Saturday, January 26, 2008

Some Quick Observations While I Have a Moment...

Hmmm... I'm not usually ready to post on a Saturday afternoon, especially on the day of a concert, but I figured I'd better do it before I forgot what I wanted to write!

On the way to rehearsal this morning, I heard a commercial on the radio for a local non-profit. They put on a big fundraising dance each year that is sort of the first "fancy" social event of the year in town. The theme this year has something to do with Florence, Italy. The young woman reading the ad copy presented it quite nicely, though I noticed THREE glaring pronunciation mistakes:
escape - (ek-scape) - What??? I can't believe I heard it! I can't believe that someone allowed it to go on the radio. Or that people have allowed her to go through life pronouncing it that way!

et cetera - (ek cetera) - Another one that drives me nuts. Who is teaching these people??

Italian - (eye-talian) - I have no idea where this one comes from, but I'd say that half of all Montanans pronounce it this way. Is it that common elsewhere? Do we have any Italians out there that are offended when they hear it this way? I did check a couple of dictionaries online, and none of them offered this pronunciation as an option.

I don't know about you, but I tend to knock a couple of IQ points off of a person when I hear things like this. I know....but that's just who I am.
Speaking of rehearsal, there is nothing more rude than sitting in close quarters with 70 other musicians and silently passing gas the entire time. I don't know if I've ever discussed farts on this blog. I'd prefer not to. But, geez, someone had a nasty case of something this morning. Best way I could describe it would be to call them coffee farts. Definitely not beer farts or taco farts. Whatever they were, I hope they don't make an appearance (so to speak) tonight. The brass have alot of deep breathing they have to do. Nothing is worse than inhaling a big breath of toxic air!
The principal trombonist brought his daughter's order form for Girl Scout cookies (I can't believe that none of YOU have tried to peddle them online...). I'll be placing my order tonight, but $3.50 a box??? Remember the days when they were only a buck? Probably got more cookies back then, too!
INJURY UPDATE - So far, so good! I have a case of body chills I just can't get rid of, but I'm not sick. Just need to spend a long time under a hot shower. But no injuries! Granted, I have until Monday before the book closes on this concert, and the temps have reached a balmy 30 degrees, making everything much slicker than the past week, but so far, nothing! Keep your fingers crossed--I'll update again on Monday!
Time to jump into my monkey suit and make music. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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