By Singing Light: May 2009

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Update

SO. Tomorrow I head off to the land of corn and soybeans, aka Indiana (INDIANA CORN! I can hardly wait!). I'm working on packing and getting last minute things done today. Of course I got distracted by an excellent book, The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios, which I've spent a good part of the morning reading.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Refocusing

I've been re-reading the archives here for the past day or so, in connection with a project which will eventually be revealed. It struck me how much enthusiasm I had when I first started this blog. How much I posted.

So. I'm trying to refocus. Trying to capture some of that enthusiasm again. I don't know how much I'll be online this summer--I'm staying with friends for most of it and I have no idea what their internet situation is like--but I will try to post here as often as possible.

There's a corollary to all of this pondering. I'd like to know what you enjoy seeing here. It's my blog, etc, etc. But the best thing about blogs, in my opinion, is the sense of community they can create. If there's something I've done in the past that you've enjoyed, let me know. If there's something you've been curious about, let me know. It's a two-way street, so to speak.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

If I'm not around very much for the next week or so, know that it is not because I don't love you all. I'm leaving this Saturday (it seems so unreal) and I've got finals this week until Friday. And then I'm spending a few days in Boston with a good friend and meeting up with some fabulous folks. SO. A busy few days.

I went into Foyle's today, on Charing Cross Road, looking for books for others. And then I bought Howl's Moving Castle for myself. *weeps* I couldn't help it! I love the new UK cover! It's so much better than any other Howl cover I've ever seen. I mean, the horror that is this or even this or the serious prettiness that is this? If they had any of the new Elizabeth Goudge editions, I would have been completely sunk. I won't buy a book for it's cover, but if I already want a book, a pretty cover will drive me to actually take out my pocket book. I mean, look at this. *drools*

Speaking of drooling, when we went to Cambridge we went inside the Trinity College Library. I was practically a weeping mass when we finished walking through. I WANT IT. And then we stayed for Evensong at King's College Chapel, and yes, it was the boy's choir and incredible. There may have been actual real tears involved.

And then the next day, a friend and I went to Oxford where we happened upon an exhibition in the Bodleian entitled "The British Choral Tradition." They had the original manuscript copy of John Rutter's "The Lord Bless You and Keep You," Handel's conducting score for the Messiah, and the oldest extant copy of Thomas Tallis's "Spem in Alium." I choked up, especially with the Rutter because that's basically my favorite piece of his EVER and at least one of you knows what a nutty Rutter fan I am. I just...yeah. It was incredible.

All of that keeps reminding me, even though I don't want to be reminded, that going back is really going to stink for awhile. I just have this horrible vision of waking up and going, "A new day! What can I do?" and then realizing there really isn't anything except...going to the library again? *sigh* I may be making too much of it, but I think it really will be rough for a bit.

I will be staying in Indiana for part of the summer with my godmother and it looks like I'll be able to go to one of the weddings taking place this summer. Glory to God!

Congratulations if you made it through this very rambly, all over the place entry.