After agreeing with everything in this Newsweek column last week, I was moved to sign and add my comments to a MoveOn petition yesterday. It seems that our Congress is still planning to push through more tax cuts for the wealthy (which I think was a stupid idea even before the Gulf Coast devastation), and then--get this--plans to pay for it by cutting crucial social services which of course mostly benefit the poor.
I am a liberal except when it comes to finances. To me it seems painfully obvious that if you need to increase your expenses (Column A) you need to either increase your income (Column B) or cut down on non-essential expenses in column A. Food stamps and Medicaid are not optional expenses--they are the equivalent of emergency health care in my personal budget.
The MoveOn petition suggested I write my comments for our congressional leaders, so here is what I wrote:
Please, please do not support any more tax cuts for the wealthy. It's obvious that supply-side economics don't work, with more people in poverty every year since Bush has been in office.
If the government has a non-optional added expense (reconstructing the Gulf Coast), common sense says that reducing the government's income would be the worst idea possible. If you need to spend more money, you need to earn more. Seems like such a "duh" concept to me.
I don't particularly enjoy paying taxes (and we are one of those DINK couples who therefore pay higher taxes than those with children), but that is part of living in a society, so I don't complain.
We as moral human beings cannot just say to poor people, "Oh, too bad for you" when they don't have the fortunate circumstances and connections some of us are privileged to have. Cutting back safety net programs would just be inhumane. I don't know how you can live with yourself if you choose to do that.
Doesn't the wild fiscal irresponsiblity of this administration keep you up at night? It should. Just think of all those interest payments spiralling out of control, taking up a bigger and bigger chunk of the budget every year. Don't you care? At this rate, someday the entire country will suffer a storm surge of fiscal disaster when foreign countries currently investing in our treasury bonds decide it's not worth the risk. What is the government going to do, declare bankruptcy?
About Me
- Karinderella
- I'm a pianist, happily married. Socially progressive, chocolate lover, interested in the nature of reality, alternates between being a slacker and being a grind.
9.22.2005
A Great, New (and Possibly Addictive) Tool
Here's a brilliant answer to the eternal question, "How can I (easily) be notified of updates on my favorite sites, at one convenient location?" Some of us (like Eric) post new entries on our blogs almost daily, while others of us (like yours truly) post maybe twice a week, maybe twice a month, maybe three days in a row.
I've discovered an amazing tool called Bloglines, where you can "subscribe" to any website that has regular updates, including blogs, for free, via the cutting-edge technology you may have vaguely heard of called "RSS Feeds." You know, the one that Newsweek magazine says only 10% of internet users know how to use. I am now one of the elite, and the Bloglines site has made it really easy.
I now subscribe to blogs by Darcy, Dad, Eric, and Rusty. So cool!
I've discovered an amazing tool called Bloglines, where you can "subscribe" to any website that has regular updates, including blogs, for free, via the cutting-edge technology you may have vaguely heard of called "RSS Feeds." You know, the one that Newsweek magazine says only 10% of internet users know how to use. I am now one of the elite, and the Bloglines site has made it really easy.
I now subscribe to blogs by Darcy, Dad, Eric, and Rusty. So cool!
9.16.2005
A Deluge of Work
When I was under-employed all summer, sometimes I felt bored. Now I feel pressured. Sometimes I'm not so sure which is worse.
Here's my weekend.
Sat, 11 am. Cindi's wedding out in Boondockland, Lake County. Running there from a 9 am class at Gladisa's, dragging 75-pound behemoth keyboard and lots of songbooks. Dressed up, probably in the rain. Have I practiced anything for this? No. But I already know a lot of the music I'm going to play, and I'm a good faker.
Sun, 9:30 am. UU Choir practice. This is one of the few things this weekend that's not stressing me out. It's just that it means no sleeping in.
Sun, 11 am. Play for church service. Since the topic is Joseph Campbell: The Power of Myth Revisited , Paul really wants to come. We've decided to play our version of Wagner's Liebestod, from Tristan and Isolde, that I learned for Darcy's wedding. When else would be a more appropriate time to play it?! Tristan is only one of the great myths Campbell explores in depth. We'll be playing two other short pieces, we already know as well. Yes, I do already know the music, but I still have to practice and then we have to go over them together.
Sun, 12:45 pm. Gospel Choir rehearsal. I'm supposed to have learned 2 new songs from a CD, including writing down the vocal notes since Andrew is bad with pitch. I've only done 1/3 of one of them. Well, if I'm behind for this one, no one will be mad. I meant to do it earlier in the week but I got sick with a bad cold for days and didn't feel up to it.
Sun, 4:00 pm. Windsong rehearsal. No, I haven't even looked at the music. I can probably get away with this one, too--I've certainly done it before.
I tallied up all the hours I'm actually working at my 6 (count 'em!) gigs, and its 35.5 hours a week. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Boy, am I glad it's not more. Could be worse, I guess. I could have a sugar hangover on top of everything else.
Here's my weekend.
Sat, 11 am. Cindi's wedding out in Boondockland, Lake County. Running there from a 9 am class at Gladisa's, dragging 75-pound behemoth keyboard and lots of songbooks. Dressed up, probably in the rain. Have I practiced anything for this? No. But I already know a lot of the music I'm going to play, and I'm a good faker.
Sun, 9:30 am. UU Choir practice. This is one of the few things this weekend that's not stressing me out. It's just that it means no sleeping in.
Sun, 11 am. Play for church service. Since the topic is Joseph Campbell: The Power of Myth Revisited , Paul really wants to come. We've decided to play our version of Wagner's Liebestod, from Tristan and Isolde, that I learned for Darcy's wedding. When else would be a more appropriate time to play it?! Tristan is only one of the great myths Campbell explores in depth. We'll be playing two other short pieces, we already know as well. Yes, I do already know the music, but I still have to practice and then we have to go over them together.
Sun, 12:45 pm. Gospel Choir rehearsal. I'm supposed to have learned 2 new songs from a CD, including writing down the vocal notes since Andrew is bad with pitch. I've only done 1/3 of one of them. Well, if I'm behind for this one, no one will be mad. I meant to do it earlier in the week but I got sick with a bad cold for days and didn't feel up to it.
Sun, 4:00 pm. Windsong rehearsal. No, I haven't even looked at the music. I can probably get away with this one, too--I've certainly done it before.
I tallied up all the hours I'm actually working at my 6 (count 'em!) gigs, and its 35.5 hours a week. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Boy, am I glad it's not more. Could be worse, I guess. I could have a sugar hangover on top of everything else.
9.12.2005
My Diet is Finally Ready to Become a Grownup
I always used to think that by age 40, I would have outgrown my candy habit, that I would be like other, more "normal" adults who say things like, "Oh, I think the peanut butter in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is just too sweet." It didn't happen. I spent a lot of my copious free time over the summer (as well as the past several years) chowing down on my favorite candy while playing on the internet.
Well, I'm finally getting tired of the sugar hangovers and tired of feeling unfocused and lethargic even with buttloads of caffeine. I haven't had any candy since last Thursday (it's my 5th day), eating a bowl of non-health-foody cereal (Kix or Rice Chex) as a substitute. I'm actually less hungry and feel a lot more alert and even-keeled! My addiction must be totally psychological because I don't feel any withdrawal symptoms.
This doesn't mean I've become a candy teetotaler (let's be real here!). Nor does it mean I avoid dessert--I've had treats like sorbet, homemade banana bread or a can of (non-diet) coke, once or twice a day. I am never going to be a health food puritan/fundamentalist or Woman on a Diet--you know, the type who "feels guilty" after eating a Sinful Food. Screw that! Life's too short.
I'm going to embrace the philosophy of moderation. So far it hasn't been hard. Today when I picked up some things at Target, I window-shopped the 3(!) aisles of Halloween candy, decided none of it was really worth it, and left without buying any. This is big for me--I haven't passed the Halloween candy department empty-handed for at least 10 years.
Well, I'm finally getting tired of the sugar hangovers and tired of feeling unfocused and lethargic even with buttloads of caffeine. I haven't had any candy since last Thursday (it's my 5th day), eating a bowl of non-health-foody cereal (Kix or Rice Chex) as a substitute. I'm actually less hungry and feel a lot more alert and even-keeled! My addiction must be totally psychological because I don't feel any withdrawal symptoms.
This doesn't mean I've become a candy teetotaler (let's be real here!). Nor does it mean I avoid dessert--I've had treats like sorbet, homemade banana bread or a can of (non-diet) coke, once or twice a day. I am never going to be a health food puritan/fundamentalist or Woman on a Diet--you know, the type who "feels guilty" after eating a Sinful Food. Screw that! Life's too short.
I'm going to embrace the philosophy of moderation. So far it hasn't been hard. Today when I picked up some things at Target, I window-shopped the 3(!) aisles of Halloween candy, decided none of it was really worth it, and left without buying any. This is big for me--I haven't passed the Halloween candy department empty-handed for at least 10 years.
9.05.2005
Labor Day Weekend
We've had one of those weekends where everything lines up just right. Paul and I had all three days totally off work. The weather was perfect every single day, brilliantly sunny and in the 70s. And we had fun plans every day. We started our Saturday sleeping late and indulging in a leisurely breakfast of blueberry pancakes.
We had all the windows open because the weather was so perfect. Mouchie wanted to get as close to outside as possible, so he sat in the window. As you can see, the sill is skinnier than he is, so he oh-so-casually let his arm dangle off the edge.
A highlight of the festival for me was seeing the Symphony for 21 iPods. In a basement art gallery, the iPods were hanging from the ceiling all over the room, playing a variety of bright, sparkly sounds in space, changing as you moved around beneath them.
On the way out of the gallery, I saw this striking sculpture of blown glass. It didn't have a title, so I christened it Condomcicles.
We took the Rapid and walked a mile to get home, since Bev & Co. had left a couple hours before. We feel so lucky to live close.
We had all the windows open because the weather was so perfect. Mouchie wanted to get as close to outside as possible, so he sat in the window. As you can see, the sill is skinnier than he is, so he oh-so-casually let his arm dangle off the edge.
Such a funny boy! Here he is from above. You can see all the beautiful shades of black in his coat, plus my blue-polished toenails on the floor far, far away.
Saturday night, we went to the last concert of the season at Blossom Music Center. It was the Cincinnati Pops' Star Wars Spectacular. Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in all six movies, narrated basic plot points between excerpts from all the movies. We noticed John Williams gives especially kick-ass parts to the horn section. Here is a pic of the Pavillion from the lawn, where we sat having our picnic.
I held the camera at arm's length to snap this one of us at intermission.
On Sunday (yesterday), we went with Bev, Fred and little Bruce to the Cleveland Ingenuity Festival, a downtown fest full of events combining the arts and technology. Brucie was a little young for most of it but enjoyed the bubble machine, live music and baby owl. He is at that age where he doesn't want to be strapped in the stroller, but would rather walk and push it himself. When we had had enough of going .02 MPH, Bev and Fred gave him a little "lift," which he loved!
A highlight of the festival for me was seeing the Symphony for 21 iPods. In a basement art gallery, the iPods were hanging from the ceiling all over the room, playing a variety of bright, sparkly sounds in space, changing as you moved around beneath them.On the way out of the gallery, I saw this striking sculpture of blown glass. It didn't have a title, so I christened it Condomcicles.
We went to the old Cleveland Trust Rotunda, since I had never been there and it looks pretty grand from the outside. They advertised hands-on technology activities all day, but I guess they decided to end it early since nothing was going on. Still enjoyed seeing the beautiful building, though. It used to be a bank. Imagine doing your banking in a place as grand as a museum or theatre! The stained-glass dome above was beautiful, and we could see why someone is always arguing against tearing it down.
By five or so, my feet were killing me. I feel like such a wimp and an old fart, but it's never been the same since I broke my foot last year. We went to Tower City for a breather and sat by the fountain, which has jets of water choreographed to music.
We took the Rapid and walked a mile to get home, since Bev & Co. had left a couple hours before. We feel so lucky to live close.Today (Labor Day) we went to a Lake County Captains minor-league baseball game with Paul's work folks, courtesy of his boss, Dr. Hoppel. We had a loge, a big party deck with a nice spread--burger, hot dog, taco, and ice cream sundae bar, plus pop and water. The food was really good.
A lot of Paul's co-workers brought their kids and grandkids, who were able to run around, etc. It was very breezy up there--it felt like we were out on the lake. The stadium was much smaller than Jacobs Field--maybe it holds 15-20,000. It was nice, though, and had a small-town feel. The captains won in 12 innings, so I was able to keep my streak of the home team always winning at every pro game I've ever attended--all four in my life!
All in all, a great weekend. Tomorrow it's back to work at all of my jobs, which I am actually looking forward to.
9.02.2005
Gasoline Market Timing
All week I have been following the Hurricane Katrina coverage on NPR, Salon.com and the New York Times. It took a day or two for the magnitude of the catastrophe to sink in. I feel terrible for all those people who have lost everything and haven't been sleeping that well.
Of course, by Monday night it occured to me that gas prices would probably jump any minute. I started back at Case this week, walking to work all 5 days.
1. It gets me moving
2. It makes me feel more connected to my neighborhood and aware of the beauty I would miss if I drove
3.It saves the wear and tear of short trips on the car
4. My Case parking pass probably hasn't been activated yet anyway and I hate paying for parking
5. And not least, it's one way I can conserve energy and live lighter on the planet.
On Monday, the BP station I walked past was selling regular unleaded at $2.55/gallon, at least a dime cheaper than any other station nearby. Since I didn't drive that day, I didn't fill up and gambled it wouldn't be too bad Tuesday. With relief, I saw on Tuesday that it was still $2.57. I ran errands that evening, stopping on the way to fill my 3/4 empty tank. I was surprised there was no line. I remember right after 9/11, cars were lined up around the corner at every gas station.
The next day as I walked by and gasped when I saw the display sign--it was up to $2.99!! I had beat the system, saving about $4.00. I know, my tank is only 11 gallons, my car gets over 30 mpg, and I only drive 6000-7000 miles per year. I used to spend about $30.00 a month on gas, now it might be $60.00. The $30 extra isn't such a big deal for me, but I can't help thinking about those moms from all over suburbia driving their kids to ballet class in their SUVs. I just hope they don't decide to pull their kids out as a way of cutting back. I'm feeling like the NE Ohio recession, which lingered here for years before finally starting to lift only recently, might come back with a vengeance.
On Tuesday afternoon I went online to reserve plane tickets for our Houston trip right after Christmas. I wanted Paul to have a chance to check our flight schedule with his brother Peter before we purchased. The next day Peter sent us his itinerary (times were different than ours) with the idea that we could share a rental car.
So back to the Continental website I went, (I had just signed us both up for OnePass, since Continental is the only airline out of Cleveland that hasn't screwed us over,) plugging in the new times and cancelling the old reservation. Ack! Everything was over $100 more per person than the day before, including the same flights from yesterday's reservation! I was kicking myself for cancelling it so fast, since otherwise I could have bought it at yesterday's price, saving us $220.
But then I thought, let's check Expedia and Travelocity--maybe they haven't jacked everything up yet. And they hadn't! I bought those suckers fast, saving the $220, then emailed our itinerary to Paul's family members, advising them to book their flights ASAP before the prices go up. It felt so good to beat the system twice in one day!
This was probably my last chance to save big on gasoline-related expenses. From now on, I am even more motivated to 1. Walk instead of drive whenever possible, 2. Consolidate errands as efficiently as possible, and 3. Drive in as fuel-efficient manner as I can--stopping and starting as slowly and smoothly as I can get away with. I want to see if it makes a difference.
Of course, by Monday night it occured to me that gas prices would probably jump any minute. I started back at Case this week, walking to work all 5 days.
1. It gets me moving
2. It makes me feel more connected to my neighborhood and aware of the beauty I would miss if I drove
3.It saves the wear and tear of short trips on the car
4. My Case parking pass probably hasn't been activated yet anyway and I hate paying for parking
5. And not least, it's one way I can conserve energy and live lighter on the planet.
On Monday, the BP station I walked past was selling regular unleaded at $2.55/gallon, at least a dime cheaper than any other station nearby. Since I didn't drive that day, I didn't fill up and gambled it wouldn't be too bad Tuesday. With relief, I saw on Tuesday that it was still $2.57. I ran errands that evening, stopping on the way to fill my 3/4 empty tank. I was surprised there was no line. I remember right after 9/11, cars were lined up around the corner at every gas station.
The next day as I walked by and gasped when I saw the display sign--it was up to $2.99!! I had beat the system, saving about $4.00. I know, my tank is only 11 gallons, my car gets over 30 mpg, and I only drive 6000-7000 miles per year. I used to spend about $30.00 a month on gas, now it might be $60.00. The $30 extra isn't such a big deal for me, but I can't help thinking about those moms from all over suburbia driving their kids to ballet class in their SUVs. I just hope they don't decide to pull their kids out as a way of cutting back. I'm feeling like the NE Ohio recession, which lingered here for years before finally starting to lift only recently, might come back with a vengeance.
On Tuesday afternoon I went online to reserve plane tickets for our Houston trip right after Christmas. I wanted Paul to have a chance to check our flight schedule with his brother Peter before we purchased. The next day Peter sent us his itinerary (times were different than ours) with the idea that we could share a rental car.
So back to the Continental website I went, (I had just signed us both up for OnePass, since Continental is the only airline out of Cleveland that hasn't screwed us over,) plugging in the new times and cancelling the old reservation. Ack! Everything was over $100 more per person than the day before, including the same flights from yesterday's reservation! I was kicking myself for cancelling it so fast, since otherwise I could have bought it at yesterday's price, saving us $220.
But then I thought, let's check Expedia and Travelocity--maybe they haven't jacked everything up yet. And they hadn't! I bought those suckers fast, saving the $220, then emailed our itinerary to Paul's family members, advising them to book their flights ASAP before the prices go up. It felt so good to beat the system twice in one day!
This was probably my last chance to save big on gasoline-related expenses. From now on, I am even more motivated to 1. Walk instead of drive whenever possible, 2. Consolidate errands as efficiently as possible, and 3. Drive in as fuel-efficient manner as I can--stopping and starting as slowly and smoothly as I can get away with. I want to see if it makes a difference.
8.25.2005
X-treme Flushing: The Great Toilet Upgrade
Wow. We were actually serious about upgrading all of our toilets after this lovely episode last month, and are now the proud owners of 3 brand spanking-new pressure-assisted toilets. These things are the piranhas of the toilet world. You'd better make sure all arms and legs are inside the cabin and the lid is down before flushing or somebody could get hurt.I would much rather have a mighty fanfare announce my business for 4 seconds than deal with the sluggish, finicky crap toilets we had before. Is it normal to have to plunge every other day or am I just really hard on conventional toilets?
These things could probably handle 5 or 6 golf balls and have so far effortlessly whisked away even my most challenging offerings without leaving so much as a calling card.
Did I mention I'm thrilled?
8.24.2005
Married 2 Years
A week ago today was our 2nd wedding anniversary. We like to make a big deal of romantic milestones whenever possible so, since we were in Colorado, we stayed in the Hotel Teatro,"Denver's #1 Rated Hotel." Check out the Deluxe Room on the Virtual Tour page to see exactly what our room looked like. It was huge and gorgeous. This is the kind of place where everybody on the staff treats you like you're one of The Rich People. After a delicious dinner of western fare (bison filet mignon!), we returned to find our bed turned down with premium Belgian chocolates left on the pillow. We couldn't help chuckling at the open TV Guide, encased in leather, along with a very elaborate remote, that was also carefully placed on the pillow. We certainly had much better things planned than an evening of TV watching!
A delightful surprise--there was a note from all four of my parents wishing us a happy anniversary and crediting our room with $40 for breakfast the next morning! That was really sweet and unexpected. (The next morning we thoroughly enjoyed a lavish room service tray with pastries, tea, orange juice, fruit platter and an omelet which we ate in a state of total indecency!)
After we got back to Cleveland we had a long weekend off work together. On Sunday night, we continued an anniversary tradition we started last year--attending the Cavana Ballroom's Sunday dance party in our wedding attire, which we can get away with because it's comfortable, lightweight and only a little over the top.
Lat year, we also wore our duds (sans hats) for a special dinner out. I don't feel bad that we skipped that this year. Unless I am leaning forward with my head directly over the plate, food, especially if it is covered in something tomato-based, tends to land directly on my chest, especially when I'm wearing something in a solid, pastel shade. I love that this dress is machine washable, but I just don't think it would have survived buffalo with barbecue sauce!
A delightful surprise--there was a note from all four of my parents wishing us a happy anniversary and crediting our room with $40 for breakfast the next morning! That was really sweet and unexpected. (The next morning we thoroughly enjoyed a lavish room service tray with pastries, tea, orange juice, fruit platter and an omelet which we ate in a state of total indecency!)
After we got back to Cleveland we had a long weekend off work together. On Sunday night, we continued an anniversary tradition we started last year--attending the Cavana Ballroom's Sunday dance party in our wedding attire, which we can get away with because it's comfortable, lightweight and only a little over the top.
Lat year, we also wore our duds (sans hats) for a special dinner out. I don't feel bad that we skipped that this year. Unless I am leaning forward with my head directly over the plate, food, especially if it is covered in something tomato-based, tends to land directly on my chest, especially when I'm wearing something in a solid, pastel shade. I love that this dress is machine washable, but I just don't think it would have survived buffalo with barbecue sauce!
8.20.2005
Family Recipes
I took note of a couple of recipes that came up in conversation. Here is a really easy one for a moist, delicious, reasonably nutritious cake from Mom:
Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
1 Pkg Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 Can Pumpkin (sm) the plain kind, not pumpkin pie mix/filling
Use a 9x13 pan. Cook according to package directions.
And from Eric, one that's low starch, high nutrition, and sounds delish:
Tacomole Salad
Brown 1/2-3/4 lb taco meat. Season to taste.
1 lb spinach leaves.
Toss w/6-8 oz guacamole.
Divide into 2 servings.
Top w/meat, crushed tortilla chips, tomatoes, and olives.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
1 Pkg Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 Can Pumpkin (sm) the plain kind, not pumpkin pie mix/filling
Use a 9x13 pan. Cook according to package directions.
And from Eric, one that's low starch, high nutrition, and sounds delish:
Tacomole Salad
Brown 1/2-3/4 lb taco meat. Season to taste.
1 lb spinach leaves.
Toss w/6-8 oz guacamole.
Divide into 2 servings.
Top w/meat, crushed tortilla chips, tomatoes, and olives.
What a great trip!
We had a very rich, wonderful time in Colorado this past week. Grandma's memorial service was just right, and after a couple of days in Denver, we enjoyed a few days in the Rocky Mountains.
From eating out on the town and toasting Grandma's memory,
From eating out on the town and toasting Grandma's memory,
to cooking out and enjoying our "Magic Fans" from Eric,
to hiking along bridle trails,
to enjoying stunning views of mountains, forests and lakes,
to just hanging out on the back porch of our cabin to watch the hummingbirds,
we had a great time with the family. See all the pics on my website here.
8.11.2005
Colorado, here we come!
Tomorrow we leave for a week in Colorado. Paul and I will be joining Eric & Rusty plus Mom, Ron, Phyllis, Alec, Peter and Roxanne for a second memorial service for Grandma in Denver. I was really disappointed I couldn't make the first one in Portland last December due to my cast & crutches, plus 3 jobs. I am going to be playing selections from Phantom of the Opera because it was her favorite music ever.
We've decided to make a vacation of it and will be staying in a charming place in Estes Park called Idlewilde by the River for a few nights. We'll spend our 2nd wedding anniversary (8/17) in Denver at the posh Hotel Teatro and maybe see a show or have an elegant dinner. We won't be returing until the 18th, and I anticipate a total internet vacation the entire time, not a bad thing.
Here are my reflections on Grandma that I will be sharing during the service.
One of my earliest memories of Grandma was the Christmas I turned 5. I was in my ballerina phase, and I wanted a ballet tutu more than anything in the world. When I opened my present from Grandma, it was this wonderful creation she had made herself--a skirt made out of stiff pink tulle, decorated with an array of colorful poufs commonly used to scrub pots and pans. *holds pouf as visual aid* I gasped in my excitement, "It's a ballet dress!" She laughed her famous laugh and said,"Oh, no, it's a Silly Grandma!" I thought it was the most beautiful skirt ever.
We always lived far away from our grandparents and didn't get to see them very often, so a visit to their house was a Really Big Deal. Grandma would bend over backwards as a hostess, wanting to make sure we were comfortable, well fed and had enough to do. When Grandpa would sometimes get fussy or grumpy when we inevitably got on his nerves, she would say, "Oh, he's just being an old fuddy-duddy!"
I was kind of an uptight kid and she was always loosening me up. Even in my 30s she spent several years encouraging me to try margaritas, which I didn't like at all at first. Now it's my favorite drink ever, and I always think of her whenever I have one. She was very proud of "corrupting" me at last.
Peace to you, Grandma. My life is better because you were part of it.
We've decided to make a vacation of it and will be staying in a charming place in Estes Park called Idlewilde by the River for a few nights. We'll spend our 2nd wedding anniversary (8/17) in Denver at the posh Hotel Teatro and maybe see a show or have an elegant dinner. We won't be returing until the 18th, and I anticipate a total internet vacation the entire time, not a bad thing.
Here are my reflections on Grandma that I will be sharing during the service.
One of my earliest memories of Grandma was the Christmas I turned 5. I was in my ballerina phase, and I wanted a ballet tutu more than anything in the world. When I opened my present from Grandma, it was this wonderful creation she had made herself--a skirt made out of stiff pink tulle, decorated with an array of colorful poufs commonly used to scrub pots and pans. *holds pouf as visual aid* I gasped in my excitement, "It's a ballet dress!" She laughed her famous laugh and said,"Oh, no, it's a Silly Grandma!" I thought it was the most beautiful skirt ever.
We always lived far away from our grandparents and didn't get to see them very often, so a visit to their house was a Really Big Deal. Grandma would bend over backwards as a hostess, wanting to make sure we were comfortable, well fed and had enough to do. When Grandpa would sometimes get fussy or grumpy when we inevitably got on his nerves, she would say, "Oh, he's just being an old fuddy-duddy!"
I was kind of an uptight kid and she was always loosening me up. Even in my 30s she spent several years encouraging me to try margaritas, which I didn't like at all at first. Now it's my favorite drink ever, and I always think of her whenever I have one. She was very proud of "corrupting" me at last.
Peace to you, Grandma. My life is better because you were part of it.
8.10.2005
Bush or Chimp?
8.09.2005
Hazardous Waste
I never thought taking out the trash could be so dangerous as it was last Tuesday. These things always seem to happen to me when home alone. Paul was at Joy & Dale's, at a barbeque which I could not go to because I had Troy's ballet class to play for and then the piano competition to attend.
So I got home around 9:45 and thought,"I'm gonna get the trash now so it'll be done before Paul gets home." Everything went harmlessly enough until I took the kitchen bag out of the can. It was heavy and over-filled so I set it down on the kitchen floor. I took a step and ended up stepping on the bottom of the bag. Next thing I knew, something really sharp had cut the inside of my big toe, deeply I might add, as most of my weight was on that foot at the moment of impact.
It was the worst pain since I broke my foot. My immediate, instinctual response: a yell that made the walls vibrate, lots of cussing, and bursting into tears as blood started dripping all over the kitchen floor.
So I got home around 9:45 and thought,"I'm gonna get the trash now so it'll be done before Paul gets home." Everything went harmlessly enough until I took the kitchen bag out of the can. It was heavy and over-filled so I set it down on the kitchen floor. I took a step and ended up stepping on the bottom of the bag. Next thing I knew, something really sharp had cut the inside of my big toe, deeply I might add, as most of my weight was on that foot at the moment of impact.
It was the worst pain since I broke my foot. My immediate, instinctual response: a yell that made the walls vibrate, lots of cussing, and bursting into tears as blood started dripping all over the kitchen floor.
I was still cussing and wailing like a frustrated infant when Paul called about 15 minutes later. I tried to calm down so as not to alarm him unnecessarily, so I just told him the short version. By the time he got home it had finally stopped bleeding and I was able to cover it with a band-aid, but if I bent the toe a certain way or accidentally put any weight on it at all, it felt like a burning hot poker.
I am so sick of foot pain, and it doesn't help that this is the same foot I broke. I couldn't walk much until Saturday. Now, a week later, it is just starting to feel halfway healed. So much for getting in better shape for hiking in the Rockies next week. I am glad, though, that it happened last Tuesday and not tonight, so it should be almost normal by early next week.
8.05.2005
An Approximation
You wouldn't know it, but I've been growing out my hair for the past 8 months. I had a super-short pixie cut for about 3 years and loved it, but decided I wanted something softer and more girly, still easy but not The Mom Haircut (TM). I don't want to be mistaken for one of those women who've Just Given Up.
After a few hours last winter perusing online hairstyle websites, I found this cute style:
I figured, oh, by April or so, my hair could resemble this more or less. What I had forgotten to consider was that this model's hair was at least 3" long at the back and sides, whereas mine was about 1/2". Four haircuts later, as of today, here is my version:
It's cute and I love it but it ain't just like the picture. And this is after Steve styled it for me today. Who knows if I'll ever be able to duplicate this on my own. You'd think after 27+ years of actually caring what my hair looks like, I would've had enough practice by now, but you would be wrong.
After a few hours last winter perusing online hairstyle websites, I found this cute style:
I figured, oh, by April or so, my hair could resemble this more or less. What I had forgotten to consider was that this model's hair was at least 3" long at the back and sides, whereas mine was about 1/2". Four haircuts later, as of today, here is my version:
It's cute and I love it but it ain't just like the picture. And this is after Steve styled it for me today. Who knows if I'll ever be able to duplicate this on my own. You'd think after 27+ years of actually caring what my hair looks like, I would've had enough practice by now, but you would be wrong.
8.03.2005
High-Profile Gigs Coming Up
The Gospel Choir I've been playing for is going to sing 20 minutes' worth of music this Sunday at Archwood UCC for a "Raise the Roof Gospel Service" that is part of the Black, Gay and Proud Celebration 2005! It doesn't even matter that I'm not Christian, black or gay--I know it's gonna be great, it will have wonderful energy and I'll meet some great people.
Also, this week I talked with Mary Verdi-Fletcher of Dancing Wheels, and on October 1 I'll be playing at their 25th Anniversary Gala at the Intercontinental Hotel Cleveland, which by the way I can walk to in 10 minutes from home. I'll be accompanying actress Patricia Neal as she sings "Send in the Clowns" and playing background music for the silent auction and dinner. Mary said she immediately thought of me and didn't even call any other pianists. :-)
Also, this week I talked with Mary Verdi-Fletcher of Dancing Wheels, and on October 1 I'll be playing at their 25th Anniversary Gala at the Intercontinental Hotel Cleveland, which by the way I can walk to in 10 minutes from home. I'll be accompanying actress Patricia Neal as she sings "Send in the Clowns" and playing background music for the silent auction and dinner. Mary said she immediately thought of me and didn't even call any other pianists. :-)
8.02.2005
The First Cut
It's amazing I can even string 2 sentences together. Since Wednesday afternoon, I have attended 12 rounds of the competition--that's 39 hours of music by 30 pianists, only 3 hours of which I missed due to what little work I still have.
Yesterday afternoon I was seated next to a woman whose girth threatened to overflow around the armrest. I'm not small myself and we spent the next 3 1/2 hours trying not to invade each other's Personal Space Bubbles. I'm glad I didn't miss the round as it included three of the eight semi-finalists later picked by the judges, but I came home feeling as if I had spent the afternoon in the middle seat of a packed airplane.
Sometimes you've just gotta take a break. Since the competition is being broadcast live over the radio, I decided to listen at home to the first half of last night's round. WCLV's reception is so sucky it won't come in on any of our radios (except the car), but fortunately you can listen to it via streaming audio online. I blissfully stretched out on the couch, drinking a cherry coke while I listened, then took the five-minute walk to the theater after intermission.
When I got home, I finished picking my eight semifinalists so I could later see if I agreed with the judges' picks. I knew it would take at least 45 minutes before the announcement broadcast, so I settled in the office. The minutes crept by. 11:15 pm and we still hadn't heard.
Paul offered to make dinner and bring it up to me so I wouldn't have to leave the computer and miss the announcement! Of course I told him how sweet I thought that was. He just said it was nothing millions of wives of TV sports fans don't do every Sunday.
Minutes later we heard the announcement live, and four of my picks made it. On to the semi-finals today!
Yesterday afternoon I was seated next to a woman whose girth threatened to overflow around the armrest. I'm not small myself and we spent the next 3 1/2 hours trying not to invade each other's Personal Space Bubbles. I'm glad I didn't miss the round as it included three of the eight semi-finalists later picked by the judges, but I came home feeling as if I had spent the afternoon in the middle seat of a packed airplane.
Sometimes you've just gotta take a break. Since the competition is being broadcast live over the radio, I decided to listen at home to the first half of last night's round. WCLV's reception is so sucky it won't come in on any of our radios (except the car), but fortunately you can listen to it via streaming audio online. I blissfully stretched out on the couch, drinking a cherry coke while I listened, then took the five-minute walk to the theater after intermission.
When I got home, I finished picking my eight semifinalists so I could later see if I agreed with the judges' picks. I knew it would take at least 45 minutes before the announcement broadcast, so I settled in the office. The minutes crept by. 11:15 pm and we still hadn't heard.
Paul offered to make dinner and bring it up to me so I wouldn't have to leave the computer and miss the announcement! Of course I told him how sweet I thought that was. He just said it was nothing millions of wives of TV sports fans don't do every Sunday.
Minutes later we heard the announcement live, and four of my picks made it. On to the semi-finals today!
7.29.2005
Destination Vacation--Across the Street
This year, the Cleveland International Piano Competition is being held at the Bolton Theater in the Cleveland Playhouse for the first and probably only time because of remodeling at its usual site at CIM.
It's my lucky year because:
1. I'm almost totally off work and in town during the entire competition
2. I can afford a splurge, and
3. The Playhouse is a 5 minute walk from our house!
Since this magical planetary alignment may never again be replicated, I've splurged on a subscription to all the rounds for a total immersion experience, about 50 hours of live music in the space of 12 days! I've been listening for about 6 hours a day during these first rounds, and though it is a lot to digest and sometimes wears my brain out, I have heard a lot of exciting piano playing.
Some of these people are half my age and all can play circles around me. In earlier years this might have dragged up feelings of inadequacy (i.e., There But For Procrastination, Lack of Sufficient Drive, and Laziness Could have Gone I). But I love and am good at what I do in my little niche of the music world. Since I don't particularly enjoy the tedious kind of practicing it takes, I don't think the competition circuit/concert pianist path was meant to be my destiny.
But these pianists! Everyone here has already won numerous other competitions, and it's easy to see why. For the most part, they all have huge dynamic and color ranges and something compelling to communicate. There's a lot of music I haven't heard before, or at least don't know well. Sometimes a little part of my brain, always on the lookout, will think, "Hmm. I like that melody. I bet I could fit that into something for ballet class..."
It's my lucky year because:1. I'm almost totally off work and in town during the entire competition
2. I can afford a splurge, and
3. The Playhouse is a 5 minute walk from our house!
Since this magical planetary alignment may never again be replicated, I've splurged on a subscription to all the rounds for a total immersion experience, about 50 hours of live music in the space of 12 days! I've been listening for about 6 hours a day during these first rounds, and though it is a lot to digest and sometimes wears my brain out, I have heard a lot of exciting piano playing.
Some of these people are half my age and all can play circles around me. In earlier years this might have dragged up feelings of inadequacy (i.e., There But For Procrastination, Lack of Sufficient Drive, and Laziness Could have Gone I). But I love and am good at what I do in my little niche of the music world. Since I don't particularly enjoy the tedious kind of practicing it takes, I don't think the competition circuit/concert pianist path was meant to be my destiny.
But these pianists! Everyone here has already won numerous other competitions, and it's easy to see why. For the most part, they all have huge dynamic and color ranges and something compelling to communicate. There's a lot of music I haven't heard before, or at least don't know well. Sometimes a little part of my brain, always on the lookout, will think, "Hmm. I like that melody. I bet I could fit that into something for ballet class..."
7.27.2005
Primate tendencies
We were eating tuna salad sandwiches for dinner, and Paul got a blob of food stuck to his cheek. I picked it off his face instead of saying something. He immediately used a napkin to wipe, saying, "My sweetie has primate tendencies."
It finally occured to me to ask after all these years, "Does it bug you when I do that?"
"Sometimes."
"Sorry!" I said. Wow, the first time he's ever admitted something I do bugs him, and I had to ask or I would never have known.
He said, "Sometimes I think it's sweet, but sometimes I get a parental vibe from it."
"Makes sense," I said. "And if I licked it off your face, I guess it could have a.....
....sort of 'puppy dog' vibe to it, couldn't it? Not the sort of vibe you're looking for."
Exactly. "We'd like to keep the bestiality or incest vibes out of our vibe repertoire, right?" he said jokingly.
Inspiration struck me. I can just see one of those supermarket checkout line mags geared to tired housewives, like Women's Day, Good Housekeeping, etc. They always have the same headlines every month--Melt the Pounds Away in 14 Days While Eating Anything You Want (next to a picture of a birthday cake in the shape of a train) , How to Get More Energy, Protect Your Kids From the Bogeyman o' the Month, and my favorite, How to Get That Spark Back Into Your Marriage.
Relight the Passionate Fires in Your Marriage With These Easy Bestiality and Incest Roleplaying Games!
It finally occured to me to ask after all these years, "Does it bug you when I do that?"
"Sometimes."
"Sorry!" I said. Wow, the first time he's ever admitted something I do bugs him, and I had to ask or I would never have known.
He said, "Sometimes I think it's sweet, but sometimes I get a parental vibe from it."
"Makes sense," I said. "And if I licked it off your face, I guess it could have a.....
....sort of 'puppy dog' vibe to it, couldn't it? Not the sort of vibe you're looking for."
Exactly. "We'd like to keep the bestiality or incest vibes out of our vibe repertoire, right?" he said jokingly.
Inspiration struck me. I can just see one of those supermarket checkout line mags geared to tired housewives, like Women's Day, Good Housekeeping, etc. They always have the same headlines every month--Melt the Pounds Away in 14 Days While Eating Anything You Want (next to a picture of a birthday cake in the shape of a train) , How to Get More Energy, Protect Your Kids From the Bogeyman o' the Month, and my favorite, How to Get That Spark Back Into Your Marriage.
Relight the Passionate Fires in Your Marriage With These Easy Bestiality and Incest Roleplaying Games!
7.26.2005
New Hits for My Brother in the Deep Recesses of Google
I was reading an entry on Eric's blog the other day about how different search engines have such varying results when searching for one's own name. He is very happy with Yahoo and MSN Search because on both of them, his blog is the first hit for his name.
Having almost a whole day off today, I was inspired to play with search engines. Haven't done this in ages, but I started putting quotes around the names I searched for, which dramatically improved the results. All of the results for my name were actually about me, and thanks to Dad's handiwork, www.karint.com made the first page! Wohoo!! I guess there aren't any other Karin Tooleys out there. :-)
There are a few other Eric Tooleys, however, one of them a teen abstinence crusader, much to Eric's chagrin. However, there is also an athlete and a coffee cup artist, whose site I thought is pretty cool.
I found some pretty cute photos of Eric and Rusty, evidently from a wedding they attended a couple of years ago:
Having almost a whole day off today, I was inspired to play with search engines. Haven't done this in ages, but I started putting quotes around the names I searched for, which dramatically improved the results. All of the results for my name were actually about me, and thanks to Dad's handiwork, www.karint.com made the first page! Wohoo!! I guess there aren't any other Karin Tooleys out there. :-)
There are a few other Eric Tooleys, however, one of them a teen abstinence crusader, much to Eric's chagrin. However, there is also an athlete and a coffee cup artist, whose site I thought is pretty cool.
I found some pretty cute photos of Eric and Rusty, evidently from a wedding they attended a couple of years ago:
7.24.2005
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Check this out. I have finally figured out how to include more than one picture on a post. :-)
Yesterday we had a great time with the Bokuniewiczes. After waking up around 9:30ish, the seven of us gathered around the newly clean and uncluttered kitchen table and breakfast bar while Paul made toast and fried eggs and I prepared coffee, orange juice and fresh fruit.
Paul, Marina and I practiced our trio together for the first time. It actually was pretty smooth going for the most part, each of us having practiced and listened to the CD for the past couple of months. After an hour and a half, we decided to quit while we were ahead, knowing it would be fine for today's performance.
I love that we live so close to everything. We were able to leave at 2:40, drive the 4 miles to downtown, find parking, walk to Jacobs Field and find our seats at a leisurely pace, and still be on time for a 3:15 baseball game.
Check out Paul's hat:
He, Tom and Marina all graduated from Oberlin, so this Oberlin Conservatory hat was a hit.
Here's another gratuitously cute couple pic, courtesy of Marina:
Yesterday we had a great time with the Bokuniewiczes. After waking up around 9:30ish, the seven of us gathered around the newly clean and uncluttered kitchen table and breakfast bar while Paul made toast and fried eggs and I prepared coffee, orange juice and fresh fruit.
Paul, Marina and I practiced our trio together for the first time. It actually was pretty smooth going for the most part, each of us having practiced and listened to the CD for the past couple of months. After an hour and a half, we decided to quit while we were ahead, knowing it would be fine for today's performance.
I love that we live so close to everything. We were able to leave at 2:40, drive the 4 miles to downtown, find parking, walk to Jacobs Field and find our seats at a leisurely pace, and still be on time for a 3:15 baseball game.
Check out Paul's hat:
He, Tom and Marina all graduated from Oberlin, so this Oberlin Conservatory hat was a hit.
Here's another gratuitously cute couple pic, courtesy of Marina:
This panorama shot came out really skinny because I stitched it from 7 pics.Paul and Marina are close-up on the left.
It was a gorgeous day, sunny, in the 80s and not humid, our seats were in the shade, and the Indians won in an exciting 9th inning. All the pics from yesterday can be seen here.*
As far as the performance at today's service, it went pretty well. Not flawlessly, but that didn't bother us. It was Paul's first public performance in 20 years, and I thought he sounded beautiful. In fact, I think the music was the high point of the service! :-)
They Bokunowitzes decided to go home today instead of tomorrow, so Paul and I have spent the afternoon reading the paper and doing a little clean-up, a very atypical Sunday for us. Usually we would both be working! The downtime feels good.
*My website, www.karint.com, now has my full name as a header on it and a link to this blog, making both much more visible on search engines. I didn't even notice until I uploaded the pics today. Thanks so much, Dad! xo
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