The trip out to Chicago for the Midwest Clinic last week was good, although it was definitely an “off” year.  So many friends skipped this year, whether for budgetary or logistical reasons, but I did make some good new friends.  (It was especially a pleasure to finally meet composer Jennifer Jolley in person.  It turns out her name suits her.)  The performances of “Xerxes” by the Dekaney High School Band, “Strange Humors” by the Liberty High School Sax Quartet, and “Hymn to a Blue Hour” by Texas A&M (plus the rehearsal lab on the piece with Kevin Sedatole and the Jefferson High School Wind Symphony), were all wonderful.

Normally around this time of year, I’d post a bunch of photos from Midwest, and pictures of Christmas Cheer from around the house.  Not this year, I’m afraid.  Chicago, from a photographic standpoint, was a bust in 2010.  I didn’t have a single “wow” meal (unlike last year, when I had the best meal I’ve ever had), and I took a few pictures, but it wasn’t until it was too late that I realized that my lens was set to manual focus, so everything is horribly blurry.

Here at the house, we’ve fallen behind on the Christmas decorating.  I was swamped before Midwest, rushing to fill orders before people left for holiday break, and now AEJ is putting in 12 hours a day working on grad school applications, so although the trees (yes, we have multiple Christmas trees) are up, they aren’t decorated.

That didn’t stop us from buying a few ornaments, though.  One, in particular is… well, you’ll see.  From the front or side, it’s a perfectly nice glass deer.

But from, ahem, behind… I mean, WTF?!

On that note!
It’s that time of year once again. For the sixth year in a row, I present to you:

The most fantastically awful performance ever of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.  (Please don’t direct-link.)

Courtesy of the always dignified Pulitzer Prize and Oscar-winning composer John Corigliano, who first emailed this to me back in 2004 (and emailed it once again just a few days ago).