After having written last Sunday, the remainder of the day was dedicated to solving a Microeconomics assignment and a brief break. On Sunday afternoon, Hiro, Zina, Youngmin (another of our cohort members) and I walked from our office out to Alumni Hall (another building on campus) and attended a performance of the University of Western Ontario's student symphony which featured its Concerto Competition winner, a talented pianist named Timothy. The concerto, Saint-Saëns's Piano Concerto No.2, was superb! The orchestra and pianist put on quite a virtuoso spectacle. It made the follicles on my freshly-shaven legs stand on end, and everyone threw themselves up into a roar of applause and a standing ovation at the closing bar. I was impressed. I was particularly impressed because where the concert was hosted was not at all impressive. Where at UVic such a concert would have been hosted at the University Auditorium, with a gigantic stage and scenic backdrop (an organ), this one was hosted in what seemed to be a huge gymnasium with a stage at the front. There were also rows of theatre-like seats kind of across the gymnasium floor from the stage (so the gym floor was sandwiched between the stage and the rows of theatre-like seats). The gym floor was covered with bright blue plastic - perhaps to prevent the chairs that had been set up there from scratching the gym floor. We sat in those chairs because they were closest to the orchestra and the piano. Then the background on the stage was also somewhat bizarre. It was a large number of greyish panels that were straight across the back and kind of curved into the stage at the sides. And from the ceiling of the stage hung different colors of cloths, like banners, in various widths of trapezoids. It was all very tacky and unappealing and nonsensical. To say the least, it was a strange juxtaposition to the classical and romantic music we were going to hear. Before the concert started I thought to myself that UWO puts emphasis on its sports, and so when it has to host an artistic performance, it just does so in its sports halls. This must be the case, but it doesn't mean its art is poor. The orchestra was in fact very good, and the pianist - he was great! The only thing I can critique was the last piece that the orchestra played. It was Brahms' fourth Symphony and perhaps quite a challenging piece for an orchestra that had likely only been preparing together a couple of months. The opening section of the first movement had some strange-sounding areas and I'm pretty sure the violins were a bit flat, but it got better as it went along and finished with a bang. Overall it was a perfect break from a heavy week (and weekend) of work.
The rest of the week went by calmly but with growing, bubbling nerves in our stomachs because this upcoming week has two midterms: "Economic Mathematics" and "Econometrics" (which is really Statistics and Mathematical Statistic Theory right now). The upcoming week was supposed to have three midterms but our Microeconomics professor told us that that if we all reached a consensus, we could have the midterm moved to one week later, and finally the consensus was reached. Phew!
I went to a beautiful concert on Wednesday evening, too. It was the "London Orchestra" concert that was held at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral downtown. It was beautiful and the main reason I wanted to go was because the performance was to include Mozart's Piano Concerto No.23, possibly my favourite (I don't know them all yet...) but that piece was the weakest on the program... at least in my opinion. There was too much reverberation in the piano's notes (perhaps due to the pianist, perhaps due to the acoustics of the cathedral) and the second movement was played perhaps a hair too fast for my liking. Still it was a treat, and we got student-rate tickets. This time I went with Hiro, Peter, and we met Sunghoon there (more people from my program). We actually claimed a pew as the Economics pew (among the four of us). When we left that evening it was raining and the sky was a dark, cloudy pink, colour. It was very romantic and stunningly beautiful.
Thursday was a difficult day. Who knows why? Perhaps it was the full moon. Everyone was feeling down and out, and nerves were perhaps flying high. But it got better as the day went along... as it usually does. Also, scholarship applications are still due. I'm late on my SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) application now. I'm frustrated about these applications being mandatory, too, because there is just not enough time to put a reasonable amount of effort into them right now. Midterms and other dire tasks (such as (i) assignment completion and (ii) personal upkeep) take priority. I also have started having brief episodes of homesickness. London is very beautiful and for the most part people are nice, but customer service still appalls me with its lethargy, unnecessarily long waiting times, and the people's listlessness towards clients (and possibly towards life). I shouldn't be so all-encompassing with those statements. Some representatives have been sweet and energetic and helpful, but not many. Also, I miss Victoria's unique, full-of-character coffee shops, its authenticity. Oh! And lest I forget to mention the ocean's absence. I must admit, however, though, the river is equally tantalizing to me... if only it weren't kept at such a distance by the various and many traffic bridges that pass over it. There's really no way of safely being close enough to feel its energy. And of course I miss being close to everyone or anyone who is close to my heart. Don't get me wrong. My cohort here is wonderful and I am very grateful to be part of such a friendly and intelligent and altogether fantastic group, but all that does not entirely make up for being unmistakeably distant from those whom I love and the city that will always hold a precious place in my heart.
My next midterm (Math) is on Monday, so I have to go study for that now, but I hope you have enjoyed my brief and perhaps not all too informative but honest entry for another week.
Until next time...
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