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Pride in Accomplishment
Dec. 13th, 2009 11:26 pmI finished my state quarter collection last week. Technically, it's been finished since I got back from N. Carolina, but I just found my collection book while going through my boxes of stuff last week. This is the second time in the past month that I've been truly satisfied and proud of doing something. I don't get that feeling often. (The first was for my knitting needle case.) Looking at the dates that the quarters started coming out, I realized that I've been collecting the things for ten years. That is a very long time to indulge in a part time hobby. Almost half of my life, in fact. The only thing I can recall doing longer is violin. Fourteen to fifteen years of that, now.
Last Thursday I went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They were not what I was expecting. First, with a name like they have, one would expect a bit of European influence or even a member from, say, Germany? Nope. The cast was wholly American. Second, with the word "Orchestra" in the name, I expected quite a bit more strings and classical influences. Again, I was rather disappointed. The show was mainly rock, heavily influenced by the 1970's ideals of such, and what strings you could hear were usually on back-up rather than solo or duet parts. They badly need to learn how to end a song...and stick to it. Also, perhaps they would benefit from realizing when something cool has been repeated enough. Their choreography looked like a gymnastics routine without the leg movement or tumbling. They did have their moments of glory despite this: when the piano had it's (1st of 2) solo 5/6ths of the way to the end, I was very impressed. The violinists weren't bad when you could actually make them out, and my guitarist brother thought the guitar solos were nicely done. The only problem with those is they didn't fit with the rest of the music most of the time.
The biggest thing is that they need to decide what kind of show they're putting on: narrated, heart-warming (at least in intention) Christmas tale with accompanying songs, or Christmas songs redone for a rock band. I didn't like their attempt to merge the two.
Hmm...reading that, perhaps I didn't have a great time at the show. My brother and I snarked a lot at each other. That made it much more bearable.
It's official, I'm going to be visiting my roomie after Christmas. I'll be driving to the Dallas area on my own for the first time. Don't worry, this will not be a repeat of my New Orleans trip. My car is precious to me.
Right now I'm completing the last five of sixty rows on the gift scarf. My sister is coming into town sooner than expected, and I need to finish before she arrives. The vagaries of the Christmas season.
Until next time,
Greeny
Last Thursday I went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They were not what I was expecting. First, with a name like they have, one would expect a bit of European influence or even a member from, say, Germany? Nope. The cast was wholly American. Second, with the word "Orchestra" in the name, I expected quite a bit more strings and classical influences. Again, I was rather disappointed. The show was mainly rock, heavily influenced by the 1970's ideals of such, and what strings you could hear were usually on back-up rather than solo or duet parts. They badly need to learn how to end a song...and stick to it. Also, perhaps they would benefit from realizing when something cool has been repeated enough. Their choreography looked like a gymnastics routine without the leg movement or tumbling. They did have their moments of glory despite this: when the piano had it's (1st of 2) solo 5/6ths of the way to the end, I was very impressed. The violinists weren't bad when you could actually make them out, and my guitarist brother thought the guitar solos were nicely done. The only problem with those is they didn't fit with the rest of the music most of the time.
The biggest thing is that they need to decide what kind of show they're putting on: narrated, heart-warming (at least in intention) Christmas tale with accompanying songs, or Christmas songs redone for a rock band. I didn't like their attempt to merge the two.
Hmm...reading that, perhaps I didn't have a great time at the show. My brother and I snarked a lot at each other. That made it much more bearable.
It's official, I'm going to be visiting my roomie after Christmas. I'll be driving to the Dallas area on my own for the first time. Don't worry, this will not be a repeat of my New Orleans trip. My car is precious to me.
Right now I'm completing the last five of sixty rows on the gift scarf. My sister is coming into town sooner than expected, and I need to finish before she arrives. The vagaries of the Christmas season.
Until next time,
Greeny
