Knitting Cybrarian

Birds and bees.... and Bible school?

Last night was night 4 of Vacation Bible School.  Just one more to go!

During music time last night, all of the children sat on the floor and I sat on a chair in front of them.  I was talking to them, trying to get them settled, when there was a little surprise.  One of the younger boys, let's call him Owen, who is about 4, decided to check out the music teacher.  I wear long skirts during the summer, and he picked up my skirt to check out what was underneath it.

"Owen, please don't do that.  Stop."

He dropped my skirt.  The boy next to him decided it was a good idea, so he picked up my skirt and started to look underneath it too.  "Stop.  Please don't do that.  There's nothing exciting underneath there.  Boys, I'm not doing that to YOU."

I didn't think I'd be teaching this at Vacation Bible School. 

The Wedding Singer

Well, I was one of the wedding singers today.  I was in pretty good voice today.  I drank lots of water, not as much coffee/dairy and skipped lunch to help it along.  Nothing like a burp coming on  when you take a deeeeeeep breath!

You may wonder, what does a wedding singer wear?  I have to tell you that I LOVE being a musician in the Episcopal Church.  Why?  Because clothing choices aren't much of an issue.  Since I wear vestments over my street clothes, I just need to make sure that my top doesn't show and that my skirt/pants, socks/stockings and shoes are black.  Easy for this pianist and singer who owns lots of black dress clothes.

The service went well, and when I sang the first song, the bride and groom turned to watch me sing (I was at the back of the church next to the piano).  Wow.  My heart leapt and I prayed that I would give them and God my very best blessings on their marriage.  What fun!

Not in MY library

'cause:

• there's no card catalog
• no law books here (music library)
• there would be MUCH better music

Don't expect me to duplicate this performance...

(yes, it's fake - the impact doesn't correspond to the correct pitches relative to high and low, but it's still pretty neat!)

Work, sing, knit

That's what I've done this week.  We've had a number of librarian candidates in the past few weeks, so having two days without candidates = getting work done!  I finished the lovely AbFab afghan Sunday night (and yes, I'll get photos up soon), and have been knitting on a couple of other things since.  And choir rehearsal kept me above the staff tonight.  I really should have stood up the entire rehearsal (easier to sing high when standing and using good vocal technique), but I didn't.  I'm paying for that because I'm more tired than usual.

Very windy and cool tonight.  I'm surprised the fireplace damper hasn't opened!

My feet hurt

It's been about 15 years since I've sit down and seriously played the organ.  Yanno, the right hand plays one keyboard, the left hand plays another and the feet play the pedal keyboard.  I only took a year of organ lessons in college, but it was enough to get the basics and be able to accompany a children's choir on organ as a paid gig later.  And do weddings, of course.

So here I am, years later and trying to do a crash course for Christmas Day services, where there will be all of 10 people at each service.  Christmas Eve I'm playing organ too, but I decided to wimp out and use the "pinky to pedal" switch for when I'm playing the Great.

Here's the kicker, though.  I couldn't find organ shoes in my size (women's 12N) way back when, so I used some leather Daniel Green slippers.  Not great, but it was okay.  Those slippers are long gone by now, though.  I played in stocking feet today for several hours and now my feet hurt.  I was also reminded that wearing organ shoes is not only for accuracy, but to protect one's feet.  As I was feeling for the right notes, I kept hitting my toes against the sides of the black pedal keys, and OUCH was the result of doing that time and again.

Must practice piano tonight along with getting the notes down for a manuals-only piece I'm playing Christmas Day.

And bake... and bake... and bake some more tonight. 

Music recommendations

Haven't posted anything on music for a while...

• LOVE this video and song:  JCB by Nizlopi.  Wonderful tribute to a loving dad from a 5 year old's perspective.  Graphics are incredible.  Monkee hub also created an animated video for Radiohead's Creep.
• Recommended (yet again)  what I consider to be a great album for someone who thinks they like jazz, but didn't tell the gift giver what kind of jazz they like.  John Coltrane's My Favorite Things.  Coltrane does some incredible circular breathing in this (or it seems like) -- his phrasing and embellishment is fabulous.  Just my humble opinion of course.

Happy listening!

Palm Sunday

For church musicians, today is the official start of practically living at the church week.  Many have an irreverent name for this week, which I will not repeat here, but if you've talked to me in person, you know what that is.

I worship at a church with two Sunday services, only one of which has music.  This morning's music includes soprano reaches up to a G (or is it an A) above the staff.  Easy stuff for a real soprano, but I'm a mezzo who's singing in the rafters with this group.  So I got up early this morning to let my voice wake up.  I have to warm up and practice at home before I go to church.  It helps to get things exercised, although my cat doesn't like it when I vocalise way up high.  My singing voice isn't so pretty at 8am.

However, I've sung at other churches that had 3 Sunday services -- two with music-- and I was a faithful choir member and sang at both of the music services.  And at those churches, Easter Sunday had 4 services, 3 with music.  Plus the Holy Saturday vigil the night before, ending at 1am on Sunday.  One of those years several of us were bad.  Really bad.  We went out drinking after the vigil service, ended our time at 3 or 3:30am just to have to be at church at 7am ... I was younger then.  I won't be doing that this year.

Today's a busy day.  Church service, co-teaching a sock class at The Studio, meeting one of my Aran Knitting students for a "make up" class, then dinner with a Library Dean candidate.  Anyone for a cup of coffee or a diet Coke??

Transferring

When I bought my new laptop over a year ago, I did not transfer my music files.

So here I am, a few evenings before I'm supposed to leave town, transferring my music library over to my laptop, CD by CD. 

I talked with Mosker around 9:30pm, who reminded me to wrap it up for the night soon and rest.  And here it is... 2+ hours later and I'm still going.  But not for long.

Mosker recommended strategies to make this easier next time I upgrade my laptop.  I hope I remember to ask her about it....