I'm not the All-Cal Chair, so why am I having stress dreams?

Seriously, I had the craziest Sacred Harp dream ever. It was the All-Cal, and we couldn't even get people to sit in their parts-- we were all seated auditorium style, and then moved into a square, but even then, no one was sitting where they were supposed to. I even ended up in the bass section by mistake for a while.

I was secretary, but I couldn't find the arrangers to get the reg cards, and was trying to figure out how to spell people's names phonetically as they were called out. I even forgot to list the first few songs! And I FORGOT TO COOK. Yup, showed up to the singing empty-handed.

While I was having this mini-meltdown, the rest of you weren't faring much better. We were so hysterically off tempo that Natalia stood up and kept time with exaggerated arm movements and emphatic foot-stamping. And to top it off, Rebecca publicly chastised someone for giving the pitch wrong.

That's when I woke up. Whew.

Hidden Dangers of Cooper Book

I love the Cooper book. Not as much as the Denson, but I do love it. However, I must admit that there is a higher proportion of catchy tunes in the Cooper than the Denson. Hence, since our second mixed book singing, I have been humming Mercy Seat about 50 times a day. I've even caught myself by surprise-- I was singing it before I even realized I was singing. I like Mercy Seat, but come on already! If Mark considers this my just deserts for not picking songs from the Norumbega I may not have a rhetorical leg to stand on.

Our KUSF show!

Will from Kalamazoo, Michigan recorded our appearance on M. Theo's KUSF show Classics Without Walls and had it posted on his web space within minutes of our completing the show.

He writes:

Hello all,

I stayed up too late listening to you all sing on KUSF tonight (till
after 2 am Michigan time!)

I recorded the show and you can listen to it at the following URL:

http://www.entish.org/sh/KUSF_Sacred_Harp_2008.m4a

There are a couple of minutes of non SH music at the start, and a bit
of static in the middle, but you might be glad to hear what it sounded
like.

Good job on the commentaries, by the way.

Thanks, Will!

I thought it went well too; thanks again to David for arranging it.

Only Marginally Related to UCB Sacred Harp

I'm hosting an Unfinished Business party at my house this Saturday, starting at 3:30. Bring your portable unfinished chores/crafts/projects and get something accomplished while we eat, drink, and make merry. There's no tedious task that can't be improved by good food and good friends. And if your unfinished business includes burning Sacred Harp CDs, organizing digital pictures of singings large and small, and/or composing blog posts for this site, then this post just might be singing-related after all.

Leave a comment if you'd like to come and I'll get back to you.

Late for the singing

Great singing this afternoon, and excellent spread. In honor of my tardy arrival and general nostalgia for new england:



(From now on I promise to use my posting power for good rather than gratuitous youtube embedding. Not a guarantee.)

Possibly my best idea ever

I'm fettered and chained up in clay; I struggle and pant to be free...

Three words, people: election day singing.

What do you think?