Music, Cats, and Coffee

Chocolate chips (Part 2!)

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 01:25:10 GMT

In November, I did a rundown of some chocolate chips in my yammering sessions. There are lots of those in the world, so...

I tested 3 more varieties of chocolate baking chips today. For SCIENCE.

(By "tested" I mean "ate." I did not test these in baked goods.)

( Read on )

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November Reflections Series: Time keeps on tickin' into the future

Sat, 01 Dec 2018 02:41:38 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

Today is the last day of the month! I did a yammer most days, and probably made up for missed days with the length of some of the posts. I wasn't sure what I'd write about today, and now that I'm here, I think I'll post some of my favorite "treat" recipes instead of a normal yammering session because I'm feeling nostalgic for the days I could make and eat and share lots of these kinds of things without any worries or fears.

Recipes presented here in their original forms (some with notes). FWIW, I've used substitutes in all my recipes to make them dairy free (usually coconut oil) and gluten-free or reduced gluten (almond flour, most usually since coconut flour makes it too dry and oat flour is a little too distinct-tasting) and they generally turn out fine. Coconut oil and clarified butter (NOT ghee!) are my friends!

( Read on... )

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November Reflections Series: Bookshelf refinishing

Sun, 25 Nov 2018 01:58:07 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

I started the bookshelf refinishing project this afternoon. I'm excited for this project, and grateful that I'm physically able to start tackling it now. I've learned a few things today: It's going to take longer than I thought (always does) and I want a belt sander because belt sanders are AWESOME.

( Read on )

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November Reflections Series: Humbling flute practice

Sat, 24 Nov 2018 03:39:26 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

During this evening's flute practice session, I got a double-serving of Humble Pie. I get a high opinion of my playing ever so often, and not too long thereafter, I'm reminded of how much I have to learn.

( Read on )

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November Reflections Series: Flute, alto flute, flute future?

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 02:30:54 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

Just finished a practice session that felt shorter than the 45 minutes it was. Spent the entire time on alto flute. After my recent solo performance and trying out some other altos, I am doing some wishful thinking about going back to school for music.

( Read on )

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November Reflections Series: Chocolate chips

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 02:58:59 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

I tested 3 different varieties of chocolate baking chips today. For SCIENCE.

(By "tested" I mean "ate." I did not test these in baked goods.)

( Read on )

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November Reflections Series: My first alto flute recital solo performance!

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 03:48:14 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

This afternoon, I performed a short alto flute solo at a recital for adult students at the Village Music Academy. Mostly flute and piano students, 2 pieces were guitar groups. It was a very healing, comforting experience. I didn't know what to expect, and that wasn't it.

( Read on )

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November Reflections Series: Painting

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 05:27:23 GMT

Instead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.

Seeing as how I recently finished two painting projects (room, ceiling, and hallway), this seems like a good time to yammer about painting!

( Read on )

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What????

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 22:45:44 GMT

Still alive. What kind of year has it been? The kind where we're within spitting distance of hitting our family out-of-pocket max on medical insurance. Already sailed past our high-deductible-plan deductibles.

I found myself feeling nostalgic for college, where I didn't have to worry much about food or lodging because those were functionally built-in to student loans and were thus merely an infinite doom I could kinda not think about from time to time.

I do NOT want to return to that time of my life, though. [shudder]

This is a Tired Tomato.

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Life and times update

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 16:30:44 GMT

Out of cast, back into walking boot for 4 weeks (2 down, 2 to go). Much better now that I can shower and get around without the crutches/scooter. "Necessary walking only" is a drag.

Currently afflicted with a head cold. Just came on. Not in a good brain space today, thanks to that. Not sure how many days of work this will cost me. I will NOT be that asshat who drags their nasty, snot-ridden carcass into work to infect the entire building, though, so home I stay. Gonna make myself some soup today, provided all goes well.

On the plus side:
*Loving my new job! Even if I did make a fairly egregious error (called something a deviation that was plainly fine - I blame this head cold).
*Discovered Poshmark. Had a date weekend with Rin, did some shopping for much-needed shirts (UGH).
*Lifted weights for the first time in YEARS on Monday - felt SO GOOD, still sore today. I'm lending my equipment to my neighbor, who is running a tiny gym out of his garage, in exchange for free use of said gym and hopefully some training from one of his trainers.
*I have been practicing flute regularly! So much to learn. I did manage to improve my ability to play a scale from 60bpm up to 100bpm! We'll see if that top-end holds over the next few days.

Man, my brain is not working well today. I'd better log off and go lay down.

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Cast, part II

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 03:12:48 GMT

Casted another 3 weeks, due to intense pain/tenderness during palpation of ankle by Dr.

I'll go in to work tomorrow, see what we can figure out to keep my travel at a minimum and my leg elevated while working.

My casted leg is already atrophied; visibly smaller than my non-casted leg. Which is kinda neat, and kinda scary.

I have cool cast colours; hot pink with a neon green stripe this time! But since posting photos here is inexplicably difficult, no photos will be posted. Sorry.

Now I'm even more worried about the cramping in the calf. Woo-hoo.

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Task Challenge: June 09 Edition

Sat, 09 Jun 2018 21:00:05 GMT

I've invented a game for myself this weekend to help me get things done that I have on my HUGE list of backlogged chores from the past 2 months. I wrote down each task on a piece of paper, then added a bunch of cards like "Draw 3, pick 1" "Redraw" "Speed challenge: 30min" basically game cards to make it more exciting and unpredictable.

Set up some ground rules, Try not to do anything more than 30min; 5 items can be shuffled to a different time this weekend; 5 items can be rescheduled for later (non this weekend); tasks can be skipped if they're Team Tasks (like if Rin wants to do dishes but I haven't drawn that yet); Don't Cheat; Cheat at every opportunity, etc. I will be updating this post throughout the weekend with my progress!

Update 1 - first hour, listened to Beck "Guero" album
Tasks drawn & done:
Stretch, roll out
SPEED: 15 minute challenge
*Divide 1 task into 7, count all 7
*Fix desk drawer
*Clean under fridge and range
**Divided into: 1. pull out fridge 2. vacuum 3. scrub/mop 4. wipe down wall/cabinet etc for dust bunnies (both) 5. pull out range, 6. vacuum, 7. scrub/mop
Ran out of my 15 min at step 6. Not bad!
Order Food (doing that now, good timing, we are both hungry!)

Update 2 - 2nd hour, listened to Bad Religion "The Empire Strikes First" album
Google review
Draw 5 pick 2
*Haircut appt
*$ Personal (budgeting, pay bills)
Watch a cartoon (watched while we ate food!)
Restock paper products

Update 3, listened to Foster the People "Torches" album
Garage light bulb
Clear off/clean table
Fish tank maintenance (3 tanks)
Dishwasher clean/organize (we use ours for storage)
Pet kitty (Percival happily volunteered for this)
SPEED 30min
*Redraw 2, pick 1: picked Windows
*Draw 3, pick 1: picked Kitchen Cart clear off/clean
Write a Thank You note

Update 4, Limp Bizkit "Significant Other"
Vacuum under fridge
Email a friend
Put back next draw and draw 2 more, do both
*Softener salt
*Clean cabinet doors/faces in kitchen
Clean catwalk & cat window (inside/out)
Also drew: Set 1 aside for later, Save for combining 3 like with like, combine any 2 rewards (not sure wtf I meant by that)

Update 5, Run the Jewels (unknown album) ~~Qveen Herby (YouTube playlist)~~ (no idea why but YT isn't working for music! MST3K only...
SPEED Challenge - 1 hour! =X.X=
Eat chocolate chips
Clean top of dresser
Combine 3 like tasks
*Vacuum upstairs
*Vacuum downstairs
*vacuum stairs & cat tree
Free task for challenge! (wipe down exterior of storm door, which wasn't a task but I did when I cleaned the outside of the cat perch window over the entry door!)

Update 6, no specific soundtrack
Went through remaining bowl of tasks that I've been drawing from and removed things I've done that I hadn't drawn yet. Here's those!
Email friends in NC
Fishing (yesterday)
Exercise (fishing w/ lots of walking today)
Dishes
Vacuum stairs
Contact potential new HA board member
Clean mirrors
Kiss Orrin
Fill pill case
Also removed SPEED Challenges 5min & 10min. Not practical!

May continue this into tomorrow, curating items though because I'm tired and I have some other things to do tomorrow that'll take most of the day. Haven't decided what to do with the tasks after the Challenge! is over, have to think on that and come up with something.

Overall, I accomplished less than I had hoped but I did get a LOT of things done that are easy to kick down the road. I feel better knowing it's clean behind the fridge and range, for example. Just knowing certain things are clean and taken care of even though they aren't "urgent" or "important" lessens my anxiety. Hooray!

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Flute: Practice (C & alto pieces for flute choir)

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 00:53:45 GMT

I spent some time practicing Brian Allred's arrangement of Richard Wagner's "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" for alto. Hours. Days. I'm *still* practicing it. AARRGGH. It is SO LONG. My arms are terrifically sore now, I think they're gonna shrivel up and I'll have to file for disability because I no longer have functioning limbs.

I stretched out some, then picked up Mercedes to work on "Silver Celebration" (Catherine McMichael). I'm on 1st flute for this monster, and there's a few trouble spots all strung together to make up basically the whole damned piece. I diligently broke them down, figured out which alternate fingerings to use, and started moshing w/ the metronome.

Tempo is dotted-quarter=76bpm. I set the 'nome to 50 and gradually worked up to 65, playing about 4x at each step to really cement the muscle memory. Kicking ass and taking names, or so I thought. I decided to pop it up to 76, just for kicks.

And realized the entire time, I'd had it set to QUARTER note, not dotted quarter.

*HEADDESK*

I gave up for the day.

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Flute: Tone development (C flute) Trevor Wye sample

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 03:26:27 GMT

Tonight, I tried a tone exercise from one of the Trevor Wye books. My teacher had copied a few pages for me so I could try them out before buying.

I played from a middle B-natural down to a low C with a vibrant, resonant tone, full sound, IN TUNE. Took awhile to nail down the tone on the B, but from then on, I could really hear the quality and was able to match it as I descended the chromatic scale. For fun, I turned on my tuner app, and with some additional work, I actually kept the notes in tune!

This is huge. I honestly thought such a thing wasn't physically possible, or if it was, not for ME.

Now I kinda want to go back to school and study flute.

Which is a Bad Idea right now.

Next time I practice, I need to drill down into some measures in the flute choir repertoire that I keep flubbing up. Till then, bedtime for me!

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Flute: Tone development (C flute)

Sat, 24 Feb 2018 22:42:49 GMT

I'm slowly resuming flute playing following 2 surgeries. My alto is out on loan to my teacher, so I'm starting with my C flute (Mercedes). Given the alto is much heavier than the C, probably an excellent choice.

I had such a wonderful, illuminating experience at the 2017 Alto and Bass Flute Retreat in Boulder, CO with Chris Potter that I decided to use her Alto Flute Method book as a starting point for my C flute! I noticed last fall (before I was ordered to stop playing by my Dr.s) that my low register sound was lacking. The alto exercises are about perfect for what I need.

I'm starting with the Tone Development exercises, #1, 2, 4, & 6. I've only done them twice and I'm noticing a difference already!

My structure for practice session is:
1. Warm up on a duet Based on Sonata in B-flat, K. 378, an adapted Mozart - this thing is like a zillion pages long. I'm switching parts as I go to keep things interesting),
2. work through the tone exercises (with metronome),
3. practice applying the techniques using the Tone Studies pieces (with metronome),
4. practice some of the duet again,
5. then finish by cleaning flute inside & out.

Things I'm doing well:
-Practicing!
-Developing a "taller" embrochure
-Listening closely for subtle, minute variations in sound and pitch

Things to work on:
-Releasing tension in neck, throat, and jaw
-Taking a leisurely, comfortable breath instead of this weird straining sort of slurp I've got going on
-START SOFTER. Just, always. No matter how soft I think I'm starting a phrase, it's still too loud. This wastes air, disrupts phrasing, reduces my ability to play expressively, and is probably lousy to listen to. :P

Once my abdominal surgeon releases me to lift/carry over 9lbs, I will be rejoining the KC Flute Choir for the Spring 2018 season. Music is life for me. I needed the hiatus I took over a decade ago, but I should've ended it earlier than I did. I've suffered for lack of music. Going forward, I am making music a priority and dedicating my life to truly living music again.

VIVA LA VIDA FLAUTA!

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Happy 2018!

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 21:42:59 GMT

I am hopeful that this year will be one of connection.

If you would like to receive the occasional snail-mail from me, please leave your address in the comments.

Comments are all screened for your privacy. I might even delete them once I note your addresses for extra security!

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