November 2006 Archives

Josh Groban's new album came out a few weeks ago, and since then I have listened to it a number of times. I must say, it ages well. I find it similar to all of the rest of his work: excellent. There is something about the kind of operatic vocals he is able to carry off that's fantastic. Perhaps someone will pick it up for me for Christmas, but if not, I am sure it will find its way into my collection at some point over the next year.

Last night found me at the "Nine Lessons and Carols" at the Winspear Centre, a display of the U of A Mixed Chorus, the bell ringers, and a fantastic organist. It's been incredibly cold outside, but it was still worth going. That concert hall is quite impressive; that was the first time that I have ever been there. After that performance, my interest is newly piqued in seeing the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. I hear that "A Christmas Carol" shows every year too, unfortunately, I guess it is apparently priced at $75 a seat. No thanks...

In any case, I think it's about time that I got a little it of shut-eye.

Just the day before yesterday I went outside and it was good. There was still, of course, snow on the ground, but it was warm outside. On Wednesday I swear the temperature dropped nearly 20° C. By the time I went home at 7 in the evening, it was unbelievably cold. Cold enough that I want to wear a scarf wherever I go, and gloves became mandatory equipment. I don't mind winter and snow, but it isn't even December yet. I sure wouldn't be all that opposed to a tiny bit of a warm-up.

Today, for all those Americans out there, it was Thanksgiving day. I must say that I am rather sorry to be missing a few of the massive Black Friday deals, but it gos with the territory. I managed to celebrate in a fashion by going out for a turkey dinner at lunch with two of the chaplains at the university. It isn't quite the same, but I'll take what I can get, especially considering that I missed the first one this year due to jaw pain.

Tomorrow I think I will start playing Christmas music a bit, considering that its open season, in a sense. I am looking forward to seeing this semester through and going home for a visit. It's been a long time.

I think Nintendo is poised to make a lot of money. The Wii may not be winning prizes very soon for HD graphics, but it has in spades the number one thing people look for in a game: fun. I have never played anything quite like it. If you take a look at the pictures, you can see that my hand position tracks with the golfer on the screen. The Wii can be played exactly as you would do something intuitively. Swinging a golf club is very much what it would be like in real life. I played a round of 3 with Matt, handily beating him by scoring at par. I lost a game of baseball, however. I think that console is #1 on my wish list for this Christmas, definitely. But more than that, I think I could play many of these games with my mom, which I could never have said before.

In other news, I went and saw The Prestige on Friday night, and really enjoyed it. Christian Bale, Michael Cane, and Hugh Jackman made a great cast. The movie had a few things that bugged me, but it is definitely one worth seeing. It centers on two illusionists from the early 20th century in England, and a war between Tesla and Edison. The theater was full of rowdy teenagers, so I got a lousy seat, but it was still worth it I think.

To be fair, they most usually are on a long weekend. And after the unpleasantness of the preceding week and all the midterms, three of them, I am not too upset about the apparent lack of productivity. After all, from here on out, it will most likely be busier than normal as I try to finish things off before finals, and as the material in my classes gets to its most difficult. I did manage to get quite a bit of cleaning done, and I also sorted through a lot of files, both digital and old-fashioned hardcopy. In any case, I think I am now ready to take on the rest of the semester.

I have been watching a show on NBC called Heroes these last several weeks, and I have to say, I quite enjoy it. The premise isn't quite new, but it's explored from a different angle. The story so far has been quite good, and I find myself looking forward to next week for the following episode. It's been quite a long time since there was a TV show that I could say I watched even semi frequently.If you wish to watch it, it's on NBC Monday primetime, though I think it is easier to understand if you have seen the earlier episodes.

Ecclesiastes 9:1 "So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him." NIV

It comes down to three midterms at the beginning of next week, and I am going after them with everything I have got. I'll be a whole lot less stressed once I can get them out of the way. The semester seems to be chugging along as usual for the university, even though I am in my fourth year. However, I'll note that it is a bit different, as I am no longer nearly as confused about direction, and the whole semester progression. After all this time, I have it nailed down fairly well.

As many of you might not be aware of, I am currently planning on flying to Grand Rapids on the 20th of December for a portion of the Christmas holidays. It will undoubtedly be a busy time, but I am looking forward to catching up with many of you down there. As I do not often make it to Michigan, I always cherish the opportunity when it presents itself.