pictures at the coffee house

Pictures at the Coffee House
September 2008

My iTunes: Je suis une enfant by Carla Bruni

Here they are -- I've just ordered 11x14 prints of each of these. I'll pick them up later today (because it's almost 2:00 a.m. on Saturday) and take them over to the coffee shop. I was there last night and the owners were really excited. I'll try to remember to take my camera with me and share a shot of the line up.

Now, time for bed!

sienna, italy

Sienna, Italy
August 2008

My iTunes: Romeo Et Juliette by Gounod

I guess it's time for a quick update, this time with a picture. The computer is back and running like it was before... whatever that means. The data recovery guy wasn't able to get any of my research or my 50-page paper off of it, so I'm actually sitting in a Cosi in Philadelphia right now after two days of hard core research. It's one of my favorite chain restaurants of its kind, and we don't have any near where I live, so I'm enjoying the chance to eat here.

Yesterday I spent 11.5 hours in the archives with one bathroom break (yes, I counted) and only stopping otherwise to go outside to inhale a granola bar while waiting for the next of my research items to arrive. Thank goodness today was shorter -- the archives were only open for 8.5 hours. You know you're hard core when you get there before half of the librarians and have to wait outside until they open, and then the head librarian offers to stay late so you can finish up. In the past two days, I think I've covered what nearly took me two weeks to do in June (only this time instead of having searchable, transcribed versions typed up, I just have pictures of everything, which means I've taken thousands of pictures, but none that I'm allowed to share). It might actually be possible to look at everything in three days that I looked at in three weeks.

So that's the latest on the computer and research. As for photography -- a big thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support for my show! I've gotten to edit a few shots so I can pick which ones to sell at the local coffee shop. I've made a Flickr set -- check it out and comment on which ones you like best. This is one of my personal favorites.

I'm not relishing time spent with my computer at the moment, and I still have a ton of work to do so I can make the most of my last 8.5 hours in the archives tomorrow, so I'm going to end this here.

Ciao!

believe in miracles

Believe in Miracles

May 2008

My iTunes: What a Curse for a Woman is a Timid Man from Gian Carlo Menotti's The Old Maid and the Thief

This is one of the pictures in one of the two inspirational sets that I donated to the silent auction. I feel like it looks like it came right out of Hallmark, but I promise it's not a stolen image! This is one of the many shots I took when I was at the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Absolutely and stunningly gorgeous. With the exception of adding words, this image is not even Photoshop-ed.

I picked this image for today because I think back on everything I've accomplished today and it feels like a miracle. In the past 24 hours, I chose a topic for my final paper, completed the research, wrote 11 of the 15 required pages, edited a friend's paper, had a meeting with a professor, outlined the next steps in setting up two massive research projects, readjusted my schedule for the fall slightly, and practiced piano.

I also like this picture because it reminds me that God knows of all the beauty in His creation and delights in showing it to me. What an amazing thought it is to know that He created such magnificence as this, but He delights in me far more. That gives me such a sense of peace and contentment when I think about my busy life, knowing that He loves me for who He has created me to be, and not for everything that I do.

Do you believe in miracles? If I stop long enough to look at the course of my life and everything I have gone through, my answer is a resounding YES.

(...and I have to squeeze a musical comment in here -- I am fast becoming a die-hard Menotti fan. English is his second language, but the lyrics to his operas are phenomenally poetic and tantalizing. The music is full of rich dissonance in what I might classify as a neo-Romantic sense. The Medium was the first of his operas to which I was introduced, and The Old Maid and the Thief is the second. Next on my list is The Consul, in which my voice teacher sang the role of the Secretary. Wish I could have seen it/heard her!)

venetian bridge

Venetian Bridge

May 2008

My iTunes: Fleurs by Poulenc

The is the last of the three images from Venice that I donated to the silent auction. All the pictures seem to have done well: this set went for $27. The black and white set went for $22, the first inspirational set went for $16, the other for $22. It was fun to hear how people liked my images.

In other news, my audition today went as well as I could have expected. I don't think I made a fool of myself and I think I made it through with composure. It was a very stream-lined process without any chit-chat and I felt like I was in and out before I knew it. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing and I felt a bit lost, but the process was pretty simple and I'll know what to do next time. I think of this experience like my first master class -- an unknown quantity presenting a challenge that will be something I enjoy once I get my bearings. Overall, I think it was a success and I feel very proud of myself! I look forward to more auditions!

venetian street

Venetian Street

May 2008

My iTunes: Violon by Poulenc

This is possibly my favorite of the pictures I've donated. Even though Venice is gorgeous and it seems like it would be impossible to take a bad picture of Venice, it can be hard to get a really nice shot. There is an "unnamed" place that I visit relatively frequently that had bare walls for a long time and they recently put up some pictures of Venice. While I'm happy to see the large expanses of blank wall covered, you can tell the pictures were not taken with a photographer's eye. I wish they had taken me up on my offer to give them some of my photos...

The auction ends tonight at 5:00, so I can post the results with tomorrow's picture.

Yes, this is another of the three French songs that I am starting to work on. After tomorrow's audition that is. I am feeling much more nervous than I'd like to let on, which is a strange feeling for me because I don't get nervous very easily. 2:40 p.m. tomorrow seems to have snuck up on me since surgery.

And speaking of surgery, I can sit down! I was so busy running errands yesterday that have been put off for a month that I didn't have much time to sit and I completely forgot to mention the good news yesterday! Thank you all for your prayers! Sitting is more wonderful than I remembered!

the grand canal

The Grand Canal
May 2008

My iTunes: Mon cadavre est doux comme un gant by Poulenc

This is another fresco, but not like the one I posted yesterday. This is fresco-a-la-Photoshop! I thought it would be a nice segue.

Over the next eight days, I will be posting eight images that I just matted and donated to a silent auction to raise money for one of the groups on campus that I am very involved with. I'm actually donating nine photos, one of which is the picture of the lamp that I posted a few days ago (see it here). They will be packaged in sets: three are "frescos" from Venice, four are inspirational, and two are black-and-white shots of different lamps.

My good news of the day: I may have reworked my long term schedule so that I will be able to graduate on time AND have all three majors, with honors. I've spent the past few days talking to the bursar, the registrar, my advisors, a few professors, and the vice president of finances. It's been a long process trying to figure out how to manage my desired course of study, but it may work. I have to take two classes this summer, will get credit for the research fellowship I was awarded, will finish two classes from this semester that I just added, and teach myself a good amount of aural skills. It seems like a lot, but if I can accomplish that, I can potentially save myself $10,000. Here's hoping I can do it all.

This is one of my new songs. It's from a gorgeous series by Poulenc, of which I happen to be singing three. I accidentally stayed up until 1:00 last night working on pronunciations with my friend, Caroline, who is from France. Funny, but I've been "accidentally" staying up late a lot recently due to getting excited about school work. That seems rather unusual...

view down the wall

View Down the Wall

April 2008

My iTunes: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Movement II by Mozart

This is one of my favorite pictures. I can't really pin point why I like it so much. When I took it, it didn't really grab me as anything special. But the more I look at it, the more I'm inspired to look and reflect.

It's rather like a visual metaphor:

Life is a path, and you can't always see where you're headed. You just see pieces of the journey, and when you look at things up close, it might not even look like you're going anywhere, or that you're even on a path. It's tempting to keep your eyes down and just watch your feet as you walk, but if you look up you see the beauty all around.

But at the same time, it's the imperfections of the path that make it unique and almost beautiful in itself. If it were clean and sterile, it would be boring and lack luster. Each twist and turn, each crack and cranny adds a little spice. When you take time to stop and smell the roses, you see that each and every part of the journey is different and unique.

So, get out there and enjoy life. Every little bit of it.

good friday

Good Friday

March 2008

My iTunes: Depuis Hier... Que Fais Tu, Blanche Tourterelle from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette

This is one of my favorite arias from the opera -- it's fun one by Stephano, a male role cast to be played by a mezzo-soprano. Roles like this are known as "pants roles." They became popular as castrati were going out of style. Unfortunately, most people don't appreciate French opera as much as it deserves to be appreciated. Italian is the typical favorite. I just love it all! My recording of this opera is from 1983. Unfortunately the quality isn't the greatest, but perhaps I'm spoiled from hearing it live several evenings a week...

I thought this would be an appropriate image for today, Good Friday. I like the simplicity of this shot. It was taken from the Colosseum in Rome. You can tell it's not in America because the symbolism of the crucifix would never be allowed to be so prominent on an historic, public building. I like how the cross looks out over everyone beneath it, even while they "overlook" the cross. Too often I myself am guilty of that in my own life.

Anyway, blessings on this Good Friday.

monastery door

Monastery Door

March 2008

My iTunes: Marche au Supplice from Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique

Sorry for lagging in my posting... yet again. I spent most of yesterday in Baltimore for fittings and rehearsal for Romeo et Juliette. The rest of the day was spent in great pain because I couldn't take the effective pain medication until I got to Baltimore because you're not supposed to drive while taking it. I just didn't get around to posting.

This morning was spent at the orthopedic specialist's office, where I was diagnosed with a herniated disc. Tomorrow afternoon I will go for an MRI of the lumbar area of my back to verify the diagnosis, and for the next two weeks I will be on steroids to treat the inflammation around my S1 nerve.

This shot is of a door to a monastery in Assisi, Italy. I liked its rustic look -- just imagine how old it must have been!

marble floor

Marble Floor

March 2008

My iTunes: Symphony #3 by Brahms

Well, one visit to the ER later, I am back and posting. I spent this morning at the ER because of severe pain in my left leg. Now I am on muscle relaxers and strong narcotics and have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. Because it seems like I have something nerve- and/or disc- related, I'll probably have to get an MRI within the next few days. Hopefully we can get everything straightened out, the pain will stop, and my schedule won't be too terribly disrupted (especially with the opera rehearsals!)...

So, can you figure out where this floor is? It's quite famous, and the labels for this post should give you a hint...

water light

Water Light
January 2008

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

This was a shot I took almost exactly one year ago when I went to Venice. It was my second time in Venice, and I must say that I enjoyed it much more in January than I did when I went in September. There were a lot less people and the back alley smells were not nearly as pungent. It really is a neat city, though. One of the only cities that I've visited that I think I could get really lost in. Often times you can see where you want to go, but have no idea how to get there because you are confined to the walkways (you can't walk on the water in the canals). I snapped this from out speed boat when we went to see an exhibition of Murano glass.

I may be limited in my postings over the next few days/weeks. I seem to be having computer trouble (AGAIN) -- I woke up this morning and my computer was over heating and smelled like burning. Just my luck. Hopefully I can get it fixed quickly, but I don't know... I bought it less than a year ago, so really it shouldn't be doing this... Anyway, wish me luck!

carousel smoker

Carousel Smoker
December 2007

My iTunes: I'll Be Home for Christmas by Josh Groban

Another Florence shot (I seem to be in a Florence mood lately)... This just reminds me of something you would see in a magazine.

lovers' tension

Lovers' Tension
December 2007

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

I love how this picture seems to tell a story, and that you can practically cut the tension between the two people with a knife. This is, once again, one of my pictures from Florence, courtesy of the amazing zoom my camera has. I was probably 100 feet away. Not bad for a non-digital SLR camera...

Final grades were posted today for all my classes. I've been solid in the past, but one class was a bit up in the air as to whether or not it would break my streak. But I ended up getting two points higher than I had thought! I was slightly in shock when I saw those grades -- I honestly have no idea how I managed to get what I did given everything that happened this semester!

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering, I got an A in my digital photography class. My professor even kept talking about how I have a "good eye" and kept hinting that I might be able to do something with photography as a career! I don't know about that, but I definitely want to keep taking photographs!

florentine jewelry

Florentine Jewelry
December 2007

My iTunes: Con Te Partiro by Andrea Boccelli

I just found a note I had written to myself when I was in Italy almost a year ago about a song title that I really liked. I found it on iTunes and it takes me back to my Italian adventures... This was one of my favorite shots that I took on the trip, but now that I know how to work Photoshop, I've played with it a little bit. What do you think?