Anticipation, part 2

I would like to thank Jules for ruining the game for the rest of you, because she correctly guessed all of the photo locations. Either she is very good at Pictionary or she knows me really well.  Honorable mention goes to Aunt Jane, who thought that photo #2 was Russia. I wish.  But points for creativity, Aunt Jane! 

The answers, for those of you who are keeping score, are after the jump:

I like cheese = Gonzaga for the win

If this Facebook conversation is any indication, my old high school pal and I have different approaches to filling out our NCAA tournament brackets.


Jonathan: Printed out RPI, SOS, Pomerory rankings. Going to make the perfect bracket!
Me: Sounds complicated. I mostly just pick based on which mascots I like best and who has the prettiest school colors.
Me: Or which school names I like (i.e. Gonzaga reminds me of gorgonzola, which is delicious cheese). Which might explain why I rarely do well in my office pool.
Jonathan: Your bracket will probably be much better than mine.

Heard: Flying bears edition

Some of you may remember my good friend J, who made periodic blog appearances back in the day before he moved away and left me in D.C., bereft and weeping. (Not really.)  Yesterday we were discussing my upcoming trip to see Company with the New York Philharmonic (and Neil Patrick Harris).  His level of enthusiasm did not match mine, to say the least.


J: But it's a musical, and those are the third scariest things in the world behind flying and bears.
Me: ...
J: And don't get me started on flying bears.


Well.  Hmph.  I suppose we can't all be musical theater nerds.

Anticipation

In the last couple of days, spring and summer plans are starting to develop.  Is there anything better than the anticipation of a great getaway? 

I'm have a number of exciting trips in the works, of varying lengths. Some hints:

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

Any guesses?

Very important topic

Forget Qaddafi, Charlie Sheen, and the potential government shutdown.  I know you've all been waiting for my thoughts on the Most Important News Item of Our Time or At Least This Week, which is that Hines Ward--Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Super Bowl MVP and two-time champion, and owner of one knee-weakening smile--is going to be on the new season of Dancing with the Stars.

I know, I can't believe it either.  This is worrisome, because it means that I am going to have to start watching the show again.  I gave it up a couple of seasons ago (in favor of So You Think You Can Dance, admittedly) because it was just too much of a time commitment.  It is, in fact, rather like American Idol in that way--multiple hours per week, a results show that is filled entirely with fluff until the last four minutes when they reveal who has been cut, and "very special performances" by artists of varying levels of talent and contemporary relevance (dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, yes.  Michael Bolton?  I think not).

Anyway.  Athletes generally fare well in the competition--witness the three Olympic gold medalists who have won: Kristi Yamaguchi (gold medalist in figure skating), Apolo Anton Ohno (multiple medalist in short track speed skating), and Shawn Johnson (gold medalist in gymnastics)--and of course recent Olympic gold medal figure skater Evan Lysacek, who came in a very close second this last season.

Football players, current and retired, are nothing new on Dancing with the Stars, though their talent level has varied widely.  Emmitt Smith won Season 3 (controversial though it was), Jets linebacker Jason Taylor was runner up to Kristi Yamaguchi in Season 6, and legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice was runner up in Season 2.  They were all quite good.  Retired Raiders and Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp even made it to the top three in Season 7, though I maintain that he had no business making it as far as he did.  

So anyway, it could go either way. I will be watching, at least for the first few weeks, because I can't NOT cheer (and vote) for the delightful Hines Ward.

Hines "Twinkle Toes" Ward

Things That Are Awesome: NPR's First Listen

One of the great things about working for a performing arts company is that everyone, to a person, loves music.  And not just loves it, but has definite opinions about it, has their own preferences.  We're all reformed band and chorus nerds, vocal performance majors or conservatory graduates, who now work in arts administration.  Our executive assistant is an honest to goodness opera singer who also conducts her church gospel choir.  The production manager is a fan of classic rock, but has, since he began working here, been developing a deep appreciation for great classical music.  (A vocal recital by a famous mezzo-soprano last week utterly floored him.)  You're as likely to hear Strauss symphonies coming from the office of the director of classical programming as The Decemberists.

I spend my days alternating between Pandora, Grooveshark, and D.C.'s local classical station.  But recently, I've become obsessed with the music offerings on NPR's website, notably the Tiny Desk Concerts (best name ever) and First Listen. 

First Listen, for instance, is entirely responsible for my new obsession with Adele and her new album 21, which I listen to daily.  As I type this, I'm streaming the new album by a group called The Low Anthem, who I'd never heard of until this morning.  They played in DC last night and caused my Facebook feed to explode with rapturous posts. And, if you're a regular Tiny Desk Concert watcher/listener, you probably weren't at all surprised at jazz bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding's recent Best New Artist win at the Grammys. The music editors over there in the NPR music department clearly have their fingers on the pulse of music scene today--from soul to jazz to punk rock to classical. The program archives are brimming with amazing artists, some you've heard of, some you haven't yet but will soon.

So. Need to bring a little joy to your workday? Check out Tiny Desk Concerts and First Listen series.  There's something for everyone! 

Impulse buys

Picture it: it's late on a Saturday night, and two 20-something women are sitting at home, 900 miles away from each other, each peering anxiously at their respective computer screens and closely monitoring the text messages on their phones.

Some background: in perusing the theater and concert options for a possible trip to New York this spring, I stumbled across this.  I had heard that NPH was doing Company with the New York Philharmonic, but I had not yet seen the rest of the cast listing: Anika Noni Rose, Martha Plimpton, and... the amazing Patti LuPone.

I sent Ashley an email: "Ha ha, we should go to this! You're obsessed with Sondheim, I adore Neil Patrick Harris. Let's do it!" I was mostly kidding, as Ash lives in Missour-ah, and I live in D.C.  And really, who randomly buys concert tickets--to a nearly sold-out show in another part of the country--on a Saturday night with no advance planning?  That's just crazy talk.

Then I left to meet friends for dinner.  But little did I know, somewhere between the crusty bread and the tiramisu, Jason (Ash's husband) caught wind of my hairbrained idea, handed her a credit card, and said, "Go buy the tickets."  Because among Jason's many excellent qualities is that he is an enabler. 

But! Problem: what about Jules? Let's call Jules! No answer. Let's text Jules! No answer. Let's text Jules' HUSBAND, Michael, and have him tell her to call us.  Which is how, by 11pm East Coast time, we wound up staring at our computers, desperately hoping that the handful of remaining tickets remaining in our price category didn't disappear before we had a chance to buy them. Luckily, Jules got our frantic message and called, wondering why we were wigging out at nearly midnight on a weekend.

By midnight, we had the tickets and an inability to sleep due to the excitement. 

So. Yesterday I bought a pair of shoes I don't really need and ungodly expensive tickets to a show in New York. How was YOUR Saturday?