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As promised
23:41 Nov 27 2007
Times Read: 763

The evidence of my Thanksgiving Day gluttony.



Somehow every serving dish ended up right near me! And look, I forgot there were olives so I snatched one just before I declared that I was officially "full". lol

I feel so sad for those who are hurting.
17:09 Nov 27 2007
Times Read: 769

Sometimes it is quite difficult to deal with my feelings. I am still getting used to ‘feeling’ my feelings and get quite perplexed at how to deal with conflicted emotions when they emerge.



Frankly, things are going very well for me and my family. We face some challenges with David and his ADD and ODD, combined with the normal roller coaster of adolescence. But that can be dealt with. I have a stable job, with awesome benefits and recently I was approached by management as they feel I have more to offer than my current position allows. I was basically told to come up with the ‘ideal job’ for me and to bring it forward for consideration.



So, you may ask, what’s the problem? There are so many people both in real life and here on the Rave that are hurting. Whether it’s the person who’s Dad was seriously injured, the young mother suffering from very aggressive breast cancer, the person who’s relative was severely injured in a car accident, the young man who is facing the holidays recovering from horrible injuries and burns from the same accident that took the life of his beautiful young wife and mother of their 7 month old daughter. I want to reach out and help every one of these people in their time of need, yet I am often at a loss for words. What can I say or do that matters?



While I know from my own encounters with loss, despair and similar situations that it meant the world to just hear a friend say “I’m thinking of you” or “You are in my prayers” or even “Give me a call if you want to talk”, it still seems inadequate from the ‘outside’ of the experience.



All of you who may read this, please know that I AM thinking and praying for you. I DO care and would be willing to listen if you need to vent. Hang in there….Things WILL get better!



Keith

OJC Update
00:50 Nov 21 2007
Times Read: 785

I received an email today with a link to a video of one of the songs we sang at the concert. You can't see me in this one. I am very impressed by how good we sounded in this!



Check it out if you like: When The Morning Stars Together

One Joyful Choir
21:54 Nov 19 2007
Times Read: 793

I promised an update on the "One Joyful Choir" concert which I sang in on Saturday.



Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center is one of those places that give me goose bumps every time I walk in. It is such a beautiful room and the acoustics are amazing. It was VERY weird to be on the "performer's" side of the experience!



I arrived at 8:00, parked in a garage across the street and made my way into the lobby. They had tables set up, one for each voice part, where we went to sign in and get our seat assignment. They arranged us by voice part, height and choir robe color. I ended up in the very back row of the "Conductor's Circle" one seat away from the organ pipes. I had a good view of the entire hall, as well as the conductor.



Our "Rehearsal Conductor", who has been working with us since the summer got us warmed up and then introduced the Guest Conductor Anton Armstrong. I don't imagine that many here on the Rave are very familiar with the Christian "sacred Music" choral scene, but Anton Armstrong is one of the top talents in choral music today. He is the director of the Saint Olaf's College Choir, which is considered by many one of the greatest choirs in existence. He teaches choral techniques, travels the world giving seminars and is also the editor of several series of choral music.



Dr. Armstrong got us right into practicing the pieces we were to perform later that day. Luckily Dr. Fowler had rehearsed and taught us well and very few adjustments had to be made. Only some minor changes to a few notes (changed a bunch of half notes to quarter notes plus a quarter rest to give dramatic pauses), as well as a few pronunciation changes. He also worked hard at integrating the hired brass players who had never rehearsed with the group into the performance. The biggest adjustments required were two of the more "soulful" songs in the performance. The first was "Keep Your Lamps" which is an old "Negro Spiritual", it was very difficult to get 450 lily white Presbyterians to get the feeling of this sort of piece. Dr. Armstrong was able to bring it into focus, however. He was explained how we needed to reach a sound authentic to the piece, without stepping over the line that would make it exploitative. The other piece we had trouble with was an arraignment of "Amazing Grace". This particular arrangement was commissioned by and edited by Dr. Armstrong and there was a specific sound that he was insistent on achieving. He told us, after about the 4th time through it that he would rather put the music away and not perform the piece. Rather than do it in a manner which was not as intended. THAT got the offending parties (The Sopranos in this case) in line! We ended up running over the time allotted for practice, ending at around 12:30pm.



After rehearsal I went across Broad Street to a church that was holding an event in conjunction with the concert. Gina, Chrissy and David just happened to be right at the corner of Broad and Spruce when I crossed. They had perfect timing! They had taken the train down to Center City so that we would only have 1 car to drive home. I had my "box lunch" and Gina picked up the concert tickets for her, Chris and Dave and we hung out with some other people from our church for a while.



2:00pm came quicker than I thought and it was time to get ready for the performance. I made my way back to my seat, we all got our choir robes on and then Dr. Fowler once again warmed us up and gave us a last minute pep talk before they opened the doors to let the audience in.



There was a very interesting note inside the program handed out to the audience members. It said:” To us this day it may not be clear, and we may not agree whether what we do here is worship or performance. But, as a sign of appreciation and gratitude, applause is welcomed at the conclusion of the program". I think a bit of an explanation and a lesson in Presbyterianism is in order. Presbyterianism is derived from the teachings of John Calvin. We believe in "predestination" or that we are "chosen" by God to be believers. We are also very staid in our expression of appreciation and gratitude. This is why we are often referred to as "The Frozen Chosen". We feel that all group or individual "performances" in a worship setting are gifts of worship to god from the individual or group that sings / plays / reads / acts/ dances it. As a "gift to God" we feel that applause is not appropriate in a worship service setting. There have been many times during worship when songs etc have moved the entire congregation to tears, or have enlivened them, but no applause breaks forth because "It's just not appropriate". The note above had to be placed in the program to give the audience "permission" to applaud. Particularly since this was not a wholly Presbyterian audience. If that were not printed most of the Presbyterians would not have applauded, and those who did would have been VERY embarrassed. We Presbyterians are an odd lot!



The performance went very well, from my perspective. I didn't screw up any entrances, I ended at the same time as everyone else and I sang the right notes with the correct pronunciations. I couldn't tell how the overall sound was, as I was so close to the organ pipes, that's all I heard (and felt!). Everyone in the audience (or congregation!) said it sounded great. I'll have to wait to hear the CD before I pass judgment.



The works we sang were: (in performance order)



God is Here!



If Ye Love ME



I was Glad



Now Thank We All Our God



Keep Your Lamps!



Christmas Cantata (Sinfonia Sacra)III (Daniel Pinkham)



When the Morning Stars Together



Lamb of God



Light's Glittering Morn



Amazing Grace



Make Our Church One Joyful Choir



All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name.



The concert was over and we all parted ways by 4:15. Months of work and building relationships ended in an hour or so. But the experience was just amazing.

Wacky dream!
00:50 Nov 19 2007
Times Read: 800

I had a bizzare dream last night. I can't fully recall what happened but the main theme was that humans were being attacked and transformed by some sort of vegetation.



One guy woke up and all of his hair was some sort of grass, a woman appeared screaming as her breasts had been transformed into pumpkins and another guy had his penis turned into an ear of corn! There were many others but I can't remember the specific transformations that took place.



I can't imagine how this relates to ANYTHING. I guess I shouldn't have had that salad last night before I went to bed!

Wish me luck!
03:41 Nov 17 2007
Times Read: 807






Tomorrow's the big day!



I have to be in Philly at Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing arts at 8:00am. There we will meet the conductor for the event, Anton Armstrong and practice the music for the concert accompanied by the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ until noon.



From Noon until 2:00 we have time for lunch. At 2:00 we need to be in our seats on stage or in the conductor's circle in Verizon hall, with our robes on. We warm up from 2:15 to 2:35 and the concert begins at 3:00.



I am already VERY nervous! I just hope I don't forget my music or robe in the morning, I don't get stuck in traffic on the way into Philly, I find a place to park and I don't screw up an entrance during the concert.



I'll let you all know how it turns out tomorrow night!

Sorry Birra.
12:56 Nov 16 2007
Times Read: 814

But this has been in my mind.

It's about time!
22:40 Nov 15 2007
Times Read: 819

Barry Bonds was indicted today!



Story Link



Now afetr his records......

*

Acolyte Aggravation
14:47 Nov 13 2007
Times Read: 832

The VR help feature is designed to help answer questions about VR. According to communications I have had with Cancer, it was NOT supposed to be a profile code help center. However, 90% of the questions I pick up are just that; "How do I do 'x' on my rpofile?"



I am more than happy to answer these questions but SOMETIMES even a simple answer to a simple question ends up with me banging my head against me keyboard.



Case in point: (Bottom up...As I've spent enough energy on this already)





From:



Cadamia



08:28:41

Nov 13 2007



Reply



Block User



Delete





Multi-Delete

Move to Saved





Email to Self





ok.. well forgive me for the distraction, I will see to it it never happens again







On 13:20:39 Nov 13 2007 KCRC wrote:



I don't know how much clearer I can be. Directly after the code for the linked image put

/a



surrounded by less than and greater than signs.







On 13:16:04 Nov 13 2007 Cadamia wrote:



no sir I mean as in /div or something like that







On 13:02:58 Nov 13 2007 KCRC wrote:



I did.



Right after the code of the linked image put



/a with a less than sign in fromt and a greater than sign behind







On 12:59:04 Nov 13 2007 Cadamia wrote:



ok I know you can't send code thru the message but without the could you give me an example?







On 12:36:34 Nov 13 2007 KCRC wrote:



You need to put a "less than"/a"Greater than" after the code for the link. Without this the link code continues.



Keith







WARNING! This message is from a Vampire Rave Acolyte. Acolyte's are regular Vampire Rave members who have agreed to assist newer Vampire Rave members. As such, the information they provide may not always be 100% accurate.



If an Acolyte treats you in what you feel to be an inappropriate manner, please report the situation to Cancer. Do not delete messages you have received from the Acolyte.



On Nov 13 2007 you submitted the following request for help:



Subject: seperation



Question: I am working on my profile and just added a thanksgiving section. The only problem is that beneath the turkey gif, I can't get the link text to stop so the paragraph beneath it is included in the link now too

Biddies stirring up the house!
14:50 Nov 12 2007
Times Read: 839

3 biddies in the House...And they are encouraging the Rat.



As I said before NO good can come of this! We are all doomed to Hell!



But the road to hell appears to be paved with laughter, friviolity and raucous mayhem!

Cell phone usage.
04:44 Nov 11 2007
Times Read: 846

It's bad enough that most of the people out and about in today's society can't stay off of their cell phones. But today I noticed a new twist to this. The use of the 'speaker phone" feature.



While in the grocery store I saw no fewer than 4 people talking out loud on their speaker phone with the other party on speaker. Talking about their home life, talking about their medical conditions, talking about god knows what in spanish, farsi or hindi.



What makes these people think that anyone wants to be forced to hear there obnoxious conversation?



Cell phones are a curse!

Drama, Drama everywhere!
17:45 Nov 09 2007
Times Read: 876

Is it the new moon? Is it something in the air. Is Cancer experimenting with mood control effects through the internet?



It seems everywhere I turn, every journal I read, every profile I read, every forum has DRAMA.



What's up with that? People pissed at each other. People insulting each other. People feeling put down. I just don't get it.



I hope I don't get dragged into any of it. I try to be civil to most everyone, even though a few piss me off, I do not publically "call them out".



It's kind of sad to see.

It's finally Autumn!
02:56 Nov 07 2007
Times Read: 887

September and October were freakishly warm.



Finally we have some crisp fall weather. We even had to turn on the heat!



But, the best part is that the house we moved into has a fireplace! So we have had a nice cheery fire for the past couple of nights. There is nothing like a fire to chase away the chill!



This is our first "real" fireplace. We had a fireplace in our house in North Carolina, but it was natural gas logs which you tuned on with a switch on the wall. It was very convienient, but just not the same as a "real" wood fire!

It's going to be a long weekend.
19:46 Nov 02 2007
Times Read: 894

Gina was sick yesterday with a GI virus. She started feeling queezy at the Dracula's Ball on Wednesday night, but thought it was due to the large crown and overheated atmosphere in the club.



Yesterday she knew that was not the case!



Today we got a call from school that David was feeling ill. They gave him some Mylanta as it was near the end of the school day.



We were supposed to be going to visit Chrissy at her school for "Parent & Family Day", but we have decided to stay home.



I wonder when and how bad I'll get it. I was feeling a bit out of sorts last night and didn't go to band practice, but felt OK this morning.



The anticipation is just killing me!

Dracula's Ball - Halloween Edition
11:53 Nov 01 2007
Times Read: 908

Gina and I Decided to give in to David's pleading and take him to the Dracula's Ball event last night.



We got down to the venue about 9:15 and there was still a humungous line to get in. We got in line, but it did move very quickly.



Once inside we walked around a bit and watched Dave's eyes open wide like saucers.



Normally the first band starts at 10:30. We made our way up near the front of the stage at about 10:15. Well 10:30 came and went and no band. Gina finally had to get out of the crowd so I stayed with David. For some reason the entire night was somehow "off". They had issues getting people into the venue and the event sold out with people still lined up outside...A good reason to always get your tickets ahead of time!



Finally Carfax Abbey started there set. They were very good and had a great stage presence.



After the set, Gina took Dave and stood in line to buy their latest CD "It Screams Disease" and have it signed by the band members.



After that all 3 of us were feeling claustrophioic as the place was WAY too full of people, so we decided to skip Voltaire's set and head home early.



The crowd was not the usual Dracula's Ball crowd. I think the mass popularity of Voltaire's "Day of the Dead" a while back brought in people who wouldn't normally attend such an event. It was over run with emo kids. There were also WAY too many young girls "shaking what their mama gave them" in what was, in my opinion, an innappropriate way. (I must admit that David did nit share my thoughts on this).



Oh well, better luck next time.