Strange Fruit

Happy Halloween! I know it was technically yesterday, but seeing as the things I'm going to write about mostly occurred on All Hallow's Eve I think it's still appropriate.

The Ravel opera was really good. Unfortunately I was unaware that they were tacking on an entire symphony before the opera, so poor Adrienne was unable to stay due to previous plans. The symphony was interesting in itself, though, and I found myself very much enjoying it (even though my sleep-impoverished mind wandered away a few times). It was the 5th Symphony by a 20th century British composer I'd never heard of: Arnold Bax. Alternately heart-poundingly war-like and wistfully sweet, it was very different from what I expected. I'm going to see if the library has any copies of his other symphonies. L'enfant et les Sortileges was highly entertaining considering it's about a bratty boy whose is confronted by the playthings and objects he has maltreated over the years. The singing was fantastic, but that was to be expected considering the soloists were all from The Opera Institute. And Older Figaro from The Countess of Seville was in it as the Old Grandfather Clock! A delight.

Despite the fact that it was a "holiday" I came into work with less than a jovial spirit as I felt supremely ill all morning. My head was pounding, body aching, and I was unaccountably nauseous the whole time. I got to work at 9am and by 9:45 I was seriously considering telling my boss I simply couldn't work today and going home. But then, corny as it is, I thought of Dad and how he never misses work unless he's physically unable to get out of bed. He's worked many a full day when he wasn't feeling well and I figured I could show the same amount of dedication. Perhaps this was foolish reasoning seeing as Dad doesn't exactly take care of himself as well as he should considering his heart, but his work ethic has rubbed off on me regardless. Growing up, and even now, there is nothing I fear so much as disappointing my parents. Anger, frustration, even dislike I can handle, but disappointment I cannot bear.

Despite my crappy physical state, I did manage to find two things of high amusement value:
Camera captures Bigfoot! -- or a bear
Dr.McNinja

The latter is an utterly hilarious webcomic that I had completely forgotten about and rediscovered yesterday. As the tag line says, "Dr. McNinja is a doctor who is also a ninja." What could be better? Go right now and check out his adventures as he battles against Ronald McDonald, Paul Bunyan, a raptor, zombies, and more! If he were real, I'd marry his hunky ass. ;o)

So even though Halloween is supposed to be a "fun" holiday that involves dressing up and doing things, Adrienne and I opted for staying home. Terrell came over and we all watched Queen Margot, the last in my line of rented movies about queens. Alas that this was the worst out of the bunch not because it was badly acted or poorly conceived, but because it was so damn confusing! Every other scene introduced another man that looked exactly like someone else and the number of dead, naked bodies (they were always naked) just kept piling up for seemingly no reason. We stopped it without finishing as 11pm rolled around and the collective energy of the group was near spent. Ah, what having a 9-5 (or in Terrell's case a 7-6) will do to your sense of fun!

I find it utterly ridiculous that I can live in the same city as some of my friends and still only see them perhaps once a month. On the T home from the opera I ran into my friend Kelly who I hadn't seen in about two weeks--the last time we got together being the first time I'd seen her and three other friends from high school in four years (one of them being her fiance). I'm going to see Brendan by Ronan Noone with Mom tomorrow night at the Huntington courtesy of comps given to me by my friend Kat: I spent copious amounts of time with her over the summer at Barrington only to see her sporadically at best once fall rolled around. She only lives a 66 bus ride away but I haven't seen her in over a month. And I haven't even made a twitch towards seeing my best friend from childhood who, when I first moved here, I discovered worked in Harvard Square. I hate that my job makes me feel so lethargic once I get home, but at the same time I know that I need much more rest than an average person does in order to function properly. GRR!

The parents arrive today! And so does my cousin Liz! The hardest part about this new life is how far away it takes me from my family. Being so close with my parents is both a blessing and a curse at this point.

Read
Sabriel by Garth Nix (so good!)

Seen
Queen Margot
Scrubs: Season One