Magical Montreal

Just back from a lovely Saturday and Sunday in Montreal, since Boopsie needed her winter clothes and they were all at my place. We did some shopping, watched New Moon with her roommates (and laughed and laughed), went out for lunch, all the usual fun things. It was extremely nice, and Boopsie and her roommates continue to be lovely young women.

ORYC's Friday concert went well, I think. Coventry Carol was especially good. We got one of those little "ahh" moments at the end of it, where the audience doesn't start clapping right away. That is how you can tell you've nailed a piece. I've also met a new favourite piece: Joubert's setting of There Is No Rose. It is insanely gorgeous and has a really interesting alto line. Check it out on Youtube, complete with a choir of wee Brits.

Don't know what work has in store this week. Last week was a little frustrating, but had some good moments, too. I guess that's all you can really ask for in a job: 1. humane working conditions; 2. material that interests you; 3. enough good moments to make it worthwhile. The job is not grand and world-changing so far, but then I am an incrementalist at heart; leading a popular uprising is quite outside my skill set, and revolutions are so messy.

I've finally set a doctor's appointment to discuss the arthritis I was diagnosed with in the summer. "Terrified" is a reasonable descriptor of my feelings toward this appointment. Some preliminary Google-fu suggests that my form of arthritis could be hallux limitus or hallux rigidus. If that is what I have, the nightmare scenario involves cutting out the entire ball joint of the foot and just sort of letting things flop around for the rest of your natural life. I understand this is more for geriatric patients, though, and so I hope and pray for a quick shot of cortisone to the foot and an "enjoy your running and capoeira, but choose better footwear in future" as I exit the outpatient clinic. God, I hope so.

Concerts!

Ottawa is going to be hosting a GREAT MANY holiday concerts in the next few weeks. To wit: November 24: Capital Chamber Choir sings in the Parliament foyer at noon. November 27: Ottawa Regional Youth Choir sings at Southminster United Church (corner of Bank and Aylmer). A variety of Christmas carols. December 12: Capital Chamber Choir's presentation of Imant Raminsh's Magnificat and a variety of carols arranged by Canadian composers. All Saints Anglican (corner of Chapel and Laurier). December 13: Ottawa Regional Youth Choir sings at Fanfair, noon at the NAC. There are seriously even more than this. I just can't remember them right now. WILL UPDATE.

A Most Marvelous Weekend

Told you I'd be back. Work was pretty quiet this week (again). Wednesday was Remembrance Day, so we federal leeches did not work. Tuesday, the cubicles around me were unoccupied due to swine flu, trips to India and Florida (or South Carolina?), and working from home. It was a little creepy.

But the weekend was amazing, for this weekend Colleen came to visit me, and we were our usual fabulous selves in various locations around Ottawa. We did cocktails with Justin on Friday night and then went dancing, where we learned that we are old and that Ottawa guys are totally not smooth. Have you ever seen someone do the old "stretchin' around this gal!" move while leaning on a bar? I have now. I asked him whether he was lost, and gave him a fake name before we vamoosed. Anyway. Saturday we went rock climbing, at which Colleen totally kicked my butt but then she is more experienced, i.e. she is secretly a gecko or something. Then it was pizza for dinner and out for a wine tasting at Jacob's. Colleen was impressed at the number of straight male friends I have. Don't quite know where I got them all, but they're good people and can stick around! Sunday was brunch and shopping and laziness. That brings us to where we are now, post-choir-practice and nearly ready for another week. Plunging back in!

Posting Again!

OK. I'm back, for real this time. I am going to aim for weekly posts, because writing gives me purpose, or at least forces me to account for the purposeless periods. See you Sunday?