tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653707700794354302011-07-07T22:00:02.885-06:00Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.comBlogger891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-37841668316648325142010-01-22T21:45:00.003-07:002010-01-22T22:00:58.704-07:00

After months away due to a demanding work/school schedule, I'm finally back to my morning yoga practice. I'm soooo excited to be back! I enjoy the led classes I've been doing too, but the morning mysore is so centering. I was really, really missing it.Diving back in, we're working on my back bends. I've spent the past year terrified of back bends because they hurt my lower back. But now we're

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-75104935961567668062009-04-23T20:08:00.002-06:002009-04-23T20:18:06.259-06:00

Things I've done recently that make me feel joyful (because today I feel like I need a reminder):Jumping on a cold spring morning, and taking a picture that makes the front page of flickr's Explore (and is currently sitting in the #2 spot out of all photos uploaded today).Putting art on my walls. Mostly it's my own art, some photos and some paintings, and it inspires me to continue making

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-65149824708882295912009-04-16T22:54:00.002-06:002009-04-16T23:05:47.169-06:00

The NorthI love the idea of the Arctic. Stories about the Klondike keep my absolutely rapt. Today I picked up a book called The Klondike Quest by Pierre Berton and I'm so taken by the photos of men (and a few women) who tried their luck trekking through great expanses of frozen land only to find that their camp had disappeared under 50 feet of snow when they return, and other such stories.I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-74227522126975653272009-03-31T22:46:00.004-06:002009-12-06T16:13:21.624-07:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about where to put my energy: focusing inward on my inner spiritual self or focusing outwards on my community. Of course it doesn't need to be one or the other, but I feel like one is bound to become a higher priority for me.I've spent the past 5 months focusing almost entirely inwardly. I've been struggling with getting my act together so that I could take care

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-29943974219560255502009-03-29T23:31:00.005-06:002009-03-30T00:01:38.169-06:00

Tonight I went to my first evensong service at St. Luke's. We closed with this prayer, which moved me deeply: "O Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in thy mercy, grant us safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-7427075037712488852009-03-26T12:44:00.005-06:002009-03-26T13:03:40.385-06:00

We're already a quarter of the way through 2009, and it feels simultaneously like days and years since I last posted here. Lots has happened:I finished my internship in DC on Oct 31, 2008 and moved back to EdmontonI started working for the Canadian Centre for Ethnomusicology againI discovered a dormant love for photographyI became addicted to ashtanga yogaI moved out of my parents' house for the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-50397562956876687112008-10-27T18:18:00.002-06:002008-10-27T18:26:06.145-06:00

I know I've been MIA for weeks now, but life has just been so busy that my little blog fell by the wayside. Fall has been lovely, though not nearly as lovely as I was anticipating. As short as Edmonton's fall is, it really is far more beautiful than DC's fall.Following are two short updates on my life:1. Here's a recipe for the delicious fall soup I made tonight:1 shallot1 butternut squash (cut

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-39041685406720660712008-09-15T15:55:00.002-06:002008-09-15T16:00:30.647-06:00

Yesterday I went to a fiddling workshop with Folkways artist Tony DeMarco at McGinty's pub in Silver Spring. I was in way over my head, and there were a dozen kids there playing circles around me, but it was still fun and I learned a lot. He does Irish fiddling in the style of the Sligo Indians, which isn't exactly the style I want to learn, but I'm still such a beginner that I learn useful

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-53954266833166811682008-08-18T16:07:00.003-06:002008-08-18T16:24:08.985-06:00

Today during my late lunch break I decided to go see the Martin Puryear exhibit at the National Gallery. It was incredible! The brochure calls him "post-minimalist," although the work seemed very minimalist to me, despite being huge pieces. A Flickr search brings up some really great photos of his pieces at a few different galleries.My favourite piece was Self. It's a monolithic black piece

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-78908013254273929012008-08-11T15:49:00.002-06:002008-08-11T16:43:29.438-06:00

Today is the third anniversary of your death. After you died, Chris told me that eventually I would remember the good things and forget the bad things. I still remember the hurt and pain as clear as day, but I can finally remember the good things too, and they are what I prefer to think of now when I remember you.I remember what an amazing musician you were. You were a fantastic trumpet player

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-21033968525497279662008-07-15T20:16:00.002-06:002008-07-15T20:21:51.655-06:00

So I bought this violin... and tonight Niyati came over and taught me part of a new song, so I thought I'd use it for my first music blog post. It's in Raga Ashamand, and is a piece that she learned in UofA Indian Music Ensemble. Warning: I can't play in tune yet, but I'm getting better every day!raga ashamand at Muziboo.com

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-63561494517426782192008-07-13T17:50:00.003-06:002008-07-13T18:01:02.384-06:00

This week I made two big purchases: a tattoo and a fiddle. I'm so happy with them both!I got the tattoo on Tuesday from a great artist named Nelson at Pinz N Needlz on U st in DC. It took him 3 hours to free-hand the art onto my body, then another 3.5 hours to do the actual tattoo. Man, it hurt so bad, but it was definitely worth it. Now it's almost healed and it's so beautiful! I'll be

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-5536305173989501092008-07-06T20:21:00.005-06:002008-07-07T21:32:32.269-06:00

I've spent this evening on my front porch with Ophelia the cat, the fireflies, and the fog under the terrifying hum of the cicadas eating soup and reading Lorca. Here is the pantry recipe I used tonight, which turned out quite to be delicious, and one of the poems from his set of Ghazals that I read over and over. I love all eleven of them, and it was hard to choose just one to share.Bean Soup2

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-81545313257711196292008-07-02T17:01:00.002-06:002008-07-02T17:10:46.481-06:00

On the way home from the metro today, two young girls ran in front of me on the path through the park and yelled, "YOU CAN'T PASS!!" "Are you monsters?" I replied. "Naw, we're hunters. We're hunting the squirrels and the birds. We live in the park over by that tree there.""What do you do with the animals after you hunt them?""We eat them, of course.""How do you cook them?""With fire." She

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-67743397063806913772008-07-01T19:47:00.003-06:002008-07-01T20:53:08.176-06:00

To celebrate today, I went to the Canadian embassy for the party there. I waited in line for a long time to get in, and as far as parties go, it was a little bit lame. However, I can't express how fulfilling it was to spend an hour surrounded by people from my home going through a similar experience of dislocation as me. We sang the anthem and made small talk in English and French. There was

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-55872132632950218952008-06-28T20:27:00.002-06:002008-06-28T20:35:37.292-06:00

Tonight it's hot and the air is heavy. After it got dark I sat on the front steps for an hour watching the most incredible lightning storm I've ever seen. The lightning flashed almost constantly above me, mostly staying high in the clouds, but occasionally appearing below to strike something on the ground. The thunder came in a continuous low rumble, punctuated by loud cracks when the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-53611028028225740222008-06-25T18:15:00.002-06:002008-06-25T18:25:22.115-06:00

Today the Folklife Festival opened on the Mall. I went over to the opening ceremony this morning, which was kind of boring, and checked out the Bhutanese temple. It's very beautiful, especially up close. I didn't walk through it though so I'll have to make sure to do that next time. The festival looks like it will be really great and I'm looking forward to spending more time there.After lunch

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-75356609790817414012008-06-21T14:40:00.003-06:002008-06-21T14:44:41.757-06:00

I'm sitting on the front porch of my new home with Ophelia the cat, eating squash soup that I made in the spring. The porch is filled with flowers and herbs cultivated by my roommate, and is perfect in every way. I just watched a small sparrow fly into the crevices of the awning where it must have a nest, and a moment later I could hear the urgent twittering sounds baby birds waiting to be

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-72771841436285157352008-06-19T21:14:00.002-06:002008-06-19T21:27:30.500-06:00

Well, I'm back in DC again for more internship fun (but this time with a paycheque). I've been too exhausted to update in a while, but hopefully this weekend will offer the opportunity to catch up on some much needed sleep. I just got home from my first Baltimore weekly singing in over a month, and it was sooo good to see and sing with my b'more friends again.I've discovered that along with all

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-58700978551333723532008-06-11T11:53:00.002-06:002008-06-11T12:01:53.950-06:00

Aaron bought me a copy of this book by Michael Ondaatje years ago, and I'm only just reading it now. It's incredible! It's a wonderful and compelling mixture of prose and poetry, and so far the characters are riveting. It's about a jazz trumpeter named Benny Bolden in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century:He was the best and loudest and most loved jazzman of his time, but never

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-88418775565772332672008-06-04T20:22:00.003-06:002008-06-04T20:36:18.987-06:00

In 2003 I won an undergraduate research award from my university. I remember Q kicking my butt to help me write and awesome proposal, and I remember how excited I was when I found out I had won. But now 5 years later the research I did seems insignificant and flawed.However, Q recently got in touch with me to invite me to contribute some thoughts on that research for a website project she's

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-70906006833102279752008-05-26T11:15:00.004-06:002008-05-26T21:07:26.534-06:00

I have always noticed hands. I tend to form my opinions of people based on their hands before any other aspect of their appearances. People's hands tell very honest stories of who they are and what they do if you look closely at the posture, skin and nails.I've always been proud of my hands. I love the shape of my fingers and wrists, and my nails that look long even when cut short. They have

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-43159474918629428652008-05-24T13:54:00.003-06:002008-05-24T14:00:27.138-06:00

Something I think about a lot: food and eating. I've had issues with my stomach since I was 11. It usually manifested as debilitating pain under my solar plexus shortly after eating, which led me to eat considerably less to avoid the pain. This problem persisted pretty much steadily until I was about 20, when it just sort of cleared up. It has returned a few times since then, when I've been

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-33900842414685655662008-05-23T20:28:00.006-06:002008-05-23T20:42:03.395-06:00

Easily one of the most entertaining things I've seen on tv in years, this clip captivated me last night. From Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance. It goes and goes, and gets better and better right to the end!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-89932752995795506962008-05-20T22:22:00.004-06:002008-05-21T15:17:08.275-06:00

... is one of the great joys of my day. I know that everything is going well in my life when I am consistently able to make and eat a healthy, satisfying breakfast each day. For the last 6 or 7 months my breakfast of choice has been 2 eggs (basted), and apple (gala, chopped), a cup of tea with milk and sugar, and sometimes cinnamon-raisin toast with peanut butter or nutella and/or a fried

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-65645324818045429732008-05-19T10:43:00.002-06:002008-05-19T11:40:31.068-06:00

On Saturday I evening I walked down across the high level bridge and around Garneau for a couple of hours, photographing as much stencil art and graffiti as I could find. Anyone who has spent time in downtown Edmonton or Old Strathcona will recognise these pop art images, found on dumpsters, walls, transformer boxes, and various other common surfaces. Most of my favourite images from summers

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-56501033255443221522008-05-16T06:58:00.002-06:002008-05-16T07:23:32.758-06:00

I'm home safe, and getting settled in. Thankfully, the warm weather has followed me home and spring is going strong. My flights were hassle-free and early, both. My hair is cut and styled, and I'm feeling quite good. Missing my DC friends already, of course, but keeping busy to distract myself.One of my goals with this return is to attempt to look at Edmonton through new eyes. My feelings

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-42291273800933279842008-05-13T22:39:00.003-06:002008-05-14T06:39:22.430-06:00

I had a great last day in DC today. I spent the morning and early afternoon packing and cleaning and playing fiddle. Then I went downtown, had coffee with a friend, and wandered the mall contemplatively for an hour or so. Even filled with tourists, it's a beautiful park. Everything is so green and lush.This evening the interns held a going-away party for me. It was a wonderful distraction

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-86030801845047692362008-05-12T20:38:00.004-06:002008-05-12T21:03:54.185-06:00

Friday night was my farewell party. We held it at J's new house (suitably unpacked) and received a good showing of great friends and lots of good food. A highlight for me was christening the new house with some singing, powerful and heartfelt as always. Later I played fiddle with N and E, my first time playing with other people. We played "Dying Californian," and I was quite pleased with how

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-48495614221633088462008-05-12T20:23:00.003-06:002008-05-12T20:36:39.550-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to have this characteristic. Usually I can tell it when I see it, because it throws me off guard and makes me a little uncomfortable. I have recently been described this way, thanks to K's fanTAStic photos (see them all here). If I have intensity, I think it comes from my ability to focus, whether on my work or music or people. These photos

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-84373581208787039062008-05-07T19:47:00.003-06:002008-05-07T19:54:02.680-06:00

Last night I went out for very tasty Chinese food with Niya and Auntie, and it was a wonderful evening. N complains about Auntie's nagging behind her back, but she does it just as well. To spend time around the loving bickering was exactly what I needed yesterday, plus I finally got to meet Gopi after hearing soooo much about her! It was a lovely evening.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-90373569055383775992008-05-06T20:53:00.002-06:002008-05-06T21:03:32.894-06:00

It has been an eventful few days here. On Thursday I took the usual trip out to Baltimore for singing, then stayed over with K&K for the night. On Friday morning I did a little work, then played Debussy and Bach for several hours. We went downtown for Flower Mart and lunch, then K and I ran errands and walked in a bigbig park. Flower Mart was interesting... there were not a great lot of

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-2436544116535154032008-05-01T06:10:00.006-06:002008-05-01T07:04:49.577-06:00

... or "shooping" as the very nerdy say, is addictive. I'm learning all sorts of new techniques, and while I still can't convincingly turn an overweight lingerie model into a skinny one like in the infamous video, I have figured out how to do just about anything I want to so far.I've started a Flickr page for showing some of my experiments. Not much there now, but soon... soon.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-15642462847703821262008-04-29T18:13:00.003-06:002008-04-29T18:19:22.905-06:00

I've had this article in my email inbox for 7 years, since Aaron forwarded it to me in 2001. I still pull it out every so often, and it never fails to move and inspire me.On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-24018260326135955542008-04-28T05:31:00.006-06:002008-04-28T06:04:40.886-06:00

Q once cited these to me as the three truths of life in such a casual way as to strike me as extremely profound. I recall her telling me that she was quoting Tagore, but when I questioned her about it some years later she had no recollection of saying it to me.As promised, here is a picture of the azaleas in our front yard.On Saturday I went to an all-day singing in York, PA. We sang in an old

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-18498435678059307982008-04-23T15:38:00.003-06:002008-04-23T16:05:11.189-06:00

I've been such a slacker, I know. I've just been so busy lately with many exciting things and time is passing so quickly.On Friday night J and I hung out around home and drank and watched TV. On Saturday I had a museum day with the other interns. We saw the cinema exhibit at the Hirshhorn and the Color Fields exhibit at the American Art museum. Afterwards we came back to my place and drank

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-37736881267187925082008-04-13T20:27:00.003-06:002008-04-13T20:53:52.667-06:00

Yesterday J and I went to Shenandoah National Park and hiked on the Appalachian trail. The Appalachian trail goes from Georgia to Maine, and it's got a lot of significance of some sort (which I haven't really read up yet, I just take people's word for it). The forest was beautiful, but very dead looking. It seems like spring doesn't hit the trails as quickly as it hits the woods by the road.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-23368131129329844882008-04-08T06:13:00.003-06:002008-04-08T06:35:23.470-06:00

I've been so busy (and when not busy tired) that I've sadly neglected to post for the last week. It's been wonderfully eventful though!On Thursday I went out to Baltimore for Sacred Harp, as usual. In the first half it was quite a large group with many visitors. The second half pared down a little and I sang tenor for the first time. It was an interesting experience, and I fared much better

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-84902072127653897902008-04-02T06:04:00.003-06:002008-04-02T06:14:39.148-06:00

I saw the Beaux Arts Trio last night with friends from work at the Library of Congress. The concert was wonderful! I loved the Ravel trio that they did in the first half, and they came back for three encores. I felt as though it was a little excessive, but the bonus was still nice--particularly the movement from a Shostakovich trio that they did as the first encore. I have always loved

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-32909166337079514232008-04-01T06:49:00.002-06:002008-04-01T06:55:30.491-06:00

The NY Times posted some videos today about Bjork's new video, "Wanderlust". Here is an interview with her about the process. It's a 3-D video, so if you see an opportunity to watch it in 3-D, don't pass it up!The Strathmore singing on Sunday was not spectacular; most of the people in attendance were new singers. However, my friends from work came and were nonetheless taken (at least a little)

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-25154365413624422922008-03-30T11:34:00.003-06:002008-03-30T12:04:23.966-06:00

On Friday I walked the tidal basin and savoured the cherry blossoms... so beautiful! I also go to see the Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials. I particularly like the Roosevelt memorial... it's a little more modern looking and very welcoming.On Saturday afternoon I met up with Maria (another intern from work) in the mall and we checked out the kite festival then went to the Natural History museum

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-84249906832549684662008-03-26T20:43:00.002-06:002008-03-26T20:45:54.259-06:00

... is a great movie! The interns all got free tickets to see this movie downtown tonight and we all loved it. See the official website here.After the movie we ate burritos on the patio (or "party" as M said) of a cute little mexican take-out place. I love-love-love spring!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-35793658558646997472008-03-26T06:47:00.003-06:002008-03-26T06:53:09.632-06:00

She's a merengue tipico accordionist from the Dominican Republic, and we just released her fantastic new CD yesterday. It's really high energy merengue with a very traditional sound. It will definitely make you want to dance!Here is the feature I published on her yesterday to Smithsonian Global Sound (There are 2 great video clips).Here is where you can download her album.I got to meet her a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-77198621726550678782008-03-23T15:37:00.003-06:002008-03-23T15:57:30.294-06:00

This has been a fantastic Easter! Yesterday I headed out to a farm in Virginia with some friends from the Baltimore Sacred Harp singing for a sunrise Easter service at the local 18thC Anglican chapel. We arrived early and got to spend some time with the new baby lambs and go for a walk around the property. After a fantastic dinner we did some singing, relaxing and chatting. We got up very

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-31531313050687718872008-03-22T08:05:00.003-06:002008-03-22T08:16:03.710-06:00

I went to my first burlesque show last night at Palace of Wonders. It was great fun! The show was called Gilded Lily (I believe they are a troupe of performers). They seemed a little bit amateur at times, and the performances lacked some variety, but they managed to entertain quite well. One of the girls in particular, Sable Sin Cyr, struck me as having a very classic burlesque look... like

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-27287457289537016752008-03-20T18:15:00.002-06:002008-03-20T19:03:49.085-06:00

Today at work one of the other interns asked me if I'm a health nut because we were discussing the kinds of food we like to prepare and eat, and I talked about how I feel really uncomfortable choosing processed foods. This got me thinking. I don't believe that I'm a "health nut," but I definitely think hard about everything I eat.I've developed a food philosophy based on trying to maximise the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-11191978704826955612008-03-19T06:59:00.002-06:002008-03-19T07:05:53.741-06:00

After several fun games nights here, I'm learning that I love board games! But not all of them, my favourites are the ones with maps and strong visual elements, and those that are fast paced. Settlers of Catan is a lot of fun, but a pain to set up and kind of slow. I think Carcassonne is my favourite new game that I've learned, I'll need to buy that when I get home I think. Last night I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-69636708573714524182008-03-16T09:55:00.004-06:002008-03-16T10:04:18.585-06:00

...was, in fact, yesterday. It seems that most of us didn't get the memo that it was changed. I actually got the wrong memo and was told it was on Friday. Many people I talked to were in disbelief that St Patrick's day could be moved, but if you think about it as a Catholic holiday rather than a day for drinking green beer and dressing in ridiculous clothes, it makes a lot of sense. Easter

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-33024387418815007042008-03-14T06:45:00.002-06:002008-03-14T06:47:59.465-06:00

Last night after work I took the MARC train out to Baltimore for a singing. It was small, but fantastic! There were about 10 people there and they were all very strong singers. It was quite a journey to get out there (about and hour and a half of traveling time each way) but it was definitely worth it! It helps that they are all such nice people. I'm really looking forward to the next

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-18790637331575023922008-03-11T06:47:00.003-06:002008-03-11T06:48:50.000-06:00

One of the other attendees at the convention sent out a link to her pictures on the fasola listserv. They give a much better idea of the convention than mine...

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-30971026820370621012008-03-10T20:08:00.003-06:002008-03-10T21:05:52.487-06:00

This was a fantastic singing! It was totally worth the trip. I flew up to Providence to meet K and J, then the 3 of us drove to Northampton on Saturday morning. There were over 400 people registered for the singing by the end of Sunday, but probably not more than about 350 at any given time.I sat on the front bench for one session each day, which was very exciting. I especially love the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-47381192978477854642008-03-05T15:19:00.003-07:002008-03-05T15:21:36.427-07:00

My new favourite pub food is crab cake sandwiches. Around here they are made with Maryland crab, in big flavourful chunks. They are so much tastier than any crab cakes I've ever had before! Usually it's just the crab cake with tomato, lettuce and tartar sauce. Always with fries. Yum!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-8359631349627674392008-03-03T18:03:00.002-07:002008-03-03T18:10:43.090-07:00

Two of my favourite things! On Friday I saw Pink Martini and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. It was fantastic! On Wednesday I'm going to be singing sea chanties at a pub in Wheaton, and this weekend I'm heading to the Western MA Sacred Harp convention. It's a very music-filled week, just the way I like it. There will certainly be pictures to follow soon...I've been

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-35393288156477354832008-03-02T11:32:00.023-07:002008-03-02T21:17:00.806-07:00

Are in bloom! Amazingly, they have popped up in the grass around the city. Spring is just around the corner... Here are 2 photos of the crocuses in our front yard. Also, here are some belated photos of President's Day, when Alexis and I ate the yummiest sandwiches ever on the mall. It was so warm when we ate, and then the clouds you see behind me blew in and it quickly got cold, windy and

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-88863795224626398612008-02-29T09:10:00.003-07:002008-02-29T09:17:12.304-07:00

And the recipe for my favourite easy soup:Yielding 2 meals for 1 person.2 cups of chicken stock + some extra liquid to top up at the end.Beef, cut into bite-sized slices.Half an onion, chopped.2 small potatoes, chopped (I leave the skin on)Kale, choppedCarrot, peeled and chopped1 dried whole chili, cleaned of seedsHerbs to tasteSautee the onions in the soup pot and add the beef to brown it. Add

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-28319017914634777122008-02-28T06:05:00.005-07:002008-02-28T06:15:42.217-07:00

Sluggy. If you're ever bored, read the the archives! That's what I did for a whole summer while I scanned those infamous liner notes.ICHC in spite of it's stealing internet memes from other, more established sites. Sorry, A. It's too funny to ignore just because it steals.Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries.This silly image makes me laugh for no good reason every

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-5269625357121152382008-02-25T20:48:00.002-07:002008-02-25T21:02:40.284-07:00

Any of you who know me, know that I love food. It is indeed among my favourite things. Here is a list of some of the great meals I've eaten in the last few days:Last Thursday Niyati and I went for tapas and sangria at Jaleo's in Bethesda. We had all sorts of good things... Endives filled with oranges and goat cheese, duck confit with clementine sauce, bacon-date fritters (best thing ever!),

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-16130333944189289442008-02-23T15:01:00.003-07:002008-02-23T15:07:05.965-07:00

This afternoon we got coffee and wandered around IKEA. J had to return a purchase, so we decided to hang out for a while. It really felt like wandering through a museum as we went around all the displays. In spite of the fact that it was crowded beyond belief, we both enjoyed wandering and talking and critiquing.We also went to a few open houses in Greenbelt, where J wants to move. The

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-71341873034891847352008-02-19T16:09:00.003-07:002008-02-19T16:24:03.809-07:00

On Sunday morning in New York I was very excited to spend some time at a new cafe that we passed by on Saturday in Williamsburg. We went inside and met the owners on Saturday, and I immediately vowed to come back when I could stomach some coffee. And it was well worth it.The cafe is called El Beit and they have the first Clover coffee machine that I've seen. I read about it a little while ago

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-51894399794554899102008-02-17T13:32:00.002-07:002008-02-17T13:45:46.279-07:00

While I'm still a little sick (and very hoarse), I'm finally feeling like I'm on the mend. This morning J and I walked over to the farmer's market right when they opened at 10 (lazy farmers sleeping so late!). I finally caved and bought some lactaid pills, and I came home from the market with some delicious tangy yogourt and cheddar in addition to my usual eggs. I'm so excited to eat yogourt

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-45415973345212017212008-02-16T06:05:00.002-07:002008-02-16T06:16:19.483-07:00

It seems that the bug I successfully fought off before my trip to New York found a way past my defenses. I'm sick, whiney, and mopey. I've been down since Wednesday though, so hopefully I'll be over it very soon. I missed to 2 days of work, so I think all that extra rest has been good for me. J is also sick; it looks like pinkeye so I'm staying away from her (just a little).In spite of our

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-72497023141117420612008-02-14T08:59:00.002-07:002008-02-14T09:07:01.665-07:00

After tea we went back to Lex's place and napped for a bit, then we went out to Pete's Candy Store in Williamsburg for some drinks and music. We picked this bar because the music was free and it was in walking distance.When we got there, Bob Wiseman was just setting up. We were a little unsure of what it would be like. It was a very involved stage setup for such a small room (only seated about

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-25344030535417632992008-02-11T19:41:00.000-07:002008-02-11T20:14:03.743-07:00

After dinner Alexis and I went to a great little bar called Burp Castle. This bar is monk themed, with beautiful murals on the walls. There are little signs all over that say things like "The monks value silence," and if you talk too loud people shush you! We giggled and "shhhhhed" a lot.After Burp Castle we went to a different bar and drank more, but I was kinda drunk by that point and now I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-52852071206197364952008-02-11T07:12:00.000-07:002008-02-11T07:32:00.285-07:00

I arrived in New York at about 3pm on Friday afternoon. The bus ride was easy, clean, and comfortable for the $35 round trip fee. Alexis didn't get off work until 5, so I took the subway over to the neighbourhood where she works and wandered around for a couple of hours. The NY subway, living up to rumours from my DC friends, is crowded, claustrophobic and smelly. I even saw a rat there (the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-80151941365550853282008-02-08T05:34:00.000-07:002008-02-08T05:36:20.329-07:00

Today I leave for New York! I'm all packed (pretty much) and ready to go. Can't wait to spend (almost) 3 FULL DAYS with Lex!! It's been years since we've had the chance to see so much of each other... and in New York!! Yay!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-63428825087033068832008-02-07T06:41:00.000-07:002008-02-07T06:45:22.723-07:00

Strike one against DC. Jenny keeps telling me they are totally harmless, and I do believe her. But we've found 4 of these beetles in the last 2 days (not counting the one that crawled out of my dinner on my birthday). Maybe they are harmless, but they are at least twice the size of any bug I've seen in Edmonton. Ugh. My skin crawls just thinking about it.On the upside, I'm leaving tomorrow

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-83873037977734993082008-02-05T06:54:00.000-07:002008-02-05T07:02:32.544-07:00

I am quite sure that there is some virus attempting to invade my body. So far I'm not too sick, and hopefully the imbibing of much orange juice today will stave off the invasion and leave me healthy for my trip to New York this weekend!On another note, I finally caved and bought a new iPod today. Terry gave me puppy eyes because he's sad to see me give up on the iPod he bought me for x-mas 3

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-55305026523087473402008-02-04T21:10:00.000-07:002008-02-04T21:15:32.077-07:00

As I thought about this topic a little more today, I realised that I think the US is already doing what the author of this article suggested. Perhaps that's why he suggested it for Germany...Most of the recognition of slavery that I've seen does in fact focus on the people who worked to help the ancestors of slaves build a less oppressive world: Martin Luther King Jr day and Black History Month

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-79066518034915049312008-02-04T06:35:00.000-07:002008-02-04T06:42:13.666-07:00

The African-American work song session at the FSGW workshop has led to much discussion here among my friends on the nature of racial politics in the US and their failings in properly addressing their history of slavery in a way that would significantly improve race relations.I don't know enough about it to really comment, but David sent me this interesting article on how Germany has attempted to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-55647391019132387312008-02-02T20:43:00.000-07:002008-02-02T21:05:19.005-07:00

Today we went to the Folklore Society of Washington mid-winter festival in Takoma Park. It was close enough to walk to and great fun all around. We opened the day watching J's friends Margaux and Matthew's family playing and finished with Sacred Harp. The Sacred Harp singing was pretty great, and much too short for my taste. By the time we set up there was only about 45 min left for singing.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-12365793021667124442008-02-01T07:05:00.000-07:002008-02-01T07:14:14.858-07:00

I follow Judith Warner's NY Times blog pretty closely, and I just finished reading this fantastic post. Please read it!My strongest memories of coffee represent some of the few warm memories of Aaron that I keep close. The ritual of making the coffee... grinding the beans, boiling the water, steeping it until it was just right, and slowly pressing down the plunger in the french press we always

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-42728727753465887442008-01-30T21:11:00.000-07:002008-01-30T21:36:45.490-07:00

Today after work I met up with my uncle Roland for dinner. He's in town for a conference thing. We had the most wonderful dinner at the hotel restaurant!Roland is great. We don't know each other all that well because he's lived so far away for so long, but we really had a great chat tonight. We have a lot more in common than I realised. Also, he told me the story of meeting is birth siblings

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-63570072145997369242008-01-28T19:47:00.001-07:002008-01-28T19:59:04.560-07:00

Yesterday I went to my first Sacred Harp singing since moving to DC. J and D came with me, and we drove out to Arlington. It was fairly small (3-4 on a part most of the time) and I think they were really glad to have us. It had some weak moments, and some strong moments, but I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I even got up the courage to lead a few songs by myself! We did a few songs from the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-14792202200280374992008-01-26T22:02:00.000-07:002008-01-26T22:11:25.588-07:00

Today I did almost nothing. I was out far too late last night, and slept all day to make up for it. J and I watched two movies this evening and I ate boiled potatoes and cauliflower for dinner. In spite of these uneventful events, I'm in a wonderful mood because tomorrow we're going to a singing. I've been without singing since June and I'm so excited to make some music again!Yesterday

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-2099853683880473462008-01-24T13:46:00.001-07:002008-01-24T13:53:27.663-07:00

Yesterday I went for a warm, sunny walk in the mall. I know it will be even more beautiful in the spring, but I'm just really blown away by the architecture and the enormity of everything.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-38367650192470312612008-01-21T17:34:00.000-07:002008-01-21T17:48:01.493-07:00

Ahhh, lazy Monday.  Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day (and, incidentally, 50% off day at Value Village).  I've done little today... shopped at bit, lost a scrabble game, cleaned the floors.  I bought a copy of An Equal Music by Vikram Seth, one of my favourite authors.  I've read this book before; it was given to me as a gift.  However, as with most of my favourite books, I gave it away to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-89893372645974063692008-01-20T15:53:00.000-07:002008-01-20T15:58:10.261-07:00

Today was cold, cold, cold. Even by Edmonton standards. The wind was a rip-roaring -15C at least, and I left my favourite hat in Canada.  However, I (and some others) braved the cold and headed to the small but wonderful Takoma farmers market.  Mushrooms galore!  Never have I seen so many different mushrooms in one place.  I got some fresh shiitakes for dinner tonight.  I also got some maple

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-27203358807687830592008-01-20T11:23:00.000-07:002008-01-20T15:53:03.591-07:00

Yesterday was a busy and wonderful Saturday. I had my first pilates class (a great workout) followed by a trip to the Smithsonian Air and Space museum with J and 3 other friends. Sadly, I forgot to bring extra camera batteries, so I only got about 4 pics before the battery died, but they're good ones. After the museum we went to dinner at the Elephant and Castle (yay for pub food!), followed

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-61517798790393470852008-01-18T22:04:00.000-07:002008-01-18T22:11:28.299-07:00

I had a great day.  I finished off a project this morning at work, then T (my supervisor) took me for lunch at this great little pub in the Eastern Market.  I had a crab cake sandwich.  So yummy!  Afterwards we walked back, a pretty good hike.  We passed the capitol building and the library of congress, among other fantastic buildings.  It was a beautiful day for a walk.This evening J and I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-775655506382951872008-01-18T05:56:00.000-07:002008-01-18T05:57:22.385-07:00

to me.  :-)I think it will be a good day today.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-74478541394619361472008-01-16T20:41:00.001-07:002008-01-16T20:48:11.435-07:00

... is what I did today.  It was actually more complicated than that, but it really did involve a lot of copying and pasting.  Yay for web development!  My supervisor T. says I'm learning very marketable skills, and I'm all for that.  I'm learning .net web programming, but it's still kinda a mystery to me.  I faith that all will be revealed soon though.The archives are pretty great.  The archive

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-45362748079085754982008-01-14T16:47:00.000-07:002008-01-14T16:52:55.387-07:00

So today was my first day at the Smithsonian.  It was a tad overwhelming, but they seem pretty happy to have me and the projects sound interesting.  One thing that's kind of cool is that they all know about Alberta because of the 2006 Folklife festival, and many of the people I met have visited there.  Also, Toby and others were quite surprised to learn that I had such a large hand (literally) in

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-28356281198014985662008-01-12T19:46:00.000-07:002008-01-12T19:56:47.882-07:00

Today I bought a chef knife.  I shouldn't have, I know... it was $45 and I'm on a budget.  But cooking with the wrong knives is just not as much fun.  It's so sharp!  And the handle is the perfect shape for my hand.  It's a great knife.I also bought wine at the Safeway.  Benziger Sauvignon Blanc for $10.  TEN DOLLARS.  So cheap for such good wine.  This was a good day.I bought an alarm clock

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-14602805787111649632008-01-11T22:57:00.000-07:002008-01-11T23:04:10.467-07:00

This afternoon I made mmmdelishus soup.  It's a recipe for Potato-Sausage soup that I got from some forums:4 cups chicken stock4-5 potatos1 onion2 spicy Italian sausages1 bunch of spinach1. sautee the onion, add the broth and bring to a boil2. add the potatoes, chopped to bite size3. removed the sausage casing and brown in a skillet, then add to the soup.  I also usually add 2 bay leaves ad some

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-32965994651305949952008-01-11T08:36:00.001-07:002008-01-11T09:22:36.687-07:00

I was planning on going for a walk around the neighbourhood... I might still, but my umbrella is all bent so I don't know how much good it will do me.  I can't plug my iPod into Jen's stereo so I'm listening to some of her CDs this morning.  Tori Amos, "Under the Pink," is a total flashback to high school... I remember playing these songs on piano and singing along. 

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-84067017626525004142008-01-10T12:38:00.001-07:002008-01-10T12:38:40.392-07:00

moar funny pictures

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-35554730390944628172008-01-10T12:27:00.000-07:002008-01-10T12:36:17.138-07:00

...is not so bad, really.  It took me half an hour today to find L'enfant Plaza after coming out of the L'enfant Plaza Metro station.  It really shouldn't have been so hard, but I came out of the farthest exit from the actual plaza, and then guessed incorrectly which direction to go to find another exit at street level.  But I got a nice tour of downtown.  The lack of highrises is a little

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-50943282272127256652008-01-09T20:46:00.000-07:002008-01-10T05:31:35.880-07:00

I watched the sunrise through the window in my DC apartment.  The apartment and roommate Jenny are great.  I think I'm going to like it here a lot!  It's also very warm compared to Edmonton and not as humid as I had expected.My flights were all on time yesterday with no delays at customs or long lineups to wait in.  The first thing I did when I got here was to hook up my wireless router to get

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265370770079435430.post-66188062983242983892007-12-31T01:20:00.001-07:002007-12-31T01:26:52.173-07:00

New Year's eve.  I leave in 10 days for DC and I am so wonderfully excited.  All of my preparations are nearly finished, and my thesis revisions are coming along well.  Earlier today was my shift at the Winspear for now, but I hope to continue working there part-time when I get back to Edmonton.I can't help but feel like all of my hard work has culminated in a post-graduation experience that will

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562224039399243267noreply@blogger.com2