April 27, 2009

 Dreamed of a John Wayne movie like When Worlds Collide, about a crowd of people on a spaceship to escape the earth's impending destruction; hearing a game of Ping Pong (there was a machine outside making a similar noise).

Dinner was pork steak.

At choir practice we went through Cavalleria Rusticana one more time before the second performance.  We also got a list of the songs we'll be singing in the summer concert. (It includes the Pilgrim's Chorus from Tannhauser and the mad scene from Lucia di Lamermoor.) I also heard the short list of shows for the Toronto City Opera's next season: The Marriage of Figaro, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Tales of Hoffman, and a double bill of Cavalleria and Pagliacci! (If they do either of the last two I'll want to participate.)

April 26, 2009

Dreamed of the Churchill speech where he said "Some chicken!... Some neck!" and reflecting on the people fighting the war who didn't prove so strong.

Saw the DVD of a Royal Opera production of Strauss' Die Fledermaus from 1990 where the show stopped for half an hour in the second act for Joan Sutherland's final performance there (with Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne). It was translated into English by John Mortimer.  I liked the "Bruderlein und Schwesterlein" number.

Updated my browser to Safari 4.  It now shows my most regularly accessed websites when I open it.

John and Kathrine came over for a vegan dinner. (I sneaked out to KFC afterward.)

Wrote a draft review of Madama Butterfly for mrcranky.com !

 

April 25, 2009

"Outgrowing things we love is never a pleasant process"--Emily of New Moon

Dreamed of reflecting that the Maginot Line worked on its own terms but diverted money that would have been better spent on tanks; that despite all the frustrations of doing my Ph.D. thesis, I wish I could do another one.

Went with the Walking Meetup along Cedarvale Ravine.  Julie was pleased that I knew the area and all 15 people showed up. (The weather was excellent:  I wore my spring jacket for the first time, and ended up carrying it!) We were going to have ice cream at Dutch Dreams, but it isn't on summer hours yet and wasn't open.  A few of us went further, along the Nordheimer Ravine.

Dinner was lobster rolls.

Went to a DBE games night at a Pantages Tower recreation room.  First I played the trading game Pit for the first time, but I'm no good at it. (You have to think on your feet really quick.) Then I played Settlers of Catan for the first time.  Once you get into the strategizing, it's really captivating!  I didn't do that well in points, but I still feel proud that I built three of the five cities.

Finished Emily of New Moon.  I'm tempted to term it L.M. Montgomery's masterpiece.

April 24, 2009

Dreamed of a man and a woman fleeing a nuclear explosion by bicycle at the northern tip of Cape Breton; being in our old house in Sackville, N.B., as it slid off its foundation downhill into the nearby quarry; being backstage in a huge theatre.

Last night we saw the DVD of Henry Hathaway's Call Northside 777, a good film noir with Jimmy Stewart as an investigative reporter who uncovers a frame-up.

Patricia quit as organizer of the Brunch Club Meetup so I've taken over.

Saw the DVD Let's Get Together, highlights from the World Folk Music Association's 20th anniversary benefit concert.  I would have liked more of the older songs.

Dinner was quiche, which Moira made with the leftover ham.

My choir performed Cavalleria Rusticana.  This performance was largely for potential Columbus Centre patrons.

 

April 22, 2009

Dreamed of seeing actor brothers Jeff and Beau Bridges with a third brother I hadn't heard of.

Went shopping. (I also got a new pair of pants and slippers.)

Dinner was boiled ham.

We did the Cavalleria Rusticana dress rehearsal.

April 21, 2009

"Well..."

"A well's a hole in the ground,  Howard.  Be careful you don't fall in"

--Picnic

Dreamed of introducing Father to someone I'd known in London, England.

Saw the DVD of the first episode of the BBC school drama To Serve Them All My Days.  Wonderful.

Dinner was Indian butter chicken (with sauce from a jar).

At drama class we were given scenes to work on.  I have a scene from William Inge's Picnic as a guy holding out on marrying his desperate girlfriend.

Saw the DVD of the silent German fantasy The Golem.  Imaginative.

April 20, 2009

"Middle age is when you go to bed hoping you'll feel better in the morning.  Old age is when you go to bed hoping you'll wake up in the morning!"--Groucho Marx:  A Life in Review

On brother Chico: "He'd give you the shirt off his back, and it would be the one he borrowed from you last week!"--ibid.

Dreamed of being attacked on the street by a crazy woman; waking up really early in the morning and going out for a walk; an adventure series based on Scottish legend, involving a high-minded hero and his down-to-earth sidekick.

At huffingtonpost.com you can add an avatar to your profile now.  I've added a photo of early Canadian socialist leader J.S. Woodsworth.

At archive.org I found the educational film Holiday From Rules, which I remember seeing in school 40 years ago!

Dinner was roast chicken.

Saw a DVD of Groucho:  A Life in Revue, an entertaining play about Groucho Marx written by his son, with Frank Ferrante in the title role.

After choir practice I told John George about Moira and it turned out his daughter had also qualified for the Boston Marathon, but in her case she caught a cold.

Saw a DVD of Pixar's animated shorts.  Pretty clever computer animation.