In Loving Memory

My textbook was right...music is the tonal analogue of the emotive life. A piece of music is not meaningful without the rise and fall of sound, the stretching and clenching of notes and rhythms, the disonence and consonance of chords. A resolution requires disonence, there must be stress, drama, pain. Without it it goes nowhere, it means nothing, and it moves no one.

Thank God that he weaves his orchestration always to create something beautiful.

We will miss you, Colin and Gracie.

My Husband the Composer

Ok he's not my husband yet, but he IS a composer. And we just experienced the first of many experiences sitting in the audience as one of the best choirs in the nation performed a Burzlaff original. *sigh*

Patick and I (and Alan and Jo Dena, his parents) flew to Denver last Thursday for the Nordic Concert at Augustana Lutheran Church. We got a call Friday afternoon that the choir was being dropped off at the mall to eat and shop for a while before rehearsal, so we met them there and had a joyful reunion in the middle of one of the department stores. We must have been a sight...all these college kids wearing the same blue polo running in, screaming, embracing, laughing, crying. Ha!

Patrick and I rode the bus to the church where we watched them rehearse. How weird to not be on the risers! After that Patrick and I went to our first Alumni Dinner--even weirder.

The concert itself was incredible. Easily the best choir concert I have ever been to, including that one Russian choir that came to Luther when I went to school there. WOW. Nordic's tone and sensitivity are incredible this year, and it doesn't hurt that thier repertoire is perfectly programmed. GAH! Can I buy the CD now?? '

Dr Arnold said Patrick's piece has been very well recieved. Apparently there was a music publishing something or other guy there that approached DCA asking to publish it. Dr Arnold had to inform him that the Luther College Choral Series would be getting to it first. How proud am I right now?? :)

OK I'll stop now. BUT I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!!! :)

Home is Where the Heart is

I feel like my whole life is a "transitional phase".

When you're growing up you're obviously constantly changing physically, then comes the big transition to college and the even bigger transition out of college, going on to who knows what, but it doesn't matter because you're going to move on to something else and get married and have kids and buy a house and never pay off your loans. And as if that weren't enough you have all the little transitions and changes in between!

I live in 4 places right now.

I live in Iowa, because that is where part of my heart is and that is where I want to live someday. When I think of "home", I think of Iowa.

I live in my apt on Preble Dr, because that is where I do my cooking and cleaning and showering and sleeping. When I think of "home", I think of Preble Dr.

I live in an apt on the beach, because that is what I will indicate on all of my change of address forms because I am moving there in 3 or so weeks. When I think of "home", I think of the apt on the beach.

I live in Bakersfield, because that is where Patrick lives, that is where I will live and work when we are married, and that is where I am most wknds. When I think of "home", I think of Bakersfield.

Is it August 2 yet?

Jeopardy and USC

I've really been getting into Jeopardy lately. Mostly because they almost always have some sort of music category. I'm really good with Opera and Composer categories, but not so much with Musical Theatre. Once they had a Bach category and I got all but one right!

So anyway, the other day there was this clue: "In the historic 2007 game USC's 35 home game winning streak was ended by this team"...."WHAT IS STANFORD!" I yelled. Yes, I knew the answer, but I was also THERE! I was so proud to have witnessed a Jeopardy clue! As I think about that game, though, my memories aren't so sweet...the Burzlaff boys don't respond so well to a USC loss. Jess and I always pray for USC wins for OUR sake.

Actually, I'm staring to like college football. I think the reason I was never interested was b/c I never knew how the game was played (Matt and Steve, wasn't that your job as an older brother??). Patrick has been teaching me, slowly but surely, for the past year, and I'm finally catching on. And I've discovered that even if you aren't in love with football, it's still fun to go to a game and have a hot-dog wrapped in bacon and covered with onions and peppers...*drool*

We went to another USC game a few wknds ago. This time it was better b/c they WON and afterwards I got my first glimpse of Pasadena...we had dinner there as a whole "potential Burzlaff family". Awww...

In other news, this wknd marks the end of my Bakersfield blitz...I've been going up there every wknd for the past 4 weeks (church stuff, USC game, Patrick's bday), which has been fun, but it will be nice to spend some time in Ventura again. Patrick and I are hoping the weather will be nice (70s?) so we can have a picnic at the beach!

I miss Iowa

I miss Iowa.

It's true! It's not that I'm seeing my family any less than I did before (well, I am, but only slightly)...it's just being aware of all the miles between us that impacts me. And not only that, but IOWA. IOWA is so far away.

Last weekend I was at Bakersfield and had a little cry fest because when I look outside I do not see changing leaves, frost, and fields. When I go to the store I do not see A&E, Mrs. Grimes chili beans, and that one brand of bread that I really like but can't think of right now.

One of the highlights of my week is when I wake up on Saturday morning and sit down to breakfast at the Burzlaffs...the Iowa game is always on TV.

I don't regret coming here though...if I hadn't I'd always want to go away. I'm here now so I can later be perfectly content in Iowa.

I'll be back.

Dimples According to Patrick

"You know how you got your dimples? When you were born, God sent an angel to bless you. So when she got done blessing you, she went back to heaven, but on her way she left her footprints on your face. God sent a stupid angel."

Today...

...I experienced my first earthquake! It lasted approx. 1/2 of a second. Funnnnn!