two new books from my to-read list showed up this afternoon. they are sitting there on the counter teasing me with their new book smell and taunting me with their crisp pages and uncracked bindings. oooh...new books.
and over here on the desk? my marked up photocopies of the article i need to read and critique tonight. bah.
it's so difficult to resist! tiny bribes. if i finish reading the article i can read an intro. if i get a rough draft written--i can start one...just a little. and if i finish writing tonight i have a train ride of reading for fun ahead of me tomorrow!!
also, while i am apparently forbidden xmas tunes until after turkey, that doesn't mean i can't practice xmas tunes. if i don't get some practice in the carolling won't be as much fun. i bought a new xmas book for the harp so we will be merrily singing and drinking hot wassail a week from today!
you know you wanna come and drink and sing.
and just for my sister i will dig out the score to "oh we like sheep!" **
read more »
**many many years ago, when we were young and childless, my sister and i used to venture into NYC every winter to a sing-in at lincoln center. guest conductors and soloists would lead an audience made up entirely of vocalists in singing handel's messiah. it was the highlight of the christmas season for us--a truly amazing and powerful sound.
one of the guest conductors was leading "all we like sheep have gone astray" and asked for us to please be careful with our phrasing so that it didn't sound like "oh we like sheep!!" of course, from that moment on, my sister and i, in fits of giggles, decided that the song was about some pervy shepherds. the mention of it will send us into side-aching laughter even now. (it's funny, really! maybe you had to be there...)
the best part of the night, better than the hallelujah chorus and sheep giggling, is when everyone congregates outside in the courtyard and sings acapella christmas carols in four part harmony in the cold december air. if that doesn't put you in the holiday spirit nothing will.
and....while writing this post i discovered the best christmas present. they are doing the sing-in again this year!!!! we haven't gone in years and we are going to wrangle some sitters and head in to sing. anyone up for it? avery fisher hall, dec. 20. bring your own libretto.
i just called her to tell her and i think i am deaf in one ear from her squealing on the other end of the phone! yay! christmas in nyc and singing!!
« hide more
