Vermont Symphony Orchestra at the Trapp Family Lodge

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the final summer performance of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. The concert was the summer kickoff of the Stowe Performing Arts Music in the Meadow summer concert series. Music in the Meadow showcases  acclaimed musical acts in a pastoral setting on the slopes of Stowe's green mountains.

Each year concert goers gather in the concert meadow with picnic baskets, low back chair, and blankets where they settle into their own sites, many of which have been continuously occupied by the same families for several years, and enjoy an evening of musical entertainment. Cars arrive several hours early as parking can sometimes limited and the spaces closer to the stage fill up fast. Blankets are spread out and picnic of lavish spreads including wine, finger sandwiches, cheese plates, and fresh fruits and vegetables are laid out atop portable picnic tables from Crate and Barrel. High school students meander through the throng of people selling raffle tickets and water bottles to the waiting patrons. By the time the sun sets and the concert begins the crowd is tightly packed and eager with anticipation for the evening's music.

                       

This year the VSO was conducted by a Briton Andrew Massey who has been with the orchestra since 2007. Massey MC'd the evening in between songs to keep the audience involved and to create a light whimsical atmosphere which reflected the musical selections. The program included a mixture of classical, popular, and Broadway musical numbers and as always the evening ended with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture seamlessly followed by a Sousa march. This was also the first year that I can remember where the fireworks representing the canons in the piece actually went off without a hitch. As the orchestra played it's final notes fireworks filled the sky from the valley below the stage. The display rivaled 4th of July presentation from the week before and left concert goers satisfied and eager for the coming musical attractions.

Maple Cheesecake and Moonrise Kingdom

It's been a rough week for me with everything going on at work and with myself at home which is why I've been absent from my keyboard for so long. Between overtime, bad weather, and community tragedy all I've wanted is to crawl out of bed, go to work, and come home and crawl back in again until the sun comes up the following day. I will write more about those things as the work week coming up unfolds, but all last week I've had to push myself a little extra to keep plugging along and as the week progressed little pockets of brightness popped up until the I finally got two days to myself to reset and recharge for a full weekend of work.

Being back under my parent's roof is not as bad as I would have believed it to be four years ago. In high school I was kept under a tight, watchful eye that lurked in the shadows of my father's office, but now I come and go as I please (mostly to work and to Burlington for errands). I still inform one of my parents where I go as a courtesy so that they know whether to expect me later or not, but there is no more forced family fun and my free time is now my own to do with as I please.

Having two days off in a work week is a rare treat for me that by the second day I hardly knew what to do with myself and had to be creative with the day so that I wasn't sitting around doing nothing for most of it. I allowed myself the luxury of sleeping in until 9am and then got up feeling like half my day had already been wasted. Since Lance had finally finished the flourless chocolate cake I baked him for Father's Day I decided it was time for something new. I settled on a maple cheesecake recipe that I found on the internet and spent the afternoon mixing ingredients for my first cheesecake.

Usually I am very successful on my first attempts at new recipes, but this one was a disaster. The crust and cake batter all looked and tasted fine until it actually time to bake in the oven. As the dessert cooked it browned unevenly and wouldn't set properly. Lance came in at the very end with a suggestion about cover the springform pan with a sheet tray while in the oven and another baker friend, Sam recommended a water bath for next time. After abut 35 minutes I pulled the cake out and placed it in the fridge to chill and set up while I went to see Moonrise Kingdom.

By the time I returned home and broke through a window to get inside my house the cake a set up to about the proper consistency so I decorated the top with fresh berries to hide the surface cracks from where it had risen and fallen back in place and glazed the berries in a healthy maple reduction for extra sweetness and flavor.

It surprising turned out okay. 

While the cake was setting up in the refrigerator I set out of see Moonrise Kingdom at the Bijou in Morrisville. I've been waiting a month for the film to finally reach Vermont and now that the day had come I took off for the first showing I could get to. There was about ten others in the small theatre, about ten more people than I would have expected for a Wes Anderson film in Morrisville, VT, but it was nice to have an intimate audience in the dark, intimate theatre where I could binge on restricted food items in privacy while Edward Norton and Bruce Willis searched for wayward children all across an island off the coast of northern New England. I won't say too much about the film because I'm still waiting for my friend in Philadelphia to go see it, but I will mention that while the cinematography is quintessential Anderson, the plot is a more juvenile than his past films, but still has the core values and integrity of all of his film.

No, what kind of bird are you?

Trapps to Taylor Lodge and back.

Being in Vermont I'm never at a loss for where to hike, but with years of climbing the same trails I've had to get creative with where I want to go. On Tuesday Justin and I decided to tackle Taylor Lodge. The hike is a fairly moderate one that takes you up from Lake Mansfield to Taylor Lodge, a shelter along the Long Trail. However to make things interesting and because we planned to go directly after work we decided to start at the Trapp Family Lodge and hike down the back side of the property into Nebraska Valley and then start the trail head at the side of the lake. Our new starting point added an additional five miles round trip to our trek.

View from the ski trails. 

A sign along Old County Road warning motor vehicles. 

The beginning of our journey was fairly easy following the cross-country ski trails across the property and down into the valley. Once off the property we followed the overgrown Old County Road onto the Catamount Trail. I was shocked at how steep some parts of the trail were considering that the Catamount Trail is a ski trail that follows the length of Vermont. Eventually we hit the bottom of the Valley and followed the only road back to the Trout Club and to the trail head.

We finally made it to the Trout Club. 

J. at the trail head. 

A gross snake on the road. 

The actual trail to Taylor Lodge is a moderate one that winds through the woods and the cuts up the side of the Green Mountains. Besides ourselves only a handful of others were out on the trail that day. At the shelter we chatted with two nice, older women who were enjoying their lunch. The two of us did not stay very long because of our time constraints and the heat.

A mountaintop valley and pond. 

A small beaver lodge in the valley. 

The backside of Taylor Lodge. 

Heading down the side of the mountain was more difficult for me than I anticipated. I had finished four miles of excursion and was becoming tired and had drug my hand through a nettle vine. I kept on trudging down the mountain and along the road until it was time to head back up the other peak to Trapp's. The last few miles were uphill and left me so exhausted that by the time we were back on the ski trails I didn't notice the deer I was about to run into until I was ten feet away and it jumped in front of me.

Two deer off the side of the trail. 

Despite me being completely out of shape still for long distance hiking, it was an enjoyable afternoon of tackling new trail routes and being outdoor. The 8-mile hike also made me one step closer to my distance goals for August.

Leah & David are getting married.

Friday evening I attended the surprise engagement party of my childhood friend Leah her fiance David. The fete was romantic in an outdoor setting at Little River State Park. White balloons and pictures of the couple throughout their six years together hung from the branches of hemlock trees. At the entrance of the campsite stood a few white candle lanterns to mark the party entrance. Friends and family of the couple gathered early to decorate and prepare food, unfortunately Leah and David arrived ahead of schedule, but were able to assist in the setup of their own celebration.

The evening was a wonderful success with excellent food and drink and a beautiful cake designed and created by Leah's younger sister and maid of honor, Kate. If Leah's engagement party was a lovely as it was, it only set the bar higher for the rest of her year of celebrations.

A homemade banner hung with care spelled out "Happy Engagement"

The balloons and pictures hung from the trees created a very romantic atmosphere that reflected the couple's love of the outdoors. 

The cake created by Kate had a model of Leah's engagement ring encircled the picnicking couple. 

Leah's engagement ring. 

Best Wishes and Congratulations Leah and David!

First hike of the season: The Pinnacle

Today I finally decided to get up and do something exercise worthy after work. Monday a work friend and I were supposed to take a hike after work, but it ended up being a rainy afternoon so I settled for a nap and catching up on True Blood. I also checked out the pilot episode of Bunheads, a lot of potential and very Gilmore Girls-esque. Anyways it ended up raining most afternoons this week so when J texted and asked if I wanted to go hiking I jumped at it. We intended to jut do the mild 3-mile hike up to Slayton Cabin since I had to work, but because I picked up a lunch shift I didn't get out until almost 3pm and realized that I didn't have any extra clothing or shoes for the expedition. Instead of driving across town to change and then drive all the way back to work I took J home with me and we made our way to Pinnacle Meadows. My intention was to just walk up to the Meadows and maybe the Vista if I could, but once we passed those check points and I realized that the stabbing pain in my lungs really wasn't going to kill me I decided that we could make it all the way to the summit.

View from the top. 

Being the first hike of the season I kept a good pace, only stopping a few times to rest and have a sip of water. J, the experienced and slightly more fit hiker, was patient with me the entire time. It didn't help that after eight hours of working on my feet left my calf muscles feeling tired and strained, but if there's anything I learned from the boys on Sherwood this semester it's to work through the pain. Which is exactly what I did and once I got going I didn't noticed my legs. Of course I was deeply distracted by how winded and out of shape I am.

J and me all red faced and awkward. 

The summit was beautiful of course even on a hazy day. An older couple was lounging on the rocks behind us and quietly eavesdropped on our conversation about the other peaks we could see in the surround Lamoille and Washington counties. I shared my summer goal of hiking from the Pinnacle along to the Worcester Range to Elmore Mountain in a day and the female counterpart of the couple kept interrupting to ask me to point out Elmore Mountain to her. It was cute in a get glasses soon Ma'am kind of way. Sitting on the summit also gave me a chance to cool down and finish my water bottle. Hiking the mile and a half from the Meadows left me winded and red faced in a bad way. Still it was a fun time and nice for me to finally meet some new people now that I'm back at home.

Mount Mansfield in the hazy distance. 

Back in town.

The other day I ventured down to Montpelier, America's Smallest State Capital, to visit the closest AT&T store to purchase an iPhone. Yes, finally the last person of my generation has gotten a smartphone. Anyways while driving down to the mini-metropolitan area I realized how spoiled I've been living in the city. It is only sixteen miles to Montpelier along country roads and six miles of interstate, but the country roads can seem like an awful lot when you're only going out to replace a phone. Back in the city there was an AT&T store only a mile from my apartment, I could walk if I truly wanted to to speak with a service representative about an wireless problem. Now having to travel makes me long for the time when everything was in walking distance to my apartment and a Wawa.

Being in Montpelier I noticed that some things do change in Vermont. Back in high school I spent a lot of time in the area for various reasons and then most of the buildings were dedicated to state use or Vermont College. There was the movie theatre of course along with NECI and a few odds and ends shops and restaurants, but nothing unique or trendy. Montpelier back then was a stagnant town along the river. The other day I noticed the hipsters roaming the streets with their cutoffs and ironic tattoos and realized that the city is moving forwards. Slowly, very slowly and in a direction that would make traditional Vermonters cringe Montpelier is moving in a relevant direction catering to the youth culture of Vermont.

Now that I've realized how much I hate driving more than a five mile radius (which doesn't even get me  out of Stowe) I'm not sure when I'll be back, maybe when Moonrise Kingdom comes to the Savoy Theatre. When I do venture down I will be sure to check out the various updated shops and eateries like the Skinny Pancake and check out the local musical scene. 

Drink (More) Vermont Beer

This week I started my second job, pouring wine and beers and selling sandwiches in the afternoon after my breakfast shift. It's a great job even if it makes for a long day (6am-4pm) of standing on my feet because it's still on property and I don't have to wear a dirndl. What's even better is that when I'm able to again I will be able to stuff my face with the delicate, sugary pastries behind the counter so that I will be more familiar with them and able to better sell them to guests.

What's even better than eventually being able to eat sugary things is that I have discovered the Vermont Brewery Challenge. As a part of the Vermont Brewer's Association the deli/bakery hands out little stamp cards with the logos off all the Vermont breweries and when a person visits the brewery their card gets stamped. After a certain number of visits to breweries around the state the person is eligible for different swag items from the Vermont Brewer's Association and once the whole card is filled up a collector's set of Vermont Brewery gear is awarded to the drinker! With the Vermont Brewers Festival fast approaching I would love to get taps flowing with this challenge.

The challenge reminds me of the McShea's Beer Challenge where patrons must drink a list of 50 beers to get their own mug proudly displayed behind the bar only this is on a greater scheme with considerable gas mileage involved. It also sounds like the perfect thing to take the Hebrew Friend on if he ever gets a chance to make it north. I think with considerable dedication we could complete the challenge in a week.

All images via Google Images

Can't keep my eyes open any longer today.

Working ten to twelve hour days is taking a toll on me. Already I want to close my eyes and go to sleep and it is only 7pm. The strain is taking a toll as my body readjusts to the new schedule and I am simply focued on eating and sleeping until I become accustomed to what my schedule is going to be like for the rest of the summer. This week has been especially grueling because I haven't had a day off since last Tuesday and I'm not scheduled for one again until Thursday. I don't mind getting up and going to work, and the pay is good considering what all I have to do, but with everything I have going on at home to finish up this all I can do is say Good Night at 7:30pm and hope that tomorrow is a little easier and I have the energy to get some more stuff done. 

Sometimes the tips do add up.

For the first and most likely the last time ever I received a 100% pay raise at my job today. Yes I am moving from $4 an hour plus tips to $8 an hour plus tips. When I started the job I was pleased to receive anything more than the paltry $2.83 wages that I mysteriously never saw very much of from Buca Di Beppo in Wynnehood. Now to have the pay increase and not to currently have to pay rent I am more than pleased as punch. As soon as chef made his announcement I could not remove the cheesy, ecstatic grin from my face all through the staff meeting. Just yesterday I was contemplating look for another breakfast restaurant, but now I am officially making more money than any other shift in town.

Returning to the restaurant world has made me realize that I DO NOT want to be a career waitress like so many people I have worked with over the years. Yes the money is fantastic (people always need to eat) and for the most part you can choose the hours of your shifts, but the trade off in the end is not worth the trouble. Between the 5am wake ups or the 2 am closes or cranky people and the occasional $12 nights I just can't bear to make myself push through the pain for the long haul. Add on high stress, swollen feet, and bodily wear and tear and I might just stab someone in the eye with a cocktail fork before my next birthday. Now that I've acquired the necessary skills for medium to fine dining and a basic knowledge of bar tending I will always have a universal source of extra earned income and for now that is fine, but give me a month or two and I will finally be fed up enough to put together a polished resume and be out on the street looking for a salaried day job.

My mother is especially excited for me to start out on my career journey in life. She is eagerly anticipating what twists and turns I may take in the future and is constantly offering up advice and suggestions and networking on my behalf. Eventually I will even take her up on her connective knowledge and move on up in the world. 

BriTANicK floats.

I've been a fan of comedy duo BriTANicK for a while now. I first came across their videos on Cracked after searching for something to fill the gaps in between weekly Dan O'Brien articles and their Academy Award Winning Movie Trailer video that was featured on Cracked's homepage. The video, a compilation of all of the most common elements found in award winning movies, essentially portrays a heartfelt and funny movie about absolutely nothing. During the harsh winter months in Philadelphia there is very little else to do besides homework and beer pong so watching BriTANicK videos became a welcoming treat.

Currently based out of New York City,  the comedy team composed of Georgia natives Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, writes, edits, and produces all of their own material and often feature many of their friends in their sketches. Recently I came across BriTANicK's latest video Boys Night In, a short about one dude's inability to keep his pants on.

www.britanick.com

Boys Night In

Almost a library card.

It's been a busy week of job hunting and interviewing and landing the job, but I am pleased to finally have summer income as a breakfast server where the hills are alive with the sound music. No joke that's exactly where I'll be working, 6am to noon complete with the Austrian girl's costume. My first day of training was today and it is a very basic server job, but very early. I was surprised at how easy it was for me to get up this morning. Of course it helped that I had napped seven hours yesterday and that the sun comes up around 5am, but still for me to be up so early is impressive. I have a few more days of training before I'm officially on the floor making money, but with town as quiet as it is I am making more money training than I would be serving.

This week I also stopped in at the Stowe Free Library and attempted to get a new library card for the summer. Unfortunately I wasn't able to prove my Stowe address just yet and also wasn't willing to pay ten dollars so I ended up checking out the books under my mother's name until my next piece of mail comes when I can get my own card. I've been fiercely reading the Song of Fire and Ice books (Game of Thrones) by George R.R. Martin, but after finishing the third one I am a bit tired out by the series. Instead of checking out the fourth book I picked out a Vonnegut and a Fitzgerald to keep me entertained in my free time until I'm motivated to crack open the fourth Martin book. Unfortunately it means that I will be falling behind in the book challenge that I have going with the Hebrew Friend, but no matter my heart wasn't in it as much as his. 

The boat is in.

Summer in Vermont is slowly setting in. Now the days are getting perpetually warmer and the last of the winter snowfall has melted off the tops of the mountains the reservoir has cleared itself of its seasonal turnover and is ready for the boat. This evening Lance and I brought out the boat and opened the engine on the Waterbury Reservoir.

Almost the only boat there, the water was as smooth as glass with very little wind. We started by taking the bat over to the public beach and checked out the little inlets and personal docks of private homes located along the shoreline. Next we headed towards the Stowe side of the water and took our time heading into Cotton Brook. The state hasn't put out the buoys yet so there was no restricted boating areas until next weekend. Along the shoreline people had begun to set up camps sites in preparation for Memorial Day Weekend and a few fisherman had their lines out in the hopes of something other than the catfish floating near the water's surface. We took the boat almost into Nebraska Valley before the mud flats became to much for the propellor and then headed over to the dam before packing it in for the night. 

If tonight is any indication of how the summer will be it looks like Vermont has a very pleasant forecast in its future. 

So this is life... after graduation.

It's been an adjustment ending college and moving back home. I went from moving 100 mph to about 5 mph in the blink of an eye. The shock of having a tightly scheduled life almost everyday and then no longer having courses and being temporarily unemployed is taking a bigger toll on me than I realized. I knew that it would be tough setting into this new stage in my life, but not this tough. My cousin made a point to tell to take this time to focus on myself and do things for me while I look for a job and get focused. My uncle told me to use the time to enjoy myself, but put my studies to good use (whatever that means). I want to do all of these things and really dive back into life in Vermont. For the first couple of days I did just that. I unpacked and organized all of my belongings back into my parents' house then journeyed to Connecticut. 

Connecticut was a phenomenal time with Slolly and her family. I got to have one last hurrah to celebrate graduation and meet some great new people. I even got invited to a polo party next weekend in Greenwich where I was assured I would be able to find a nice starter husband. Ever since getting back to Vermont though, I've hit a block where all I want to do is lounge about watching old episodes of Frasier in bed with the curtains closed eating gourmet coffee ice cream in bed. Not exactly the plan I had for myself. Today I pushed myself to get up and going. After waking up at 6am and watching several hours of missed television on Hulu (it's been an adjustment getting used to cable again) I went outside. The weather was beautiful, somewhere in the high 70s and very sunny. With no real direction I started gessoing old canvases and digging in the garden. 

Between finishing up thank you notes and sending out job inquiry e-mails I am slowly figuring out how to have my first real summer since high school. I have some big personal projects in the works and with Moonrise Kingdom coming out next week I will eventually get myself on some track with my life even if it means only going about 45 mph while I'm relearning country living. 

Our party cake was dropped on the ground outside so we had to eat all the deliciousness before the birds and insects got to it. 

Back in Vermont, let's take a nap.

It's been a quiet and uneventful week, but I'm finally back in Vermont. The ride up here was long with little traffic, a rarity on the Garden State Parkway. I had Samantha in the car with me so she was able to take the wheel after the New York Thruway and most of 22A in Vermont. Those sections of roads are some of the most beautiful country to drive through, but also some of the longest and most boring.

Now that I'm home I have to unpack and put things away and decide if I really need to actually keep twenty white t-shirts with the same stain on the front. I think the rest of tonight will be devoted to catching up on all the TV I've missed these last couple of days and taking a long hot shower to wash away New Jersey. Tomorrow I'll tackle my room and the garage and eventually call school and have them mail me my diploma. 

Winterfell, Vermont

So it turns out Winterfell is not in Westeros, but really in Stowe, Vermont. I was driving up the mountain road on my way to work for a night of catering to Stowe's "finest" and noticed a small sign on the side of the road in the Edgewise building. Instantly I was overcome with excitement at seeing our small ski town embracing its inner nerd, something it rarely ever does. I asked around if anyone knew about the sign or what sort of business was in the building besides the ski shop. No one had an answer and only one other person knew what Winterfell was or about Game of Thrones. I stopped by the building on my way home and then again today to investigate, but being off-season the ski shop was closed and there were no other clues about the sign's meaning or origin. I'm going to have see what develops over the course of the summer.

Besides finding out more about the Winterfell sign, today was also a day for Israeli salad. I've been missing brunch with the Hebro and Kyle when he used to come and so I decided to make some Israeli salad for dinner tonight. Usually the dish is served at breakfast, but since I slept in today and didn't think of it until this afternoon when I was at the Agway buying seeds for the summer vegetable garden. It's a simple dish that only takes about fifteen minutes to prepare once you have all the ingredients. To make the salad all you need is a couple of large tomatoes, a couple of peeled cucumbers, a large red bell pepper, and a mall bunch of scallions. Dice all of the ingredients and place them in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, and spices to taste and then mix everything together. Some people like to serve the dish right away, but I found that it tastes best when it sits a little while before being served. The flavors get a chance to seep together and infuse the vegetables.

I sampled some of the salad before putting it in the fridge and I think it tastes pretty good, almost as good as the Hebrew Friend's. 

Finals Week: Done

I just completed my last final of college ever and all I want to do is go back to bed. For the first time in four years I had a Saturday final and it had to be at 9am. I would have preferred 11am or better yet no Saturday final at all. If I hadn't had this exam I could have been home already yesterday or Thursday if I was feeling ambitious. It doesn't matter anymore though because I am done and I'll be heading home for a short week tomorrow.

It still hasn't sunk in that I'm actually leaving school and have to say goodbye to my friends. I got a small taste of what next weekend is going to be like last night. Because of my final this morning I didn't want to go to the bar or stay out late drinking so instead I went over to some friends' apartment and hung out. I got to do my laundry there since I've run out of quarters and watch WWE Smackdown. I'm not a huge fan of wrestling, but while watching it last night with my friends I got really into it and kept shouting at the television and critiquing the characters. It is a really silly thing to watch because it is so over the top and ridiculous, but I had a good time anyways. After wrestling we stayed up talking in there near empty apartment. I kept counting down the hours until our 9am finals and when it got to about seven hours left I decided to go home and get a little bit of sleep. When I got up to go I got up not even remembering that this was going to be the last time I would see these guys. They've been an awesome group of junior boys that share similar interests as me and taught me how to play Skyrim this semester. Each one gave me a hug and I even teared up a little bit. I had to get to the elevator and wipe my face before anyone could see. By the time I hit the lobby I had dry eyes, but it was just too sad to say goodbye. 

Paint and PSAs

In between getting paintings ready for tomorrow and writing my Powell paper (I can already tell it's going to be an up all night kind of night) I felt like blogging. I have an idea for a painting but I'm almost out of paints and it's becoming harder and harder to mix the colors that I need for my ideas. I'm going to have to take a trip into the city with my parents next week and restock my supplies before I head back up to Vermont. I never thought I would ever use up two tubes of white, but now it's like trying to squeeze water from a stone to get enough pigment out of the tube. I have two canvases started, but I really hate the one so I think I'll just let it dry and paint over the colors and create something new. I have fourteen hours before the critique, plenty of time to come up with something new. I mean look what can change in the course of an hour:

First Attempt

Final Product

For the record I liked the first version, but Dennis felt the second was a better use of the paint and since he's the one giving grade I will paint what Dennis wants. I actually like how the final version came out, there's a lot of texture. If you run yours hand over the canvas you can feel the raised lines of paint that make the painting feel more three dimensional. 

So while I'm waiting for the paints to dry I found these on Stumbleupon: 

They're Harry Potter PSAs. They're funny on their own, but are even better and make much more sense if you have any knowledge of the Harry Potter world. Being raised on the writing of J.K Rowling and even reading the first book in Latin, I am quite adept at Potter humor. The fire safety PSA is particularly amusing because Hebrew Friend likes to say "Augamenti!" when ever he pours himself a glass of water even if he is by himself. Ahh the simple pleasures in life. 

Finals Week: Not even close.

I nearly halfway through finals week and I feel like I haven't accomplished much and truth be told I really haven't. So far Monday night's exam has been my only one. It took six pages of handwritten essays to complete the exam and by the time I was done I could not feel my arm and had to go home and lay down for a few hours before I had the will to do anything else. Today was a nothing day, my only one for the week. I tried to get into the library and work on my paper, but here weren't any available study spaces in the quiet section so I ended up checking out about ten ancient books on Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and taking them home with me. The books were so old the library had to take out the old punch cards and replace them with the lined sheet so she could stamp the date on the back of the cover.

Reading through the books lasted about ten seconds before I took out my paints and started working on a new piece for my final portfolio that has to be presented on Thursday afternoon. Right now I have the required ten, but I'm not particularly pleased with some of my earlier works and want to beef up the collection I have. Around 6:00 I wiped the paint of my face and hands, I get really involved with my art, and drove up to watch my Hebrew Friend coach his tiny high school laxers. I sat in the stands behind the bench this time and even waved when he was looking in my direction, but apparently he is completely oblivious. In between whistles I studied for my Southern Lit exam that's supposed to happen tomorrow morning. I'm more prepared than I realized and only had to read a few of the stories and just look through my notes. The youth leaguers kept giving me funny looks while I read during the game. Eventually it just got too cold for me and I had to head home.

Ugh I just want play Scrabble.

Finals Week: Off to a poor start.

I'm in the library right now supposedly studying for my science and theology final tomorrow night, but I'm finding it harder and harder to read through the chapters and make my outline. It won't be a terrible exam, we have the questions already and we get to make an outline for each of them. There's even an extra credit question that the class was given to think about ahead of time. It should only take me a few hours to write up the outlines and then I can head back home or over to the art studio if I feel like it, but right now I can barely get myself motivated to do anything. It's such a nice day outside that I would rather be playing some frisbee with the Hebrew Friend out in the sun, but I have to get this done otherwise it will be tomorrow night before I know it and I'll be in trouble.

Being in the library right now really makes me want to take a nap. It might be the climate change from coming in to a cold library from the warm outdoors or the fact that it's very, very quiet on the second floor and inviting to just lie my head down on the desk and close my eyes. I've been in here since this morning and all I've done so far is write my name and date in a Word document and click through Stumbleupon. I hate finals week because everything else that I didn't care about all semester suddenly seems more interesting or more important. Being trapped in the library leaves me open to distractions and the thoughts floating around in my head and those thoughts suck.

UPDATE: Had to get out of the library since I wasn't actually doing anything productive. Moved to the quiet Starbucks in the hopes that overpriced coffee drinks and gas usage would keep me settled and motivated for a little while. 

The Last Drink

Today I finished my undergraduate classes and am one step closer to graduation in two weeks. It's been a long four years trying to finish a degree in science and then at the last minute changing my mind and completing a major in a year in a half. When I was asked during a scholarship interview at the end of high school where I would see myself in five years I gave them what I felt they wanted to hear. I told them that I would be similar to the person I was then, but with an advanced degree in physics. In high school I bought into my fabricated life and even believed that my life would be exactly as I planned it. I never imagined the situations that I have experienced and put myself through over the past four years. I never planned on sleeping in train stations, running with the homeless, ROTC, meeting my most consistent and dearest friend at a minimum wage barista job, teaching girls to play ice hockey, or spending summer nights playing drunken baseball behind a train station.

Tonight I spent the evening with friends from jobs past and more present. It was small gathering to celebrate the end of classes and a chance to let lose before finals next week. Most of my work friends came out to drink and have an evening remembering the good times and trying to forget the thankless job many of us shared in a low grade Italian restaurant on the Main Line. I spent a good deal of the night catching up with E and discussing the different directions ours lives have taken since working together two years ago. Even the Hebro stopped by and though he has been totally awesome it's getting harder and harder to see him and know that I'll be leaving him behind in two weeks. Eventually after all the chatter and a few beers my contacts kicked in and I had to leave. Instead of being the dutiful friend and coworker by saying a heartfelt goodbye to everyone, I snuck out of the bar in typical Sidney fashion. It's hard to say goodbye to the motley crew that has been a makeshift family and close-knit group of friends down here in Philadelphia and sometimes I find it to just slip away like I wasn't there in the first place at all.

Led Zeppelin - Going to California

Salsa Shark Live at The Grape Room

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing jam band Salsa Shark perform to an intimate crowd at The Grape Room in Manayunk. The band played a late night set for the venue's STOP Bullying Me! fundraiser with rousing success. It was my last chance to see the funkadelic band play while I'm still in Philadelphia and I wouldn't have missed lead bassist/vocalist Mykk Hoffman's gently bobbing blond afro for the world.

The band has come light years from open mic nights at the now closed Village coffee house on 63rd in West Philadelphia. It's been a rough road for the young band. Going through drummers like I go through books, the band has finally settled on St. Joe's freshman, Tom Dominguez. With his dark scruffy beard and ferocious energy Tom kept the beats going even improvising after a string snafu forced guitarist, Curt Zimpher, from the stage. Playing in his own little corner of the stage, guitarist Bert Weaver kept background rhythms strong and even while grooving in his own personal zone. The interaction between Mykk and Curt shows the synergy and trust this close-knit group has developed over the years.

An evening of jam band music reminiscent of the Allman Brothers, Disco Biscuits, and The Grateful Dead all rolled into one with a little Jimkata on the side, Salsa Shark kept their audience captivated and begging for more. With most of their members still finishing up courses in college the band is creating a growing fan base in Philadelphia, but I hope to see them on tour up in Vermont sometime soon.

You can like Salsa Shark on Facebook and stay up to date on their latest on-goings and show dates.

He's acting dumb, that's what you've come to expect.

I'm lying in bed on this cold, cold April night trying to decide if I want to watch last night's episode of Game of Thrones now or wait until tomorrow or just wait until the Hebro falls asleep on his couch after a rousing game of Scrabble and just watch it On Demand at his house. Decisions, decisions. In the meantime I'm listening to Elliott Smith on Spotify and hiding under my comforter with my laptop and fuzzy. I resemble one of those forlorn and wayward kids in a Wes Anderson film. It's kind of fun actually, like being in a tent in the middle of my high rise apartment on the edge of Fairmount Park, the complete opposite of my old, but new again home-to-be in three weeks.

It's been a long while since I've listened to Elliott Smith consistently. I think the last time was in high school when he was an extra-credit question on a biology test (I went to a small school in the woods with good musical taste) and I rushed home to look up everything I could find on him. Even then I was too late to get on the Elliott Smith bandwagon as he had passed away two years before I took my biology test. My first introduction to Mr. Smith was during a screening of The Royal Tenenbaums with my dad. His song Needle in the Hay plays during the scene were Richie takes a razor blade to his wrists and the entire dysfunctional family reunites at the hospital after hearing about Royal's fake cancer and Margot's extreme personal secrets.

Can't wait to see Moonrise Kingdom next month. 

Remember it is only April...

I was going to write with a more serious tone or at least a less sarcastic and grating one, but with the weather being cold and rainy all day and in between watching countless episodes of Magnum P.I. (ladies of the 80s you know where I'm coming from) and what will probably be my last all-nighter in a very, very long time I decided that I would discuss an issue that is getting out of hand, especially since it is only April: someecards featuring Mayans and 2012.

Seriously people. Since the end of 2011 people have been coming up with various end of the world scenarios for the popular ecard website. Now don't get me wrong, I love those biting, snarky cards with their vintage etchings as much as the next person. In fact if I find a particular nasty one I'll even get around to posting it to my facebook wall until I get phone calls from one of my parents who find my humor too lowbrow for their refined tastes. It's the ecards with 2012, end of the world implications that I find so annoying, especially since so many people are taking this whole thing seriously. I mean if I survived May 21, 2011 (good call Harold Camping) then we will all be waking up January 1, 2013 mostly alive, but with epic hangovers. Besides if the world is going to end at the end of this year, technically I would be going out sometime on the 30th because of where I am situated with the International Dateline. So suck on that Mayan people.

Anyways... with the advent of global warming and the recent invasion of boy bands from across the pond, I can see how these ecards are gaining momentum so early in the year. In fact some of them are even funny, like the ones below:

Okay that one was pretty awesome. 

Aww man I want a dog.

For a while now I've wanted a dog. Not just any dog, a snow dog. Preferably a Siberian husky or a Malamute, but anything along those would suffice for me. Ginger Dan and I used to talk our love of dogs of the husky variety and how he would name his after the Tank Girl character Booga and I would name mine Captain Ahab or Penny Lane after the cat my roommate and I illegal housed in our dorm room for two weeks during our sophomore year. As a child I was denied the opportunity of have a dog. My parents could barely keep up with two screaming small children who fought like animals themselves let alone adding a real animal into the mix. My mom would have liked a dog, a small one like a Yorkie. I think when my dad gets weak enough in his old age to not care she'll finally get herself one. Lance on the other hand is adamantly against all animals that aren't someone else's or goldfish. Growing up, we went through A LOT of goldfish. Never in a million years would I have been allowed a dog, especially a shedding snow dog like a husky. Though with their anti-social natures a husky would have fit right in with my family. Unfortunately until I officially move out of my parent's house and into a home with a backyard I will not be getting the puppy of my dreams.

Instead I cope with my doglessness by reading the Text From Dog tumblr. In a ridiculously mysterious way some person in the United Kingdom is screen saving the precocious texts he receives from his dog while he's out of the house. The relationship between owner and dog is very reminiscent of the TV show Wilfred. In fact is I had to put a face to the "dog" on the other line it would be Wilfred's.

Seriously I'd hang out with this dog.

Anyways here are a few of the dog texts from Texts From Dog:

You can see the rest of Text From Dog here>>>

IT'S BATDOG!!!

It's the colors you have, no need to be sad. It really ain't that bad.

Honestly is there anything more cooler than Mill Murray not giving a fuck while steals a bike with a pair of bolt cutters? I really don't think so. Mill Murray just oozes je ne sais quois and a suaveness that only Mr. Murray seems capable of pulling off. I mean really how many of us can just hijack a bicycle and just walk away with the bike of our shoulder, not even caring if we were to get caught with it. It really is just such a baller picture. I almost wish that I could feel cool enough to do something like that or just not give a fuck to walk away with a bike. Unfortunately I have a stress issue when it comes to police authority and recently found two gray hairs on my head.

At 22 it feels a little early to be growing gray hair, but with a father who began shedding his hair line at 24 and a mother who has been dyeing to hide her own hair issues at an even younger age it's not exactly a surprise. Add in all of the compounded stress of the last four years and logically I should be nearly white on top by now. Graduation should be a time of joy a celebration, I remember watching my cousin finish her course load a few years ago and walk across the stage at her own December graduation. She was excited and energetic and proud of the work she had put in over the years. I don't feel any of that. I don't even want to go pick up my cap and gown from the bookstore. Fortunately I'm not alone. My friend Andi has yet to pick up her own cap and gown and my dear friend Slolly just wants to go home now and not look back. We have no desire to sit under the big white tent next to City Ave and listen for our names to be called out. I just want to go home and go to sleep for the next few weeks.

I had a language teacher in high school who stressed the importance of being more than just a drone who was defined by what they did for work. I remember sitting in a hotel common area in Greece with her and a few other people talking about life and getting better acquainted. I had one of the local stray dogs in my lap (completely unaware of the risks of ticks at the time) and I remember listening to my teacher tell us that too many people are defined by the jobs they do and not by the things they enjoy to do. I remember having a hard time separating the differences between the two ideas. Last week marked the third anniversary of my language teacher's passing and with graduation looming only weeks away I am starting to understand more of what she meant and how I've change since having her as a teacher. In college I put myself in situations I never would have imagined for myself and met all sorts of different people. When I left high school, I left with a bad taste in my mouth and with very few people I felt connected to. When I leave Philadelphia next month I will be leaving behind a whole slew of people from different backgrounds that I never would have had the pleasure of knowing if I hadn't come to college, including my best friend.

I'm moving home when I graduate with no job perspectives and no real life goal other than to just adjust to a new lifestyle and acclimate back into small town life. This time though I'm not leaving with a bad taste in my mouth or on bad terms with people as I had back in 2008. I'm ready to leave the city and return home because I'm not the same person I was when I left.