Posted by barb on Jun 4, 2003 in
Saxophone Not a bad lesson, considering I didn’t feel up to practicing all last week. In fact, I wasn’t able to pick up my horn until yesterday.
I was surprised that I was able to get the rhythm of Country Garden down on my own. I figured I was doing something wrong with the dotted eighth-notes, but when Fred played the tune for me, it sounded much like it did in my practice sessions! Yay! I’m getting better at this.
Working on high D, E, and F, Fred said that I had the embouchure down and the air and that I was getting a pretty good sound. I find the fingering to be horribly awkward, but at least when I get that right, the notes sound good. Fred seems continually amazed that I’m able to get a decent sound out of my old horn (1930s) — they play notoriously out of tune, but I’m apparently able to compensate well enough. That’s not to say that I’m completely in tune, but I at least sound in tune with myself.
Posted by barb on Jun 3, 2003 in
Movies 3.5/5 stars
Fun, fluffy movie of the old Saturday morning cartoon. I can’t actually remember the cartoon, so I went in with a fresh mind. I found it fun, but easily forgettable.
Posted by barb on Jun 2, 2003 in
Books by James P. Hogan
A million years ago a wayward, malfunctioning alien ship landed on Titan to start a robot factory.
A million years later, 20th century humans embark on a mission, purportedly to determine the suitability of a site on Mars for colonization. Instead, the mission is “rerouted” to Titan, and only the mission “brass” knows why.
What they find is a thriving robot colony in the equivalent of Earth’s medieval period. The brass sets out to exploit the robots for the financial gain of the US and Europe. One unlikely alliance of the usurped team sees the robots for what they are — sentient beings made of a different kind of biology.
I quite enjoyed this book, despite Hogan’s tendency to rant (in this case about the stupid masses who desire to keep themselves ignorant). The story is quite engaging.
Posted by barb on May 30, 2003 in
Movies 2.5/5 stars
Fluffy romantic comedy starring JLo. Every time I watch a JLo romantic comedy, I swear it will be my last. But then I watch another one. She’s not going to take over for Meg Ryan or Sandra Bullock in the romantic comedy genre, but I have to admit that she’s not all bad.
Posted by barb on May 29, 2003 in
Movies 3/5 stars
Cute feel-good comedy with Hugh Grant (yum).
Posted by barb on May 28, 2003 in
Saxophone My back went out this weekend. I can’t possibly even think about playing the sax right now — I can hardly pick up a bottle of water without cringing in pain.
Posted by barb on May 28, 2003 in
Movies 4/5 stars
This was the story of a society house wife in 1956 whose life, from the outside, looks picture perfect. Her husband makes a good living, and she has two beautiful children. Of course, life is not what it seems from the outside, and she finds that she has no one to talk to about her marital problems. She befriends a black gardener, who helps her to forget her troubles for an afternoon (not like that!), which puts her on the edge of a scandal.
Posted by barb on May 27, 2003 in
Books by Peter David
I accidentally pulled book six off my shelf, instead of book five — I wondered why they were talking about events that I couldn’t remember. Oh well.
Fun, fluffy, read. Not much more to say.
Posted by barb on May 27, 2003 in
Movies 4/5 stars
Not too much to say about this one. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies, so this one pulled me right in. I quite like Reese Witherspoon as a romantic lead, so look forward to more of her movies. In this one, she is torn between her new fiance in New York, where she is an up-and-coming fashion designer and the husband she’s been separated from for several years who is a small-town boy.
Posted by barb on May 27, 2003 in
Movies 4/5 stars
This was an animated story of a wild stallion in the “Old West” at a time when Americans were just beginning their migration west. Spirit is separated from his herd, and American soldiers attempt to break him. The story follows his adventures with a Native American who befriends him and helps free him from the American’s Fort.
A pretty good movie. I’d certainly watch it again, though I don’t think I need to own it.