fotos!

"Happiness!"

  

                                                                     "The Escape"

"A Wednesday Afternoon Drive"

Chewy

We had a big dog in today at work.
His body had been recently sheared for summer. I don't know if dogs are sheared or just shaved, but I like sheared.
Anyway. Big dog. Super fuzzy head.
His name was Chewy. And he looked just like... Chewy.


Ok, after seeing this... I suppose he was cuter than Chewy.

My first result on google image search was scandalous. I guess it was the second one. "Chewy." It was a funny picture,
but the blog it was in was actually about how much the blogger hates redheads. Great.

strange new readings

I've always loved reading. Always. And I do read. Always.
I think it's a problem- If there was a readers' anonymous
I would probably need to join.
One day I listened to an interview
with an author on NPR, and he was talking about being a writer.
He said the main requirement is that you have to read.
A lot. He said he always has a book with him- because you never know when
you're going to be stuck in a long line. I'd always wondered if other people felt like that- and I'd assumed that they did, but it was great to hear.

So, I often go through phases when I read everything-or most things-
by an author that I've just discovered, or that someone has told me about.
This has happened with kurt vonnegut, garbiel garcia marquez, barbara kingsolver,
isabel allende, and the other standard sets, of course-Pullman's his dark materials, harry potter, the chronicals of narnia. (Do you italicize sets? I think so, but I'm not sure.)
While many of those are full of fantasy realism, and maybe some, vonnegut, are a bit science fiction-y at times, I've never really gotten into science fiction novels. I've tried, and haven't really enjoyed them. And then Brad gave me Ender's Game to read. and I did. Then Songmaster. And I did. Then, Dune, and I really liked it. Now I'm going to have to read so many books just to get caught up on all of these that I never thought I would enjoy.

Sigh.

The Longest Sentences Ever Used in a Story About the Word "Oh"

I can't get a song out of my head.

As I've mentioned at least once before, I love silly songs.
Usually, if the person who is lucky enough to be standing nearby when I bust out in song chooses to acknoweldge it, which is rare, they want to know where in the heck i learned that song/rap/nonsense about the polar bear/ the camel/ the funny farm/ the kittens. the ducks/insert random animal or famous sinking boat name here.

Some of them are songs we sang in elementary school at our cleverly named Monday morning assembly "Early Beat", such as the Three Bears rap, and the awesome counter melody to This Land Is Your Land. We didn't get to sing that until 5th grade. Man was I excited about it.
BUT.
Most of them are remnants of the girl scout camp I loved and abhorred every summer for about ten years. I don't know why I remember them and all or most of their words, but I do. And I love them. They deserve respect.

I think the girl scout songs have hung on so long because they hold such a special place in the memories of my formative years. My friend Julie and I, you might also know us as Mutt and Jeff, had so many freakin' experiences there that were unique, amazing, scary, and/or mildly or severely disturbing.

Ok, so I got majorly sidetracked. This post was supposed to be about one girl scout song in particular, which I have had in my head so so much lately. I dont know what it's called, but I blame Owen, my nephew, for this.




Since our visit in Branson, where I realized that the majority of the time they call him "O-Boy", I've had this song in my head. I even sang it to him. Several times.

Oh oh oh oh.
In the moonlight
I wanna hold somebody's hand
oh oh oh oh
In the moonlight
I'm sure you'll understand
Oh-oh!

There's another verse, or maybe it's a bridge, bout birds and bees that I wont get into. But, seriously It's a great song.
Thanks O-Boy!


Random!

side note: so many songs at camp were about boys and girls. and hand holding. and kissing. i was 8 years old, people. what were you thinking?

another side note: I finally got that hair cut I'd been hankerin for! Excuse the shameless self promotion. If you can't tell a difference, it's ok. You're not the only one. Also excuse the fact that my face is getting smooshed a bit in this one. 

Shelties, Corgis, and the Never Ending Stream of Shit-tzus

Hello, Summer.

I love you for your sunshine and offerings of swimming and roadtrips.

I love you for your lack of middle and high school students.

But, I need them. Can I have them back please?

I enjoyed teaching this year, the end of the year was a bit of a let down, because every school finished lessons at different times, and I never knew if that week would be the last lesson for a student.

I have some really talented students, and a few of them are taking lessons this summer. I'm happy to teach them, it's good money and I'll keep up my skillz, as well as improve theirs, but I wish I had a few more. I think the economy right now is hurting my chances there. Most parents right now do not want to pay $16 for a half hour music lesson. And I understand. Music really does just work for some kids, and for those kids, and the parents who understand that, I am happy to be teaching.


To make up for the lack of students in the summer, I got a job. As a pet nurse!
I hold down dogs, run blood work, and generally follow people around asking them to show me how to do stuff. They aren't really interested in that, but I have to keeping pushing or I'll never learn how to do things on my own. Often, I find myself feeling really out of my element- for so many years of my life I have been completely immersed in the music world. At a very high level. It is strange to be at an entry level again, interesting to learn something completely new. The best part, after the dogs, which I love, is that I get to monitor and/or observe surgeries! I didn't know I would be excited about that until I was in the room for the first one. Would I pass out? Would I find myself nauseous- and embarrassed? It was fascinating. Who would of thought?


Next post will be chock full of pictures and tales of glory. Until then, a bit of the story, haiku style:


waters cool and strong
the mass of people floats on
spf 80

Back in the Saddle Again

Howdy Folks!!

If you will be in the DFW on June 20th, I'm playing a concert with
the New Texas Symphony. http://www.ntso.org/concerts Ticket price is $15, and you order them through the website. If you don't want to do that, let me know and I can get them for you at a rehearsal. I think. Thanks!

Lol cats. yes. I like them.