October 2008
Gamelan, Off to EDUCAUSE
27 10 08 09:24
YIKES!
On saturday we performed at the Chinese Cultural Center and did far better than I was expecting! Thanks goodness! I’m especially relieved because we have two more performances coming up: one on the 6th at the University of Arizona, and one on the 9th as the Grand Finale at the All Souls Procession. I’m hoping a bunch of friends come to see it. I think our group has managed to do an admirable job. It’s our first foray into Balinese gamelan, and although we play a bit more ‘muddy’ than true Balinese gamelan players, we have had only 6 months of practice (as opposed to playing in an orchestra with a lifetime of dedication!) There are musical moments where precision shines through, and the rhythms are a lot of fun!
As though that’s not enough stress, I am presenting for Apple and the University of Arizona at EDUCAUSE this week. I fly out tomorrow to Orlando, Florida where I am to present on Podcast Producer and how we have begun to use it here at the U of A. I’m nervous, even though I am as prepared as I can possibly be. Even so, I will be preparing at work all day.
This is going to be a fun week, even if it is a bit stressful!
On saturday we performed at the Chinese Cultural Center and did far better than I was expecting! Thanks goodness! I’m especially relieved because we have two more performances coming up: one on the 6th at the University of Arizona, and one on the 9th as the Grand Finale at the All Souls Procession. I’m hoping a bunch of friends come to see it. I think our group has managed to do an admirable job. It’s our first foray into Balinese gamelan, and although we play a bit more ‘muddy’ than true Balinese gamelan players, we have had only 6 months of practice (as opposed to playing in an orchestra with a lifetime of dedication!) There are musical moments where precision shines through, and the rhythms are a lot of fun!
As though that’s not enough stress, I am presenting for Apple and the University of Arizona at EDUCAUSE this week. I fly out tomorrow to Orlando, Florida where I am to present on Podcast Producer and how we have begun to use it here at the U of A. I’m nervous, even though I am as prepared as I can possibly be. Even so, I will be preparing at work all day.
This is going to be a fun week, even if it is a bit stressful!
Humor
24 10 08 09:53
A little political humor:
Click here to watch the Dance-Off!
Click here to watch election results video!
Click here to watch the Dance-Off!
Click here to watch election results video!
Gamelan Twit
24 10 08 07:59
So a couple things I want to mention quickly:
Apple emailed and asked me to give them my Twitter account so that when I present at EDUCAUSE they can have a display that shows where each of their presenters is hanging out. I didn’t have a Twitter account, so I set one up. If you have Twitter, add me to your friends list! I downloaded an iPhone app so I can update Twitter wherever I am, and I have been trying to train myself to use it...
...and we have three Gamelan performances coming up. The first is this Saturday at the Chinese Cultural Center, but the more exciting one is that we will be performing Tucson's All Souls Procession Grand Finale! Here is a link to our upcoming performances page.
Apple emailed and asked me to give them my Twitter account so that when I present at EDUCAUSE they can have a display that shows where each of their presenters is hanging out. I didn’t have a Twitter account, so I set one up. If you have Twitter, add me to your friends list! I downloaded an iPhone app so I can update Twitter wherever I am, and I have been trying to train myself to use it...
...and we have three Gamelan performances coming up. The first is this Saturday at the Chinese Cultural Center, but the more exciting one is that we will be performing Tucson's All Souls Procession Grand Finale! Here is a link to our upcoming performances page.
Debate Flowchart
17 10 08 13:56
Grateful Journal
09 10 08 21:56
After work social time with Catherine, Limell, and Melanie
After work social time with any coworkers, actually! What a cool bunch!
The beautiful ecology and wildlife of the desert.
Kathy Bayham.
Bumping in to old friends on Facebook.
Invited by Apple to Present at EDUCAUSE
05 10 08 04:16
I can’t believe I forgot to mention this: while in Hawaii I checked work email daily to keep up. I’m glad I did, because an invitation came through (with prompting from my friend Stuart in LTC) to present for Apple on my Podcast Producer server at EDUCAUSE in Orlando near the end of October. I have spent much of my time Friday and yesterday working on the presentation. I’m really excited about this opportunity! I’m astounded to have been asked, so I will be sure to do a great job.
Carl Is In Pain Again
05 10 08 04:11
Back pain this time. He thinks it’s from built-up scar tissue from surgery earlier in life. He’s had this before, but not this bad. Last time he opted not to have them surgically address it. Fingers crossed. Knock on wood. Hopefully it passes this time without needing surgery. It’s hard to see him in so much pain. I suppose that’s why I am up so late - or early, that is...
Fish! Training and David's Heart Attack
04 10 08 15:12
This past week we facilitated a Fish! training at work. Rather than explain Fish!, I have provided a link.
I took lead on our group process focusing on ‘play,’ and I can’t remember which of my friends was in charge of ‘choose your attitude,’ but in the course of the conversation an example was thrown out that there are times when choosing your attitude is unreasonable, like when one has extreme health issues.
After the training, I was carrying supplies back to central computing with Melanie, Gretchen, and Catherine, and we were processing our successful inspirational training. As were were talking about ‘choose your attitude’ I told them about David’s heart attack on our vacation in Hawaii a couple weeks ago. Talk about an inspirational example of ‘choose your attitude!’ I think the story deserves to be told now.
On Friday of our vacation in Kauai, we were all tromping around having a good time. We visited the Kilauea lighthouse. David was having chest pain. Of course, with David, chest pain can mean something or not. Living with apparently chronic cancer as long as he has, his body sends all kinds of messages, many of which are misleading. Is pain related to medicine? chemo? that tumor that’s finally receding? one that’s growing? heartburn? heart attack? Who knows. What the heck, on vacation, it was a pain to ignore.
Saturday the pain continued.
Sunday we all drove up into Waimea Canyon and stopped several places. David was out of breath and in pain the entire time. On the way home, finally, the decision was made to stop at the hospital in Lihue. Carl, David Erhardt and I headed back to the house. Shortly after we returned, we got a call from Mark. David and he were to be airlifted to Honolulu. They needed us to bring them change of clothes and possibly pick up David’s mom, Elinor, and bring her back with us.
Driving was tense. It’s not good to speed, so we went speed limit, which is painful in Hawaii when you are in crisis. Carl was snippy, understandably, given the chemistry all of our bodies were pumping through our veins in response to our anxiety.
The hospital was socially clumsy. What to say or do? David E. suggested we find food for David, Mark, Patrick and Elinor who had been at the hospital for a while now. Off we went to a convenience store to buy the strangest assortment of sandwiches, fried dumplings, and water. Back to the hospital. More uncomfortable standing around. I felt like we were in the way of the four family members taking care of themselves, but I like to be left alone when sick. Finally, we left.
Well, they flew him that night to Honolulu. The doctors there put two stints in his heart, and sent him back with digital movies of his heart pumping dye through clogged, then newly unclogged arteries. Whew. There was some confusion about why Tucson surgeons had not dealt with these clogged arteries when they did bypass surgery weeks before, but then again, so what? David was back!
... I didn’t hear him complain once the rest of the trip. Remarkable. He reported feeling much better post-surgery, and off we went the 19th on our boat and snorkeling trip, David on board. No, David overboard - he went snorkeling too! He cooked us a full dinner of fresh fish from the Fish Market that night. Tromping around the island continued thereafter. Luau on the 20th. It was like nothing happened. No, it was better. It was better than as if nothing had happened - I think we all had a nice reminder how precious life is and how lucky we were to be in a beautiful place enjoying vacation time with good friends, beautiful land sea and air, and plentiful food.
At one point I asked David if he was really well enough to be running all over the island again. His response was that he felt, nay, *was* better health-wise than he was before surgical stints were applied, and if he was tromping around with us then, he might as well now. The way he phrased it demanded, ‘no arguments!’ None were given. Besides, I agreed with him. Life is too short not to enjoy every moment.
How’s that for a great ‘choose your attitude’ story?
I took lead on our group process focusing on ‘play,’ and I can’t remember which of my friends was in charge of ‘choose your attitude,’ but in the course of the conversation an example was thrown out that there are times when choosing your attitude is unreasonable, like when one has extreme health issues.
After the training, I was carrying supplies back to central computing with Melanie, Gretchen, and Catherine, and we were processing our successful inspirational training. As were were talking about ‘choose your attitude’ I told them about David’s heart attack on our vacation in Hawaii a couple weeks ago. Talk about an inspirational example of ‘choose your attitude!’ I think the story deserves to be told now.
On Friday of our vacation in Kauai, we were all tromping around having a good time. We visited the Kilauea lighthouse. David was having chest pain. Of course, with David, chest pain can mean something or not. Living with apparently chronic cancer as long as he has, his body sends all kinds of messages, many of which are misleading. Is pain related to medicine? chemo? that tumor that’s finally receding? one that’s growing? heartburn? heart attack? Who knows. What the heck, on vacation, it was a pain to ignore.
Saturday the pain continued.
Sunday we all drove up into Waimea Canyon and stopped several places. David was out of breath and in pain the entire time. On the way home, finally, the decision was made to stop at the hospital in Lihue. Carl, David Erhardt and I headed back to the house. Shortly after we returned, we got a call from Mark. David and he were to be airlifted to Honolulu. They needed us to bring them change of clothes and possibly pick up David’s mom, Elinor, and bring her back with us.
Driving was tense. It’s not good to speed, so we went speed limit, which is painful in Hawaii when you are in crisis. Carl was snippy, understandably, given the chemistry all of our bodies were pumping through our veins in response to our anxiety.
The hospital was socially clumsy. What to say or do? David E. suggested we find food for David, Mark, Patrick and Elinor who had been at the hospital for a while now. Off we went to a convenience store to buy the strangest assortment of sandwiches, fried dumplings, and water. Back to the hospital. More uncomfortable standing around. I felt like we were in the way of the four family members taking care of themselves, but I like to be left alone when sick. Finally, we left.
Well, they flew him that night to Honolulu. The doctors there put two stints in his heart, and sent him back with digital movies of his heart pumping dye through clogged, then newly unclogged arteries. Whew. There was some confusion about why Tucson surgeons had not dealt with these clogged arteries when they did bypass surgery weeks before, but then again, so what? David was back!
... I didn’t hear him complain once the rest of the trip. Remarkable. He reported feeling much better post-surgery, and off we went the 19th on our boat and snorkeling trip, David on board. No, David overboard - he went snorkeling too! He cooked us a full dinner of fresh fish from the Fish Market that night. Tromping around the island continued thereafter. Luau on the 20th. It was like nothing happened. No, it was better. It was better than as if nothing had happened - I think we all had a nice reminder how precious life is and how lucky we were to be in a beautiful place enjoying vacation time with good friends, beautiful land sea and air, and plentiful food.
At one point I asked David if he was really well enough to be running all over the island again. His response was that he felt, nay, *was* better health-wise than he was before surgical stints were applied, and if he was tromping around with us then, he might as well now. The way he phrased it demanded, ‘no arguments!’ None were given. Besides, I agreed with him. Life is too short not to enjoy every moment.
How’s that for a great ‘choose your attitude’ story?