Some Thoughts on Many Things

You might not think so, but singing properly is a VERY physical activity.  It uses your entire body.  After a long lesson, or a good practice session, I feel as though I have had a pretty thorough workout.  A successful recital feels like winning a race or something.  Performing, and knowing I have done well, is a real rush. 
You have to train physically AND mentally to sing properly.  Posture is, of course, very important, for we all know how hard it is to breathe well if you are slouched over.  Breath support must come from deep in the belly, not just your chest.  Yoga breathing is the closest equivalent I can think of.  Singing well will develop a strong core, because your abs have a lot to do to help you keep posture, breath pressure, and therefore sound quality going correctly.

The mental part comes in when you have to remember how to make a certain note come out properly, and how a certain bit of melody goes.  I often find bits of arias wandering through my brain at random times, and lo, and behold, on lesson day, another bump in the road will be ironed out.  My subconscious, my voice coach says, has been chewing on it, and how it goes, and where it goes.

When a piece is particularly challenging, it can exhaust me to sing it through.  I feel sometimes as though I am bringing the sound up from my toes all the way to the top of my head.



So, this week, I've been on vacation from work.  It was our 30th wedding anniversary on Monday, and Matt took that day off, so we spent it together puttering around Bricktown.  Then we went to Norman for dinner, because we wanted to go to the Saltgrass Steakhouse.  It was a very nice anniversary.  I STILL cannot believe we've been married that long.

When I don't have an outside schedule imposed on me, I seem to drift a lot.  One day this week, I goofed around in my pajamas until after noon.  It felt wonderful.
I haven't done as much writing or reading as I wanted to do this week.  Just haven't felt like  it.  Can't settle.  Did several 1 hour sessions on the elliptical, and took quite a few walks.  I think the allergies and the changing seasons are making me uncomfortable and restless.
I also forgot to get my sister's birthday card in the mail.  So I ran out and got a late card today.  Gotta get that out in tomorrow's mail.  I'm just a sneezy, congested basket case.

Have been enjoying immensely Ron Perlman's memoir Easy Street (the hard way).  It is well-written, witty, and charming.  The audio version is a special treat, for not only do you get to hear Ron tell his stories in his own voice, you get to hear his very spot-on impressions of some of his friends and fellow actors.  He has not had an easy life, and his perseverance in the face of some pretty tough obstacles is inspiring.  I am trying to formulate a coherent review to publish in a separate post.  The problem is, I already admire the guy, love him like an extra brother, and this book just makes you love him even more.  He's so honest and forthright in it, painfully so sometimes, and his insights into the entertainment business and how it has changed should be of value to anyone pursuing a career in show business.

Today I got some of the Fall plantings done in the gardens.  Took out the spent marigolds, and added mums and pansies and violas.  Also a couple of dianthus out front to replace some that have died out.  The plants in now should be all right until the first hard freeze or heavy frost.    Should be in about a month, maybe less.

One thing Perlman mentions in his book is taking piano lessons for five years and never practicing.  Well, I did almost as bad.  Took for 10 years and ALMOST never practiced.  Learned to read music, and a good bit of theory, though.  I practiced my piano a bit this week.  VERY rusty, and the piano is due for tuning again, but I can still play, sort of.  (Arthritis hasn't helped the process any, even if it isn't painful, it has effectively shortened my accustomed reach by permanently bending the knuckles on my pinky fingers.) 

We were promised rain this week.  It never materialized.  I am disappointed.  I like sitting in my office and watching it rain while I read.  Sets the mood, helps me settle in and get cozy with what I'm doing.  Hope it doesn't decide to get stormy just in time for my trip to my Mom's.  No fun trying to get connections made when storms are about, and I can't drive home from Houston.  (Have to fly out of Houston again this time, not Dallas like last time.  Houston airport is confusing, but not as big as Dallas, I don't think.  I have a better chance of sprinting for my connecting flight and making it.)

Packing for that trip is another thing I don't look forward to.  Can't mail my stuff ahead like usual, will be taking a carry-on bag that I may have to gate check.  There are work clothes and work shoes at Mom's already.  I just have to take some regular clothes and PJs.  I hate to travel.  I am the classic example of George Carlin's bit about having to make a smaller version of  "your stuff" to take with you.  If you've never seen that bit, check YouTube.  I'm sure it's there.
In fact, Here's a link!

That's me all over.  Abject panic over being able to come up with a small enough version of "my stuff" in order to survive the trip. My Verizon tablet is a life saver in this regard.  I have a lot of books on my Nook and my Kindle apps that I can download to the tablet, and I can also download more on go if I need to.  The tablet connects to my wireless service, so I don't have to have Wi-Fi to use it.  Now I can travel with LOTS of books. I can also have access to my social media via the tablet or my phone.  (Can read on the phone too, but not as easily.)  I will also have an ebook version of Easy Street available to me.  It will be downloaded before I have to travel.  (I'm not an addict, I swear.  It's just that good, and so many familiar stories fleshed out and put in context is very helpful to a long-time fan.)

Hoping my singing voice does not desert me because of allergies or crud I might be exposed to on my trip.  I have several things I am working on, including a very amusing little aria that goes well with my Halloween costume.  I hope to sing it for my friends at a party, but we'll see.  The aria is in English, so people will at least be able to understand it. (Comedy should always be in the local language, my voice coach says...) 

Just so many things batting around in my brain right now, not being still long enough for me to deal with them effectively.  Life is often like this.  Just have to ride it out and see where I land.  It's usually a pretty good place.