Another Year, Part Deux

Chinese new year, that is. Not greeted with much fanfare on my end this year, though I did get drafted out by a friend to dinner last night. A dozen strangers (to me), squeezed around a crowded table in a packed little restaurant downtown. It was an atmosphere I hadn't experienced in some while.

Also of interest may be the fact that the lunar new year happened to fall on the same day as old St. Valentine's today. The campus dining halls outdid themselves, turning out bizarre hybrid decorations such as this one: a large Asian-style parasol leaning casually over a rose-filled vase and arranged artistically on a heart-checked cloth.

It's unique, if nothing else.

Another Year

Another year has come and gone, and yet another has taken its place.

I'll not get maudlin on you. Happy new year, all.

Madrigal Dinner

This weekend's madrigal dinner was also my last. We sang, feasted, and Renaissance-d away our past few days in several great performances (with an exception or two). It was held in our high-school cafeteria this year, unfortunately, but the audience and other atmosphere more than compensated. I did spend much of the first day feeling rather ill, though.

I also learned that:

-Volumious sleeves don't work well during meals.

-The audience can tell when nearly all members of an ensemble don't know their music.

-Singing after stuffing oneself with food is a bad idea.

-Wearing pants under one's costume gives one the handiness of pockets, but

-Reaching up one's skirt is only an option if others' views of one are blocked.

Good times.

A Dicken's Christmas

Every year, as the holidays approach, our town holds a festival downtown. During the busier hours, the streets are bustling and graced with lights. The atmosphere is crisp and cold (but not this year; it was freezing), snow falls, and occasionally the sound of bells or hooves can be heard. It's really quite picturesque.

Now, I've been for a while part of a madrigal group that comes down here to carol every year. We set up shop in a local business that's graciously let us use their building, sing some traditional music, and it's terrific fun. I unfortunately have no pictures of us to share- can't take 'em if we ourselves are performing.

Usually small ensembles of instrumentalists, our fellow students, also play in a shop down the block. I dropped by to listen to them today (or yesterday, rather), and... well. I'm jealous.

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Until next time-