Out of the blue...

What Peanuts character are you?

2007-12-25T19:04:00-05:00

Is it any surprise I’m Schroeder? You can try yours here.

Bryant Park

2007-12-19T00:49:00-05:00

One of my favorite places in New York is Bryant Park. I ran across this time-lapse video - One Year of Bryant Park.

Photojojo’s Time Lapse Video of Bryant Park from Photojojo on Vimeo.

43 Things

2007-12-18T02:32:00-05:00

Goals are important in life - even long term goals. There is a site called 43things where you can lay out and keep track of your long term (or short term, I suppose) goals. Here are mine...so far…

Finish my doctorate
Write a book
Own a Lexus
Run a marathon
Learn the bass guitar

Just thought I’d share…

It’s not winter yet!

2007-12-16T21:16:00-05:00

So far this year we’ve had a number of nuisance snow falls...and it isn’t even winter yet. I do not like winter. I hate feeling penned up inside. I hate feeling cold. And I hate the thought of going outside and slipping and sliding. Last March, I believe it was, I slipped on some ice and ended up dislocating my shoulder. That was fun! So with these nuisance snow falls (and today’s was very icy), I have no great desire to go outside and brave the elements. Technically it’s still the fall. What will winter be like?

Podcasting

2007-06-09T02:40:00-05:00

I was given a video iPod for my birthday last week. I’m using this as an opportunity to experience a few more podcasts. A great place to start is iTunes. I have found some interesting stuff on there. From The New York Times podcasts, to the recent Future of Education conference and Project Tomorrow. Many of the TED talks are available. There are some really good talks to check out here!

At this point, I can’t imagine actually doing any podcasting....I’m not sure I have much to contribute there. But it has been fun christening the new iPod with some unfamiliar podcasts and vodcasts.

Not only do I have books sitting here waiting to be read, but now podcasts waiting to be listened to…

Photoblog

2007-05-20T06:05:00-05:00

I have created a photoblog and started to take some photos from Freddy Awards rehearsal today.

Several months back, I purchased a new digital camera. I did put it to pretty good use during the recent trip to Italy. I’d like to start taking more pictures and posting them on the photoblog. Check back often!

Today was our first day in the theatre. I love the set! It should be a fun week ahead as all the different pieces come together. The show will be televised on Thursday, May 24 on WFMZ Channel 69.

Freddy Awards 2007

2007-05-19T03:59:00-05:00

It’s hard to believe that we are approaching the 5th year of the Freddy Awards. I’ve been privileged to have been involved since year 1. Once again, I am working on this in the capacity of musical director. We’ve been working lately on recording the opening number with the orchestra and the students from the various schools. You can listen to the instrumental and vocal track here. A few nights ago the orchestra started to rehearse the actor, actress and production numbers for the six nominated schools. What is really neat for me is the fact that Emmaus High School’s production of Aida received 14 nominations, including outstanding orchestra. If you remember, I directed the orchestra for the performances. Also, I’m really looking forward to once again conducting their production number at the ceremony (and in rehearsal this coming Tuesday). For our 5th year, we involved a student, Ryan O’Connell from Saucon Valley High School, in arranging the opening. In addition, Ryan and I will be presenting the awards for outstanding performance for actor and actress. And to top it all off, I’ve rented a really nice tuxedo for the event! I am hoping to capture some picture of the upcoming week and post them on a new photoblog! Keep checking in!

Happiness

2007-05-05T01:39:00-05:00

One of the blogs that I subscribe to is The Happiness Project. There are definitely some interesting, thought-provoking posts here. A recent post: The importance of knowing what you LIKE to do, and then doing it, really made me think. How often do we do things because we think we are supposed to “like” doing them? Do we fell guilty for “liking” something just because it’s not “mainstream” enough? Unfortunately, I think that is me some of the time. I need to do a better job of just being me, and not worrying about whether “me” is mainstream enough for the rest of the world. Do what you like because it makes you happy, not because it’s what others think you should like. “What’s fun for other people may not be fun for you--and vice versa.”

Exercise & Diet

2007-04-29T14:09:00-05:00

See that guy on the left? That’s me! Yeh, right…

Back in February, I dislocated my shoulder, slipping on some ice (don’t worry, I didn’t fall...just knocked the socket out of joint...it was pretty weird!). Since then, I have been absolutely horrible about exercising. I didn’t run hardly at all during the winter because I have no treadmill since moving. And it’s been too cold to run outside. (Although a few Sundays I remember running in Trexler Park when the temperature was in the teens!) I had to stop doing strength exercise (or at least I had an excuse to) because of my shoulder. Well today I started exercising again...and it was hard! I have a lot of catching up to do, but I can do it.

I am going to commit to exercising in the morning. (So that I can blog in the evening!) I am not feeling real good about myself. Not that I’m fat (yet), but I’ve definitely been better and have let things go to pot. Even over the last year or so, I’ve noticed my eating habits slipping. (It’s all that junk food available so easily at the office.) So that’s going too, and I’m getting back on track with what I eat. Hopefully, I’ll make some quick progress toward my goals.

I do enjoy running. Maybe I can set a goal for a marathon in two or three years? Let me get through a few months of regular exercise and good diet, and I’ll revisit that idea!

Blackberry

2007-04-29T13:58:00-05:00

For the past two years, I have had the crappiest cell phone. I hated it since the day I got it. I should have returned it, but I hung on to it. Last week I ditched it and got a Blackberry. I really like it! It’s great being connected in so many ways...email, phone, voice mail, text messaging, instant messaging, web browsing, etc. And since my cell is my phone (I have no land line), I now have one device for everything. Pretty cool! I’m sure it does much more, and I am looking forward to making the time to learn how to use it to its fullest.

What’s even better is that it isn’t costing me any more monthly! I was paying for 1000 minutes...and only using around 300. So I reduced my plan to their lowest...700. Which saved me enough to get the unlimited data package. An 18% discount because of an agreement with Verizon and Salisbury helped too. So my phone bill is the same, and I have a new phone! Sweet…

I did read a review (after I got the phone) and laughed… The reviewer stated that the phone was too wide and felt like talking into a Pop Tart.