Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What’s on your mind?

WriteNow said:
Metereological spring has arrived here in the US. (It starts earlier than the regular calendar spring. Supposedly this helps with stuff like consistent record keeping, since the calendar start will vary year to year.) Many years, I'm tired of winter by this point, so I welcome a 3/1 start of spring. Even though I might resist recognizing 12/1 as the start of winter, which I should do if I consider 3/1 the start of spring. Instead, I'll be inconsistent, as I try to avoid winter as long as possible...
Click to expand...
3rd of January? A bit early for Spring!

Here it’s definitely been Spring for a while. Daffodils are out. Cherry blossom is out. It’s just so wet everywhere still. But not too bad today. Glorious sunshine for much of the day. Even went cost less for my lunchtime walk.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe and WriteNow
WriteNow said:
But as I think of it, a January 3rd start of spring would be nice many years!
Click to expand...
Tbh our winters have changed significantly with climate change. We see virtually no snow. Even frosts are becoming less common. Just lots and lots of rain and flooding. Many parts of the UK had their wettest year last year since records began.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
KaliYoni said:
And ballet, especially the forgettable, often formulaic music written by house-composers (yes, I mean you, Ludwig Minkus) that was the norm before Delibes (Sylvia) and Tchaikovsky (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty) got involved.
Click to expand...
I would add figure skating to the mix. Some songs suddenly got tons of streaming after the recent Olympics - "Promise" by Laufey and "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer used in women's Gold skate by Alysa Liu and an introduction to the amazing Kazakh singer Dimash used by men's Gold medal winner Mikhail Shaidarov (who used part of the Dune soundtrack for his short program).
 
  • Like
Reactions: KaliYoni
decafjava said:
I would add figure skating to the mix. Some songs suddenly got tons of streaming after the recent Olympics - "Promise" by Laufey and "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer used in women's Gold skate by Alysa Liu and an introduction to the amazing Kazakh singer Dimash used by men's Gold medal winner Mikhail Shaidarov (who used part of the Dune soundtrack for his short program).
Click to expand...

And the hilarious cover of the White Stripes (Postmodern Jukebox) used by Julia Sauter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: decafjava
Today is the first time I have ever felt pain playing the piano. I just got out of a rehearsal and it was really uncomfortable. I think I've got tendonitis in my arms, because playing really hurt, and typing this does, too. I didn't believe there was ever such thing as playing "too much," but I think I've reached that point.

Mind you, I have really good piano technique and this has never been a problem. I always warm up with scales, arpeggios, and etudes every time I practice, and my wrists/arms are always loose. Everything you want. Good technique only gets you so far, it seems, because I've been playing intense, difficult stuff constantly every single day and probably straining myself too much.

Hope this gets better before my recital on Saturday - but I have to keep practicing, playing, and going to rehearsals. Unfortunately there's no opportunity for me to even take a one-day break.

I first noticed it about an hour into practicing solo rep yesterday, and I immediately stopped. It hasn't gotten any worse, which is good, but anything to do with moving my fingers is uncomfortable. I have another rehearsal with the percussion ensemble in an hour, and I don't know if I'm going to make it.

EDIT: Percussion ensemble rehearsal ended up being fine, and my part wasn't that hard. Still in a lot of pain, though.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
Scepticalscribe said:
Saw an academic friend for a few glasses of wine last night, and met another old friend (with whom I have served abroad) for coffee, in a lovely old late Georgian city centre hotel for coffee this morning, where we had much to discuss.
Click to expand...
I can well imagine some of the topics of discussion!

Here a day of work. Some issues with the report data which was frustrating. Our systems are a bloody nightmare.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
I'm working from home like 93% of the time, and my wife uses our family car for her daily commute. She often has late working hours. I pic up the kid from the daycare as it is within walking distance. We go to the playground, the library, or to the grocery store, which are all nearby. But we don't do much else, as we have no second car, our public transport connections are meh, and, of course, I'm lazy. We're now ordering a new small electric car for my wife, and I have the elated feeling that I finally get back an important piece of my personal freedom, even if it does not change the daily routine. But it adds options for me and our kid: going to the indoor swimming pool, the zoo, hardware store, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe, decafjava and BotchQue
Another one: for dinner, we had wholegrain bread, smoked salmon, five different types of cheeses, tomato, cucumber, gherkins, boiled eggs, chicken breast slices, milk, and two different brews of vegan milk substitutes. My numerically inclined brain parts were quite impressed seeing the 4yo eating up 4€ worth of smoked salmon within approx. 4 minutes. My emotional brain parts were happy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
WriteNow said:
Metereological spring has arrived here in the US. (It starts earlier than the regular calendar spring. Supposedly this helps with stuff like consistent record keeping, since the calendar start will vary year to year.) Many years, I'm tired of winter by this point, so I welcome a March 1st start of spring. Even though I might resist recognizing December 1st as the start of winter, which I should do if I consider March 1st the start of spring. Instead, I'll be inconsistent, as I try to avoid winter as long as possible...


Edit: clarify dates.
Click to expand...
Three nights ago our 4yo woke me up at 3am asking if it is spring now. I was not sure about it as I always had March 20th or 21st in my head. So I looked it up on my phone. The kid was very very pleased that it was at least meteorological spring. I was allowed to continue sleeping, until 5:40am.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe, decafjava, C0ncreteBl0nde and 2 others
oreganoinferno said:
I'm working from home like 93% of the time, and my wife uses our family car for her daily commute. She often has late working hours. I pic up the kid from the daycare as it is within walking distance. We go to the playground, the library, or to the grocery store, which are all nearby. But we don't do much else, as we have no second car, our public transport connections are meh, and, of course, I'm lazy. We're now ordering a new small electric car for my wife, and I have the elated feeling that I finally get back an important piece of my personal freedom, even if it does not change the daily routine. But it adds options for me and our kid: going to the indoor swimming pool, the zoo, hardware store, etc.
Click to expand...
I bought a second EV for my wife so we are 100% EV now (I've had mine around 5 years). They are great. What are you getting?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe, decafjava and oreganoinferno
Apple fanboy said:
I bought a second EV for my wife so we are 100% EV now (I've had mine around 5 years). They are great. What are you getting?
Click to expand...
The all-new Renault Twingo E-Tech in the current top trim. 260 km / 160 miles max range, realistically less of course. But for her needs thats still enough for 10 to 12 days between recharging.
 
oreganoinferno said:
The all-new Renault Twingo E-Tech in the current top trim. 260 km / 160 miles max range, realistically less of course. But for her needs thats still enough for 10 to 12 days between recharging.
Click to expand...
Mrs AFB had a Smart ForFour. 77 mile range and that will do her about 7 days. I have a charger on the drive so it will never see a destination charger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oreganoinferno
Apple fanboy said:
I can well imagine some of the topics of discussion!

Here a day of work. Some issues with the report data which was frustrating. Our systems are a bloody nightmare.
Click to expand...
The second chap is ex-military - a retired colonel - and has served in the Middle East, an area where he is vastly more experienced and knowledgeable than I am. So, yes, there were many topics addressed.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I bought a second EV for my wife so we are 100% EV now (I've had mine around 5 years). They are great. What are you getting?
Click to expand...
I was chatting with - a phone call of around the usual two hours - with the best student I have ever taught, she is a barrister and teaches law, (but not without challenges, as her eldest boy is profoundly autistic) and she told me that she has just bought an electric car, and absolutely loves it.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
I was chatting with - a phone call of around the usual two hours - with the best student I have ever taught, she is a barrister and teaches law, (but not without challenges, as her eldest boy is profoundly autistic) and she told me that she has just bought an electric car, and absolutely loves it.
Click to expand...
They are so much more pleasant to drive. Especially around a city. So quiet and responsive. I could never go back to petrol.
Occasionally when I have to drive one it feels very last century. Like a horse and cart compared to a car.

Mrs AFB was hesitant at first but absolutely loved her Smart ForFour.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back