Friday, January 25, 2008

Arrangement

I've found a new obsession.

Arranging popular songs for a capella choir.

I'm not practiced at it, I have little to no background in music composition, and I've never been in an a capella choir. But I hope to be some day. I thought I would have to wait until next year (when I audition for the co-ed group on campus, Redefined) to start putting songs together. I told a friend that I wanted to arrange one of my favorite songs ("Trouble" by Over the Rhine), and he replied, "Do it." It hadn't really occurred to me to go ahead with this desire. But why not? Nothing's holding me back. I have a friend in the group already, so maybe I can slip her some of my stuff before I audition.

Songs on the list to be arranged:
Trouble by Over the Rhine
Hold On by KT Tunstall
Love Song by Sara Bareilles
The Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels Band
Queen Medley

Wish me luck!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

That Was a Long December

I return from my hiatus, largely due to final exams in December kicking my ass and leaving me for dead. And I don't post at home because, well, most of the people who read this blog are gathered in one house.

I've spent my days back in Madison lazing around in my bathroom, piling up dishes for an hour-long washing at the end of the night, and slowly taking care of things I'd put off for weeks, months, even years. I finished a no-sew tie blanket that I've had for about two years (bringing the amount of said blankets in the house to a whopping four), watching Stranger Than Fiction and three episodes of Alias.

I went to fill a prescription that I should have started a month ago, a medication called spironolactone. I came out of Walgreens on the Square, surprised to see the bus I was going to catch 10 minutes early. As I considered what a stroke of luck that the no. 2 bus was early, the bus turned down E. Washington - the opposite direction I wanted to go. I was treated to a jaunty trip to the East Transfer Point. Not horrible; I simply caught the no. 2 bus going to the WEST Transfer Point from there, and caught up on an episode of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me, a current events quiz show on NPR, via podcast.

Returning to the topic of medications and perhaps divulging a bit too much information, the main side effect of spironolactone is increased urination. WAY increased. The doctor recommended that I drink 8 glasses of water a day. And don't plan any long, outdoor camping trips. Ok, she didn't say that, but this increase in bathroom attendence is already stunning me. Spironolactone (which, if I haven't said before, is an experiment with my acne) is a suppressing drug, meaning that, if it works, I would probably need to keep taking it for 2 years minimum, maybe even for the rest of my life. That's a lot of peeing.