Look - a kitty!

Saw a trailer for this while watching Enchanted last night (great fun - my face hurt from laughing).

And thanks to Blueberry for pointing to this 'idgit.

The End

Holiday spirit... or not

You Are a Yule Log

While you do have holiday spirit, you have a secret, heathen past.

What Holiday Food Are You?

I'm not sure that's quite right. While I can't speak to the pagan roots, I have been sadly lacking in holiday spirit in years past. I think it started when WGMS decided to air All Christmas Music All the Time from Thanksgiving until Christmas a few years ago. No other classical music. Drove me absolutely crazy. I hope they don't do that anymore, now that they have been consumed by WETA/NPR.

I am happy to report that, while festive lights are slowly appearing around the metro area, I have heard nary a holiday tune on the radio. Maybe in a few weeks I'll pull our little foot-high artificial Christmas tree out of the box and pretend we've decorated.

Thanks to This was a triumph for flushing out this 'idgit.

Aptitude test

You Should Play the Violin

You are highly intelligent, and mastering difficult subjects never intimidates you. And while you may not be musical yet, you have a good ear - and you're sensitive to subtle differences in music. You are dedicated and studious. You have a great work ethic. You study well under a teacher, and you don't mind repeating tasks or following instructions. Expressive and moody, you are very likely to convey a variety of rich emotions through your music. You are definitely a passionate person... passionate enough to truly love the violin. Your dominant personality characteristic: your high intelligence Your secondary personality characteristic: your sensitivity

What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

I saw this on Maricello's blog, and of course I had to try it. I came up with violin on the first try, but wanting to explore other option kept going back to the questions to try different combinations of answers. I got violin almost all the time I answered that I wanted to play in a symphony, plus harp, piano, and lots and lots and LOTS of accordion with other combinations of answers. I think that whomever wrote this quiz could use a good music appreciation course. His/her knowledge of instruments appears to be very limited. Or perhaps they think the accordion is funny, so engineered the quiz to return that answer most of the time.

It reminds me of my first screening for musical aptitude. I was about five years old, and I sat with a man who asked me lots of very silly questions. The one I still remember had something to do with the voices of Mama Bear and Papa Bear, and where spatially you would put their relative voices. Well, I was getting suspicious of this guy and his nonsense, so feeling sure this was a trick question, I motioned that Papa Bear was high (with one hand up) and Mama Bear was low (with the other hand well below.)

Silly me. What instrument did they pair me with? The accordion. You know, the 'cello works that way, too, but this was pre-Suzuki and they didn't start kids on 'cellos at that age. I remember how easy it was to learn to play each hand's part, and how impossible to play them together. Of course, the teaching method went something like "Wow, each hand sounds really good. For next week I want you to play them together for me." Right. When I finally got around to taking piano lessons in much-later adulthood I was partially convinced I would never be able to play hands together. Thanks Pat, for for getting me past that fear. The teacher is so important.

One of my earliest scarring memories has to do with that accordion. The shop where I took my music lessons had an accordion band, probably 20 or 30 of us. After one performance I tripped on my way back to my seat and must have skidded 20 feet across the tile floor on top of my accordion. Great sled potential. Of course, everyone laughed. I'm sure it was pretty funny seeing a cute little girl with an accordion almost as big as she was skidding across the floor. And of course, I was mortified. I think the roots of all of my performance anxiety issues are in that evening.

Blue Monday

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere. You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant. From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Dang. I thought I was more fun than that. And I tried blue, but didn't like it.

However, this 'idgit that I stumbled across en route to other things fits well with my post for today. The events I am about to describe started on a Monday, but it was the one two weeks ago. Out of deference for PFS's (who has the pinkest blog I've ever seen) GI woes that week I delayed describing my own issues with gastrointestinal dysfunction until now. And too, I was pretty busy dealing with the fallout (so to speak) at the time.

This was the sight that met my eyes (and nose) when I opened the office door to feed the Sugar Babies that Monday morning:



Yes, those little brown, yellow, and white puddles are exactly what you think they are. Every 6-8 inches around the circumference of the room. I know exactly what happened.

D-day. It's 2 am, all watches synchronized.

ATTEN-TION!

"Sugar baby squad all present and accounted for, sir!"

Dress right - DRESS!

Ready - FRONT!

By the numbers - POOP!

There's no other way to account for the absolute regularity of the interval.

Jelly bean

DH's birthday is about a month before Easter, but one of his sisters gave him an Easter basket for his birthday present. Unassembled, with the bags of candy waiting to be added to an Easter egg or two and artfully arranged. The basket is still sitting on the kitchen counter, and we are opening a bag of candy at a time, and slowly eating our way through them. I'm sure that wasn't the plan, but what can you do? He eats his meals that way, too, sequentially. Anyway, I'm enjoying jelly beans this week.

You Are a Peach Jelly Bean

You have a distinct style that you don't really have to work for. You're genuinely quirky, and people love your understated charm.

What Flavor Jelly Bean Are You?

Translation

I'm classifying this post as an 'idgit, though it's not the result of a funny web quiz. And I figure I owe my dedicated readers (hah!) an extra post today, having written nothing over the weekend while I was traveling.

There were several new folks who joined CelloBloggers over the weekend, including one who blogs in Japanese. Guanaco explored some options for doing a machine translation of his blog into English, with some success. We would also like to have ready translations for other non-English cello bloggers we've located. Nothing like the optimism of the uninformed.

So today, having returned to my 21st century computer I was doing some reading about the promise and pitfalls of machine translations, and I ran across a site whose sole purpose is to demonstrate the entertainment value of translating a phrase from English to another language and back again. Here is the phrase I tried, and the results:

Original English Text:
the piece we played at orchestra rehearsal yesterday aggravated my tennis elbow

Translated to Japanese:
私達がリハーサルが昨日私のテニスエルボーを加重したオーケストラで遊んだ部分

Translated back to English:
Us the part which idled in the orchestra where the rehearsal increases yesterday my tennis elbow

Translated to Chinese:
我们虚度光阴在乐队排练昨天增加我的网球手肘的零件

Translated back to English:
We wasted time in the orchestra rehearse yesterday to add my tennis elbow components

Translated to French:
Nous avons perdu le temps dans l'orchestre préparons hier pour ajouter mes composants de coude de tennis

Translated back to English:
We wasted time in the orchestra prepare yesterday to add my components of elbow of tennis

Translated to German:
Wir vergeudeten Zeit im Orchester uns vorbereiten gestern, meine Bestandteile des Winkelstücks von Tennis hinzuzufügen

Translated back to English:
We wasted time in the orchestra us prepare yesterday to add my constituents of the elbow of tennis

Translated to Italian:
Abbiamo sprecato il tempo nell'orchestra che noi ci prepariamo ieri per aggiungere i miei costituenti del gomito di tennis

Translated back to English:
We have wasted the time in the orchestra that we prepare ourselves yesterday in order to add my constituent ones of the tennis elbow

Translated to Portuguese:
_ nós t desperdiç tempo orchestra que nós prepar nos ontem a fim adicion meu constituent tênis cotovelo

Translated back to English:
_ we t desperdiç time orchestra that we to yesterday prepar in the end adicion mine constituent tennis elbow

Translated to Spanish:
_ nosotros orquesta del tiempo del desperdiç de t esa nosotros a ayer prepar en el codo constitutivo del tenis de la mina del adicion del final

Translated back to English:
_ we orchestra of the time of desperdiç of t that we to prepar yesterday in the constituent elbow of the tennis of the mine of the addition of the end

If you are as easily amused as I am, check out Lost in Translation.

Not Paris

My impression from reading recent blogs is that most cellists belong in Paris. I cannot tell a lie. I liked Paris well enough, but the attitude left me a little cold. I've never been to Amsterdam, so will certainly keep my eyes open while I'm passing through this summer. Or maybe I should consider a mere layover to be a missed opportunity.

You Belong in Amsterdam

A little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam. Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).

What European City Do You Belong In?

This one is for PFS

In case there was any doubt...

You Are 16% California

You are a bogus Californian. Go back to the East Coast.

How California Are You?

Not too surprising

You Are Incredibly Logical

Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

How Logical Are You?

What's in a name?

What Gottagopractice Means

G is for Glitzy O is for Orderly T is for Tender T is for Trustworthy A is for Alluring G is for Gorgeous O is for Overwhelming P is for Peppy R is for Rebellious A is for Altruistic C is for Cheeky T is for Talented I is for Insane C is for Charismatic E is for Enlightened

What Does Your Name Mean?

I like the color ones

Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic. You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense. Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Brain?

My aura today

This is not completely spot on. Or maybe to me, cats are people, too. Or maybe I've taken on a blue tinge from spending a few days in bed. Or maybe I'm blue because Luke and Leia are back at the shelter. And how on earth do they decide who famous blues are?

Your Aura is Blue

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people. Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor

What Color Is Your Aura?

My insipient personality disorder

This won't surprise my friends.

You May Be a Bit Obsessive Compulsive...

Meticulous and detailed oriented, you have some irrational obsessions. Maybe it's your super neat closet or washing your hands a gazillion times. You probably know it's weird, but you just can't stop thinking about it. In fact, the more you think about your quirks, the more you have to do them.

What Personality Disorder Are You?

They can't possibly know this

Your Life Path Number is 4

Your purpose in life is to build your vision. You are practical and responsible. You work hard, knowing that there are no shortcuts in life. You work for a better life for yourself and those you love, but you are not an idealist. Trustworthy and honest, you also demonstrate great courage. People can count on you. In love, you are a loyal and committed partner. You are the ideal spouse. You don't give up easily, and sometimes you can be too stubborn and unwilling to change. You also can be too conservative at times. You sometimes miss out on good opportunities. Also remember that not everyone can work as hard as you, as disappointing as that is!

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Who knew I was orange?

While looking for this week's Carnival of the Cats I came upon a reference to Blogthings on Leslie's Omnibus. I love incidentally discovering ways to waste time on the web, almost as much as finding out how interesting people are and what kind of things they write about. Whatever did I do with all my time before I discovered blogs?

You Are Pumpkin

Realistic and practical, you see the world for how it is. You know what it takes to succeed in life... And you're happy to help others reach their goals.

What Color Orange Are You?

Different day, different card

You are The Hermit

Prudence, Caution, Deliberation.

The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The illumination is from within, and retirement from participation in current events.

The Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. You do not desire to socialize; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. You prefer to take the time to think, organize, ruminate, take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent but these feelings eventually lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.

The Hermit represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher, therapist. This a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

My Tarot Card

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.