Petraeus' resignation: you read it here first: ...more brilliance unzipped...by hoisting a petard...

friends, as my fav blogger @malepatternboldness addresses his readers: i haven't ever been unfaithful to any of my husbands. it's a matter of honor. i have watched it in the workplace and sometimes in the neighborhood and i think i understand it pretty well, especially in those with power (absolute or nearly so yielding corruption, that is), as well as those who don't have a commitment to honor either from lack of early training/education or complete bankruptcy of the core. regardless, i'm sorry that it has happened again.

and, although i neither endorse nor appreciate the infidelity, i wish that our society didn't apply our moral values to politics. i really wish that we had a more 'european' approach to this. if Petraeus wants to bonk his biographer, that's a problem for him, his wife, the bonkee and her husband. and the poor kids and extended family members, of course, when it becomes public....

Cockapoo at the Symphony

Maestro Marcelo Lehninger, Music Director

New West Symphony

The Cockapoo, her husband and her mother attended the opening night of the New West Symphony's 18th season Friday night. It was also the debut as Music Director of our new, fabuloso Conductor, Marcelo Lehninger.

Marcelo conducted one of our concerts last year, a last minute stand-in for a European conductor who couldn't get through our visa process (thank you Homeland Security for protecting us against symphony conductors and their batons...you never can tell...) He is young, cute, full of energy and enthusiasm, and a wonderful conductor. Maestro Boris Brott, who ended his long tenure with our orchestra at the end of last season, is sorely missed for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that he is a wonderful conductor and a great guy, but he was ready to move on and has been doing lots of conducting in Europe as well as his normal duties in Canada.

Marcelo is just a treat. Wagner's Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg was their first piece and at the conclusion we gave Marcelo and our terrific orchestra the first of several standing 'Os'. Marcelo could not conceal his delight and his face was lit up with an indelible smile. The second selection of the evening included segments of Barber's Violin Concerto, Opus 14 with Maestra Anne Akiko Meyers playing one of her TWO STRADIVARI. She was (and i hate to overuse this word, but there is no other) FABULOUS and so is her violin. Tall, lithe, gorgeous, she was almost as tall as our Marcelo when he was standing on the podium (i will say no more about height, size definitely does not matter in this context). Seeing Marcelo and Ms. Meyers, as well as the incredibly talented members of the orchestra was like seeing a group of music prodigies gathered for an evening of music for their own enjoyment: they obviously loved each other's company and the music they produced proved it. The Barber was followed by another standing 'O' and Ms. Meyers was returned to the stage a couple of times before she motioned with her bow that she would play an encore. She announced that she would play 'Over the Rainbow' and i wish all of you could have heard it. I think Judy G would have been satisfied to listen....

Anne Akiko Meyers and one of her Stradivari

after intermission, where there was NO WINE on sale (hope that is not a trend), Marcelo and the orchestra returned to play selections from Dvorak's Symphony #8 in G Major, Opus 88. it was wonderful, also, i'm obviously running out of superlatives. if you live in Ventura County or the West end of Los Angeles, you can hear this concert tonight at Thousand Oaks Performing Arts and tomorrow in Santa Monica.

because of my husb's mobility problems, we leave immediately after the final piece so that we can avoid jostling crowds and traffic jams. as we were leaving, in the midst of yet another standing 'O', the audience broke out into laughter and i think Marcelo may have kissed Danielle Belen, our concertmistress, another FABULOUS violinist. i'm not sure, will have to check with friends up the street who are also season ticket holders.

for those who aren't current ticket holders, tickets for individual concerts are now on sale and the next one is scheduled for the wknd of 2 thru 4 Nov, Verdi, Puccini and Mendelssohn with Dina Kuznetsova, Soprano.

join us! people of all ages and all descriptions attend in all three venues (Friday concerts take place at Oxnard Perf Arts on Hobson Way). i'm of the levis and sandals ilk but some people dress up--you'll fit in, no matter what.

Friends, and I love it when people start their posts with 'friends:' it's  been a month since I've posted and my excuse is that I have run afoul of Blogger's 'labels' rules. I am frustrated...

Anyway, if there is any doubt about my proclivities: 

but, to be ecumenical, here are pix from our trip to Reagan Library (Disney Archives exhibit, don't you know):

my Mom with two of her favorite Americans, and

one of my favorite objects in Ventura County (not my wonderful son, on the left), but the chunk of the Berlin Wall that is installed just west of the entrance to the Library. For some reason, of all the items on display, and I was there for the opening, on duty, in uniform, ready to defend my Prez and my Sheriff, if necessary, I love this piece of the Wall most of all. It represents something to all of us: I don't think one person whether American or otherwise is responsible for the fall of the Wall but I'm glad it's gone and I'm glad I can stand in front of a piece of it.

and, actually, I'm really glad that we have the Library in our County and I am irritated to hear that there are adults here who have not visited, even, dare I say it, Republicans????

Anyway, regardless of your choices, please vote on Tuesday. We're lucky here in SoCal because our weather is good and lots of us are working or have retirement income...let's get out and exercise our rights as citizens and cast those ballots on Tuesday. 

Happy, happy, happy, as my new favorite reality show characters, the Robertsons of North Louisiana, say...