tag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906The Lyorn's Denlyornlyorn2023-11-29T11:46:14Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:235099November, so far2023-11-16T18:52:22Z2023-11-29T11:46:14Zpublic0Of the first 12 days of November I worked five days (1st of November is a public holiday in Bavaria), had five choir practises/rehearsals, and two performances. Apart from that, I slept a lot and read comfort fanfic.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/235099.html#cutid1">Rehearsals</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/235099.html#cutid2">Performance</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Anyway, that's done, and I won't continue to sing in that choir (despite the joy of "high and loud!"), because my calendar won't take it. I need an occasional weekday evening off.<br /><br />This week, I actually got some work done, did the laundry, read a book, and pampered the cat (who is well). Next week I'll be off work, and the least stressful part of the family comes to visit.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=235099" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:233635Singing: Ups, downs, and weirdness2023-10-26T21:34:32Z2023-11-17T09:37:22Zconfusedpublic0A lot of "up" in recent weeks and I even managed to resolve one of my drama points by sitting still and thinking about it. <br /><br />New (second) choir is fun because we sing LOUD and high, and quite often both at the same time. <br /><br />Of course, sometimes I run into stuff from other universes that is incomprehensible to me and would take me months of intensive training to learn at all, let alone to do it while singing. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/233635.html#cutid1">Cut for me getting everything wrong. You have been warned.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />My firmware is buggy.<br /><br />Fortunately I also have a completely normal and solvable challenge, which is how to sing a soft H5 for a single voice descant. I already managed once or twice, I only need to learn to do it reliably, and then it will be glorious. :-D<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=233635" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:227097Busy weekend, again2023-07-23T20:51:21Z2023-07-28T08:10:11Zrelievedpublic0<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/227097.html#cutid1">Friday</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/227097.html#cutid2">Friday evening and more role playing game trouble</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/227097.html#cutid3">Saturday and a happy end</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/227097.html#cutid4">Sunday and a movie</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/227097.html#cutid5">Things going... actually well??</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=227097" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:225751Flowers, and a midnight concerto2023-07-02T21:00:45Z2023-07-10T12:08:56ZWasted Yearshappypublic0After a week of (I felt) not much happening (I failed to get light black cotton trousers, and got rained on, which was more fun than trying on clothes), Saturday made up for it. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/225751.html#cutid1">Flowers</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/225751.html#cutid2">Music festival</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/225751.html#cutid3">Midnight heavy metal, campfire-style</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Also, last week I went swimming. 300 metres, 10 minutes. After what I did to my shoulder last year, I did not dare more, and the arm is still weak. But, at least I did it, and the shoulder did not complain. <br />And I brought a box full of junk to the give-and-take pavilion, had a nice talk about cats with a woman who was looking through what was there. <br />And had ice cream. Twice.<br /><br />One more week of vacation!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=225751" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:225069Choir rehearsal weekend2023-06-26T19:04:43Z2023-07-10T12:06:36Zaccomplishedpublic0Friday to Sunday, my long-time choir had a rehearsal weekend in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammelburg">Hammelburg</a>. The small town's claim to fame is being the oldest wine-growing town in Franconia.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/225069.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />The first day of my vacation (= today) I spent doing nothing. So, that was a good day, too.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=225069" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:224818Tired2023-06-21T22:02:14Z2023-09-15T08:46:12Zsleepypublic2Might be the weather, but this week really took it out of me. I'm so glad that it's my day off tomorrow. And that I have two weeks of vacation upcoming.<br /><br />Work, if watched through the most rose-coloured glasses imaginable, will soon provide me an opportunity to regain some of the skill and focus that being sick and then in HO for 2 years has lost me. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/224818.html#cutid1">Cut for unspecific details</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Today at choir practise I had just run out of fucks to give, which was kind of relaxing. I do not know why everyone was so agitated, I mostly just phased out and sang when required. Our conductor got into some details of pieces that I already know, which, I feel, they should do a lot more often -- and earlier! It still was helpful.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=224818" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:222596Things I'm doing: Singing2023-05-27T22:17:25Z2023-06-09T08:00:00Zpublic3Tuesday this week was the yearly outdoor performance of eight small choirs of the city. It's a small event in the park, there's no stage and the seating is beer benches or folding chairs. It's free, and people can just walk in, find a seat or sit on the grass, and listen for as long as they like. Which is nice. <br /><br />The performers stand with their backs to a 300 year old orangery, singing towards the garden, unplugged, and while it's a lovely place, it's not a great setup for small amateur choirs. The sound just gets lost, and you hardly hear what the person next to you is singing. Plus, if the day has been warm, the evenings are quite damp. <br /><br />We did OK, but I many of the other choirs were struggling (as they do every year). It's a bit sad. <br /><br />At least this time it was a cool, dry, windy day, turning to a cool, dry, windy, not-damp evening, which was something. And afterwards we went for pizza. <br /><br />--<br /><br />Which completed a week of too much pizza, but that's another story.<br /><br />--<br /><br />I've been singing in this choir for 23 years come November, and while I generally like it, it forms some habits, and one of the worst is anxiety, which leads to drama. I won't bore you with it, I'm boring more than enough people with it already. It's not grand opera. <br /><br />So I decided some time ago that I need <i>more</i> music in my life, and Thursday last week I showed up at the rehersal of one of the large (still amateur) choirs in the city. Ceridwen and Gwydion have been members for years and had talked to the orga, so a heap of sheet music (and a bunch of compliments for our performance in the park) was waiting for me when I showed up, and ... goodness. I'm scared. <br /><br />What we will be performing (in November) is Mendelsson's "Lobgesang", which is a) hard to sing (not difficult musically, but physically), b) long, and c) a bit beyond my comfortable range (which is high mezzo). I'll have to do everyhing right with that one, or it will end in pain. <br /><br />And something by John Rutter, which spends even more time on Bb5<br /><br />OK. I wanted a challenge. I can do this (I think), it's going to be interesting, and it's damn beautiful music. <br /><br />-- <br /><br />What I still cannot do well is singing with a micro. I don't know *what* I'm doing wrong, but last band practise ten days ago killed my talking voice for hours. One should think that it'd be <i>easier</i> with a PA system, but it's easier the same way that sailing is easier than swimming, I guess: You have to know how to do it.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=222596" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:220572Argh2021-12-22T20:19:29Z2021-12-22T21:26:29Zannoyedpublic3I had planned to spend a lot more time making music. I've become sadly out of practise over the last twentysomething years. Unfortunately, the least convenient of all possible worlds wants to come and play, too. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/220572.html#cutid1">Cut for whining</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=220572" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:212341That went ... better than expected2019-01-27T23:59:02Z2019-02-11T11:22:26Zrelievedpublic0Stage fright, as usual, stopped when the audience was in and the lights went on. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/212341.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=212341" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:212173Stage fright, I guess2019-01-26T20:08:01Z2019-02-11T08:11:57Zworriedpublic1Tomorrow, our small choir (12 singers) will be performing in a church. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/212173.html#cutid1">Cut for whining</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=212173" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:209119Weekends2018-07-22T20:52:47Z2018-07-22T20:56:56Zaccomplishedpublic0It's amazing how long a busy weekend filled with nice things can feel. <br /><br /><u>Role playing games</u><br /><br />Last weekend, we were playing one of our SF RPGs. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/209119.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><u>Music</u><br /><br />This Friday, our choir had the most relaxed performance of the year at a village party. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/209119.html#cutid2">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><u>Other stuff</u><br /><br />Saturday morning, it was raining (very good thing). I had some friends over for breakfast (one of them was visiting from the Hamburg area), we talked (mostly about role playing games, as usual), and after breakfast, I met with K__ and mad_freddy in the boulder hall. I feel as if I'm not progressing much (it's always harder than it seems, and my strength does not last as long as I feel it should), but I actually <i>see</i> that I am progressing, as the difficulties are colour-coded, and I have now made first attempts on green (medium easy) and can to most orange (easy).<br /><br />Of course, in the night, everything hurt and I couldn't sleep. *sigh*<br /><br />So I went to the pool later today than I should. The rain had stopped and it wasn't quite as empty as it could have been, but OK. <br /><br />Other than that, I also read a few Silmarillion fanfics, which I might link to in some future posting, and made a chocolate-cherry cake and should write down the recipe... but not right now. I read a lot of kid's comics from the 70s, mostly French ones, and enjoyed it more than I would have expected, and now I'll be off to write a small scene inspired by the comics, about a hellish boat ride which fits just fine into a story that I really should pick up again. <br /><br />To bad that even a longish weekend ends!<br /><br />Also: There is a lunar eclipse next Friday early in the night. I need to find a good space to watch it.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=209119" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:205033What I've been up to2017-12-06T08:36:53Z2017-12-06T08:36:53Zgroggypublic0Not journaling, obviously. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/205033.html#cutid1">October: A short vacation</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/205033.html#cutid2">October 31st: Food</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/205033.html#cutid3">November 19th: Another move</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/205033.html#cutid4">December 2nd: Choir Concerto</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/205033.html#cutid5">December 3rd: Christmas markets and snow</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />I do not expect much in the way of holiday stress for December. I don't have the energy left to be stressed, worried, or anything.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=205033" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:202802Two Sundays2017-07-17T21:42:37Z2017-07-19T10:11:39Zweirdpublic0Sunday before last, the 9th, I was at a <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/202802.html#cutid1">regional choir festival</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br />This Sunday (yesterday) <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/202802.html#cutid2">I was sick at home</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />I stayed home from work today, because while my head was not filled with pain anymore, it was stuffed with cotton instead. After some tea, that improved. and I read up on the details of WorldCon 75 in Helsinki. Three weeks to go. I hope I will be a little less overwhelmed this time, and maybe even get around to <i>talk</i> to a few people!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=202802" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:201917Journaly Things: My Week2017-06-18T21:56:02Z2017-12-29T07:16:43Zcontentpublic0This week had a public holiday on Thursday, which is always good. <br /><br />Other than that... <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/201917.html#cutid1">Work</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div> <br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/201917.html#cutid2">Role Playing Games</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/201917.html#cutid3">Music</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/201917.html#cutid4">Movie: Wonder Woman</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/201917.html#cutid5">Cat troubles</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___6" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/201917.html#cutid6">Weekend</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___6" aria-live="assertive"></div> <br /><br />And that was it, more or less. Quite a normal week, really. Execpt with one day off.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=201917" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:47648What I've been up to: Travelling a lot, and other things2016-06-19T15:09:40Z2016-06-19T15:10:09Zhungrypublic0Though I cannot blame "not writing" on "travelling"... but just a few notes here, for me to keep track of my life. <br /><br />Currently I'm on holiday, but at home. Trying to do something about my to-do list, because I barely managed to keep up with the necessities so far.<br /><br />May 6th to 9th we had a choir weekend in the <a href="https://www.musikakademie.bayern/home/">Bayerische Musikakademie in Alteglofsheim</a>. I did not get lost in the building this time!<br /><br />May 10th to May 15th I was home because of a family emergency. I did not really plan that. Fortunately, I got time off work on very short (4 workdays) notice. <br /><br />May 26th to May 29th we were at the choir festival in Stuttgart. It was OK. Hot. Some thunderstorms. A bunch of good and a few very good choirs, but nothing that knocked off my socks. (Maybe the <a href="http://www.theswingles.co.uk/about/">Swingles</a>. But they were kind of in a class of their own.)<br /><br />Jun 7th to Jun 14 I took the <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/travel-suggestions/norway/classic-voyage-south-kirkenes--bergen/">Hurtigruten Boat trip from Kirkenes to Bergen</a>, <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/47648.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />I read Naomi Novik's "Uprooted" (nice, liked it), Perceval Everett's "God's Country" (good, hated it), Catherine Asaro's "Carnelians" (OTT, but fun), and half of Daniel Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow" (very interesting, but I argued a lot with it in the margins).<br /><br />Other than travelling, we played our on-going SF campaign on May 22nd, <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/47648.html#cutid2">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />We had a few performances with the choir<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/47648.html#cutid3">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Sunday Jun 5th I held a Kaffeeklatsch <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/47648.html#cutid4">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />I'm feeling kind of OK now. As long as I do not think about having to go back to work in a week's time. Maybe I'll write something more about the Norway vacation. But, knowing myself, most likely not.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=47648" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:45320Better than expected.2015-09-20T20:55:54Z2015-09-20T20:55:54Zokaypublic0Friday evening, we had a neighborhood get-together, which was scaring me. A lot. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/45320.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br />Saturday, one singer from the ensemble belatedly celebrated her 60th birthday, and we were invited to sing, eat, and generally party.<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/45320.html#cutid2">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br />***<br /><br />Um. And did I mention I got a piano last week? But that's another story.<br /><br />Four work days to go, and then two weeks and a day of vacation. I really need it.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=45320" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:43186Food: Something quick for a summer party2015-07-30T08:17:59Z2015-07-31T06:28:01Zokaypublic0Yesterday was my choir's end-of-year party, with school holidays starting and our practice room being unavailable until mid-September and everything. It's a potluck, and this year I found that I had two hours between leaving work and arriving at the party, which, considering that about 1 hour of those two will be spent driving, is not a lot of time. (Yes, I know, and I regularly read that other women need 20 minutes to cook dinner, and 3 minutes to get ready in the morning -- let's say, I don't. I need 10 minutes just to cook an egg.)<br /><br />So, I took liberties with the idea of a tiramisu: <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/43186.html#cutid1">Strawberry curd cheese cream on cookies</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Party was nice. The recordings from our singing on Sunday had the wind roaring like a freight train, but as far as we could discern, were did not sing out of tune, even though we did have a lot of fuzzy entries. I could not hear myself singing, which surprised me: My pronunciation is so bad that I usually recognize it on the first line.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=43186" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:42573Music, and weather, again2015-07-27T22:04:59Z2015-07-27T22:04:59Ztiredpublic0And then, yesterday, we were at that big choir meeting in the small town. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/42573.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=42573" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:38749Diary: My week -- Car troubles and rain2014-08-04T10:12:15Z2014-08-04T22:19:57Zgloomypublic0Yesterday evening I said to Ceridwen, "The usual. I did nothing this week". She remarked that that could not be true. She was right. So, before another week ends up in my mind as "nothing happened" and another year disappears in the "nothing has happened" fog, I'll try to keep at least a short list. Cut for boring.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/38749.html#cutid1">Rain</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/38749.html#cutid2">Car troubles</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div> <br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/38749.html#cutid3">Choir party</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Sunday Ceridwen came back from a music festival and we had some tea and cake. <br />And today it looks like there will be another thunderstorm, and I am again driving Ceridwen's car.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=38749" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:29479Journal-y things: This Week.2013-09-08T21:32:54Z2013-09-08T21:32:54Zscaredpublic0If last week was better than expected even when it shouldn't have been, this week ...wasn't. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/29479.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=29479" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:27550Somewhere there's music...2013-08-17T21:52:50Z2013-08-17T21:52:50Zweirdpublic0The neighbors are having a party, and now it's close to midnight, one guy is playing the guitar (not very well), and singing (not too bad). I can make out most of the songs. Currently it's "Skyfall". <br /><br />I would enjoy being there, but listening isn't too bad, either. There's a magic in this.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=27550" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:22439Busy weeks, bad weather, no results2013-03-27T14:13:16Z2013-03-30T21:50:51Zlistlesspublic0I promised some journal-y things, mostly to myself, because I dread looking back at the year in December and think, "2013, did that year even happen? What did I <i>do</i>?"<br /><br />So, here they are. <br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/22439.html#cutid1">Music</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/22439.html#cutid2">Vacation, week 1</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/22439.html#cutid3">Vacation, week 2</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/22439.html#cutid4">Back to work</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />And that's pretty much it, for now.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=22439" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:18079Preparations, Day 9 and 102012-12-07T00:06:09Z2012-12-07T00:06:09Zdiscontentpublic0I feel that I'm getting tired, or lazy, or focused on the basics. Some tasks start to get moved from one day to another, never completed. I do too much of nothing, and not even the things I want to do when I have nothing else to do. <br /><br />In part I blame the weather, but mostly the need to meet some carpenter or plumber or electrician every darned morning, so I never can start a day rested and energetic.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/18079.html#cutid1">Wednesday: Looking at furniture, and music fail</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/18079.html#cutid2">Thursday: The drag continues, panic sets in</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/18079.html#cutid3">So. Tomorrow</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Send good thoughts.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=18079" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:15750Not dead, just tired2012-11-17T22:03:21Z2012-11-18T22:20:24Zpublic0Things are happening in my life, and if I do not give myself amnesty for all the postings I meant to write, I will never write another posting again, I feel. So, amnesty given. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/15750.html#cutid1">What's going on, in short. Well, kind of.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />And that's it, more or less. Well, less, actually despite this being a long post. It has been a long year. And now there are Christmas decorations outside in the grey and dry November overcast.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=15750" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-20:374906:9503Choir festival in Frankfurt, Part I2012-06-13T21:59:11Z2012-06-14T07:47:21Zaccomplishedpublic0Thursday to Sunday of last week (June 7th to 10th), the choir I sing in was at the <a href="http://www.chorfest.de/news/ueber-das-chorfest/">2012 Choir Festival in Frankfurt</a>. That was fun. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/9503.html#cutid1">Getting there</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/9503.html#cutid2">Arriving</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/9503.html#cutid3">Music</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://lyorn.dreamwidth.org/9503.html#cutid4">Evening</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />More to come...<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=lyorn&ditemid=9503" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments