Now in our second week of classes, and things going significantly more smooth than last semester. No small part of that is that the most content-intensive of my classes are meeting over the full fifteen weeks, rather than the compressed way we did things last semester.

Have finally completed the song for my colleague, Dan Shirley. Sent it to him about ten days ago, just to get feedback before printing/binding. I’m delighted (if not a bit surprised) that not only does he not have any suggestions for adjustments, but he really does seem to love it. We’ll see what suggestions might come from the pianist, as I’m always looking for ways to clarify and improve things from the performers’ perspective. At any rate, Nothing Stands on XII from A.E...

The start of a new year for me, and feeling good about it. Feeling healthy, optimistic, and sensing that I’m approaching the final 20-30% of this voyage with lots of good energy, interests in new things, still motivated to make music, excited by new ideas, and just plain happy to be alive.

My birthday yesterday was buy with teaching and school-stuff–all good stuff, to boot. And also got two video-calls from Jackson, which made the day extra special. This image, from the first call of the day, got me going on the right foot–

wow, what a day yesterday was. And one of the many highlights of the days was hearing this fabulous talent do her thing:

What a wonderful way to start the day

As the sun sets on this horrendous four years, let’s keep these reminders handy.

So very grateful that classes begin Tuesday, that we had auditions yesterday. The need to ready things for more online teaching, for the semester ahead, is an effective deterrent to reading the news.

Because the news is just ever more horrid. Of course, hoping that the incoming administration is able to achieve its goals, which are astoundingly ambitious. Here’s hoping that Congress will work with him. So very bizarre, after the years’ past, to hear half of Congress making claims for the need for unity. It’s all just deeply disingenuous, so clearly all about trying to get back $ lost from the many corporations who’ve recently cut them off.

And one has to wonder about what took these companies so long to actually “stand.”

I found last night’s entry by Heather Richardson an ...

Just a few days left–before classes begin next week; before the drastic slowdown of the last 5 years’ insane Trump-based headlines; until the start of a rebuild of rationality in the White House; until the beginning of some coordinated actions against the pandemic; and more, of course, in the broad world and in your life.

Today’s headlines [look anywhere, though my stop is nytimes.com] say it all. Trump talking about “totally appropriate” comments; McConnell and Cheney noting his actions as impeachable; more detailed reports emerging about the horrors of January 6; the participation of members of our military, law enforcement, even Capitol police, politicians, and the level of violence much worse than originally reported. Let alone the execution of someone who’s so completely incompe...

As if last week wasn’t enough; it’s clear that this chapter is far from over.

This and perhaps even more frightening, the implications noted re DOD and Capitol police here

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Here at home, finally beginning to accelerate towards the start of classes next week.

Not much of a Schwarzenneger fan, but this is worth seeing.

Here’s a telling page from today’s local paper. Our sycophant representative justifying his actions, followed by letters from the community. Note, in particular, the editors statement in italics at the bottom right–no letters of support were written on behalf of this traitor.