Monday, March 31, 2008

Kara's Exciting Weekend

I had an exciting weekend, and I simply had to share!





First of all, I chopped off my hair!




Second, I bought a snowboard! Didn't see that one coming did you? Well, neither did I! The story goes that Scott and I were browsing through the local thrift store when we happened upon what I thought was a really sweet-looking board. It had artwork that was reminiscent of "The Little Prince," my favorite book.



Since I've been wanting a snowboard for a few years now, I whimsically picked it up to see if it was the right size. It came up to my chin: just about the perfect size.




Then I looked, and in a rack nearby I saw some cute snowboarding boots!



They were size seven, but when I tried them on they didn't seem too loose. They were K2 boots; Scott informed me that this was a really good brand. I was slightly concerned because the board had traditional strap bindings whereas the boots were step-in, but I couldn't feel the metal bits at the bottom of the boot when I wore them strapped into the board, so I didn't think it was a problem. We called a friend of ours who had just bought a snowboard and boots, and he told us what to look for in a board. Apparently, this one was in good condition -- no huge gouges or anything along those lines. It was solid, yet flexible, and the bindings were in excellent shape.

It was a match made in heaven. Not only was everything in good condition and the right size, but I really LIKED the look of the board & boots. And here's the clincher: between the boots and the board I spent a grand sum of $25!

Thursday morning I will be taking my new board in to REI to be waxed, edge-sharpened, and adjusted. I think I will also get something to help my $10 K2 boots fit better. Apparently, there are devices such as "butterflies," "tongue pads," and "ankle straps" which will help keep my heel from slipping up when I'm on my tip-toes. Then this weekend we're hitting the slopes (and doubtless I'll spend most of the day on my butt)! Woopie!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Tonka Craze!

I know I've already posted about our kitty, but she's growing so fast, and I want to share all the pictures!



In the above picture you can almost see her beautiful, multicolored eyes. Her eyes are golden around the edge with emerald rings around the pupils. Here, I'll try to edit the photo so you can see better...



The shot below is also a nice one, though you can't see the green of her eyes as well because her pupils are so huge.



Kitty likes to pose in various cute locations. She particularly seems to like Scott's messenger bag:



We love our kitty!!!

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Tam Lin Performance 2008




Tada! Kara has learned how to create a podcast! Now I can post audio on this blog that you can listen to.

Above is a live recording of a performance that took place on February 26th, 2008. I was presenting a piece of mine called Tam Lin to the Seattle Chamber Music Society in hopes that they will incorporate it into one of their programs for children. This was a very casual event; there were more performers than audience members!

This piece musically delivers a celtic fairy tale, and I talk a little about the composition and structure of the piece before and after the performance. The entire piece is 20 minutes long and has six movements.

Flute: Wendy Wilhelmi
Cello: Paige Stockly Lerner
Piano: Hartwig Eichberg
Percussion: Denali Williams

I hope you enjoy the listening!!