In my glass: nothing
From my iPod: Blue Afternoon, Rachel Stevens
From my bookshelf: A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin. - the second book of the Game of Thrones book series
Outside:fairly bright - waiting
My mood: ok
Today's hairstyle: nautilus with a Ketylo
Sorry guys. You know how it is. Uni has finished, and the weeks have been flying past.
For those who are wondering, I passed all my exams, and inside, my mind is running around screaming "YAY! NO MORE ANATOMY!!!" Never again. Ever. I cant deny its been useful, but for the next two years, I actually get to do a bit of what I came here to do in the first place - pharmacology. Finally.
So, onto other things. Turns out, the band isn't playing in Edinburgh at the Tattoo anymore. Damn. In any case, I may or may not be going on a trip away elsewhere in the start of September, depending of which of us three bass drummers that have put in for it gets selected - I doubt they would let all three of us go, since its just a select group of pipers and drummers going.
Part of the reason I've not been in touch is because of a tragedy involving one of my fellow musicians. One of the pipers I played with in the youth band for years passed away very recently, and its affected everyone in the band community since he was such a lovely person. I actually wrote a whole post on it, and it disappeared into the stratosphere somewhere when I tried to post it. It was too emotional to try again, so I just left it.
Tomorrow is the European Pipe Band Championships. Thinking it should be good fun. I can't believe we're in June already and I have only been to one, tiny competition. I think I'll miss the fun of the trip to Ireland, with it being in Forres this year, but I'm also glad I'm not spending two days travelling for the ten minutes each band plays for.
I can't decide if its a really bad thing that I'm starting to rather like my roommate for next year probably more than I should be for him being my roommate. Let me ponder it for a while?
Oh, and I'm doing the LHC summer swap again. I'm still collating stuff and waiting for other stuff to arrive before sending my gifted her present. I went over-budget a bit, but oh well.
I'm working on a few posts at the moment, but none of them are even close to being ready to post, mostly because I'm still trying to figure out my own points of view on the subjects. LHC debates are helping me somewhat come to a conclusion for some of them. I'll try to get some more posts to you soon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, 28 June 2013
Monday, 27 May 2013
Ooh, 999 page views!
In my glass: jasmine green tea
From my iPod: Thanig an Gille Dubh (a lovely Gaelic song from a cd I got at the NCETM)
From my bookshelf: Anatomy
Outside: dark
My mood: good
Today's hairstyle: nautilus, followed by knot-pony, followed by English braid
I know what youre thinking: two posts so soon? Well, in celebration of my nearing 1000 views, and of finally becoming a "Guru" over on the LHC after more than two years, I have one of my own poems for you. But first, a couple of things..
For those of you LHC-ers (you know who you are) out there, whether you've been following me, or simply clicked on my siggy-link, I wish to ask a question: what do you think my new custom user title should be? (For those of you who are newer to the forum, or not on at all, those who reach the required post-count and also spend more than 365 days on the forum can change the section that says "member" under their username). If you have any ideas the either post them down below or send me a little PM on the boards (name is tigereye over there too)
Second of all, an update on me: so its the middle of exam time, and I have merely four days until they are all over. Yes, I'm stressing, but after the horrific year I've had this one, I have to admit, this is truly the best I have felt in a long, long time. Maybe it's something to do with the sun, and having the time to spend outdoors, even if revising, but I do think its something much more than that. Something appears to have made a huge mark on my life, though I won't say what for sake of jinxing it - don't worry, you can probably guess, and even so,will all know in time. Anyway, the pain in my life has become so much easier to bear, and yes, sometimes I even forget, except for maybe when one of my uncles tunes comes on the radio, or iPod, or at a concert, or a gig, and I'm struck by a feeling of loss once more. But even then, I don't so much feel the pain. It's mostly given way to a sort of gladness that I was blessed to be a part of that family, to still be able to hear his music being played, to know that his time here, though too short, will never be forgotten. And true, sometimes it still is really painful, and the legacy left to me is often difficult to bear, I can still see it somewhat as a gift. I may not see myself as a great musician, but I still find the great joy in playing music. I may still be known to many as daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister of all those infamous musicians of the family, but really, that no longer bothers me. I no longer have the need to fight that identity in order to be seen as me. In fact, I see it almost as a great gift, that I grew up around such wonderful music, and be blessed with such a wonderful family. It is as much a part of "me" as any of the other things I've ever mentioned here. I feel so much further on than I did during my more depressive periods this past year, and even before that, in the time since my uncles death. The death of three people from my high school in the last year, two of which were in my year, and classes, before we all parted ways two short years ago, has hit me hard. The knowledge that one of those was a suicide hit me even harder, especially because of the difficulty I had with coming to terms with my uncles. I missed the anniversary this year. We always used to go up to his gravesite on the day in December - a wee group of us - but I missed it this year; I was in uni, and didn't finish in time to go. That was hard. But like I said, this is definitely a better time for me. I will go back up to the grave when i go home this summer. Lay some flowers, maybe play a tune on my fiddle, just have some time there by myself. I still plan on getting that tattoo. I think it will be easier now, maybe to see it as somewhat of a more happy reminder. As I recently explained to a close friend, it doesn't represent death, so much as a reminder that life needn't be taken so seriously all the time.
Thirdly, my brother is much better now. He is off the majority of his meds,has come off the warfarin, and even has a job bag piping a few days a week. He brings in more money in a week than I seem to make in a whole month. The clot is still there, and will probably forever be there, but, bar some headaches, it no longer affects him so much. He's currently also in the middle of the exams he missed when this happened last year. I think the experience has changed him somewhat, but neither for better, or for worse. He is still my brother, and I cannot express how happy I am to still have him here. It also made me realise how many people there are out there who truly care about us. Sometimes it feels like there are none other than my brother (for I know he is always there for me) who care, but this showed me just how many people really do.
Fourthly, a few lines that crossed my mind today when I came across my old dance shoes and my painted wooden folding fan as I was packing: "Life is a dance we all begin as a child - an ever changing beat we move with. We can chose how to dance, and even whether to dance at all. I do not know much, but I do know that I dance not for the money, for beauty, but for the love of the dance itself. To find the rhythm that keeps life good - keeps me good, with the people, with the music, and with the life that makes me, me.."
And lastly, that poem. It is called "Morning, Sleepyhead" and yes, it is one of my own poems:
A little tap against my cheek
Startles me awake from fitful dreams
Of tigers chasing dolphins in a clear sea
Blue eyes stare down at me
One side reflecting the first pink glint
Of a morning sunrise over distant hills
I close my eyes again in vain
An attempt to return to those odd visions
Of tigers, dolphins, sea - but all gone now.
The tap comes again
My eyes shooting open once more
Catch the tiny, furry paw pulling quickly back
To support his wobbly crouch right on my sternum.
The little weight shifts as he looks at me
And his mouth opens in a big, wide yawn,
Showing all his perfect white teeth in the light.
His whiskers tickle the back of my hand
As I go to rub my eyes somewhat awake
An odd, light sensation still somewhat ethereal.
I move to sit up and yawn widely
The first sudden burst of sun catching my eye.
He glowers at me as he topples into my lap.
The scratchy tongue runs over my finger
Velcro over hard nail and soft skin.
He stands up, sleek, cream and brown.
His huge eyes sit large in his angular face
And he opens his mouth: "prrrmmrraaaaaooowww"
Says he, in his low, unbefitting voice.
Such is the morning ritual of our little Siamese
From my iPod: Thanig an Gille Dubh (a lovely Gaelic song from a cd I got at the NCETM)
From my bookshelf: Anatomy
Outside: dark
My mood: good
Today's hairstyle: nautilus, followed by knot-pony, followed by English braid
I know what youre thinking: two posts so soon? Well, in celebration of my nearing 1000 views, and of finally becoming a "Guru" over on the LHC after more than two years, I have one of my own poems for you. But first, a couple of things..
For those of you LHC-ers (you know who you are) out there, whether you've been following me, or simply clicked on my siggy-link, I wish to ask a question: what do you think my new custom user title should be? (For those of you who are newer to the forum, or not on at all, those who reach the required post-count and also spend more than 365 days on the forum can change the section that says "member" under their username). If you have any ideas the either post them down below or send me a little PM on the boards (name is tigereye over there too)
Second of all, an update on me: so its the middle of exam time, and I have merely four days until they are all over. Yes, I'm stressing, but after the horrific year I've had this one, I have to admit, this is truly the best I have felt in a long, long time. Maybe it's something to do with the sun, and having the time to spend outdoors, even if revising, but I do think its something much more than that. Something appears to have made a huge mark on my life, though I won't say what for sake of jinxing it - don't worry, you can probably guess, and even so,will all know in time. Anyway, the pain in my life has become so much easier to bear, and yes, sometimes I even forget, except for maybe when one of my uncles tunes comes on the radio, or iPod, or at a concert, or a gig, and I'm struck by a feeling of loss once more. But even then, I don't so much feel the pain. It's mostly given way to a sort of gladness that I was blessed to be a part of that family, to still be able to hear his music being played, to know that his time here, though too short, will never be forgotten. And true, sometimes it still is really painful, and the legacy left to me is often difficult to bear, I can still see it somewhat as a gift. I may not see myself as a great musician, but I still find the great joy in playing music. I may still be known to many as daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister of all those infamous musicians of the family, but really, that no longer bothers me. I no longer have the need to fight that identity in order to be seen as me. In fact, I see it almost as a great gift, that I grew up around such wonderful music, and be blessed with such a wonderful family. It is as much a part of "me" as any of the other things I've ever mentioned here. I feel so much further on than I did during my more depressive periods this past year, and even before that, in the time since my uncles death. The death of three people from my high school in the last year, two of which were in my year, and classes, before we all parted ways two short years ago, has hit me hard. The knowledge that one of those was a suicide hit me even harder, especially because of the difficulty I had with coming to terms with my uncles. I missed the anniversary this year. We always used to go up to his gravesite on the day in December - a wee group of us - but I missed it this year; I was in uni, and didn't finish in time to go. That was hard. But like I said, this is definitely a better time for me. I will go back up to the grave when i go home this summer. Lay some flowers, maybe play a tune on my fiddle, just have some time there by myself. I still plan on getting that tattoo. I think it will be easier now, maybe to see it as somewhat of a more happy reminder. As I recently explained to a close friend, it doesn't represent death, so much as a reminder that life needn't be taken so seriously all the time.
Thirdly, my brother is much better now. He is off the majority of his meds,has come off the warfarin, and even has a job bag piping a few days a week. He brings in more money in a week than I seem to make in a whole month. The clot is still there, and will probably forever be there, but, bar some headaches, it no longer affects him so much. He's currently also in the middle of the exams he missed when this happened last year. I think the experience has changed him somewhat, but neither for better, or for worse. He is still my brother, and I cannot express how happy I am to still have him here. It also made me realise how many people there are out there who truly care about us. Sometimes it feels like there are none other than my brother (for I know he is always there for me) who care, but this showed me just how many people really do.
Fourthly, a few lines that crossed my mind today when I came across my old dance shoes and my painted wooden folding fan as I was packing: "Life is a dance we all begin as a child - an ever changing beat we move with. We can chose how to dance, and even whether to dance at all. I do not know much, but I do know that I dance not for the money, for beauty, but for the love of the dance itself. To find the rhythm that keeps life good - keeps me good, with the people, with the music, and with the life that makes me, me.."
And lastly, that poem. It is called "Morning, Sleepyhead" and yes, it is one of my own poems:
A little tap against my cheek
Startles me awake from fitful dreams
Of tigers chasing dolphins in a clear sea
Blue eyes stare down at me
One side reflecting the first pink glint
Of a morning sunrise over distant hills
I close my eyes again in vain
An attempt to return to those odd visions
Of tigers, dolphins, sea - but all gone now.
The tap comes again
My eyes shooting open once more
Catch the tiny, furry paw pulling quickly back
To support his wobbly crouch right on my sternum.
The little weight shifts as he looks at me
And his mouth opens in a big, wide yawn,
Showing all his perfect white teeth in the light.
His whiskers tickle the back of my hand
As I go to rub my eyes somewhat awake
An odd, light sensation still somewhat ethereal.
I move to sit up and yawn widely
The first sudden burst of sun catching my eye.
He glowers at me as he topples into my lap.
The scratchy tongue runs over my finger
Velcro over hard nail and soft skin.
He stands up, sleek, cream and brown.
His huge eyes sit large in his angular face
And he opens his mouth: "prrrmmrraaaaaooowww"
Says he, in his low, unbefitting voice.
Such is the morning ritual of our little Siamese
Location:Aberdeen
Sunday, 26 May 2013
A poem from my childhood
This poem used to be on my wall as a child, and was probably one of the first poems I loved. As such, I can still remember all the words. It is unfortunate that some of the words, formerly completely innocent, have taken on alternative meanings with modern language, as it is a lovely old poem from the 19th century.
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, by Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above
And sang to a small guitar
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a wonderful Pussy you are
You are,
What a wonderful Pussy you are.
Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! Too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?'
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows,
And there in a wood, a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
'Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'
So they took it away and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
The danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, by Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above
And sang to a small guitar
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a wonderful Pussy you are
You are,
What a wonderful Pussy you are.
Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! Too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?'
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows,
And there in a wood, a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
'Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'
So they took it away and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
The danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Taking a leaf out of the witches book
In my glass: jasmine green tea
From my iPod: Riders on the Storm, the Doors Concerto by Jaz Coleman and Kennedy
From my bookshelf: Anatomy
Outside: sunny
My mood: kinda lazy today. Must get going and tidy up the flat so I can get out the house and study in the sun
Today's hairstyle: loose at the moment, but think I might go for a half-up. Maybe a half-up beavertail.
So now I have a little time to relax and think again in between studying, I've been turning a little more back towards my pagan faith and all the other related stuff that goes with it.
Last weekend the Tai Chi club I'm a part of went away to a bothy near one of the many lochs in the highlands. It was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made, massively reducing my overall stress levels and making it easier to function on a whole.
Anyway, all the meditation and general body-mind-spirit stuff I was getting going made me realise I had truly missed all that which I used to do and learnt with my beliefs as a pagan.
So the other day, I made a decision. I decided to take a leaf out of the books of Wicca and witchcraft and note down the stuff I find important in a sort of equivalent to their Book of Shadows. I currently have two books started - one for my herbalism and one for meditation notes and general spirituality. The herbalism one is currently set out much like a guide, with instructions for brewing, ink making, producing ointments, teas etc., drying herbs and flowers, and so on, followed by a list of poisonous plants, and a guide on each of the plants and herbs I may use. I plan to add images and paintings to help identification. I'm also adding some recipes to the rear of the book. I have a feeling this book could expand into many volumes as my herbal knowledge increases, and I'm glad I'm writing it all down.
The Meditation one however, is more like a journal of my thoughts and experiences from my practice
Anyway, that's all I have for just now. I'm on the UK witchvox site, by the way, so if anyone else is over there, feel free to drop a note. Names still Tigereye :)
See you all soon. Xx
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From my iPod: Riders on the Storm, the Doors Concerto by Jaz Coleman and Kennedy
From my bookshelf: Anatomy
Outside: sunny
My mood: kinda lazy today. Must get going and tidy up the flat so I can get out the house and study in the sun
Today's hairstyle: loose at the moment, but think I might go for a half-up. Maybe a half-up beavertail.
So now I have a little time to relax and think again in between studying, I've been turning a little more back towards my pagan faith and all the other related stuff that goes with it.
Last weekend the Tai Chi club I'm a part of went away to a bothy near one of the many lochs in the highlands. It was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made, massively reducing my overall stress levels and making it easier to function on a whole.
Anyway, all the meditation and general body-mind-spirit stuff I was getting going made me realise I had truly missed all that which I used to do and learnt with my beliefs as a pagan.
So the other day, I made a decision. I decided to take a leaf out of the books of Wicca and witchcraft and note down the stuff I find important in a sort of equivalent to their Book of Shadows. I currently have two books started - one for my herbalism and one for meditation notes and general spirituality. The herbalism one is currently set out much like a guide, with instructions for brewing, ink making, producing ointments, teas etc., drying herbs and flowers, and so on, followed by a list of poisonous plants, and a guide on each of the plants and herbs I may use. I plan to add images and paintings to help identification. I'm also adding some recipes to the rear of the book. I have a feeling this book could expand into many volumes as my herbal knowledge increases, and I'm glad I'm writing it all down.
The Meditation one however, is more like a journal of my thoughts and experiences from my practice
Anyway, that's all I have for just now. I'm on the UK witchvox site, by the way, so if anyone else is over there, feel free to drop a note. Names still Tigereye :)
See you all soon. Xx
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Another photo
Again, no editing, photoshop, Instagram or otherwise (simply because I don't use Instagram, and have no idea how photoshop works). Taken on my iPad mini, and the lighting is all thanks to the sun.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, 10 May 2013
Last week of lectures
In my glass: coca cola
From my iPod: nothing
From my bookshelf: Energy For Life Uni work
Outside: sunny, but a bit windy
My mood: pretty good, but freaking about exams
Today's hairstyle: nautilus with 60th street fork
So as I sit here on the grass in the sunshine, before my last class of term, to the music of a guy playing his guitar and harmonica to the tune of some Scottish pieces I know, but can't remember the name of, I thought I'd update you on what's been going on this last while.
I'm freaking out about exams again. Less than two weeks to go til energy for life, which we are all worried about. It should be easy from what the lecturers are saying, but it seems to us like its going to be mega difficult. Only time, and plenty of revising, will tell. The problem is that when I get stressed I lose the motivation, and end up having to fight to make myself revise. Which is ok. I just wish it wasn't quite as hard to push myself to do it.
The weather on the other hand, has been great. We even went to the beach on Tuesday, had a game of football which left our feet bleeding from the rocks in the sand, and swam for a little bit in the sea (it was cold!). Yesterday, three of us went to Cosmos in Union Square for lunch, which was lovely. We plan, after the horrific Energy For Life Exam is over, to go out again to the beach, and swim if its sunny, then head to a Japanese restaurant for food. I spend too much money at exam time, but its worth it to have fun and de-stress a bit.
Plus, the Tai Chi club have their weekend away, where I plan to revise, in amongst periods of meditation, tai chi and whatever stuff we all decide to do. Should be good, and I bet I'll actually study better with a bit more meditation and tai chi to keep me going.
I also should have my driving theory next week, if I can get a hold of one of the staff sergeants to give me the address of the test centre I was booked into.
That's all for now. Gotta run to my tutorial
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From my iPod: nothing
From my bookshelf: Energy For Life Uni work
Outside: sunny, but a bit windy
My mood: pretty good, but freaking about exams
Today's hairstyle: nautilus with 60th street fork
So as I sit here on the grass in the sunshine, before my last class of term, to the music of a guy playing his guitar and harmonica to the tune of some Scottish pieces I know, but can't remember the name of, I thought I'd update you on what's been going on this last while.
I'm freaking out about exams again. Less than two weeks to go til energy for life, which we are all worried about. It should be easy from what the lecturers are saying, but it seems to us like its going to be mega difficult. Only time, and plenty of revising, will tell. The problem is that when I get stressed I lose the motivation, and end up having to fight to make myself revise. Which is ok. I just wish it wasn't quite as hard to push myself to do it.
The weather on the other hand, has been great. We even went to the beach on Tuesday, had a game of football which left our feet bleeding from the rocks in the sand, and swam for a little bit in the sea (it was cold!). Yesterday, three of us went to Cosmos in Union Square for lunch, which was lovely. We plan, after the horrific Energy For Life Exam is over, to go out again to the beach, and swim if its sunny, then head to a Japanese restaurant for food. I spend too much money at exam time, but its worth it to have fun and de-stress a bit.
Plus, the Tai Chi club have their weekend away, where I plan to revise, in amongst periods of meditation, tai chi and whatever stuff we all decide to do. Should be good, and I bet I'll actually study better with a bit more meditation and tai chi to keep me going.
I also should have my driving theory next week, if I can get a hold of one of the staff sergeants to give me the address of the test centre I was booked into.
That's all for now. Gotta run to my tutorial
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, 29 April 2013
Failte - a pipe band concert
So Saturday night was the night of the Failte concert - a concert with Bucksburn and District and St. Laurence O' Toole Pipe bands. To give a little insight, to those of you that don't know, Bucksburn and District are one of the local Aberdeenshire bands, whilst St. Laurence O' Toole (SLOT as we call them) are a top grade pipe band from Dublin, who won the RSPBA World Championships in 2010.
It was something many people were looking forward to, and I must admit, it was nice to have everyone else coming to Aberdeen for a change, rather than always going somewhere else.
In any case, my family and I had a little drink at my flat, then we went out for dinner at Wagamamas, before heading up to the pub across the road from the concert hall. The whole place was very busy, since the AUSA Torcher parade was also on at the same time.
We went in and sat down at half past seven, in this beautiful music hall. Then Bucksburn struck up and the concert started. In each half, Bucksburn, then SLOT played.
Unfortunately, I don't think the room is at all geared up for pipe bands. There was a hideous echo where we were sitting, though I don't think my ringing, sore ears was all due to the building. It took until the second half before I realised that it actually sounded good when Bucksburn were on stage. Sure it was loud, and echo-ey (though from what my dad said the echo was much better at the back where the sound man was -pumping up the volume *sigh*), but the ensemble was there. It sounded good.
But when SLOT was on - man my ears were sore. The huge crack of side drummers absolutely battering away at sharp side drums, unendingly slightly ahead of the rest of the music, the echo filling the room with undefinable sound, so loud that I heard more than a few people complaining that they couldn't even hear the pipes, since the drumming was so off-putting. Why the need to batter it so hard? Surely it's harder to play the complex stuff anyway if your hands are moving so far off the drum with each hit? The drum kit was as bad, as it was actually mic-ed up. When the poor fiddle player was playing, you couldn't hear a thing. By the time it was half-way through their part in the second half, I had my hands covering my ears and was exceptionally close to walking out in the middle of the set. Not what you expect from a group of recent world champions.
And the continuous tuning. It always seemed to me rather unprofessional to tune on stage. But to be honest, the piping was, when we could hear it over the drums, pretty good.
I feel kind of sorry for Bucksburn and for the pipers of SLOT. For most of the people who were unimpressed, (I even heard one person say he would never go to another band concert) it was because of the drumming, and the awful ensemble that went with it. Perhaps on stage it sounded different, as most of the band seemed chuffed when we saw them later, but that's not where it matters - what matters is what the audience hear.
*sigh*
At least the one thing it did do was let me see the building. I can see us having a similar sound issue with the drum kit come the November concert. Hopefully I can convince the guy in charge, and the sound men that too loud is really not good. I hope they don't mic up our side drums. Even more relaxed drummers playing quieter won't help then.
Thank the goddess I'm not an official reviewer. Lets hope their reviewer was sitting in a better seat than me, and heard a better performance, or it would be an unfortunate downer for the bands I think.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
It was something many people were looking forward to, and I must admit, it was nice to have everyone else coming to Aberdeen for a change, rather than always going somewhere else.
In any case, my family and I had a little drink at my flat, then we went out for dinner at Wagamamas, before heading up to the pub across the road from the concert hall. The whole place was very busy, since the AUSA Torcher parade was also on at the same time.
We went in and sat down at half past seven, in this beautiful music hall. Then Bucksburn struck up and the concert started. In each half, Bucksburn, then SLOT played.
Unfortunately, I don't think the room is at all geared up for pipe bands. There was a hideous echo where we were sitting, though I don't think my ringing, sore ears was all due to the building. It took until the second half before I realised that it actually sounded good when Bucksburn were on stage. Sure it was loud, and echo-ey (though from what my dad said the echo was much better at the back where the sound man was -pumping up the volume *sigh*), but the ensemble was there. It sounded good.
But when SLOT was on - man my ears were sore. The huge crack of side drummers absolutely battering away at sharp side drums, unendingly slightly ahead of the rest of the music, the echo filling the room with undefinable sound, so loud that I heard more than a few people complaining that they couldn't even hear the pipes, since the drumming was so off-putting. Why the need to batter it so hard? Surely it's harder to play the complex stuff anyway if your hands are moving so far off the drum with each hit? The drum kit was as bad, as it was actually mic-ed up. When the poor fiddle player was playing, you couldn't hear a thing. By the time it was half-way through their part in the second half, I had my hands covering my ears and was exceptionally close to walking out in the middle of the set. Not what you expect from a group of recent world champions.
And the continuous tuning. It always seemed to me rather unprofessional to tune on stage. But to be honest, the piping was, when we could hear it over the drums, pretty good.
I feel kind of sorry for Bucksburn and for the pipers of SLOT. For most of the people who were unimpressed, (I even heard one person say he would never go to another band concert) it was because of the drumming, and the awful ensemble that went with it. Perhaps on stage it sounded different, as most of the band seemed chuffed when we saw them later, but that's not where it matters - what matters is what the audience hear.
*sigh*
At least the one thing it did do was let me see the building. I can see us having a similar sound issue with the drum kit come the November concert. Hopefully I can convince the guy in charge, and the sound men that too loud is really not good. I hope they don't mic up our side drums. Even more relaxed drummers playing quieter won't help then.
Thank the goddess I'm not an official reviewer. Lets hope their reviewer was sitting in a better seat than me, and heard a better performance, or it would be an unfortunate downer for the bands I think.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Aberdeen music hall
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
A few photos from the last two weeks
The sun finally arrives in Aberdeen:
The crocuses appeared over the spring holidays - now the daffodils are taking over:
The first leaves are finally bursting open:
Spring has been a long time coming. I'm looking forwards to being able to leave the heavy coat at home.
All these pictures were taken using my iPad, and have not undergone any photoshopping, or instagramming, or editing of any type.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The crocuses appeared over the spring holidays - now the daffodils are taking over:
The first leaves are finally bursting open:
Spring has been a long time coming. I'm looking forwards to being able to leave the heavy coat at home.
All these pictures were taken using my iPad, and have not undergone any photoshopping, or instagramming, or editing of any type.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, 18 April 2013
The end of the "holidays"
In my glass: water
From my iPod: High Hopes, by Pink Floyd
From my bookshelf: anatomy
Outside: sunny
My mood: alright
Today's hairstyle: a nautilus on wet (just washed) hair with my emergent glassworks octopus stick
So, we're into the first week back at uni, and its already Wednesday before I've managed to get around to posting on here. Wow things have been busy.
As you will know from my last post, I was just heading off to spring camp with the OTC last time you heard from me. It was cold. And I mean really cold. There was snow on the ground for the whole exercise, and stag duty at 2.30am was really not fun in -5 degrees. My ankle was painful and I couldn't do a lot of the exercise, since even though I was popping painkillers, paracetamol and ibuprofen don't seem to help much, and my ankle was getting more swollen by the day. I believe there were a couple of injuries, and a couple of people came off sick, one possibly with the very beginnings of hypothermia. I think it was the cold that made most people miserable to be honest. To say it was challenging would be an understatement.
On the upside, I passed my MOD2 exam, so a pay rise is on the horizon. YAY, more money! I need it desperately.
It seems that Basel is off for us this year, sadly. We're hoping to get to go to Edinburgh tattoo, but we don't know yet. I just hope we get to go to something this summer, since I've held off on a summer job in the hope that we are going, and its soon going to be too late for me to get one if we lose the job.
In other news, university is back, as stressful as ever. We had our mid-term physiology exam on Tuesday (our second day back) and I have no idea whether it went well or absolutely awful. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I'm tempted to say it went ok, but anatomy has so far proved to me that I'm not the best judge of my own grades in tests.
Tomorrow we have our final lab for Energy For Life,, then we have a week to write up our report. So far just about every lab has been a disaster - I think the enzymes have degenerated too much. So this report could be FUN....
Oh, and there's the tai chi trip just before my exams. Hopefully it will help me relax a bit and be less stressed out, and I'm sure I can still find time to revise, since everyone will have exams on then too.
In the meantime, I have sailing theory to read up on, and a youth band practice in Glasgow at the weekend (involving getting a train at 5.30am, with band kit, and knowing there's a possibility of having to fix the harness back to fit me, since no doubt someone will have changed it again, with me having been away so long). Plus, I don't know how many people re left that I will even know. I must be one of the longer serving members now, and the band had a whole overhaul in members over the winter. Hopefully this increase in pay at the OTC will free me up a little more for youth and stuff in the future. Mind you, perhaps if I book the October trains now I will get a decent price. Hmm.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From my iPod: High Hopes, by Pink Floyd
From my bookshelf: anatomy
Outside: sunny
My mood: alright
Today's hairstyle: a nautilus on wet (just washed) hair with my emergent glassworks octopus stick
So, we're into the first week back at uni, and its already Wednesday before I've managed to get around to posting on here. Wow things have been busy.
As you will know from my last post, I was just heading off to spring camp with the OTC last time you heard from me. It was cold. And I mean really cold. There was snow on the ground for the whole exercise, and stag duty at 2.30am was really not fun in -5 degrees. My ankle was painful and I couldn't do a lot of the exercise, since even though I was popping painkillers, paracetamol and ibuprofen don't seem to help much, and my ankle was getting more swollen by the day. I believe there were a couple of injuries, and a couple of people came off sick, one possibly with the very beginnings of hypothermia. I think it was the cold that made most people miserable to be honest. To say it was challenging would be an understatement.
On the upside, I passed my MOD2 exam, so a pay rise is on the horizon. YAY, more money! I need it desperately.
It seems that Basel is off for us this year, sadly. We're hoping to get to go to Edinburgh tattoo, but we don't know yet. I just hope we get to go to something this summer, since I've held off on a summer job in the hope that we are going, and its soon going to be too late for me to get one if we lose the job.
In other news, university is back, as stressful as ever. We had our mid-term physiology exam on Tuesday (our second day back) and I have no idea whether it went well or absolutely awful. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I'm tempted to say it went ok, but anatomy has so far proved to me that I'm not the best judge of my own grades in tests.
Tomorrow we have our final lab for Energy For Life,, then we have a week to write up our report. So far just about every lab has been a disaster - I think the enzymes have degenerated too much. So this report could be FUN....
Oh, and there's the tai chi trip just before my exams. Hopefully it will help me relax a bit and be less stressed out, and I'm sure I can still find time to revise, since everyone will have exams on then too.
In the meantime, I have sailing theory to read up on, and a youth band practice in Glasgow at the weekend (involving getting a train at 5.30am, with band kit, and knowing there's a possibility of having to fix the harness back to fit me, since no doubt someone will have changed it again, with me having been away so long). Plus, I don't know how many people re left that I will even know. I must be one of the longer serving members now, and the band had a whole overhaul in members over the winter. Hopefully this increase in pay at the OTC will free me up a little more for youth and stuff in the future. Mind you, perhaps if I book the October trains now I will get a decent price. Hmm.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, 29 March 2013
Kinda sad
In my glass: nothing
From my iPod: Valley of Strathmore, by Silly Wizzard (there's other music on the bus radio, but cheery music is not what I want at the moment)
From my bookshelf: about 5 chapters into A Game of Thrones, but haven't had time to read it
Outside: cold. Had feet of snow piled up at home when I was there. Nothing in Aberdeen, but on way to Edinburgh, so no idea what it'll be like
My mood: sad, and worried
Todays hairstyle: standard braided bun with spin pins and hair net for OTC
My poor (few, though very much appreciated) readers. I'm afraid I've been a bit quiet on here recently. Almost neglecting you all. Truth be told I've not really been my best this last while.
I'd already written you a long post but it got lost in the system somewhere, so here goes again. Only now my flow has gone. :(
I've been a bit down again and reminiscing about my uncle, and my boyfriend. It seems stupid since its been so long, but I can't stop thinking about it. Anyone who has ever lost anyone will know how it is. You never really get over it - you just learn to deal. And dealing this last while has been difficult. Don't know why, only that it has been weighing on my mind more than normal. But I don't feel like I can truly talk about it. It's so difficult to put into words what has been going through my head, and try as I do here, it's impossible to get everything down and still sound reasonably coherent.
The thing is, it's not just my losses that weigh so heavily on my mind, but its difficult to say all these things. It's the family history and the expectations that comes with being a part of that family. Feeling like I could never measure up to that. Being known for being so-and-so's daughter/niece/sister/granddaughter all over the world, and not just as me. (Thank the goddess and the god that the majority of the people at uni have no idea about my family.) It's not being able to do what I want because I get frustrated at my inability to be as good as other people in my family, as stupid as it is.
It's wanting to go get a tattoo remembering them both, but being afraid of not being able to show anyone without them putting two and two together. I don't even feel like I could put it on the LHC since a part of it is so iconic of my uncle (and many of the people, and family close to him) in the worldwide band circle, and I don't want my identity being discovered and becoming so-and-so's daughter/niece/sister/granddaughter to yet another person in the world.
It's having my credibility as a musician questioned, or in some cases, ignored, because I chose to play the drum I do, regardless of my experience or ability to play other instruments. It's feeling like the most downtrodden and worthless member of the band, because I CHOSE to play an instrument I loved, rather than one of the apparently more complicated one. Is it SO WRONG to do something I love? I don't know. Sometimes I feel like it is.
It's the feeling of not being able to start a clean slate. Not being able to get rid of a reputation that I don't want, and that isn't me. It feels like a game of he said, she said, where I don't get the option to say anything. The thing is, with my boyfriends death sitting so heavily on my mind, I don't want to be that person they all expect me to be. Partly because of the guilt, because as long ago as all that happened, I still have such awful guilt from every single one of the guys since. Probably because I don't think a single one of them actually cared about me, and at the time, I needed that, but not now. I need someone, ANYONE, to care.
But it's not just all that either. There's so much shite going about in my head that I don't know where to start and where, if anywhere, it ends (apologies for the swearing, but I can't hold my frustration and sadness in any longer).
I can't even tell anyone. I need to, but I have had trust issues, (amped love issues, but that's a different story) since both losses, probably since compounded by all the OTC gossiping. Besides, how do you tell someone about death? How do you find someone you can trust to tell. And even when you do (I think there is one person in Aberdeen I can tell) I have no idea when would be the right time. So many times, I've almost sent a "hey, do you have time to talk?" message on Facebook, and then deleted it because I couldn't fathom how to put any of it into words. After all how can I? How do you talk about these things? My brain whirs ninety nine to the dozen half the time, in such convoluted ways, that so many threads run alongside one another, and I can't even speak fast enough to get it all out. My head just goes and goes and goes, and I just wish it would all stop.
To make all that even worse, I'm worried about spring camp. I don't want to ruin my ankle like I did last year, and I know it's not as strong - the Physio told me as much when they discharged me, so I'm meant to "go careful on it". Thing is, spring camp exercise is not a careful exercise. It's a running about crazy, not having the time to watch your feet. If I twist my ankle, I'm out - and I don't want to. Everyone thinks me lucky, but they have no idea how painful ripped ligaments are, and that they're so damaged now, it's mostly muscle holding my ankle in place. And muscle tires. This is going to be horrible. :(
Urgh. I'm done guys. I can't do more tonight. No idea when this'll go up, since my ipad doesn't have Internet, and I've never tried mobile hotspot on my iPhone before. Might be end of camp before it goes up. See you all sometime.
Hopefully feeling better...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From my iPod: Valley of Strathmore, by Silly Wizzard (there's other music on the bus radio, but cheery music is not what I want at the moment)
From my bookshelf: about 5 chapters into A Game of Thrones, but haven't had time to read it
Outside: cold. Had feet of snow piled up at home when I was there. Nothing in Aberdeen, but on way to Edinburgh, so no idea what it'll be like
My mood: sad, and worried
Todays hairstyle: standard braided bun with spin pins and hair net for OTC
My poor (few, though very much appreciated) readers. I'm afraid I've been a bit quiet on here recently. Almost neglecting you all. Truth be told I've not really been my best this last while.
I'd already written you a long post but it got lost in the system somewhere, so here goes again. Only now my flow has gone. :(
I've been a bit down again and reminiscing about my uncle, and my boyfriend. It seems stupid since its been so long, but I can't stop thinking about it. Anyone who has ever lost anyone will know how it is. You never really get over it - you just learn to deal. And dealing this last while has been difficult. Don't know why, only that it has been weighing on my mind more than normal. But I don't feel like I can truly talk about it. It's so difficult to put into words what has been going through my head, and try as I do here, it's impossible to get everything down and still sound reasonably coherent.
The thing is, it's not just my losses that weigh so heavily on my mind, but its difficult to say all these things. It's the family history and the expectations that comes with being a part of that family. Feeling like I could never measure up to that. Being known for being so-and-so's daughter/niece/sister/granddaughter all over the world, and not just as me. (Thank the goddess and the god that the majority of the people at uni have no idea about my family.) It's not being able to do what I want because I get frustrated at my inability to be as good as other people in my family, as stupid as it is.
It's wanting to go get a tattoo remembering them both, but being afraid of not being able to show anyone without them putting two and two together. I don't even feel like I could put it on the LHC since a part of it is so iconic of my uncle (and many of the people, and family close to him) in the worldwide band circle, and I don't want my identity being discovered and becoming so-and-so's daughter/niece/sister/granddaughter to yet another person in the world.
It's having my credibility as a musician questioned, or in some cases, ignored, because I chose to play the drum I do, regardless of my experience or ability to play other instruments. It's feeling like the most downtrodden and worthless member of the band, because I CHOSE to play an instrument I loved, rather than one of the apparently more complicated one. Is it SO WRONG to do something I love? I don't know. Sometimes I feel like it is.
It's the feeling of not being able to start a clean slate. Not being able to get rid of a reputation that I don't want, and that isn't me. It feels like a game of he said, she said, where I don't get the option to say anything. The thing is, with my boyfriends death sitting so heavily on my mind, I don't want to be that person they all expect me to be. Partly because of the guilt, because as long ago as all that happened, I still have such awful guilt from every single one of the guys since. Probably because I don't think a single one of them actually cared about me, and at the time, I needed that, but not now. I need someone, ANYONE, to care.
But it's not just all that either. There's so much shite going about in my head that I don't know where to start and where, if anywhere, it ends (apologies for the swearing, but I can't hold my frustration and sadness in any longer).
I can't even tell anyone. I need to, but I have had trust issues, (amped love issues, but that's a different story) since both losses, probably since compounded by all the OTC gossiping. Besides, how do you tell someone about death? How do you find someone you can trust to tell. And even when you do (I think there is one person in Aberdeen I can tell) I have no idea when would be the right time. So many times, I've almost sent a "hey, do you have time to talk?" message on Facebook, and then deleted it because I couldn't fathom how to put any of it into words. After all how can I? How do you talk about these things? My brain whirs ninety nine to the dozen half the time, in such convoluted ways, that so many threads run alongside one another, and I can't even speak fast enough to get it all out. My head just goes and goes and goes, and I just wish it would all stop.
To make all that even worse, I'm worried about spring camp. I don't want to ruin my ankle like I did last year, and I know it's not as strong - the Physio told me as much when they discharged me, so I'm meant to "go careful on it". Thing is, spring camp exercise is not a careful exercise. It's a running about crazy, not having the time to watch your feet. If I twist my ankle, I'm out - and I don't want to. Everyone thinks me lucky, but they have no idea how painful ripped ligaments are, and that they're so damaged now, it's mostly muscle holding my ankle in place. And muscle tires. This is going to be horrible. :(
Urgh. I'm done guys. I can't do more tonight. No idea when this'll go up, since my ipad doesn't have Internet, and I've never tried mobile hotspot on my iPhone before. Might be end of camp before it goes up. See you all sometime.
Hopefully feeling better...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)