The moon

Sometimes the moon is just a wonder indeed . . . . This photo was taken on campus at about 8.25 this morning. I’m looking west from the commons in our East Academic Building.

#TBT: Chicago

Ten years ago this month, I attended the Conductors Guild conference in Chicago. And took time at the Art Institute, and caught a concert at the Lyric Opera, and ate pizza, and visited with student/friends.

Just beat

It’s the second day of the semester and I am beat. Run-down. Let’s hope it’s just ennui. That is all.

Spring 2022

Today begins Spring 2022 classes at Webster University. And today I begin my 33rd year of teaching college. My first class was in Spring 1990 at the community college campus in Blue Springs. I realized the other day as well that I have now commenced my 35th year of teaching voice lessons, dating all the

Kitchen day

I spent a chunk of time on Sunday in the kitchen. And very happily so! First up was a couple of loaves of fresh ciabatta: While the ciabatta was on a long prove, I made some buttermilk fudge with toasted pecans: The fudge is incredibly good, with piquancy from the buttermilk and the bite of

Owwwww.

For the better part of the last year, I’ve been dealing with muscle pain in my back. I thought things were under control, but the problem welled up again in November. This past week I was in enough pain and dealing with spasms as well, so I called telemedicine through my usual primary care provider.

Random thoughts

Snow is falling outdoors as I write this morning. This will be our first significant snowfall of the winter season. I’m delighted! I was surprisingly weary last evening upon arriving home around 6.45 p.m. Part of the tiredness was perhaps the activities of the day, including a webinar, a 2.5-hour faculty meeting, two voice lessons

We’re back

Back to Zoom, that is. After a three-week hiatus, I resumed voice lessons this week. On Zoom. The current COVID numbers make me concerned indeed. On Tuesday, for instance, the Washington Post reported that new case diagnoses in Missouri are up 59% over the 7-day period when compared to the week before. Deaths are up

#TBT: the Archbishop

Nine years ago this month, I met The Right Reverend and Right Honorable, The Lord Carey of Clifton, 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, who was the preacher at the Centennial Eucharist of the Church of Saint Michael and Saint George in Clayton, Missouri.

St. Alphonsus Liguori

I’m reading a book this year that highlights one Roman Catholic saint each day, including generous helpings of that saint’s writings and prayers. The book is Voices of the Saints: a year of readings, written by Bert Ghezzi. I picked up the book in 2003 in Chicago, according to my scribbles on the front page,