Comp Day

I realized the other day that I've worked for three straight weekends. This Saturday was my department's annual all-day leadership workshop for chapter and club leaders from across that state. It took two hours to set up the room and two hours afterwards to pack it all up. Uff da!

The Saturday work day was preceded by an awesome concert the night before. Wasn't expecting Jamie Cullum to be as energetic as he was onstage -- he ran around, jumped up and down, sang, and played the piano for over two hours. It's funny, I have both his albums, but together I don't think they make up two hours; what made the concert really long were the improv jam sessions on the piano, sax, trumpet, and drums. The visual effects were pretty good --black and white live camera shots of the piano keys and the microphone. I knew he was a good pianist and vocalist, but came away from the concert realizing the boy can scat, too.

Treated myself to the usual anything-I-want-for-dinner event, which happens three times a year (after Lobby Day, the spring conference, and this fall training). It was a little harsh, though, since I chose the old bar and grill stomping grounds which closed and has become a slightly pretentious Mediterranean place.

Watched Valmont. I hadn't realized it was Dangerous Liaisons, I just knew it had Colin Firth in it. The book is a good 200 years old, so I already knew the DL storyline. The basic story is that Annette Bening's character tries to get revenge on the man who jilted her by having Colin Firth seduce the man's teenage fiancee, who in turn is trying to sneak around with her young music teacher. What was fun to watch was the acting. Annette Bening is just brilliant at being diabolical, scheming, and two-faced. The teenagers do a great job of being doe-eyed, not yet cynical kids who are so easily manipulated by the adults in their lives.