The Finer Things: Opera

Last Friday The Finer Things Club went to the New York City Opera to see Madam Butterfly. It was awesome.

This week is finals week, so my brain's a little fried. So I'm going to go study.

New blog layout. Hope you guys like it. If not, feel free to let me know.

I had allergy testing today. Ick. I am allergic to dust mites, mold, and trees. I will be making some changes in my lifestyle to reflect this new information. New medication. New pillows.

The play is coming up next week. We're actually running the entire play instead of bits and pieces. Even though I have a medium-sized part, my character appears in the beginning scene and last half of the second act, so I have to hang around the entire rehearsal. I also have to wear a hat the entire time, but we haven't begun practicing with our costumes.

I have been asked by my gracious play director and speech professor to be his teacher's assistant for next school year. A great opportunity for  me to get to the know the incoming juniors and to spend some time doing something I love.

For my final paper in my Reformation worship class I have decided to write a short adult education course. I thought this would be easier than writing a full-blown history paper. I was wrong. Plus, I have tracked down a facsimile of the original Genevan Psalter, and it never occurred to me that music writing had changed since the 1530's. That throws a cog into the wheels. Thankfully, I've got some time to figure things out.

I am very excited to announce that the Finer Things Club will be journeying to New York City for Madam Butterfly in April. Something to look forward to before finals week.

And the rain stopped again! I don't mind rain, but I mind rain for days and days at a time. It's nice to have a break.

The Finer Things Club

My friend Alicia and I have started the Finer Things Club. Once a month or so we are going to take mini-vacations and do cool things. Yesterday we journeyed to the historic district of Philadelphia to learn about our Founding People! 


We went on a tour of Independence Hall where the Continental Congress met. (SIT DOWN, JOHN!) We saw the Liberty Bell. We saw where the Congress met during the time Philadelphia was the capital of the USA. We also saw where the Senate met. (They had a smaller room up two flights of narrow stairs.) We saw Philosophical Hall, home to the oldest society of learned people in the USA. We paid our respects to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Solider. We saw the First Bank of the US. We toured Betsy Ross' house! We paid respects to the late Benjamin Franklin and family in the Christ Church burial ground. Saw the US Mint.
We learned that nothing really happened on 4 July 1776. The Declaration was voted on on 2 July and read to the public 8 July. Also learned that Betsy Ross was a Free Quaker.
Oh, and there was this grave in Christ's Church burial ground that was for Gen. Jacob Morgan. Perhaps a relative of mine? Probably not, but still... maybe.
But one of the BEST parts of the day was lunch! We went to City Tavern (originally a place for our Founding Parents to drink and hang out then demolished and rebuilt in the 1970's as a tourist attraction). The food recipes were supposedly from the 1770's. I have no idea if that's true, but the food was EXCELLENT. I had the crab cakes. Incredible. We also sampled George Washington's Porter, Thomas Jefferson's Ale, Ben Franklin's Spruce, and Hamilton's... something. I didn't like Hamilton's. I like Washington's Porter the best. For dessert we had Martha Washington's mousse chocolate cake. Better than Martha Stewart's!
Time slipped away from us very quickly. We didn't get to see the Declaration House. We trucked home very tired but very happy.