The Globetrotting Geek

In Which I Encounter the Spizzwinks(?)

November 24, 2014

Saturday I woke up, just as Sai was leaving the house to go to the accelerator, but I was far to tired to make a move. However, after a minutes thought and just as the door closed, I sprung up. I realized that this would be my only opportunity to explore Yale! I quickly got dressed and started sprinting in the direction of the science park hoping to make the 10:30 free tour. I arrived a few minutes late due to the lack of a map or a sense of where I was going. When I got there I saw a long long line, stretching all the way around the car back and looping back. As I had nothing better to be doing, I joined and waited, trying to spot Sai in the crowd. A member of the crowd then informed me that this was the line for the 11:30 tour, the 10:30 tour never existed! I now felt lucky that Sai had gotten the time wrong! About fifteen minutes later, I saw her join the line at the end and invited her over so that I had someone to talk to and could get to know her better. We chatted until just after 11:30 when we were finally let in. The accelerator was great, though not the most impressive I had ever seen. Things like that remind me why I choose to study physics.

After the tour, we both walked back to the apartment for lunch, and then I sat down to read again for most of the afternoon. As the sun was setting, it was time to head to the hall where we would be performing. When the Glee Club entered, we realized that the stage was far too small for most of our production numbers, and only barely fit the band and all of us. We quickly rejiggered our show to make the most of it, and soon the lights were down and the stage was set.

The New Blue of Yale were up first, and Liz completely blew the crowd away with a giant voice, that surprised many as coming from someone of below average stature.

They were really in tune, and quite fun to watch perform!

Next up was a standard Glee Club set, some choral numbers, vocal jazz, a little barbershop. However following that the Penn Pipers (including me) had a chance to show off some of what we had most recently been working on. Including some fun staging to ‘Goodbye My Coney Island’.

When we left the stage there was a large whoop as the Spizzwinks(?) (sic) ran on. Dressed up in black and white, they both looked and sounded mighty fine. While stylistically they were very different from us, I truly enjoyed their performance. Their sound was more modern, and they chose more recent pieces. However, one way in which they outshone us was in energy and variety of facial and bodily expression. Hopefully I wasn’t the only one to take note.

After the show, everyone went their own way. The residents of my suite went back and had a few drinks together and I stayed chatting with them for a few hours, before making sure I was well enough rested for a full day of work on Sunday.

In Which I Begin Recovery

October 26, 2014

Today is Sunday, October 26, 2014 and the Glee Club show is over. Along with it, a somewhat difficult week, full of rehearsals and close contact with a lot of people both new and old.

The show turned out to be excellent. There were so many enjoyable numbers to sing, dance and perform and it is hard to pick out favourites. One number that stands out in a way is Bogoroditse Devo, a movement from Rachmaninoff’s all-night vigil that I had purchased for the club from a Russian music shop. Other than that, a performance of the broadway version of The Circle of Life was certainly notable.

I thankfully came off the show process with a few new friends and became closer to all the newmen as well. Special call-outs to a few people including the Penn Pipers (especially the newmen, Isaac, Danny and Bhavish) , and a few people from Penn Dance I had the privilege to work with and get to know better (Jane, Lihi, Smush, Kendra, Avalon and many more new friends!).

Penn Dance, our collaborators in the show were fantastic and performed some excellent dances to some excellent tunes. The Penn Glee Club Band upped their game yet again and I hold them in very high regard, both musically and as friends.

I ended the show feeling exhilarated, and even enjoyed the ‘strike’ process (clean up). The after party wasn’t quite my scene, so I left after a little time and enjoyed a good nights rest. Admittedly I was slightly wobblier than usual as I was climbing into bed, due to not having had sufficient dinner and then one celebratory drink with Pearl and Sam, the two good friends of mine from retreat.

Towards my research, I’m making slow progress in what I’m working on. I feel I’m working a little too slowly, however even a little progress while I’m doing my coursework is worthwhile. I’ll probably post explaining the whole process at some point in the near future.

 

Sunday – Day 251

April 14, 2013

Sunday morning was another treat. We woke up at a decent hour, despite the antics of the night before. Kirk and Dan Carsello decided they would head off to Dim Sum with the Glee Club, despite having little idea what ‘Dim Sum’ was. I told them they’d likely enjoy it, despite Dan’s many allergies.

This left me in the house with Dan Pincus and Ilja Sichrovsky, a close friend and house guest of his, visiting from Austria. Ilja was somewhat opposed to Dan’s busy lifestyle, and was constantly urging him to take a proper break, like a proper European!

Dan opened the blinds, the sun streamed in and shortly after that, so too through his door streamed a flock of people.  With that, Dan and Kirk decided that it was time for them to leave and that was the last of them I saw that weekend.

The two latest guests to the house were Mustafa Qureshi of Pakistan and another international student friend of Dan’s; Stephanie. Together we prepared a delicious brunch, comprised of a wide range of both European and American foods. Ilja was not impressed at Dan’s coffee making skills however, and made it clear with a look of sheer disgust on his face after trying it.

What was most exciting about this brunch however, was the conversation. The attendees were clearly of high intellect and vigorously debated issues of international importance, ranging from US foreign policy, to the merits of various political philosophies.

Following the lovely drawn out lunch, I was due to see the production of Jersey boys on Broadway. Dan said he was heading down to see a show right next door at 3PM when the two of them started, and as such said he’d accompany me down. From my impressions of Dan thus far, I felt it probably wouldn’t be the wisest idea to accept, however might be the more adventurous option. I decided to go with it and waited around working on a few little things until 2:40 when Dan finally decided the was ready.

I was already a little nervous about making it in time but Dan was very reassuring. As we stepped outside he took one look at the traffic and decided that a cab would be too slow, so he started off towards the subway. Remembering that the closest line was under construction, his pace suddenly quickened. We arrived at the subway just in time to see our train depart. This threw Dan just a little but he was soon back in his stride letting me know that by his current calculations, I would make it there at about 2:59.

The subway moved achingly slow, and Dan was visibly frustrated. It was edging close to 3PM. As the doors opened at our station, Dan raced out in front of me, madly dashing towards the exit turnstiles. I lagged a little behind him and then rudely dashed in front of a New Yorker who yelled about tourists as I overtook her, to avoid getting lost without my guide.

We sprinted down the street and at 2:59 exactly, I made it to the theatre waving goodbye to Dan as he dashed in the opposite direction.

I managed to get to my seat just as the lights were dimming and found myself in a theatre full of Glee Clubbers. Scott Ventre, though he had seen the show a few times before was rocking out like crazy in the row below me and some rowdy grandmothers were doing the same just over to my left.

 

Following the show we speed walked to the Megabus bay to catch our bus back to Philly. Upon arrival we were informed that the bus was going to be over an hour late. Coupled with this news were a few raindrops that were followed by more of a torrent. We huddled cold and hungry under our coats, waiting to get back to Penn.

 

Finally, we arrived back, too late to do anything productive, so I unpacked my bags and made sure to get some sleep.