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

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…

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.

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!

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.

Last night I went to the recital of one of my former students, Kristin Grassi. Kristin has always been an amazing musician, even since I knew her in Junior High School—that was about 10 years ago! Well last night at Kutztown University, she and some of her friends put on a terrific show. I was amazed at the variety of music: classical (in Italian and German), Baroque opera, show tunes and jazz. All of it performed incredibly well. Kristin has always had the gift to “sell” a song. And that she did, whether it be show tune or German art song. She has a passion for what she does, and it comes out in every note she sings and in her presence. She is amazing!!

Her accompanist was excellent. Sometimes an accompanist can get in the way, especially when they don’t understand what their role is. This guy does! There is a great dynamic between Kristin and her accompanist. She also sang a couple of art songs accompanied by flute. Also, very nice. Her jazz numbers were accompanied by a solo guitar. This set made for a nice contrast with the rest of the program. Kristin had one of her friends join her for two duets - from Side Show and Wicked. I really liked how their voices blended together. I don’t remember any of the names of her friends, but maybe she can add them in the comments section to this post.

The audience was very impressed and appreciative of what Kristin put together for her Senior Recital. It has been really great watching Kristin grow as a musician. I can’t wait to see where she goes next. I could have listened to her all night! So now the big question—- What is next, Kristin? Need a web site?

Does anyone read this blog anymore? Especially since my attempts have been incredibly feeble!

Since I last posted, I’ve been to Italy and conducted Emmaus High School’s production of Aida. First Italy…

I had a really nice time. I loved going in 2004 with Chamber Harmony, and this time I got to go with the Emmaus Chorale. Prior to leaving I set up an Italy Photoblog and during our trip posted photos as we traveled. With the exception of the first three days, we had a decent internet connection, so posting was easy. It was nice to get home and hear from parents what a useful resource this was…to follow along with us through photographs. I even posted a sound file of one of the group’s performances. Even I thought that was pretty cool. (I recorded it on my iPod and then edited it down for uploading to the web.) The worst thing about the trip was missing four days of work. I’m still behind!

Aida was a terrific experience also. I conducted the orchestra, so attendance at rehearsals didn’t start until about two weeks prior to the first show. What a cast! I couldn’t have imagined this show any better than the performances these kids put together. I hope they do well at Freddy time!