Archive for December, 2009

Reading material

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Since I found out I was expecting I've been reading a myriad of websites about pregnancy and browsing a bunch of blogs (that aren't fashion-related, omg) written by mothers and a few fathers. There's a whole world out there that I didn't know of. Initially the only blogs I ever read by mothers were Heather's at Dooce and Leah's at Vacant. I like reading their blogs because they make child rearing humorous and they make you want to have a baby of your own! (But still, use a condom, kids.)

One site that I like to read is the Pregnancy Calendar at Alpha Mom. It's a week by week guide to the 40 weeks of pregnancy. It's my "pregnancy for dummies" because as a first time mom I practically know nothing want to know specifically what's happening to me and details on what I should be doing or else it'll be like the blind leading the blind. It's helped me ease the anxiety of "What's supposed to be happening now?" or "Should I buy these now or later?" questions.
I found this book on Amazon last week. It's about a woman's retelling of taking care of her son. Read the first few pages on Amazon's website and I'd say it almost describes my situation. Except I'm not an ex-alcoholic and the baby's father is still around, thank jebus. The reviews say that her writing is honest and witty and if all 162 reviewers aren't lying to me I'm sure I'll enjoy reading this book.
I have yet to hit up the child-oriented section of magazines at the book store. I've only cracked open one magazine while waiting to meet my new doctor at the hospital, crossing my fingers I didn't have to get naked and put on those robes that tie up the back. Maybe I'll peruse that section when I pass it on my way to pick up the newest issues of Elle and InStyle…

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: ,  | No Comments »

Dear baby boy,

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Since you've been developing in my womb you've been well traveled and well cultured. Where did I take you? I'm pretty sure you were only a cell at the time, but I drove you up to Camp Ogontz in New Hampshire for a week in late July. There we spent a week under the tutelage of legendary conductor Sir David Willcocks and learned to sing pieces by R. Vaughan Williams, a whole book of Tudor Anthems, and 'Mass of the Children' by John Rutter.

In September I took you to the Durham Fair, one of the biggest agricultural fairs in New England, where you ate a lot of yummy fair food, including Kettle Corn. Mmmm kettle corn, mommy could go for some right about now.
A couple weeks ago you took the train with me to New York City to visit Times Square and the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. It was cold but I kept you nice and warm.
Oh yeah, and you even went to class with me 3 times a week for the last three and a half months. Thanks for getting me through my last semester in college.
By the time your hearing has developed you've attended a production of Shakespeare's Hamlet and various One Act plays. You've heard Mozart's Mass in C minor and selections from Tchaikovski's Nutcracker Suite. This weekend you heard your first Christmas songs sung to you three times over while I performed with the Chorus of Westerly in our Christmas Pops concerts. Little did my fellow choristers know, they had an audience member intently listening and sitting comfortably within the choir on stage.
Tonight I'm bringing you to rehearsal where I'll be learning new songs for the Chorus' production of A Celebration of Twelfth Night. Rehearsal might run late so I'll let you sleep in tomorrow morning. I love you.

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags:  | No Comments »

Long story short

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

A month ago I found out I was pregnant. About six months pregnant. I didn't know I was pregnant. (Do I qualify for my own episode of the TLC show of the same name?) For those six months I experienced no obvious symptoms such as nausea or morning sickness nor had I had any weird food cravings. Anything that was remotely out of the ordinary I had a valid excuse for. I just don't have an excuse for the six month denial.

Since then I've gotten a doctor and done all the necessary tests that I should have done or should be doing in my second trimester. I've told the baby's father, my family, and close friends that I'm expecting and despite a small family blowout everyone is happy and supportive. Fast forward to this past week and I had an ultrasound to find out I'm having a boy. He's developing just fine and everyday I look forward to his arrival on March 18th, 2010.
Now that I know he's doing okay I need to start doing all the stuff expecting mothers do while pregnant, like going to mommy classes, taking pictures of my growing belly, registering at Babies R Us, and bragging about everything baby-related to my friends without children. I have so much to catch up and 3 months to do it!
I'm blessed to not have experienced any sickness thus far. My mom revealed that she didn't have it while pregnant with my sisters and me. It's made life easier to deal with and I've been able to carry on with finishing school, working, and singing in two choirs this past fall. Even though this pregnancy was unexpected, it couldn't have happened at a better time. I'm happy.
That wasn't short, was it?

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Dear baby,

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

I love you.

Love,
mama

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags:  | No Comments »

It’s a Jazzy Christmas Charlie Brown!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

I figured it’s not too late to do a Christmas Advent calendar. Except instead of bad tasting chocolate for each day leading up to Christmas, I’m serving up some of my favorite holiday jazz recordings. I might be a little biased in my picks though, because I favor a lot of the recordings put out by musicians of the bebop era in the 1950s and ’60s.

Today I’m starting off with a trio known for their vocalese: Lambert, Hedricks, and Ross sing Deck Us All with Boston Charlie

Download it: Deck Us All With Boston Charlie [3:16]


I first learned of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross from my Jazz History course in college. There was a discussion in class about what differentiated vocalese from scat. Nonetheless I was more confused by the end of it so I can’t say anything about what makes vocalese different from scat singing. I just know that they are both forms of vocal improvisation.

Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross only stayed together for five years, beginning in 1957. Ross was later replaced by Yolande Bevan long enough for them to record three live albums before breaking up altogether in 1964.

I’m not familiar with the origin of this song, but a little Googling and searching on Wikipedia revealed that the lyrics come from a song written by Walt Kelly, an American animator and cartoonist, on the album Songs of the Pogo, which shows that he was also a poet. It’s funny that the lyrics are about as nonsensical as Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross’s vocalese. In this track they start by singing the song straight like the original melody of “Deck the Halls” then they take off with vocalese.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Serious Music? He loves it. No, Seriously.

Monday, December 14th, 2009
Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin recording introductions to performances of the New York Philharmonic for a radio broadcast. Credit: Todd Heisler/NY Times

Indeed, the man in that little room was Alec Baldwin, the actor with a restless and tabloid-turbulent career that encompasses all three realms. His latest guise is pitchman for high art, as in Mahler, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. This season Mr. Baldwin became the official announcer of the New York Philharmonic’s weekly radio broadcasts.

Alec Baldwin, from one of my favorite shows 30 Rock, gets involved with the New York Philharmonic. Read the article here.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »