Asparagus

So Diane my landlady had a whole bunch of asparagus she didn't use; so I said I would eat it. I have always wanted to try roasted asparagus. However, asparagus was never a favorite vegetable growing up (sorry mom). My mom's favorite way to eat it is to boil it. And then I would smother it with ketchup. Sounds disgusting, but at least 2 of my sisters eat it that way too, and it's actually pretty good.

You can quite making barfing noises now.

Anyway, I've always wanted to roast them, since a lot of people cook asparagus that way. So I coated them in olive oil, seasoned pepper, salt, dill, and minced onions and roasted them in the oven. Let me tell you....that was probably the most delicious cooked vegetable I have ever eaten. It literally tasted gourmet and I was extremely sad when it was all gone.

So, turns out I do like asparagus (without ketchup). I think that is probably the way with most vegetables. Many people say they don't like them. Maybe that's because they haven't found the right way to cook or prepare them yet. It's a theory, anyway.

=0>

Happenings.

Ok, still trying to figure out how to get pictures off my camera. My dad sent me this cool transfer card thing and I'm trying to figure out how it works....when I get around to it hehe.
Yeah, I got this really nice cool camera for Christmas....Canon PowerShot SX20 IS with 12.1 mega pixels....yeah it's pretty sweet. I love taking photos, kinda wish I could do something with photography now. Who knows....it has become a hobby at any rate.

So yeah we got to stay at home (Dallas) for Christmas this year. It was really nice not to have to travel, and to get a real tree!! I love trees. Also my grandparents came down which was really cool because I don't get to see them too often like my sisters do. Usually my dad's brother's family would come too, but we didn't get to see them this year, mostly because my cousin in law was about to have her twins!! Exciting!! I can't wait to see them. Anyway, it was a good Christmas, but I did miss my cousins and playing games all day with them. :(

Update: For those that knew I was dating someone, we are no more (in case you didn't get that memo somehow). Just to set the record straight, I am single at the moment.

School so far has been good...ish. I'm taking a research class and it is not my favorite class. It's not hard necessarily, but time-consuming with lots of little assignments on top of a huge research paper. I'm also taking Music History review, which I actually like...except I have to write another research paper for that. I'm going to be super busy after this weekend.
Flipside, I love Faye Seeman (harp teacher). While the school ensemble-wise is not offering me what I'm capable of, I would not trade my time with Ms Seeman for anything. She is trully amazing and has helped me grow as a harpist so much and really understands how to teach. Speaking of teaching, I have 3 students: 8, 10, and one older adult. I love it.

I am also learning to play the Liuqin, which is a small version of a Pipa. They are Chinese instruments and I am learning liu chin for a silk and bamboo ensemble that we are putting together to perform in April. It's a lot of fun, and our teacher (visiting from China) is a lot of fun to work with. She knows how to play every chinese instrument and even conducts chinese orchestras in China. If it is broadcast, I will let you know. :)

Technical Error...

So apparently no one got to see me play. According to a couple ppl I have talked to, the webcast cut off at the end of the violinist. As it happens, I was in the next piece. I don't know what happened but the feed cut out or timed out.

So if you feel bad because you think it ended and you missed me, don't worry; you didn't. Joys of technology.

Philharmonic Concert tomorrow Feb. 9th

Hi all!!

Well, it's that time again....I have my first Northern Illinois Philharmonic Concert of 2010 via LIVE WEBCAST.....TOMORROW NIGHT at 8:00PM CENTRAL TIME. Yeah, I know....I kinda forgot that I actually had the concert until this weekend, and I've been so bad about posting on my blog lately that I forgot to post about it....so sorry.

In my defense, while you might get to see me, I am only playing on one piece and you probably won't hear me except maybe in one part.

This concert is the Concerto winner concert...and the Chamber Choir concert. We are sharing....I know. Unfortunately I can't post the exact program because they do not have it printed anywhere. To top it off, I don't know which one is first on the concert. If you turn on the webcast and it is choir, then you can probably wait at least 20-30 minutes. I don't know how long the choir is singing. In the Philharmonic half, there are these pieces (these are not necessarily in order):

Violin Concerto by Sibelius - this one is very beautiful and worth listening to
Marimba Concerto by Keiko Abe - I play in this one and it is AWSOME....even if I don't play much.
Piano Concerto - I really don't know anything about this one, except it is a piano concerto.

Here is the link to the LIVE WEBCAST:
http://www.niu.edu/music/media/webcasts.shtml

Spread the Word (promise I'll give more warning next time)!!!

Blog Under Construction

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm updating and changing my blog. Stay tuned.

Last concert for 2009: Philharmonic

You are going to want to kick me and I'm sorry. I have my last NIU concert tomorrow night. I am playing with the NIU Philharmonic orchestra tomorrow night (Monday) November 23, 2009 at 8:00pm CENTRAL TIME. You can watch this concert via webcast, just like the others. I know it's really last minute. Spread the word. Remember, this is a LIVE webcast and is likely the performance will not be archived for future view.

Here is the program:

Mahler - Kindertotenlieder (I play in this one)
Myron Myers, bass
Program notes: Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children) is a song cycle for voice and orchestra by Gustav Mahler. The words of the songs are poems by Friedrich Rückert. You can read about Mahler's inspiration and find the lyrics to the 5 sung poems HERE. They are very sad, but the music is beautiful at the same time.

~intermission~

Schubert - Symphony No. 9, in C Major, "The Great"
(I do not play in this one, but it is a great piece nevertheless)

You can get to the LIVE webcast through this link: http://www.niu.edu/music/media/webcasts.shtml

Concert Sunday!!

Hey Everyone...just wanted to announce that I will be playing harp in wind ensemble this SUNDAY AT 3:00PM CENTRAL TIME. Sorry it's late notice...this week has been...one of those weeks. I'll post more later, I'm in a hurry. Again, tell anyone you think would want to watch...if you are not at church...please don't miss your religious service for me :)

(FYI the link to the online LIVE webcast is in a post below....scroll down to it on www.michelleheuer.blogspot.com. )

Henry

Meet Henry.

Well, I was sad looking at the empty fish bowl on my desk. It seemed so lonely in my room without a fish in it. So after 2 days (Halloween I might add) I went to the the local petsmart and scoped out a new beta. After searching and comparing and observing for about 20 minutes I finally found my new beta.

His name is Henry. He is a beautiful blue and white delta tail beta (they actually have different kinds...isn't that fun). His tail is very flowy and rounded along the outside, and his top and bottom fins are much longer and also very flowy. Oscar was a standard beta with a pointed tail and fins, which were pretty but not "flowy" (is that even a word or did I make that up??). I got him partially becuase he is so handsome and would look good in my tank with the red stones, and becuase how active he was in the store. I don't want a boring depressed fish. And he is very regal looking when he swims. I've only had him for 5 days and he has even more personality than Oscar, I think.

I'm feeding him pellets instead of flake food, so his water won't cloud up as much. While Oscar didn't care for the pellets, Henty LOVES them. In fact, he hangs out at the surface waiting for me to drop one in. If he is really hungry he basically swallows them whole. If he is not that hungry, he'll play with it. He grabbs it in his mouth and swims around the tank with it until he decides he wants to eat it. Sometime he attacks it, sometimes he'll twitch with it in his mouth like he is attacking it. It's really funny to watch. And he always flares his fins really wide while he is eating. Here is a pic of him playing with his food. What a cute fish face!!

The other really funny thing about him is that he like to try to eat the plant. He does it less often than initially, but if a piece of root that has broken off he will attack it. There is also a certain place where the roots push up agains the bowl...he loves to wedge himself into that spot between the plant and the bowl. He also likes trying to wedge into the rocks at the bottom. Either that or he is scoping for food.

And he is always excited to see me. Sometimes he sees something outside and zooms around his tank trying to get at it. I know I sound silly but I love Henry!! I think you will agree with me on how pretty he is too :)

Farewell to Oscar

Well you may already know, but Oscar died last week. I knew it was coming. He had been getting pretty old (I think). I had him for about 18 months, which is pretty good I'd say for my first ever fish. And I think he was already at least a year old when I got him becuase he was already pretty big for a beta.

Oscar was a funny fish. He would get really excited when he saw people. He would flare and show off for you too. When you gave him food, he would jump up and attack it. If you made faces at him he would make faces back (puff his gills out). He was a good fish. He was pretty too. When I first got him he was a pretty teal color with a dark face. As he aged, he developed some red on his fins in addition. As he got old, his color started to dull and his face started to turn grey. It really did!! His scales were a silver color. I don't know if that is normal, but it seemed that way.

A couple months ago his swim bladder failed...meaning he lost the ability to float. So he would just sit at the bottom and stare at you. I think this made him depressed becuase while at first he would still eat and get excited when he saw you, he couldn't swim very well. Eventually he stopped eating as much and took to laying in the oddest positions, sometimes on his side, sometimes his nose pointing strait up. I knew it was getting close the last couple days before he died becuase he started laying upside down (belly up) and couldn't figure out how to turn back over. That can never be good right?

Farewell Oscar. He is in fish heaven now.

Tentative uber cool news....

I just found out some potentially exciting news for those who like to keep up with my harp playing. It might (emphasis on the might) be possible to webcast my first masters recital in the spring. I still have to find out details, so hang tight for more info on the matter.

By the way, my first masters recital is April 17, 2010 at 5pm central time. So put it in the books if you are interested in coming, watching via webcast (maybe), or just being there in spirit. Stay tuned for more info!!