BMC chorus concert

Peter and I got to sing the Gretchaninoff All Night Vigil last weekend with the Brattleboro Music Center Concert Choir, a real treat.

BUHS band in the parade!!

from the Brattleboro Reformer, January 21, 2009
"When the story is written of the election of America's first black president, the BUHS marching band will forever have its place in that tale, appearing just after 6 p.m. on Jan. 20, in the inauguration parade of President Barack Obama."

"It was an amazing moment," Rice said in a telephone interview later that night. "We were listening to Obama take the oath and everyone cheered when he finished. Then, when he was giving the speech, no one on the bus said a word, and we were looking at all those people on the mall and we went right by the Lincoln Memorial. I can't overstate the effect it had on everybody."

a new beginning

"And as we leave this mountain top, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.

Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little angelic Sasha and Malia.

We go now to walk together as children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone.

With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid, when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around.. when yellow will be mellow...when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."

from Reverend Lowery's inaugural benediction

Sam in Italy amongst his publicity

check out Sam's myspace for his tour schedule. Its awesome.

family times: olders and youngers

Tara, Susan, Jenny
Stefan and Aidan
Ned and me

going down to Tampa settle down

What a life!

Left snow and ice to present at a music ed conference FMEA in Tampa for three days. Went to historic Ybor city and saw gentleman rolling cigars, swam in the outdoor pool on the fifth floor of our hotel, rode the trolley, bought Peter an Panama hat and saw 8 elephants there for the Barnum and Bailey Ringling Bros. circus! Got a standing ovation in our last of three worskshops, a great send off. Back to another beautiful snowstorm. I'm off to ski.

comforts of home

My sister Annie's elegant lively room and her canned jams and pickles brought to my kitchen; this cherry coffee table from my parents now adorns my living room.

text messaging: some new suggestions

Here's from an article in Visual Thesaurus on Text Messaging I thought was funny: some new lingo

• NLE2M: Not laughing, even to myself.
• URSAGAM: Your spelling and grammar appall me.
• TWDOWWRAANC: Texting while driving — oops, wasn't watching road and am now crashing.
• URD2M: You're dead to me.
• ISOURG: I spit on your grave.
• OLRUS: Our lives are unpardonably shallow.
• TUMFTI: Thought you might find this interesting (particularly useful when forwarding an e-clipping about a newly discovered health risk).
• CTNTF: Can't text now; thumbs fatigued.
• TRE: Technology ruins everything.
• IBMM: I blame Marshall McLuhan.
• 23S!: 23 skidoo!
• WIWURAWDHTM: When I was your age, we didn't have text messaging.
• ISRN2U: I'm standing right next to you.
• HWBNIICSM: Hit wrong button; now inexplicably in clock-setting menu.
• HSORAID2PLSM: Heard song on radio and instantly downloaded to phone! Life still meaningless.
• NPM@TT: No personal message at this time.

The EE Menu of Text Expressions (each entry conveniently fewer than 160 characters), for those forced to thumb-type on the go who nonetheless mourn the loss of grandiloquent public expression. NJOY!

:|	I'm neutral.
:}	I seem to have grown a handlebar mustache.
:{>	Now I have a van dyke.
:^#	My new braces are uncomfortable.
:&	People often tell me my mouth resembles an ampersand. (Alternately: Eating a pretzel.)

By Simon Glickman and Julia Rubiner from the Visual Thesaurus