcBGAs/s320/20190713_135813.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John de Lancie </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
They said the line was long but I had no idea HOW long until I found them. There were SO. MANY. PEOPLE. ahead of them. We exchanged hugs, and they invited me to be in their group picture with Cary. I said of course! So we stood and stood... and stood and stood... and stood some more. The line was moving pretty slowly. As time moved on they started panicking because they had to be at church (Mary Beth is the music leader). They had to leave no later than 5:00. We were SO close but still not close enough for them to be able to take advantage of the the packages that they had bought. So they gave me their fan package tickets, which included 2 autographs and 2 selfies with Cary. They told me which pictures they wanted autographed (and I totally forgot when I got up there and didn't trust my instinct and chose the wrong ones but hopefully they'll still like them đ) and sweetly said their friend Noel and I could use their selfie tickets. Shortly before they left they came up with the idea to take selfies and then ask Cary to hold those up while I took a picture with him, so technically they would be "in" the picture with us. Genius!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E9vOWmLd42o/XSqsQ3-5-iI/AAAAAAAAYtU/Zb8GnN1oJ_AOlPDaC9SyDCJdr8h-I595wCLcBGAs/s1600/Resized952019071395172349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E9vOWmLd42o/XSqsQ3-5-iI/AAAAAAAAYtU/Zb8GnN1oJ_AOlPDaC9SyDCJdr8h-I595wCLcBGAs/s320/Resized952019071395172349.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cary Elwes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When Noel and I finally got to the front, I handed in the two autograph tickets and then paid for my own autograph. I tried to hand over the selfie tickets but the woman had moved on to something else. I walked up to the next volunteer and held out all that I had--two photos for the Bowmans, my book, plus the two selfie tickets--and pleaded something like "Please tell me what to do next and where to go" because I was so very confused and discombobulated--and starstruck because Cary had come over to the table to sign things. They gave the photos and book to Cary and he smiled at me and started signing. Then he asked me my name and shook my hand, saying it was nice to meet me. I explained to him that the two extra autographs were for my friends who sadly had to leave the line before they made it to the front. He thought that was the nicest thing ever and complimented me. Next I asked him if he would hold the picture of the Bowmans--he said I could do it (a very judicious way of saying "No"). So we took that picture with me holding their picture up, using their friend Noel's phone (Noel didn't care to be in the photo). Afterward Cary asked me if he could hug me for being so nice and I was like WHY ARE YOU SO WONDERFUL?! AND OF COURSE! But then my brain shoved my heart out of the way and was like "HEY. FOCUS. You had TWO selfie tickets and you've only done one photo." So I spoke up and said "Um... I think I get two photos, right?" And the lady back at the beginning of the line went "You were supposed to give those to me!!" WOMAN. I literally showed you ALL FOUR TICKETS in my hand--you took two and then moved on to the next person. How is this MY fault? I remained calm but also stood my ground, because I hadn't yet received what I was entitled to. Cary was quick to diffuse the situation, saying we'd get it all figured out. Also he hadn't signed my book yet and the volunteer/photog pointed it out, so he did that. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then the lady said "Ok she has two photos," so Cary and I moved back into position and I gave the volunteer photographer *my* phone for this one. I asked Cary if I could hug him in this one and he said yes. I. Was. On. Cloud. Nine. He thanked me for being patient, I thanked him for coming to Knoxville, and then it was over. My cheeks were aching again but I didn't care cuz I was floating on air.</div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SJzPHrXQKL8/XSqsFoHSSwI/AAAAAAAAYtY/inndFQcNRBEX44CMNk-sJJ9AaBR2ZqoYgCEwYBhgL/s1600/20190713_172445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SJzPHrXQKL8/XSqsFoHSSwI/AAAAAAAAYtY/inndFQcNRBEX44CMNk-sJJ9AaBR2ZqoYgCEwYBhgL/s320/20190713_172445.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEST. DAY. EVER.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh, that sweet air. It felt AMAZING to be out of that cramped line and have room to walk wherever I wanted. My feet were KILLING me but I was FREE! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By this time it was almost 5:30 and I decided to see if I could get Richard Dean Anderson's autograph. I figured they'd closed the lines since the floor closed at 6 but I asked anyway, as I didn't see an "End of Line" sign. I walked up to two volunteers at a table and asked if the line had been cut off. I repeated myself, as the woman didn't hear me. Something like "I know it's close to 6 so I thought I'd ask." She snapped at me that the line was closed. "That's what I was ASKING. Thank you," I said and walked away. Don't get short with ME just because YOU can't hear. đ¤Ź</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So I have plans to go back tomorrow and get an autograph and picture with Richard, attend his panel, and get a picture with Walter. Cross your fingers! </div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-49739764744159400002017-01-01T13:00:00.000-05:002017-01-02T19:09:10.844-05:0018 Questions for a New Year's Reflection<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">** ADAPTED FROM: 20 Questions for a New Yearâs Eve Reflection <a href="http://www.incourage.me/2010/12/20-questions-for-a-new-years-eve-reflection-2.html">http://www.incourage.me/2010/12/20-questions-for-a-new-years-eve-reflection-2.html</a> **</span></div>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<b>Eighteen </b><b>Questions </b><b>for a</b><b> New Year's Reflection</b></h2>
<div dir="ltr">
1.<b> </b><i>What was the single best thing that happened this past year?</i> I received the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty award at <a href="http://www.pstcc.edu/" target="_blank">Pellissippi State</a>!</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
2. <i>What was the single most challenging thing that happened?</i> Relearning how to deal with migraines<i> </i>(after having not suffered from them for about a decade).</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
3. <i>What was an unexpected joy this past year?</i> I discovered a new (to me) band and they're now one of my favorites (<a href="http://www.wearescientists.com/" target="_blank">We Are Scientists</a>)!</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
4. <i>What was an unexpected obstacle?</i> A smaller course load in the fall semester.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
5. <i>Pick three words to describe 2016.</i> Shock, loss, disbelief.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
6. <i>What were the best books you read this year?</i> <a href="http://a.co/1yeTHD4" target="_blank">Dating An Alien Pop Star</a>* by <a href="http://kendralsaunders.com/" target="_blank">Kendra Saunders</a> and <a href="http://a.co/e3rtPyW" target="_blank">Oh Myyy!: There Goes the Internet</a> by George Takei.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
7. <i>With whom were your most valuable relationships?</i> I always value my long-term relationships (parents, brother, best friends from elementary school) but some of the most valuable this past year were rekindled and renewed relationships with friends from college and grad school.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
8. <i>What</i><i> was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?</i> I lost about 35 lbs.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
9. <i>In</i><i> what way(s) did you grow emotionally?</i> I decided to be more upfront about things (instead of avoiding certain topics and conversations) while also deciding to close off parts of myself from people I can no longer trust.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
10.<i> </i><i>In what way(s) did you grow spiritually? </i>I <b>finally</b> learned why the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son was wrong in questioning of his father's actions (<a href="http://christianity.about.com/od/glossary/g/grace.htm" target="_blank">grace</a>).</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
11. <i>In</i><i> what way(s) did you grow physically?</i> I joined a gym and started working with an awesome trainer (<a href="http://www.kelliebfit.com/" target="_blank">Kellie B Fitness</a>).</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
12. <i>In</i><i> what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?</i> See #9.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
13. <i>What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?</i> Professionally: Continuing to come up with ideas for making my Music Appreciation classes more engaging and working with new private students. At home: Getting rid of a bunch of stuff I no longer use (via <a href="https://www.mercari.com/u/785740305/" target="_blank">Mercari</a>, LetGo, and charity).</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
14. <i>What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?</i> Professionally: Enforcing new rules and figuring out which ones don't work. At home: Cutting down on clutter.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
15. <i>What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?</i> Worrying about things over which I have no control (it's a favorite pastime).</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
16. <i>What was the best way you used your time this past year?</i> Working on my new website a bit at a time, over several months. It's now live! <a href="http://www.robynjames.com/">www.robynjames.com</a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
17. <i>What was biggest thing you learned this past year?</i> I learned what attendance policies don't work for my courses (to my liking).</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
18. <i>Create a phrase or statement that describes 2016 for you.</i> You only have room to grow if you step outside of your comfort zone.</div>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<b>What about </b><b>YOU</b><b>?</b></h2>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<i>*The Kindle version is currently FREE!</i><b><br></b></div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-69068744494936673292015-04-10T08:54:00.003-04:002016-06-23T11:45:03.036-04:00Teaching NightmareOkay, most recent dream. I was teaching at a new school and it was the first day of classes. I was running late because I couldn't find my classroom.<br />
<br />
I went to a room, sat down, and realized it was a Spanish class. But for some reason I stayed there for a while and listened! At some point, several students got up and moved around. I took this opportunity to leave. The teacher asked me where I was going and I replied on top of the hullabaloo "I'm a teacher." He sort of chuckled, then asked me to repeat myself. I said, a bit louder, "I'm a TEACHER!" He thought this was hilarious and proceeded to laugh in my face as I struggled to get out of the classroom.<br />
<br />
I was carrying a purse, a bag with work materials, and my shoes. That's right, I'd been walking around this whole time in my stocking feet.<br />
<br />
I wandered around for at LEAST 20 minutes looking for my room. It was listed as "MC" in my paperwork, which was new because apparently the original info given to me was incorrect. MC meant section M (of the building), room C. I went to a help desk and the dude made eye contact with me, totally ignored me, then walked away. I waved as if to say "Um, HELLO, I need help." A more accommodating woman showed up next. She explained that the dude decided I didn't need any help "because [I was] able to wave." What?!!<br />
<br />
When I finally found the room, it looked like a fast food drive thru, set very close to other identical drive thrus. My class was standing around, but someone took me away to do something. I set my stuff down on a counter and that's when I realized that my shoes were missing. But I couldn't be bothered with that. I exclaimed to the person who was leading me God-knows-where that "I can't play music in that environment. It's a music class and I CAN'T TEACH A MUSIC CLASS WITHOUT PLAYING MUSIC!"<br />
<br />
That's the last thing that happened before I woke up. This is actually a more elaborate version of a recurring stress dream I have, in which it's the first day of school and I can't find my class. I also often dream that it's the <i>last </i>day of classes and I've just discovered there was a class I was supposed to teach that I didn't know about. Gotta love being a teacher with an active imagination and lots of built-up anxiety!<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally written April 10, 2015</span></i>GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-56246084707743291802015-02-21T22:05:00.000-05:002015-02-21T22:13:40.292-05:00Make the internet a better place...Okay, I admit it. I'm on the internet a <i>lot</i>. Sometimes it's for work--uploading students' grades, searching for images to improve my powerpoints, updating <a href="http://www.robynjames.com/rjt">Robyn James Trio</a> records, etc. But it's usually for fun--reading about friends on Facebook, taking stupid quizzes, and reading <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/">BuzzFeed</a> lists. I'm making a concerted effort to change my experience when using the internet.<br />
<br />
Some of you have probably read about the person who stopped liking things on Facebook. There's also an article about a person who <i>started</i> liking things on Facebook. To each his/her own. Hopefully most of you know that many websites (including Facebook) track your web activity and then cater their ads to places you visit. Also, Facebook monitors everything you like and follow, and then suggests other pages based on that info. The person who <i>stopped </i>liking everything did so in order to see if his/her Facebook experience changed.<br />
<br />
I don't remember that person's results, but I can tell you from personal experience that it gets better when you stop liking everything. Facebook can still tailor their ads to my shopping preferences, but it doesn't know what pages to suggest to me anymore. My feed used to be <i>plastered </i>with ads from some stupid boot store. Thankfully, those ads tell you which of your friends like the mentioned store. Once I stopped liking those friends' posts, the boot ads disappeared.<br />
<br />
So the first goal of this post is to make sure my readers are informed. The second is to explain to my Facebook friends why I've been using a lot more emoji (Facebook calls them "stickers") lately. Instead of clicking "Like" on every post I find amusing, informative, or inspirational, I take the time to give a more detailed response by commenting. If I have something specific to say, I'll type that. But other times I just want to convey an emotion that the post elicited. So far I've found something to cover almost every reaction. Hopefully you now understand why there are so many monkeys, Snoopy faces, and other cartoonish characters all over your feed...<br />
<br />
Also, it's just fun to make use of all the emoji out there. How can you not resist these?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jT_n1Rtgv68/VOlFJRhRZWI/AAAAAAAAAsI/nNK5ihx1_P0/s1600/FBsticker01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jT_n1Rtgv68/VOlFJRhRZWI/AAAAAAAAAsI/nNK5ihx1_P0/s1600/FBsticker01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meep</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOlrveXBPjY/VOlFJfwQfMI/AAAAAAAAAsE/A_oUWaZp9xY/s1600/pusheen01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOlrveXBPjY/VOlFJfwQfMI/AAAAAAAAAsE/A_oUWaZp9xY/s1600/pusheen01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pusheen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yk2GTAnrCYk/VOlFJbft3VI/AAAAAAAAAsA/mWFlX59hS18/s1600/yaya01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yk2GTAnrCYk/VOlFJbft3VI/AAAAAAAAAsA/mWFlX59hS18/s1600/yaya01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ya-Ya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-26961243884427934082015-02-10T02:32:00.003-05:002015-02-10T02:32:47.535-05:00TN Science Bowl 2014Wanna feel old? Volunteer to help out with a grade school competition. Wanna feel old <i>and</i> stupid? Volunteer to help out with a grade school competition in a subject you never mastered.<br />
<br />
I always did well in science, but it was not my favorite subject. For four years now, I've volunteered to help out with the <a href="http://www.orau.gov/sciencebowl/">TN Science Bowl</a> (#TSB to the cool kids). I got involved through Pellissippi (where I work); every semester they send out emails asking for volunteers. I decided to respond one year, and the rest is history.<br />
<br />
For those of you who don't know what a competition like this entails, it's basically like this: Teams from different high schools around the state gather and go head to head, answering questions in the topics of biology, chemistry, physics, math, earth science, general science, and astronomy. The teams have a <i>very</i> short amount of time to answer the toss-ups--as an observer, it seems like you blink and the timekeeper says "time." If a team correctly answers the toss-up, they get to answer a bonus question and are given more time for that. Whichever team has the most points at the end of two rounds advances to the next round. Eventually there is only one team left. The top three teams win money, as well as the winner of the Civility Award (which I'll explain later).<br />
<br />
There are different roles that a volunteer can fill:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Moderator</li>
<li>Science Judge</li>
<li>Rules Judge</li>
<li>Scorekeeper</li>
<li>Timekeeper</li>
<li>Runner</li>
<li>Crowd Control</li>
<li>Civility Award Judge</li>
<li>Registration</li>
</ul>
<div>
I've volunteered to be a Civility Award Judge all four years, though one year I was drafted to be Scorekeeper when one didn't show up. That was a stressful day, because I hadn't trained for the role of Scorekeeper! There were lots of rules to keep up with. A competing student actually had to correct me at one point because I had incorrectly awarded points to someone! #yikes</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is the first year since I started that I wasn't able to volunteer, so I thought I'd share some of the highlights of last year's Science Bowl, from a volunteer's point of view. All the Civility Award Judges met at 6:45 am (ugh) to register and go over the rules for evaluating the teams. Basically we observe the students interacting with each other and with all the adults, rate them on several aspects, and then tally our results to figure out the winner. Each judge is assigned several teams, and no team is observed twice. Most of these kids are very well-behaved, so it's really about looking for those who go above and beyond with their behavior/attitude.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In addition to adults who volunteered to be runners, there were also Boy Scouts who helped out. In the first room where I observed, this adorable Scout was serving as a runner. We both sat at a table in the back of the classroom, out of the way. Seriously, this kid was one of the sweetest kids I've ever met. Before the competition began, I chatted with him about what it's like to be a Boy Scout. Once the competition began, we sat there quietly playing with a puzzle that was given to all of the volunteers. It's called a <a href="http://www.rubiks.com/products/3d_puzzles/rubiks_twist.php">Rubik's Snake</a> or Twist and it's WAY too much fun. The Scout and I kept comparing shapes while the teams were hard at work answering questions. Here are a couple of my creations:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjCmCzmrnfo/UxPCHFicG8I/AAAAAAAAAfA/pdR7yaG1X5w/s1600/20140222_084328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjCmCzmrnfo/UxPCHFicG8I/AAAAAAAAAfA/pdR7yaG1X5w/s1600/20140222_084328.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's the letter "R." Can you see it? :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tr6YHpLW1FE/UxPCHNoj2aI/AAAAAAAAAe8/Zl1iB06g5Ic/s1600/20140222_101911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tr6YHpLW1FE/UxPCHNoj2aI/AAAAAAAAAe8/Zl1iB06g5Ic/s1600/20140222_101911.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know what this one is. A train? A house?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had a <i>major</i> #geek moment when one of the questions dealt with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamics">second law of thermodynamics</a>. For those of you who don't know, <a href="http://www.muse.mu/">my favorite band's</a> most recent album is entitled The 2nd Law. The overall theme of the album is energy use, entropy, and all that. I'm glad I was sitting at the back of the room so that no one could see me having a fangirl moment. #squee</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The teams rang in using buzzers that were connected to a large box in front of the Science Judge. These buzzers were apparently very old because every year there's at least one malfunction. But last year, it was absolutely ridiculous. They wouldn't buzz when students pressed them, and then they buzzed when no one had touched them. It was funny at first but it got old pretty quickly. I wish someone would donate a new buzzer system! We blamed the malfunctions on the Ghost of Science Bowls Past...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Despite all the equipment errors and whatnot, it was a good day overall. There was even a kid dressed in a banana suit. I unfortunately didn't see him, but I'll bet it was hilarious! I'll bet he did it to psych out the other teams. Or just confuse them so they couldn't answer any questions?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Every year I ask myself, "Why do you get up before the sun to <i>volunteer</i> for something?" Then I watch all these talented kids compete and I remember. It's so rewarding to see them get excited about science. Oh, and the goodie bags and free doughnuts don't hurt either.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Got any favorite volunteer experiences to share?</b></div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-37034671455462469992015-02-10T02:24:00.000-05:002015-02-10T02:24:35.512-05:00Changing PrioritiesI know it's been <i>forever</i> since I blogged and I'm sorry! I have a <i>ton</i> of dreams to share with you all. I just haven't had time to sit down and transfer them from the scrawled notes on my phone into readable blog narratives. So I'm not here to share a dream just yet. As my frequent readers know, I usually remember my dreams in great detail. And since it's currently 2:00 in the morning, I'm here to share a shorter message.<br />
<br />
I don't make new year's resolutions. When I want to better myself I make the decision to do it right then, no matter what day of the year it is. Today (well, yesterday really) I decided not to waste my time when it comes to reading things on the internet. I send so many articles to my Kindle to read later (I do this so I don't have to stare at the computer screen for too long) that I'm <i>way</i> behind in my reading. To give you an idea: It's February and I'm still reading digests that I sent to myself in November.<br />
<br />
The subject matter of the articles I save varies widely--anything from album reviews to social and political commentary to celebrity interviews to Wikipedia entries. I'm also not ashamed to admit that many of them are <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/">BuzzFeed</a> lists. BuzzFeed is a great way to escape for a moment from grading papers and writing tests. But I get so caught up in reading "50 Things That Remind You Of Your Childhood" that I miss more important content like "How To Flip Your Classroom" or "How To Get Your Students To Practice."<br />
<br />
So I've decided that if I see a BuzzFeed list or some kind of tell-all article about who Matt Bellamy is or isn't dating, I will read it <i>at that moment</i> or forget about it. I will no longer bookmark them or email them to myself. The articles with more important subject matter will be sent to my Kindle (via <a href="http://www.instapaper.com/">Instapaper</a>, a great site).<br />
<br />
My time is precious and my brain can only hold so much information, so why waste valuable space in my noggin (and hours of my long days) on reading about what stupid thing Kanye West did at the most recent award show?<br />
<br />
<b>What about you?</b> Do you need to give up something in order to make space for things that really matter?GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-61717690007841687392014-03-08T13:01:00.000-05:002014-03-08T13:01:12.817-05:00Muse dream with a Mozart ending (Warning: adult language)I was sleeping in my dorm room. I awakened to the sound of someone getting in bed next to me. I could've pretended to stay asleep, but I wanted to know who was here and why. I turned and saw that it was Beth, one of my best friends from college. She and my senior year college roommate, Jennifer, were coming back from some kind of gathering. Then I remembered--it was Jennifer's birthday and I'd missed her party. But I was sick and hadn't been feeling well, hence my being in bed. It was dark outside and I tried to read the alarm clock. I think it said it was 5:30 in the morning. They had been partying hard, and they weren't done yet. Apparently they were just taking a break, and were returning shortly to play some kind of game. I was feeling better (and also feeling left out) and wanted to help celebrate Jennifer's birthday. So I asked what kind of game they were playing. They explained, and I decided to join them.<br />
<br />
The game was being played in a large symphony hall with the usual slanted floors that went lower as you got to the stage. It involved using controllers that looked and felt just like real guitars. Apparently the game was kind of like Guitar Hero but with an actual band and orchestra on stage. The band on stage was Muse, much to my delight. A lot of my friends were there, including Julia, another best friend. Most of the players were in the audience (or maybe they were just spectators?) but for some reason I was on stage in front of the orchestra, stage right. I was being silly and dancing around like some rock guitarists do. It caught the attention of Matt (Muse's guitarist) and he smiled at me. This made me happy to no end, and I gyrated more with my guitar controller.<br />
<br />
At one point, Matt and Dom (Muse's drummer; but if you know me at all, you already knew that) were yelling out something about someone named "Grace." They were doing it in time to the music and it was pretty funny. Julia, who is a relatively new Muse fan, asked me "Who's Grace?" She was pretty far away from me so I mouthed to her "She's a fan of the band." She couldn't understand me, so I mouthed it again. I didn't want to actually yell it because the music was very loud.<br />
<br />
When the game was over, I didn't want to leave. I also wanted an excuse to get near the band and ask them where they were hanging out after they were done with this (apparently they were rehearsing with the orchestra for something). Morgan, the guy the band hires to play with them when they tour, was stage right (which is odd because in real life, he's always stage left), sitting at an upright piano (what, no grand?!). I noticed someone's guitar controller on the floor and saw my chance. I picked up the white guitar with black control knobs and looked for a stage hand to give it to. I found one, and mentioned that I found it and thought I should turn it in. The guy took it, and now was my chance because I was only a few steps away from Morgan. I screwed up my courage, and just then the conductor of the orchestra spotted me.<br />
<br />
The conductor stopped the rehearsal and called me out. He yelled at me, saying that I was disrupting the rehearsal and bothering the band members. He humiliated me in front of my peers in the audience, the orchestra (which included colleagues of mine), and my favorite band on the planet. I turned to see Morgan looking right at me, a mix of anger and pity on his face.<br />
<br />
I'd had it. The conductor was completely out of line and blew things <i>way</i> out of proportion. I stormed to the front of the stage, turned to the conductor, and yelled at the top of my lungs "You...are an <i>asshole!</i>" The audience met my outburst with rousing applause. I bowed graciously, then exited stage right. They continued applauding as I walked up the center aisle of the auditorium. Once I got to the top (the entrance to the hall), I had a wonderful idea. I swung open the doors, leaned over, and stuck my butt out toward the direction of everyone on stage, a la Mozart in the film <i>Amadeus</i>. I think I also shook my butt a bit for good measure. I was met with more applause as I left the hall.<br />
<br />
Once outside the hall, I saw people seated around the area. I told several groups of them what had happened as I walked by and they all met me with smiles and pats on the back. I felt vindicated, and it felt good.<br />
<br />
The End.GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-28146854457527939152014-02-28T15:14:00.004-05:002014-02-28T15:14:39.852-05:00Kids, The Best AudienceMy friend Lori asked me if I would visit the school where she teaches and tell the kids about what I do. They had several visitors throughout the month and each person did something to help the community. Lori wanted to include someone who wasn't exactly a policeman or fireman or doctor, but who still helped the community. I thought it was a great idea and I was free during the times that they wanted visitors, so I made my way to Ridge View Elementary School one Tuesday morning.<br />
<br />
First things first: I am <i>not</i> a morning person. Add to that the fact that, on Tuesdays, I don't have anywhere to be until 2:00. So it was kind of a big deal that I was getting up early enough to be somewhere 45 minutes away at 9:30 am. It's good for me to get out in the community and spread the joy of music, so it was worth it. Also, the kids were <i>super</i> <i>adorable</i> so that helped make it worthwhile, too.<br />
<br />
The drive was a pleasant one, and I found the school easily. I was buzzed in. I checked in on the computer, stuck my badge (sticker) on my shirt, and then followed Lori to the classroom. I would be talking to mostly kindergartners but also a 4th grade music class.<br />
<br />
I told them that I teach college, perform around the community, and teach privately. I played <i>lots</i> of tunes for them. It was so cute because, when it was time for questions, most kids who raised their hands didn't have a question--they wanted to request a song. Also, some of them just wanted to tell me random facts about their lives. A couple of the kids told me that they played guitar. I just kind of went "...all right...that's great! Any other questions?"<br />
<br />
Some of the requested tunes: the Alphabet Song, Twinkle Twinkle, Baa Baa Black Sheep (and yes, all three of those use the <i>same tune</i>), several songs I didn't know including What Does the Fox Say (*groan*), Wagner's Bridal Chorus (since I play weddings), Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jingle Bells, and the Twelve Days of Christmas. I agreed to play Jingle Bells but I put my foot down when the Twelve Days came up. It's freakin' <i>February,</i> people!<i></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The kids were well-behaved at the beginning but I think they got a little restless toward the end. Still, they were pretty much as attentive as I would expect kindergartners to be. And they sang along with several of the songs I played, including Rocky Top (you know I <i>had</i> to play that one).<br />
<br />
After several requests for things I'd already played, Lori intervened and said "Okay, only raise your hand if you have a <i>question </i>to ask Miss Robyn." Some of the questions were good, like why was I wearing all black (I wore my concert black), when did I start playing, and why was the viola bigger than the violin. The cutest part is that some of them would raise their hand, wait patiently to be called on, and then just stare at me in silence when I actually called on them. Oh, and I got a good chuckle when I called on a boy by saying "Yes, in the purple shirt" and he looked down to see if he was indeed wearing a purple shirt.<br />
<br />
All in all it was a fun time. They clapped enthusiastically after every tune I played (I wish all my audiences were like that) and one kid even shouted out "Bravo! Bravo!" a few times. It was great when the kids sang along, and I'm hoping that some of them
go home and ask their parents/guardians if they can start violin or
viola lessons.<br />
<br />
Do you remember any of the visitors that came to your school when you were little? Who was your favorite? GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-91028007731591007532014-02-23T13:49:00.002-05:002017-05-19T19:26:55.584-04:00Dream: Aliens take over, but at least they like Eminem.I was typing up this dream recollection as a status update on Facebook. But I kept remembering more and more details, and it was getting way too long. So here you go.<br />
<br />
I dreamt that the world was taken over by an oppressive alien force. We were herded like cattle into a large meeting hall. On the floor, I found a couple of large coins. I thought they were silver dollars, but they were actually too big. There was the image of some alien ruler on one side, and some worshipful sayings were engraved on both sides. I noticed that part of the coin was hollow and transparent. The large hall was decorated with sayings and more images of (what I guess were) alien leaders. I held up the transparent part of the coin and looked through it at an empty space on one of the walls in between some sayings and leaders' images. That's when I discovered that there were hidden messages on the walls. I found two separate ones, and I guessed that they were messages from a previously oppressed people on how to survive and/or overthrow the new government.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure how we got the message but we were all instructed to wear tall boots to the meeting hall. A lot of people either didn't get the message or couldn't/wouldn't comply. I followed the instructions and put some knee-high leather boots on. Everyone was lined up and we stood and waited to go through some kind of processing center. While we waited, a bunch of ducks came into the room and starting nipping at our heels and biting people. That's when I realized why we were instructed to wear the boots. While other people were attacked and mangled, I was simply annoyed.<br />
<br />
When my turn came up to enter the processing center, I was a little confused as to which window to go to. Someone was calling the name "Annabelle" and I wasn't sure if that was my name or not--I had found some credentials at some point and was carrying the papers with me. Either I was instructed to take on this new identity or I had decided to on my own. So I scrambled to find the papers as the alien (who, if I remember correctly, was humanoid and didn't look too other-worldly) continued to call out for Annabelle and looked at me questioningly. The name on the papers was something like "Abbe Abhe." I decided that perhaps "Abbe" was short for Annabelle and I walked up to the window. I explained to the alien that I was used to being called "Abbe" and was confused when I heard "Annabelle." Next I was at an empty window, looking at some large, paper-towel-roll-looking things at an alien desk. I picked up one of the rolls and there was some cool sound effect as a coffee pot was revealed to me. I suddenly realized that I shouldn't be messing with the aliens' stuff so I quickly put the roll back. Next we were informed about our new lives: clothing, curfew, and whatnot. Then we were taken to our new homes (men were to live on one side of town, women on the other) in large vans.<br />
<br />
Before we got into the vans, we were standing outside, enjoying what we thought might be our last moments of freedom. I walked up some steps, barefoot in the snow (they took my boots for some reason, and I think some of my clothes, too). The snow wasn't as cold as I was expecting it to be. There was music playing, though I'm not sure where it was coming from. It was Eminem, and the musical sample that was played over and over was taken from a video game I play called My Singing Monsters. I was bouncing up and down and dancing with this guy as we ascended the stairs to the street. "At least we still have music," I noted.<br />
<br />
In the vans there were cartoon instructional videos playing on small TV screens. The first scene was about how to treat a paper cut. It showed the scenario and then asked how we should handle it. The narrator asked "What would you do if, after a few days, the cut was worse?" and "What would you do if, after one day, the cut was the same?" The dark-haired cartoon woman was shown peeling off her bandaid to reveal a worse cut, and then a cut that was the same. One of the choices for how to treat the cut was "Bite it and die." The woman was seated in a bathroom. She removed the bandage from her knee (who gets a paper cut on their <i>knee</i>?), bent over, and began to feast on the wound.<br />
<br />
The next thing I remember is being in a dormitory which also had classrooms. I knew there had been exams going on earlier that day. I was poking my head in the classrooms, seeing what they looked like post-exams. There were mannequins in the seats (or perhaps they were eerie, petrified students?) and they each had sheets of paper in front of them with problems scribbled from the board. I looked at one student's sheet and was deciding if their answer was correct or not.<br />
<br />
Next I was in my dorm room. It was a small, square room with plain white walls and no decorations. I don't think there was any furniture either. For some reason all of the clothes I'd been wearing had been taken. It was early in the morning (I knew this because it was still dark outside, but I'd apparently been asleep for a while). I wondered if the classroom across the hall from me was empty. I don't know why I wanted to get in it, but for some reason I did. I guessed that, because of the hour, the room would be abandoned and no one would see me in my birthday suit. Also of note: I didn't have my glasses on and I'm <i>very</i> nearsighted. So I tiptoed across the hall. I gently opened the door and squinted as I looked around, trying to see what was in there. Then I noticed light coming from a lamp to my right and a blurry figure that might have been a person. I gasped softly and made my way back out as quickly but quietly as I could.<br />
<br />
Later on in my dorm room, which was suddenly the size of a decent apartment, I was with my friend Kady and we were talking about something. We were both clothed, thankfully! Kady tried to open the blinds by turning some kind of knob on the wall near the top of the window. I went "Are you trying to do <i>this</i>?" and grabbed the stick you use to open and close blinds. As I turned it, the vertical blinds in the middle opened (there were also some horizontal blinds on the sides) and she went "Yes!"<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
I couldn't make this stuff up, y'all. I'm a decent writer but I'm not <i>that</i> creative! What's the weirdest dream you've ever had?GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-15183281491915078582014-02-19T22:39:00.000-05:002014-02-19T22:58:16.954-05:00Perfect TimingSo, I've had a standing date with <a href="http://wilwheaton.net/">Wil Wheaton</a> every Wednesday for a couple of months. No, not the <i>real</i> Wil Wheaton (I wish!). But his voice. I have a 90-minute commute on Wednesday nights for work (90 minutes there and 90 minutes back, 4 hours later) and although I have plenty of CDs I could listen to, I figured music would get old after a while. So I decided I'd listen to audiobooks. Now, which ones to listen to? I went through my iTunes folders and found a couple of <a href="http://wilwheaton.bandcamp.com/">Wil Wheaton audiobooks</a>. I purchased them a while ago but then my iPod bit the dust and I kind of forgot about them. Anyway, I absolutely adore Wil (he was my first celeb crush EVAR), so it made perfect sense to start my weekly <i>treks</i> (har har) with his books before moving on to other items on my to-read list (the Harry Potter series is next).<br />
<br />
I started with the audiobook for <i>Just A Geek, </i>which is the first of Wil's books I ever owned (thanks to my beloved brother for buying it for me all those years ago!). It took several weeks to get through the whole thing, as I expected. I had to stop and start it many times, and backtrack in some places. Like the time I had Winamp on shuffle for some reason and it jumped from like, chapter 3 to chapter 9.<br />
<br />
I'd been worried that I'd finish the book mid-trip and not be able to switch to something else. I was listening via my tablet, which I'd plugged into the AUX port in my Jetta, so changing to another book while driving wasn't as easy as grabbing a new CD and switching it out for the current one. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about this at all. After listening to the FAQs and the interviews and the bloopers, the last track ended <i>just</i> as I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex. It was the perfect end to a wonderful journey (<i>Journey's End</i>, BAM! Didn't even plan that one!). Sometimes it's the little things in life, like an audiobook synching up perfectly with my trip home, that make me smile. :)<br />
<br />
What's made you smile this week?GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-7268901159040809812014-01-26T23:32:00.001-05:002014-01-26T23:33:28.253-05:00Why's everybody always pickin' on me?Okay, time for another weird dream. For those of you who aren't Musers, Dom = drummer of Muse. Chris = bass player of Muse. Matt = lead singer and guitarist of Muse.<br />
<br />
---<br />
I dreamt I was second row center for a private soundcheck for Muse. The first thing I remember though is being in a diner-type room with my mom. There were lots of different sodas to pick from. We were the only ones in the place; it's like it wasn't even open. It was in the backstage area of the soundcheck. I think I chose an orange soda.<br />
<br />
Next I went to the soundcheck. For some reason Dom wasn't on the drums. The guy who <i>was</i> on drums wasn't playing them--he was playing a bass that wasn't plugged in. But <i>someone</i> was playing drums because I heard them during the song! And Chris was missing too--some other guy was in his place. At first I was talking to a roadie near the diner and asking where Dom was, saying he was my fave or something. The roadie walked away after a while and I was like "Hey, you're cute, too!" Too little, too late, haha! Then I was sitting down and Matt (a young Matt) was talking to us and having contests to win stuff. This guy behind me was harassing me. Like, a lot. Flicking snot on me, spitting on me. Finally Matt said I could move to the front row and that security could take that guy out. Then the guy tried to touch my face and I snapped at him. The security guy was like "Did he touch her again?" and <i>everyone</i> around me went "YES!" I went to get a drink from the diner and when I got back I decided to stay with my friends on the second row instead of taking Matt up on his invitation to sit on the front row. I also took my hair down. Unfortunately security hadn't taken the annoying guy away. I felt him pull my hair once I sat down but ignored him.<br />
<br />
Next I remember being in a mall and looking all over for a water fountain. Once I <i>finally</i> found one I was told it was for employees only. I asked where a public one was and the guy didn't know. I asked if I could take a cup from the employee area and use it you get water elsewhere. He said no. I was like "What if I give you a dollar for it? I'm sure it cost like, 7 cents to make." He was like "I didn't pay for the cups." So I countered "Give it to your boss and he can give it to whoever buys the cups and they can handle it. I'm offering to pay you for a cup that no one is going to miss." It was getting ridiculous. I don't think I ever got the cup.<br />
<br />
Next I was being harassed again, this time by three young white guys, maybe early college age. I think the water fountain guy sent them after me. Anyway, I thought <i>Maybe if I just leave the mall, they'll leave me alone.</i> But once I was outside they still bothered me. By this time I was starting to wake up so I had some control over the dream. I beat the guys up one at a time, taking the last guy's shoes. He said he wanted them back so I spit on the sole of one and offered it to him. This might have been the guy from soundcheck who spit on me.<br />
<br />
They finally left me alone and then I was outside, in the dark, looking for my car. I hadn't come out of the mall where I entered; I was just trying to get away from those guys. As I wandered around the parking area I ran into this group of young black guys (3 or 4 of them). I asked if I could walk with them while I looked for my car, in case those other guys came back to bother me again. They said yes and then I started bragging about how I'd beaten up the guys. Then I woke up.<br />
<br />
----<br />
Weird one, huh? And why was everybody after me?!?!GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-73237199156230824722013-12-01T14:41:00.000-05:002013-12-01T14:42:42.039-05:00New Dream: Meeting Chris Wolstenholme of Muse!Okay, so I was in the bar of some restaurant (I'm assuming I was in Knoxville, my current place of residence). It was dimly lit and I was walking around looking for a place to sit. I looked up at one of the flat screen TVs to see Muse performing "Uprising" live on an awards show. Of course I geeked out a little on the inside. But then I turned to see the Wolstenbeast himself walking around the bar area. I went up to him and asked "If you're here, then who's playing bass [with the band]?" I thought he'd say "Morgan" but he said some name I didn't recognize. Apparently this instantly made us friends because he let me hang around him like a little puppy. We stood and talked a little bit and he also took pictures with a few other fans. Then I got my brother to take a picture of us with my camera. The other fans just kind of stood next to him but I pulled a Lisa "Bellamy" Smith :) and wrapped my arms around his neck. He was sweaty for some reason but I didn't care (okay, maybe I minded a <i>little</i> bit, but I got over it quickly because it was the WOLSTENBEAST). He leaned over a bit (he had to, or I wouldn't have been able to reach around his neck) and went "C'mon camera!" because my brother was having trouble taking the picture.<br />
<br />
With the picture finally secured, we sat down at this table we'd been standing near. We talked about some other things, most of which I've forgotten now. But I know I confirmed that his and Dom's birthdays are in December and then asked him how old they were (even though I already knew all of this). I was remarking on how most of the bands I like have members way older than me or way younger, so I was glad I'm in the same age range as the members of Muse. I mentioned how I'd love to meet the rest of the band but they wouldn't be showing up here because the awards show was in a different city. Chris said "You should come to our show on Thursday." I asked where it was going to be, thinking he'd say Nashville or Atlanta. "Livin," he replied. [Those of you in real life know this is a fictional city; however, Dream Robyn knew that this was a city in the UK.] I was like "Chris, I can't afford to go all the way to the UK just to see you guys! I'm a poor teacher!!" Then I changed my tune and said something along the lines of "Unless I can be Dom's girlfriend and then he would probably pay my way...and then I'd <i>definitely </i>meet all the guys..." I don't remember Chris's response to that but soon after he had to go. I was thinking about asking if we could exchange phone numbers so we could text (I thought he might actually say yes), but I didn't get up the courage to do it. By this time my mouth had become full of some kind of white, crusty substance. I mean, literally, my mouth was <i>full</i> of it, and it was making it hard to talk. Oh yeah, and if I was talking to you, you could totally <i>see</i> the stuff. So of course Chris was all WTH and I'm trying to talk around it. But it just kept getting worse; it was like the more I talked the more stuff showed up. I quickly turned around and tried to spit a bunch of it out (gross, LOL) and then continue talking, but it didn't help much. Now Chris was walking away (he didn't even say goodbye) toward a back exit of some kind and I was chasing after him. He went through a set of swinging double doors (like he was entering the restaurant's kitchen) and I went through them as well. He had disappeared though. I yelled into the darkness of a long hallway "My name is Robyn, by the way!"<br />
<br />
And that's how my dream ended. Oh, well. Chris was really nice up until that crusty stuff showed up. That's happened to me in dreams before but not in <i>years</i>. It was funny when I woke up but I was MAD in the dream!GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-17573326420950002202013-11-07T22:03:00.000-05:002013-11-07T22:17:38.343-05:00Muse: Live at Olympic Stadium REVIEWSince I don't own any official Muse tee shirts (<i>yet</i>) I donned my "#1 Dom Fan" shirt and headed to Franklin, TN (which is outside of Nashville).<br />
<br />
First of all, I expected to see more people there. The show started at 8:00 and I got there at 7:15 in hopes of getting a good seat. When I walked in, there were four other people in the theater. The mother cheered "Yay, another Muse fan!" and I responded "Yay, Musers!" She said they'd been there since like, 5:00 because they expected a crowd, too. Eventually the theater filled up with more people. I'd say maybe 40-50 total?<br />
<br />
Anyway, I chatted with the lady and the three younger people (I almost called them "kids" but I'm trying not to do that to every young person I see) for a while. They were at the Nashville show back in September like I was. They also saw the guys in Nashville a couple of years ago. When the woman asked me if I was there, I had to admit "I didn't know Muse existed then!" It feels like I've been a fan forever, but it's really only been a couple years.<br />
<br />
Carmike designated the smallest theater with the smallest screen for the showing...losers. And the sound was <i>not</i> loud enough. Also, I couldn't tell you if it was in 4K or not. It looked really clear, but I have nothing to compare it to (haven't seen a movie in <i>ages</i>). Oh yeah, and I found out that tickets were only $8 when they first went on sale. When I bought my ticket Tuesday afternoon, it was $12.50. Not cool.<br />
<br />
Okay, onto the show. Is there anything Morgan Nicholls <i>can't</i> do? He sang a <i>lot</i> (like in Madness--he's doing the "m-m-m-mad" part) and also played guitar, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabasa">cabasa</a>, drums, tambourine, and glockenspiel. And probably other things I didn't even see. I totally have a crush on that man sheerly because of his skills.<br />
<br />
I <i>finally</i> know during which songs Dom comes out and plays drums on the thrust. I've asked several fans on their pictures and no one ever gets back to me. It's for Guiding Light and Undisclosed Desires.<br />
<br />
I'm so glad (but also jealous) that they played Animals! I've never heard it live and it's one of my favorite songs. I thought the visuals were really cool, and the guy throwing money around was cool, too. But it was weird when he fell on the floor and pretended to be dead, and then Chris walked up and played Man with a Harmonica.* It was just awkward. I also wonder when the guy got up and left (of course they didn't show that).<br />
<br />
During Guiding Light, an acrobat was dancing around while hanging from a light bulb. The dancing was awesome. The light bulb was a bit cheesy in my opinion. Oooh, Guiding <i>Light bulb</i>. *ba-dum-ching*<br />
<br />
I was glad they did Feeling Good, but the dramatization with the lady drinking gasoline at the end seemed out of place. Was it supposed to be ironic?<br />
<br />
After the first barrier run in Undisclosed Desires, Matt went under the stage and sang to the Animals man and the Feeling Good woman, who were lying in coffins propped up. Um...weird?<br />
<br />
I looked for the infamous Lisa (Muser who's been to over 100 shows!) but I never spotted her. I've heard she made an appearance in Starlight, so I'll be sure to look for it when I get the DVD.<br />
<br />
I totally didn't know that Matt used a 7-string guitar for Supremacy and Survival. Sooooo cool. Oh, and in Survival he sang the octave at the very end (the high note from the album)! I had to contain a squeal of delight...<br />
<br />
Even though I saw it live in Nashville, it was still <i>so awesome</i> to see the armies of Matt, Chris, and Dom during Uprising. I wonder how long it took Tom Kirk to put all that together? Oh, and speaking of the visuals, seeing President Obama and the Pope dancing to Panic Station was great. I was cackling the whole time, as was the lady next to me.<br />
<br />
Back to Morgan for a bit--he played several parts that I thought Matt would play. For example, the guitar in Starlight. At the end of Uprising, Matt handed his guitar to a stage hand and I expected him to get another one in return. When he didn't, I started wracking my brain trying to think what other songs there were where he doesn't play guitar (since they'd already done Undisclosed Desires and Follow Me). So when Starlight began, I was a little confused. I was thinking, "Are they not going to have guitar on it at all?"<br />
<br />
I thought it was so cute at the end when Dom took pictures of the crowd with his iPhone. And that's my remembrance! Hope you enjoyed it.<br />
<br />
<br />
*<i>Does anyone else get bored during Man with a Harmonica? What is the big deal? Chris plays two whole notes. Whoop-de-doo. Am I missing something??</i>GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-79323736462718355912013-10-06T21:41:00.001-04:002013-10-06T21:41:54.499-04:00MUSE in NashvilleAlrighty, it's finally time for the recap of my amazing night with the best band in the world! I put the setlist near the bottom of the post. For a complete photo album, check out my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101675587546015.1073741837.9414218&type=1&l=4271a41fa1">Facebook photos</a>.<br />
<br />
As soon as Muse made their new Southeast US tour dates public I marked my calendar for the day the Nashville tickets went on sale (April) and snatched them up as soon as the fan pre-sale began. It's a little over a couple hours away for me, and the show was on a Friday night, so it worked really well. I also entered the contest (with that stupid orb game--some of you know what I'm talking about) to win a chance to meet the guys and whatnot in Atlanta, which would've been the Wednesday before. Obviously I didn't win. But there's always next time!<br />
<br />
So I drove over to Nashville Friday afternoon, as soon as I was done teaching for the day. I got really confused because I was leaving at 3:00 and my GPS said that I would arrive at 4:15. <i>Okay, maybe Google Maps was off a little bit in the time estimate</i>, I thought to myself. But once I got on I-40, it said I'd be on it for 153 miles. <i>I can't go that far in an hour and 15 minutes! What is going ON? </i>Then it occurred to me. Nashville is in <b>Central Time</b>. My GPS was telling me my arrival time in the tie zone of my destination. Finally convinced that I wasn't going crazy, my brain resumed its normal chatter as I drove west to Nashville.<br />
<br />
When I got to my hotel (Double Tree--yay, cookies!) I got settled in and waited for my friend Julia (my bestie who was driving in from Virginia) to arrive. After she arrived we both took showers and then did some taxi research. Now, for those of you who don't know, we had <i>terrible</i> luck with the taxi company we chose when we went to see Justin Timberlake and Jay Z in Baltimore. Well, things weren't much better this time. The dispatcher didn't cut us off and hang up on us (twice) like in Baltimore, but the cab driver got really exasperated when we told him we were paying by credit card. We <i>specifically asked</i> for a cab which took credit cards when we made the reservation but this guy's credit card reader wasn't working. So he's complaining and going "Are you <i>sure</i> you don't have any cash?" I did have cash, but I wasn't about to use it because he <i>should've</i> had a working card reader. If your reader isn't working, you <i>tell your supervisor</i> so they don't send you to a customer who wants to pay by credit card. Isn't that a simple concept? Anyway, he got a very low tip because he practically treated us like it was all <i>our</i> fault.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aKLtEnzmcRQ/UjIxDiKLRiI/AAAAAAAAAaI/OzKjFwRPD4k/s1600/SDC14987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aKLtEnzmcRQ/UjIxDiKLRiI/AAAAAAAAAaI/OzKjFwRPD4k/s320/SDC14987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We finally got to the Bridgestone Arena. I took a few pictures while outside, because downtown Nashville is so bright!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNkpB9EmeDY/UjIxLVdEqHI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/VIYtXCL6Xjc/s1600/SDC14990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNkpB9EmeDY/UjIxLVdEqHI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/VIYtXCL6Xjc/s320/SDC14990.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Julia and I had VIP tickets that I purchased through the MUSE website. The "VIP" label meant that we got primo seats in the first few rows of the lower bowl, we had access to a pre-show party with special merchandise and dinner, and we got some freebies (water bottle, tote bag, limited edition poster). Will I be using that tote bag and water bottle every day for work? You betcha!<br />
<br />
Getting our actual tickets was a bit confusing. My paperwork said to go to Will Call, then go check in at the VIP table. Well, Will Call didn't have our tickets; the VIP table did. So why did the paper say to go to Will Call? Anyway, we went to the VIP table (which we passed to go to Will Call), got our goodies, and then attempted to find the VIP party. More confusion ensued.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jk8VBpcPdXo/UjI1B8bh0WI/AAAAAAAAAas/dHpGQQvfICM/s1600/SDC14991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jk8VBpcPdXo/UjI1B8bh0WI/AAAAAAAAAas/dHpGQQvfICM/s320/SDC14991.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After asking for directions, we <i>finally</i> found the "party." It was in a small, dimly lit room near the entrance to the floor seats (well, not seats, because it was standing only on the floor...but you know what I mean). There was a huge backdrop with "MUSE" on it, with lights all around and different images showing in the word MUSE. Here's a slightly fuzzy picture of it:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pDetyPuCLNM/UjIyYtkRVEI/AAAAAAAAAaY/GmEQxqG1Ybs/s1600/SDC14993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pDetyPuCLNM/UjIyYtkRVEI/AAAAAAAAAaY/GmEQxqG1Ybs/s320/SDC14993.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The room had blown up professional photos of the guys from earlier on the tour. There was no seating; only tables made for standing at. There were also TV screens showing live footage of the band (it later occurred to me that this was from H.A.A.R.P.). As we walked in they were playing Take a Bow, then the video started over.<br />
<br />
The "dinner" was nachos and an assortment of toppings (salsas, guacamole, a big vat of queso, sour cream, and a big vat of chili). There was no VIP shopping area with special merchandise that I could see, but that's okay. I didn't really plan on spending any more money than I'd already spent anyway!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_cMKT5GhfQ/UjIyw3FUBZI/AAAAAAAAAag/xo7c1TAuD1k/s1600/SDC14994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_cMKT5GhfQ/UjIyw3FUBZI/AAAAAAAAAag/xo7c1TAuD1k/s320/SDC14994.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Julia got us drinks with double shots so I quickly ate some nachos and chili to absorb some of the alcohol! ;-) While we were standing around feeling underwhelmed by the "party," this tall guy came over and remarked on how odd it was to be showing live footage of the band at a pre-concert party. We agreed and he asked what we'd prefer. Actually, he asked <i>me</i>, kind of ignoring Julia. I couldn't think of anything besides music videos. Julia suggested interviews with the guys, which I think is a great idea. We chatted a bit more and then he left us to go back to his group of friends. It was sort of weird because I felt like we were being interviewed by a member of the media or something. He had a VIP wristband like we did but he was also wearing some kind of lanyard.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://intl.stub.com/seating-charts/x450/bridgestone-arena-muse-9158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://intl.stub.com/seating-charts/x450/bridgestone-arena-muse-9158.jpg" width="320" /></a>Anyway, I ate a little more and then we headed out. As we left, a nice gentleman who worked there told us how to get to our seats. Once we got to our seats (front row of Section 105) we met a young girl who had a custom tee shirt like mine--it said "I<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">⼠</span></span>MUSE" and had the show location and date and whatnot. She said her dad brought her. I marveled at this because my dad would <i>not</i> take me to a Muse show! :-D We struck up a conversation with the girl and found out that her name was also Julia. Her dad came back from wherever he had gone and we told him how cool he was for bringing his daughter to the show. He said if he wasn't also a fan, he probably wouldn't have done it!<br />
<br />
Throughout the show I told Julia (bestie) what some of the songs were, since she only owns the two most recent albums. I also filled Julia (teen) in on a couple (Agitated and Neutron Star Collision) because they were from albums she didn't have.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVwM8LShD_k/UjJ2PMYY3EI/AAAAAAAAAbE/RUxmBicPGPU/s1600/SDC15038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVwM8LShD_k/UjJ2PMYY3EI/AAAAAAAAAbE/RUxmBicPGPU/s320/SDC15038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
They had the pyramid and showed ninja Dom but he didn't change into his red suit. I was disappointed... But I'm so glad they played Agitated, since I'd heard that Charlotte and Atlanta got it. I was hoping for New Born, Animals, or Undisclosed Desires but alas, none of them were played. I did get some other faves, though--Panic Station and Supermassive Black Hole. I stood almost the entire time, which is a big deal for my tired, old feet. I only sat down twice! And before I went to bed Julia (bestie) made me take Advil so my feet wouldn't hate me the next day. Thanks, Julia!<br />
<br />
So about 4-5 songs into the show I realized I hadn't been keeping track of the set list. Thankfully Julia (teen) was. I gave her my email so she could send it to me. Also, it was posted on one of my Facebook Muser groups so I could double check everything. Glad it all worked out!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s0CM48tNyrg/UjJ4C8ZLj_I/AAAAAAAAAbc/7jrHCCNFgEM/s1600/SDC15025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s0CM48tNyrg/UjJ4C8ZLj_I/AAAAAAAAAbc/7jrHCCNFgEM/s320/SDC15025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The show was AMAZING, as if we would expect anything less from our boys. :-) The show started out with the pyramid on the floor, and they showed video as Isolated System played. Then the pyramid went dark, turned red, then began to rise. The band played Supremacy as this all took place. During the show the pyramid changed shapes and whatnot, showing different images depending on the song. For Madness Matt put on the word glasses and the lyrics also showed up on the pyramid. For Survival the faces singing "So I...told you..." and "You were warned and didn't listen" showed up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWIU-qHtFxk/UjJ_eJFdW8I/AAAAAAAAAbo/qXiGM0avokY/s1600/SDC15053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWIU-qHtFxk/UjJ_eJFdW8I/AAAAAAAAAbo/qXiGM0avokY/s320/SDC15053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There were no guitar-throwing or amp-destroying antics at this show unfortunately. The most we got was Matt spinning the amp around and causing a mini light show during one song (can't remember which one it was, sorry).<br />
<br />
When Matt went to the piano I got really excited. I love it when he plays piano! Then I was <i>so shocked</i> when they played Neutron Star Collision. Some fans don't like it because it was used for one of the Twilight movies, but it's still a beautiful song. And Matt didn't write it <i>for</i> Twilight as some people think. According to the article about the song on <a href="http://www.musewiki.org/Neutron_Star_Collision">MuseWiki</a>, Matt wrote it about a girl he'd broken up with a few months prior.<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to the music. Here's the setlist:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Isolated System<br />
Supremacy<br />
Supermassive Black Hole<br />
The Star-Spangled Banner + Hysteria<br />
Panic Station<br />
Resistance<br />
Man with a Harmonica + Knights of Cydonia<br />
Montpellier Jam + Feeling Good<br />
Follow Me<br />
Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)<br />
Liquid State<br />
Madness<br />
Time Is Running Out<br />
Unnatural Selection<br />
Agitated + Freedom outro<br />
Uprising </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Encore</b><br />
Unsustainable<br />
Starlight<br />
Survival</blockquote>
Other interesting tidbits: There was this guy sitting behind us who totally hit on Julia (bestie), which is weird because he was sitting with his girlfriend. At least, we assume it was his girlfriend because apparently he had his arms around her the whole show...<br />
<br />
Before the show Julia (bestie) was remarking how cute this guy was who was on the floor in front of us. She tried to inconspicuously take his picture (from behind) with her phone but the flash went off. He actually turned around and said something like "Did you get a good shot?" I nearly died laughing.<br />
<br />
Also, the nice gentleman from VIP who told us how to find our seats showed up on the floor about halfway through the show. We talked to him afterward. He said once he was done at the VIP room he was able to come out and watch the rest of the show. He also said he had as much fun watching us as he did watching the band. It wasn't as creepy as it sounds, I promise... Anyway, we shook his hand and made our way out.<br />
<br />
I then slept like a <b>ROCK</b> because I had jumped, sung, and screamed my heart out for those boys. Did I mention that I love Muse? Because I kind of do. I hope you do, too. :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://intl.stub.com/seating-charts/x450/bridgestone-arena-muse-9158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-34254678319580620582013-08-19T13:21:00.000-04:002013-10-06T22:30:39.515-04:00Hawaiian Vacation, Part 3The seventh and final day, Friday, was a bit low key. It was our second day at port in Nawiliwili and Mom and I stayed on the ship. I went to the second art auction put on by Park West. This time I had more champagne and, perhaps because of the champagne, I actually purchased some art! :-) Here's what I should be receiving in a few weeks (anyone wanna help me choose frames for them?):<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.parkwestgallery.com/artwork-detail/?ArtworkID=412930">Regal I</a> by Peter Nixon</li>
<li><a href="http://www.parkwestgallery.com/artwork-detail/?ArtworkID=412902">Athena II</a> by Peter Nixon</li>
<li>Dove in Flight by Zamy Steynovitz (sorry, the link was taken down from the website)</li>
</ul>
The auctioneer gave away prizes throughout the event. He also promised a piece of art and a bottle of champagne to the loudest/most enthusiastic participant (he did this at the first auction as well). I decided to try to win this time around and I clapped and yelled for <i>everything</i>. Unfortunately, the auctioneer thought it was the people next to me making that noise and they won the competition (they hardly made any sounds at all!). There is a happy ending to this story, though--I had befriended a young lady from that group and she told me when she won that she doesn't drink. I jokingly said "I'll gladly take the champagne off your hands!" So after she went to claim her prize, she walked over to me and handed me to <i>huge</i> bottle of champagne. How nice!<br />
<br />
After the auction, the ship made a pass of<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="line-height: 1.2em;">NÄ Pali; first on the port side and then on the starboard side. I got some good shots, fortunately.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-anw8Tgb6sUc/UglzyI6bNqI/AAAAAAAAAYo/9VVappx3z0M/s1600/SDC14873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-anw8Tgb6sUc/UglzyI6bNqI/AAAAAAAAAYo/9VVappx3z0M/s320/SDC14873.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxgvWeUcBgY/Uglz6hIfjVI/AAAAAAAAAYw/Ihhr8KfQPfA/s1600/SDC14876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxgvWeUcBgY/Uglz6hIfjVI/AAAAAAAAAYw/Ihhr8KfQPfA/s320/SDC14876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;">I had a yellow notepad on which I'd been taking notes for the whole cruise. At the end of Friday, I wrote "Three glasses of champagne, 1 glass of wine, and 3 works of art." :-D</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One o</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.2em;">ther thing of note from the cruise: Our steward, Gerry, was a really helpful guy. He also made towel animals for us every day. Be sure to check out my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101617797662405.1073741833.9414218&type=1&l=ec2cf0a222">photo album on Facebook</a> to see them all!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cux5UDB6v9w/Ugl7u76xsnI/AAAAAAAAAZI/VBWfUqv2sZA/s1600/SDC14912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cux5UDB6v9w/Ugl7u76xsnI/AAAAAAAAAZI/VBWfUqv2sZA/s320/SDC14912.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;">On Saturday, we docked at Honolulu again and disembarked. I was sad to leave but happy to have had such a wonderful experience with my mom. </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Thankfully the fun wasn't </span><i style="line-height: 24px;">all</i><span style="line-height: 24px;"> over just yet! We had to disembark that morning but our planes didn't leave until after 10 that night. So we took one last excursion--the Grand Circle Island Tour. It took us all the way around the island of Oahu. The picture to the left is a couple of volcanic rock islands off the coast. Here are some interesting things I learned on the tour:</span><br />
<ul><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux5ROUUcISk/Ugl-GvO39nI/AAAAAAAAAZY/JcxLrndWZ3k/s1600/SDC14916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux5ROUUcISk/Ugl-GvO39nI/AAAAAAAAAZY/JcxLrndWZ3k/s320/SDC14916.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<li><span style="line-height: 24px;">Waikiki Beach is man-made. They bring in sand every 6 years.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 24px;">Most of the palm trees are non-native (like these fishtail palm trees to the right).</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 24px;">When taking this tour, you should sit on the right side of the bus, so you can get pictures of the beautiful water and not just the mountains. :-p</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 24px;">Billboards are illegal and RVs are not allowed in parks.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="text-align: center;">At the end of that excursion we were taken to the airport. We arrived somewhere around 5:30. Then Mom and I had dinner and wasted time until it was time to go to our separate gates. This is where things got even more interesting (but not in a good way).</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My flight was to depart at 10:15. We boarded around 9:50. We taxied to the runway and I thought we'd be leaving soon. Then the captian announced that there was a sensor on the front of the plane that wasn't working properly and that we had taxied back to the gate to have the problem looked at. A few moments later he said it would take about 40 minutes to look into and that we could leave the plane if we wanted to. Since it was only 40 minutes, I decided to stay put. <i>Two hours later</i>, the captain announced that the problem couldn't be fixed and that the flight was cancelled (sound familiar?). Then the gate agent told us that there was a convention in Honolulu and that all the hotels in town were full (also sound familiar?). So I got to spend the night in the Honolulu airport. Being stranded in Hawaii might not be such a bad thing, but being stuck in the airport makes it a bit less enjoyable.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I called the number they gave us to rebook my itinerary. The soonest they could get me off the island was 12:30 Sunday afternoon, and that's if I was willing to change airlines (which I'd vowed I'd never do again after the trip <i>to</i> Honolulu). I was desperate so I took it. Then I tried to figure out what I was going to do for the next 11 hours. I decided that sleep was a good start. I put my suitcase behind me and my new Hawaii bag under my head and attempted to sleep on the floor. It was cold and very hard. Eventually I gave up on the floor and went to a chair. The armrests were in the way and I couldn't get comfortable. Next I tried this weird-looking plastic chair on the end of the regular chairs:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--qGzZefP4jA/Ugl_qvnexZI/AAAAAAAAAZo/A7rq3YP3suc/s1600/SDC14931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--qGzZefP4jA/Ugl_qvnexZI/AAAAAAAAAZo/A7rq3YP3suc/s320/SDC14931.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I put my suitcase beside the chair, put my Hawaii bag on top of it for a pillow, and put my legs over the arm of the first black chair. Still not very comfortable, so I took some shirts out of my suitcase and used them as cushions under my head and my hipbone. I slept this way for about two hours, which is surprising considering that the airport was piping in Hawaiian music the whole time (nothing against Hawaiian music...hearing music <i>ad nauseum </i>will turn me off of anything, except Muse).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After that couple of hours of non-restful sleep, I decided I couldn't stand it anymore. I got up and chatted with another couple who'd been on the canceled flight. The wife said "I used to enjoy Hawaiian music. Now I think I hate it." I wholeheartedly agreed with her. She and her husband then went upstairs to try their luck with getting back into a gate. I played on my Kindle for a while, then decided I'd go upstairs as well. I put my bag through the agriculture screening (for a second time) and checked in at the United counter. Then I went to my gate. It took a while to get to the gate because the Honolulu airport is <i>very</i> spread out. I guess the one good thing about that is that since the food and shop areas were so far from the gate, it wasted time walking back and forth.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We were each given $20 in meal vouchers because of the canceled flight. As if that made up for it. We should've been given travel vouchers as well. But that's beside the point... Around 7 am I decided I'd use one of the vouchers to get some breakfast. I went to Starbucks (one of the few places open) and got a chai latte and a cinnamon twist. When I returned to the gate, I wasn't allowed to enter. There was an international flight coming in and because of customs or something, no one was allowed inside the gate. I was told the gate would open at 9. So I found a seat outside the gate, plugged my phone in to charge, and called my dad.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After 9, I went into the gate and played with my Kindle some more. It really helped the time to pass, thankfully. Somewhere around 10:30 or so I went to one of the lobby stores and tried to purchase a Sudoku book and some macadamia nuts with a voucher. The clerk told me that I couldn't use my voucher there, despite the fact that the gate agent told me I could use the vouchers "anywhere in the airport." I already had my heart set on the items, so I put them on my credit card. Then I went to Burger King and spent the rest of the vouchers on lunch. I got a kid's meal and a little Cinnabon even though I wasn't that hungry. I wanted to use as much of the voucher as possible, you know? I ate the hamburger and fries slowly and then had the Cinnabon closer to time to board.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I can thankfully say that there were no more catastrophes after that. We boarded the plane for the 12:30 flight and there were no instrument malfunctions. Even though I was now going to San Francisco instead of Phoenix for the first leg of my trip, I didn't get to see my mom (who had flown to San Francisco and then spent the night at a hotel before finishing her trip home). But I made it safely home on Monday morning instead of Sunday evening, and then immediately went back to bed. I spent the entire day catching up on sleep, resumed life on Tuesday, then went on <i>another</i> trip Wednesday (that's another story for another day!)...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Despite that adventure at the end, my overall Hawaiian trip was a success. <span style="line-height: 24px;">I definitely want to go back to Hawaii, and maybe just visit one island this time. So, to the beautiful state of Hawaii, I say "Ahui ho!" (Until we meet again!)</span></div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-29235824939200516792013-08-14T17:44:00.000-04:002013-08-19T13:23:55.864-04:00Hawaiian Vacation, Part 2Now to continue with my Hawaiian adventure!<br />
<br />
The fourth day, Tuesday, was spent in Hilo (the north side of Hawaii, the Big Island). We didn't have an excursion planned but we wanted to get off the ship after a long day at sea the day before, so we took a bus to downtown Hilo. A young lady at Guest Services on the ship said there wasn't much to do, and she was right! We walked around a bit and stopped by a farmer's market, and then walked around some more.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm72XCZqXq8/UglnkKEnj5I/AAAAAAAAAXI/Zz80ksznsWI/s1600/SDC14692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm72XCZqXq8/UglnkKEnj5I/AAAAAAAAAXI/Zz80ksznsWI/s400/SDC14692.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmer's Market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We also stopped by a place called Cafe Pesto. Mom had lemonade and I had some passion fruit sorbet. It was soooo good. Later, while Mom was resting in the stateroom, I took a bus by myself to a more populated part of Hilo. I needed some astringent since the airport people had inspected mine and left it open for it to spill inside my suitcase (at least my suitcase smelled nice and was properly exfoliated). So I went to WalMart to get the astringent. I also bought a bathing suit, which I then proceeded to not wear for the rest of the cruise. I tried to get back to the ship for a Thomas Kinkade seminar given by Park West but I missed the 3:00 bus and had to wait 30 minutes for the next one (the seminar was at 4:00). I missed the seminar, but I did get to talk to a nice Australian couple while waiting for the 3:30 bus. Also, I heard about another auction on Friday so I decided to attend that.<br />
<br />
On the fifth day, Wednesday, we arrived at Kona, Hawaii (the southern side of the Big Island). There was no dock this time, so they used tender boats to get us to and from the shore. They were wobbly to say the least...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DE-yXKKh1nc/UglqhGO3n3I/AAAAAAAAAXY/bCwgIY2txtc/s1600/SDC14780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DE-yXKKh1nc/UglqhGO3n3I/AAAAAAAAAXY/bCwgIY2txtc/s400/SDC14780.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tender boat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tLutxsaH54Q/UglrSDlYzaI/AAAAAAAAAXg/gTHesQKQZSE/s1600/SDC14713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tLutxsaH54Q/UglrSDlYzaI/AAAAAAAAAXg/gTHesQKQZSE/s400/SDC14713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Mom and I had an excursion planned--a bus tour. I felt it was a little disappointing because there were only three stops (Kona Coffee, the Painted Church, and Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park). But we got to see a <i>lot</i> of the island inbetween the stops. I was able to take lots of notes on this one (couldn't take notes while riding the Segway on Sunday). A few of the things I learned:<br />
<ul>
<li>The Big Island has never had a hurricane or tropical storm because of protection from the two large mountains.</li>
<li>All the flowers and trees on the Big Island are non-native except for one pitiful looking tree (I didn't get the name).</li>
<li>There are no sand beaches on the Big Island.</li>
</ul>
<div>
I took a lot of photos at Puuhonua so be sure to check Facebook for all of those: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101617797662405.1073741833.9414218&type=1&l=ec2cf0a222">Hawaiian Vacation Pics</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One thing I've neglected to mention so far is that Mom and I had a bit of a problem with our stateroom. The bathroom started smelling like sewage after a couple of days, and it got worse every day. Our steward, Gerry, and one of the Guest Services workers, David, worked diligently to get it taken care of. By Wednesday it was gone, though it did get worse again. We just decided we'd have to live with it. Thankfully it wasn't as bad the second time through. But the head of Guest Services called Tuesday night and said that to make up for the inconvenience they were treating us to free dinner and a bottle of wine at any of the restaurants. So Wednesday night we went to Moderno Churrascaria, a Brazilian-style steakhouse (one of the specialty restaurants on the ship, which usually has a cover charge).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yqLm7OsmkGo/UglupvrWcjI/AAAAAAAAAX0/8RksydwxseM/s1600/SDC14787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yqLm7OsmkGo/UglupvrWcjI/AAAAAAAAAX0/8RksydwxseM/s400/SDC14787.JPG" width="300" /></a>Moderno was beautiful and the food was excellent. They give you a menu full of meats but you don't choose just one. Once you turn over your place card from red to green, a passador comes to your table with the different meats on huge skewers, and cuts off whatever you want. When you're done with the main course and ready for dessert, you turn the place card back over to red.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My favorite food was the grilled pineapple with cinnamon and something else. I got two servings of that, even though I'm slightly allergic to pineapple. O:-) It was too good to pass up--it smelled amazing and tasted even better!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Unfortunately the boat was high-tailing it to Kauai that evening and was rocking quite a bit. It caused both Mom and me to lose our appetites. So we turned our place card back to red after only a few rounds of meat. Our passador came to the table and lamented "Red? Red!!" Mom was so queasy that she ordered some Ginger Ale, which helped thankfully. We got a couple of desserts to go and headed back to the room. Oh, and I chose my favorite wine--Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. I didn't finish it all that evening, so I nursed it for the next couple of days (Mom doesn't drink so it was all mine).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tz-h7GA6iy4/UglwmW7IwrI/AAAAAAAAAYE/4_q1hLhlADs/s1600/Scan0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tz-h7GA6iy4/UglwmW7IwrI/AAAAAAAAAYE/4_q1hLhlADs/s400/Scan0003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thursday (day six) is the day I'd been looking forward to all week. We were docked in Nawiliwili, Kauai and our excursion was a plantation train ride and a luau (also at the plantation)! Mom said she couldn't go to Hawaii without experiencing a luau. The luau was that evening so during the day we took a trip to the UPS store to mail some things that wouldn't fit in our suitcases.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At Kilohana Plantation we got to see a <i>lot </i>of plants. I took a ton of pictures, but didn't get to write down what each one was! So if anyone knows the plants in my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101617797662405.1073741833.9414218&type=1&l=ec2cf0a222">FB photos</a>, please comment and fill me in. :-)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The luau was AMAZING. The food was okay; I did <i>not</i> try poi but I did try a couple of new drinks: the Mai Tai and the Blue Hawaii. Both were good, despite the fact that I don't really like rum or coconut. I also tried papaya (it was okay, nothing stellar) and purple sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes were good but had a strange aftertaste. Here's my dinner plate (yes, I had rice <i>and</i> noodles):</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-um5PoZTZrf0/Ugl7JVr9tsI/AAAAAAAAAZA/CvLV3iYWwbA/s1600/SDC14854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-um5PoZTZrf0/Ugl7JVr9tsI/AAAAAAAAAZA/CvLV3iYWwbA/s320/SDC14854.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The entertainment was...wow. They had storytelling, then regular dancing and Samoan fire dancing. I didn't get many good pictures but my new friend Jennifer (we met Jennifer and her husband Cameron at the luau, as they were sitting next to us) might have. Check Facebook. Here are a couple decent shots of the dancers from before the sun went down:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ig01l0VgjBk/UglxhU8tUdI/AAAAAAAAAYU/aOSK6SyyojA/s1600/SDC14857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ig01l0VgjBk/UglxhU8tUdI/AAAAAAAAAYU/aOSK6SyyojA/s320/SDC14857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--aAMiQKiohA/UglxhSxRizI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/XV_AlNyiaAk/s1600/SDC14855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--aAMiQKiohA/UglxhSxRizI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/XV_AlNyiaAk/s320/SDC14855.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's all for this part of the trip. Tune in soon for the final installment of my Hawaiian vacation retelling!</div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-87422803734159382822013-08-12T20:56:00.005-04:002013-08-19T13:23:20.038-04:00Hawaiian Vacation, Part 1Well, here we go! It's time to recount the tale of my week-long Hawaiian cruise with my mom. I will post some pictures here on the blog but for all the pics, check out my Facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101616981767465.1073741832.9414218&type=1&l=9daff875b8">Hawaiian Pics Preview</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101617797662405.1073741833.9414218&type=1&l=ec2cf0a222">Hawaiian Vacation Pics</a><br />
<br />
First things first. I had to fly <i>to</i> Hawaii, and then the cruise was around the Hawaiian islands. We stopped at four of the main islands: Oahu, Maui, The Big Island, and Kauai:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g7KEU9GJZZY/UglbRUHYGvI/AAAAAAAAAWc/Q3O2td0NKFs/s1600/Scan0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g7KEU9GJZZY/UglbRUHYGvI/AAAAAAAAAWc/Q3O2td0NKFs/s400/Scan0002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Getting <i>to</i> Hawaii took quite a long time since I was coming from the East Coast of the US. I began my trip on Friday. I flew Chicago-Phoenix-Honolulu. The flights got progressively longer...ugh. Once I got to Honolulu I spent the night at the <a href="http://www.miramarwaikiki.com/">Miramar at Waikiki</a>. My mom was<i> supposed</i> to join me that evening... Unfortunately the plane for her flight from San Francisco to Honolulu (she had a slightly different route from mine) had some kind of mechanical failure and, after they took a while to realize that it couldn't be fixed, the flight was canceled. While I was sleeping comfortably in the hotel room, my poor mother was sleeping in an uncomfortable chair in the San Francisco airport because all the hotels were full.<br />
<br />
Thankfully we finally met up the following day, Saturday, at the dock. I got there first, however. We (separately) went through security, got our free leis, and had our photos taken with some good-looking Hawaiians...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VByJulw-E1g/UglYf45FbmI/AAAAAAAAAWM/kFqEeHptplA/s1600/Scan0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VByJulw-E1g/UglYf45FbmI/AAAAAAAAAWM/kFqEeHptplA/s400/Scan0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Once together, we then stood in a long line to check in and embark. I think the first thing we did once we got on the ship and into our stateroom was sleep. Poor mom was exhausted after not getting much sleep in the airport the night before and I was still adjusting to the time zone difference (Hawaii is 6 hours behind Eastern Daylight Time).<br />
<br />
After resting, we went to eat at the Aloha Cafe, one of the complimentary restaurants on the ship. Then there was a mandatory, ship-wide safety drill. Everyone had to evacuate their staterooms and report to their designated areas to listen to safety instructions in the case of an emergency. It was a thrill a minute, lemme tell you.<br />
<br />
So our first day, at the Honolulu port, was uneventful. Our second day (Sunday) was in Maui (port at Kahului). Mom and I went on our first of four excursions, a Segway tour of Lahaina. The tickets said that we <i>must</i> wear closed-toe shoes and Mom hadn't packed any...so we bought some funny-looking water shoes at one of the ship gift stores the day before. Then the morning of the tour, Mom couldn't find her drivers license (which you need any time you re-board the ship). We made ourselves late looking for it and were afraid we'd missed the bus, but once the license was found we rushed down to the gangway. "Segway tour?" an excited women shouted to us. "Yes!" we answered emphatically. She quickly ushered us to the bus, which was still waiting for us (thank God)!<br />
<br />
Upon arriving at Segway Maui Tours, we signed our lives away (stating that SMT would not be held responsible if we hurt ourselves/died while operating a Segway) and then watched a terrifying safety video which showed us all the ways we could hurt ourselves/die while operating a Segway. Despite all of that, Mom and I decided we still wanted to continue with the tour. We were given helmets and neon "Don't Hit Me" vests, then we went outside to practice driving our Segways. It was a little weird at first, but we quickly got the hang of it. Teresa, our tour guide, mused that Mom and I had the most priceless looks on our faces as we watched the safety video. She then later remarked that we seemed to have the most fun of everyone on the tour (which was true). While training to drive the Segways, Mom was going around and around the parking area and Teresa exclaimed "Look at your mom go!" When we were done, I decided that one day I will have a Segway. My feet were <i>killing</i> me from all the maneuvering, but it was a TON of fun. Here we are underneath a beautiful banyan tree:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vdkVpj8-F1Y/UglevfknWyI/AAAAAAAAAWs/9bh0R1_l0SM/s1600/Scan0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vdkVpj8-F1Y/UglevfknWyI/AAAAAAAAAWs/9bh0R1_l0SM/s400/Scan0005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After our Segway fun was over, we decided it was time to eat. We wanted to go somewhere that wasn't too far from Hilo Hattie's, which is where the bus would be picking us up to take us back to the ship. Teresa, being the awesome person that she was, gave us a ride to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Good food, and I got a cool glass that lights up (if you're nice, I might let you play with it)!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JvovXChKLjI/Uglf5Q_B1wI/AAAAAAAAAW4/jU6lvwiJbxQ/s1600/SDC14671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JvovXChKLjI/Uglf5Q_B1wI/AAAAAAAAAW4/jU6lvwiJbxQ/s320/SDC14671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That evening I heard about an art auction that was going on. I'd never been to one, so I decided to check it out. Also, there was free champagne and everyone who stayed to the end would get a free piece of art. Everybody wins, right? The auction was hosted by <a href="http://parkwestgallery.com/">Park West</a>. It was a lot of fun and I learned a little bit about some old and new artists (old: Picasso, new: Peter Max). I didn't bid on anything, though I was tempted to bid on some works featuring the Peanuts characters. They were only $80!! I was so shocked at the price (most things were from $2000 to over $90,000) that I assumed I'd heard the auctioneer incorrectly and didn't bid.<br />
<br />
Another artist I discovered and fell in love with was Emile Bellet. He has a beautiful style and some of his works featured musicians (<a href="http://sales.parkwestgallery.com/art/Ship/Emile-Bellet/cArtist/25/">a woman playing the violin</a>, <a href="http://sales.parkwestgallery.com/art/Ship/Emile-Bellet/cArtist/43/">a woman standing by a piano</a>). I can't display the works here because of copyright, but I've linked the descriptions to the paintings' pages on West Park's website. Please check them out! Also, if you'd like to purchase one for me, my birthday <i>is</i> this month...they're only $2450 each. :-)<br />
<br />
I stayed all the way to the end so I got my free piece of art. I actually ended up with two somehow. They were both the same print so I gave one to Mom. And guess what? It was a work by Bellet! It's titled Delicatesse:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/Va5UcLe1i0Y/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/Va5UcLe1i0Y/hqdefault.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So that was the second day. The third day, Monday, was a bit uneventful because of Hurricane/Tropical Depression Flossie. We were supposed to be at port in Maui two days but the captain said it was safer to be at sea when Flossie hit. So we spent Wednesday at sea. Mom and I didn't do much that day besides eat and explore the ship a bit.<br />
<br />
That's all for the first part of the trip! Tune in soon for the second part.GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-72759744987028945662013-07-04T19:46:00.001-04:002013-07-04T19:55:35.573-04:00Dream: Meeting rock legendsI know it's been a while since I've blogged...sorry! I've been busy working and also writing my first novel. Maybe I'll post an excerpt from the novel soon, if y'all are interested. :)<br />
<br />
So I dreamt that I got to watch bands rehearse for some kind of concert. First the Rolling Stones, then Muse. I got to the place (which just looked like a church gymnasium or something) and then the Stones arrived one by one. It was a brightly lit room and I believe there was a bulletin board with light blue construction paper tacked onto it. I was the only person there when the band arrived, so I chatted them up and took pictures. It randomly occurred to me that in the song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" Mick Jagger totally has enough time to sing "I can't get <i>any </i>satisfaction." I made a mental note to tweet that later.<br />
<br />
When it came time for Muse to rehearse, they were in a different room. It was darker than the room the Stones were in and there were many more people there. I was bummed because the battery on my phone was too low to take pictures or video. I turned to my mom (who's apparently now with me) and said I'd have to run home and get my phone charger. I was <i>not</i> going to miss a chance to document the experience, especially since I was so close to Matt, the lead singer!<br />
<br />
For Muse's rehearsal I was in the orchestra pit with the band and the other musicians (and other fans). They were rehearsing "Uprising." I was jealous because there was a young girl playing violin (it should've been me, of course!). They were using students to play in the orchestra and I was <i>not</i> happy. Also, Chris wasn't there so some girl was playing bass. The violinist looked familiar and I planned on asking her if we'd played together at a gig. Of course I wanted this to happen in front of the band, so they'd know I play as well...<br />
<br />
At one point they were discussing which instruments to use for the song and the students couldn't decide who was playing what. Penny whistle was brought up and I was trying to get the guy next to me to tell me if he didn't want to play it because 1) he didn't like it or 2) because he couldn't play it well. If it was the latter I was going to offer to play. I had to get involved in this performance somehow! I also tried to get the guy to tell me what key the whistle was in because that would determine whether I could play it or not. Unfortunately Matt squelched my plans by interrupting the bickering kids and telling one of them that he (the student) would do it.<br />
<br />
The end. I didn't get to talk to Muse. I don't think I even <i>saw</i> Dom, the drummer. And no Chris. Very disappointing dream overall. Ever had a dream where you wanted to change the ending? What happened, and what did you want to happen?GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-49019219274914432822013-04-08T16:07:00.000-04:002013-07-04T19:54:48.775-04:00My First Muse Show EVARTo my regular readers: This post is mainly for my fellow Musers. If you're not a fan of Muse, or don't enjoy reading concert reviews, you have my permission to skip this entry. :)<br />
<br />
Some of my readers may know that I'm a bit of a Muse fan. In case you didn't know, <b>I love Muse with all of my being</b>. They can do no musical wrong in my mind. And that's a lot coming from me, because the list of bands who have yet to write a bad song in my book is a short list indeed...<br />
<br />
Anyway, Muse is currently on tour, but they have yet to come near my town. So when they announced that they were playing a show in Atlanta (which is only three hours away from me) and that it was <b>FREE</b>, I jumped on that. I made plans, secured a hotel room (yay Expedia for great deals), tried unsuccessfully to find a traveling companion or two (it wasn't for lack of interest, just lack of funds or time), and designed my own tee shirt on the off chance I might actually meet the guys (it happened before <a href="http://robynplusone.livejournal.com/214324.html">with Bryan Adams</a>!).<br />
<br />
On Saturday morning, I drove down to Atlanta. The drive went by fairly quickly, thanks to the Muse CDs I played in the stereo.<br />
<br />
Long story of pre-Muse stuff short: I got really bored and seriously considered driving back home, since I went alone I had no one to talk to. I ran into a few Muse fans in passing, but none of the friends I'd made on Facebook. :-( Also there was very limited seating and my feet get tired fairly quickly. But I toughed it out, sitting on benches or raised concrete slabs whenever I found space. At one point I went back to my car to eat a snack I'd brought, to avoid spending $$ on concessions. Oh, and I used a port-a-potty for the first time. The joy of all-day, outdoor concerts!<br />
<br />
One more thing--I did meet up with a couple of friends who live in the area later in the evening, so I got to watch the concert with people I knew! :-)<br />
<br />
So now onto Muse. Here's the set list:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Supremacy</li>
<li>Madness</li>
<li>Supermassive Black Hole</li>
<li>Panic Station</li>
<li>Resistance</li>
<li>Star-Spangled Banner</li>
<li>Hysteria</li>
<li>Some kind of jam...?</li>
<li>Survival</li>
<li>Follow Me</li>
<li>Time Is Running Out</li>
<li>Liquid State</li>
<li>Uprising</li>
<li>Man with a Harmonica</li>
<li>Knights of Cydonia</li>
</ol>
<div>
I'm <i>really</i> glad they didn't just do an hour set like I thought they'd do (something on the NCAA website made me think that). I would've liked an encore, but I understand that this wasn't part of their regular tour and things work differently.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Highlights from the show:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The first time Matt sang the word "Supremacy" I screamed it right along with him. Later, the dude in front of me went "I could tell you were a huge fan when you hit that high note!" He could also tell because of my shirt. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I229f2ylLTA/UWLlZkrNaUI/AAAAAAAAAUA/ZSThgkE0sTA/s1600/RobynDomShirt02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I229f2ylLTA/UWLlZkrNaUI/AAAAAAAAAUA/ZSThgkE0sTA/s320/RobynDomShirt02.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Whenever they showed Dom on the big screen, he always looked like he was having such a good time! Except for during the Star-Spangled Banner. He looked totally bored as Matt shredded away, haha!</li>
<li>When they started "Supermassive Black Hole" I got all giddy and turned to my friends and said "This was my ringtone!" (Right now it's the chorus from "Resistance.") Then they went straight into Panic Station, which made me <i>uber-</i>happy because those are two of my FAVORITE Muse songs!</li>
<li>It looked like Morgan was singing during "Survival," but it was hard to tell. Is there anything that man <i>can't</i> do?</li>
<li>Also during "Survival," Chris's bass sounded flat. I was just standing there thinking "Will someone <i>please</i> tune that thing?"</li>
<li>I don't know if Matt was under the weather or just not feeling like hitting high notes, but he changed the very last note of "Survival." (For those of you who are musically inclined, instead of singing that final octave he only sang a fifth.)</li>
<li>The graphics on the back screen of the stage were <i>awesome</i>. At one point during "Survival," the image from the<i> 2nd Law's</i> cover art kind of disintegrated from bottom to top. It was so cool!</li>
<li>I finally know now that the <i>2nd Law</i> booklet is wrong in the lyrics for "Follow Me." Matt is definitely singing "I won't let them harm you" and not "hurt/they're hurting you."</li>
<li><b>Second craziest part of the show</b>: Many of you have already heard about this, but the power went out during "Follow Me." They were about halfway through and Matt was pouring his heart and soul into it and suddenly there's no sound! Matt made some faces and tried talking into the mic. No luck. So they left the stage while the tech people worked their magic. My friend Tim joked that the power went out because "They didn't have a British plug." He also said he wanted a reimbursement, but since the concert was free...yeah. ;-)</li>
<li>When they performed "Liquid State" (yay, Chris!) I got really giddy because it occurred to me that this was my first time hearing this song live. I mean, yes, it was my first time seeing Muse in person, but I've watched many videos from this tour on the internet. Unfortunately they always did "Save Me." I'm glad for the switch because I feel like "Save Me" is a bit too slow for a rock concert.</li>
<li>During "Starlight" I noticed that Chris' bass was red with red lights on the fretboard. I've seen the one with blue lights before but don't remember having seen the red one before. Does anyone know if that's new?</li>
<li><b>Craziest part of the show</b>: At the end of "Uprising," Matt decided to go all rock star and start trashing his equipment. First he knocked over an amp (which looked like it was about to push back and fall on top of him at one point) and then stood on top of it to play. Then he decided to throw his guitar toward the back screen multiple times. I'm just glad he didn't throw it toward poor Dom, like he usually does! I took video of parts of "Starlight" and "Uprising" and will add those to this post once they're done being edited by YouTube (gotta take out the shakiness from my excited hand, haha).</li>
</ul>
<div>
And that's it for the concert! I wanted to go in search of the band's tour bus so I could profess my undying love to Dom, but instead I went out to eat with my friends. At the very end of the show, Matt said "See you in September!" so maybe I'll try to meet them then... *starts planning*</div>
</div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-10333225346108920642012-12-27T21:27:00.001-05:002013-07-04T19:48:28.552-04:00Wedding Checklist<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-03NBDGP_x5c/UN0CnaBXwyI/AAAAAAAAATI/mvtESSVdEQo/s1600/church_candle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-03NBDGP_x5c/UN0CnaBXwyI/AAAAAAAAATI/mvtESSVdEQo/s320/church_candle.jpg" width="320" /></a>No, I'm not getting married. Sorry if the title of this post got you all excited! I'm still waiting to be swept off my feet by a famous rock star...<br />
<br />
But back to the point. Most of you know that I've played a <i>lot</i> of weddings during my career as a musician. I've seen many amazing things, some not-so-great things, and a few pretty ugly things. I sometimes wonder what goes through brides' heads when they're choosing colors, music, bridal party members, etc.<br />
<br />
Since I've experienced the gamut of weddings, I have a long list that I've compiled over the years. Not a list of what I want, but a very lengthy list of what I <i>don't</i> want at my own wedding. I've decided to share a few items from that list with you, my faithful readers.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Things Which Will NOT Be In My Wedding</b> (if it ever happens)<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIdWcUe-Jzs/UN0CYsdWi0I/AAAAAAAAATA/yAKT2fPDy64/s1600/dreamstimefree_245585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIdWcUe-Jzs/UN0CYsdWi0I/AAAAAAAAATA/yAKT2fPDy64/s320/dreamstimefree_245585.jpg" width="246" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIdWcUe-Jzs/UN0CYsdWi0I/AAAAAAAAATA/yAKT2fPDy64/s1600/dreamstimefree_245585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<li><b>Children:</b> No, I don't mean children won't be allowed at all. But there will be no children in the wedding party. Don't get me wrong--kids are great. But they don't do what they're told. I have never--ever, ever, EVER--played or attended a wedding in which the flower girl(s) and ring bearer did what they were supposed to do. Sometimes they won't walk down the aisle at all. If they do make it down the aisle, they run instead of walking at the leisurely pace they practiced the night before. And if they happen to walk calmly down the aisle, they usually act up during the ceremony. I once played a wedding where the flower girl was very careful to only toss a few of the metallic leaves in her basket onto the floor. She then proceeded to play with the rest of the leaves for the duration of the ceremony, even overturning the basket at one point and dumping the remainder on her head. No kids.</li>
<li><b>Canon in D:</b> If you don't know Pachelbel's infamous "Canon," Google it. Then watch this comedian explain <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM">why it's torture to play</a>. Don't get me wrong--it's a beautiful piece of music. Cellists either see it as boringly easy or relaxingly easy. But <i>everyone</i> uses it. I'll be honest; I try to talk brides out of it if they mention that they'd like <a href="http://www.robynjames.com/rjt">my trio</a> to play it for their ceremony. It's just so unoriginal. Since it's so overused, it will not be within<i> miles</i> of my wedding. If you have a Canon ringtone, you'd <b>better</b> silence your phone. If I hear one strain of that dad-blamed tune at any time on my wedding day, I cannot be held responsible for my resulting actions. Someone's going to get hurt.</li>
<li><b>The color red: </b> Those of you who know me well may be shocked at this, since red is my favorite color. But I already know who my Maid of Honor will be and she's a redhead. I would never torture her by making her wear my favorite color when it would clash with her beautiful hair and complexion! I know there are certain shades of red that some see as okay for redheads, but I figure it's just easier to choose another color than search and search for <i>just</i> the right shade of red. There are other colors I like, and I'll choose from them.</li>
<li><b>Garter removal:</b> This is technically from the reception but it's still part of the wedding day, so I'm including it. The tradition of the groom removing the bride's garter and then throwing it to a group of single males is cute and all, and I see how it's nice to have a male parallel to the bride's throwing of the bouquet. But this is one tradition I've never been a fan of. It just seems a little dirty to me. Hey, everyone watch while my husband feels up my leg underneath my wedding gown...because that's something that should happen in public. Ugh. Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned.</li>
</ol>
<div>
So there's a bit of my list. What are some things you do or don't want at <i>your</i> wedding? Or, if you're already married, is there anything you would change if you could do it over?</div>
GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-68193180362253776362011-11-16T08:01:00.001-05:002011-11-16T08:42:10.086-05:00Mrs. Spock was at my weddingOkay, another wedding dream. Shorter but just as detailed!<br />
<br />
I dreamt that I was discussing college education and careers with some girlfriends (I think my mom was there, too). One friend started telling me about her brother and how the only reason he got into a good school is because he was dating a girl whose family had a lot of money. His girlfriend's father told him that if he wanted to go to a good school, they'd help him get there! Fast-forward to the wedding and now <i>I'm</i> the brother of my girlfriend, but I'm still a woman. I know, doesn't make sense. It's a dream from <i>my</i> subconscious, remember?? This actually happens quite often, where a person is mentioned or seen and then I become that person and take on a different point of view... Anyway, back to the dream!<br />
<br />
I'm the bride but I'm wearing a long, strapless, Marine blue gown. I'm wearing a <i>bridesmaid dress?!?!</i> And with white shoes, no less! Ugh. No time to dye apparently. Also, I'm being rushed from wherever my hiding place was to the chapel to take pictures. As I'm running across the grass, IN HEELS and nearly falling over a couple of times (hello, how did we badly sprain our ankle on our 27th birthday? Walking in heels? Right...), I'm seeing people who want to say hello to me on my big day. Why are people so early for my wedding? Or is it that picture-taking is running behind? That <i>never</i> happens at weddings... *smirk* I digress.<br />
<br />
I'm greeting the people and getting yelled at because I'm holding up the pictures. I grab hold of my future father-in-law's hand and he leads me toward the chapel. No more interruptions now! I get inside and there are a TON of people there. WHY were they let in already if we're not done with pictures? This is a disaster! I'm greeting more people and thinking of how wonderful my future father-in-law is and how awesome it was that I got into a good school with his help. Then I see my father. The slow pace that future FIL brought me to was completely abandoned and I once again endangered myself by running in those ridiculous white high heels but I didn't care--it was my DADDY! I gave him a big old hug and we stood embracing for a few moments. When we finally separated he took a good look at me and asked slowly, "So this is your dress?" (This is the first time I'm actually seeing the dress as well in the dream.) I'm not sure how I could tell all this in a brief moment but his disappointment was less about the dress and more about the situation with future FIL, the money for college, and possibly the groom as well. This was not the time to have such a conversation so I rushed away. I saw more people I knew, including my dear Uncle Barry (but where was Aunt Edith? Perhaps with my mom). I was near the back of the chapel at this point and had to run (walk, dangit, WALK) back toward the front. On my way I came across a rather large woman who bore a striking resemblance to Leonard Nimoy. She was dressed like somebody's flamboyant grandmother and she had a note for me. I stammered a "Th-thank you, Mr. Nimoy..." and made my way toward the front of the church where the photographers were no doubt impatiently waiting. As I rushed, the woman called to me "Nanny Nimoy, darling, Nanny Nimoy!" and explained that Toys R Us had gotten my note 10 years ago but just now got a hold of me. I called back "Thanks, Nanny Nimoy!" I opened the note to read what it said. Apparently I had written the store a decade before about a defective Star Trek toy. They were letting me know that the toy had been recalled and replaced with a safe one. I saw some children coloring with markers and borrowed one to scribble "Nanny Nimoy" on it. This would definitely go in my scrapbook.<br />
<br />
That's the end of the dream, but I also made a mental note as I was waking up to have a scrapbook handy on my actual wedding day in case any priceless moments like that take place. I mean, if my actual wedding is remotely <i>anything</i> like all these dreams I've had, a journal/scrapbook will most definitely be needed. I'll put it in the trust of my Matron of Honor, MC Jules (not her real name!).<br />
<br />
And here's a picture of the handsome Leonard Nimoy, because I want to share one. Unfortunately he's not in drag here. Sorry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ayyyy.com/hump-day-hunk-youll-never-guess/"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JIHwvYujplw/TsO716lyndI/AAAAAAAAANI/Z1Vzg-uJkR4/s400/Leonard-Nimoy.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-75443790171792905692011-10-03T20:31:00.000-04:002014-12-05T02:25:15.296-05:00Robyn & Jamila's Excellent JourneyI don't think my dad reads my blog but just in case he does--Dad, you'd better sit down for this one.<br />
<br />
Any one who has known me for more than a few hours knows that I am a huge fan of pop music. If you just finished that sentence by saying "boy bands" out loud, you're on the right track. ;-) This is the story of how two young women overcame unbeatable odds--lack of transportation <i>and</i> lack of funds--in order to witness a wonderful event... an 'N Sync concert. Or was it Backstreet Boys? <b>[<i>blasphemy!!!</i>] </b>Read on, friend.<br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></i></b><br />
Once upon a time, in a magical place called undergraduate school, Robyn and Jamila were boy band fans. They saved up their money and bought a couple of tickets to see one of their favorite groups, 'N Sync, at the Charlotte Coliseum. [Now, this is where the story gets fuzzy, so I might have some of the facts wrong. But I've lost touch with the one person who could fill in the blanks*, so here goes nothing. Also, I'm switching to first person.]<br />
<br />
My parents couldn't take us to the Charlotte concert but <i>could</i> take us to another concert, in Raleigh. They said to sell the Charlotte tickets and they'd take care of the Raleigh concert plus transportation. Sounds like a good deal to me! So we tried to sell the tickets online. No luck. We lowered the price a little. Nothing. We spread the word on message boards and whatnot. No one was buying these tickets. So we made the only logical decision at this point: To go to the concert anyway, without telling the parental units.<br />
<br />
Now, keep in mind that we're two college students with no transportation (well, I think Jamila had a bike but...). "No sweat!" said Jamila, who took advantage of one of those college discount membership things that I miss so very much and went to work at getting us from Greensboro to Charlotte and back.<br />
<br />
When the day of the concert came, we were stoked. Not nervous that our parents would find out or wondering how in the world we'd managed to pull this off. Just <b>very excited!!!</b> Our first mode of transportation (that's right, there will be several) was bus. We walked to the bus station from campus and started our adventure. Once we were in Charlotte we got a cab to the coliseum. The show was AWESOME (I think it was the <i><a href="http://amzn.to/abnY5Q">No Strings Attached</a></i> tour). Once the show was over we hit the ATM to get a little more cash. That's when we learned that we'd both overdrawn our bank accounts.<br />
<br />
Oops.<br />
<br />
How would we get to the train station for the final leg of our trip? Hitchhiking? Thankfully we didn't have to go that route. Instead we got a ride from a guy and his little boy, who'd also been at the show. Yeah, you read that right--we got a ride to the train station from a <b>total stranger</b>. You know, the people you're <b>not supposed to talk to</b>, let alone get into their vehicles and go places. But God was watching our sorry little butts that night because we made it to the train station safely. The best part: I think the dude was driving a van. Sounds like the beginning of an episode of CSI, doesn't it?<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not one who usually falls asleep when traveling. I just can't ever get comfortable whether I'm in a car, on a plane, or anything else. But on that train ride from Charlotte to Greensboro, I was out cold. Maybe it was the punch the dude in the van gave me (KIDDING, geez!). Anyway, once we got back to Greensboro we got a cab back to campus. And I managed to not tell either of my parents about that trip until a few years ago. The cat finally came out of the bag when my Mom and I were discussing never having taken a train trip. I told her "Well, actually..." and filled her in on the whole thing. Mom's response? "Don't tell your father until you're 62 years old!"<br />
<br />
So, for those playing at home, let's recap all the modes of transportation used:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Foot</li>
<li>Bus</li>
<li>Cab (twice)</li>
<li>Good samaritan/Axe murderer</li>
<li>Train</li>
</ol>
<br />
If there are no more journal entries after this, it's because my dad read it and I'm now locked away...<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">*<i>I unfortunately lost contact with Jamila before I graduated so I don't have her side of the story for verification purposes. Jamila, if you're reading this, I MISS YOU! Let me know you're alive and well and still love boy bands...</i></span>GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-33097796326805435402011-09-28T08:27:00.004-04:002011-09-28T08:38:14.863-04:00Righting yourselfI love learning things as much as I love sharing things on my blog. So today I'm going to share a little and then hopefully learn something from my readers (I know you're out there!). ;-)<br />
<br />
This morning I was plagued by strange dreams, and also memories of a gruesome musical in which I performed in grad school. I decided these were not good things to start my brain up with, especially since one of the dreams involved the class I was about to go teach. Things didn't end well in the dream and though I doubt they would've been repeated in my waking state, there's no use in taking chances, right?<br />
<br />
So after my shower I put on the music with which I relax and clear my mind. It's an instrumental from the <i>Stranger than Fiction</i> soundtrack called "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y35DO_WfWvA">In Church</a>," by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M83_(band)">M83</a>. It's a little over 5 minutes and it's perfect. The goal is to get in a comfortable position, whether sitting or lying down (or even standing, I guess, if you like), and let your thoughts float by. You don't judge them as you name them and watch them go; you just notice them and don't let them affect you. It may sound cheesy or impossible or just plain stupid but it works for me.<br />
<br />
I feel a little silly though because this morning when I stretched across my twin XL bed I had to work around a body pillow I sleep with. It was under the sheets and spread and I didn't feel like moving it all so I just laid around it. It was slightly awkward--I had one arm above my head and one at my side, one leg bent and the other straight. But I was comfortable, even though I was shaped exactly like a chalk outline of a dead person on a crime TV show. I came to that realization at the very end of the music and felt guilty; is it okay to laugh at the end of a relaxation session? I guess there's no right or wrong way...<br />
<br />
So what do you do for relaxation? How do you step back, take 10, and get yourself right (or, at the very least, <i>righter</i>)? If you never do this, why not? Not having time is an unacceptable answer (I've used it)!GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-36929472265488114562011-09-18T11:05:00.001-04:002011-09-18T11:19:04.492-04:00Music in DreamsThere was a song in my dream this morning. I'm sure that's happened to some of you before. But do you remember the song when you wake up? With perfect detail? This happens to me maybe once every 2-3 years or so and usually the song fades away as soon as I start waking up.<br />
<br />
But this morning was different. The song stuck with me, even became clearer. It's like it <i>wanted</i> me to write it down. Usually I convince myself that the song isn't new. I <i>must</i> have heard it before; it's like a combo between that Sting song you heard last week and the Richard Marx song the radio played before you went to bed, right? Even though I always think I'm being too hard on myself I rarely write the tunes--or words, because sometimes words come along too--down.<br />
<br />
I laid in bed going over the tune in my head, remembering the chords. I finally came to the conclusion <i>This song isn't going to leave me alone until I write it down. Goodbye, warm sheets.</i> As I wrote down the chords and spelled out the melody I realized that there were also some sentence fragments attached. I wrote those down, too. It's still fuzzy to me right now, but not fuzzy as in not clear. Fuzzy as in <i>confusing</i>. Why in the world is this tune different? Does this happen to people often? Any type of musician? Or just songwriters? Is this one of the ways your muse can speak to you? Just waking up with a tune in your head, one that won't let you be? It's never happened to me quite like this, and I definitely don't consider myself a songwriter.<br />
<br />
I guess I should tell you what was happening in the dream. Parts of it were the usual fare for a Robyn Dream (TM pending): One minute I'm trying to fix the time on my phone alarm clock and it's giving me all these weird time zone options I've never heard of...I also can't get it to just tell me the regular old, current time. Another minute I'm in a huge housewares store with my parents and, the way Mom was standing in front of the ceiling fan section, it looked like she had ceiling fans for earrings. I was about to chastise her because she didn't take the packaging off of her earrings before she put them on, though I was also wondering why ceiling fan earrings would have to be so authentic that they came in packaging.<br />
<br />
But the last part of the dream, and the source of this song, is the most important part (IMHO). I was hanging out with a group of people (maybe friends?) and we were walking through a city at night. Probably a downtown parking area because it was a kind of rundown garage, with graffiti and trash that the rain had washed away from other places and no one had bothered to clean up. I was going up the stairs with a dark-haired guy (Richard Marx, LOL? I don't know; we'll call him Dick) when the trash got a little out of hand. I asked him if he'd mind clearing it away for me; maybe my hands were full or maybe I was testing him. Whatever the reason he obliged. I think I did help a bit because when we got to the top of the steps we found a large, round mesh trash bin and we both dumped a bunch of papers and things in there. In my haste to abandon the waste (I totally didn't mean to rhyme that but I'm leaving it there!) I accidentally dropped some paper I meant to hold on to. Dick asked what it was and I explained slowly that I'd written down how I felt about him, how <i>he</i> made <i>me</i> feel, and that the piece of paper was now lost to that rainy mess of refuse.<br />
<br />
I was sad because I'd have to pour my heart out <i>again</i> at some point. But then someone started singing. We were at the top of the parking area and people were milling about on the white-lined pavement. I think some people had made fires in trash containers and others were warming themselves. As I strolled around such a dark, rainy scene this man accompanied himself on guitar and spun a beautiful song using the words <i>I'd</i> written; the words no one had seen before I accidentally discarded them. Yet <i>he</i> <i>knew them</i>. He knew my heart's melody and was singing it for me, weaving in amazing arpeggio harmonies with his instrument. "Who am I?" he asked. "Who am I to feel this way about you, when I'm sure countless others feel or have felt the same?"<br />
<br />
I can still hear his deep, baritone voice singing my words. It's haunting and rather disconcerting. How does my subconscious do these things while I sleep? And what does it mean?GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300870976620931035.post-89201383844042341762011-03-24T23:57:00.001-04:002012-04-16T17:04:27.512-04:00Whose Wedding is This Anyway?<div class="MsoNormal">
The wedding took place in this HUGE, almost cathedral-like church. The pews were slanted, like stadium seating. It was absolutely beautiful; all wood (medium dark color) inside with a really nice piano and pipe organ if I remember correctly. There were light fixtures of some kind illuminating the sanctuary but there was also sunlight coming in through some windows, and perhaps an overhead window as well?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The processionals were odd because the women went in before the men. The women were all lined up at the top/back of the sanctuary (the vestibule, if you will) so I took a moment to survey the bridesmaids becauseâguess what?âI didnât choose them. In fact, I had very little to do with the planning of the entire ceremony. I didnât choose the location, the music, the wedding coordinatorâŚ<i>anything!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, back to the bridesmaids. My cousin Nneka was there :-) and I think a couple of random acquaintances from junior high school were there. I think there were 4 or 5 in all. I donât remember exactly what their dresses looked like but I remember not totally hating them; I think the cap sleeves were a little too frilly but I liked the material (faded yellow chiffon, maybe?*). I donât even remember what <i>my dress</i> looked like!!! I remember not being uncomfortable, though; thatâs something. The organist started playing the Mendelssohn Wedding March. Um, hello, thatâs <i>exit</i> music. Thatâs when it occurred to me that I hadnât spoken with anyone about the music. Was this even <i>my</i> wedding?! I started making notes in my head of what music I wanted played, assuming that the organist had typical wedding music and perhaps a hymnal with her. I donât know when I was going to be able to discuss this with her, but there it is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, the bridesmaids walked in one by one, and then the doors were closed in front of me. I got a little excited at that point. Even though I knew that they were going to do that, I still got butterflies in my stomach when it actually happened. Iâve always been on the other side of the doors when they close, playing the music (or, on two occasions, standing in the wedding party).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is where it starts to get weirder. Once the doors reopened, the <i>wedding planner</i> strongly took hold of my arm and led me down the aisle. The <i>wrong</i> aisle. I was thinking âShouldnât we be going down the aisle to the right?â but was too in shock to say anything (I was also thinking âWhere is <b><i>my father</i></b>???â). I even saw the bridesmaids still walking down that aisle (shouldnât they have been in place already?). Thankfully someone whispered (loudly) to the wedding planner that we should be in the right aisle. The woman corrected, practically <i>dragging</i> me down the correct aisle. I tried to see my groom but there were so many people in attendance (and all standing) that even with stadium seating I couldnât really see him. I think I spotted him for a quick second but it might have just been a vision through hopeful eyes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bridesmaids, the wedding planner and I all made our way down the aisle and towardâŚwell, I would say the minister but he wasnât there either. Then we made a beeline for an exit to the right of the choir loft area. UmâŚ? I thought this was odd but I did notice that there was no direct path to the altar from the aisle we were in so I figured we were taking a detourâŚ<i>outside?!?!</i> It better not be hot out there!! I canât stand sweating and Iâm <i>definitely</i> not going to sweat in this dress!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is where it gets a little fuzzy. I remember seeing the men make their entrance so somehow we got back inside. It was the exact opposite of most weddingsâI was at the altar with the bridesmaids and the men were processing down the aisle. I looked up and finally saw my groom walking toward meâRobbie Williams? Or maybe Sam WitwerâŚJim Parsons?? It was a man Iâd never seen before, but his face was kind of a combo of those guys.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I woke up shortly after that sighting, thanks to an unneeded alarm that I forgot to turn off. But I do remember one other thing that happenedâat some point <i>after</i> the ceremony began (because it was after the entrance/exit music fiasco) I went over to the organist and asked what kind of music she had with her. I flipped through the wedding music book she had. Then I noticed a hymnal and asked if it was a Baptist one (I grew up in the Baptist church). I flipped it over and the title was something weirdâŚit wasnât Baptist, thatâs for sure. It looked like one of those non-denominational deals. I asked Random Organ Lady if I could choose a few wedding pieces and hymns for her to play for the ceremony and the prelude (even though the prelude had already passed). She said I could, so I went to work. Why did this not happen before now?!?!<br />
________</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So there you have it. The second ridiculously detailed wedding dream Iâve had in my life (the first one is also on my blog, here: <a href="http://robynallegra.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-almost-got-married.html">I Almost Got Married!</a> ). I hope you enjoyed it! What's the weirdest dream you've ever had?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*<i>OMG, I think I know what dresses the bridesmaids were wearing! Many moons ago, for my 7<sup>th</sup> or 8<sup>th</sup> birthday, my Best Friend Since the First Day of First Gradeâs (BFStFDoFG for short) mom made a dress for one of my Barbie dolls. It was beautifulâit was faded yellow and looked like chiffon or something similar. It was a springy dress, maybe mid-calf length. It hung straight, no shaping seams or anything. I believe it had a ruffled hem at the bottom and the cap sleeves were also ruffled. To this day I still frown when I think of that dress because it disappeared before I could ever put it on one of my Barbies. After my party we checked all the trash cans, all the bunches of wrapping and tissue paper, under furnitureâŚbut we never found that beautiful dress. That is the dress the bridesmaids were wearing, Iâm almost sure of it.<o:p></o:p></i></div>GeekMusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06191786312424037482noreply@blogger.com4