Q1 Update

House’s recent recap of his resolutions made me go back to my own… and I realize I’m not gettin’ very far. Here’s my update…

• I’ve been on and off the “healthy living” bandwagon since the start of the year, and as such I won’t be making my 15lb. loss mark before heading to see Geoff in Northern California. But despite work and IEEE travel between now and then, I will get back on it and stick with it. I’ve got a bridesmaid dress to look good for in August, and other things to get in shape for…
• *sigh* I’ve been doing decently with keeping my extra-curricular activities organized, though I haven’t kept it all to one night (I had designated Monday night as such). But I need to do more to get on top of some of the bigger commitments, ie IEEE Canada. Please, someone, nag me (not you House… I’m saving you for something else)… Randy?
• Academics… huh? What’s dat? Ya, I’ve done little/nothing in the past three months in this area. I’ve wanted to, but I haven’t put the energy into it. And to be honest, I’m not gonna until at least after vacation…. but barring any extra work that comes up, I expect to be done my draft by the end of the year, and plan to use some of my four weeks annual leave to make that happen.

In other news, I spent the St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Boston at an IEEE meeting.  The meetings went well, socializing was fun (though I did not drink any green beer… instead I had a seafood hangover).  The trip home was a bit of a pain – delayed out of Boston meant landing in Montreal when the plane to St. John’s was supposedly taking off, rushed through customs and was told by the ticket lady (who wrangled us boarding passes after our flight had been “closed”) to run run run all the way to the gate.  Little old out of shape Lori (see first bullet point) is in extreme debt to Rob, who ran ahead to let them know we were coming… only to find that the plane had just gotten to the gate.  Argh.  So we made the flight with plenty of time, though my luggage didn’t, it came the next day.  Pics (of Boston, not of my luggage) to be posted soon.

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If you know the difference between bad and good: Sarah Harmer concert

It’s been a surprisingly busy few weekends, considering I’m not known as a social butterfly or anything. Last weekend was birthday party and anniversary celebration, this weekend was SpiritFest and Sarah Harmer, of which I write now.

I don’t remember the “when” of getting hooked on Sarah Harmer… it was after her first solo album (You Were Here), before the second(All of our Names). She’s not what you’d call mainstream Canadian pop or anything.. some parts are pop, some are country, some are folky and bluegrassy…. you know what? I don’t know how to classify her, and I don’t think I want to try. We were fortunate enough to see her in concert two years back at the Arts and Culture Centre, and I was thrilled when i found out she was gonna be back. Different venue, this time around it was Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium, in a formerly Catholic-girls school, now home to heathen of both sexes and many religions. Different format this time, no opening act (at ACC it was Josh Ritter, who I knew nothing of before that concert and now think he’s totally awesome) and more band than I remember.

Overall, I’d rate it five stars out of five. Many favorites from “You Were Here” and “All of Our Names” – Coffee Stain, Pendulums, Tether, Dandelions in Bullet Holes, Around this Corner – were played, along with some non-standard stuff (a cover of a Dave Hodge/Music Maul song that was interesting, “Black Coffee” off “Songs for Clem”). She got the chance to shine solo for two or three songs when the band left, but the band itself is a definite complement to her style. Take her beautiful voice and add the flute, clarinet, piano, guitar, mandolin and that thingie I don’t know the name of (electric mouth piano?), and it sounds perfect. And, for the record, the clarinet rocks… it’s all about playing standing up.

And, to cap off a great concert, there was a two-song encore: “Lodestar”, my favorite Sarah Harmer song, and “How Deep in the Valley”, sung a cappella by all band members at the edge of the stage. A wonderful closing. :)

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The Gods of Musical Hate Me

I had an inkling of a plan. I’m in Toronto heading a workshop on my birthday, and planned to maybe stay an extra night and see “Lord of the Rings”. Yes, I know critics panned it… but it did great at the Dora’s.

Alas, its run stops September 3, about two weeks too early for me to catch it. :(

And B heads out to see “Avenue Q” tonight in NYC… *sigh* Yes, I’ve seen it. Still doesn’t mean I’m not envious.

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