Home for the Holidays

The semester ended relatively easily. No, seriously. I didn't get nearly as much completed this fall as I would have liked, but teaching was successful overall (and the students all seemed to have enjoyed my class, based on course surveys) and I did get almost 30 minutes of music completed and performed, with a bit more still underway.

But now, we're home, back in Davis, where it never fails to surprise me (or Jac, for that matter), how great it is to come back every time. Seeing family, friends, new babies, our growing nephews, our favorite places, favorite food. If you've been as lucky as we have been, growing up somewhere that in retrospect is not just good, but great, nothing can replace the nostalgia you get from driving down a street or going to a park or even shopping at a store and being able to remember when you were a lot younger and far less wiser. Love Austin and loved Boulder, don't get me wrong, but nothing beats that, at least not to us.




Christmas has past and was great, New Year's coming up and even though we're both dissertating, it's nice to be home.

Our First Thanksgiving

Pictures coming soon, but our first Thanksgiving not back home in California was a blast.

The turkey was moist and there was plenty of food...and plenty of people. Even the esteemed Yevgeniy Sharlat made it out!

The only thing that could have gone better is if Texas had beaten A&M, but alas, the worst season in Mack's career as the Longhorns' head coach was capped off with a loss to dem Aggies. Oh, well.

I'm funded!!!

For my last semester, the funding came through for me to teach Orchestration and Instrumentation at UT. Woo-hoo!!!

Now, if only I can find a job...

SI Cover of San Francisco Giants World Series Win

The Giants Win the World Series!!!

It's a great feeling to watch my team, the San Francisco Giants, beat a fantastic team like the Texas Rangers, against the best pitcher in the playoffs over the last two years, in a year where no one believed in the Giants.

No one believed they would win win a wild card spot let alone, ultimately, the NL West.

Many believed they wouldn't get out of the first round, which they won 3-1.

Most believed they had no shot against the pitching and hitting of the Phillies. They won 4-2.

No one thought they would beat the Rangers, the best hitting team in the league with a fantastic starting staff, led by the (seemingly) unhittable Cliff Lee. They win the series 4-1.

Congratulations, San Francisco. In a year where no one believed in you, it goes to show that the old adage of believing in yourself was more than enough to take to the end...with the help of of the fans! Even the most pessimistic of the fans believed in this team, the self-described ragtag band of misfits and castoffs. Great pitching, clutch hitting, and heart is all you need.

CLUTCH Premiere

So it's almost 2 weeks removed from the premiere of a new piece for 2 sopranos and 9 players at our first CLUTCH New Music Series and I think it's far enough away from the performance for me to make a relatively solid opinion: I think I liked it.

I'll have a youtube video of the piece up eventually, both here and on the website.

Jac's Surprise Party

Was a huge success. She had no idea that it was happening (especially since it was 2 weeks after her actual birthday). Many, many thanks to everyone who helped out, especially June and Bonnie for keeping her distracted and away from the house and Emily, Cari, and Jody for all the prep before the party.

A video of the actual surprise to come soon...