Working Hard

Working hard in Niagara Falls.

Applesauce!!!

I guess the apples were a bit tart!

A Late Night Posting

Ahh, I am definitely enjoying my break. And I finally have time to post regularly to this blog.

Unfortunately I don't have any new pictures of Dylan, so here is a picture of a painting of Jerome.

Oh wait, just kidding, I do have pictures of Dylan .....

From Papago Park

Bodhisattva

Asleep...Bodhisattva

IHOP!!!

We had a busy day. Nicole had a photo shoot at the Phoenix Art Museum, so Dylan and I went and kept her company. It is a wonderful museum, and Nicole was able to photograph some amazing costumes they have there. I will post some pics here when she gets them set up.

Dylan was great at the museum, except for when we strolled past the event Nicole was shooting, which at the time was featuring someone giving a speech and everyone was quiet. Right then Dylan decided to yell out, and I swear she yelled out "Maa"! Well, actually it was more like "baaa-baa ba - bma - eek".

I am going to be writing a piece of music based on the statue in the two pictures above for a concert at the museum in March. It is a 15th century Chinese wooden statue of Bodhisattva Guanyin, a Buddhist symbol for wisdom and compassion. I am looking forward to writing the piece. My goal is to write a piece that would not wake a sleeping baby. Of course, Dylan sleeps pretty soundly, so I have a wide range of possibilities...

I am not sure why I am awake right now, except that my new found freedom is keeping my mind moving and I am thinking about all sorts of things. Hoping the world continues to be a safe place for Dylan to grow up in. Politics are scaring me right now, because everything seems so polarized. I just hope that none of them are as loony as the people on the opposite side would want you to believe. I think we all have more in common than it seems at times like these when Republicans and Democrats are spending so much time expounding their differences. I watched Obama welcome the final troops from Iraq home, and I am glad that a war I didn't think we should get involved in is finally over. And looking back, although I am glad I voiced my opposition, it is difficult to say that the world is not a better place without Saddam Hussein in it. But I am glad it is over, we need to focus on ourselves right now. 

Scottsdale

Ok, I'm off my soap box. Guess I will call it a night. Enjoy this peaceful John Cage string quartet...

One more...

There's a 6-month Old In the House!

Today is Dylan's 6-month birthday. Her first Half-Birthday! 

Her mom put a silly thing on her head and took this picture...oh Nicole, good thing you are  getting these shots now before Dylan learns to say no :)

She gets to have fruit today for the first time. We think we will start her with bananas, as she has loved the word "bananas" for quite some time now. Maybe she will love the food too. She still loves her vegetables too, even making "mm, mm" sounds when we give her peas. That's my girl.

So, I am exhausted and relieved at how well these past few months have gone for us. To think that 6 months ago we were in NYU hospital just getting to meet Dylan for the first time. She was so little, but I can look back now and see that she was already herself, a little person, even though we didn't know who she was yet. It has been largely due to the support from our families and the fact that Nicole is an awesome mom that we have been able to make this transition and feel that we gave Dylan a safe and healthy first six months of life. Looking forward to all the new craziness with the next six months!

So...
I am 99% finished with the semester, I have only one more paper to complete which i am almost done with. It was a very successful semester for me. I completed a lot of music, wrote some papers that I am proud of, and learned a lot about teaching and being a student again. I am looking forward to finishing two pieces over the break, and also begin writing a string quartet that will be performed at the Phoenix Art Museum in the Spring.

The paper I wrote for "Intro to Ethnomusicology" was about improvisation and the ways it is misunderstood in the Western classical music world. My professor liked it, and asked if he could share it with the Director of the School of Music who is interested in expanding the way improvisation is taught and discussed in the department. Here is a link to the paper if anyone is interested in reading it:

Challenging Misconceptions: Redefining Improvisation

I still have not gotten the recording from the November concert - I guess the recording department is bogged down. Hopefully we will get it during the break.

We are excited to get back east and see family, relax, eat, and celebrate the holidays, and eat, and relax...and eat. I assume that Dylan will get to see some snow, but I hear that there really hasn't been any in Niagara Falls or Syracuse yet. I would be surprised if that doesn't change by January 5th.
And here are a couple of new things I have just been listening to:







 And Happy 103rd birthday Elliott Carter!!!

Dylan's Sounds, December 2011

Before she really starts talking, I thought I should share some of the sounds Dylan has been making recently.

Dylan's Sounds, December 2011

Dylan Cozy at the Tempe Art Festival

It was only 50° out!