bironic: Neil Perry gazing out a window at night (Default)
bironic ([personal profile] bironic) wrote2015-08-25 04:47 pm

I think I can, I think I can...

My last major summer work project should be done a week from now, and that will be nice for enjoying leisure activities again. Like mulling over [community profile] festivids fandoms. And reading books.

Actually, I have to read Uprooted before Monday because it came in at the library and you only get 7 days for new books that are in demand. After that, I’d like to try some of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin novels and find out whether they are as lulling as the good fanfic. And am so looking forward to the release of Ancillary Mercy in October, preceded by a reread of the first two in the series. Sometime during the fall, will get around to The Chronicles of Prydain for book club. Did any of you read it when you were younger?

Not taking work home will also mean more time for moving around. Elle n’est pas très athlétique, mais elle essaie.

1. The autumn gym class schedule was posted and it is disappointing. Alas. I will either try some new classes or find alternatives.

2. Such as those tennis Meetups. Although tennis thoughts are on hold on account of I can’t find my racket/racquet.

3. Badminton club also an appealing option.

4. Could try picking up Irish dance again with the hope that it doesn’t tighten up my hips like last time, but that is $.

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In the meantime, my mom came to visit and we had a nice weekend in western Mass. admiring Impressionist paintings and modern glass sculptures and attending Film Night at Tanglewood with the Boston Pops, conducted in the first half by the least famous Newman family member, David, and in the second half by Keith Lockhart. My mom loves the Pops and hadn’t been to Tanglewood, so it was a treat to picnic on the lawn and experience the audiovisual performance under the stars.

Unexpected fun: They played a live score to the opening sequence of Star Trek: Into Darkness, projected on screens with dialogue and sound effects, from the cringey natives-chase-Kirk-and-McCoy scene through the physics-defying freezing of the volcano all the way to the Enterprise rising from the sea and sailing into glitter!warp.

Introducing it, Newman stumbled over himself trying to explain, I think, the difference between iconic movie-score melodies and incidental music that drives action or strengthens emotion. A more elegant example was given when Lockhart conducted the barrel-chase sequence from Jaws, also while the film played overhead. That time, I didn’t even register when the music began, it was so seamless.

Another highlight came in the form of guest violinist Gil Shaham, particularly the amount of fun he looked like he was having during a Fiddler on the Roof medley, followed by the most gorgeous rendition I’ve heard of the Schindler’s List theme besides Itzhak Perlman’s original recording.

It didn’t hurt that from where we were sitting, Shaham looked a lot like Robert Sean Leonard as James Wilson. His white coat resembled Wilson’s, and he had a regular tie on as opposed to the rest of the performers’ bow ties. As he doesn’t look like RSL ordinarily, this is the closest I could find on Google Images.

Other favorites: Jurassic Park medley (too fast, though), Mission: Impossible encore for Newman, Imperial March from Star Wars encore for Lockhart.

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It’s tradition to watch at least some Star Trek whenever my mom and I get together. This time she voted for Space Seed. After that, I could only request The Chest Wrath of Khan*, especially since it’s next on the rewatch list with [profile] ignazwisdom. Still so much love and admiration for that film. Notes perhaps to follow.

*™ director Nicholas Meyer

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Internet is down at home so I am posting this from work. (Shh.) Replies may be delayed depending on how daunting it seems to type on the phone keyboard.

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