mmm donuts, doh!

So in my quest for eating healthy real food, mostly fruits and vegetables, I had a half a donut today. The donut called to me in a very seductive voice, "hey sweet cakes, come eat me." I couldn't resist, so I ate half. A half hour later I was the grumpiest person, had a headache, came home and thought I was going to throw up. My body felt poisoned. I could fell it all throughout my body. I wanted to yack. I took a nap and woke up in this haze. It was like being high of some bad chronic. No more donuts for me.

In defense of food

I just finished reading this book. It's incredible! It is really everything I believe in about food. I just hate it when people say I eat too much butter and too many eggs. Fuck You! You drink too much high fructose corn syrup and eat partially hydrogenated soybean oils. Go buy some corn and make some high fructose corn syrup and add that to your fuckin coffee in the morning.

If I wasn't already somebody who takes my food very seriously, I am now. The next step I am taking in my new relationship food is prayer. Now many of you who know me probably just took a double take. When I was in Florida, Kenny's Mom and Dad prayed at every meal. At first I laughed because Kenny's dad said the thing so fast that it had no meaning. But after 6 days of it, I came to appreciate it as a ritual. I'm not interested religious propaganda, but I'm interested in the ritual of taking time to acknowledge one's food and to have gratitude in one's life. I'm not doing cause I'm afraid of hell like most Christians or to be righteous. My motivation is pure gratitude to the cow that gave it's life, the farmer that stuck the zapper up its butt to kill it, to the Mexican that uprooted my potatoes, to Simon the checker at Safeway, to my mom, dad, and grandparents who taught me how to cook.

I offer this prayer, because it sounds cool (in latin):

Benedic, Domine, nos et haec tua dona quae de tua largitate summus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen

(Bless us o Lord for these thine gifts we are about to recieve and the bounty of Christ our Lord, Amen.)

My mom told me it also changes the molecular structure of your food. She says that praying over water also does and there is some visual evidence of that happening. Here is a link to a website that gives evidence of that.

First week of school

Pretty good week of school. Kids are pretty chill. I kicked one kid out this week cause he couldn't follow the rules. He never has followed the rules and he is a good cellist. I think he thinks I am a pushover and he can get away with breaking all the rules. Even when I have gave him saturday school or something, he still went on to do the shenanigans he enjoys. Well...I don't have to deal with him anymore. Other than that, kids are pretty cool. Honeymoon period will be over in another week and we'll see the little monsters for what they really are.

Commencement of Summer

What an incredible summer. I think most of it is highlighted in the previous posts. I'm very sad to go back to work to start the new year. I wish that my old chamber choir from last year didn't graduate and I could just start rehearsing with them tomorrow. I wish I could pick up my trumpet and jam with the jazz band from last year. And I wish I could conduct the band with the kids I had in 2008. But its a new group of kids this year and I should look forward to making great music with a new group that may be better than any of the years. Its just going to take so much damn work.A pic of Kenneth and I reminds me of Napa and bouldering and all the rock climbing we did and making a bunch of music, too. Rock climbing is awesome because it pushes my physical and mental limits all at the same time. The fear of falling, the commitment, and the strength all combined into one. Golf is another activity that pushes your emotional limits because when you are frustrated, you still have to swing the club as gracefully as possible.

I'll miss Philip being in my class. He was one of my many students who graduated last year and had me all 4 years. He wasn't the best musician, but he was the best student. I heard a recording of the jazz band of 2008 and then compared it with what he did in 2010 and its like two different drummers. He was timid as an underclassman, but I pushed him and I kicked his ass. I scolded him when he was bad and praised him when he was good. I taught him that it is more about the confidence you have playing than the actual notes, which is probably the most important lesson he learned. It was his confidence that in the end made him a great drummer. Philip reminds me that that is what teaching is about. Not making the best ensemble, but making the best person. This year's goal is to make every student a confident musician.

translation of Choral piece

Wisdom 3:1-2a,3b

Latin text

Justorum animae in manu Dei sunt,
et non tanget illos tormentum mortis.
Visi sunt oculis insipientium mori,
illi autem sunt in pace

English translation
Translation supplied by The St. Ann Choir, directed by William Mahrt

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and the torment of death shall not touch them.
In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die;
but they are in peace.

final count of the damage before school starts and Kenny has back hair

Just a sunburn there, look closely...

Yes I'm not the only one!

Final count of booze the week before school starts between just 3 people:

6 wines, 2 days, 2 people drinking

kenny ktfo!

I had a little bit too much wine last night...Me and kenny drank the three on the right last night. Alex, Kenny, and I drank the three on the left plus a bottle of Gamay Rouge from the V. Sattui winery that is not pictured when we got back from our napa adventure. So 7 bottles of wine and 4 people? But alex doesn't count cause he only had a few glasses since he on Vicodin for his shoulder surgery. The bottles on the left were my favorite. The Ink Grade Port from Heitz cellars and the 2006 Sharecropper Cabernet from Oregon.

La Bottega, Hand-cut Whole Egg Linguine, Manilla clams, Calabrese sausage, garlic, basil, parsley, white wine