Christy Thomas Photography

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 14

2011-06-19T22:54:00.000-04:00

I've been quite caught up in preparing for comps, hence the lack of posts. I've read seven books in the last four days, and have twelve more to read in the next seven. I can do it, right?

I've been taking a little bit of time off over the past week, first to visit with friends before they left for Scotland, then to edit some pictures (and regain a bit of mental sanity). I have about 750 more to edit, and lots now posted on Flickr (some of which will appear here).

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on the AppleTV

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 13

2011-05-26T00:16:00.000-04:00

I really liked these doors. I think big doors like this are fabulous. These in particular remind me of the doors in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Not entirely sure why, but they do.

Spent all day reading up on the manuscript sources for Bach's Violin Sonatas and Partitas and Cello Suites. I think I have successfully memorized all the necessary minutia.

And now for sleep! Hooray!

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 12

2011-05-16T16:38:00.000-04:00

I thought this would be an appropriate picture to post after seeing the Met's last HD broadcast of the season this weekend. It was Die Walküre, and during some of the pre-opera filming of the audience, the camera panned to show a couple of women wearing rather similar headgear. I snapped this picture because of an inside joke about Screaming Helgas being my mascot of choice. Perhaps I should have bought one, but I took a picture instead.

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 11

2011-05-15T10:11:00.001-04:00

And the sign from the Kriminal Museum.

Working on my last paper of the semester at Panera today. Hopefully finishing it?

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iTunes: Alejandro by Lady GaGa

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 10

2011-05-13T14:47:00.000-04:00

These wagons were outside the Kriminal Museum, and they completely remind me of the ones in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang that the child catcher drives. When I was a kid, it was one of my favorite movies, and in order to keep me from being scared of the child catcher, my mom called him "The Bad Nosey Guy." To this day, I still think of him as The Bad Nosey Guy, and when I first heard him described as the child catcher, I was confused.

Anyway, back to work. One paper down, one exam down, now onto the last paper and then the semester will be officially over and it will be summer! Which means, studying for comprehensive exams. The sad part is that I'm actually excited to just focus on exam preparations.

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iTunes: Bad Romance by Lady GaGa.

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 9

2011-05-06T20:01:00.000-04:00

Quick post. In paper-writing-mode. Have to crank out a seminar paper by Monday morning, and just started writing this morning. Blurgh.

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iTunes: Paparazzi by Lady GaGa

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 8

2011-04-22T11:07:00.000-04:00

Apologies to my vegetarian and vegan friends, but, oh man, did these look delicious! (And apologies to all my Catholic friends as well--posting pictures of meat on Good Friday?) Being from a good German family, I grew up on Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, Braunschweiger, and the like. I knew I couldn't carry a whole pack of German sausages around with me all over Europe, so this picture had to suffice. I love the little wooden signs from the different types of meat. Imagine being able to stop by and pick up dinner here on your way home from work. Yum!

And now, my goal is to make a to-do-list for everything that needs to get done over the next week (or few weeks, depending on how far in advance I can plan). With any luck, I'll be able to cross "find a new apartment" off my list by either this afternoon or this coming Monday. My friend and I looked at an apartment this morning and it seems quite promising. Now we just have to decide whether we want to go for it or not. Fingers crossed!

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iTunes: Grosse Fuge, Op. 133, by Ludwig van Beethoven

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 7

2011-04-12T09:48:00.000-04:00

A shot of the square in the mid-morning, before the lunch rush comes and people fill up all of those picturesque café tables. I wish they hadn't been so pricey, or we would've sat down and had a bite. But we did stop at another shop on the corner of the square for cold drinks. You'll have to wait for those pictures!

Alas, the delay since the last posting is due to the end-of-semester workload and my stubborn determination to make weekend trips whenever possible. Oh yes, and doing my taxes. Now that taxes are filed and I only have one more weekend trip on the horizon, the only thing keeping me from posting is coursework. And I dare say that it will only get worse over the next couple weeks. However, there is (sort of) an end in sight: my last class is 27 April (unless additional classes are scheduled), and my last paper is due 15 May, so in 33 days, I will be done with coursework!

As a side note, a friend of mine asked if I would photograph her wedding in October! It's been a while since I've been able to do much photography, but I'm really looking forward to it. It will be even more fun since I've known the bride for about 5 years and met the groom when they started dating, and they're both fun-loving, laid-back people. So my new goal is to finish editing these pictures from Europe by the time their wedding roles around...

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iTunes: String Quartet No. 3 in Bb, Op. 130/i, by Beethoven

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 6

2011-03-27T10:55:00.000-04:00

Every street was perfectly picturesque. It helped that there weren't cars everywhere, since they would seriously throw off the aesthetic.

Last night I discovered a new bar and a new beer. The bar: Cask Republic. The beer: Fransikaner Hefe-Weißbier. I don't tend to be much of a bar person -- they're usually too loud, too grimy, and too annoying, but this one was even palatable on a Saturday night. I think we'll be going back in future. The beer was good, too! Not only do I tend to prefer European brews, but I just enjoy ordering anything in German because it's so fun to pronounce. (And I sound like I know what I'm doing.)

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 5

2011-03-24T13:12:00.001-04:00

Taking a quick break from reading another intense musicology article to post another Europe photo. I just find this sign charming. Oddly enough, I find the Fraktur script rather nostalgic. Don't know if that was the case while I was studying for the German proficiency exam or if this is a more recent development, but either way, I like it now.

Speaking of Fraktur, while I was out of town for the weekend, I briefly stopped in to visit my grandparents. My grandmother gave me a set of books her mother had purchased at the Wagner Festival in New York City in 1923, which included the entire set of Wagner's operatic librettos (in Fraktur)! It was really neat to learn that my great-grandmother shared my love of these works, and my grandmother was thrilled that I was so excited to have the books.

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 4

2011-03-18T09:05:00.000-04:00

There will be quite a few postings from the streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber -- it was a very picturesque, quaint little town, despite being so tourist-y. I really enjoy all the cobblestone streets. And, yes, I can walk on them in heels -- though I didn't have heels with me for the trip. I fit everything I needed for nearly three weeks into my backpack. Impressive, yes?

Winding down the last week of my spring break. Can we just extend it a little longer? I've been hanging out with my favorite kid since Tuesday, and it's just she and I today because she doesn't have school. She's pretty tuckered out from all the excitement, so she's still asleep and I have a chance to get some early morning work done and to post another Europe photo.

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iTunes: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, by J.S. Bach

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 3

2011-03-13T17:42:00.000-04:00

Quick Sunday afternoon post. I managed to have a productive day thus far. I read six articles and even managed to spend some time knitting. But, the day is not done and I'm going to try to make it through four more articles...

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iTunes: Wißt Ihr, Wann Mein Kindchen, Op. 103/3, by Brahms

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 2

2011-03-10T20:34:00.000-05:00

I love how brightly colored the building were on the main square. It almost gives the town the feeling of being an enlarged doll's house. I imagine they weren't so bright during the Middle Ages, especially with all the soot, dirt, and grime that a city produces. But it looks nice now.

I've had a lazy day today. Watching the Harry Potter movies and knitting while in my pajamas. (I'm on the sixth movie now!) Perfect way to spend a rainy day in West Virginia.

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iTunes: Hochgetürmte Rimaflut, Op. 103/2, by Brahms

rothenburg ob der tauber: no. 1

2011-03-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

And the next location on our tour: Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. And certainly the most tourist-y one. But regardless, it made for some good photo ops. I'll be sharing a lot more Rothenburg pictures--we spent longer there than the other cities we had been to thus far, and we had great weather. When the clock in the main square chimed, everyone came out to take pictures. I thought it would be an appropriate first shot to share.

Spending time with cats today has been lovely. And I finished a button pidge scarf. But the highlight of the day was probably running on the treadmill and doing lip-trills to the Zigeunerlieder. Which are one of my new favorite pieces. Check them out.

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iTunes: He, Zigeuner, Greife In Die Saiten Ein! Op. 103/1, by Brahms

würzburg: no. 5

2011-03-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

Last Würzburg post. Which may not technically be Würzburg since it was taken during the train ride. But we'll just say it's Würzburg. The sunshine was just gorgeous that day, which was a welcome change from the pouring rain we had when we first arrived in Amsterdam.

I made it to WV in a record 7 hours, including stops. Not entirely sure how that happened, because I didn't have the heaviest lead foot on the road. Not by a long shot. But it was nice once I crossed into WV and the speed limit went up to 70 mph! Tonight is my friend's masters recital, so we're stapling programs and such this afternoon and preparing a ton of food.

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iTunes: Bad Romance, by Lady Gaga (yes, I do listen to more than just Classical music on occasion!)

würzburg: no. 4

2011-03-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

One of my recently discovered favorites from the trip. I like the lines and the crispness of the black-and-white. And yes, still in Würzburg. Sorry, but there will only be train station pictures. I may or may not post one last Würzburg picture, or I might move onto the next city we visited. Only time will tell...

I just finished up the first half of my semester, and the next two weeks are spring break. Thank goodness. Two weeks for spring break is exactly what I need -- a week to get some extra work done and a week to relax. I wish there was a two week break during the fall semester as well, but we just have one week at Thanksgiving. Which is better than just a couple of days, don't get me wrong, but it comes right at the end of the semester when you're behind on work, need to get ahead on final papers, and are completely exhausted from the semester. I won't miss the stress of coursework this coming fall!

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iTunes: String Quartet No. 12 in Eb major, Op. 127, by Beethoven

baby w: no. 1

2011-02-28T00:28:00.000-05:00

Taking a break from Würzburg to share a photo of baby W, who turns three weeks old today! I've spent some time with W and her big brother S and my friends M and T over the past few weeks, and I managed to take some baby pictures during one of the visits. (Normally I'm too busy holding her or making food!) Perhaps I'll share a few more, but this shot will suffice as introducing her. Expect to see more of W over the next few months (and years)!

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

würzburg: no. 3

2011-02-27T09:49:00.000-05:00

Based on the number of pictures I'm posting of the Würzburg train station, we must have had a decently long layover there on our way to the next destination. This shot has some grunge-appeal as well. I'm curious as to what all these buttons do. I resisted the urge to press any of them and just took pictures instead.

Preparing for a big presentation on Wednesday on an article on this movement of a Beethoven string quartet. I've listened to it about 40 times in the past 5 days. Thank goodness I really like late Beethoven string quartets!

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iTunes: String Quartet No. 12, Op. 127: I, Maestoso/Allegro, by Beethoven

würzburg: no. 2

2011-02-17T08:47:00.000-05:00

I really liked the red train in Würzburg.

Today I anticipate spending a lot of time on hold. I'm hoping for half-decent elevator music. Renewing car insurance and trying to sort out a credit card mess since it was stolen last week. Ugh.

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling

würzburg: no. 1

2011-02-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

May as well squeeze in the little cities where we only spent a few minutes (or hours) while changing trains. Normally I find black-and-white photos with masked color sections a bit... tacky. BUT sometimes it works. I think this was one exception to that general rule. I think it's the grunge aspect of the black-and-white portion.

Anyway, back to reading Foucault. (What have I learned from reading Foucault for two weeks? I don't like Foucault, and I don't like his manner of writing. I prefer the Germans.)

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iTunes: The Turn of the Screw, by Benjamin Britten

me and my valentine

2011-02-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Taking a brief break from Europe posts to say Happy Valentine's Day! No matter whether you have a particular "special someone" in your life or a whole bunch of special people whom you love, I find that February 14 always presents a chance to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. So, share some loving kindness and make someone's day!

This little one has been my valentine for the past few years, and I couldn't ask for a better one! Since moving to New England, I haven't gotten to see her on Valentine's Day for the past two years, so I send her a valentine instead. But hopefully I'll be seeing her soon!

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iTunes: Wellingtons Sieg, by Beethoven

frankfurt: no. 1

2011-02-10T08:24:00.000-05:00

I like shots of train stations, so I thought I'd share another one. This was the main station at Frankfurt, where we changed trains on the way to our next destination. So it's one of the few Frankfurt shots I have, since we never left the station.

Today is a reading day with a couple of meetings thrown in. I was thinking about having some leftover shrimp for lunch, but I don't know that they'll reheat well in the microwave. Perhaps I'll have to dig up something else to take with me for lunch.

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iTunes: Der Glorreiche Augenblick, Op. 136, by Beethoven

amsterdam: no. 15

2011-02-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I know I said I was done posting pictures of Amsterdam, but I suppose this train station shot is still technically Amsterdam, and not the next city we visited (or the next one we stopped in -- you have to love train-hopping!) -- so this is the last official Amsterdam post of this stretch!

I love how the trains run on time in Europe. (Okay, Italy may be excepted from this for reasons that I will share later. But At least Germany and Switzerland! That good old Northern European blood makes everything work like clockwork... Perhaps I can blame my liking of being on time on my German heritage.) When I was in Berlin last spring, I overheard some locals complain that the bus was 2 minutes late. In the US, 2 minutes late would be on time! The trains I take here are often 20-40 minutes late!

Wednesday is hump day, and my only day with two classes. Looking forward to getting through the day and coming back to whip something delicious up for dinner. Having a dinner guest this evening, which will be an excuse for making something special. Shrimp perhaps?

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iTunes: Diabelli Variations, by Beethoven

amsterdam: no. 14

2011-02-01T23:56:00.000-05:00

Surprisingly, I'm coming to the end of the best-of-the-best Amsterdam pictures. But I thought I'd share this one last shot before moving onto the next city we visited. I do love a nice, crisp black and white shot.

Up later than usual tonight, and have an intense day of classes and meetings tomorrow. Probably should be getting some shut-eye instead of posting pictures, but I didn't want to get out of the habit again.

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iTunes: Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 111, by Beethoven

amsterdam: no. 13

2011-01-25T16:38:00.001-05:00

I just thought this little addition to the menu was super-cute! And rather close to true as well... though we weren't quite so sad as the little person on the left.

I'm plugging away at some pretty hefty readings, and it's time to get back to it. At least I have dinner to look forward to -- I'm planning on trying a new recipe for Cream of Mushroom Soup, and will be stopping to pick up some fresh bread, salad, and wine on my way home. But first I must get through this book I'm reading...

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iTunes: La Traviata, by Verdi

amsterdam: no. 12

2011-01-22T10:22:00.000-05:00

Because of some unexpected travel issues, we didn't get to do much in Amsterdam or Haarlem. Seeing signs was basically the extent of our sightseeing while we were there. The next time I go to Amsterdam, I would like to actually see some of the things this sign points to -- especially the Corrie ten Boom Huis (Corrie ten Boom's House). I have always had a fascination with World War II and Holocaust history, and I remember reading books like the Diary of Anne Frank and Number the Stars as a kid. One of my favorite museums in North America is the Holocaust Museum in DC.

I am determined that today will be a day of productivity. I had a very virtuous start to the day and got downtown to my favorite coffee shop by 7:30, only to find that it didn't open until 8:00. So I stood outside in the cold for half an hour, wishing that I'd let myself be less ambitious about getting up so early. Next time, I'll remember not to try so hard on a Saturday morning.

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iTunes: Piano Sonata, Op. 106 (Hammerklavier), by Beethoven

amsterdam: no. 11

2011-01-21T10:16:00.000-05:00

Meetings today. Short post. But more Amsterdam. Looks much nicer than here. We got more snow last night. And I am again reminded that my snow boots are not waterproof. Also discovered that they are literally falling apart. Perhaps it's time for new boots?

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iTunes: Der Glorreiche Augenblick, by Beethoven

amsterdam: no. 10

2011-01-20T17:35:00.000-05:00

Amsterdam returns. As does more snow and ice tonight. And I just discovered that my driveway is already a solid sheet of ice.

Can you say massive wipe-out?

Anyway, this is a view from the porch area of Carla's Café. I like the juxtaposition of old buildings with "new" technology (tram power lines). And the morning light.

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iTunes: Violin Partita, BWV 1006 by Johann Sebastian Bach

uovo al piatto con pomodoro

2011-01-18T18:21:00.001-05:00

Taking a momentary break from Amsterdam... but not to worry, I shall return tomorrow. (Or rather it will return to me. I will spend tomorrow trying to brave the newly-frozen "lakes" that are now covering the city after a day of freezing rain.)

Besides international travel, the other thing that I have not been able to keep my camera away for is cooking. I adore cooking. I adore food. I adore taking pictures of food I've cooked. So I may occasionally intersperse some mouth-watering shots. And recipes?

Why not.

Who says a (lapsing) photography blog can't also include photos of food, and directions for how to make said food?

So, I introduce you to:

Uovo al piatto con pomodori
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serving Size: 3

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, small, finely chopped
1 lb tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 tbsp basil, chopped
6 eggs
salt
pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Heat oil in shallow, ovenproof dish. Add onion, cook to golden. Add tomatoes, cook 5-10 minutes or until very soft. Stir in basil.

3. Break eggs one at a time into layer on top of tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Dot with butter if desired. Sprinkle with cheese.

5. Bake 7-10 minutes or until whites are set and yolks are still soft. (Cheese will not be browned.)

6. Garnish with basil.

Notes:
Works great in individual ramekins, but adjust amount as necessary.

amsterdam: no. 9

2011-01-15T08:33:00.000-05:00

Our delicious breakfast smoothies at Carla's. I believe I had banana and Kelley had a berry smoothie. (Blueberry, perhaps?) Sadly, I think my breakfast today will not be quite as good. Maybe I'll take it as a challenge and try to make something delicious, since it is Saturday...

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iTunes: Sleeping Beauty, by Tchaikovsky

amsterdam: no. 8

2011-01-14T22:16:00.000-05:00

"Peace, Love, & Food." All sound good to me! Carla's was our favorite find in Amsterdam, and I loved the decor. For me, coffee shops can either be hit or miss with their decorations. They can try too hard to be funky and end up just being awkward, or they can be too feminine for my taste. Carla's was a mix of fun and classy. Just right.

I've supposedly made it through the first week of classes. Two of the three have yet to meet, and because of MLK Day on Monday, the one that I've had twice this week won't meet at all next week. It won't be until week three of classes that I'll have a normal week. Yet I'm pretty tired all the same. Got home at 6:30 after dinner at a local Thai favorite with some friends from the department, got right into my pajamas, made a couple of single-serving brownies in my new ramekins, and sat down to knit a hat and listen to Harry Potter. Now that I've finished listening to the last book, I'm starting over from the beginning. Lately I've been more in the mood to listen to books on tape than to watch anything. I think it has to do with not wanting to look at my computer screen.

And I shall leave you for the evening with the quote I just heard:

"Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here." --Dumbledore

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iTunes: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling (Or Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, if you're from the UK)

amsterdam: no. 7

2011-01-13T10:10:00.000-05:00

This was the bar area of the cute little shop where we had breakfast on our morning in Amsterdam. Carla's. Delicious smoothies, photos to follow. Warning: you will want one after viewing the photos.

Yesterday we had a "snowpocalypse." We had about 20 inches of snow, the biggest snowstorm apparently since 1978. Yale is no exception to the general rule about Ivy League Universities considering a university-wide weather-related cancellation to be an affront to the halls of learning everywhere and a horrible blemish on their personal record. So, despite being unable to run the buses and closing most of the libraries, classes continued.

In order to make it to my morning class on time, I had to leave at 8:00 -- I estimated that walking in during the blizzard would probably take longer than my usual 45-minutes. Surely, if my morning class was canceled, my afternoon class would not be. Wrong again. I finally get to campus to find out that BOTH classes were canceled, with the emails sent while I was trudging through the blizzard. Had I left late enough to get the emails, I would have been late for class (the class that didn't meet anyway). Fail.

Unfortunately, because I had to lug in all my class things and was worried about the snow messing with my camera, I didn't take any pictures yesterday. Perhaps if I'm not too lazy, I'll snag some today.

So, I had a very productive morning, being one of very few people in the library during the few hours in which it was open, then did some reading in the afternoon. Thankfully, despite Connecticut's seeming inability to salt their roads (oh, is just plowing not enough in a blizzard?), we found a pizza place that was open and had some delicious mashed potato pizza with artichoke hearts. Yes, mashed potatoes and pizza. Carb overload, and a New England thing, but delicious. Don't judge until you try it.

Today, since I have no reason to go downtown, I'm staying in to study. Hot chocolate may be in order.

--
iTunes: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling (yes, yes, I know... Harry Potter at 10:00 a.m. when I haven't started working yet...)

amsterdam: no. 6

2011-01-12T15:34:00.000-05:00

I like the "architectural longevity" of European cities. With the exception of some of the advertising, this looks much like I imagine it would have several decades ago. I love that about Europe -- in the US, it seems that something is barely a decade old before it is deemed "out-dated," and it's pulled down and replaced. And everything is built to last about that long anyway. As they say, in America, 100 years is a long time, and in Europe, 100 miles is a long distance.

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iTunes: Don Carlo, by Verdi

amsterdam: no. 5

2011-01-11T11:05:00.000-05:00

I like when cities have water and boats. And I like how open certain cities feel -- when the buildings are spaced out a bit and aren't too tall, and you can look up and see the wide-open sky. So I think I would quite like Amsterdam if I could spend more than 4 hours there. My first impressions weren't the greatest -- torrential downpours and jet lag didn't help -- but the next morning made up for it.

Courses have now started up for the semester, and today is full of meetings to discuss my choice of topics for comprehensive exams. A lot of people talk about how the process of taking qualifying exams is a horrible experience, but I am determined to look on the bright side. I think the studying process will play to my strengths, and as long as I work steadily and prepare well, I hope that the whole process could be a good, constructive experience. I've had a lot of fun brainstorming ideas for topics, and I'm curious to see which ones I end up doing. I have a meeting this afternoon about it and then a group meeting tomorrow morning, so I'm starting to narrow in on specific ideas.

--
iTunes: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling

amsterdam: no. 4

2011-01-10T08:38:00.000-05:00

When we arrived back in downtown Amsterdam the morning after arriving in Europe, the weather couldn't have been better. Or more different from the evening before, which had involved buckets of rain. The bright blue sky just seemed cheerful, and we walked around for a bit to take pictures and see what the city looked like in the light of day and without lots of rain.

Pretty nice, huh?

And now... off to start the first day back. Wasting no time diving right back into classes!

--
iTunes: Va tacito e nascost, by Handel

amsterdam: no. 3

2011-01-08T08:47:00.001-05:00

This is a shot of the Haarlem train station. After the morning walk, this is where we picked up the train to head into downtown Amsterdam for the morning. What I like about this shot is seeing the textures and lines of the iron work in the old station. I also like the silhouette of the older gentleman standing about halfway down the track. We spent quite a lot of time in train stations during the trip because we had Eurail passes and used them to get from city to city. It was convenient for all the places we wanted to travel, though the next time I go back to Europe, I probably won't try to fit so many different cities into one trip.

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iTunes: Circus Band, by Charles Ives

amsterdam: no. 2

2011-01-07T16:05:00.000-05:00

This shot was another one that I snagged on my morning walk along the canal. I loved seeing the reflection of the houses in the water, and I love how the black-and-white brings out the various textures in this image.

People have sometimes asked me which I prefer, color images or black-and-white images. It's hard to say, and impossible to really decide. But I must say that I love the classic crispness of a good black-and-white shot.

Often, when I'm out shooting, I know as soon as I frame the shot whether I want it in color or in black-and-white. I always shoot in color, because I like the flexibility that the color data gives me in editing a photo to be black-and-white, but sometime I frame a shot knowing that it will eventually not be in color.

--
iTunes: Sometimes I'm Happy, by Sarah Vaughan

amsterdam: no. 1

2011-01-06T09:47:00.001-05:00

It's been almost six months since the last post, and I'm long overdue for an update. Such is the life of a graduate student, though. There is no sign of the work letting up anytime in the near future, but I'll attempt to periodically share a few shots from the archives -- hopefully with more regularity than I've been posting.

To start with: here is one of my first shots from my trip to Europe last summer. The first stop was Amsterdam, but because of hiccups in our travel plans and nasty weather as soon as we arrived, I didn't pull out my camera until the day after we arrived. We took a walk around the outskirts of the city, close to where we stayed the night before, before taking the train into Amsterdam. Don't you love the early morning light here?

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iTunes: Beethoven, Missa Solemnis

europe 2010: trip #1

2010-07-29T13:07:00.002-04:00

Reality #1 of life as a graduate student: procrastination happens.

Reality #2 of life as a graduate student: procrastination doesn't happen as often as you'd like.

But a peek at my life lately will show you this lovely shot taken at the Vienna Opera House. This spring I had the opportunity to go to Vienna and Berlin as part of a graduate seminar I took in the Art History department. Even though I've been to Europe many times and even lived there for a little while, this was my first time in Europe with my Nikon D-80! Trip #2, incidentally, will be starting next week!

Life as a photographer-turned-graduate-student is good. Busy, but good. Not as many picture-taking opportunities (really, who wants to see pictures of all the papers I write?), but I am enjoying the new direction life has gone. Photography still happens, it is just much more under-the-radar these days.

Before I sign off, I will share a few more photos. Here is a VERY truncated survey of some of the pictures I took on my trip. Reality #2 keeps me from uploading more pictures and writing more blog posts about it, but I have put all the images on Flickr in case any of my former readers wish to see more. Enjoy!

The Postsparkasse, Vienna -- everything inside is in black-and-white, so this picture almost looks like real life.

The streets of Vienna -- quite lovely!

Though there are some interesting signs -- any fun commentary on what this one might mean? I think my favorite interpretation is "no heterosexual couples." (Incidentally, these are all over the old city of Vienna.)

And graffiti -- I always take graffiti pictures. Odd taste of mine I suppose.

Inside the Rathaus -- gorgeous, right?

One of my favorite shots of the Vienna streets. I like the lighting and the colors in it, plus how overtly European it feels.

Another shot, taken during a brief lunch break.

Walking through the Belvedere gardens. Snazzy in black-and-white, yes?

En-route to Berlin!

The sign on our very hipster hotel in Berlin. Cracks me up!

Museums. This is representative of where we spent most of our time.

Inside the Berlin opera house. Have to get as many opera-related pictures in as I can :)

View up to a monument.

Berlin streets. This is one of the very nice neighborhoods.

A model of the famous gate in Berlin. There was an exhibit with a model of what the city used to look like, and it was a neat way to access an understanding of the historical city.

Another Berlin neighborhood. A bit different from the other shot, yes?

Outside the city -- water and openness was nice after all the time in urban areas!

Picturesque, I thought.

Love the three doors here and the warm colors.

Quite enjoyed my macro lens on this excursion!

Potsdam! Great fountain in the square.

Love it.

Our breakfast table from the aforementioned hipster hotel :) Wish my breakfast table always looked this fabulous!

Love the gallery shot.

Reminds me of a picture I took close to my old apartment. But this is clearly much more fabulous :)

Hope all is well for my readers! Auf Wiedersehen!

photoshoot: X and Z

2010-03-20T00:46:00.000-04:00

Two of my favorite kids, X and Z are both adopted from China -- and don't they have the coolest first initials? I've posted some pictures of X before and since that post, she and her family went back to China to adopt Z. X has grown up so much and is becoming such a beautiful young lady, and Z is just the cutest little guy ever. I've known their family for years now, so it was bittersweet that I moved several states away just before they got Z. But in the short time I've had to get to know him, he has totally claimed a special place in my heart. How could he not?

We got to do a short photoshoot this afternoon -- and by short, I mean short. We were done in about 10-15 minutes. This is my favorite shot of the afternoon. It's faces like these that make leaving so hard.
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iTunes: Cavalleria rusticana

roses are red...

2010-02-16T00:22:00.000-05:00

Roses on Valentine's Day are nice, aren't they? It's a toss up whether I like the roses, the chocolate, or the champagne best. It was a pleasant treat to have all three this year, thanks to a great group of guys who got together and made a lovely dinner for the ladies!
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My iTunes: You Belong to Me by Carla Bruni

special delivery

2010-01-22T14:07:00.002-05:00

3 months and 7 days since my last post. Clearly, I have been shamefully lax in my posting. Sadly to say, I have also been shamefully lax in my shooting. What can I say -- the life of a graduate student is busier than I expected. I'm hoping to do more shooting this term now that I have my feet under me.

The start of a new term inevitably means purchasing books. In the past two weeks, I think I have come close to literally purchasing my weight in books. I love it. This special delivery, however, practically screamed to be photographed, so I grabbed my trusty Nikon off the shelf and had some fun before opening it. I wish all my mail looked as great as this package:

In the end, it was graduate school that kept me from my camera and graduate school that compelled me to get it out again. Ironic?

But speaking of graduate school, I have to go read that book that I opened yesterday...

iTunes: Figli del mesto cor by Handel, performed by Jochen Kowalski

new haven: part 2

2009-10-15T14:31:00.002-04:00

I spent last weekend back down in Baltimore, and it was wonderful to be "home" again. I've missed the people who became family to me over the past few years, and it was really nice to see some of them. It was a whirlwind weekend, though, and sleep has not been a big part of my life for the past week or so. Last week was the big crunch to get everything done before the weekend, and when I was in Baltimore, the days were absolutely crammed with visiting people. Dinner with parents, grandparents, and my youngest brother, hair cut, opera night with Brittney, stopped by to see Rachel, breakfast with Kelley, visiting Betsy, coffee with Julie... Non stop fun! Plus doing some errands since I don't have my car with me in CT. I now have warm clothes (hooray for sweaters!) and shoes that will not make my feet blister and bleed every time I walk to class. Perhaps the best part was my voice lesson and then hanging out with the best three-year-old ever.

New Haven is starting to feel like home, too. Getting back to my apartment after a busy weekend was really nice, and I was glad that I had a home-made frozen pizza ready to pop in the oven before retiring to my wonderful mattress (which I missed when I was in Baltimore). Although it was "a dark and stormy night" by the time I arrived on this corner, this is "my corner." Thought it would be a nice shot to share.

Fall has officially arrived, and it's in the low 50's today. I'm curious to see how quickly it gets really cold and if it will be noticeably different than what I'm used to...

And now, back to the grind...
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My iTunes: Cara Sposa, Amante Cara from Handel's Rinaldo

new haven: part 1

2009-09-27T14:50:00.004-04:00

I know it's long overdue, but I finally got to walk around my new town a bit and take pictures. Three weeks into the semester, my brain finally told me I needed a break. Instead of the short breaks I've been taking each day, I decided to give myself the whole day off from any sort of brain work. Well, a whole day split between two -- I took off Friday evening until Saturday evening.

After getting back from my last class on Friday, I make some comfort food, played a little (okay, a lot of) piano, then curled up and watched about six episodes of Bones, then hit the sack. Saturday I slept in, watched more Bones, played more piano, then went on my photo adventure. (Yes, I think I am now addicted to the show...) This was one of my favorite spots to photograph -- they're the stairs to the University Chapel, and I love how the steps are bowed with age. Convenient that the chapel is free for Yale students to use for weddings. Now all I have to do is locate a groom, right?

Well, since I was lazy for most of the weekend thus far, it's back to the grind for me. Finished Ives reading earlier, almost done with Schenker, still have to pull together a presentation for tomorrow, then start on Nazis. Time for more coffee...
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My iTunes: Welche wonne, welche lust from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail

my favorite 3-year-old

2009-09-05T11:09:00.002-04:00

Meet C. My favorite 3-year-old and one of my favorite people ever! I miss her very much since I moved away. She apparently asks for me all the time, and her new obsession is "Rice Christy Treats."

Sorry for my tardiness in posting -- what with moving and everything I've been short on time. And internet -- it's taken almost 3 weeks, 21 customer representatives, 2 installers, 1 non-showing-up installer, 3 dropped calls, 2 hours on hold, 2 more hours talking on the phone, and 1 official complaint before getting the internet working. Ridiculous...

Anyway, postings may be fewer and farther between now. I'm anticipating the work load for this graduate program to be pretty hefty, and am hoping to pick up a choir job that I'll hear back about soon. Plus after moving, I lost my client base, so there will be less opportunity for lucrative photography. I'll still put forth and effort to post, however!

See you around the internet!
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My iTunes: Nessun Dorma by Luciano Pavarotti
(My neighbor's iTunes: The Electric Slide)

my new shootsac

2009-07-28T10:38:00.008-04:00

Had to take a quick detour from senior photos to share some shots of my lovely new shootsac! Check them out here, and make sure to stop by their designer's wonderful blog-site!

Is it strange that I feel more like a "real photographer" when I include more than one photo in a post? :)
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My iTunes: Beethoven 9

photoshoot: emily 2010: take 1

2009-07-26T14:21:00.002-04:00

The latest of my photoshoots this summer was with Emily. Emily is my friend Brittney's younger sister, and we did a senior photoshoot (or actually, a series of two, thanks to the weather and sudden lack of light) this past week. She wanted pictures with the horse that she has ridden for the past 5 years, and I was excited to work with her. She was a ton of fun to work with, and she, her sister, and I went to Pizza Hut for dinner after out last installment. Yum, yum!

Sorry for my lack of posting lately -- life has been busy with working, photoshoots, voice and piano lessons (BEST part of the summer, naturally), and preparing to move, I've not spent much time blogging. I will try to share more photos before the move, and of course once I get to CT!
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My iTunes: At the River by Charles Ives

photoshoot: kiddie winkies: take 2

2009-07-10T20:32:00.002-04:00

This is R, G's big sister from yesterday. This is one of my favorite portraits of her from our shoot. She has this great curly hair that looks like an angel halo with the light. She looks so much like her mom, B, and her Aunt K!

Well, short post tonight -- today was an insanely stressful day at work, so I'm going to take a while and unwind...
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My iTunes: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, read by Jim Dale

photoshoot: kiddie winkies: take 1

2009-07-09T20:01:00.002-04:00

I had another great photoshoot with some really cute kids yesterday. This is G, and he and his older sister R are just too cute for words. This is one of my favorites of G -- I just love the goofy smile, and the sparkle in his eyes.
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My iTunes: El amor y la muerte by Daniel Lau

fourth of july

2009-07-08T17:41:00.004-04:00

Here is my somewhat belated Fourth of July post! There were over 7000 people there, and it was a veritable sea of red, white, and blue! The music was fantastic -- the BSO played various pieces throughout the evening, including the ever-popular 1812 Overture. My favorites were the Ives pieces, though. I took hardly any pictures because I was just enjoying the music so much, so here are my two favorite shots of the day.

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My iTunes: Mahler: Rückertlieder - Blicke Mir Nicht In Die Lieder by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson

bright summer days

2009-07-05T23:22:00.002-04:00

I meant to get some fun firework pictures for the 4th of July, but alas my view was blocked by trees and power lines rather unexpectedly. But it was a great 4th nonetheless! I went to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's special 4th of July performance, where they played at an outdoor theatre and the end of the concert was accompanied by fireworks. It was basically the perfect way to celebrate -- picnic in the park with friends, the orchestra playing the 1812 Overture and some patriotic pieces arranged by Charles Ives (whose Alma Mater is where I will be attending graduate school, incidentally) in the background, and closing with fireworks and accompanying music.

Being a musician, I was naturally most excited about the music, so it was really fun to be there with my friends Julie and Chris, both of whom are tuba players and fellow music-junkies. I guess we don't look like the kind of people who love classical music though, because an older gentleman who was one of the event volunteers jokingly said to us as we boarded the bus to the park, "And I'm sure you're all going for the music and not the fireworks." Little did he know how right he actually was :)

I did snap a few shots of the crowd -- 7000 people! But I haven't loaded them onto my mac yet, so I'll have to wait to show them for another day. I thought this shot was sufficiently summer-y, though. I love how forsythia is so bright and cheery!
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My iTunes: Early in the Mornin' by David Baker

photoshoot: three brothers: take 5

2009-06-28T20:27:00.002-04:00

"Cheese!" Just too cute.

Currently enjoying a quiet evening to myself -- listening to a little Charles Ives on my new clock-ipod-radio contraption (the last clock I had was so bright that it kept me up at night, even on the dim setting), sipping my new favorite summer drink, and slowly working on a little more deep cleaning and organizing. Thought I would take a break to put up a quick post.
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My iTunes: Circus Band by Charles Ives

photoshoot: three brothers: take 4

2009-06-24T17:02:00.002-04:00

Here is one of my favorite shots of S. He had the cutest little pouting face, and this is probably the most still he was for the whole shoot. I really love this shot, and so did his mama!
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My iTunes: Salut marin by Carla Bruni

photoshoot: three brothers: take 3

2009-06-23T14:57:00.003-04:00

We did the photoshoot on a football field -- fitting for three brothers, don't you think? S was a real mover, and didn't stay still too long. I managed to snap this shot as he was playing by the practice net down by one of the end zones. Two seconds later, he was just a blur, running as fast as he could toward the other end of the field.
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My iTunes: George by William Bolcom

photoshoot: three brothers: take 2

2009-06-22T14:26:00.002-04:00

Isn't this little guy just too cute for words?

At work again... back to the grind (literally, because I work in a coffee shop...)
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My iTunes: L'Amoureuse by Carla Bruni

photoshoot: three brothers

2009-06-21T17:39:00.002-04:00

I am resurfacing after a blogging hiatus! I did a quick shoot yesterday for a friend of mine who wanted some pictures of her boys for Father's Day. They turned out really well, and you really see the different personalities of her three boys. T is the oldest and definitely has the older brother mentality. E is the middle boy and my friend says that no one else in the world can make her laugh harder. S is the youngest and he marches to his own beat, and will be a little heart breaker one day. It was quite a fun shoot, and my friend was happy with the pictures. I'll probably put up a few more here soon, but this will be it for now!
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My iTunes: Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by the Trevor Horn Orchestra

musical art: part 3

2009-06-06T21:59:00.002-04:00

And here is the third and final installment. I'm excited to see them printed and put up on the wall. Actually, I'm just excited to see the walls in person!

I've been on the look-out for a bedding set for my apartment as well. Since I'm renting a studio apartment, the bed will be a significant fixture, so I wanted to be sure that I like the duvet cover I get. I saw one online that caught my eye, but wanted to see it in person. When I got to the store, they didn't have the one I was looking for, but I found one I liked better that was on clearance! And, thanks to some coupons I had, I got an additional 20% off. Score!

musical art: part 2

2009-06-04T13:57:00.002-04:00

Part two of my three-part musical art series.
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My iTunes: Beethoven's 5th Symphony

musical art: part 1

2009-06-03T23:19:00.002-04:00

In lieu of purchasing art to decorate my apartment this fall, I'm planning on decorating it with some of my own works. I want something a bit more abstract, but still involving photography. Since I'm slightly obsessed with music, I thought I'd try my hand at creating a series based on images of music. This is the first of the three I've created so far.
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My iTunes: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

graduation

2009-05-24T08:15:00.002-04:00

I did it! Graduation was yesterday afternoon. I graduated with lots of pretentious honors: Summa Cum Laude, 4.0 GPA, two departmental honors, six honors societies, 183.5 credits, the United States History Award, not to mention three majors and a minor. The program had an insert with blurbs about some of the graduates with exceptional accomplishments and/or plans, and I was included. All in all, I feel rather proud of my accomplishments!

One of the coolest things about the graduation was that I was the very last person in the entire graduation to receive their diploma. First, all the graduate students received their diploma in alphabetically order by last name, then the undergraduates without Latin honors, then Cum, Magna, and Summa, and I was alphabetically last for Summa. I think it's the perfect spot to be -- everyone cheers for you and there is no anti-climactic wait afterward for 300 more people to receive their degrees.

So now that I've graduated, my summer begins. I will spend some of this week unpacking and consolidating all the ridiculous stuff I've accumulated over the last four years, and I'll go right back to work on Monday. My summer class starts this week -- I'm taking an acting class for fun and to help my performance skills as a singer. And I'm hoping to get right back to my voice and piano lessons!
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My iTunes: Procession of the Nobles by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (this was our processional music!)

photoshoot: friends: take 10

2009-05-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today is graduation day -- fun, fun, fun!

photoshoot: friends: take 9

2009-05-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

At the close.

2009-05-21T09:00:00.002-04:00

Oh, so retro...

photoshoot: friends: take 7

2009-05-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for the close up...

photoshoot: friends: take 6

2009-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

On the steps of the library.

photoshoot: friends: take 5

2009-05-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

...jump!

photoshoot: friends: take 4

2009-05-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

Ready, set...

photoshoot: friends: take 3

2009-05-16T00:15:00.000-04:00

Thus commences my week of pre-posting while I am away! Enjoy!

photoshoot: friends: take 2

2009-05-15T00:07:00.001-04:00

Another shot from my most recent photoshoot. And much as I would love to write more, I have a lot of packing to do before 8:00 tomorrow morning, and a final to finish studying for. Ugh.
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My iTunes: Dippermouth Blues by King Oliver's Creole Band

photoshoot: friends: take 1

2009-05-14T07:46:00.002-04:00

I had a quick photoshoot yesterday. Some friends of mine were raising some money for a silent auction to provide scholarship money for people to go to the retreat next week, and I donated a 30-minute shoot for them to auction. The girl who got it decided to ask her friends who were graduating to do the shoot with her. It was a great idea and I think everyone had fun getting to know each other better, because they weren't all from the same core group of friends.

I'll probably share more of these over the next week or so. Since I won't have internet access while I'm away, I'll most likely put together some pre-posts and use the lovely post-ahead feature in blogger :)
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My iTunes: Gente, Gente. All'Armi from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro

photoshoot: the station: take 4

2009-05-09T20:30:00.002-04:00

One good shot of syrup deserves another I suppose. I am officially done with my undergraduate course work. I actually skipped my last class on Friday to spend time with a three-year old. It was a day well spent. I finished my last paper yesterday, and all I have left is polishing off my senior seminar paper and taking two exams. Since I'll be away the week after finals, I'm trying to work a bunch of extra hours this week. Then a few days after graduation, my summer class starts. Just for fun, I'm taking an acting class -- I'm very excited. Other than an acting class, I'll be taking voice and piano lessons. And hopefully watching my favorite three-year-old a lot. And working.

photoshoot: the station: take 3

2009-05-07T18:07:00.002-04:00

No one has correctly guessed what the last picture was, but it was from the same shoot as this shot -- at work. Since I'm leaving for work in about 40 minutes, I thought I'd continue in that vein and post another shot from there. Yesterday's shot was a close-up of the coffee collars (or sleeves) that we put the disposable cups in when serving things to-go. We keep them about 12 inches from where these bottles of syrup are. Now that I know how to make all sorts of "fancy" drinks, I tend to describe very specific creations when I order elsewhere, like "skinny vanilla-almond soy chai, dirty, no foam, no whip" or "skinny raspberry tiramisu mocha, half-caff, extra whip." I wonder what I'll make myself tonight...
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My iTunes: God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday

photoshoot: the station: take 2

2009-05-06T23:58:00.001-04:00

Can you tell what this is?

Now back to editing my MIDI project...
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My iTunes: Non so piu, cosa son cosa faccio from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro

"photobooth"

2009-05-05T20:47:00.003-04:00

I put this together from pictures I took on my cell phone, so the photo quality is somewhat less than desirable, but they were so cute I just had to share them. This little girl is one of my favorite people to be around. We had a ball together last week and I'm quite excited to see her again on Friday. For some odd reason, she loves the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas -- I'd never seen it until last week, and now I have her rendition of "This is Halloween / This is Halloween / Everybody scream" stuck in my head. I must say, the music in that movie is fantastic, but I would have been quite scared of it as a child. She's amazing though and it doesn't phase her.
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My iTunes: Violin Concerto in F by Vivaldo, Autumn from Four Seasons

photoshoot: the station

2009-05-04T00:43:00.003-04:00

I switched to edit my other photoshoot from this weekend. Work was really slow on Saturday, and since I had my camera, I had a mini-session. I'm really happy with how a lot of the shots turned out. The shoots on Saturday were very different -- the morning shoot was filled with lots of little girls, which means lots of pink and lots of action, while the afternoon shoot was mostly still life and macro shots.

Today was a non-stop day for me. Lots of "graduation-y" things, including an honors convocation and induction ceremony. Can you say l-o-n-g and b-o-r-i-n-g? I didn't realize how long it would be, and in retrospect I felt bad for picking my voice teacher as my faculty member to be in attendance. I should have picked someone I didn't like and made them waste an afternoon... She was very gracious about it, though. It meant a lot that she was so willing to be there for me, especially with her busy schedule -- if there is anyone who is busier than I am, and who works harder, it's her. How ironic that of all the voice teachers in all the world, I'd have her!

So, after the graduation-y events and tonight's opera performance (which went very well -- I quite enjoyed performing the Handel and the Mozart), I treated myself to an evening of watching Alias, without working on papers, but couldn't justify only watching, so I multi-tasked with editing. Now that it's nearly 1:00 a.m. and I still have paper-tweaking to do, I realize that I probably should have just kept my nose to the grindstone. No rest for the weary...
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My iTunes: Nur Stille, Stille, Stille! - Die Strahlen Der Sonne Vertreiben Die Nacht from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte

photoshoot: birthday party

2009-05-03T08:40:00.002-04:00

This was the first of the images I edited of the birthday party I shot yesterday. It was a very fun party, every five-year-old girl's dream party. Lots of pink and princess. XiXi had a blast and by the end completely crashed. I've just started editing, and I'll share more photos as I go, but I loved this one and had to share it right away.

Lots of graduation-y events today. I'm listening to the traffic outside and it sounds like it's raining... that should put an interesting spin on the events. But I'm wearing my fabulous new pair of shoes -- super comfortable turquoise wedges. I'm pretty excited!
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My iTunes: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

photoshoot: A

2009-05-02T09:19:00.003-04:00

This is one of my favorite shots from the most recent senior shoot I did. A and I have known each other since second grade, although we lost touch between elementary school and college. It's funny that we both ended up at the same small liberal arts college. I don't get to see her terribly often because we spend time in different parts of campus -- she's a science major looking at a career in medicine, and I've set foot in the science building twice in my college career. (I took my science courses at a community college during semester breaks, otherwise I would've had classes in there.) She has an interest in photography and was really excited to learn about it, so it was fun to talk about what I was doing during the shoot and then explain some of the editing process. I can't give away all my secrets, though...

Today I'm shooting my friend's daughter, XiXi's, 5-year-old birthday party. I've posted pictures of XiXi before, and it should be fun to do some shooting today.

I also donated a 30-minute shoot to a silent auction recently, so I should have another shoot coming up within the next two weeks, and a few other people have mentioned that they'd be interested. We'll see how it all pans out!

And if I can figure out how to get the pictures off my camera phone and onto my computer, I have some adorable (but very poor quality -- nowhere near the shots my Nikon turns out...) shots of me and my favorite three-year-old...
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My iTunes: Gallatry a Soap Opera by Douglas Moore

flowers

2009-04-22T18:38:00.005-04:00

'Tis the season for me getting flowers! I've gotten an unusual number of flowers lately, so I've had fun taking pictures of a few of them when I think of it. These were leftover from a party my parents had, and since they left town the day after the party, I brought these back with me to enjoy them. I love the velvety look of them.

Coming down the home-stretch -- I have 2.5 weeks left of classes. I should be good and go work on homework, but I might catch up on House instead...
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My iTunes: Wehe! Weh! Schwester, ach Schwester! from Wagner's Die Walküre

photoshoot: L: take 2

2009-04-17T00:28:00.003-04:00

Not such a "posed" picture, but for some reason I really like this one. L has such a fun-loving, vivacious, enthusiastic personality (and a great sense of humor -- she always has a big smile on her face and you can pick her laugh out from a crowd), and I think this shot does a decent job of capturing it. Kind of a quirky-action shot.

Got out of work in record time tonight (a.k.a. this morning), so thought I'd put up another quick post before hitting the sack
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My iTunes: Injurious Hermia from Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream

photoshoot: L

2009-04-16T18:47:00.003-04:00

This is one of my favorite shots from another senior photoshoot I did recently, only L is a college friend of mine. I'll share a color shot from our session later so you can see how amazingly blue her eyes are, but I like the texture of this shot a lot.

Quick post for the moment -- I have to leave for work in a minute and work the late shift. At least there will be caffeine involved...
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My iTunes: Ein Mädchen Oder Weibchen from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte

steps

2009-04-14T15:41:00.003-04:00

Another shot from my trip to Annapolis.

I'll try to post again soon -- the end of the semester means my schedule is cram-packed...
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My iTunes: Injurious Hermia from Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream based on the play Shakespeare.

my baby

2009-04-10T12:52:00.003-04:00

I love my macbook. I have no idea how I survived for so long without it, especially given the state of my old computers... I was showing my friend, Anna, how to work my macro lens and snapped this shot.

I'm currently taking a history of jazz class and my current project involves listening to vocalese pieces (a.k.a. pieces based on instrumental improvisations with texts inserted over lead instrumental sections). Given my affinity to opera, it's no surprise that I was drawn to this type of jazz subconsciously, because one source I was reading described a set of recordings as a "crazy jazz opera." Here is a link to a recording on YouTube of a piece that I enjoyed watching -- isn't Annie Ross's vocal range and flexibility astonishing?
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My iTunes: Everyday I Have the Blues by Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross

yellow rose

2009-04-07T21:28:00.002-04:00

One of the roses from one of the beautiful bouquets I received after my concert on Saturday. It went fantastically. I almost wish it weren't over. Now all that's left is a massive paper. Joy.

Work at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow. It think it's perfectly horrible.
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My iTunes: In Quali Eccessi, O Numi from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro

the color version

2009-04-01T23:12:00.002-04:00

The color version, because I felt the need to post, but was at a loss for finding a picture. I like it for different reasons than the black and white. I love the classic-ness of the black and white, though.

True story: I fell asleep on my books last night at 9:30 (thankfully I was studying in bed, not at my desk), woke up with my alarm at 8:00 and somehow turned it off and woke up again at 9:00. Must have needed the sleep, although it didn't help much with today's "pop" quiz... It definitely helped with my voice, though. I like sleep.
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My iTunes: Popolo di Pekino from Puccini's Turandot

self-portrait

2009-03-31T00:17:00.003-04:00

You'd think that being a photographer, I'd have tons of photos of myself laying around. Quite the contrary -- it's rather challenging to take a good self-portrait -- but thanks to my friend Anna, I now have one more to add to my "collection" of self-portraits. Thought I'd share it.

The first rough draft (emphasis on ROUGH) has been handed in, and for the rest of the week I'll be focuses on getting ready for my recital on Saturday. Should be a good performance!

Last week was full of opera -- Wednesday evening I saw my teacher in Don Giovanni and Thursday I saw her in Peter Grimes. Both were fantastic, and I wish I could see two such excellent performances every week! Grimes has been stuck in my head all day. The Interludes are especially gorgeous!
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My iTunes: Interlude #2: Storm from Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes

meet marlene

2009-03-23T14:28:00.003-04:00

This is my friend Marlene -- we met her when we went down to Annapolis last week. It has been a joy to get to know her better over the last few months. I'm jealous of the people who will get to spend time with her over the next few years after I move away. She is one of the sweetest, most selfless people I know. I wish I could introduce her to everyone, but this picture and short note will have to do.

I've been scatter-brained for the past few days -- to the point that I left my cell phone charger and my mac charger at my parents house when I came back home. My friend Anna is saving me and letting me borrow hers! Thanks Anna!

My voice lesson today was fantastic. Apparently my growing obsession with Mozart's Don Giovanni has helped my singing as I have practiced my favorite aria, Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata, practically non-stop. To illustrate the level of my obsession: last week, I watched my DVD of the 3-hour opera 6 times, listened to the whole thing on my ipod 9 times, listened to the whole thing on my computer 3 times, and watched almost every version of that aria on YouTube. It's fantastic music, and I get to go see my teacher perform this role on Wednesday! I'm beside myself with excitement... she's going to be fabulous!
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My iTunes: Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata from Mozart's Don Giovanni

annapolis: take 4

2009-03-21T09:29:00.002-04:00

As you may have seen from other pictures, there were a lot of ducks at the inner harbor when we went down to Annapolis earlier this week. My friend Marlene quite enjoyed lecturing the ducks on proper behavior. It was pretty funny to watch, but I managed to snap pictures anyway.

9 days and counting until this paper is due.
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My iTunes: Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten

annapolis: take 3

2009-03-20T09:48:00.003-04:00

Another shot from Annapolis.

Today I'm holing up and working on my massive paper. It must get done.
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My iTunes: My Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata sung by Solveig Kringelborn in the Metropolitan Opera performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni

annapolis: take 2

2009-03-19T00:09:00.004-04:00

Another shot from Annapolis. My friend Marlene might remember the ducks and the lecture she gave to them when we first arrived...

Lately, I've been having a hard time getting up when my alarm goes off. When my alarm went off this morning, I thought that I was going to get up when I intended to for once. The next time I looked at the clock, it was two hours later. Good thing I'm on "break" this week.

Still managed to accomplish something today, though -- I found a fantastic evening dress for my recital in a few weeks. And it was on clearance!

My iTunes: Che Gelida Manina from Puccini's La Boheme

annapolis: take 1

2009-03-18T00:29:00.005-04:00

Today I went to downtown Annapolis with a few friends, and it turned out to be a great day for taking pictures. It was a bit overcast, so the light was nice and diffused, but eventually the clouds broke a bit to allow for some blue. I wanted a shot down one of the brick roads, so I waited a while for a break in traffic (which was quite a feat).

This week I am on "break." I intended to hole up and write all week, but somehow my schedule filled up. I'll try to keep posting this week, but no promises...

My iTunes: Venite Pur Avanti from Mozart's Don Giovanni

aviators

2009-03-13T09:14:00.002-04:00

I know one of my friends has been waiting for me to post one of the shots I took of Anna in her aviators! Doesn't she rock them? Working with her felt like working with a professional model. It was like on America's Next Top Model -- "Pose, pose, pose! 30 seconds and we're done."

caboose: take 3.

2009-03-12T11:26:00.003-04:00

Another shot from the senior session. I really like the cross-processing I did on this shot. I think the style of this shoot works with the edgy editing.

And now a few shameless plugs for my current musical interests:

I just got a copy of the new CD my fabulous accompanist, Dr. Daniel Lau, just put out: Transcendent Colors. It is his debut recording featuring some of the piano music of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Enrique Granados, and Tan Dun. Dr. Lau is an phenomenal pianist (and the best accompanist I've ever had the privilege of working with), and I am thoroughly enjoying listening to the recordings. I highly recommend it -- check it out here.

And if you are in the Baltimore area, the Baltimore Concert Opera is putting on a production of Mozart's Don Giovanni on Wednesday, March 25. Tickets are extremely affordable ($25/$45) and selling fast. Last I heard there were about 50 left. It should be a wonderful show -- the soprano singing the role of Donna Anna covered the title roll in the last opera I was in, Dr. Lau will be accompanying, and my wonderful voice teacher is singing the role of Donna Elvira. I am counting down the days! For more information, or to get tickets, click here.

My iTunes: El amor e la muerte by Daniel Lau

caboose: take 2.

2009-03-11T17:15:00.002-04:00

More from the senior shoot. Another of my favorites.

Had my senior preview today for the recital I will be singing. It went very well, despite my concerns beforehand (multiple back-to-back sinus infections are not conducive to good singing).

It's so lovely and light outside, and I don't want to do work, but I should...

My iTunes: Waldesgesprach by Schumann

caboose

2009-03-10T22:16:00.001-04:00

This is another one of my favorites from the senior shoot I just did. Don't these two look like natural models? As the shoot went on and everyone relaxed into it, the pictures just got better and better.

I'm swamped with work, but am trying to be better about posting...

My iTunes: Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata from Mozart's Don Giovanni

Seniors 2009

2009-03-08T15:48:00.002-04:00

I thought I'd take a brief break in the Yale pictures and share an image from the photoshoot I did yesterday. These are some of my classmates and they wanted to do a photoshoot together. Once we got to the caboose, I was snapping like crazy. This is one of my favorite group shots. I'm enjoying editing them, but am taking a quick break to make cupcakes for Anna's birthday!

My iTunes: Giovinette Che Fate All'Amore from Mozart's Don Giovanni

new haven

2009-03-06T23:22:00.003-05:00

And JC gets another point: guessed the state and the university! I will be moving up to New Haven, Connecticut, this summer.

This is one of my favorite shots. I love black and white, and I love the lines and textures of this one.

But for now, I have a to-do-list that's longer than my arm and to top it off, we lose an hour this weekend...

iTunes: Je Veux Vivre by Gounod.

new england visit: take 4.

2009-03-06T01:00:00.005-05:00

I doubt that this shot will give a hint as to where I went, but I like it anyway so it will be today's post. Pictures of benches always make me think of my friend Anna.

Bravo to JC for guessing the state (Connecticut). I find it rather amusing that I will be moving to a state with my initials. Even funnier because one of my professors calls me "CT", which he believes is short for "Chord Tone." What can I say -- my life revolves around music.

Today's hint will be how old the university is: 308 years old. Older than this country, which is a rather odd thought.

Today was very busy. I left for class before 9:00 and was in classes or the MIDI lab until 6:00 with no break, then worked the closing shift at work. I wish I could reward myself with a good night's sleep, but I have to come up with a thesis between now and my meeting tomorrow. I've already pushed my luck a bit more than I'd like...

new england visit: take 3.

2009-03-04T08:59:00.003-05:00

Another shot from my trip to New England. I see that my last hint didn't inspire any guesses. This is a shot of one of the libraries at the university I was visiting. It really looks like a cathedral on the inside. I didn't manage to get pictures of the interior, but since I will probably be living there for the next 6 years, I should have ample opportunity for taking photographs!

My iTunes: No Name Jive by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra

new england visit: take 2.

2009-03-02T23:09:00.002-05:00

Well, it seems as if my failure to post regularly has certainly cut down on the number of regular blog readers I have. (Although I know a few of you know where I was visiting last week and aren't spoiling the surprise and "guessing" where!)

But here is a second installment. The campus was really gorgeous -- I wish I had more time to walk around and take pictures, but I was in and out of meetings and classes during my visit, plus I was fighting off a sinus infection so I wanted to stay out of the cold as much as possible.

Another hint as to where I was: the abbreviation for the state in which the graduate school is located can be found in each of the pictures I'm posting.

My iTunes: Sepia Panorama by Duke Ellington

new england visit

2009-02-28T08:26:00.005-05:00

I am currently in New England visiting a prospective graduate school. In between meetings with professors, lunch with current graduate students, and sitting in on classes, I had a few minutes to walk around the main campus with my camera. This is one of my favorite shots that I took, but it is hard to choose just one favorite. Since I have a few, maybe I'll post a bit more frequently for the next couple weeks. (No guarantees, though.)

The visit has been quite successful and I have really liked what I see. And even though I came down with a nasty sinus infection right when I came, I've really enjoyed myself. And my host student has been wonderful, even staying with me at the local pharmacy for over an hour trying to convince them to give me my prescription.

I'm sure I'll share more about my visit as I continue to post pictures, but for now I need to get things ready to fly out later today.

Any guesses as to what school I'm visiting? (Some of my readers know already -- NO CHEATING!)

My iTunes: C-minor Mass by W.A. Mozart