Category Archives: Life

Weston Public Library, Sunday November 20, 2011

Culture, Life, Music

I’m playing in a concert at the Weston Public Library on Sunday November 20, 2011, 3pm! Soprano Linda Dawson will be singing, and Bill Donahue will be playing the piano. I’ll by playing the clarinet for three Franz Schubert pieces:

  • The Shepherd on the Rock (Der Hirt auf dem Felsen)
  • Romanze (from Die Verschworenen)
  • Erstes Offertorium, Totus in corde lanqueo

The Totus is a nifty piece for C clarinet, and since I have a brand new C clarinet, I can’t wait to play it!

In addition to these pieces, I am playing a solo piece for clarinet and piano:

  • Norbert Burgmuller: Duo for Clarinet and Piano

This is a wonderful and rare piece written in 1834. Burgmuller was only 26 when he tragically died; he left behind some great music, but think of all the music he never wrote. Of course, Franz Schubert was only 31 when he died. (Both lived less than Mozart.)

If you have the afternoon available, please come to hear the music!

Caring for your Sinuses

Corn Allergy, Family, Food, Life

Icky topic, but some of us just have bad sinuses! With an allergy as well, I am more susceptible to getting sinus infections than the average person. At one point a few years ago, I was having nearly chronic infections. Two rounds of antibiotics, two weeks off, then another infection. This went on for a couple years each winter! Here’s what I started doing to attempt to keep the infections at bay during the winter, when I feel sinus pressure, or after I’ve had a (food) allergy attack:

  • Sudafed at least every morning; as often as allowed when necessary. I use the CVS store brand, but only the one that you get “behind the counter”.
  • Once or twice a day, a Mucinex tablet; every morning, and in the evening if I need it.
  • Daily sinus rinses with NeilMed Sinus Rinse. I used to do it twice a day with 1 packet of saline, but now I do it once a day with 2 packets.
  • Four capsules of echinacea a day. Natrol makes one that is corn-free.
  • Daily use of fluticasone propionate nasal spray, especially in the late afternoon when my sinuses are tight and stuffy.
  • Avoid allergy triggers like hairspray, perfume, and cleaning products. These products seem to cause the allergy reactions in me that lead to sinus issues. Kind of obvious when you think about it.
  • Sleep! I make sure I get as close to 8 hours of sleep a night as possible. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people that can skip sleep and still function, let alone get run down and sick.
  • Use a humidifier in the bedroom at night. We have hot air heat (as opposed to electric), so our rooms get very dry. The humidifier works wonders.

With this strict regime, I now get only one or two sinus infections a year. What a relief! Sinus infections are not only painful, but I am very limited as to what antibiotics I can take. Not to mention that my doctor’s office has a policy of making us wait 10 days from the first symptom before they will prescribe antibiotics. While I completely agree with that policy, being sick for 10 days (or even a week if it clears up on its own) is pretty rotten!

 

Why Your State Sucks – ouch!

Culture, Humour, Life, Society

Ouch! Talk about cutting to the quick. TIME magazine has an article “Why Your State Sucks: The Great American Map of Fail” with a map of the 50 states and one simple fact about them. The thing is, the fact is something awful about each state! Having lived in Massachusetts for 13 years, it comes as no surprise that we’re famous (notorious?) for bad drivers. And it should be no surprise to anyone that Hawaii is the most expensive place to live.

Some of them are quite ironic. California with the dirtiest air (I said ironic, not bewildering) and Utah with highest porn usage (and all those Mormons, many of whom are not even supposed to own radios or TVs!).

But Rhode Island with the most drug use? Washington and bestiality? (How do you even begin to measure that? never mind, I don’t really want to know.) Maine the dumbest? But I think the most shocking ones are tornadoes in Minnesota and ugly people in North Dakota. I can’t recall ever hearing of a tornado in Minnesota. Blizzards, yet, but tornadoes? Actually, I’ve never heard that North Dakota is brimming with ugly people either.

Here’s a link to the map directly. Maybe you’ll learn something too!