Things that happened this week --
ATTENDED: the Alberta Baroque Ensemble's annual Christmas concert Music for a Festive Season. The orchestra was joined by the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers in the performance of a Magnificat and a Bach Cantata. This is always their most popular concert of the year and the church was packed!
FINISHED: my art classes for this year. Now I have a month off until the new ones start in January 2024.
WINTER WOES: we got snow and freezing rain this week, but luckily it was on a day when I didn't need to drive or walk outside.
UPPED MY BEAUTY GAME: got my hair cut and my eyebrows waxed. "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."
SPEAKING OF POSING FOR THE CAMERA: building management had security cameras installed this week throughout our parkade, presumably to deter vehicle break-ins and drug use. My car's only been broken into once in nine years, which is pretty good for downtown living. In the last couple of years, however, there's been a lot more open drug use by transients in the parkade, which I think scares people.
LISTENED TO: a full recording of Handel's Messiah. Yes, I know it's the chestnuttiest of chestnuts, but I still love it. Since the pandemic, I've stopped attending an annual live performance of it at Christmas so listening to the oratorio on CDs has become the way to continue my now 38-year tradition.
WATCHED: a Christmas rom-com called Happiest Season (2020). It has a great cast, including Kristen Stewart (Abby) and Mackenzie Davis (Harper) as star-crossed lesbian lovers. Daniel Levy plays Abby's gay best friend. Lots of good dialogue, funny quips and dysfunctional family of origin fun. Recommended!
Will give Happiest Season a look. To up my beauty game, I'd have to transplant my hair and dye my eyebrows. I would love to attend a gay men's chorus Christmas concert somewhere. We used to do that every year and often lived in cities that had their own.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of that movie but it looks good. I do adore me some Dan Levy.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a delightful week in a season of delights.
ReplyDeleteThe Messiah is almost compulsory this time of year! You are well and truly in the Christmas spirit.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing what a parkade is, and why eyebrows get waxed (?) Clearly behind the curve on both accounts.
ReplyDeleteThe concerts sound great. Live music is always the best of experiences.
@ Boud -- "Parkade" is the Canadian word for a multi-storey parking structure. I routinely get my eyebrows waxed now because my eyesight is no longer good enough to pluck them myself.
ReplyDeleteWe get drug addicts sleeping and using in the parkade at work. It's slightly scary but more sad than anything.
ReplyDeleteThat was a wonderful movie and I love Dan Levy. He has a new movie coming out, Good Grief, that I can't wait to watch.
Have a good week.
This is the Sunday Seven but there are only five baubles in the header?
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on surveillance cameras. Supposedly they deter crime, but when you can't use the footage because the miscreants are wearing balaclavas (in Edmonton!) then what is the point? I have never seen them be useful other than satisfying the idle curiosity of cops.
Now that your art classes are over you can finish off 2023 with some spontaneous art!
@ Old Lurker -- I was wondering how long it would be until someone noticed the numerical discrepancy in the post header. Not surprised it was you! You never miss anything!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really good week apart from the snow and the freezing rain.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think you indeed resemble Norma Desmond.
ReplyDeleteYou had an awesome week. It's the little things in life that make you whole.
ReplyDeleteSunday Seven! That was fun to read. Very cool on the art classes starting back in 2024.
ReplyDeleteI gonna find Happiest season to watch now
ReplyDeleteOoh, shall have to look out for that film. What is it on?
ReplyDelete@ Liz Hinds -- I watched it on the CBC streaming service. The trailer says it's on Hulu, which may mean it's also on Disney+ if Britain (like Canada) doesn't have Hulu. I don't know if it's available more broadly on sites like Netflix or not. It may be.
ReplyDeleteI watched the trailer. Looks funny and dives into some serious situations. Have you or your partner (should a say wife?) had any similar situations?
ReplyDeleteParkade was a new word for me. At first I thought parking lot or car park but a quick search narrowed it down. I didn't know Canadians and Americans differed on that name.
Soo there will be cameras on every street corner
ReplyDeleteOrson wells must of been psychic
"snow and freezing rain"
ReplyDeleteFreezing rain is a pain in the butt.
@ Bill Lisleman -- Yes, the issues faced by the lesbian characters in the movie are very common in the LGBTQ+ community. Most of us have dealt with them at least once, if not more often. That's why the movie's humour hits home. We've all been there!
ReplyDeleteOh, you did a lot of things - listening to the Messiah by Haendel - this awakes real strong feelings in me...especially the choirs. Despite the fact that I don´t believe in this god the church wants us to believe in.
ReplyDeleteHave a good time and thanks for visiting my blog.
Violetta
@ Violetta -- I have those same conflicts too about Handel's Messiah, believe me, LOL! Here's how I square things in my own mind --
ReplyDeletehttps://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/2012/12/music-and-spirituality.html
If I recall the movie correctly, Norma was about to be arrested when she uttered that line. But I have no doubt you'll remain a law-abiding citizen.
ReplyDeleteI always start the christmas music with Handel. He brings in the tunes. By now I know every note.
ReplyDeleteYou had a good week, Debra. Surveillance cameras can somewhat deter by being there. But are useless with balaclavas, for sure
ReplyDeleteI've complained about not having outside cameras...we're right off I-35 and its so easy for anyone to swoop in, rob cars, or break into apts and be back on 35 and in the wind...fuckers..we've lost another manager..she didn't even last 6 months.
ReplyDeleteI love the whole Messiah Oratorio! My tradition is I listen to it on Christmas Eve. My public radio station UPR plays it and it is like a whole 4 hour ceremony. "OH We Like Sheep!" "He Was Despised, Rejected " "Evr'y Valley Shall Be Exalted!". Thank you George Frederick Handel.
ReplyDeleteKristen Stewart went from being bi to boycotting men
ReplyDeleteI respect that