the best combo ever...

...has got to be coffee and good jazz. Yes.

Anyway. I'm here at school...came early today to do some research stuff...yay for statistical analysis! haha But that only took about an hour...and I don't have to be up at Lake Shore until 5, but I'll go an hour early to stake out a practice room so I can feel like the dedicated little musician that I am. ;-) So. Since this blog is in desperate need of an update, I figured now is as good a time as any.

Well. My poor White Sox did not even make it to the post-season this year...which was quite a disappointment, considering what happened last year at this time. I did go to one last game, though, about a week and a half ago. They lost, but it was still a ton of fun, as always. They did have some good plays (such as Scott's awesome double that really got the crowd going, though in the end nothing ever came of it), and it happened to be fireworks night, and the fireworks show was honestly better than the game. And some people in front of us got kicked out for being too loud, obnoxious, and offensive, so that was interesting. Usually people swearing and being loud at games doesn't bother me because, well, it's a ball game, adrenaline is up, and most likely, people are drinking, so it's to be expected. But in all honesty, these people were getting pretty irritating.

The day after the game, Annie and I went to a CSO concert. It was, of course, fantastic. They played Beethoven's 6th and Shostakovich's 5th, so the program alone set it up to be an amazing performance. Which it was. And the balcony seats provide a very cool view. So that was really fun. We dressed up and everything, though it rained, so that didn't really help, but whatever. 'Twas, to use my own made up phrase, "kick-ass awesome".

Have recently acquired Mitch Albom's new book and some new music, including a very cool recording of Beethoven's 9th, by the Chicago Symphony and Chorus, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Whoo-hoo to that.

(Does anyone else find humor in me trying to be all sophisticated by talking about classical music but using phrases such as "kick-ass awesome" and "whoo-hoo"? Maybe it's just me. :-P)

The past weekend was taken up by work and homework, plus my cousin's 13th birthday party. The last few weeks have been the type when every class has something pretty significant due at the same time, so that was fun. lol

My sociology presentation on Monday went well...at least I thought so. It was a partner presentation, and was more like facilitating the class discussion rather than making a formal speech. So it wasn't terribly stressful (at least, it wasn't when I found out that it was not indeed a formal speech lol), and I think we did a good job. I think we'll get our grade back after fall break.

Alex was in town on Monday so we hung out downtown before I had class, and had the usual discussion of books, movies, and writing. Good times. Poured like hell, though. (I love rain, but Monday was kind of obnoxious. Well, it was really the wind that was obnoxious. My umbrella is totally busted.) I missed the 9:30 train after class (class got out a few minutes late and it took a long time for my bus to show up), so I got on the 10:30...and right before the train was supposed to leave, they made an announcement that the tracks at Western Springs were "impassable", so we couldn't leave yet, and they had no idea when we might be able to leave. We only had to wait for thirty minutes, so it could have been a lot worse, considering it was still raining when we left, and I was forseeing a lovely overnight stay at Union Station if the weather proved bad enough. So that was an interesting part of the day. The train had to move slower than usual too, because of the weather and such...lots of streets were flooded (Ogden was basically a river, as I had the opportunity to see as the train was approaching my stop), but I think everything has since been cleaned up.

Last night was our first orchestra concert...or rather, the first "Loyola Ensemble" concert of the year. (I don't know if all the concerts will be like that or if eventually we'll have our own.) We only played the first movement of Schubert's Unfinished, so I was disappointed that we didn't get to play more, but we have more rehearsal time for the next concert than we did for this one so I think we'll have more to play. Performance wise, it was okay...I wasn't too confident about our performance, but it went better than I had thought it would. David and Aaron came, so I had a little fan-club. haha

I've been reading a collection of short stories and excerpts by Haruki Murakami, and he has been added to my list of favorite authors. I love his writing style, and so far I've enjoyed every story in this collection. "Honey Pie" in particular. I shall have to check out more of his work. (not like I don't have enough books sitting in my room at home that I have yet to read...let's add more to the list. haha)

Well. I think I shall give up this computer to someone who probably has some actual work to do right now...and be constructive until I hop on the Red Line to find a practice room in Mundelein.

Ta ta for now.