The Neeners

Half a Disney Day

2006-04-03T23:01:00.000-04:00

One of the highlights of my trip home was a day at Disneyland. Most people know that big fans of The Magic Kingdom are mostly of children and females; men over the age of 14 seem to be dragged along by said females and children.

Nathan was no exception. From the time I first uttered the line, "So, I thought it'd be nice to go to Disneyland when we're in LA..." his responses (mostly comprised of blank stares and noncommital "hmms") would remind me of how I'd respond to my mom when she'd say to me, "Want to come with me to the Chinese supermarket? And, then the drugstore?"

Six months after hearing the first of several suggestions that we spend a day in a theme park whose ruling mascot is a large mouse with a high-pitched voice, Nathan finally gave me the thumbs-up. Needless to say, tickets were procured before he could change his mind.

So, you can imagine my immense irritation and disappointment when we ended up having less than half a day at the park. Due to a long chain of Murphy's Law events, Nathan and I didn't enter the gates until 3:30 pm. Basically, our visit with Jammie the night before, turned into an extra late chat in my driveway (she got lost getting to my house and her phone had died).

So, we slept in an extra hour the next morning, but my mom was home, so it took me an extra 45 min. to get ready, further delaying our departure. My mom needed me to take the van in for repairs, and the dealership is only 9 miles from Disneyland; I was uninterested in driving down to Anaheim twice in one week, so we took the van in for a "quick" fix-up before heading to the park. The last time I went to get the van door fixed, it took all of 15 minutes. That day, Nathan and I waited over an hour before finally leaving for Disneyland.

But, having never driven to Disneyland from the South, I got lost and had to call my friends within the park for help. I had no idea how much CA freeway memory I'd lost in the last two years! By the time we parked, rode the tram from the parking lot to the park and got through the enormous line to enter, I was undeniably pissed off.

Fortunately, my love of Disneyland soothed my rankled constitution and we ended up having a rather lovely time. The 50th Anniversary fireworks show was especially good!

On the tram

The newly remodeled, very pink Sleeping Beauty's castle

Rae and Shelley on the Matterhorn

The castle at night

Spring Break

2006-04-03T22:44:00.000-04:00

The good people at Diller-Quaile gave us two whole weeks of Spring Break at the end of March. I must say, I was quite ready for the vacation, and no, it wasn't extravagant; it was the perfect amount of time for me to:

1) recover from yet another cold
2) visit my family in California
3) recover from a hectic visit with my family in California!

For those of you who believe that Southern California never gets foul weather, you are mistaken. The relaxed people of Los Angeles received rain for many days before we arrived for vacation, and after we returned to NY. That's right--we brought the sun with us!

Hanging with The Shels

Nate in the Sun

Happy reunions with the elusive Jammie...

and the photo-happy Kathy

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's off to work I go

2006-03-09T20:05:00.000-05:00

It's official: I am a worker bee. All over the island of Manhattan, I buzz to and fro, bringing muscial education (hopefully) to several groups of children.

In September, I was only working for two places, the Diller-Quaile school of music and Children's Aid Society. Mon., Tues., Thurs. and Fri. mornings I work with babies and toddlers at Diller-Quaile in general music and art classes, some of them separation classes (no parents). On Monday and Tuesday afternoons, I teach music, movement and chorus for K-3rd graders at afterschool sites in Yorkville and E. Harlem.

Due to extreme loan payments, I found another job as a piano teacher for kids/teenagers at a music school with an Italian name (Florentine) in Chinatown. My weekday hours did not match with theirs, so I signed away my Sunday mornings to them and I started teaching there in February.

My students are great, they're coming along swimmingly. The main office workers, though nice, are completely incompetent; however, as it is my first year of teaching, and none of my jobs afford me benefits, I decided to stick with this school. A big plus is I can teach there throughout the summer, something that is not possible with D-Q or CAS, as they shut down for the summer months.

My fear of not making rent during the aforementioned summer break drove me to search for one more job. I was so pleased to find a position in an early childhood program in Tribeca. Starting next week, I will be working with downtown babies/toddlers on Wed.-Friday afternoons. The Nest has a Spring/Summer semester that will take me all the way until August, so that will take some of the pressure off of me financially.

Now that I've been able to fill in my open hours (and them some), I'm faintly worried about burning out by next September. With church taking out half (and sometimes more) of Saturday, and spending a third of Sunday at Florentine, I plan to guard my free time even more fiercely than before. Working has surprised me by being immensely fulfilling and more exhausting than school ever was for me. And, I was a good student! Apparently, practicing endless hours of Beethoven and hammering out reams of research papers do not have the same effect on me that teaching does.

It's such an odd feeling I have when I leave my classes. On the one hand, I'm flushed with happiness at musical progress made and the ever-tightening bonds of friendship with my students; on the other hand, I'm so emotionally and physically drained that I crave solitude more than having dinner with friends.

Talking to some of my coworkers, I was quite relieved to find that I'm not alone in my situation. Most of my friends/coworkers work at least two jobs, and gig with their bands/choruses/orchestras on top of that. I have a few friends who do their best not to socialize on schoolnights, choosing simply to recharge by themselves (or with their families) at home. Weekends are much looked forward to, as it is with all people, as are those nifty school breaks/holidays we receive. As for my coworkers who've just had babies, I just do not know how they do it! (Although, it should be noted that none of them are married to or partnered with musicians/artists.)

I am unmarried and have no children, so my time is pretty much my own. I also happen to love my jobs, and most of the people I work with (those Chinatown secretaries need to be flogged, and that's much more than most people can say. I love New York, and I found not one, but four jobs to stay here. I'd say I'm pretty lucky. Tired, but lucky.

Not-so-random musings...

2006-03-09T19:37:00.000-05:00

Here is a question that has plagued my mind lately:

Why do people have children if they don't like them?

I'm not talking about the masses of teenagers who still can't bring themselves to use birth control on a regular basis. I'm talking about "responsible" adults who can afford children and think that it'd be a "neat" idea to procreate in the name of further extending their family tree. These same people are then bewildered and surprised when their cute babies don't sleep through the night, and then grow to be mischievous, loud, temperamental, or just plain naughty toddlers.

Some parents are convinced that their two year olds should be able to control their emotional and physical impulses as an adult would, talking to them as they would a teenager. Then there are parents who do not understand that their children are whining/crying because they're tired of taking a backseat to their parent's cellphone.

My advice to those who are thus far childless: if you don't like the idea of little people who are co-dependent, cry frequently and loudly, like to eat random crap off the floor, and require constant love and care that does not come from a dvd boasting large colorful animals, then try NOT to have children. Seriously, as an early childhood teacher, I care much less about whether your kids are taking up your time from watching a basketball game, even if it is the Big East Tourney; no, I care about whether or not you're making time for your kids.

Whether you like it or not, you as a parent are wholly responsible for their happiness and healthy development. Not their nannies, not their school teachers, not their stuffed animals. Children are an absolutely precious gift, and they deserve parents who are willing to make the sacrifices required of them.

Cooking: A Beginning

2006-03-09T18:49:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of food. I eat more of it than most people I know, I read about it, I try to discover new (or new to me) bakeries, restaurants, etc. every week. But, I have never been one for the kitchen.

Basically, I've spent the majority of my life making rice, baking cookies, boiling hot water for tea and washing fruits to be eaten whole. I don't like having to cut them into slices because the slices rarely look nice, and then I feel disappointed. Besides, the skin is usually where all the nutrients are, so why not just devour the fruit from the outside in, as nature intended? If mango could be eaten from the outside in, I'd do that to. As it is, I'm very happy to slice a mango into halves, then stand over a large sink to suck the flesh off the seed, the way all good Asians do. When the mango is ripe, a bowl just doesn't cut it.

When I lived in Loma Linda, I learned how to make fried rice, basic veggies, salmon. Nothing hard at all. Oh, and good scrambled eggs. I love scrambled eggs. But, since moving to New York, the city of fast and good food, I completely lost what little motivation I had to cook anything for myself. Instead, I learned how to order take-out and delivery over the phone in commanding tones; I'm usually the one who has to do all the ordering for large groups of friends who do not care to deal with unfriendly waiters with heavy accents.

Lately, though, I've been thinking more and more about the utter helplessness I feel when faced with fresh food and a stove. Like most choleric people, I do not enjoy feeling helpless, even more so when it involves the alchemy of creating meals that are pleasing to the eyes and tastebuds. Plus, working with young children everyday, I have an increasing desire to be able to feed my own future children one day, and I don't mean by picking up a phone and dialing the nearest Italian restaurant.

As luck would have it, I am blessed with several friends who do like cooking, and actually participate in the making of food during the weeknights. One such friend is Jeremy. He is the best cook I know in my realm of friends, and fortunately for all of us, regularly invites us to cook with him. Unfortunately, he and his lovely wife will most likely be moving back to San Francisco in a couple of years, so I thought I'd best take advantage of his culinary prowess while I can.

Last Wednesday, a few of us got together before Bible study to create a Mexican feast of cheese enchiladas, roasted sweet potatoes and chayote squash, black beans, our own yellow rice (yes, Jeremy knows how to make white rice turn yellow) and a mixed salad with homemade lime and olive oil vinagrette. It was great fun and turned out to be mighty tasty. Even though I was just one of 4 people cooking, I was so proud of myself!

On Saturday night, a much larger group assembled itself around Jeremy's kitchen island to cook for an even larger group of hungry friends. On the menu: beet risotto, roasted butternut squash, acorn squash puree soup, sauteed broccoli and mushrooms, tossed salads with sundried tomatoes and artichokes, and bruschetta. There were a lot of big knives being flashed around that night, but no serious injuries were incurred. I sliced a part of a fingernail during a basil chopping session, but to the relief of all, no blood was spilled!

Here are some pictures from Saturday night:

Who knows? Maybe by the time Jeremy and Erica leave, I'll be able to manuever around the kitchen with less anxiety and without slicing my poor fingernails.

Vacation

2006-02-24T01:02:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, I have been enjoying my first vacation week of the new school semester, thanks to the presidents of the United States. That's right, we don't just get a weekend--we get a whole week! New York public schools (I'm not sure about other states) give their students a week for President's Day (President's Week), so I didn't have to go in for my Children's Aid sites. Diller-Quaile, probably to go along with the spirit of things, decided to close for the week as well.

At first, I thought I'd fly out to LA to see my family, but decided to visit them next month instead. Given the choice between February and March, my mom pointed out that she'd prefer a lesser gap of time between times she gets to see me. (As a teacher, I'll probably get to visit her again in June.)

And, so, I have spent the week relaxing in the City. I ended up getting sick--again--on Sunday, so I've been trying to recuperate before work starts up again. Here's a list of the things I've done this week:

1.) Slept in every day--till 12 noon!

2.) Two HUGE loads of laundry

3.) Tidied up Nathan's apartment (yes, I do do that)

4.) Ate the best pancakes of my life--no joke--at Clinton St. Bakery

5.) Watched a lot of Olympics

6.) Bought 3 hardcover books at Labyrinth Books--all for $11

7.) Found a sweet (in all senses of the word) Soda Shop in Tribeca

8.) Consumed gallons of soup (it's about all I crave when I'm sick)

I have to admit that I have missed some of my students...but only the good ones! haha! So, it's back to work on Monday, and to the things that I haven't missed this week:

1.) Paint and glue all over my clothes

2.) Wrenching small objects from the mouths of babes

3.) Duct-taping the light switches and sink handles to prevent insanely frequent usage from small hands

4.) Chronic lower back pain at the end of the day from communing with 2 ft. tall people

5.) Having to hear 2nd and 3rd graders inform me, "We're so TIRED. We've had a long DAY. We just want to SIT."

But, I'm blessed with work, and I love my kids. Here's to the things I missed very much this week:

1. Being greeted with huge smiles and jubilant hugs every morning when we open the classroom door.

2. Hearing 2 yr olds sing ABC and Old MacDonald with zest every day.

3. Dancing with my kids to The Nutcracker Suite

4. Seeing how much they've all grown in such a short time.

Bubby's and Klatch

2006-02-22T19:54:00.000-05:00

Ah, the joys of eating in downtown Manhattan. As a resident of upper Manhattan, I must say that when it comes to food, I would practically walk downtown for a decent meal.

Having said that, let me just recommend two places I had the pleasure of visiting last week. The first is Bubby's Pie Company, better known as Bubby's. If you like heaping plates of solid American food, served in a bright n' airy dining room filled with an eclectic mix of Blackberry-toting businessmen and baby-toting moms, then head down to Tribeca. The real draw at Bubby's are the desserts; personally, I stand behind their pies. I find it reassuring that the word "Pie" is in their official title, and that their pies are excellent.

Nathan and I listened to our Claudia Schiffer-lookalike waitress and ordered the largest slice of lemon meringue pie I've ever had the good fortune of eating in a restaurant:

It was really delicious...

Now, for those of you who like going to Century 21 and then wonder afterwards, "Where the hell can I go to rest/celebrate after surviving such a stressful shopping experience?" I direct you to the coffeehouse Klatch. Sunny yellow walls, twinkly lights all 'round, catchy tunes and excellent service can all be found in this cozy little shop tucked away in the Financial District.

A big smile for my Mexican Hot Chocolate

Bubby's
120 Hudson St.
www.bubbys.com

Klatch
9 Maiden Lane
btw. Broadway and Nassau

Sweet Valentine

2006-02-17T12:57:00.000-05:00

February 14, 2006 was my FIRST Valentine's Day! Well, it was the first time I had a Valentine to celebrate with. My first time standing in front of a huge wall of Valentine's cards at the store, pouring over the selection to find the perfect one for my darling. First time I got to pour my thoughts into what I would get as the perfect gift (final selection: Pistons vs. Knicks at Madison Square Garden in March). First time to rush home after work to change into something nicer for dinnr (I always get paint and glue on my jeans on art days at school). First time receiving a dozen red roses EVER. I know some of you will think I'm to cheesy, but I don't care! I had a wonderful day, and I hope you did, too.

A cozy, romantic restaurant (Salt on 58 MacDougal St.)

Yummy meal

Handsome date

My red roses

My Kids

2006-02-16T22:03:00.000-05:00

I get to see these beautiful faces twice a week at Diller-Quaile, and I wanted to share them with you. Smart, funny, and amazingly musical, here are five of my seven students in Music and Art for 2's Class #36.

Introducing...

Clare and J.P.

Daniel (and his father)

Hannah (and her nanny)

Nick (and his mom)

And, here's me and Miss Clare, posing and singing out "Cheese!"

Let it Snow

2006-02-16T21:32:00.000-05:00

During the record-setting snowfall, a very sleepy Jannine tried to make her own path through the streets to get to her first day of work. After a ridiculously difficult and long subway ride (2 different transfers!) to the far reaches of Chinatown, our brave piano teacher--who could not reach her school by phone--tunneled 7 more loooong blocks to find a school that was not open. Much internal seething ensued amidst the swirling flurries of snow.

However, on the way back to the subway, Jannine was able to purchase Chinese breakfast items for a grand total of $2.00, and then spent a nice, relaxing day indoors with her friend Erica.

When music videos go awry

2006-02-09T17:19:00.000-05:00

I loved Knight Rider as a child. I love Dodgeball as an adult (c'mon, you KNOW it was hilarious when Lance Armstrong makes his cameo). What do the two have in common? Mr. David Hasselhoff.
Who didn't laugh hysterically when Coach Hasselhoff dresses down his German team en Deustch after they lose to Joe's Gym in the Vegas rounds? And, when he smashed a framed picture of himself, causing the Germans to tear up, I said to myself, "Now THERE'S a man/actor who knows how to laugh at himself!"

And, so my love for the Knight Rider lived on. Unfortunately, while browsing through an acquaintance's blog, I found a disturbing chink in the Knight's armor. She had stumbled upon, and posted a link to, a video clip of David Hasselhoff singing "Hooked On a Feeling." While Mr. Hasselhoff seems to possess a fine singing voice, his agreement to participate in the antics portrayed in this music video raised many a question in my head, the first and foremost being, "What the hell was he thinking?!"

Prepare yourselves for Hasselhoff moves that include flying like a bird and taking a bite out of a large salmon, caught with his bare hands in an eskimo suit.

Trade your books!

2006-02-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

Every morning in Manhattan, commuters are met with an array of free newspapers thrust in their faces as they struggle to rush down the stairs leading to subway platforms. One of said newspapers is AM New York, which happened to be in the hands of the commuter sitting next to me one day. This is how I saw the ad for a new online company called Bookins.

If you go to www.bookins.com, you will find a free (for membership) book-trading service that encourages readers everywhere to share the books they love (or don't love) and no longer read with others. I am one such reader. I have shelves lined with books in California and New York, and they keep growing. But, there are the few books that I thought I'd love when I bought them, and was mistaken. And the odd book here and there that I did love, but find too painful or haunting to ever read again.

As a member of Bookins, I create a "trade list" and a "wish list." I submit the ISBN codes of all the books I'd like to trade out, and I search for books available to put on my wish list. Each book that is submitted for trading on Bookins is awarded a certain number of "points" depending on its popularity, age, and whether it's a hard or soft cover edition. The more books you trade out, the more points you're awarded, and thus, the more books you they can send you off of your wish list. For those of you wondering about money right about now, every member does pay for the shipping fee + delivery confirmation ($3.99) of each book shipped to them. The sender does not pay for anything.

The really nice thing about Bookins is that they handle all the go-between. You never have to communicate or deal with another member. All you have to do is print out the ready-to-print shipping label from the website, wrap up the book requested from you, and drop it in the mailbox. Now, obviously, there is always the chance of nobody wanting the books you've offered up for trade, in which case you may not garner that many bookins points.

So far, I've sent out two of my books, and received three from my wish list. I'm hoping that more people will want to adopt more of my listed books, but I suppose it's just a matter of time. And, if that still doesn't work, then there's always the option of donating the books to a library, or trying to sell them to a used book dealer.

If you love books, and you'd like your books to find a nice home (instead of being shelved in a dusty bookstore), give Bookins a try. There's no harm in trying, and they let you pick out 3 free books when you sign up. Happy reading!

Kitty Kat Withdrawals

2006-02-05T02:56:00.000-05:00

Smiling through the Seasons

Kathy and Good Sweets

Kathy's Last Day at Church

Karaoke with Kathy

Come back SOON, Kathy! We love you!!

Resurfacing

2006-02-05T02:22:00.000-05:00

I'm a little shocked as I type, and I realize that it's been over 2 weeks since I last posted on my blog. Hmm...3 weeks? Anyhow, it's been a long time since I've had the urge to hammer out something about anything going on in my life. Ironically, I blame that mostly on the fact that I've had too much going on.

My dear friend Kathy left the City on January 19, and in the weeks leading up to that dreaded date of departure, Nathan, Susan and I (and plenty others) spent just about all our spare moments with her. We tried to hit all our favorite restaurants, we watched movies, and we pretty much tried to help her squeeze in as much Big Apple fun as possible.

After Kat left, I was exhausted. Specifically, I was tired of hanging out with lots of people. There are those who believe that I am an extrovert, through and through; the more observant of my friends should know differently. Even the best extroverts need some good alone time to recharge. How else can we exist comfortably and convincingly as outgoing, engaging people? Hence, I think I spent the days following Kathy's move hunkered down with Nathan. I was perfectly cheery at work, and then I would head straight to the quiet comfort of Nathan's company.

I should also mention that I was working quite a bit. With co-workers dropping like flies (begone, foul germs!) I was able to pick up a few extra hours of subbing. I was also busy with my students' big Winter Concert. Definitely more on that later. Successful though it was, my body succumbed to the germs all around, and I was out sick Saturday-Monday.

Anyways, to wrap this oddly confession-like sounding post up, I found that I'd managed to forget several friends' January birthdays (the least forgivable being that of my roommate Grace). To make up for these lapses in friendship, I made dates to take both Grace and my friend Sarah out this past week. I wanted to go out with my friend Jason for his b-day, but I was so tired after dinner with Sarah that I simply turned in for the night. (It's so irritating that, even if I'm just a little sick, small things like dinner take a huge toll on me.)

Oh, I almost forgot: I completed an 8-hr infant, child, and adult CPR course on Wednesday. Yup, more on that later. And, Nathan and I hung out with Jen J. on Tues. night; we watched the first half of The Fellowship of the Rings and had a great time just talking.

It's occuring to me right now that this is by far the most incoherent post I've ever written (worsened, I'm sure, by the late hour), but I like that. It's exactly how my life has felt since I last posted, and that's what I want to convey to you.

Dear Met, I hardly knew thee

2006-01-12T16:51:00.000-05:00

You know how it is when you head into something with a pre-determined purpose, only to discover other potentially exciting things?

My move to New York is a big example of that happening. Besides wanting a change of scenery, I "knew" I wanted to further pursue a career in teaching piano performance and literature in a university/college setting. Two and a half dizzying years later I find myself gleefully teaching babies and toddlers, kindergartners and 2nd graders in early childhood programs. And, it is more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined.

I find that life in New York is generally a melange of the unexpected and the delightful. There are so many people to meet, so many book shops to peruse, so many restaurants to frequent and so much beauty in the different neighborhoods. When the weather is just right, a day out in the City is a definite guilty pleasure.

Today was a particularly sunny, and unnaturally warm day in January. I decided to take a stroll down 5th Ave. after I finished work. After stopping in at Yura & Co., my favorite picnic lunch and cupcake place, I found a bench at the Central Park Reservoir to enjoy my sandwich. I planned to walk around the Upper East Side until I was tired, but when the Met Museum came into sight, I saw that most of the scaffolding had finally been taken down. It was so beautiful, like a brand new building.

I quickly scanned the placards mounted on the front of the building, searching to see if any of their current exhibits would tickle my fancy. When I read the title "Clouet to Seurat," I quickly crossed the street to climb up the famous steps. Now, I have no idea who Clouet is, but I rather like the impressions Seurat's paintings make on a person.

I impatiently waited for my "M" visitor button, and then rushed upstairs to the 2nd floor where I was sure Seurat would be waiting for me. However, instead of finding a visitor sign pointing me towards the "Clouet to Seurat" exhibit, I found arrows pointing to several other shows. Having walked to the wrong location, I decided to just take a gander at what new things were in the wing I'd chosen.

The current exhibit I found is entitled "David Milne Watercolors: Painting Toward the Light." Milne was a Canadian who spent a great deal of his career in New York City and Upstate New York before returning to his native country. He, like too many artists, died without fame our fortune. Fifty years later, I took in his bright depictions of life in the Big Apple, and the country north of it.

5th Ave. in 1912

You can still ride Hansom cabs today!

Storm Over the Islands III, 1951

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Milne exhibit, and I also spent some time in the Degas rooms, as well as the contemporary wings that house a few beautiful pre-Cubist Picassos. I never did find the Seurat drawings, but as most Met visitors will tell you, your feet get very sore after about an hour there. So, I will go back another day to find Seurat and probably other enchanting offerings as well.

A Michigan Holiday

2006-01-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

My week in Charlotte, MI was straight out of a winter-tale storybook. We opened presents under the Christmas tree, sang carols, and ate a few Christmas goodies that Nathan's mom and sister had baked themselves.

Nathan's family has lived in Michigan all their lives, and they live smack dab in the middle of the hand-shaped state. Contrary to popular assumption, they are not working farmers. They do, however, own lots of beautiful land (12 acres!), and most of their neighbors are farmers. From their house, you can see lots of different crops going every which way (now covered with snow). There's even a farm with a few tall dairy silos down the lane. I say lane, not street, because the road to their house is not paved.

I was very excited to experience my first white christmas, complete with a beautiful homegrown blue spruce christmas tree (when Nathan was very young, his parents planted a bunch of spruces to sell during the X-mas seasons). Here are a few shots of Nathan's family and their tree:

From l to r: Rachel, Joe, Melissa, Jason, me and Nathan

The Whitakers have a couple of ponds on their land, and when they're frozen over, you can ice skate on them. When they were younger, Nathan and his siblings would skate on their ponds, as well as on their grandma's (she lived 5 miles away). While charmed by the idea of skating on a private pond not owned by Donald Trump, my non-Midwestern senses were alarmed by the possibility of me drowning in icy waters.

Hence, Jason, Nathan and I headed over to the Michigan State University hockey rink. During certain hours, the enormous rink is open for public skating, and its spacious icy surface is perfect for beginning skaters like me. Plenty of room to wobble and fall down without getting in other people's way. The last time I skated was almost 2 years ago in Central Park, so I think I did pretty well, especially since it was only my 2nd time ever.

The great Zamboni

Holdin' the wall (just in the beginning!)

Skating, happy people

All in all, I had a good, low-key vacation, and it was nice getting to know Nathan's family and their friends a little better.

The New Year

2006-01-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe it is January 10 already! I know this for sure, because one of my many student loan payments is due tomorrow, January 11, 2006. That's right, I keep track of time with the bills that I have due every month.

Anyhow, I just finished my classes at Diller-Quaile for today, and am languishing in some down time before my next class at the E. Harlem center. And it occurred to me just how long it has been since I last posted on my blog. Let's see, Christmas came and went in California, I spent almost a week in the wintery plains of Michigan, and I rang in the New Year with the lovely Nathan, watching the glittering ball drop on TV.

I came back to a gradually de-Christmas-izing New York City on New Year's Day. No more aromatic tree stands to pass by on the streets, no more tourists standing in great clumps, shooting cameras at every corner...it's kind of sad, actually. I mean, I hate the slow, crowded holiday subway/bus commutes as much as the next New Yorker, but I really do revel in the cheery lights and pine-tree smells of the season. Just about the only reminder that Christmas was just here are the dead trees piled unceremoniously on the curbs of every street!

But, now it is indeed a new year, and I suppose this post should be more about the hopefulness of a fresh start than about trying to hold on to the past. Now there are many things to look forward to--weddings, baptisms, holidays off work, recitals (many, many recitals in the Spring) and the warm, balmy weather of early Summer. Specifically for me, there are a few key things that will be quite exciting to come upon: my dad being eligible for MediCare in March, Nathan's and my anniversary in April, Nathan graduating in May, Jennie T. getting married in June, and in September, the first anniversary of my teaching career. And, then, dear goodness, I'll be turning 28 in October.

For now, I'll just take things one day at a time. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions--or, rather, I don't believe people actually keep them--but I do believe in calling up old friends, making new ones, and taking time to have a good cup of coffee with them. Here's to another New Year!

Busy Vacation

2005-12-23T02:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally succumbed to the cold that'd been threatening to overtake my ever lame immune system. It is Thursday, my 5th day of vacation in California, and I'm sick. It's not too bad, but I did cancel on a couple of good friends tonight. I was supposed to have dinner with my old friend my college, but I'll probably see her tomorrow.

The other thing I cancelled on was slightly more exciting, if only because it involved a free concert ticket, and I LOVE free concert tickets! My dear friend Jammie, whom I have not seen since August, works for a newspaper in downtown Long Beach, and they had all these free tickets to Peter Cincotti's show tonight at The Vault 350. Having never heard of this so-called musical vault, I was very curious to see what type of venue it was--and if it was at all the type of place that Mr. Cincotti, jazz pianist and crooner, can usually be found in.

According to the website, it's a rock club--not exactly the type of place he usually plays in, I'm betting. The last time I heard his jazz trio was at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall (and surrounded by numerous middle-aged and elderly couples), so I was very surprised. Even more interesting is the fact that an underground rock band named Agent Orange opened for them. As Nathan said, "Maybe Peter Cincotti likes to rock out, too." You rock on, Peter! ROCK!

Though I did not accompany my hip friend Jammie to a Vault to hear jazz piano for free, I must say that I've had quite the busy vacation up until today. Let's see...when I arrived on Sunday, I had a late lunch with my family, took a nap, and, later that night, saw The Chronicles of Narnia with Shels, Andy and Eudora. Monday I went to dim sum with my parents, followed by the longest trip to the mall that I've had in recent memory. First we watched King Kong, during which I squealed, squirmed and cried with a lot of pre-teenagers. Then my mom & dad wanted a coffee break, so I bought a gift card from Nordstrom's for my mom while they had coffee by a large and glittering Christmas tree, complete with a Santa's Village affixed to the front side of the massive trunk.

We then had dinner at the food court (my parent's have an undying affinity and loyalty to food courts of any type) and waited while my mom stood in an impressive line at Border's to buy more gift cards. I was all set to bring the van around when my mom announced that she'd forgotten she needed two more gift cards from Nordstrom's, so she ran back to that end of the mall while my dad and I headed to the parking structure. I was very tired when I got home.

Tuesday was Orange County day. We got our van fixed up at the dealership down in Anaheim, and then headed down to South Coast Plaza for a quick bite and a little walking. Ah, Christmastime in malls...so much glitter and fake reindeer leaping about...it's all very heartwarming to a native Southern Californian such as myself. The bright spot of Tuesday night was going to see The Boyfriend, an old musical directed by none other than Julie Andrews, whose debut was the starring role in the original Broadway production when she was 19.

I love Julie Andrews, as does my mom, so we were all excited about seeing the musical. My dad, never a big theatre buff, was just game enough to come along for the ride. Overall, it was a cute, colorful production with plenty of good Charleston dancing (it's set in the '20s), but I found the story to be lacking in depth; I also found the supporting company more interesting than than the lead actors, but at least I didn't fall asleep like my mom did.

Wednesday I drove out to Loma Linda to see a couple of friends. I feel like I still have a ton of friends/acquaintances out in the Inland Empire, but most of them weren't around yesterday. Nonetheless, I had a great time catching up with my friends Jeff (super-talented violinist masquerading as a dental student) and the ever-lovable Rae (has new boyfriend, so I peppered her with questions). I made a valiant attempt to see my old friend Helen (out X-mas shopping) and roommate Grace (didn't get any of my calls/messages until tonight, apparently). Still, I was pretty eager to get on the road, as traffic is a killer nowadays. I ended up dropping by Blockbuster on the way home, which I think was a brilliant idea given that I stayed at home all day today.

So, there you have it. If you've made it this far into the post, you have my hearty congratulations, and you know what I've been doing on My Vacation. I'll hopefully be feeling much better tomorrow, and that way I can go out and see Irene and do some very last-minute shopping. I also have a dessert/coffee party in the evening with church friends--yay for catching up with old friends!

Have your flowers and drink it, too!

2005-12-15T23:57:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of hot drinks: coffee, espresso drinks, hot chocolate and tea. As a teenager, I found that I could not bear the taste of Asian teas, as they are much subtler--yet strangely, more bitter--than English teas. Plus, I like the "girliness" of English teas; I like mixing copious amounts of cream and sugar into a tea named after an Earl or Lady, whilst sitting in an intensely floral room that contains overstuffed loveseats and heart-shaped throwpillows.

In more recent years, I've become very fond of your basic Jasmine and Oolong teas, especially when I'm eating salty, greasy food in Chinese restaurants. Talk about cleansing the palate...the more tea I drink, the more food I can consume...which, arguably, is a good thing.

For those of you who enjoy the aromatic and gentle taste of jasmine tea, AND have an appreciation for floral aesthetics, I am proud to recommend a new dimension in tea leaves: the Blooming Tea. That's right--it's tea, and it blooms! Jasmine-infused tea leaves are wrapped into small buds around different types of flowers--roses, marigolds, mums--and are ready to be dropped into cups/pots of water. Within a few seconds the leaves begin to open, and a few minutes later you are drinking tea from a cup that boasts a floating flower inside.

Before:

After:

So far, I've been able to try out two different brands of blooming teas: Ito En and My Cup of Tea. The first, a gift from one of my students at Diller-Quaile, is from an upscale tea shop on the Upper East Side on Madison Ave.; the second, a generous hand-out from my aunt, is from a very cute online Japanese tea company. Interestingly, the Ito En flower was not nearly as beautifully fully-bloomed as the one from My Cup, but its flavor and aroma were far superior to that of the prettier flower-tea.

For more information (or holiday gifts?) visit:
www.itoen.com
www.my-cup-of-tea.com

A Christmas Tale

2005-12-15T23:07:00.000-05:00

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through Manhattan, the City was stirring with glitter and flair.
At Bergdorf's and Bloomie's, pure fantasies awoke...

...while Snowflakes had fallen, and a Star hung with care.

Now Good Friends have gathered, to sing and to play...

...and Kids of all ages admire a Tree from a ways...

Let's enjoy one another for all of our days!

The Truth About Me

2005-12-08T20:17:00.000-05:00

*TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey*
Name:	Jannine Fae Tan
Birthday:	October 6, 1978
Birthplace:	Glendale, California
Current Location:	New York, New York Baby!
Eye Color:	Dark Brown
Hair Color:	Currently reddish brown with blond streaks
Height:	5'6''
Right Handed or Left Handed:	I'm a Righty
Your Heritage:	Chinese-American
The Shoes You Wore Today:	brown n' pink Diesels
Your Weakness:	cupcakes of the rich and chocolate-y kind
Your Fears:	Not being able to pay rent
Your Perfect Pizza:	Fresh out of the oven Grimaldi's
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	Eat less processed sugar
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	I don't "IM"
Thoughts First Waking Up:	Must hit the snooze...
Your Best Physical Feature:	My smile? My legs? I'm happy with both.
Your Bedtime:	1 am
Your Most Missed Memory:	Disneyland with old friends
Pepsi or Coke:	Vanilla Coke
MacDonalds or Burger King:	In-n-Out
Single or Group Dates:	Single
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Honest Tea
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Always chocolate
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Mochaccino
Do you Smoke:	nope
Do you Swear:	when I miss the train
Do you Sing:	Everyday
Do you Shower Daily:	Of course
Have you Been in Love:	Only twice
Do you want to go to College:	I did, and I went
Do you want to get Married:	yes
Do you belive in yourself:	most of the time
Do you get Motion Sickness:	no
Do you think you are Attractive:	yes
Are you a Health Freak:	no
Do you get along with your Parents:	yes
Do you like Thunderstorms:	no
Do you play an Instrument:	yes
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	no
In the past month have you Smoked:	no
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	no
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	yes
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	no
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	not a box, but I did consume two of the cookies within the box
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	yes
In the past month have you been on Stage:	yes
In the past month have you been Dumped:	no
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	no
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	no
Ever been Drunk:	no
Ever been called a Tease:	yes
Ever been Beaten up:	no
Ever Shoplifted:	no
How do you want to Die:	In my sleep, after playing with my grandkids
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	A good mom
What country would you most like to Visit:	France
*In a Boy/Girl..*
Favourite Eye Color:	Blue/green
Favourite Hair Color:	dark
Short or Long Hair:	short
Height:	taller than me
Weight:	heavier than me
Best Clothing Style:	Dark jeans, dress shirt, good shoes
Number of Drugs I have taken:	zilch
Number of CDs I own:	More than 25, less than 50
Number of Piercings:	zero
Number of Tattoos:	nada
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	I don't count regrets
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

A Question of Compatibility

2005-12-06T23:42:00.000-05:00

In keeping with Kimi and Nathan's recent posts, I went ahead and took the compatibility quiz Kimi found online. If you click on the link below, you can see how you rate with me in our friendship. Here are the results they calculated for my friendship/relationship with Nathan:

SimilarMinds.com Compatibility Test

Your match with Nathan
you are 71% similar
you are 60% complementary

How Compatible are You with me?
Unsurprisingly, I disagree with the percentages they came up with. I think we are much more complementary than a mere 60% of the time, but I am, of course, highly biased. I would agree with their assessment of us being 71% similar; however, I was just told on Monday that (in the opinion of this dear friend) Nathan and I appear to be converging in personality with each passing month. Now, this sounds scary and unflattering (no one likes couples who have only one personality!) but I think she meant it as a humorous observation.

How I became Darth Vader today

2005-12-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

Today started out like any other Monday--hard to wake up, perked up when the kids arrived for class, looked forward to some coffee. Nothing out of the ordinary, except I was very much looking forward to having lunch with my lovely roommates, Brenda and Grace.

After an almost 2 hour food and talk fest, I left the restaurant feeling refreshed and pumped for my next two classes with my kids at Rhinelander. The semester is almost done, so I have been running Christmas and Hannukah songs with the kids for our "caroling class" next Monday. The holiday season is widely regarded as a saving grace to music teachers everywhere, with its fun and plentiful repertoire that comes along just when you're needing something new to present in class. Plus, I get to give the kids jingle bells/bracelets/sticks to play while we sing. It's all very merry and loud and mad fun.

Unfortunately, I had a hellish road to travel to get to Rhinelander this afternoon. After waiting 10 minutes for the 1 train at 110 St., I took out my iPod mini to pass the time. I was determined to get to work by public transportation as I'd just purchased a new metrocard that morning, and I am running low on cash this month. When I took my iPod out of my pocket to search for the appropriate song to start me off, I felt something flutter out of my pocket. Looking down, I saw with absolute horror my metrocard come to rest at the bottom of the train tracks. That's when I wished, for the first time in my life, that I had super stretchy arms. Or, at the very least, freakishly long ones. Either would have allowed me the ability to reach straight down to retrieve my precious unlimited 7-day card. For a few brief moments, I considered pulling a crazy-transit move by jumping down to get my card. Of course, I had to admit to myself that I was not at all strong enough to hoist myself back up onto the platform. Plus, what if I met a rat(s) while I was down there?

Still staring sorrowfully at the card, I heard the welcome rumble of the 1 train, and gratefully, I stepped back from the yellow line. I lined up faithfully with a myriad of other eager New Yorkers, and we watched as the train zoomed right on by us, and out of sight. Slightly panicked, but not too surprised, at least 50 different heads stuck themselves out to search for a glimpse of an oncoming train. Sure enough, about 3 minutes later, we saw the welcome lights of another 1 train...and then we watched, aghast, as it too denied us the pleasure of its functional company.

Stifling a few curse words, I spun on my heel, and flew out of the station with several other people. I ran to the bank (luckily just across the street), pulled out more cash, and flagged down the first free cab I saw. It slowed down for me, and immediately, an elderly German woman cut me off on my path to the cab. Before I could protest, I saw her beckon urgently to her son, and his three young children; I simply couldn't bitch out an old woman in front of her grandchildren. Besides, I was running out of time to get to work. Running back to the curb, I saw another cab that would come straight towards me once the light turned green.

This time, unthwarted, I hurtled into the cab and gave my destination to my knight in shining armour. And, what did my cabbie say to me? It was not,"How are you, Miss?" or "It sure is cold outside, hmm?" He didn't even try my all-time favorite, "You have such beautiful eyes." No, this man turned his dark, serious eyes to me and proceeded to reprimand me for standing at the "wrong" corner of the street. "The next time you hail a cab, you must stand on the corner of the street that makes sense for getting to where you want to go. See how we're having to drive around the block just to get going in the right direction? You're not only wasting the driver's time, but now you're wasting your money. The meter is running, and we're driving to nowhere when we go in circles. Do you understand me? Do you, Miss?! ["Miss" was interjecting that she was merely pressed for time, and her sole goal was to get IN a cab no matter what the direction it was pointed in] It was startingly clear to me that this man would not shut up if I didn't "agree" with him soon. So, once more, I got out my iPod, ripped off my scarf and gloves, glared at him balefully and pronounced to him in what I can only describe as a hostile tone, "YES." He actually started to renew his lecture, but seeing my eyes, he fell silent.

I made a couple of calls to inform people at work that I might be late for the first class, and settled down in the back to simmer in silence. When we reached 88th St. and 3rd Ave., I started putting on my scarf and pulling out money to throw through the glass window. The school is on 88th and 1st Ave., but he pulled over on the far corner of 88th & 3rd, and announced to me that I should get out and walk the remaining 2 blocks because the traffic had become bad, and it would be faster for me. He probably wanted to add that it'd be slightly more economical for me than having him drive around another block to get to the building. Wanting nothing more to do with this Man of Condescension, I tossed some money at him and burst out of the cab.

Incidentally, I did get to work just 5 minutes ahead of schedule, and was able to set up the instruments, etc. I have to admit that I was pretty short-tempered with the 2nd & 3rd graders today, but compared to how I was feeling, they don't know how lucky they were already...Perhaps an adequate analogy of how my evident temper paled in comparison to the temper that raged inside me would be Darth Vader's excellent line in The Return of the Jedi, in regards to his men needing to finish the new Death Star on time, "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I."

Fluff to go

2005-12-02T17:33:00.000-05:00

It's been almost 2 weeks since I last posted...I think. Anyhoo, I still haven't uploaded pictures from Thanksgiving, so I'm posting several blog-friendly quiz results. I found these tiny, harmless tests from my friend, Maggie's blog; they're actually called "Blogthings--things to put on your blog."

World's Shortest Personality Test:

Your Personality Profile

You are sexy, powerful, and bold.
You're full of passion and energy...
Sometimes this passion has a dark side.

You feel most alive when you're seducing someone. You never fail to get someone's attention. Quick minded, you're also quick to lose your temper!

What Color Should Your Eyes Be?

Your Eyes Should Be Green

Your eyes reflect: Striking attractiveness and danger. A vivid inner world is hidden behind your eyes.

What Type of Pie are You?

You Are Apple Pie

You're the perfect combo of comforting and traditional. Those who like you crave security.

I disagree, but only because I don't like apple pie.

What is your Brain Pattern?

Your Brain's Pattern

Your mind is a multi dimensional wonderland, with many layers. You're the type that always has multiple streams of though going. And you can keep these thoughts going at any time. You're very likely to be engaged in deep thought - and deep conversation.

I must say that I enjoy taking these little ditties. Takes no time, but provides a little amusement.

Falling into books

2005-11-20T21:33:00.000-05:00

I love books. I borrow and I buy, and I read some more! Libraries are often my home away from home, especially when money is tight. My wallet may not always be full of cash, but by joves, it contains five different library cards. Four of them are for libraries in Southern California; the last one gets me into the many branches of the New York Public Library. When they mailed my card to me, they even included a mini-card to hang on my keyring!

Since moving to New York, I've re-discovered another joyful source of all things literary--book fairs! Just the name of the event--book fair--conjures up inside me a heady nostalgia. I used to wait giddily for the elementary school book fairs that my school held every year. Everyday for two weeks, I'd beg my parents for more money to splurge on books and bookmarks; when the bookcases were wheeled away, a palpable gloom would descend upon me for the next several days.

New York City holds a few incredible book fairs every year, usually for just Saturday and Sunday. Today I attended the Goddard Riverside Community Center Book Fair. All proceeds go to their 22 programs, ranging from child and youth advocacy centers and tenant/housing assistance, to community arts and events. The event was held at the Center, complete with large white tent to afford more room for all the books. Everything was at least 50% off, with additional reductions in price depending on the table.

I was most pleased with my purchases today, and I didn't spend as much as I'd expected! $22 and 8 books later, I'm happily looking forward to next year's book fair! Here are a few of my acquisitions:

A bittersweet tale with a charming name:

The plot surrounding an olfactory-blessed protagonist intrigued me:

A lovely poem set to even lovelier illustrations:

A creative pop-up book from the illustrator of Olive the Other Reindeer:

Kung-fu fighters + Ballroom dancers= Kathy's Birthday

2005-11-17T16:33:00.000-05:00

A very happy birthday to my dear friend Kathy, who has reached the glorious age of 2* today.

Kitty Kat threw one helluva bash last Sunday; this included burritos, a LOT of ice cream cake/pies, and the first ever photo-scavenger hunt in Manhattan (that we know of)!

I'd never played before, but Kathy is one of those crazy people who enjoys chasing down strangers in the Big Apple so that she can pose en vogue beside them. We had two teams with two not-so-awesome names: the Cobras (in honor of Dodgeball) and the NYUt's (all NYU teammates). Each team had 1 1/2 hours to capture as many of the listed actions/concepts/places into 10 pictures. I'm sad to say that the NYUt's won--by 0.5 points!

NYUt's in action:
(l to r) Romeo + Juliet die, ballroom dancers pose, and two Power Rangers prepare to "activate!" in front of a public art space.

The B-day Girl "vogues" with a cross-dressing, costumed stranger.

Cobras united:
(clockwise from top left) Michael puts the Y in YMCA; Susan monkeys around while holding Lady Liberty's torch; more happy ballroom dancers; and kung-fu fighters in front of the coffee shop, Starbucks.

(l to r) Wardrobe malfunction; Princess Leia and Hans Solo in action; and Romeo romances Juliet, all in the vicinity of chess players.

The pictures were hilarious, the burritos delicious, and the ice cream cakes adorned with candles whose number was much greater than Kat's actual age. Good thing Kat still had lots of breath inside her to blow'em all out:

Here's to many more b-days for Kathy, and photo-scavenger hunts for the rest of us!

Tales of kindness from the bus

2005-11-11T17:31:00.000-05:00

I often wonder what the average New Yorkers' experience on the bus is. Are they accosted by crazy people? Do they bury their noses in their books while families yell at each other in the back? Or, do they witness various acts of kindness?

Many have frequently noted that bus drivers are usually much more well-mannered and pleasant than your average disgruntled subway conductor. I once stepped onto a bus in a hurry, but had forgotten that my metro card had expired the night before, and I only had about $1.25 in change. No one else on the bus was willing to help me out (in exchange for dollar bills), or they honestly didn't have any change. Panicked, I told the conductor that he'd better let me off at the next stop since I couldn't afford the ride to work. He merely said over his shoulder, "Just put in what you can, if you have anything." He even thanked me when I dropped my change in!

Other times, I've seen people offer up their metro cards to similarly desperate persons who have no card of their own. I've also seen people help mothers carry their groceries and/or strollers down the steps of the bus. Yesterday, I witnessed the best thing yet.

I was on the way to work on the M4 when a commotion broke out in the front of the bus. I had been reading, and looked up expecting to see an angry face-off between the elderly lady and the bus driver. Instead, it turned out that the elderly lady was extremely agitated because she could not remember which hospital she needed to get to. Dressed to the nines, she had to be pushing 80, and was clearly suffering from more than just normal senility.

The bus driver and the 40ish woman sitting next to her were both trying to calm her down and find out where to drop her off at the same time. Soon the whole bus was leaning in, wrapped up in this slightly comical yet harrowing tale of an old woman lost in the City. At one point, the driver had the bus parked on to the side of the road for almost 10 min.; he didn't want to pass by the hospitals before they'd figured out which one she was supposed to be visiting.

By this time, most everybody on board was getting antsy (myself included) because we all had places to be and schedules to keep--not to mention the bus driver! Eventually, the lady decided we should go to Mt. Sinai, but when we pulled up, she started asking the same round of questions again, "What is this place? What's it called? Does it have a statue in front of it? I think there's a statue somewhere..." Well, the hospice with the statue was a couple blocks back (which she'd previously refused to go into) so the bus driver reluctantly announced to her that she would have to walk back on her own.

It was such a windy day, and no one felt good about this turn of events. That was when the 40ish lady declared, "You know what, I'm going to go with you." And, while the old woman kept fussing about what she couldn't remember, her neighbor buttoned her coat and adjusted her scarf so that the old woman wouldn't be cold. Then she gathered her things and told the bus driver not to worry, that she'd find out where the old woman needed to go. As the rest of us sat in awe (several calling out admiringly), I watched the two of them head slowly, arm in arm, up a blustery 5th Ave.

I made it to work just in time to set things up for class, and the rest of the day I had half my mind on the kids, and the other half wondering if they were able to find the correct doctor's office. I wondered what the younger lady had put off in order to escort the elderly woman up and down 5th Ave. Above all, I marveled at the compassion and patience the bus driver and the 40ish lady showed to a complete stranger in need. They were cheerful and sincere in their actions and words, true guardian angels in a time of need. I don't know the religious backgrounds of any of those people, but for me, it was one of the clearest examples of the Lord watching over the helpless. What a blessing it was to witness such goodness in humanity, especially in this whirling dervish of a city that we live in.

Tricky Twos

2005-11-09T16:33:00.000-05:00

I always have a great time with my kids in the adult/child music and art class I teach on Tues. and Thurs. Sweet kids + nice caregivers=fun, engaging 45 minutes. With each class period it seems to be getting better, as the kids are opening up to us and letting their big personalities out of their tiny bodies.

This past Tuesday, I was chatting with one of the mom's after class as she tried to stuff her son's arms into his very warm Burberry coat. Luke is still in the thumb-sucking phase, so this is actually more difficult than one would imagine. Anyhow, we were laughing about how Luke was Mr. Popular that day--all the other kids kept trying to snuggle up to him and hug him. Most two year olds aren't quite ready to trade bear hugs with other two's, and Luke is no exception. He's very sweet, though, so he tolerated the outpouring of sugar as much as he could before taking cover between his mom's legs.

His mom explained to me that he was a little grumpy because he'd gotten a haircut that morning; apparently he wasn't too happy with it, because he kept flipping the bottom out with his free hand. He was also due for a nap at home where, incidentally, his 7 month old baby bother awaited them. Luke is so small, I couldn't believe he's the older brother! So his mom turned to him and asked, "Luke, are you a big brother?" And, a very serious, solemn Luke shook his head as he replied, "No." Well. This was the first time I'd ever seen Luke look so unhappy about anything, let alone the bundle o' joy at home, so naturally, I was a bit concerned. So was his mom, apparently, because she immediately gasped in a higher voice, "Luke! What about your baby? Who's your baby, Luke?" Again, Luke denied the existence of a sibling with a terse, "No."

While his mom gathered up their things and rambled on worriedly to her son, I watched Luke's face closely. As Luke turned away from us and tried to head out the open door, I saw the slightest hint of a smile playing around his lips. I couldn't believe it! He was playing his mother at the age of two. I quickly pointed out to his mom, "He's smirking!" and, realizing she'd been had, she grabbed him and demanded, "Are you smirking?! You're smirking!!" At this point, we were all laughing pretty hard (and relieved that Luke wasn't seriously angry about there being another baby at home). What a little sneak! Imagine what type of "jokes" he'll think of when he's three.

To flash, or not to flash?

2005-11-09T14:11:00.000-05:00

On Wednesdays, I teach a mixed-aged baby-toddler music class in Inwood. The commute up to 211th St. is well worth the time and effort because I get to learn a LOT from my friend, Karie who is the director of this program. Also, the families in that neighborhood are just wonderful to work with--very down-to-earth, love to sing, and they don't interfere with their children's classtime.

Some of the kids are still breast-feeding, and so their moms try to work "brunch" into the schedule. Some feed right before, in the corner of the room, and some feed directly after. But, there's one particular girl, Asha, whose mom prefers not to wait, and who doesn't mind feeding her in the middle of class. Now, usually, it is not obtrusive at all because Asha tends to get hungry right around the time all the other kids are exploring different instruments. The music is loud, they dance around and bang on drums, and so Asha and her mom are able to nurse pretty much in privacy.

Today, this was not the case. First of all, class was pretty wild today. The weather's been turning steadily colder, and so the kids haven't been outside to play as much. Another factor was a new kid we had in class, Erin, who was there for a makeup class (she belongs to the Saturday class). Erin runs around constantly, singing at the top of her lungs (her mom's an opera singer), and she loves getting the other kids to play with her. On the one hand, she is advanced for her age, having already moved on to the stage where playing with others--not just side-by-side--is fun for her; on the other hand, it can be very trying for the teacher of the class.

So, there I was, trying to wind class down with a lullaby. It seemed to be working at first, because kids were returning to their parents/nannies and rocking with the music. However, they soon reverted to their previous behavior, and we had to move on to the goodbye song with half the class huddled over by the piano. The parents, Karie and I were singing the goodbye song, and Asha was still hungrily feeding. But, she was as ansty as her classmates: she kept writhing around in her mom's lap, determinedly attached to her mom's breast. So when we got around the circle and it was time to sing Asha's name, everyone on the rug was entirely focused on Asha--and we were greeted by the sight of Asha's mom's breasts. Asha had managed to twist herself around and push herself into standing position, so her mom's sweater got all bunched up and provided absolutely no coverage, unless you count the collarbone.

I, in my conservative and Asian nature, was so embarrassed! I know babies have to feed, but I guess I just don't like seeing breasts while I'm trying to wrap up music class. I'm sure all the other grown-ups--except for Jeff, the Korean dad--were fine. I just had to tell you because this was my first music class mommy-flashing!

"Nobody makes me bleed my own blood...NOBODY!"

2005-11-06T00:27:00.000-05:00

I had another fun Saturday night with my fellow movie-lovin' pals. Previously, we've bonded over Office Space and Zoolander. Tonight, Kathy had us over for pizza, popcorn, brownies...and the epic film on athletic grace, Dodgeball. The director was very clear about his love for physical humor (balls hitting crotches! balls hitting heads!), but what I really love are the quick, throwaway lines such as, "Donde esta la biblioteca, Pedro?"

But, many agree that the winning moment of this film is when Lance Armstrong patiently explains the meaning of perseverance to a supremely unmotivated Vince Vaughn. I mean, really, how many movies out there have energized cameos by David Hasselhoff, William Shatner and Chuck Norris?

Popcorn before the flick:

Makin' brownies:

Good company:

How We Love Our Children

2005-11-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

At Diller-Quaile, I get to interact with a lot of different moms, nannies, and the occasional random father. Well, make that...two fathers to date. Dads don't usually make it to class because they're working, and because it makes them uncomfortable. There's nothing more comical than the sight of a father scrunched up with his back to the wall, glancing desperately at his very expensive watch with a pained expression to see if class is almost over. Well, it wouldn't be so comical except that he's surrounded by plenty of moms and nannies who are quite at ease with where they are.

You basically hope for a class that is at least 50% composed of supportive care-givers. And by supportive, I don't mean the ones whose goal in life is to tell their kids exactly how the paintbrush should be held, and which colors they should be using at any given time. No, I'm talking about the parents/nannies who actually have some sort of understanding of their child, so that they know when to comfort them, and when to back off. This rare group of individuals are also the kind souls who participate in class for the sake of the children, and aren't bothered by the fact that they're not being paid attention to.

The most common group of adults that come to class are the ones who do love their children, but are more concerned with socializing with other moms/nannies, that they miss most of what's happening before their very eyes. Their kids are singing, they're dancing, they're playing the drums, but pretty soon, they stop whatever music their making because they've got to get their grown-up's attention first. This is always distressing to watch as an educator, and annoying to deal with as the person trying to lead the class.

Then there's the special kind of parent who watches their child obsessively, but does nothing to intervene when said child throws their 10th tantrum of the morning, or shoves yet another kid just because s/he's standing there. Occasionally, you'll hear a saccharine-tinged voice call out, "Oh, ____, are we tired? Oh, he just gets so worked up!" As if the child had decided to inflict pain upon himself instead of another child.

With nannies, you generally come to expect a very proactive and protective approach to their behavior in class. The NYC Nanny-Phenomenon is alive and well, and it comes out to play at Diller-Quaile. Nannies bond with each other in and between classes, they try to make their charges befriend each other, and they never, ever socialize with the Moms if they can help it. It is the Great Divide: nannies on one side of the room, the moms on the other. But, most nannies are determined to prove their worth, and so they push the kids, they grab their little arms and fling them to the correct beat, they coax ever so threateningly, "You know how to sing this song! I heard you! SING IT!" This all produces mixed results, and is the bane of my existence as an assistant teacher in some of my classes. Not only do I watch the children to see if they're having a good time (and catching them before they run out the door), but I also gently remind the nannies time and again that we'd like the children to play the instruments on their own so that they get something out of music class, as well as their nannies.

I think the most disturbing thing I've heard to date was one nanny's work history, as told to my coworker, Lawrence. Lawrence listened, aghast, as J.P.'s nanny explained to him that she switched from nursing to full-time childcare because, "It was just too much work, you know? But, when you're a nanny, you don't have to do nothin'! And the pay is so much better!! I just ask them [J.P.'s parents] for stuff if I need something." (Lawrence) "And do they buy the stuff you ask for?" (Lazy Nanny) "Of course! They got more money than God!"

Yesterday, I was in the teacher's lounge checking my email when I heard the piercing screams of an indignant child. I later learned from Karie, the teacher of the class that child was in, that the child was crying because she didn't want to take off her sweater, and her mom kept trying to pull it off. The very pregnant Karie then mused, "I just hope that I am more logical and sensitive in my parenting than some of the people I see here..." I think that about sums things up.

One, two, un-buckle my shoe...

2005-11-02T19:08:00.000-05:00

Ah, to rejoin the active, working people outside! Can I just say that having the flu is such a pain in my tush? A week ago, I bravely, and foolishly posted that the much-touted (and non-FDA approved) herbal remedy Airborne was going to save my hiny so that I wouldn't have to skip work. Alas, I woke up on Thursday with a burning temperature and a splitting headache, but with no substitute teacher in place (due to my silly hopefullness the night before).

Unwilling to call in sick without sending a substitute, I dragged myself over to the Upper East Side, only to be sent home a mere 7 minutes later. My feeble protests of, "But, I just got here...please let me work!" were rebuffed by my healthy and health-lovin' colleagues. Had I not been feeling half as bad as I was, I would have thrown in some retort about how, in the first place, I got sick from the tiny terrors masquerading as adorable and cuddly children.

Anyways, to cut this snooze-fest down (literally) I'll just say that I slept from Thursday until Saturday morning. I went to church because I just had to see people, and well, daylight, but then went back home to sleep some more. Skipped the much anticipated Halloween fest at the always hoppin' Espanas' that night. Stayed in all day Sunday (I was very determined to make it to work on Monday).

And, oh boy, was I happy to return to work on Monday morning. It hasn't been the easiest return to normal life, however. I didn't hear my alarm clock on Monday morning, so I was a bit late for set-up for my first class. I had to go back home to take a nap before my classes at Rhinelander, and I still lost my voice at the end of the day. I didn't get to take a nap on Tuesday (between schools), and when I got to the E. Harlem center, they sent me home. Banished again. And, yes, I did go to sleep, again.

Today was better, although I got on the Downtown train instead of the Uptown--I didn't even realize my error until I got to 96th St. and exploded off the train so that I could get on the train that would take me UP to 207th St. *Sigh* Then when I finally got to class, I knocked a small child onto his butt when I zealously pushed open the door.

What a week--and it's not even Thursday yet! Oh, I forgot to say--I ended up snapping both buckles on my purple mary-janes on Monday. Apparently, jumping around in all my classes with the kiddies were not what Via Spiga had meant for them. Weirdly enough, my old friend Roma told me two years ago that she used to have the very same pair, and that she'd worn them every single day until one day--that's right--the buckles snapped off.

The Happy Tourist Trap

2005-10-28T17:12:00.000-04:00

We New Yorkers love having visitors! So, we were happy to hang out a bit with the lovely Californians that came out last weekend. Dave and Kevin met us at church, where they experienced the riot that is our Pastor Tony. Afterwards, we met up with Trisha and Chris at all-time brunch favorite, Sarabeth's.

That night, I took Dave, Kevin and Bryan to the Village Vanguard to hear the fiery innovations of jazz pianist Geoff Keezer and his Trio. It was pouring rain that night, but we all made it to the club and managed to enjoy the talent despite the increasingly drunk ladies sitting right in front of the band. During the set, they could be heard throughout the small room exclaiming loudly about how hot the band was, and whether or not they'd prefer the drummer or the pianist. It was pretty disgusting and distracting. Talk about professionals--the band did their best to ignore them...

On Sunday, we met up for dinner at a restaurant near St. Mark's Place that specializes in soba noodles. We couldn't get a table together, so they split us up. Nathan, Kathy, Kevin and I enjoyed our food together:

After dinner, we headed over to the Milkshake Company, where, in addition to their famous shakes, they also make ice cream sandwiches using hot waffles. Yum!

I hope they had a good time in the Big Apple. We had a great time with them!

Self-discovery, the easy way

2005-10-27T16:13:00.000-04:00

I've always been a sucker for fun little internet self-tests, especially when they have titles such as, "What flavor are you?" or "What's your signature karaoke song?" The tests are usually pretty short, and the results entertaining, though sometimes inaccurate. The funniest one I've seen recently is, "What's your Yoda pick-up line?" Well, actually, it was my friend's results that tickled me pink: "Who's your jedi? WHO'S your jedi??"

I found these quizzes on www.tickle.com. My results should give you an idea of the hit-or-miss nature of these things. I cannot tell you how horrified I was to see Britney Spears' name unfold upon the page...

1.)Jannine, your trademark tune is Britney Spears' "(You Drive Me) Crazy"

Flirty and fun, you get a kick out of catching someone's eye (like you know who) and being in the center of it all. Good thing you've got the looks, personality, and sense of humor to pull it all off. You go crazy for the opposite sex, and it's just as easy for people to fall in love with you and your fun-loving attitude.A great asset to any gathering, you've got the confidence to strike up conversations with strangers and make anyone feel welcome. That rocks!

I was always afraid of this, but at least I'm not bitter!
2.)Jannine, your flavor is Sour

Don't get us wrong here — you're no Gloomy Gus. Quite the opposite in fact, you add a unique and scintillating twist everywhere you go. And we bet the places you go and the things you do are pretty edgy and interesting to boot.A sharp and stylish classic, you never go out of style. Your fashionable ways show through in everything you do. From your choice of clothes to your favorite restaurants to your top movies and books, you've got a good sense of self and what you like and don't like. And that's a great way to go about getting exactly what you want out of life. Rock on!

And, my personal favorite:
3.)Jannine, your city style match is New York City

The Big Apple. It's the city that never sleeps. And like New York City, you're a gal on the go who's got lots going on. Motivated and driven, you're not afraid to work hard and put in the long hours to reach your goals.You have an edge that can go from uptown to downtown, 5th Avenue to the West Village, and anywhere in between. Whether you're in work attire, party clothes, or weekend wear, you make a stylish statement that's sophisticated, elegant, and all your own. As they say — if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere!

The (Too) Common Cold

2005-10-26T23:14:00.000-04:00

I'm sick, again. I was just sick 2 or 3 weeks ago, and I'm sick, again. You know, I used to get sick once every 3-4 months as a student, and I thought that was often. Now I have my own students, and this is the 2nd time I've gotten sick since I started teaching in the middle of September.

I do try valiantly to combat the constant barrage of germs that I face on a daily basis. I disinfect all the instruments, I wash my hands after every class, and I try to avoid excess saliva when I can. Sometimes you just can't avoid it, I suppose. Take today, for instance--I was carrying a very cuddly baby named Anya for her mom (who was handling Anya's twin, Samir) when she turned towards me and sneezed right in my face. Yuck! As soon as I made the baby hand off, I rushed back downstairs to the classroom to wipe myself down with the WetWipes we keep on hand.

I was feeling great today, the sun was out after a couple days of grey rain, and I was working on my lesson plans at home. A few hours later, as I prepared to head downtown for Biblestudy, I realized that my head was throbbing and I could not swallow very well. So, instead of making the 45-minute long trip down to Nolita, I headed directly over to Duane Reade to pick up the miracleworker, Airborne. Those of you who are teachers probably already know about the wonders of Airborne. Developed by a teacher in Canada (who was tired of getting sick all the time), Airborne is a vitamin/herbal infused tablet that you dissolve into water and then drink down. You must drink it as soon as you feel sick, and repeat every 3 hours until you feel better. This non-traditional remedy came highly recommended to me from my friend and former classmate, Shirley, who teaches kindergarten music and piano in the City. It seems like everytime I see Shirley, I'm sick--hence her emphatic pleas for me try something different.

I'm happy to report that it is now 11:33 pm, I just took my 2nd dose of Airborne--I'm already feeling much better than I was at 6:30 pm. Let's hope this works...I have a heavy morning of classes tomorrow...kids to chase after and songs to sing.

Consider yourself at home; consider yourself one of the family!

2005-10-23T14:20:00.000-04:00

When I first moved to New York, I was very worried about not being able to make new friends. I soon discovered that there were very nice people lurking about in the City, and I went about trying to procure them as my friends. My roommates, classmates and fellow church-goers all served as a soothing balm for my homesickness for those first 6 months or so.

Unfortunately, I do not own a camera, so I have no pictures to show of any school friends. Luckily, Kathy Khoo moved to the City, transforming our photo-less existence into one long Kodak-loving moment. Nathan purchased his own digital camera at the beginning of summer, so between the two of them, I have enough pictures of friends to post here.

Here is a photo of some old friends: (from left to right) Grace my roommate, Jennifer my former roomie and PUC music chum, Ayako my University of Redlands piano bud, and Kathy my Loma Linda pal.

Brenda my other roommate, Kathy, Grace, Tony the biggest, hippest lawyer from church, Nathan, and Jinha our new urban outreach coordinator:

Cindy and Bryan--siblings from my past and friends on the East Coast. We went to the same elementary/high school/college, church, birthday parties, you name it. Now Cindy is in medical school in Washington, D.C. and Bryan is doing his residency in New Roschelle, NY. I'm so happy to have them here!

Alex and Annette, my very smart and funny friends who both work for Ivy League universities (Alex advises Columbia students, while Annette counsels Princeton kids):

Some shots of my favorite couple, Erica and Jeremy; if Nathan and I are the Columbia couple, they're the NYU couple:

Michael--friend, hardworking lawyer and jazz lover (Kathy on the right):

Sweet and Sassy Susan--someday you'll want her to design your dream home for you:

Me and the camera-ready, computer-savvy, and completely artistic funny lady, Kathy Khoo:

I've been so blessed with such a wonderful group of friends here in the City...
Kathy and Grace getting ready to face the music:

Alex and Jeremy lovin' life:

Good friends:

Raelene Time!

2005-10-22T16:54:00.000-04:00

In response to my dear friend Raelene's request--nay, demand--for pictures of her on my blog, here are some recent shots:

Eating breakfast on Sabbath morning at my parents' house in San Gabriel, CA:

Eating sweets with Nathan:

Eating--again--at Soda Jerks in Pasadena, CA:

Isn't she bee-yoo-tee-ful? We miss you, Rae!

Cabbages, Were-Rabbits and Vincent van Gogh

2005-10-21T22:38:00.000-04:00

The Boyfriend and I had another lovely Friday on the Upper East Side. After singing and bouncing the morning away with a couple dozen kiddies, Nathan and I had a super yummy lunch at one of our standard faves, Baluchi's (89th & 2nd Ave). Baluchi's offers good south Indian lunch for 1/2 price everyday, so you can savor their naan and curries for much cheaper than you'd expect.

We then took a stroll over to the Choux Factory (pronounced ever so cleverly as 'shoe factory') on 88th and 1st. This Japanese-owned bakery/coffee shop could be described in two ways. Firstly, it appears to be a Beard Papa's knock-off with its bright, shiny cases of delectable looking cream puff creations. The second thought that crosses your mind when you enter its cozy, sugar-promising interior is, "Man, there's a LOT more room in here to sit and relax than in Beard Papa's!" Oh, yes, Choux Factory is well-lit, comfortably spacious, and equipped with wi-fi for the ever industrious laptop-bearing New Yorker.

They offer a variety of cream puffs, from your basic vanilla/chocolate/strawberry filled puffs, to the cuter and fancier assortments containing berries, chocolates, and the like. The pastry-shell surrounding all that creamy custard goodness is made to resemble a very small and attractive cabbage. Today, I learned that the French word for cabbage is 'choux.'

From the Choux Factory, we walked a few steps over to the Loews cinema on 3rd Ave. and 86th to see Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Oh, the possiblities of advanced claymation and cornier-than-thou humor when in the hands of the brilliantly imaginative Nick Park. Mr. Park was also the director/writer of the well-received Chicken Run ("The chickens are plotting! The chickens are PLOTTING!"), a movie that I got a great kick out of. I own the trilogy of Wallace & Gromit short films that came out when VHS was still reigning; imagine how tickled I was when I saw a preview of a full-length W&G film coming to theatres!

Nathan had never seen any of this claymation stuff, but he was willing to give it a go--he even had two Loews coupons for $5 tickets, just waiting to be used. I tell you, as a movie buff living in the Big Apple where they expect you to shell out roughly $11/ticket to see anything on the big screen, I fell ever more in love with him. Anyhow, the movie was funny, clever and had good music; a surprise bonus was the 15 minute "Christmas Caper" short, starring those lovable and resourceful penguins from this summer's big animated flick, Madagascar. So, if you like stories about brave and adventurous animals, both talking and silent, go see The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Below, Gromit the wonderdog:

From the movie theater, we hopped a conveniently waiting cross-town bus and rode over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 84th and 5th Ave. Columbia students get free admission with their (current) student ids; Nathan loves the Met, and intends to visit as much as possible while he's still bound to the Law School.

I got lucky--my Teachers College id clearly states that it does not expire until December 2006. I owe this stroke of luck to my tendency of misplacing my possessions. I say misplace, not lose, because in terms of id cards, I've managed to lose AND find numerous cards since my undergrad days. My time at TC was, apparently, to be no different. I couldn't find my id card one day, and I needed it to get past security, etc. I waited another day before reluctantly heading over to the Student Life office to get a new one. TC cards are good for exactly 2 years from the date issued, and lost my original card in December 2004. Of course, I've since found my old card, which is now expired!

Anyways, for those of you still holding on, Nathan and I got our nifty "M" buttons and headed up to the recently opened van Gogh "The Drawings" exhibit. As usual, the Met outdid itself. We spent over an hour emmersed in the crazy genius that was Van Gogh. When one thinks of Vincent van Gogh, it is usually in reference to his colorful swirls of starry nights and purple slashes of irises; sadly, one also usually remembers that he lopped his left ear off at one point of his life. The Met has put together an exhibit bursting with van Gogh's many drawings dating from when he was just teaching himself about art to his last days of life. The thing that struck me most when I had waded through 3 of the 4 rooms was how absolutely vivid the inside of his mind must have been. His drawings had depth and emotion of their own, and clearly foreshadowed his use of such unique and bright colors that he favored in his more famous paintings.

Below, a luscious cypress tree.

The same cypress, bathed in color.

Our day concluded with a lovely dinner in honor of our 6 month anniversary. We went to the very popular Upper West Side Italian restaurant, Celeste. Our pasta dishes were yummy to the soul, and the dessert special of pumpkin ricotta cheesecake was the creamiest, lightest cheesecake I've had in a long time. Mmm, mmm. Now all we have to do is try the second restaurant by Celeste owners, Bianca. That will be for another fun-filled day.

The Nathan Chronicles

2005-10-20T17:34:00.000-04:00

One of the questions I get asked most frequently by friends outside Manhattan is, "Who's the cute guy in your pictures [on Friendster and MySpace.com]?" Others have been lucky to get in some Nathan-time when we visited California this summer, and they are always kindly curious: "How's Nathan doing?" I decided to compile a short hit-list of Nathan-esque pictures--may it either satisfy or whet your appetites!

A couple of weeks ago, we were roaming lower Manhattan with fellow ravenous friends, Kathy, Slim and Slim's friend Joe. Slightly dizzy and disoriented, we stumbled into B Bar & Grill on Bowery and 4th St. Taking one look at the incredibly spacious and festively beautiful outdoor patio (hurrah for heating lamps and colorful lights), we settled in for a delicious dinner. Shortly before tearing into fortifying fingers of focaccia (ha! say that 5 times quickly), we smiled for the birdy.

Earlier on the day of our outing with Kat and Slim, we got to spend the gray, drizzly Sunday morning with Cindy and Bryan Loh. After tucking in large amounts of hot, comforting food at brunch, we walked down to Lincoln Center to take some pictures. Here we are at the fountain where many an hour is passed by friends and mates chatting.

On our last trip home to LA in August, I very happily escorted Nathan to an LA institution, the Hollywood Bowl. When I was a kid, I looked forward to going to the Bowl every summer for their popular 4th of July Spectacular, complete with fireworks booming in time to Souza tunes. Shortly before I moved to NY, I dragged a group of church friends to a Yo-Yo Ma concert of Brazilian music (the man is amazing all that he does). And, two years later, I took Nathan to hear some Italian music (some written by American-Italians) at the Bowl's La Dolce Vita night. No Souza, but plenty of fireworks.

A few days before our trip to the Bowl, I drove Nathan down to Orange County. Nathan is from the middle of Michigan, so when I asked him what he'd like to see/do during our week of vacation, he quickly replied, "As long as I can see palm trees and the beach, I'm happy." I did my best to comply. He looked out at the Pacific during lunch, we sat and people-watched on a warm bench outside Neiman Marcus in Fashion Island, and we listened to the waves crash under the Pier at Newport Beach.

Early in August, Nathan, Kathy, Michael Brown and I attended a slightly damp concert at SummerStage in Central Park. It was free, we had umbrellas, and we got to listen to the genius that is Brad Mehldau. If you like jazz, piano, or jazz piano, Mr. Mehldau has a lot to offer you. I am slightly biased because I love the piano, but the man has such a profound understanding of the piano that I'm always recommending his recordings to people. If you're a RadioHead fan, go to iTunes and download his cover of Paranoid Android--I don't think you'll regret the $.99.

Nathan got to make several trips out to California this summer. On this particular trip, his goal was to finish his first full-length marathon. Out to the fair city of San Francisco he flew, where he explored the city with our friends Jeremy and Erica (presumably the folks egging him on as he "rode" the bear). The next day, he funneled his animal statue-riding energies into running 26.2 miles.

Finally, here we are at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Nathan and I are both big fans of the Bard, and I'd received a tip from a friend at school that the HVSF was well worth the trip upstate. Less than an hour north of Grand Central Station, one can find an incredible private estate that serves as the home and backdrop of the low-budget and creatively interpreted plays of William Shakespeare. We had a little picnic with other much more beautifully dressed people on the gorgeous, green lawns; we watched flat barges stream lazily by on the Hudson River just below us. And, then we sat in a little white tent, watching the brilliant conflicts within The Tempest unfold.

What a happy 6 months it's been..."I'm a-rollin', I'm a-rollin', I'm a-rollin' through this wonderful world..."

Everybody loves Saturday night!

2005-10-18T21:19:00.000-04:00

One of the schools I teach at, The Diller-Quaile School of Music, has been around since the 1920s. Hence, the good people at DQ (not to be mistaken for hard-working employees at your local Dairy Queen) have taken the time to update and compile a comprehensive folder of fun and beautiful songs that can be used in our classes. One such song is entitled Everybody Loves Saturday Night. Since I do not know how to include a sound byte on my blog yet--and I do not have a recording of this song--you'll just have to trust me when I say it is a great song to sing and listen to with kids. And the parents love it, too! Plus, it only has one line. That's right, you've guessed it: everybody loves Saturday night.

In one of my classes yesterday, one of my kids asked me, "Why does everybody love Sat. night?" I was a bit surprised by the question, although now it makes sense to me. I don't suppose typical 5 and 6 yr olds are livin' it up in the Big Apple (or wherever they're from) just because it's Sat. night and they don't have work on Sunday. As it so happened, I did have to work early this past Sunday, but I'm happy to report that I loved Saturday night!

My dear friend Susan, aka Suz (pronounced like buzz), had the brilliant idea for us to hang out in Brooklyn, right across the bridge. Suz lives in Brooklyn, and we are very lucky that she still makes the trip into the City to hang out with us. So, this time we went closer to her neighborhood and had a wonderfully foodie time. We stood in line for almost an hour at Grimaldi's--well worth the wait--to eat their famous and delicious pizzas. As they are one of the oldest pizzarias in New York, it's cool just to visit a piece of history. The Statue of Liberty it may not be, but YUM the pizzas are good.

Dinner was followed by a short trek to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, also an old institution that is favorably situated right now the pier that leads to a fantastic view of lower Manhattan. The ice cream is some of the best I've tasted in New York; you can taste its homemade freshness!

Waiting in line for our fave flavors...alas, Kat's was out....

New York, New York

At Grimaldi's

Suz and Jeremy await their pizza

Celebrating with Carmen

2005-10-18T20:51:00.000-04:00

Much to my chagrin, I moved yet even closer to the age of 30 last week. Remember the sweet joys of turning one year older when you were, say, five? You knew that with every year that you turned older, you were that much closer to plunging headfirst, unfettered by parents, into Life. At the not-so-ripe age of 27, I am currently experiencing the exciting--some might say terrifying--Life of the Poor Music Teacher. Suffice it to say that I was less excited about this birthday than I usually am.

However, I have many things to be thankful for in my Life. The Lord has blessed me with stable health, a loving and often hilarious family, kind employers, and a prince of a boyfriend. This Prince--many call him Nathan--took me to see the Metropolitan Opera's recent staging of Bizet's Carmen. I'd never seen Carmen in its entirety, and the Met did not disappoint. The added bonus of being able to attend a beautiful opera at the Met (with student tickets to boot!) is experiencing it in a gorgeous setting.

Below, the famous Met chandeliers...

Having a happy birthday with fellow music lovers

Schmoozing at the Met

For those of you who are interested, the Met offers student discount tickets for many of their productions. Go to www.metopera.org and go to their education page to see updated lists of what shows they offer every week. Tickets are $25/per person on weekdays, $35 on weekends.

Music is my Business

2005-10-18T19:30:00.000-04:00

For those of you whom I have failed to inform, I am now a full-fledged working person. I no longer have to flash my student id card at an armed guard in front of my school to get to class. More importantly, I don't have to "get to class" anymore (as a student, that is)! And, technically, I'm not supposed to use my handy-dandy student id to get discounts at shows, concerts, museums etc. Ha!

Having graduated this past May from my music education program at Teachers College, Columbia University, I embarked on the gruelling adventure that is job hunting/interviewing. I learned a few things. First of all, I hate the paperwork that people require from you before deciding whether they want to meet you or not, i.e. your resume and cover letter. Damn the cover letter. I was sending out resumes and email enquiries left and right, and I'm afraid I may have mistakenly sent out the wrong cover letter to at least one potential employer. Secondly, I like the interview portion of the process WAY more than the song and dance that precedes it. Perhaps unsurprisingly to those who know me well, I relax a lot more when placed in a situation that requires me to talk (about myself) in large, uninterrupted quantities. I think I just communicate a lot more effectively and personably in person than I do over the phone or through email. Thirdly, employers (at least the ones I met) like happy people. They want to meet someone who will grace their offices with a shining, smiling face and who will be most pleasant to work with on a daily basis.

In the world of music education, I think the latter is too true. Faced with the continual onslaught of boisterous and rowdy children everywhere, most practical teachers would like to work with upbeat, if not optimistic people. My mom used to say something about one being able to catch more flies with honey than with...hmm...something bitter. Sorry, it escapes me at the moment, but you get the meaning. Indeed, a teacher is expected to impart knowledge to legions of students, but the good--maybe even great--teacher can inspire and motivate whole classes of children. Believe me, that is not successfully accomplished with a slew of unkind words and angry facial expressions. I'm willing to bet that everyone of you can remember very easily the grumpy band teacher or dictator-like choir teacher from your past. And I bet you can also quickly drum up the memory of their polar opposite--the fun, effective, empathetic teacher.

Since the 3rd week of September, I have been teaching at several music schools/after-school programs in Manhattan. I'm most fortunate to have landed these jobs, and, having been entrusted with the musical happiness of lots of young kids, I have been vigilantly trying to be The Good Teacher. Not the Crush-your-spirit-while-you're-young-Teacher. So far I've found that the more you love the kids, the more they love you. And, I never lie to them; they're really good at sniffing out phonies. As Billie Holiday sang, "God bless the child..."

Here she comes, walkin' down the street...

2005-10-17T21:10:00.000-04:00

Well, it's finally happened--I broke down and got my very own web blog. While the rest of the modern world may fancy itself to be reasonably advanced in technology, I have always known that, to me, computers and the almighty internet are meant for homework and email. That's it. However, since moving to New York, I have apparently become somewhat of a recluse in terms of keeping in touch with, well, everyone outside of the City. And, yes, that does include several friends in Queens and Brooklyn. So, I asked myself, "Can I really renew and maintain a steady stream of not-so-short emails with good friends the world 'round?" And, I quickly answered myself, "Hell, no."

Et, voila, The Neeners was born. Now I can attempt to keep family and friends (and, perhaps, random internet-surfing people) updated with the goings on of my life in New York City. I must admit, I'm very excited, especially having been inspired by such blogger contemporaries as Ms. Kathy Khoo and Mr. Nathan Whitaker.

I hope The Neeners brings a little laughter and fluffy-goodness into your lives, kind of like Magnolia's cupcakes, but more on that later...