Victory lap.

Between the Phillies and Obama, I couldn't be much happier. And I'm about to take off for two weeks of travelling around Europe free of academicness. Life here, for the moment, is good (comments about dissertation proposal draft 2 are imminent upon return).

There are other good signs out there.

In film theory class we had a good laugh about going as "the signified" on Halloween, just by taking your picture around with you. It's not the usual humor, but it has a place, and that place is 10 am on Halloween. I also like the professor's idea that Halloween should be more Brechtian.

This article gives a wonderful little glimpse into a great idea. Chamber music in a bar/cabaret setting. I particularly like Tommasini's comment that it doesn't matter that the audience doesn't know about Xenakis's theories, what matters is they're listening to it. As I set about trying to write program notes, this makes me realize it's a funny job. The notes may help explain things, offer some insight, amuse, intrigue, etc. But they're not pivotal to enjoying the music. So perhaps what I should be thinking about is not "how to make you understand the piece" but how I can get people to come back again, to be excited about it.

And I do know what it's like to feel excited. Oh yes.