jay | Lunch with Pascal, band

Today... had a long lunch at Clarke's with Pascal, who is back from the Univ. of Tennessee. We talked about how the past few months had gone for each of us, Monday's DAME meeting, next summer's field season, and upcoming publications. I'm writing a paper on my Haughton Crater geomagnetic survey for a special Haughton science issue of Meteoritics and Planetary Science that he and Oz will be editing. We talked about putting together an exploration technologies collection and proposing it to a different journal, with Pascal and I editing it.

Then, there was a new project that we hatched... hence the hamster question, earlier. Lots of drawn-on napkins. And finally, I mentioned

geekchick's review of Bob Zubrin's new book... he asked for my advice on how to proceed. I haven't read it, myself, so I couldn't help much. I suppose I should, both to be able to advise Pascal and to defend myself (apparently I'm mentioned somewhere, grr).

Tonight I took the kids to James's holiday band concert... a throwback to my own band days when they played the "Star Wars" overture (shades of 1977, again). James did well on cymbals, tympani and bells on various pieces. David and Kevin showed only limited interest. Pat was at a deanery meeting in Palo Alto.

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And finally, I mentioned [info]geekchick's review of Bob Zubrin's new book...

Hm. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that, to be honest. Keep in mind that I opened to a single chapter in the book, I haven't read the whole thing. I wouldn't call my initial reaction much of a "review".

(nods) "review" is a euphemism on my part... more like "...haven't read it yet, but my girlfriend in Virginia picked up Bob's book and noticed that parts of it didn't seem particularly friendly towards you..." (again being a bit euphemistic ;). Which then led to Pascal talking about the book, not asking about you further (other than briefly asking later if unnamed-girlfriend worked downtown at NASA Headquarters... =).

[...]but my girlfriend in Virginia picked up Bob's book and noticed that parts of it didn't seem particularly friendly towards you..." (again being a bit euphemistic ;)

*laugh* Gotcha. =) Of course if say that you're mentioned in it, I will now have to go look through it more closely, but that will have to wait until after I finish "Quicksilver"; I'm afraid if I put that down for something else I'll lose any momentum I might have and not get back to it for a year.

Pascal says I'm in it, but Pat didn't see anything in the copy she riffled at B&N today... it would be nice to avoid being sucked-in to that fracas.

our band never played the Star Wars theme/overture, but the orchestra did once... at a "Rehearse-a-thon". (we played for 24 hours straight.. and poeple sponsored us per hour, to raise money for a trip to Europe to compete in an international competition..which was very cool)

Some guy in the audience requested it... they hunted down and found the music (how? I still do not know) and threw it in front of us and we (a 100+ piece orchestra, string sections, in order to get quantities needed, consisting of some 12 year olds, most were high school age) had to SIGHT READ it in a performance situation, basically.

Fortuntately.. we all knew how it should go (grin) but even so... I have no idea how we all ended up at the final note at the right time. Gawd I haven't thought about the Rehearse-a-thon in a long time.

The quartet I've played with more recently.. we used to rehearse/sight read during our rehearsals.. which were held at a local coffee shop.. so folks could enjoy some music during the lunch hour. It was hilarious to me how we'd reach a point in a new piece of music where we'd realize we were lost... we'd all stop.. and as we put down our instruments.. the folks in the cafe would clap. ! Very touching, actually.. as sometimes audiences in that sort of venue dont even give a flip that there's live music. But funny to recieve applause for getting lost during sight reading... as it were.
:)
heh

A local quartet? What instrument(s) do you play? And where in Europe did you perform, back then?

I play the flute. THe quartet has sort of disbanded.. although I do still talk to all the members.. about trying to get together regularly again. Basically we 'broke up' over creative differences (HA) and also a difference in our desires to perform, or work jobs. A couple of the members wanted to do weddings and work (perform) quite a bit. a couple of us (me included) did not have time for that.. and also have had recetn issues with having panic attacks while performing. NOT fun.

well.. the orchestra trip to europe was a long time ago!
1981.
let's see.. we went to Belguim... Brussels.. and played in a huge old concert hall where we our concert was broadcast on some sort of public radio broadcast.
We went to Germany... briefly.. and then to Austria. I know we performed Strauss waltzes in the park.. which was very cool... watching the peeople in the park dancing along to our music.....
Austria was where the competition was held.
My mom came along as one of the chaperones. My dad really wanted her to see Europe. But could never take that long off of work.

Lunch with Pascal, band

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