MIA

I need to update this blog. I swear I will return.

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The man they call joss.....

Firefly Lyrics
Cedric of the Bedlam Bards wrote a filk of "The Ballad of Jayne" in honor of Joss Whedon.

You can help Spread the Signal by downloading & forwarding this free Firefly MP3 now.




The Ballad of Joss

Joss, the man they call Joss . . .

He wrote about spaceships and shepherds and whores,
Stood up to the networks and gave 'em what for.
Fox canceled his program, but that was their loss--
The creator of Firefly, the man they call Joss!

Our Joss saw the viewers' hearts breakin',
He heard the Browncoats' lament,
He saw the Fox network takin',
His show in a way that made no sense.
(He said) "You can't do that to my program,
Can't grind it under your heel."
So he took all the cast,
And now at last,
They've landed a Big Damn Movie deal!

He wrote about spaceships and shepherds and whores,
Stood up to the networks and gave 'em what for.
Fox canceled his program, but that was their loss--
The creator of Firefly, the man they call Joss!

Now here is what separates Whedon,
From writers who slave in the core,
The man they call Joss,
Well, he said to Fox,
"I'm going where no show has gone before."
He told us about reavers,
He told us about sin,
He took us to the black,
And we ain't comin' back,
'till all those crazy Browncoats rise again!

He wrote about spaceships and shepherds and whores,
Stood up to the networks and gave 'em what for.
Fox canceled his program, but that was their loss--
The creator of Firefly, the man they call Joss!

Now, here is what separates Firefly
From other shows you're likely to see--
It's meaningful and witty,
And the setting's really gritty,
And the theme song is about Serenity.
It's a little like a western,
And a little like X-Files,
It's better than Trek,
And funnier than Shrek,
And it beats out Andromeda by miles!

He wrote about spaceships and shepherds and whores,
Stood up to the networks and gave 'em what for.
Fox canceled his program, but that was their loss--
The creator of Firefly, the man they call Joss!

--James Hazlerig
fithelere@aol.com
www.BedlamBards.com
Labels: song_lyrics

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What did you know after three years in band

I've been reading this message board thread during February vacation week:

http://www.menc.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=5930


Now as someone who works in the music education profession I see firsthand how class instruction time can definitely affect the outcomes. And goals of the young musician.

But it got me wondering....did I know all sixteenth note rhythms and my 12 major scales after three years in band. And are we counting elementary school (mainly lessons) or middle school band (lessons AND every other day rehearsal) or high school (everyday band and lessons). (my experience as a student not as a teacher)

After elementary school, (3 years) - I knew my sixteenth note rhythms
After jr high (3 years) - major scales up to 4 flats and 4 sharps
After high school (3 years) - all scales

I wonder though if some of that i learned in preparation for auditions. Does the average band member need to know how to play an f-sharp major scale (which I butchered in 10th grade at NYSSMA)...

I didn't fully understand counting and subdivision of the beat till college. I completely concur with the middle school directors on the thread.

My goal in life is to get middle school bandies to look and acknowledge key signatures (no it's not always a b flat clarinets....and no trumpets there is no such thing as b regular, and flutes first finger must go down on e natural.....etc rinse rather repeat, I'm considering getting the mantra "f for flat f for first finger" tattooed on my forehead)

High school directors- do you judge the middle school director or elementary if there is even still one....do you take into account their amount of instruction time?




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Since everyone seems to be talking about teacher pay

Teachers make too much money!

Are you sick of high paid teachers? Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - baby sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage.

That’s right. Let’s give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan — that equals 6 1/2 hours).

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

Now how many do they teach in day…maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.

LET’S SEE…. That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).

What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children

X 180 days = $280,800 per year.

Wait a minute — there’s something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher’s salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student–a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!)

WHAT A DEAL!!!!



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Would it be wrong to....

Would it be wrong to take a plane to a certain location....just so i can enjoy the food of the town ....for one night......

Miss viva ....




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Been cooking...and a success story

Well I had a nice long entry typed out...and then it got erased.

Bah. That is just the top of the day I've had.

But I digress. Ive neglected this blog for far far too long.

My short update is that i am not wholly sticking to my gluten free diet. I am not giving up on it, but I just need bread. :) Beer I have cut out (shocking i know) Thank goodness for wine. Pasta is rice pasta or lowcarb pasta, which is a fair compromise. I had a hard time nuking GF pasta at work. That make sense? It tastes great at home (corn/quinoa)....but just awful when I warm it up.

Anyway I did have great success with a GF recipe tonight and i wanted to share...


PARMESAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 oz. ea.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (replaced with rye flour)
1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. water (egg beater egg whites)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs (gluten free bad crumbs)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) Ragu® Chunky Tomato, Garlic & Onion Pasta Sauce, heated according to package directions (sauce from wegmans)
Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Season chicken, if desired, with salt and pepper. Combine cheese, bread crumbs and garlic powder in shallow dish. Evenly coat chicken in flour, then egg, then bread crumb mixture. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spray chicken with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with Pasta Sauce.
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 25 Minutes
Servings: 4




.

A good friend sent me some photos last night that meant the world. Not that seeing someone who is gone, happy and in the prime of their life is easy. But to have new images to cherish of that person is a blessing. It's never easy. And we never forget. I don't believe grief is something you ever get over. You learn to live life different because everything has changed.

I've been a bit weepy today tho. When i came home from work i saw on facebook it is the anniversary of a death of a classmate of mine from high school. A fellow member of the band/chorus/drama crew.

I wanted to take this moment to share an article written about her and her husband.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/what_lasts.html



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