Returned, I Have

Interestingly, I made the drive to NH last Thursday in my personal best time, 10 hours and 20 minutes. However, today I made the drive back in 9 hours and 45 minutes, besting my previous record by 35 minutes. Probable cause? The new car. It doesn't rattle to let me know how fast I'm going!

Lovely holiday, although not enough time with family, including my brothers, who zipped back to their homes much earlier than anticipated. Lovely presents -- things to read, wear, enjoy.

Lovely article, from Slate, on the book Rise Up Singing, which I first encountered at Girl Scout camp. There were several counselors who seemed to own their own copies. At any rate... back home. Time to start some school work, as I have actually taken a whole week off!

One of the NPR stations in Boston broadcast a program yesterday afternoon called "The Best of Public Radio 2008." It's a last-ditch fundraising effort for stations across the US... (If you want to give: www.givetopublicradio.org) and had the funniest story about an attempt to take the things that make stories on the NPR website hit the "most popular" list -- but it's not online in consumable form for people who haven't made contributions. Trust me, it was funny. Funny enough to consider making a contribution to a station that I don't even live in range of anymore.

Girlyman Love

So, my favorite band is called Girlyman. Everyone should definitely take the time to check them out. I've seen them in concert 8 times and have never driven for less than an hour to see a concert. (I have friends who have seen them far more times, but I'm pretty proud of my 8.) I've only seen them once in the state in which I was living at the time. That's a testament to how much I love them. At any rate, their new live album is out, at least to the pre-order crowd. I got mine in the mail today and how I love it already. Some new material (that I had already heard via bootleg), but mostly it's about the funny... These guys are hilarious and have so much fun on stage. I saw them most recently a few weeks ago in Vienna, VA, at the Barns at Wolftrap. They actually moved me to tears. Lovely harmonies and lovely people.

Musical Whatnots

An article from Slate which describes the general misery of players and builders of acoustic instruments. Page two has a big funny regarding the reed obsession of players of double-reed instruments.

I need to sing again in the fall, with a real, somewhat legitimate chorus/choral group. What would really be good would be if I could get back into a women's group, but I'm not sure that's going to happen. There's one in DC that looks good, but the travel time would be too much each week, with rehearsal ending at 10-ish, I wouldn't get home until 11-ish. Not ok, with school starting when it does. But I think one in Annapolis will be ok, good enough for now.

And I miss people who live far away from me.

Ha.

Recovering college a capella singers, as covered by the New York Times.