Flashback: Grade School PE

Remember “bump out?” The grade schoolers got in line and took turns shooting free throws. Two basketballs are used. If you miss your shot, you can rebound and shoot again – but you better make it before the person behind you in line makes his or her shot, or else you are eliminated from the game. If you are in danger of elimination, you can “bump out” the other person’s basketball by whamming it with your own basketball. While they retrieve, you score! (In our game, retrieval of a properly bumped-out basketball involves a long trip across the park. Plenty of time for even the worst shooter to make good.) Last person standing of course wins.

We had our most recent game on December 30. Played in gorgeous weather at the park right outside our front door. Various of the participants won games. Christopher was the most aggressive bump-out-er. Photos show the intense action, as well as somber bumpees. In photo at top, you can see that everyone (except Chris) is trying to figure out where the heck Nicole's shot is headed. (Chris is trying to figure out how far he can bump her basketball should it come back to earth.)

Holiday decorating 2005

OK, we went through our pretty much ritualistic holiday decorating routine again this year. Here’s the routine:

• The work is done over Thanksgiving weekend.


• All workers were present this year, including our out-of-town daughters.


• Basic assignments work as follows:


• Patrick, Kerry and Christopher have primary responsibility for putting decorations on the tree.


• I’m in charge of finding and bringing in boxes from the garage (now largely delegated), getting the tree up and dealing with bad lights (now largely delegated) and hanging a few strings of lights outside (not accomplished in 2005). I also find CDs with Christmas music (predominantly ND Glee Club 1977 Christmas album, Jessye Norman’s Christmas album, and a CD by the Los Angeles Master Chorale.)


• Patricia opens the boxes of ornaments and generally directs the tree decorating process.


• Paul Jr. basically sits around and supervises his mother so that she doesn’t miss (intentionally or otherwise) a single ornament.


• Nicole hangs lights over the fireplace and kitchen counter, puts up the stockings and distributes around the house the countless little Christmas items that have accumulated over the years.


• Generally the final task is to hang a streamer along the rail up the staircase. Staffing is variable. Christopher and Patrick took the lead on this in 2005.

The end result is quite nice, as you can see. Merry Christmas.

ASU Choral Union -- 2005 Christmas Concert

Below is the poster for the recent Christmas concert by The ASU Choral Union. It was the second concert with this group for Christoph, Paul Jr. and me. I loved being part of our Brahms concert in October (see post of October 17). The experience of singing with a high-quality orchestra is quite a fine thing. That concert also was educational for me as I had no real previous exposure to that type of music -- and learned that it's good stuff.

Our expectations for the holiday concert initially were pretty low -- the seasonal music seemed less sophisticated, etc. But in the end the programming for this event was wonderful. The first half included pieces from Berlioz, Handel, Mendelssohn and Beethoven; I couldn't really tell you which piece I enjoyed more, all were just delightful. The second half included the more traditional carols (albeit with interesting Rutter settings) and the sing-along, which went very well. The second half also included a 2004 setting of the traditional "O Come , O Come Emmanuel," and featured a violin soloist who was absolutely lights out. Small world story: Virgil & spouse (Grandpa & Grandma's neighbor from St. Joe, Iowa) were in attendance by sheer coincidence, and we're told they liked what they heard. In any event, this was absolutely the finest Christmas concert that I was ever associated with. We're told that the Phoenix public TV station recorded the event and will broadcast it in a future holiday season, and I'm hopeful of getting a copy of the video sooner than later.

Part of the enjoyment for the listener (or performer) with this type of music is recalling the various places in which the traditional songs have been enjoyed over the years. I certainly recalled the Notre Dame Glee Club Christmas concerts, recording our Christmas album in 1977, and singing carols in the library during finals week; high school concerts; caroling (complete with costumes) arranged by Clara Bormann; how much my Grandma Gales enjoyed singing carols in the living room on the farm house on the hill; midnight Mass with the ad hoc choirs at St. Joe church; and many more. Everyone has his or her own list. How do you beat this type of thing?

__________________________________________
Arizona State University Herberger College of Fine Arts
School of Music
presents the

ASU Symphony Orchestra
Timothy Russell, conductor
and
ASU Choral Union
David Schildkret and Joel Neves, conductors
in their beloved annual
Holiday Concert

Seasonal works by
Handel, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven,
plus
Holiday Favorites by Rutter, Tyzek, and others,
and featuring a
Christmas Carol Sing-Along
___________

Sunday, December 4, 2005
2:30 p.m.
Gammage Auditorium
____________
Tickets: $12.50 (Students, $7.50)

ASU Nursing Student Makes Good

Tonight we attended the Fall Induction Ceremony for the Sigma Theta Tau International. Don’t know what the Greek represents, but this is an honor society for the nursing profession. And a big deal if you are selected. Our Patricia Joann was an inductee. They held a nice ceremony at the Fiesta Inn in Tempe. It was a good chance to meet some of her friends and instructors from the nursing program. Including Shelley (361-0341), who sat at table with us (us being Patricia, Paul Jr., Nedda, Chris and me). A fine evening all around. After, we moved Paul Jr. out of his dorm room for winter break. Patrick continues slaving away down at U of A for a couple more days. Info about the honor society is at www.sttibetaupsilon.org.

Fall color!

Some folks say Arizona doesn’t have a change of seasons. This is absolutely not true in our backyard. We have one tree that changes color. Check it out.

Thanksgiving 2005

I must say that we had a fine Thanksgiving this year, as usual. EPG came up from Tucson on Tuesday. N and K both flew back to Arizona, arriving very late Wednesday evening. On Thanksgiving morning, PJ put together the usual major brunch. For dinner, we had one of those “free range” turkeys (in this case, from Young’s Farm in Prescott, Arizona). I’ve always been a huge skeptic of this concept. Not any more – this was noticeably better. Then we all watched a family video from the 1995 timeframe in the evening.

On the Friday after, our U of A (EPG and K) and ASU (N, C, PJr) students/alumni got up bright and early and went tailgating at ASU for the annual Arizona-Arizona State football game. Patricia (ASU ’06) and I went to coffee. Other than locking the keys into the car, CPG having some trouble getting back to his section, everyone getting sunburned, EPG eating too many red vines, and all leaving at halftime as ASU was being slaughtered, I think they had a great time. Unfortunately for U of A, their QB was injured in the second half and ASU rallied to win. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers + an apple pie. Also had a fine hearts game going on.