days_unfolding: (Default)
days_unfolding ([personal profile] days_unfolding) wrote2004-11-28 03:42 am

Downtown San Jose

My mom really wanted to experience an earthquake. (For me, the glamour wore off after Loma Prieta.) She found out that the Tech Museum had an earthquake simulator, so off we went to go do earthquakes. The exhibit simulated several earthquakes, including Northridge and Loma Prieta. The Loma Prieta one seemed close to what I remember, except that I remembered it going on much longer. Amazing how terror can distort time. A railing banged into my back, so I got off for a while, and my mom joined me. We then got back on for Northridge and Loma Prieta again. (My mom decided that those two were the scariest quakes.)

We then went to check out the new San Jose-SJSU library. I love it. The place is full of little features, such as outlets for laptops, that make it really useable. It's also a very attractive building. I checked out several opera-related books. (I'm trying to check books that I'll only read once out of the library rather than buying them.)

We then went to see the Christmas concert by the San Jose Symphonic Choir. It's a large choir, with 110 people. It's an excellent, very professional choir. They also had a soloist (soprano) who had one of the most beautiful voices that I've heard live. My only complaint is they seemed to make a huge fuss over the soloist at the expense of the choir.

It isn't a chorus that I'm likely to try out for because they travel a lot. They do one overseas trip every year. As fun as that sounds, it could easily conflict with my work. Several other choruses are having concerts in December, so I'm going to attend them and do fun research.

[identity profile] papoose.livejournal.com 2004-11-28 08:20 am (UTC)(link)
Earthquake simulator? Amazing.

The choir sounds like fun. Sounds like you had a nice visit?

[identity profile] days-unfolding.livejournal.com 2004-11-28 01:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, it's been a nice visit. My mom will be here for a couple more days.

[identity profile] bandicoot.livejournal.com 2004-11-28 09:58 am (UTC)(link)
Somehow I've never been temped to seek out that simulator and try it. Wonder why ;)

[identity profile] days-unfolding.livejournal.com 2004-11-28 01:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Me neither. I think that I blocked its existence out of my mind -;) It's actually not so bad if you know that the shaking is coming and that nothing will fall on you.