I guess it's been about 6 months since I last posted! That's pretty nuts. I keep planning on deleting this thing and following everyone else's journals via rss feeds, but I'm too lazy. I've had this journal over 6 years though. Long time! It is amusing to occasionally go back and read my oldest entries. High school: so dramatic. Anyways, what's to say about my life? I'm in Seattle now, until August 5th, so any of y'all who'd like to see me should drop me a line, if I don't drop one first. That's all for now!

Seminar Mon 4-7
Jazz Theory Tues/Thur 10.45-12

What?

I mean, I do have other classes, but they aren't scheduled yet, it'll be one hour a week meetings, I guess.  That's ok, though, I will have plenty of work to do in the off times, and also working.

When wasting time, here is what I will do: drink tea and do crosswords. So much more civilized than endless surfing of internet!

When I was a freshman I was really into bands from the UK, sort of the second wave of "britpop." I had already gotten past Coldplay, and I was more or less past Travis. In particular were two real good bands, Elbow and JJ72. They both headed somewhat into proggy-rock and also had some Muse influence, but were definitely not Muse. I wanna listen to them again.

I cued up all of my music in winamp today and have been listening to it on shuffle. I love it because I hear lots of stuff I don't normally put on. It just careens from one style to another. 12 minute math rock jam, then a couple women singing an Italian folk song in scratchy voices, then Spoon, then a song by Copland, then live Joanna Newsom, then who knows. If something really grabs me I can just turn off shuffle for a while and listen until I wanna hear something else. I should do this more often.

HAHAHA

In other news, it is "balls cold" in my room. Yay!

So, I'm perhaps settling into a new routine? Stay up later, but playing Zelda and then drinking tea. Sounds good. Tea makes for good bedtimes. Also, I was mucking about on Achewood and I hit random strip and I got this one! It is one of my favorites! When I realized which one it was, I almost spat out my tea. That funny!

Dang, I guess I just missed the snow. Oh well, we'll get some here sooner or later...

So, I never really post here anymore. What is there to say?

Which leads to the next question: what is the point of this?

Yesterday William Bolcom came to Lehigh to play a concert with his wife, Joan Morris. Myself and other composers ate lunch with him yesterday before the concert, which was at night. After the concert I was hanging around talking to my professor and he asked me if I wanted to go get a late dinner with him, another professor, and Bolcom and Morris. I said yes, obviously. It was really great, Bolcom is this exceptional genius of a composer and a man, and also from Seattle! He said a lot of things yesterday that I will do well to keep in mind about composing and being a composer, and both him and his wife were incredibly nice. Wonderful performers, too.

This is something I've posted before, I think. Basically, Gavin wrote these things back in High School and I still find them to be absurd and hilarious. Nothing is quite like them... There's four of these, I believe, and I am going to post one every day for the next four days. This is for posterity's sake!

( Time Car Episode 1 )

The inclusion of a new good into life is often shortly followed by the intrusion of a new bad, typically the fear of losing that new good. This is unfortunate but inevitable, and must be met with courage and trust, for nothing good in life is permanent and clear. All good has its price.

party: success

Today is National Coming Out Day. Thus, I am coming out as a gilded sculpture of the Virgin Mary.

to the five (or more) amish girls killed on tuesday
rip

It is a sad state of affairs, indeed, when a home becomes an unwelcome place.

Dear Addison,

I hope that you remember me - although it has been a very long time since we last saw each other. I hope that you won't think it rude if after all this time I raise you in order to ask for a favour.

I have been invited to edit a volume for CUP entitled "Conrad in Context." As the title suggests, the tome is not interpretive but contextual, designed to provide a sense of the context(s) whence Conrad's work emerges. Naturally, I need a chapter (3,000 words; deadline second half on next year) that surveys the state of "Eastern Europe" for the period, and so I wondered whether you'd be prepared to take this on. Please let me know - and in the meantime I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Hoping that you are thriving,
Allan

Steve Irwin, RIP


also, I've been considering doing an update on the history of grooming. thoughts? here's the original, if anyone wants a refresher.