Silence is Golden

Monday we had the opportunity to see the Alloy Orchestra as part of the annual OK Mozart music festival. The festival takes place in Bartlesville, but for the first time, organizers decided to include an OKC series with several performances held at the Rose State College Performing Arts Theatre.

The performance was unique and wonderful! Here is a description from the OK Mozart website to explain this outstanding group and the performance:

Alloy Orchestra is a three-man musical ensemble, writing and performing live accompaniment to classic silent films. Working with an outrageous assemblage of peculiar objects, they thrash and grind soulful music from these unlikely sources. Performing at prestigious film festivals and cultural centers in the US and abroad (The Telluride Film Festival, The Louvre, Lincoln Center, The Academy of Motion Pictures and others), Alloy has helped revive some of the great masterpieces of the silent era.

Using 13 differently tuned horseshoes, 157 plumbing pipes, pots, pans, junkyard findings, musical saws, as well as accordions, clarinets, keyboards and drums, The Alloy Orchestra will perform live at the Rose State Performing Arts Theatre. The performers will accompany a screening of Fritz Lang's seminal 1927 film, Metropolis.

I don't think I have ever watched an entire silent film before. Metropolis is a captivating story about a futuristic society full of drone workers who live empty lives that are ruled by the upper class. Even though there are no words, the cast was talented, especially the female lead played by Brigitte Helm. 


The film was brought to life by the musical talent of Alloy Orchestra. Their sound effects and musical scores elevated tense moments in the film and added a flair of whimsy in the lighter scenes. The performance was amazing and one-of-a-kind and fun entertainment to highlight an otherwise boring Monday!

It Came From the Sky

Just about an hour and a half ago, we were sitting at home, watching a show online.

Suddenly something loud hit the roof.  

Thunk.

Then, as if the heavens had opened, it was thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk.

We looked at each other. We looked out the window.
Hail? HAIL!

Quick! Turn on the weather!


It  probably hailed about 10 minutes and appeared to range from quarter size to ping pong ball size to golf ball size.

Luckily the damage was not nearly as bad as the hail storm that hit here a year ago and necessitated new roofs, windows, and even cars.

This storm knocked a lot of limbs and leaves loose from the trees and Tom's old car took a few dings, too. Luckily we had the newer, nicer car parked in the garage.

Wedding Recap

I went to a wedding this weekend in the Joplin, MO area. My husband's cousin's daughter was the bride and it was a big celebration of many of my in-laws. Luckily, they are a good group to be around!

It was a lovely wedding and a very fun reception, even if my low-quality cell phone pictures don't quite do it justice! The reception was held at a beautifully renovated building in downtown Joplin. The space had an art-deco vibe and was the perfect location for a wedding reception.

Pre-wedding pic with my mother-in-law

Loved the bows on the cake

Sweet bride who was a Dancing Queen!

The hubby's aunt and her husband showing the crowd how to dance

Mother-in-law got to catch up with  Mother of the Bride (also mother of 6!)

Hubby's brother dutifully posing with Art for a pic during the reception

Friday Flashback

Circa 1982 or 1983

I have been thinking a lot recently about my beloved grandfather. He was the best grandfather a girl could ever ask for and even though he has been gone for five years now, I miss him so much sometimes. 

Love you, grandpa!

A Countdown

ten
Days until Father's Day

nine

Home playoff games I attended this season for the OKC Thunder

eight

Miles between my house and my job

seven

Times I have moved since graduating college in 2004

six

Pairs of high-heeled sandals I own

five

Years of wedded bliss we will celebrate in January 2012

four

Weeks until my favorite holiday - 4th of July

three

Surgeries I have had in my life - tonsils, gallbladder, and retina

two

Televisions in our house

one

Cell phone number I have had since I got my first cell phone in 1997

zero

Bones I have broken in my life

Miscellaneous Monday Musings

Well, I am happy to report we are surviving just fine over here at the cable-free house. So far we are very happy with our decision to cut cable, and we haven't even resorted to organizing our bathroom cabinets or trimming the lawn with scissors!

**********

When I come across internet slang or text speak that I don't know, it makes me feel so un-hip and old. I learned a new-to-me expression just the other day:

*g* means grin

Did you know that? Am I the only one? I am almost thirty, you know.

Thanks to my dear friend Google, I found this website so I don't have to feel like such a loser anymore. Maybe it can help you, too!

**********

Did you have an American Girl doll growing up? These got popular sometime during my elementary school years. I came across this blog post that explains What Your American Girl Doll Says About the Rest of Your Life.

I  never read the American Girl books - I was more of a Babysitter's Club fan - but I secretly wanted an American Girl doll! I don't think I ever asked for one because I knew it would be a financial hardship for my parents to buy me one.

Anyway, I thought it was funny that the blog post described people who had no American Girl doll as follows:
You grew up to be financially independent, level-headed, unspoiled, and still just a little bit resentful whenever you walk by American Girl Place.

Hmmm, I guess that sort of sounds like me.

Which American Girl doll did you have? Or were you a have-not like me?

Pulling the Plug

Yesterday was a momentous day in our household.

We finally took the plunge and cancelled the cable subscription.

It was something we have been talking about for a long time now around here. We don't have a lot of must-watch television shows, but the main sticking point (especially for the husband) has been sports.

But with the end of the NBA season drawing near and the re-run wasteland that is summer television, now seemed like the perfect time to cut cable.

But, don't worry! Of course, we aren't going completely television-free! We're not Amish!

Home-made HDTV antenna (pic taken by the hubby)

We have a computer connected to our main television which will allow us to watch anything that is available online for free through sites like Hulu or YouTube. Also, we can get the broadcast stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, FOX, etc) using an HDTV antenna my husband made (instructions available online here). Plus, we have a Netflix instant streaming subscription for those desperate times when we are bored out of our minds.

Maybe getting rid of cable will keep us from watching too much television. It will definitely save a few dollars each month. I hope we can stick with it!

Have you cut cable? Any advice?