Beethoven 5 x5

This week I'm playing with the Utah Symphony. It's their season-opener this weekend and to draw a crowd they programmed a sure-fire hit: Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. There are few pieces of classical music that are instantly recognizable to the general public, and those that fall in that category are often written off by the musicians who play them as trite or cliche "audience pleasers" (Pachelbel's Canon comes to mind--ask any cellist how he/she feels about that piece). Some pieces don't deserve the amount of recognition they've gained over the years (again, Pachelbel comes to mind) but some are so well-known for a reason: they're really fantastic pieces of music. Beethoven 5 definitely fits in the latter category.

As best as I can remember, I'm pretty sure this is my fifth time playing this piece. It may actually be my sixth or seventh, but I'm not exactly sure and saying it's my fifth time seems more symbolic or something. I won't detail the other four times (seeing as I can't even remember if it actually is four, and also because it probably wouldn't be that interesting) but as I've been rehearsing and performing the piece this week I've been reflecting on the first time I played this symphony.

I'm pretty sure I was in fourth grade at the time and I performed it with the Uintah Basin Community Orchestra, or whatever name it was going by that year. The director, Mr. Priest, must have been pretty ambitious to decide to perform such a monumental piece with such a non-monumental orchestra. I don't remember many (or any) specifics about how our performance sounded or what it was like (I had nothing to compare it to anyway--I was only 10) and I often wonder what I would think if I heard a recording of it now, but even with our extremely amateur skill level there was no covering up the beauty and genius of the piece. We bumbled through it somehow and ever since then that symphony has had a special place in my violist heart. I remember feeling profoundly moved (as much as a 10 year-old can, anyway) at several moments in the work, and I still have odd flashbacks to the Uintah High School band room whenever I perform the piece.

I'm getting a little touchy-feely here, and you know I usually try to avoid that quality in general, but I'm on a little high right now after getting back from a performance and wanted try to pass that along as best I could. There is something transcendental about playing a Beethoven symphony. Yes, that does sound a little melodramatic and I hate to sound too grandiose about it all, but sitting in the middle of a tight orchestra and rocking some of the greatest music ever written is an experience to appreciate. There is nothing like it. My life is pretty great sometimes.

Boring lists

Things I like:

• Finding hidden treasures at thrift stores
• Weather that includes temperatures of 75 degrees or colder
• Feeling competent
• Dill pickles
• The good kind of soreness that reminds me of the existence of muscles I'd forgotten I had
• Free time
• Driving to the music of Steve Reich
  
• Quiet, usually
• Low expectations
• A good batch of hummus
• Funny British people
  
• Reciprocating kindness, or having kindness reciprocated
• Large open spaces
• Corduroys and strange polyester shirts
• Full-fat chocolate milk
  

Things I don't like:

• Drama (as in overreacting)
• Herbal tea
• Musicians who can't count (I don't dislike the musicians themselves necessarily, but the incorrect counting thing can really bother me)
  
• Dishes that somehow mix fruit and meat (lime chicken does not count--it's a marinade)
• The effects of procrastination
• i h8 lazy txt speech dont u >:-( lol
  
• Wearing jewelry
• Attempting to dress fancy
• Unkindness and/or conflict
  
• Having to maintain a high-maintenance person
• Black licorice
• Very specific shades of blue and pink that make me want to puke
  
• Finding my own grammar and/or spelling mistakes
• Trying something new and finding out I'm not very good at it
• Jazz flute music

Things I don't particularly care about:

• Politics, for the most part
• The fanciness of my daily attire
• T.V. (except my three shows)
• Romantic comedies
• That whole flirting competition thing
  
• Video games
• Power and/or fame
  
• Celebrity gossip
• Sharing spit (ie. eating food off someone's plate, drinking out of another person's glass, etc.)
• Personality quizzes
• Analyzing the deeper meaning behind everything
• Ironing
  

A beard is a wish your heart makes....

I have to prepare an hour-long presentation for a class on Monday, so of course I'm coming up with a blog post instead.

Some of you may know that I have a serious thing for men with beards. Not every man with a beard ever (apologies to ZZ Top and Lorenzo Snow) but I must say that a little facial hair can go a long way in making a guy look more attractive.

I'm not exactly sure where this came from. I've haven't known many men with beards in my life, and the ones I have known haven't exactly struck me as particularly tasty. I think I can attribute the realization of my follicle fixation to two guys I've met in college.

One was an oboe player in Michigan who grew the most fantastic beard. He would shave it off from time to time and it always surprised me how much less hot he was without it. Even when he shaved it off into a handlebar mustache he could still wear facial hair very well. Nothing happened there, of course. Like I would ever go for an oboe player anyway.

Example number two is a guy I met here at the U of U. What a beard! I first saw him when he conducted the music for sacrament meeting in my ward. Looking back, I can honestly say that I don't think I would have even given him a second look were it not for his lovely, tantalizing beard. It's truly a beauty to behold. Nothing has happened there, of course. Like I would ever go for a super hot guy anyway....

So there it is: I love beards. On men, that is. Thinking about this subject, I began considering famous men who definitely improve with some manly stubble. For example:

Exhibit A: Robert Downey Jr.

I never really thought of Mr. Downey as being all that attractive. There was something kind of baby-face-ish about him that didn't really do anything for me.



But with a beard....hottentot.





Exhibit B: George Clooney

Granted, Mr. Clooney is easy on the eyes in general.



But add a beard...much better.





Exhibit C: Harrison Ford back in the day

Good old Mr. Ford (emphasis on 'old') was fairly tasty back in his prime, beard or no beard.



But a beard, especially '70s-style, never hurts.



And last but not least,

Exhibit D: Hugh Laurie

Long before he became famous for portraying Dr. House, I knew Mr. Laurie from his British comedy shows, ie. Blackadder, Jeeves and Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie etc. He's a great comedic actor and back then usually played the part of the goofy idiot. If you had asked me then if I thought he could ever be considered a sex symbol I would have given a hearty guffaw. Not that he's bad-looking, necessarily. He's pretty much just a non-descript British bloke.



But give him some stubble and a hit TV show...





So there you have it. Now that I've thoroughly presented myself as being completely superficial, I guess it's time to sign off. If you know any single, bearded, non-weird guys, send them my way.

Ode to Jimmy John's

As some of you may know, I have an unhealthy addiction to sandwiches. I attribute this almost entirely to my friend, Eileen, who introduced me to a whole new world of sandwiches when we became friends in Michigan. I'd eaten sandwiches before, of course, and liked them well enough. They can be a very handy and practical food item. Just ask my sister, Jody, who ate a ham sandwich every day (as far as I know) of her Jr. High and High School careers, and may still to this day.

In any case, I discovered another level of deliciousness when I began exploring my sandwich options around Ann Arbor. There were many to choose from: Potbelly's (hot sandwiches at their best), Roly Poly (the Texas Tuna Melt was divine), more gyro/schwarma places than I'd ever seen (a huge perk to living in an area with a large percentage of Middle Eastern folks), and last but not least, Jimmy John's (said with a sigh).



There were Jimmy John's stores everywhere in Michigan, including seven or more in the Ann Arbor area alone. There was one right by my bus stop downtown and right near the halls where both the school orchestra and the Ann Arbor Symphony held their concerts. There was another right by the freeway entrance near the School of Music which I frequented when traveling to and from gigs. I actually spent quite a bit of time traveling around Southern Michigan for gigs (thanks again to Eileen) and more often than not had to eat lunch/dinner on the road. If given the choice I would invariably choose Jimmy John's over almost anywhere else.

Not only would I almost always choose Jimmy John's, I always ordered the exact same thing. I experimented with different sandwiches when I was first getting to know the shop, but I eventually came up with the perfect sandwich and haven't ordered anything different since 2006, to my knowledge. I always get the #2, "The Big John," which is roast beef with lettuce and tomato. That sounds pretty tame, but then I have them add onions, oregano, and their special sauce (which is probably just oil and vinegar). The combination can only be described as celestial. Superhuman. Transcendental.

My reason for writing this post, which sounds like it has some heavy corporate backing, is because of a couple of recent experiences:

1.) They just opened a store a few blocks from where I live in Salt Lake. Before, the closest one was a 20-minute drive on the freeway so I couldn't go there without feeling extravagant unless there was already a reason for me to be going through that part of town. Now that there's one so close, though, I'm afraid that every day will turn into a Jimmy John's day and I'll become one of those customers that the employees will know by name and will know what I mean if I order "the usual." That actually might be kind of cool and make me feel like I'm in a movie or TV show, but that's not exactly what I'm going for in life.

2.) I left my viola in a Jimmy John's a couple of weeks ago. I stopped there on my way to Salt Lake (there's a shop conveniently located off the I-15 Highland/Alpine exit). I was feeling paranoid about leaving my viola in the car, so I took it inside while I got my sandwich. Since my case is brown it blended in perfectly with the bench and one thing led to another.... I got it back and everything was fine, but my level of distraction while inhaling a sublime sandwich could end up being a very bad thing someday.

So, do yourself a favor and look up your nearest Jimmy John's and try my favorite sandwich. You won't be disappointed and if you are, I'll know we're not supposed to be friends.

Here's a link to an advertisement that captures how I felt when I moved to Utah and discovered there were no Jimmy John's shops within a four-hour drive. It was a dark day.

My kingdom for a date

I had to watch a boring video for one of my classes, so I figured I'd take a dating quiz I saw on another friend's blog to make the time go faster. Here are my results:

Your dating personality profile: Practical - You are a down-to-earth individual who is not impressed with material excess. You care about the stuff of like that really matters. Religious - Faith matters to you. It is the foundation that you build your life upon. You trust that God has a plan for you. Big-Hearted - You are a kind and caring person. Your warmth is inviting, and your heart is a wellspring of love.

Your Top Ten Traits 1. Practical 2. Religious 3. Big-Hearted 4. Intellectual 5. Liberal 6. Athletic 7. Adventurous 8. Outgoing 9. Traditional 10. Sensual

Your date match profile: Practical - You are drawn to people who are sensible and smart. Flashy, materialistic people turn you off. You appreciate the simpler side of living. Religious - You seek someone who is grounded in faith and who possesses religious values. You believe that a religious person can enhance your life. Shy - You are put off by people who are open books. You are drawn to someone who is a bit more mysterious. You want to draw him out of his shell and get to know what he is all about.

Your Top Ten Match Traits 1. Practical 2. Religious 3. Shy 4. Athletic 5. Big-Hearted 6. Intellectual 7. Conservative 8. Traditional 9. Funny 10. Adventurous

The two strangest things to come out of this are that "sensual" is in my top ten traits, and that "funny" is almost last on my top ten match traits. I suppose it's not very realistic to expect a truly representative profile from answers to multiple choice questions. If you know any practical, religious and/or shy available men (preferably bearded) let me know.

October stuff

I'm currently in Beaver, Utah on tour with the Utah Symphony. This is a very high profile tour, with visits to such big-name cities as Ephraim and Richfield in addition to Beaver. It's kind of a funny little trip, actually. Today we drove down to Richfield, played a one-hour school concert, drove to Beaver and checked into the hotel by 3:00 and had the rest of the day free. I took a sorely-needed nap (I still haven't recovered from my trip to Michigan), ate some food, watched the most recent episode of The Office (U.S. version), and now am going to practice for a while. Tomorrow will be much the same. Last week I was out of school because of fall break and this week is mostly taken up by this tour, so it feels like I'll have been out of school for two weeks. Life is tough.

Being on this tour makes me feel how I usually do when I play with the symphony: I can't believe I'm getting paid to do this. Not in an incredulous this-is-so-lame-I-can't-believe-someone-is-paying-me-for-this kind of way, but in a sense of true amazement that I get money for playing my viola. When I lived in Michigan I had a lot of orchestra work and got exposed to the professional (or semi-professional) scene. I was always amazed at how catty people got and how much they found to complain about. I was just glad and amazed to be getting any money at all for this, and to have people paying to come to the concerts. It was my first time playing in orchestras for money and even now, three years later, I haven't gotten over the novelty of it. It's nice work if you can get it.

As previously mentioned, I went to Michigan last week during my school fall break. It was perfect timing because I got to be there for the week leading up to the big shared birthday. Adam was born on my 20th birthday, October 19th 2001, and I enjoyed being with him on our special day (which was mostly his special day, and rightly so--it's way more exciting to turn 6 or 7 then 26 or 27) when I lived in Michigan. When it came time for me to move back to Utah in 2007, Adam was sad (as was I) but when we'd talk about me moving away he'd always end the conversation with, "But you'll always be here for our birthday, right Les?" How could I refuse?

Before my trip I bought a digital camera at Costco (my first) in anticipation of taking lots of cute/memorable/funny pictures. It turns out that I've been so used to not having a camera that I never remembered to take it anywhere (or even out of my suitcase). I ended up taking a few pictures on my phone, though, which actually has a pretty good camera. Here are a few:

I took this the first day I was there. Esther was still getting used to me, which may explain her apathetic expression.



She cheered up soon afterwards, though, and loved having me take pictures of her on my phone. Here she is doing the famous "Peace out, dude!"



She is a beautiul little girl.



We had Hawaiian haystacks for dinner one night. Eli made his into a work of art.



Since I took a picture of his I had a take a picture of everyone else's too.





We took a trip to Jenny's, a cider mill near Dexter with heavenly pumpkin donuts.



It was so great to hang out with my Michigan family for a week. It makes my little apartment in SLC seem all the quieter, for better or worse.

A new leaf

Maybe I'll start posting more, maybe not, but I figured I should at least inaugurate my new URL with something. I don't have time to write anything really profound or informative, though, so I'll just go with a few free-association things.

I took a small road trip to Reno last weekend to visit my wonderful friend Eileen. My car, which I had previously named Animal but now is seeming more like a Telly to me, performed admirably, getting an average of 35 MPG and faithfully piping my iPod tunes throughout the whole trip. The only downside is that Telly doesn't have cruise control, but I'm ok with that. Here's a picture of my favorite road sign in Nevada:



My second favorite was one for a town named "Shafter" but I didn't get a picture of it. My trip to Reno was full of delicious food, healing of back pain, beautiful scenery, and nice people. Thanks Eileen!

Earlier this month I attended the Salt Lake City Greek Festival, which was held at the cool Greek Orthodox cathedral on 300 W. 300 S.



I've looked forward to this since last year when I couldn't go because of a recent surgery. I had lots of delicious food (including my first good experience with dolmathes) and hung out with good friends. And saw a poor lamb roasting on a spit:





That's about it for now. Maybe sometime I'll tell you all the exciting tale of starting my DMA program, but you'll all just have to wait. And keeping with the spirit of my previous funny/weird title posts, here's a link to an article along those same lines. Many thanks to my good friends Heather and Royce for sending it to me.