Gingerbread Cookies

Fun With Gingerbread Cookies (via www.sidsavara.com)  THANK YOU, SID!

“The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us.

When the world seems familiar,

When one has got used to existence,

One has become an adult. “

– Eugene Ionesco

Just some fun with gingerbread cookies today. Happy holidays!

P.S. Today is the last day to get a discount on the advance galley copy of How To Stop Wasting Your Time and Start Accomplishing Your Goals. You’ll get the full, updated version once I incorporate all your feedback – and by acting now, you’ll get it for less than everyone else =). Enjoy your weekend! http://www.sidsavara.com/

Happy Trails To You

Dale Evans and Roy Rogers. They are my kind of people. I love the comments with this song as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYsO890YJY    (The link to the song.)

  

"They created memories that have roots in eternity. They were special on and off camera. I miss what they gave to all of us. A simpler time; a simpler way to live. And faith that we will all find a "Happy Trail"."

"At Roy's memorial service they released doves. His son Dusty turned to his brother and said "What do you think Dad would say about this?" The other replied "You take the ones on the right, I've got the ones on the left" :-)"

Sculpture Park on N side of Suzhou Creek near tourist boat launch

My Musical Life

Today I played the cello with some friends I play chamber music with. We played piano trios of famous tunes from a number of Asian countries. 

Some colleagues and I were fortunate to have been able to buy tickets to hear Yo Yo Ma perform a Dvorak Cello concerto Friday night. We had a quick dinner beforehand and barely made it to the theater in time - every single seat was occupied and we were the final 4 seats as a man gave the final 10 seconds of a speech to dedicate a performance of Barber's Adagio for Strings to the victims of the terrible apartment building fire last week. It was a stunning concert, passing by in what felt like the twinkle of an eye.  We all looked at our watches at the end of the night thinking how on earth 2 hours could possibly have passed, but they had. 

Saturday night a friend and I went to a fantastic quintet of winds plus french horn playing a number of lovely single movement pieces in Shanghai Concert Hall. The performers were really at the top of their game and we loved them very much, but it was one of those China moments when we could just kill some uneducated people who actually talked throughout the entire concert. I am not sure what was worse - their talking or the attendants not taking care of the issue. 

I will be playing viola in the Schubert Quintet in A (The Trout) as well as some other pieces with the Shanghai Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra in a brunch concert on December 25, then get on a plane to go to the US a few hours later, making it back on December 25. I guess I want to make the most out of Christmas!  With the concerts over the weekend and several fantastic dinners with friends last week it feels as though the holidays started earlier than ever this year, and will extend again through the lunar new year. 

The weather here these days is unbelievably perfect for bike riding and walking outside. I have made a few picnics lately and took them to the school for lunch! This week the temp should be still in the 50s and sunny. Merry Christmas and happy Holidays!