Hmmm... let's see what they're up to...

I'm reading my friend's blogs right now. I'm doing this because I have other things to do. Of course I'm reading blogs. I do this rarely enough, like read blogs in one fell swoop, so I don't feel bad about making the rounds... however, of course I chose to do so when I've got other things to get done. Between 9am and 1:30pm all my students will be coming to my house to gleen from the awesome experiences of their most awesome music-and-cultural-brainwasher teacher... I admit it. I am totally an arts snob and I think people who aren't are stupid. They annoy me a bit. There, I said it. I'll still be your friend, but now you know the truth behind my relationship with you. It will always linger in the background. The thing is I just don't ever want any of the young people I come in contact with the EVER have the option of saying, "I don't like it because I don't understand it." Unacceptable.

Anyway, I have work to get done for them... and I'm reading blogs. And now I'M blogging. In true fashion of the ridiculous creative lives of people I know and love... we procrastinate something fierce (and of course it's fierce because we're creative and it must be dramatic - did I spell fierce wrong? I have never fully taken hold of the "i before e" thing)

It will be a good day because I have a lot in my head and great stories to tell and I think I do that ok. But preparation... mm... this is why I won't ever function in a classroom (and why it was hard... and why I won't go back... at least today) preparation... yeah, it's good to have your own studio.

Ok... I've got 40 min before the little people arrive.

Everywhere and In Between

was where I felt like I was today. So I made a project for my piano and voice students to work on while I'm gone. They were given packets with stuff in them re: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Though three separate generations of composers, their lives overlapped quite a bit, specifically in Vienna. So the packets contained information on the three, a CD of key songs that my students are playing in level appropriate forms and sheet music to study. They were, then, supposed to go through the packets and e-mail me questions and assignments to find things based on their research. They've come up with great questions for me scavenge out of the city... but what a day.

It began with a visit to the Haus de Musik which is simply that - a building dedicated to sound and how sound works and it's connection with music. A complete interactive exhibit. Next, a bolt out to Zentralfriedhof (the cemetary where Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms are buried alongside a monument for Mozart), made it back into the city for a walking tour of Mozarts life in Vienna, a trip through Mozarts last remaining house in Vienna where he wrote Figaro and the Requiem and then to see a String quarted perform the Requiem in a lovely old church. Whew... made everything right on time with none to spare. I felt like superwoman.

Tomorrow, visiting Beethoven's homes (not all of them because in 30 years, or something like that, he lived in more places that one can count...) but I'll see some key places where he composed some very large works.

On another note I ended up drinking bitter lemon at the end of my day which I'm crazy about. Managed to walk a whole 12 hour day without losing my pullover that was flung over my bag... to some a minor issue... but I drop everything I touch. Oh, and had a coffee at Starbucks because it's really the only place to get a coffee to go... yeah, and oh-so-Austrian... whatever. I just about hated that I was there.

Pictures are in this order:
Beethoven's Grave
Mozart Memorial
Map of Zentralfriedhof
Mozart's last home in Vienna

A Paddleboat

...is what myself and the teens rented this afternoon. I don't know that I explained what I've been doing while here this week, but I'm leading worship for a conference and then also hanging out with the teens for the week. Afternoons are free time. Today we went for a paddleboat ride. We probably paddled 3-4 Kilometers... In the middle of the ride a water skier came along and slammed water on us. It would've bothered me had it not have been done just so well. So I applauded instead. But we were very wet and still had quite a ways to go back to shore. When we DID get there, Eva and Josh grabbed the dock and pulled us in. However, Eva pulled one way from the back and the front of the boat went another. Josh, who was standing on the front of the boat and holding on to the dock started stretching out more and more until all of a sudden the things holding him up were too far spread apart and in the water he went. The picture you see is after this adventure, sans Eva - she was taking the picture. The others are just views from the lake.

Slovenia

Today I drove down to Slovenia. A friend and I borrowed a car and drove down for the afternoon to Bled (said "Blade") and just tripped around 'til about 10pm tonight. It took about 45 min to get there which just seems nuts. But it's true. I was a little disappointed at the border, though, when I handed the guy our passports and they just passed us on. I didn't get a stamp. It's EU's fault. Open borders.

It's a bit of a fairy-tale-esque sort of place with an island in the middle of a glacial lake in the middle of the Julian Alps with a grand castle way up high on a craggy cliff... just too much to handle. I'll post a web picture with an aerial view 'cause you'll get a better idea of it (the best one I could find has someone else's watermark on it).

There's a ton of history to this area as it the center of four main geological land formations. The castle in this town is also the oldest one in Slovenia.
View from the castle of the surrounding scenery.

View from the island looking towards the castle and St. Martens church.

The inside of St. Stephen's at night. Vienna, Austria.

Flight Wonderings

September 15 - flying from Vienna to Krakow. Flight time: 1hr.

"Last leg of our trip. Now in Vienna heading to Krakow. Moline - Chicago - Dullas - Vienna - Krakow... Not bad. All quick transfers. My body is in a tired place, though, where I'm hot, my breathing is tight and my mouth is dry.

I'm looking out the window at the surrounding Austrian Villages wondering if one of them is Rohrau. Little hamlets along the Danube. Each with their village church and tower that probably looked out for the Turk's at one point.

I'm right next to the prop of this plane and my butt is buzzing. I'm probably 5 feet from it... If it came off I'd be the first one dead. I wouldn't even make it to the crash.

So far this travel's been outstanding. Really not more than an ounce here or there of turbulence. Was so great.

I stole a blanket today from Austrian Airlines. it's a great green with red trim. Quite striking and fun. Does this make me a bad person?

Flying over England at early morning today was beautiful. I noticed in the darkness warm orange glows of light. Rarely have I had a chance to SEE England every time I fly over it.

It's been so interesting to look below me at the land thinking "this is Europe" - like, countless armies have marched these lands... The Moors, the Mongols, the Ottomans, the Hungarians, Alexander the Great... the Romans. How deep do footprints go in this soil. Plots of land that have remnants of life before lying ferral that perhaps were once Roman camps, battlefields, temporal town. It fascinates me endlessly.

All this below me was once the Eatern block, ruled by Communism... the U.S.S.R. I imagine we're over the Czech Republic right now.

Land formations also blow my mind... the general geology of places that you see from a plane. Rivers that used to flow here now flow there, but left a trace with a dry bed. Mounds in the ground. The natural shape of uncut forests. Even some of the man-made things like roads that followed the natural walking route of past people groups, in and out of hills, towns, forests... and the roads that took their place... before blasting away the earth was possible. The towns that developed around natural resources. Towns that never grew into each other so they really used to be able to say, "the woodsmythe three towns down the river..."

Pictures of Krakow and Vienna

Church of the 12 Apostles in Krakow, Poland



Cafe light in Krakow's Market Square



Vienna: St. Stephens Cathedral at night

Charlie & Lola

I am absolutely crazy about this show. I have been watching kids for a particular family a few days this week and they have two DVDs, 6 episodes each. I'm in. I love it.

It was introduced to me a bit ago and for some reason I never really got it. Shameful really. I should've. I should've really understood. I did not. Now I do.

Lola is small and very funny... and she loves pink milk. Charlie is the reasonable and ever caring, sometimes frustrated, older brother. Lotta is Lola's best friend. Marve is Charlie's (which, everytime they say it I think they're saying Mauve). Marv has a dachsund named Sizzles that Lotta and Lola love. Lola has an imaginary friend named Soren Lorenson. And they all have these lovely Brittish accents.

Aesthetically, the illustrating and writing is incredibly clever and witty and just so fabulous. And any show that could carry Badly Drawn Boy type music has got to be wonderful.

Clearly, I am enamored and I am ok with this. I may actually go rent the DVD's myself. "Do your kids enjoy this show ma'am?" they will ask me at the counter. I may lie or I may tell the truth... or I may just borrow the five kids I've been watching and take care of that completely; allay any question.

You may one day hear me speaking like a four year old Brittish child. At which point you may intervene. However, until then, I will be attempting to see as much of this show as possible. Carry on.

Odds'n'Ends... but mostly odds.

I'm glad that last post's behind me. Staci... thanks for taking the "no one noticed" route for me. You're a good woman.

Steve Erwin died... yesterday? How 'bout it. Thanks NPR for bringing the sad news... however, TODAY they followed it up with this guy, John Hodgeman. He's the guy from the outstanding Mac commercials. Apparently he's written a book and he is funny regularly... and he has a blog... "Areas of my Expertise". He used to be a part of "This American Life" which is really about my favorite of my many NPR shows.

Please listen to the interview... not because I sound pathetic asking you to, but because you believe me when I tell you it's funny... and the radio host can't contain his laughter. That's enjoyable.

Click on THIS and
from here go "listen"... and then do so.

Two sets of super good friends moved town last week. Packed one friend up Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for her to leave and then packed another Thursday and Friday. Wow. Hate that. I spent a fair amount of time actually mourning those losses. Very good people. When good people leave it makes you wonder what you're still doing around. I know what I'm still doing around... but you still have to entertain the thought if just for a few days. It's healthy.

In other news I leave for Autria and Poland in... 8 days? Something like that. Next Thursday. I'll be better at posting next week.