Day Off

Today I was able to spend some much-needed time with my sister Meggan before I leave for a couple weeks. I really should have spent the day practicing, but instead we went up to see our horses in Carnation. They are taken care of by friends of ours out there. After giving a couple of their kids some impromptu riding lessons, Meggan and I went out on a trail ride. There are lots of old logging trails in the back of their property, so we went on a couple mile trail, out to an overlook of the Cascade Mountains. The sun had finally broken through the clouds by the time we started, so it was a perfect day for it. The forest floor, mostly dominated by ferns and low bushes, was flooded with the light that shone through the tall fir trees. Covering the lower half of almost every tree was a thick moss, illuminated by the sun. There was absolute silence, except for the heavy breathing of my out-of-shape horse, the noise of his feet, and the occasional song from the passing robin or nuthatch. We saw a hawk circling overhead, but that was the extent of the wildlife.

My horse, as I have mentioned, hasn't been used very much, so he was horribly slow for the last part of the trek out to the lookout. He tried to turn back around three times, being very stubbuorn about obeying. He was also holding his back feet up at different times, as if they were hurt. After close examinaton revealed nothing, we concluded that he must have been sore from the fresh hoof-trim he had received only a few days ago. Also, he just didn't want to exercise. Once we turned back home, he left no doubt in our minds as to his health, since he charged ahead at a quick pace to be able to return to the pasture as soon as possible. My horse... (Becky, we have to do something up there when I get back)

I have just finished my packing a few moments ago, because the family and I just finished watching John Adams. I really liked the last episode with all the letters that were read... it's as if we're hearing them from the authors afreash. My goodness, what an ending. And I am glad that they didn't show anything from that, um, proceedure they had to do on his daughter... In all, it was an excellent series! Wow! And the music is inspiring too! :)

As Hilary says in 'In the WENN Small Hours', well at this point, I don't see any point in going home - or to bed. I've got to be up in 2 or 3 hours... So, I'm going to take a shower and work on my music unless I fall asleep first. I've got a long bus ride to Vancouver, BC, and then a long wait, and then a 12 hour flight to China. I think I'll be able to rest some time in there. I hope. :)

So, hopefully, next time I post it will be from my hotel in Beijing!

Until then,
Jp

Here we go...

In just a couple hours, I'm gonna head over to Bothell to begin our mini band-camp for the China trip. Tonight we'll be rehearsing our music for tomorrow night's parade. I can't believe it's here already...

I was able to clean most of my stuff up at work today, in the few hours I had. It goes really fast when you have to get a certain amount of stuff done in a short period of time! I am taking all of next week off of work, although we don't have a rehearsal on Wednesday. It'll be a good time to pack before we head off at 4:30 AM on Thursday, the 31st. Ouch, that's gonna be a long day.

Last night the family watched parts 3, 4 and 5 of John Adams. I really liked them as well, but so far my favorite would definitely be part 2. I think this is because the drafting/ signing of the Declaration was in part 2. I was a little surprised how quickly they moved through the war, but then again, I was unaware that Mr. Adams was in Europe the whole time, and that he was not a part of the drafting of the Constitution. I really love all the actors they selected for this series though! Wow! George Washington is incredible! and Benjamin Franklin! Wow!

And to those of you listening, out there, right now, alone in a small room, or working late again at your computers... I saw the part in which Jefferson and Hamilton were hating each other and I went, "I'm sorry that I didn't get to see this before we shared our time over the Internet Relay Chat-waves together". (And to you, Rodney, I'm sorry for butchering that quote/ stealing your idea... LOL) Note my period outside of the parentheses. If I can't chat tomorrow, then darn it, I'm going to do it here.

And what's awesome, is that I'll get to see parts 6 and 7 before I leave! Yey!
And here's for another new episode of Monk tonight! Yey!

Until next time,
Jp

Words Can't Describe It...

...and in a blog, that's not good.

Finally, I have seen the first two installments of 'John Adams'.

And I am speechless with the raw power and emotion of the simple way they told our nation's greatest story. Yes, John Bedford Lloyd did a wonderful job (can we expect anything else from him?) and in the one scene in Independence Hall, when everyone was shouting, Tom Beckett's character cups his hands even, to shout... but we can't hear him over all the other noise...

But Paul Giamatti's performance as the titular role was stand-out brilliant, to say the least. And I mean that in all true honesty. I'm afraid I can't describe fully how much I enjoyed this; as I write this with the stain of tears on my cheeks. Oh, my, these were great men that founded our country. How wonderful that their story is being brought to life again with such care and beauty.

I haven't been entertained; I have been taught.

Jp