summertime in The Buff....here comes the bride!

No, silly, not ME!!! But I wonder how many raised eyebrows or jaw drops that title got. Hee hee.

Anyway, while writing my academic fingers off this summer and getting this Diss done (or close to done--I'm shooting for all content and most revisions by Nov. 1), I have some wedding gigs. I haven't had a "gig" in a long time. Sure, I play every Sunday in church as part of my job, but weddings are a whole different animal. And, as they are starting to come together regarding music and form and logistics, I'm excited about adding some focused piano practicing into my summer schedule.

Now, summertime in The Buff may have un-officially arrived over this past holiday weekend. The temps aren't quite warm enough for me, but the nighttime remains above 50, and general 70s and 60s are expected throughout the days. And, the humidity is back so that comfy/cozy feeling and smell is in the air. So, while the the calendar still has a few weeks before "official" summer, I'm am gauging things on my own: I am done teaching until August, I am writing full-time, my son starts baseball this weekend, all of my garden is planted, the pool repair will be finished soon---so I declare that summer has arrived. Yahoo!

Each wedding is different, of course, and the variety of musical desires on the parts of brides always varies as well. So, I have pulled out all of these dusty binders and songbooks and other music that has been neglected over the past few years to search for sheet music or works for these weddings. I am even SINGING at all three weddings. Holy moly! I am excited to gather together the music for each and begin practicing. And, I have my piano to do it on rather than the keyboard, and the former sounds a whole lot better than the latter in my living room.

The biggest question is not the music for the ceremonies but the "other" stuff to play as prelude, background dinner music and so on. Over the years, especially in grad school, I have collected A LOT of music that sounds good, is relatively easy for me to play, and is appropriate for such occasions. Some of it is "classical," like some lighter/easier Schumann or Mozart, some is jazz standards, some is pop, and so on. This is not the time for a Beethoven piano sonata or anything "heavy" and extremely complicated. I have found a new binder that will collate stuff from the other ones, and it should contain about two hours worth of piano music in one source.

I don't think I'll practice everyday, although the next two would be ideal for getting going on this little project. It should be raining a lot today and tomorrow (remnants of official spring, me thinks), so I won't have to take breaks from writing to water the garden. Having a new "gig book" is exciting, and it has motivated me to try to find other places to play this book. Again, yahoo!

I realize that one aspect of my musical life (collecting all this music) has influenced my ability in another (playing weddings) which has reminded me that I could actually pick up other kinds of performing gigs (hotels, more weddings, background music for corporate events) and this has helped me feel better about writing all day because practicing piano is an attractive distraction. Allow me once more, YAHOO!

I am going to peek at my garden quickly to see moisture levels of the soil and stuff, but I think everything is doing well. After that, I'll begin today's "gig"---finishing Chapter 1. YAHOOOOO!

so much to do, so little time......

I love that phrase. Alas, 'tis true. So, briefly......

I'm about to begin grading 115 exams which are six pages each. Sheesh. Sorry, Mr. Tree.

I just stepped out onto my back patio because it's very windy and I wanted to check on my plants and newly-relocated tomatoes and peas. I found that a pot filled with daisy-something-or-others (yes, I'll stick to musicology for now since I can't even remember the name of a flower I bought two weeks ago...) had some dead/dying blossoms on it, so I started picking them off. There is an official phrase for picking the dead flowers off of a plant so that it can rejuvenate itself, and ya know what it is!?!?!? "Dead-heading." No shit. Makes me smile.

I'm listing to the Grateful Dead ALL DAY LONG as I pour through these exams and keep an eye on my garden crop through this crazy wind we have here in The Buff today. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday.........

The end of "Pop Music" (for this semester, at least!)

Last night, my Seminar in Pop Music met for its final class of the semester (excluding the final exam). This is the one where students create the content, which includes the study of popular music from 2000 through today. The textbook can't quite do this as accurately as my students, so we all do it together. They bring in the material, and I play DJ/video/audio controller. Fun fun fun. Youtube really helps on this day.

So, in a rather large nutshell:

1. "Bring in one song from one year spanning 2000-2009 that you feel represents popular music for that year."
2000----
2001--—Andrew W.K. “Party Hard”
—Gorillaz, “Clint Eastwood”
—N’Sync, “Pop”
—Orgy, “Fiction”
2002——Simple Plan, “I’d Do Anything” (power pop rock)
2003—Coheed & Cambria---“A Favor House Atlantic”
—Black Eyed Peas—“Where Is The Love?”
2004—Coheed & Cambria—“Blood Red Summer”

2006—Plus 44, “When Your Heart Stops Beating”
2007—One Republic, “Apologize” with Timbaland
2008—Katie Perry, “I Kissed A Girl”
Karson—Radiohead, “Reckoner”

Interesting, yes?

2. "Think of at least 3 bands that we didn't/couldn't cover in class who should definitely be discussed."

Incubus
Weird Al Yankovich
Garth Brooks
Johnny Cash
Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Judy Garland
Christina Aguilara
Depeche Mode
Charlie Parker
Coheed and Cambria
The Doors
Nine Inch Nails
Hootie and the Blowfish
The Backstreet Boys
Tears for Fears
The Mars Volta
Brittany Spears
Fall Out Boy
Morrissey/The Smiths
No Doubt/Gwen Stefani
Death Cab for Cutie
Third Eye Blind
Hanson
Brian Setzer/The Stray Cats
Kelly Clarkson
Radiohead
The Cure
Josh Grobin
Dashboard Confessional
Billy Idol
Foo Fighters
Stone Temple Pilots
Brand New
Rush
Journey
Reel Big Fish
Blink 182
Bush
Sevendust
Styx
Greenday
Weezer

Quite a list, yes? And, we did actually cover A LOT of material....but alas, how to do it all in 15 weeks?

3. "Name one or more bands who you would like to see REMOVED from the world of popular music completely." (This is always my favorite, and this question generated some surprising responses)

Nickelback
Vanilla Ice
Fall Out Boy
OutKast
Buckcherry
Chicken=dance dude
Hannah Montana
Creed
Will Smith
Jonas Brothers
Dream Theater
Hinder
J. Giles Band
John Mayer
Staind/Aaron Lewis
Revenge Sevenfold
Insane Clown Posse
Soldier Boy
Disturbed
My Chemical Romance
Great White
KISS
Tina Turner
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
(Radiohead)
Scorpions
AC/DC
“Freebird”

So there you have it, folks. The past decade assessed through the wise eyes of college juniors and seniors. As I like to say in class, "Comments, anyone?"

38 thoughts, observations, and curiosities

In no order of importance, I'm just going to make a list of 38 things that pop into my mind now and then. I'd be interested in hearing yours as well (it's a "38" list only because I become that age today. I just figured it was as good a number as any other on a day like this one!)

1. Why is there so much music by Phil Collins being played on Buffalo airwaves lately? Like, he has so much music (whether it is good or bad....not getting into that today, although thinking about that Phil Collins "Sussudio-I'm-going-kill-you scene" in "American Psycho" makes me giggle) that every single station can justify playing SOMETHING. sheesh
2. Every time the movie "Overboard" is on TV, I drop what I'm doing and watch it. EVERY TIME! How many hours have I lost, Goldie?!?!
3. I have determined that the Led Zeppelin discography is the music that best soothes my savage beast (yes, the true phrase is "savage breast" but I prefer the erroneous adaptation).
4. My mother contemplated naming me "Erin." I like that.
5. I love the water and even have a pool, but why don't I actually like BEING in the water? When I have pool parties, I hardly ever go in. At the beach, I stare at the lake/ocean from afar. Kooky.
6. Will anyone really ever figure out what dreams mean? How can I dream of a place I've never been and come up with faces/names/scenarios that have NEVER occurred? I've read all kinds of theories, but what a wild mind I have while sleeping sometimes (nevermind when I'm awake!)
7. Will growing my own veggies in the garden this summer really be cheaper than buying them? How do I try to account for this....water, time, tending...if there is a monetary figure I could use, I think it will actually be more "expensive," but I KNOW that it will be more satisfying :)
8. When will Nickelback stop making records? TODAY, perhaps?!?!?! For the love of God!!!!
9. What "age" will be come after the Digital Age....
10. Why is it that I can remember lyrics to hundreds of songs but forget people's names, birthdays, phone numbers and so on.......
11. Who in their right mind listens to Rush Limbaugh? So much anger! Good grief!
12. I have been thinking about getting another tattoo, but have no idea where to put it or what to get. That doesn't make sense!
13. Who came up with "LOL"? I prefer ":)" I know it doesn't connote the same thing exactly, but it's friendlier IMHO (LOL!)....ok, I'll stop.
14. When and why did Rolling Stone change its magazine format from newsprint to glossy? I purchased the recent one with Kings of Leon on the cover (love them) and found the magazine's new style to be totally disconcerting. But, I then renewed my subscription......craziness.
15. I drive on a good stretch of the thruway twice a week to work and often see people pulled over, I'm guessing for speeding. What is the max you can go over the limit before setting off a trooper's radar? Everyone has a number....8 MPH, 9 MPH, 11 MPH over the limit....I've never gotten a speeding ticket, but consistently blaze a fast trail home after teaching....luck or timing on my part?
16. Regarding thruway driving, did my deer sensors really work? Did those little gadgets on the front bumper of my car REALLY keep the ol' babes away from my automated death machine (on their part) with their high-pierced soundwaves? How to tell? If I hit a deer, then no. If I don't? The jury stays out.....quite a marketing campaign the sales department of that company has on their side, yes? I haven't hit a deer....
17. I often think that if I was really dedicated to my career, I should be driving a Hyundai "Sonata".... LOL! :) At least at one point, I had a Ford "Taurus".....
18. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from my son is how easily words can affect a person.
19. My son really wants a dog, and I have really resisted this although so many people say having a dog as a kid was really cool. I debate this issue often....no clear decision yet.
20. What was my most valuable class in high school? I took the gamut......Typing was a GOOD choice. Calculus....not so much.
21. Does the phrase "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" REALLY help take away the sting of certain events? Yes, it does.
22. I have become a fan of "Sleeping/Taking Naps" on Facebook. Every time I go to that page and see the picture of the dude asleep on his desk, I crack up. See...I just did it, and I'm LOL-ing. Good stuff. :)
23. As for laughing, every time my son and I watch America's Funniest Videos (one of his fave shows right now), the clips that get my gut busting are the ones where people trip or fall down or something like that. Even if it looks REALLY painful for them. I just can't help myself. I feel bad when it happens in real life cuz I burst out laughing then, too.....oh, I am riddled with faults......
24. My "seasonal" allergies--which were really year-round ones--have all but disappeared, and I only found this out when I stopped taking my allergy meds (which I had been on since my son was born) because they weren't covered under my insurance anymore. Weird, right? I have no idea when I didn't need my meds anymore. Madness!!! My food allergies, however, have become more ambitious....
25. I stumbled upon a "paint can opener" at Lowe's the other day and snatched that baby for 39 cents. Genius! It's the simple gadgets in life that are ultimately the most helpful, me thinks....
26. I have a penchant for stubbing my pinkie toes. Ugh! Why? WHY? friggin' agony at least once a month....
27. Does speed-reading really work? I think it would be helpful for task-type reading, but I'd never want to blow through a Pynchon novel or a John Irving story. I savor the English language, sometimes...
28. I watched something about reincarnation the other night (couldn't sleep). What a wild concept.....how to figure this out? Hmmmmm.....
29. I think the thing I admire most in people--at this point--is kindness. Sheer kindness. I strive to be that as well, but often have uncomfortable memories of behaving badly. *Sigh*
30. Since I'm at #30, I had a great b-day that year. Really good memories. I'm a bit nervous about 40, though......don't know why, but definitely nervous. I'll have to wait that one out, yes?
31. In a battle of the bands between The Who and The Rolling Stones, I'm going with The Who.
32. My nickname in high school was "Boof." When people call me that, it makes me smile even still.
33. I really love the smell of Patchouli oil, although it drives my mother nuts. She thinks I smell "like dirt," and she has no qualms over saying that to me at any time she catches even the slightest whiff. Sometimes if I know I'll be seeing her, I'll rub some on just go to through that 20+-year old ritual with her. :) It's good being back home.
34. If I had to choose only one other instrument to learn how to play in my life, it would be the cello.
35. Will marijuana ever be legalized? I love this debate, and I do not smoke pot. It has never been my cup o' tea for whatever reason. Having said that, I've known/know people who do, and I love the absolute oddball logic nature of this argument. Holy hell. I drink Bud Lite and pretty much only that for several reasons: it's cheap, it can be found anywhere I may want to find it, it's a rice beer so my allergies stay at bay, and it goes down like water in this lil' body of mine. Good enough reasons for me. Having said THAT, alcohol does WAY more damage to our culture than a good stash of weed does.....yet the debate rages on......what a world.
36. Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite writer, and now that he has passed away, I always add to that thought, "but I'll never be able to see what he will write NEXT." And that feels a bit melancholy, to be honest.
37. In reference to #7, these are the things in my garden this year just because I am DYING to get this thing underway: garlic, yellow pear tomatoes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, regular ol' tomatoes, cilantro and peas. The only thing that could make my heart warmer is to have year-round avocados.....but some concessions have to be made while in The Buff, yes? *sigh*
38. When my son's bus comes down the street and stops in front of the house, I wait for those squeaky breaks, I walk to the door and I feel my heart jump when he bounds across the street and up the driveway toward our house. He'll be home any minute. As this is the last item on my list for today, I already know it is a good day for me, and hope yours is, too.