*what* a cutie-patootie!  Look at that face. 

I think there is nothing
more relaxing than coming home from a long day, and actually having 5 minutes
to yourself.  To sit, and chill.  Then, the thunderstorm starts.  How perfect can one evening be? 

It was 80 some degrees
out today . . . and that lovely warm day ends with a lovely warm
thunderstorm. 

I’ll probably fall asleep
with all the windows open in the house. 
(all of my ONE window’s’)  I have
a sliding glass door as well . . but, I close that ‘cause I’m paranoid. 

Life update coming soon!

~M

So, yeah it's been a little while.  I know I've been absent. . . its just I've been so busy.  (so much for my photo challenge update!!  I have some of them . . I'll keep at it and try to catch up)

Things are going well here . . first . . some good news:

My company is going to hire me full time! (I'm a temp now).  I've been here 6 months, which is the required time before my department can hire me on full time.  Supposedly I'll be getting a pretty decent raise, so I'm kinda happy about that.  I'll be an actual 'employee' by the end of next week.  Very exciting! 

I'm in the middle of a show right now . . Jesus Christ Superstar.  Its a fun show, I've actually never played this one before . . its pretty challenging as well.  My lineup for the rest of the summer is this show, then Beauty and the Beast (again ..t his will be run #4) . . and then Sunday In The Park With George.  Hopefully I'll add Kiss Me Kate to that list soon . . and my summer will be complete!

well . . back to work. I'm going to try to update more, now that I'll have a bit of freedom at work.

Have a sunny hump day! 

~Mere   `@(_)

I've been trying to get this photoblog going, but I just haven't had the time to take the kind of pictures I want.  *sigh*  grr.  I'll get there.  even if I have to tack on another photochallenge or so.  (yikes, it's gonna be a bunch!!). 

Anyways . . I have this dilemma here.  I had (and am having) the most wonderful pork chops I've ever tried . . and they have this  stuffing in them that . . . well . . . is just fantastic.  The stuffed chops are from The Whole Foods market down in Columbus . . (which of course, we don't have up here. *sigh* gooo Cleveburg) . . . but I want to try and make it . . but I just can't figure out what's in it.  Its just too yummy.  It's a cashew stuffing, and as far as I can tell, there is bread (of course), cashews (duh), rosemary, some butter?  some oil?  Not sure from there.  There's no other chunks in it, so I think the rest is just flavoring . . . it tastes like a pretty typical stuffing, seasoning wise.  Theres definitely rosemary in it . . . hm.  I'll have to go rifling through my mothers recipes, and see what her stuffing recipe is like. 

hmmmmm. . ..

otherwise things are just busy.  I'm still working full time . . but hoping for that illustrious orchestral position. I'm on my way . . things are going well.  It'll just take some time.    But this past weekend was great . . . I had such a fun time, and hopefully I'll get some good gigs (and an orchestral position?) because of it.   

I've also flirted with the idea of going to Mexico.  but thats a whole other story. 

Back to work I go . . . I'll be back with pictures . .. hopefully soon!! 

~Mere

Rehearsal this evening went well. . . we spent the entire time on Tchaik 5.  The conductors tempos are obnoxiously slow, but I like most of his ideas . . . he's taking an extremely passionate approach to this symphony.

Quote of the evening:
                                     ". . . play it with a sobbing left hand." 
(in reference to vibrato produced by the left hand in the strings)

. . . the music does sob there.  Very fitting. 

Funny, I've never played with this orchestra before .. . but I know just about everyone in it.
Small world really.

It was nice to hear my fellow horn players tell me that I sounded good.  One of them asked me how I keep in shape while working a full time job. 
I told her I'm a horn whore.  I'll play for anyone.    (its true really .. . offer me a bit of $$, and baby I'm there!)  She took my name 'n number in the attempt to rescue me from my 'whoring'.

heh.  Well . . . it's one of those days . . early to rise, late to bed, and even earlier to rise tomorrow.  And then I do it all over again . . . so . . . sweet dreams.  Until later!                                                   

~Meresedotes n doesedotes n littlelambsedivey.

“When is War justified?”

This is one of three questions posed this week at Socrates Café.

I’m not what some would consider knowledgeable about politics. In fact, I tend to shut my ears to everything, because to me politics tends to sound like a bunch of immature teenagers whining and fighting over ‘who gets what’ and ‘what goes where.’ But I joined this group to expand my horizons, so to speak, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. (pardon me if I babble like an idiot for a while . . . sometimes I wonder if I’ve ever really understood the concept of concise.)

I had no idea how to begin this topic and no idea what to say on this topic, so I thought I would see what others had already posted. It seems to me, that I’m finding a rather resounding answer that War is not justified. (now don’t flame me, I’m not saying everyone said this, nor am I saying that this statement was absolute . . . I’m just using it to ask my own questions.)

My own first question would be Iraq. Is this war justified? It may have been, at one point in time. But there happens to be so much ‘politics’ messed up in this war, that no one is really sure what we are there for anymore. We caught Saddam Hussein. There are no weapons of mass destruction. Unfortunately, I understand very little of the entire picture that surrounds this war, so I cannot pass judgment one way or another. (I probably shouldn’t have even brought it up. . . obviously I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about. )

I tend to agree with the others in this, that war is not justified. It’s a weapon used to gain power, an ‘easy way out’, rather than working together and coming up with something that is acceptable on both ‘sides’. Now mind you, finding a situation or a compromise between two countries or nations that don’t see eye to eye could be close to impossible, but I believe that where there is a will, there is a way. But, again, I have questions. What about the nation that is oppressed? What about the nation (or country) that has been under a dominant rule, and is being ruled unjustly? What about the United States and the United Kingdom. Was our Revolution justified? Are there really two answers to this question? What about our own Civil War? I think there is a large population of people that think the Civil War was definitely justified. It was the turning point in their freedom. But does this mean that every war is justified? What would the rules be for a justifiable war? Who would decide these rules?

So I end up leaving this topic with more questions than answers.  I believe war is justified when one party is being unfairly ruled, or forced, into situations that they do not believe in, or welcome.  When said party has tried all means of communication to bring closure to their issues, and the opressing party refuses to budge.  When said party is in danger of losing lives due to the immovable nature of the opressing party, and solid evidence can be found that the opressing party is in the wrong.  That is when war can be justified. 

So I think I've recovered from my episode last night.  Whatever the heck that was.  All I know is . . I hope that never happens again. Not my idea of a fun evening!

I have so many things swimming around in my head that I have no clue what to say.  And aside from that, I had the most peculiar dream about a 12 point buck last night.  (it stressed me out. . . I don't remember why)  Yay lactose?  Why I'm dreaming of deer (and why I can remember the fact that it was a 12 point). .  I'm just as perplexed as the next person.  *shrug*

Ok . . so I think I'm going to catch up on all the Photo Challenges that I've missed in the past . . 2 months? or so?  I was just going to go gung-ho and post a bazillion pictures . . . but I think I'm going to scale that down a bit.  I'll *take* a bazillion pictures . . . and then post my favorite one for each topic.  I'm not sure how long that will take me, and I might end up tacking another photo challenge onto the list by the time I've completed it . . .but it should be fun.

Well . . work is calling.  As much as I want to goof around here all day . . I've got things to do.

"The years teach much which the days never knew."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think I've just come to the realization that I'm lactose intolerant.

Can it take 27.8 (or so) years to figure this out?

Whatever it is . . . I really don't enjoy the 'doubled over in pain' experience.

Soo I guess I'll just go with this for a while.  It's slightly pink.  I'm not sure if I'm capable of dealing with this much pink for a large amount of time . . . but we'll find out. 

So today was an exercise in restraint.  Almost.

I went to Beachwood mall with a friend of mine.  (Beachwood = rich bitch town).  Hence the mall is an experience.  It can make people rather uncomfortable.  I *love* it.  It has my favorite store. 

It's just a fantastic place.  I generally just go to play.  But today had a purpose . . . we were looking for makeup for L to wear for her wedding.  She's getting married next month . . . in Vegas.  Her wedding dress?  Is black.  (hell yeah)  So I knew she would love this place.  It carries all the fancy brands . . . Urban Decay, Hard Candy, Benefit, NARS, you name it.  I generally don't spend money in this store (though I want to . . BADLY) . . . because my money would only buy me a tiny brush, or tester eyeshadow or something.  But, as I showed L my favorite eyeshadow. . . .

The color is similar to the one on the left. . . just a little darker. . with lots of sparkles in it.  Called "Midnight Cowboy Rides Again".

L is a bad influence.  I bought it.
Is it strange to love an eyeshadow? I love it.  L.O.V.E. it.

At this point we were approached by a store clerk.  Tall handsome black man, with gorgeous eyes.  A professional makeup artist.  (and what a bummer, he was gay).  So I say . . . "if you were me . . . what lip color would you wear for an 'every day to evening' look?".  (see . . . see how I ask questions that I really don't want answers to?).
He says . . "oh honey . . come with me . . . "
(oh shit . . thats not a good sign) 
So off we go . . on a trek through the store.  He's grabbing things left and right . . . and points me to a chair.  (oh no!  another non good sign.  my wallet started doing that "we've really got to get out of here' squirm)
L, at this point, had seemingly lost her credit card, and wandered out of the store to see if she had left it at our previous location.
Christephan (the makeup artist), has me now relaxing in a comfy chair, as he meticulously lines my lips with liner, then lip gloss, then more liner, a bit more lip gloss, MORE liner and a bit of shimmer for the top.  This takes a few minutes.  (it feels like 12).  At this point L comes back in the store . . . and just about drops everything she has in her hands. 

"oh shit"

thats all shes says. 

Of course I'm freaking out . . what the hell did he just do to me?  There's no mirror . . can someone get me a mirror?  I need to see. . I need . . .
Then L says . . "oh my god . . you look amazing.  You have model lips.  What did he do to you?  Can he do that to me?"

What?
I finally find sight of a mirror . . . and lean back to check 'em out. 

they looked awesome.  incredible.  plump . . juicy . . and the color was *perfect*  I could wear it anywhere. 

I bought the whole deal.  Lipgloss . . lipliner . . glittery stuff . . *and* my eyeshadow. 

my credit card is weeping quietly in the corner. 

Damn him and his professional lip brush.  Damn him. 

(I'll have to supply pictures . . . sometime)