This is neat.  I’m listening to an Imogene Heap track that sounds like she:

a) recorded an entire song’s worth of words/syllables on one pitch,
b) mapped those syllables to a synthesizer,
c) played “herself” singing a stack of harmonies for a song, then
d) sang the melody and primary harmony tracks over it.

Leah and I have just finished watching all 6 hours of the A&E Pride and Prejudice – and she said she liked it!  She assures me that she didn’t say that to make me happy (I happen to think it’s the best thing since… well, ever).  Tomorrow, we’re going to watch the American version, and then the Bollywood version.  (For her literature class – compare and contrast.)  I’m in heaven.  =)

“The Office” in my office… You will get such a kick out of this if you watch that show, and may even find it funny if you don’t. Read the following, which – I kid you not – came straight from my office email Inbox.

A quick intro: I work in the clinical education department of a hospital group. Our department is made up of mostly instructors, instructional designers (like me), and developers (programmers). In an effort to promote departmental unity, a “Fun Committee” was developed. They’re doing a good job of springing random, mostly fun, events on us to break up the monotony of the work week, and they really are good people. But sometimes, they get intense. And funny. =) The latest fun event: an in-office bowling league. We bowl a hard foam ball into hard foam pins down our office hallways…

Enjoy:

Hello Everyone,

Three pins have been damaged due to Horse play and one pin is still missing. Each pin has a replacement fee of $6. Please return the pin to a Fun Committee member today. I am here until 3:30pm and [another Fun Committee member] is here until 3:45pm. Please do not strike each other with the pins as they are made out of soft foam and not very sturdy. We have attached another set of rules for your review.

Please see a Fun Committee member to pay for the damaged pins. The League will resume, after we have received payment for the damaged pins.

[A member of the "Fun Committee"]

–

Good morning,

I am sorry to report that no one has stepped forward and paid the outstanding money for the damaged pins. The Fun Committee paid a total of $60.00 each, for two bowling sets. Even with payment for the damaged pins, we do not have the funding to purchase another bowling set, but we had hoped to recuperate some of the the funds we spent for a bowling set that we are now unable to sell.

Several people have stepped forward and volunteered to pay for another bowling set, but we do not feel it would be fair to ask this of those that were not responsible for causing the damage in the first place.

We are sorry to announce that bowling has been discontinued pending payment for the damaged pins.

Thanks.

[The Fun Committee Head Honcho]

–

Seriously, it’s okay to admit to juvenile acts caused damage to the pins. We ALL get overzealous and carried away at times. I am sure we can all agree there will be no social scorning of the responsible party!! Just speak up and let’s continue with the league. Otherwise we need to have the office exterminated for the large rats that ate the pins!!

[An instructor]

–

It is sad to know that in our department of adults, no one could respect the materials that were purchased for us for enjoyment. This was a creative idea that the Fun Committee came up with so we could have fun together outside work and someone had to abuse that. Our team was enjoying our Friday morning bowling times and it is sad to know that it is being discontinued.

I hope those responsible decide to step forward and take account for their actions.

This doesn’t help encourage our Fun Committee to create any more fun ideas for us if we can’t even handle this one.

Sincerely,

[Another instructor, after having read the previous instructor's email... so much for no social scorning. =)]

–

Ummm, I admittedly have not seen the injured pins, so please forgive me if I’m just uninformed, but is it possible that some of the pins became damaged (or at least began to be damaged) during normal play? Or during storing them into the box? I’ve definitely seen some laser-rocket bowling, and I can’t be alone in my lack of thorough examination before storage.

I’m just simply wondering if a slight tear could go unnoticed and become worse during storage, transportation, etc.?

[A developer]

–

No. The first week of bowling the pins were fine. I stored the pins and the pins were not cracked. I have also checked for damage and I can tell you that the only damage that had occurred, was a slight tear inside the finger hole of one of the bowling balls.

[Head Honcho, responding to the developer]

–

That was not the case. Prior to storing the equipment we went through the boxes. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen during normal play, but it didn’t happen during transportation or storage. We would just like for someone to come forward, even if it means putting the money in an envelope and sliding it under a door.

[Another Fun Committee Member, responding to the developer]

–

I haven’t run this idea past the Fun Committee, but think we could solve this problem for a small additional cost to each of us. There are about 30 participants in the hallway bowling and $120 has been spent for the equipment. That works out to $4 each to cover the entire cost. I know we have already paid $1 each leaving $90 outstanding. I suggest we each kick in an additional dollar for this round and plan on paying $2 for the next round?

[A designer]

–

[A round of people, at this point send emails to the tune of "I'm in" or "Let's just do this so we can get back to bowling"...]

–

Hello Everyone,

This is the final email about Bowling. It is absolutely canceled for this week. If you would like bowling to resume, anyone who would like to VOLUNTEER funds towards a replacement set, is free to do so. The cost of the replacement set is $60.00. We will not be splitting up the cost of a replacement set amongst the bowling league. There is a deadline for volunteer donations towards the replacement. The deadline is Monday, April 23, 2007 by 3pm. Turn in your donations to a member of the Fun Committee.

Signed,

The Fun Committee!

Isn’t that hilarious? We’re back to bowling, so I guess the volunteers shelled out the cash. =)

Last night, we had some good friends over (11 total?) to watch Jesus Christ Superstar with us.  Our pastor talked a little about it before we actually got around to turning it on.  There were a few kinds of people there – one kind had never seen the movie, so it needed a little introduction, and another kind had seen it many times and was likely to be silly throughout.  The pastor saying something at the beginning put everyone into a somber enough mood that we could watch the movie and think about its subject rather than its execution.  (No pun intended.)

Dave’s Dad, David tells me, has listened to the record/CD every year on Good Friday for as long as he can remember.  I like the idea – we might watch this DVD every Good Friday.  It was a good way to spend the night.

We had a *stack* of people over here on Sunday night. 25 or so. This get-together accomplished two purposes: 1) it was our 2nd annual pumpkin-carving extravaganza with the Gardners (and expanded to friends and family from all over), and 2) it was a great opportunity to show off our house, to give everyone the “tour” at once. =)

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, so I won’t spend time talking about the shindig. (I disagree with that saying, by the way.) Here are some photos:

The first bunch

 
Trogdor rage (he did a Trogdor pumpkin)

 
Racoon rage?  (she did a racoon pumpkin)

 
one of my favorite pictures.  this is one NEAT kid.

 
Robin’s yuck-this-is-gross face

 
mmm…  this was Rosita’s (left) first pumpkin carving experience.

 
Trogdor and Rather Dashing

 
my very favorite pumpkin design – James’ Zim and Gir.  isn’t this amazing?!

 
Most of us.  Check out James’ head (on the coffee table)!

 This is great news, and a great idea for reaching a new generation…  Anyone wanna go to the movies?

Met to Broadcast Live Operas Into Movie Theaters
By DANIEL J. WAKIN
Published: September 6, 2006

Coming soon to your multiplex in the mall: bel canto fireworks and bass-baritone rumbles, love duets and orchestral colors, divas, tenors and trills.

The Metropolitan Opera announced today that it would begin broadcasting live performances into movie theaters across the United States, Canada and Britain, rubbing shoulders with professional wrestling and rock concerts.

The broadcasts are part of a strategy by the Met’s new general manager, Peter Gelb, to widen the house’s appeal by branching out into new media. The house also said today that it was opening up its vast archive of historic radio broadcast performances for streaming and downloading. Read the rest of this entry »