quote:

Originally posted by dolmansaxlil:
1. What is your guilty pleasure, food wise?
2. If you were having a dinner party for 10 of your favourite people from WTF, what would you serve?

(I'm hungry. Can you tell?)

3. You said you've visited Canada. Where'd you go? Are we as goofy as tv makes us out to be?

My guilty pleasure is European style breakfast. Bread, rolls, cheese, salami, ect. I have serious problems controlling myself when I'm in Europe with all these things. I'm very bad about it! I particularly like Southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria in this regard because of the variety of choices - soft cheeses from France and more selection of breads; all of which are incredibly fresh and displayed perfectly with that pure butter and delicious coffee (fresh cream!) ouch!

Dinner party? I would let Mrs. Beacon cook. She always uses all-natural ingredients and really knows how to cook. No heavy sauces or glazes, but grilled vegetables and meats along with a large, fresh salad always with surprises! Homemade dressings and something small and sweet for desert! Maybe even homemade pumpkin pie? Incidentally, she cooks like this every night. I'm not kidding. Dieting is easy with her in control of the kitchen and no bread and cheese around!

Canada, hmm...

I've done some singing in Canada. National Arts Centre in Ottawa - very nice city I've only seen in winter (gotta love that ice skating) I sometimes work with a teacher in Toronto, so I've spent some time there. Also briefly visited London and Windsor (friends in London and singing in Windsor) The best time I had in Canada was the Summer I spent at the Banff Centre as a 20th Century Song recitalist. I was there several months and very much enjoyed the mountains. I think I did the summits of most of the major peaks in the area. Rundle, Cascade, Sanson, and Sulfer mountains. I loved Banff, and after I was finished, I took highway 1 (I think?) West eventually dipping down into Seattle. Great summer.

quote:

Originally posted by Jack Frost:
Is there any "popular" music you like?

Are you excited about the newly remastered Beatles cd's coming out this month?

jf

I like some popular music - I don't "love" much popular music, however. I still couldn't name the four Beatles when Mrs. Beacon and I got married, but she soon changed that. She's a big fan of 80s Rock & Roll and soon I was forced to listen to Guns & Roses and all sorts of stuff. I guess my big beef with a lot of pop music is that it's so incredibly simple in regards to form and harmony, that it bores me after awhile. Then you mix in a lot of the contemporary cynical lyrics and voila!! You have forgettable pouty music designed to hold even a non-musician's interest for barely a couple of weeks. It's like the musical equivalent of planned obsolescence. This type of music is more celebrity driven than anything else and is probably most useful for working out in the gym because of its beat. I think most pop music that ends up sticking around does so more because of individual life associations with it rather than it's music quality.

Example? I can throw on the soundtrack to Breakfast Club and it takes me back to my high school feelings and associations to get something from it - however, as music? It stinks.

quote:

Originally posted by Beacon Chris:
however, as music? It stinks.

But....tell us how you really feel about it!!!

(BTW, I agree with much of what you said)

Tee hee - is London/Windsor the most boring stretch of countryside ever? I live smack dab between the two of them just off the 401.

Oooh - Mrs. Beacon can cook for me any time! Sounds delish! And I think I would share your love of the European style breakfast. There is nothing better than good fresh bread and cheeses.

The Spitzer thread got me thinking about asking:

Have you ever accepted money for....

nevermind

quote:

Originally posted by Beacon Chris:
Countries I've visited, hmm... pretty much every country in the former Western Europe except Spain and Norway. The former Eastern European countries I've visited include the Czech Republic, Hungary, and briefly Poland (the train ride hardly counts.) My favorite places in Europe include central and northern Sweden, the Schwartzwald region of Germany, all of Switzerland (special emphasis on the Interlaken area), Paris, Tuscany, Prague and Vienna.

Other places visited... Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Canada, - going to Brazil this December.

Never been to Asia! I'd love to go to Japan! China sounds interesting as well...

Wow, you are very well-traveled! (A lot of WTFers seem to be though, interestingly enough. Or maybe I just don't get out out of the country enough!)

If you ever put Japan on your travel itinerary, be sure to include some smallers places, get away from Tokyo and see some less visited areas.

P.S. You and your wife sing together, that is wonderful! My husband has a really nice singing voice, and I have always wanted to do something like he sings and I accompany, but we haven't really yet (except for when I recorded Lennon's Happy Xmas in 3 tracks, me on piano, Mr SK on back vocals etc. That was fun, and his voice was probably the best part of the recording!)

What were you like in HS, doing your kinda music stuff while others listened to pop music?

You mentioned a five year old and "kids". Can you tell us a little about them?

quote:

Originally posted by dolmansaxlil:
Tee hee - is London/Windsor the most boring stretch of countryside ever? I live smack dab between the two of them just off the 401.

Oooh - Mrs. Beacon can cook for me any time! Sounds delish! And I think I would share your love of the European style breakfast. There is nothing better than good fresh bread and cheeses.

I've been to London via Toronto and Windsor via Detroit. I've not driven between the two. My recollection is that there were a lot of limestone houses in London and that it was really quite nice...

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:

quote:

Originally posted by Beacon Chris:
Countries I've visited, hmm... pretty much every country in the former Western Europe except Spain and Norway. The former Eastern European countries I've visited include the Czech Republic, Hungary, and briefly Poland (the train ride hardly counts.) My favorite places in Europe include central and northern Sweden, the Schwartzwald region of Germany, all of Switzerland (special emphasis on the Interlaken area), Paris, Tuscany, Prague and Vienna.

Other places visited... Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Canada, - going to Brazil this December.

Never been to Asia! I'd love to go to Japan! China sounds interesting as well...

Wow, you are very well-traveled! (A lot of WTFers seem to be though, interestingly enough. Or maybe I just don't get out out of the country enough!)

If you ever put Japan on your travel itinerary, be sure to include some smallers places, get away from Tokyo and see some less visited areas.

SK,

Tell me where I should visit! You sound like a wonderful source of info on this. I'm sure I'll go someday - hopefully sooner rather than later.

quote:

Originally posted by lilylady:
What were you like in HS, doing your kinda music stuff while others listened to pop music?

LL, I attended a very small high school (55 in my graduating class) out on the front range. As far as music went, the town was not cultural at all - tough problem for me. I was constantly ridiculed for my musical interest (by teachers as well as students). I was also very much into philosophy at that point in my life (still like it - obviously) and so it's not a stretch to say that friends were few and far in between. I started with some college courses my Senior year of high school in the mornings and it was a huge difference. The college students were very interesting and were great friends from the start.

Now that I think about it, high school was pretty much a social disaster for me! Also, thinking back, I had my favorite teachers who were brilliant, but I also had teachers whom I knew were unqualified (the basketball coach teaching history for example) and they knew I knew. I thought of them more as peers than as teachers - I couldn't help it, it's just the way it was and I think I made them feel uncomfortable.

I remember when I quit band at the end of my Junior year and the band director came out to visit me at my house and ask me why. I ran down a list of job performance problems I had with her class and musical issues where she needed help. She was just not qualified, and that was that. She actually quit and became a guidance counselor - ran into her years later and she was so happy about that day when we spoke.

Now that I have kids, it's interesting to think about. My oldest is very precocious in a lot the same way. I'm just trying to guide it in a positive direction.

quote:

Tell me where I should visit! You sound like a wonderful source of info on this. I'm sure I'll go someday - hopefully sooner rather than later.

Well, of course, if you really like big cities, then Tokyo is not to be missed. And if you're going to go to the trouble of going all the way to Japan, you probably want to go to a few of the traditional tourist spots (they're on everyone's list because they're worth visiting) like Kyoto and Nara. Then you might want to figure out somewhere to go that's a little less touristy, where you could experience more of the "everyday Japan."

Hmm.. where should you go? Now that I opened my big mouth, I'm not sure what to say!! To some semi-rural Japanese inn where you could hike in some mountains and visit a few onsens?? (note to self, do not become a travel agent!)

Just read Doug's post in the Hey Doug thread. What you need BC, is a host family! (or some thing like that). That is probably the best way to get to know a country. (umm, probably not what you were looking for...)

quote:

Originally posted by rustyfingers:
You mentioned a five year old and "kids". Can you tell us a little about them?

Well, RF?

All I can say is that they keep us busy. The oldest is 5 1/2 and is a boy, the middle 3 and also a boy, and the youngest is 21 months and a darling little girl. All three show musical talent and a lot of intelligence. My oldest is very energetic and tough to keep up with. He's an athletic kid and extremely competitive. He's smart, witty, scientific, and musical. I love him to death but I watch him like a hawk!

My middle is the sweet one. Loves to snuggle and look into your eyes. He has an extreme interest in trains at this point and is ALWAYS talking about them. He loves to carry on discussions with himself and he's a huge hit with the girls at pre-school. Both boys are going to be heart-breakers.

My daughter is my darling. As soon as I enter the house every evening she runs to me and wants to be picked up. She then insists on spending the rest of the evening with me. Even if I'm playing with the boys, I'm holding her while I'm doing so. She sits in my lap while I eat dinner and she picks up food off my plate and puts it in my mouth. I can never imagine a more beautiful person. I'm really looking forward to watching her grow up. I read her to bed almost every night and in fact, she doesn't let anyone else do it if I'm home. One more thing, at 21 months, she sings to herself in her crib after I leave the room in the evenings. Her pitch is spot on! The little voice melts my heart. I can't stand it, it's so sweet.

Anyway, sorry to gush. Love those little ones.