If you are reading this, it might be Friday March 18th, and another work week is done. Well, I say done, as it is my flex day Friday , but I'm going on at 9:00 to make sure things left late yesterday are completed and moved forward and a 9:30 meeting. I will stay on for the Friday standing meeting, that gladly is now only M-W-F rather than every day. It's a status update for Covid testing. Testing is way down, but it seems cases are lower, and hospitalizations continue to be at a sustainable rate-I think. I don't know any of this for sure as I like anyone else, just listen to news and look at websites. I'm hearing of spikes yet again of a merged variant. I'm starting to be of the mind set that while masks and frequent hand washing, not putting people on top of each other, trying to keep sick people encouraged to stay home, all help a bit, nothing is really stopping the spread as it seems so random who is still getting it. I believe most people are helped with the vaccine, those that might have gotten super ill, had less severe cases, but of course, not all. For those that chose not to get vaccinated, they are in the same camp as pre-vaccine times, at higher risk in general but whether a person gets really sick, or has milder symptoms seems to be related to either pre-exiting conditions or just dumb or poor luck.
This did not start being a Covid post, but as what happens on Friday's I meander where my mind goes and fingers type. I've got a lot of other things on my brain so in no particular order, here goes.
Live Music and Lutheran Food
My daughters concert was excellent! All together it was probably about 1 hour 15 minutes of music, but they took an intermission to collect a free will donation to defray costs and let the students rest their vocal cords a bit. I believe the version of the concert they are doing Sunday on campus will be live streamed and then able to be pulled up again later, but nothing compares to it live. This is an elite choir, but not their top choir. Both need to be auditioned for and if they audition for the top, and are very good but don't secure a spot, they likely will be put in this choir. Many in this choir do not audition for the top choir because it takes even more hours out of their week, so if not a music major, hard to make that commitment. My daughter didn't audition for it-the #2 choir is plenty for her, with full practice five days a week, weekly voice lessons, and twice weekly section practices, all for just one credit a semester. There's two other choirs as well, so a place for anyone on campus that wants to be in choir.
DH and I are going out for dinner tomorrow night- actually planning. I'd like to talk him into stopping for a drink somewhere after perhaps with live music. I've really missed it. I think I m ready for the physical space of church again, mostly for the music. The people face to face, eh, I could take or leave. We'd go to the latest scheduled contemporary service. There's room to spread out when not a holiday. I'm hoping Easter will have an outside option if weather- cooperates. Are you getting back out and about where live music might be available? Singing was such a super spreader activity-even last night the students sang with masks. Before I forget, shout outs to the churches that hosted their choir, Wednesday and last night night. They served the kids a delicious church lady meal! While not usually in basements anymore, you have to love Lutheran Church Basement Women, they even have a book written about them.
Civil Differences of Opinion On-line
It's no secret I have liberal leaning views on most social issues. Other bloggers are more centrist and some lean right. That doesn't mean any of us are bad people or the enemy of each other. Unless people are being inexcusable rude or hateful, I publish all comments, and like the opportunity to read different points of views. I get things wrong, and am OK being corrected (DLS example). A blogger I read regularly got a lot of dissenting views on a recent post, and like a mature adult, she posted them, and replied. I appreciate that. I believe she and I have different life experiences past and current that lead to our beliefs, thoughts, and actions. But being able to disagree, challenge each others views, and still be civil is a great thing for society. Likely none of us have things completely correct, but in the dialogue perhaps we can find better.
This is getting to be quite long, so while just a few topics, I've used lots of words! The weather is coolish again today, but the snow is melting. No doubt we'll get at least one more dumping, but if we do, that usually melts quickly. My poor friend who just moved into a fixer upper, is already having basement flooding. We sometimes get a wet spot even after we thought we resolved the water drainage issue, but fingers crossed, it stays dry this spring. It's your turn. What's on our minds this Friday?
I play in a local symphony. We have 4 performances a year. I was in the first two, with masks and social distancing for all in the building except brass and woodwinds (they had to put masks back on when playing) the 3rd performance is this coming week but I'm on leave due to being ill. I am really looking forward to returning to rehearsals in April without the added stress of masking and glasses fogging up.
ReplyDeleteThe eye glass fogging will be a welcome thing of the past. I hope you get to resume your playing soon.
DeleteI would love to stream the next concert. Can you give me the name of the college or choir so I can research it? I hope you get to enjoy live music as you wish. That is a great joy in my life too. Lynn Ewing
ReplyDeleteTo keep a certain amount of privacy for her and anaminity, I'd rather not. However I'm sure you could look at just about any liberal arts college and find a high quality choir that might stream their concerts.
DeletePretty sure I know the "right" leaning blogger to whom you refer. I poke her frequently, and she *always* publishes my dissenting opinion. I appreciate that, just as I appreciate a peek into her life. (And, man oh man, can she decorate, or what?) Her recent post had me thinking about the current state of "launching." She actually made some great points!
ReplyDeleteI agree we can learn by having dialogue with people we may not agree with. It helps me have better insight in trying to understand where the differences might stem from.
DeleteI'm glad the concert went well and I'm very pleased to hear that you're planning on going to some gigs and having dinner out. The Covid numbers here are creeping up and lots of bloggers & Facebook friends seem to have it, but nobody's seriously ill or being hospitalised.
ReplyDeleteThis week we went shopping sans masks, even the National Trust property we visited today told us that they weren't necessary - hooray!
Have a fab weekend, Sam! xxx
I still worry about our health care workers and their burnout, so I really try and follow the hospitalization numbers. Your trust visits are a highlight for us as well. I haven't found a posting music yet, but usually the brewery has someone playing.
DeleteI really miss going to my daughter's concerts up at the University. She sang with them for 7 years, all the way through Law School. I am now asking if they served your daughter green jello? That is the joke at our church suppers. I too am worried about another surge. I know this thing is three years and we are only into the third. I am sure we will see another round with another variant. My parents were socialists. Duh they came from Sweden. They became a little more conservative as the years went on, but I was raised by them so those ideals stick. Hub's family is right wing, republican like close to the crazy side. Not hubs though that is one thing I won't tolerate.
ReplyDeletePlus, we are educated unlike the rest of his family, which really helps one put the world into perspective. I finally had it out with his mom and family. I do not have any of them on any social platform and refuse to discuss politics or religion. There was a reason our forefathers separated church and state and I have a right to my feelings... That does not make me less worthy. SO fun! They are constantly asking me to join social family groups on line and I refuse. I tell them I don't want them knowing every little thing I do, and I don't want to know about their business either. That shut them up. I am bad:):):0
They didn't serve green jello, but of course had the massive yellow sheet cakes with chocolate frosting, trimmed with green. When on family settings if politics or religion comes up, I will say enough to indicate both that I don't agree and no, I'm not getting into it with them. It's helped the last year!
DeleteNothing much on my mind other than I am ready for a weekend!! Glad you enjoyed the concert.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice giving myself some what of my day off yesterday. Enjoy your weekend.
DeleteMy son and I were discussing left-leaning v. right-leaning not to long ago (I'm left, he's more right), but as I explained to him, growing up in a poor family in England my four years of college didn't cost me a penny, no medical bills for anyone in my family and without all that - the hand up, if you like, well I wouldn't have gotten my job in Switzerland and you wouldn't be living the relatively well-off life you are now! He admitted it made sense, but I guess everyone's beliefs (political or otherwise) depend an awful lot on what went on their past, even if those beliefs change going forward!
ReplyDeleteI think when people really think about their own situations critically but objectively, they are more apt to at least consider there's more to a taking a stance. My favorite is to subtly raise all the ways progressive policies have benefitted so many people- most likely themselves. For some reason, a certain personality mistakes some of these benefits as owed to them for being just such a great hard worker and still believe they're self made. Others will admit, yes, they did benefit. I also have had my eyes opened to policies that sound like they're solid, but have had major flaws and they opposite of positive impact.
DeleteI so miss choir concerts! My son was extremely involved in high school choir; his senior year was 2020, so...you know how that ended. Once everything is completely safe, I'm planning on continuing to attend his former high school's choir concerts, because it's such a great program and the choir puts on such beautiful shows. (It's going to be a while though; all those graphics of how far virus particles can spread when someone sings doesn't exactly inspire confidence in my anxiety-plagued heart...)
ReplyDeleteStill masking, still distancing, still homeschooling my daughter. Case numbers are definitely going down, but we've seen how quickly they can spike back up when a new variant comes round. With all the potential long-term effects (especially things like diabetes in young kids - my dad is already an adult-onset Type 1, so if we've got something in our genes that makes us more susceptible to diabetes anyway, I'd rather not subject my kiddo to this).
I've been a big ol' hippie liberal my whole life, a combination of lived experienced and the wide reading I've done about lives that look nothing like mine, and a LOT of thought. I'm constantly re-examining what I think and how it matches up to who I am and who I want to be, and how I'm meant to care for those around me. I don't ever want to stop growing and becoming better. :)
It's raining here, which is probably a good thing. We can definitely use it. :)
Our local school district music program is stellar as well and brings so much to the whole community. Both those in 2020 and then all of 2021 lost so many opportunities. I was raised by parents who were socially conscious but so hard working, so so guess I believe in both. My grandmother in law, my FILs mom seemed so much like my parents. I never have figured out how my FIL turned out so conservative, very right wing. Yet, he built his wealth through of course hard work, but also by being in the right place and time to take advantage of a housing market government funding stream, while not technically being the direct beneficiary.My bil likes to think he's self made too, but he literally earns thousands of passive dollars because he bought ( no cash, contract for deed) from FIL, both his first home with built in rental income so no mortgage, and a parking lot that takes in monthly fees. We were already well established so neither my husband or his sister, were offered these options (not asked for or wanted either) but his big man strutting is quite comical as he's the poster boy for generational wealth and privilege. I'm a hippie and have raised hippies!
DeleteThe concert sounds very enjoyable. I'm not much for live concerts though have attended a few as a good friend's daughter often has a solo. She drives about 2 1/2 hours to get here to attend and I figure it doesn't hurt me to join. We get a visit, her daughter gets support, and the music is always enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteOur provincial government lifted all measures here at the beginning of the month. While we have a small population, our death rate is now the highest in the country. I'm still masking, limiting my contact with others and hoping for the best. My grandson, now 5, had his first vaccine this week. When he's fully vaccinated I'll be thrilled. He and his mom were both exposed a week or two before but neither caught it, thank goodness.
I'm afraid I find it more difficult to be civil, especially there is name calling. Call me a snowflake or a libtard and I'm likely to blow off some steam. I'm always impressed with those who keep things calm and respond with diplomacy.
Have a great weekend!
No name calling allowed in my blog- and while I've had Stearns backlash comments a few times, I've only deleted a few times in seven years. It's nice you can support your friends child.
DeleteHello Sam, I agree that bloggers should expect people occasionally to disagree with them, but still I have never figured out why many people allow abusive, obscene or potentially dangerous spam comments to remain. In my blog (it's been a while!) I only declined to post one comment, which was not abusive but was taking the conversation in a direction I did not want it to go. I did write back to the commenter to explain why. I think that we bloggers should have that kind of control over our own blogs--they are not completely open public forums, unless we want them to be.
ReplyDelete--Jim
I miss live music terribly, but am going to hear an afro-cuban duo tonight. Can't wait!
ReplyDelete