better?

yesterday the wife and i had a rare day off so it was off to the movies. since we still like the actual cinema experience we thought the latest bond pic would be a nice afternoon distraction. unfortunately we quickly realized that the publicity monster is getting much better while the movies are not. (excluding borat)

addition-11/25/06
saw the new christopher guest movie tonight. he goes to a much darker place than in his previous comedies. i think his ensemble improvisations are starting to show their limitations when trying to make the "point" and push plot, but overall i'd still rather see this movie miss the high bar it is reaching for than digest another genre picture geared to sell cars, watches and computers.

sprint to the finish

yesterday i hit burnout.

it was the first day since last summer that i did nothing. no writing, lesson plans, or practicing... it's probably a week too early, but i need to get in the right frame of mind so the thanksgiving break isn't a waste. i need to finish up the retrace cd, start recording the next cd and catch up on some research. thinking about all these projects makes stressed. i gotta get some mental rest so i can be productive.

teaching wise, next week isn't a big deal, i'm tying up loose ends or giving the last exams of the semester before finals. i'm sorry this blog has been mostly silent this fall. you probably cannot tell but i have been very fulfilled creatively and professionally. even writing this i know i have many other things i should be doing. hopefully over break i can pause enough to write more.

as for the pbe, we are consistently playing at a high level every show, i'm really proud how everybody has grown into their new roles. a year ago going to rehearsal used to be like herding cats, but this lineup has matured far beyond their individual experience or musical backgrounds. i also am excited about the new piece life's too short, more on that to come later...

we also have a show this sunday night. keyboardist hans fjellestad ( solo moog synth & vacuum tubes ), is opening the evening and the matt margucci duo will close the night. i really feel lucky to have hans opening the show. you can read more about him in this wiki .