I have finally gotten over the sniffles I've had for the last week. One side effect that I often have with a cold is that I start to sound exactly like Tallulah Bankhead. I never realized it until I was in my early 20s and my Mom said, "You sound just like Tallulah Bankhead!" She was right. I've recently watched Lifeboat again, and oh, my, yes, when I have a cold, I sound like her. Darling, bear with me, I've had one martini already.
Over the years I've had a bit of fun, but also frustration, with sounding like Tallulah. I don't like it when she shows up near a time I have to sing. I can't sing bass, Darling, I'm a SOPRANO!
I have fun when I answer the phone at the library. People always pause, like they wonder if they've dialed a VERY wrong number! Well, "Tallulah voice" is rather sexy and suggestive... Not on purpose, though.
I had an interesting week this week. First FULL week of Summer Reading, and we managed to stay caught up with the checkins! I also survived a committee meeting, and catching up with the ILLs. Found out that a coworker is leaving. and nobody told me. Guess I was out of town when it was decided. Will miss her! She's been a stalwart worker and a fellow Whovian!
I have also dealt with my fountain pens this week. I wrote a post about them, and have ordered and already received new cartridges for the Cross pens and the Waterman pens. (Waterman cartridges will fit the pens Matt made for me as well.)
Last week I sent another story off to the folks who may publish it online. Haven't heard if or when yet. Getting a little antsy, but I can wait.
I had good news this week. The lump I found under a bruise on my left breast was indeed caused by the bruise. By the time I got in for the mammogram, I could no longer find the lump, and the mammogram confirmed that nothing is there, and indeed nothing new has shown up in either breast. Good news at my age. I lost a colleague and friend a few years ago to breast cancer. Not taking ANY chances with that stuff. Ladies, always have your checkups, and if you've had cancer ALWAYS GO FOR YOUR FOLLOW UPS!! Please take every irregularity seriously and get it checked out!! Most times, like mine, it's really nothing, but it is far better to be safe than sorry!
CONTINUED ON SUNDAY NIGHT>>>
Just finished watching the Tony Awards. Always a great show, like a little Broadway sampler plate to whet your appetite for when the touring companies come to town.
Was very happy to be back at St. Paul's this morning. We've missed two Sundays in a row, one for the convention in Houston, and last week because we were both afflicted with that sinus cold. That church is a truly comforting place, so full of love, and so full of loving people. Going there always makes me feel better.
I made some more buttons today, mostly just for fun. I now have one that says "Strait Outta Compton Yup. I left in 1974" and an Opus using the "mental floss" - figured that one would be very necessary during the campaign season. Now to find a place to put them on the library lanyard...
Dear God, please take the hot flashes away. I am getting very weary of suddenly feeling as though I am going to turn into a puddle of sweat. Feels like I am burning up from the inside out. I haven't been sleeping so well lately because of them.
Some day SOON I have to clean up this office again. Things are piling up on me. It's a matter of lack of organization and storage space. (Also, too much stuff that really should be thrown away...)
So very saddened by the events in Orlando yesterday. Sad for the Islamic community that their holy month of Ramadan has been disrupted by this one idiot's act of violence, very sad for the LGBT community that now has even more fear and stress to deal with. As I posted on my Facebook page: To all my LGBT friends, you are loved. I love you for who you are, and I always will. You are supported in your struggles. Don't lose hope.
Saw a very good tweet re ISIS yesterday. ISIS is to Islam as Torquemada and the Inquisition were to Christianity.
Basically a bunch of nutcases on a violent witch hunt.Only ISIS isn't really sanctioned by any governing body of Islam. Alas, Torquemada was sanctioned by Rome.
Time to tie this one up, folks.
Remember that we are all of us related to one another on this planet. Can't avoid it, we all came from the same raw materials, we share some genetics with every other human on this ball of mud. As Captain Kirk once said on Star Trek, the only thing in the whole universe that's really ours is the rest of humanity. Please, let's learn to love each other before it's too late.
Showing posts with label singing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label singing. Show all posts
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Trying Another Story
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| Madame Skye, our own Opera Cat |
I decided to try another story today. This one is called Opera Cat, written by Tess Weaver and illustrated by Andrea Wesson.
The book is one I became very fond of once I realized I had an Opera Cat. Though our Madame Skye couldn't sing, she enjoyed hearing me sing opera, and would appear, and make commentary or faces depending upon what and how I sang. The song featured in this story is by Verdi, but Madame preferred Mozart. In fact, she would only respond to a summons if it was the song "Deh Viene Non Tardar" from Marriage of Figaro. And usually, only if I sang it. I still miss her when I practice, because she was there for every one. She'd come in and sit on a chair or table close to me, and offer her opinion.
Our Opera Cat is very much missed.
I cannot imagine what she'd make of me singing the "Queen of the Night" aria. If ever a temper tantrum were put into song, this is it.
Anyway, without further ado, I give you Opera Cat
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Musing On Soprano Things
I started this journey with my voice 12, almost 13 years ago. The singer I had leaned on a lot was leaving our choir, and I felt insecure. So, I started taking lessons from the same vocal coach that she studied with. This set me on a journey of self discovery that has caused changes in more areas of my life than just my singing.
Friends have commented that I seem to have more confidence in myself, I am less likely to sit back and let others carry conversations. Friends who have heard me sing are also sometimes astonished that it was ME they heard singing.
Twelve years ago, I had a light, unsupported, unremarkable singing voice. Nice enough, OK for choral work, nothing to write home about. Then I started taking voice lessons with Karen Smith-Pearson. I discovered the great literature of Grand Opera, and classics beyond church music. I also discovered some of the great oratorios that I thought would always be beyond my skills. I also rediscovered show tunes.
For my first recital, I sang Oh, What A Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma! . That was very difficult for me, not technically, but as far as my confidence and my nerves were concerned. After it was over, and I realized how well I had truly done, I was energized. The high you get from singing well, and truly feeling it, there is NOTHING like it! I wanted to do it again!
Over the last twelve years, I have worked very hard (with Karen's skillful help and patience) and I have seen my range increase, my voice gain resonance, power, luster, even a little vibrato when needed. Sounds have come out of my mouth that I never, ever thought I could correctly produce.
For recital, I have sung pieces from Mozart, Offenbach, Handel, and Donizetti. I still marvel that I sang the Doll Aria from Tales of Hoffmann and didn't crash and burn.
This last recital, it was a Holiday recital, so I sang a piece from Handel's Messiah. "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion." Karen and I had BOTH had issues with this piece, the runs were a particular challenge. Everything came together at performance time, and it was one of those shining, rare, flying moments when you get lost in the music, and the music takes you up to the heavens. It was truly a great feeling.
Since the recital, I have had another breakthrough with my vocal development. The resonance and depth of my upper register has increased, and I have actually been able to sing a few coloratura pieces without squeaking all the high notes. (The Minnie Mouse on helium effect. NOT desirable.) SO glad to finally be able to get past that pinched off place, at least most of the time. No, now my high notes sound like real, resounding, grown up high notes. At least more often than not.
It DOES do wonders for one's self confidence to know that one has such an instrument of power at one's disposal. My t-shirt that says "Keep calm or I'll use my Opera Voice" is not an idle threat. My opera voice could hurt you. ;-)
I realize that I do not have a great voice, merely a good one, but I have so much more than I ever dreamed I'd have. Practice isn't boring, isn't work, it's a challenge, it's fun, unlike the frustration piano practice always was for me. Singing truly takes me to another place, another time, takes me out of myself, really gives my soul wings.
Make no mistake, singing properly IS work! It can be damned HARD work, but it is SO rewarding! When the notes come out right, when the pinched place finally opens up, the wonders, the joys you can find in that beautiful sound make it all worthwhile. You share that joy and beauty with others, it magnifies it, multiplies it, makes the whole universe shine.
There is still a LOT for me to learn. I told Karen I feel like I'm still trying to learn how to walk in these high heels. This sound isn't secure and locked down yet. Lots more practice required to get the rough edges off, get the muscles used to putting the sound in the right place, get the breath pressure correct.
I am SO looking forward to the process; for I know the end result will be glorious.
The journey continues...
Friends have commented that I seem to have more confidence in myself, I am less likely to sit back and let others carry conversations. Friends who have heard me sing are also sometimes astonished that it was ME they heard singing.
Twelve years ago, I had a light, unsupported, unremarkable singing voice. Nice enough, OK for choral work, nothing to write home about. Then I started taking voice lessons with Karen Smith-Pearson. I discovered the great literature of Grand Opera, and classics beyond church music. I also discovered some of the great oratorios that I thought would always be beyond my skills. I also rediscovered show tunes.
For my first recital, I sang Oh, What A Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma! . That was very difficult for me, not technically, but as far as my confidence and my nerves were concerned. After it was over, and I realized how well I had truly done, I was energized. The high you get from singing well, and truly feeling it, there is NOTHING like it! I wanted to do it again!
Over the last twelve years, I have worked very hard (with Karen's skillful help and patience) and I have seen my range increase, my voice gain resonance, power, luster, even a little vibrato when needed. Sounds have come out of my mouth that I never, ever thought I could correctly produce.
For recital, I have sung pieces from Mozart, Offenbach, Handel, and Donizetti. I still marvel that I sang the Doll Aria from Tales of Hoffmann and didn't crash and burn.
This last recital, it was a Holiday recital, so I sang a piece from Handel's Messiah. "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion." Karen and I had BOTH had issues with this piece, the runs were a particular challenge. Everything came together at performance time, and it was one of those shining, rare, flying moments when you get lost in the music, and the music takes you up to the heavens. It was truly a great feeling.
Since the recital, I have had another breakthrough with my vocal development. The resonance and depth of my upper register has increased, and I have actually been able to sing a few coloratura pieces without squeaking all the high notes. (The Minnie Mouse on helium effect. NOT desirable.) SO glad to finally be able to get past that pinched off place, at least most of the time. No, now my high notes sound like real, resounding, grown up high notes. At least more often than not.
It DOES do wonders for one's self confidence to know that one has such an instrument of power at one's disposal. My t-shirt that says "Keep calm or I'll use my Opera Voice" is not an idle threat. My opera voice could hurt you. ;-)
I realize that I do not have a great voice, merely a good one, but I have so much more than I ever dreamed I'd have. Practice isn't boring, isn't work, it's a challenge, it's fun, unlike the frustration piano practice always was for me. Singing truly takes me to another place, another time, takes me out of myself, really gives my soul wings.
Make no mistake, singing properly IS work! It can be damned HARD work, but it is SO rewarding! When the notes come out right, when the pinched place finally opens up, the wonders, the joys you can find in that beautiful sound make it all worthwhile. You share that joy and beauty with others, it magnifies it, multiplies it, makes the whole universe shine.
There is still a LOT for me to learn. I told Karen I feel like I'm still trying to learn how to walk in these high heels. This sound isn't secure and locked down yet. Lots more practice required to get the rough edges off, get the muscles used to putting the sound in the right place, get the breath pressure correct.
I am SO looking forward to the process; for I know the end result will be glorious.
The journey continues...
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Friends Out Of The Ether
, I went to a Halloween party. It was also a "club" meeting of sorts. I got to meet two more of my online friends in person, and reconnect with two others. That's the five of us in that picture, with me in the middle, evidently discovering something in Easy Street (the Hard Way) that I missed the first time.
Yes, we are some of the #Perlgirls. We are all fans of Ron Perlman, and most of us have met him. The fact that we have other interests in common, and that we have fun whenever we get together made this a very interesting weekend.
So much of social media is dismissed as being phony or shallow. Well, some of it may well be, but sometimes you find real and wonderful friends there. I have. These ladies are dear to me, we've had long online chats, and now, in person chats. We've laughed together, and pulled each other through sad times, too. All because we found each other due to our mutual affection for a certain craggy faced actor with a warm, loving heart.
The trip was fun, but also a bit stressful. My husband and I had a six hour drive to Austin for the party, and I-35 is VERY much under construction in many places along the way. I am thankful my husband is such a good sport, and such a good driver After all, these weren't HIS friends we were going to meet. He did enjoy himself though, and both of us met some really fun and interesting people at that party.
We have decided that while we think Austin is a beautiful city, we also find it to be one of the most confusing places we've ever been. With all the road construction going on, it is VERY easy to get lost. (At least for us.) The sad saga of us ending up at the wrong hotel the first time, and TWO long, frustrating treks through rush hour and construction congestion is best left at that. It was probably my fault. I probably touched the wrong address selection on Google Maps when offered the options. Everyone we met in Austin was friendly and pleasant, and even the crowds we encountered seemed good natured and easy going.
We had a nice trip home, once we got clear of the last big construction zone. We made our traditional stop at the Davis CTS so we could buy some more Bedree chocolate. (Also, that must be the nicest, cleanest, friendliest travel center on all of I-35.) Anytime we travel that far south on I-35, the CTS is a mandatory stop! As always, the familiar sights near home are always welcome after being away. Perhaps it is because I hadn't been back home all that long after my last trip away before going on this one.
Most remarkable thing about my trip was that I traveled to another state for a whole week earlier this month with just my small carry-on bag and my purse. For this trip, because it involved a costume party, I had my small carryon, my makeup case, a garment bag, my laptop bag, and two shopping bags. When I have to get all dolled up, I need LOTS of backup! (Well, I AM over 50, and spackle, I mean makeup, takes up a lot of space.) Didn't need any makeup to go do yard work at my Mom's.
I've been letting this post marinate for awhile. I knew I wasn't quite finished, that there was more I had to process and percolate before I could finish it.
One big result of the preparation and completion of the costume for this trip is that I have started caring about my appearance again. I had been being lazy, and truthfully, rather depressed about my aging self until this costume caused me to work with makeup again. I have to make the time to put it on, and I have to take better care of my skin, but those are things I used to do all the time, I just gave up awhile back.
Since meeting these ladies, and especially since reading Ron's book Easy Street (the Hard Way) , I have been conscious of all the things I stopped doing, and examining the REAL reason I stopped. I didn't stop using makeup because I really decided I looked better without it, I stopped because I got lazy. I decided it didn't MATTER how I looked, I didn't matter that much, nobody looked at me. Did not even realize I had been thinking that way until reading Easy Street made me look at how I've been dealing with life. (Or rather NOT dealing with it.) Since I've started this process, I've been more careful about choosing the things I do or don't do. I have to clean out more stuff around here as part of all that. Matt and I both need to cull out the junk that is cluttering up our lives (and our house!)
I find that caring about my appearance gives me more confidence, I feel more capable. I know it doesn't really change anything, but the psychological boost is real. Working out and taking care of my body has been making big changes in how I feel about myself for more than a year now. I have managed to lose and keep off about 25 pounds. I lost more than 30, some crept back on, and I am in the process of losing it and keeping it off. But this is the longest I have sustained a weight loss ever.
I am stronger, have more stamina, can sing better (when my sinuses cooperate!) and I look better than I have in a long time! I have less energy on the days I don't exercise, and I find it harder to fall asleep on those days, for some reason.
Last week some dear friends told me they'd seen a change in me over the last few years, especially since I started doing really well with the voice lessons. Perhaps the fact that I had found something I could stick with, something I felt real joy doing, gave me more confidence. I don't know. Always before in my life, there would be something I would prepare for, and try to do, and fail at. Singing became a source of hard work that paid off. It is spilling over into other parts of my life now. I am taking on more challenges at work, I am writing more, too. Also, even five years ago, I probably wouldn't have made the trip to Dallas to meet Ron, let alone this trip to Austin to meet the other girls. There just seems to be more of a willingness to do things and try things than I've ever had before. I had become very risk-averse, and while I still wouldn't want to make any BIG changes, I at least have the courage to take the small steps. I was frozen before.
So, thank you to Karen Smith-Pearson, my voice coach, for helping me find out that I DO have a voice, and that it is worth hearing. Thanks to my long suffering husband Matthew, who has put up with all my fears, trepidations, and enthusiasms for more than 30 years now. Thanks to the rest of the #Perlgirls, especially Mary, Kelly, Jana, Fi, and Mallory for helping me break out of my shell a bit.
Thanks to the man himself, too. The light you shed on this world reaches farther than you think, Mr. Perlman!
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| The Owl Woman |
Friday, September 26, 2014
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
With A Voice Of Singing...
"With a voice of singing declare ye, and tell this; utter it even to the end of the earth. Hallelujah!" - from the anthem "With a Voice Of Singing" by Kenneth Jennings
The lyric above is from a choral anthem that we have sung at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral on a few occasions. It is a lovely anthem, has some beautiful harmonies in it. Matt and I have been in the Cathedral Choir since July of 1995. We tried out for the choir at the urging of another member. We had been attending regularly since the bombing of the Murrah Building in April. We had attended sporadically before that since we had arrived in Oklahoma in June of 1993. When the bombing happened, so close to the church, we decided that we had better get ourselves back in the habit of regular church attendance, and we should make ourselves useful members of the congregation.
So, for almost 20 years, we have been with these gifted musicians, week in and week out, over every major holiday, singing and being blessed in doing so.
When you sing with someone for many years, your voices blend, merge, fill in the gaps for one another almost seamlessly. Lou and I have been singing next to each other for 18 years now, and we sound like one voice when we sing together. Leah hasn't been with us as long, but already she is blending with us so well that we still sound like one voice. Many times now, I will sing 1st with Leah, and Lou will sing the 2nd Soprano line with Mary. Such long association even helps with harmonies. It's like we can feel our way around each other and the music somehow.
Our rehearsal this evening was a wonderful reaffirmation for me of how much I have learned, and how well we all work together. Most of the pieces were familiar, and we picked them right up. The one that we more or less sight read was not as difficult as we thought it might be. All still need practice and polish, but we knew what we were supposed to sing, and could find the notes. And I did this with a scratchy throat from allergies. I have decided it isn't a cold, because antihistamine makes it almost completely go away. Colds are unfazed by the antihistamine usually. Also, the grass and ragweed pollens are off the scale this week. I wasn't always so sensitive to them but since they tested me, and I came up slightly sensitive, I'm feeling like maybe I'm now MORE sensitive to those pollens.
At any rate, I am very grateful to still be able to sing. Singing makes me feel so good, lets my spirit soar, and when I lose my voice, it is extremely frustrating. Not just for the progress I lose in my voice training, but for the fact that I cannot let myself soar with the music when my voice is gone. I miss the communion of sound when we sing with the choir, I can't bear to be in church if I can't sing. Singing is such a big part of our worship in the Episcopal Church.
Our church has an entire page of the website devoted to our music. Here are a couple of things from that page:
O Come Thou Sweet Redeeming Fire sung by our Cathedral Choir. (Lou and I were singing First Soprano.)
A photo of Lou and I in the loft singing :
 |
| The Reading of the Gospel, sometimes sung, in the midst of the people. |
The lyric above is from a choral anthem that we have sung at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral on a few occasions. It is a lovely anthem, has some beautiful harmonies in it. Matt and I have been in the Cathedral Choir since July of 1995. We tried out for the choir at the urging of another member. We had been attending regularly since the bombing of the Murrah Building in April. We had attended sporadically before that since we had arrived in Oklahoma in June of 1993. When the bombing happened, so close to the church, we decided that we had better get ourselves back in the habit of regular church attendance, and we should make ourselves useful members of the congregation.
So, for almost 20 years, we have been with these gifted musicians, week in and week out, over every major holiday, singing and being blessed in doing so.
When you sing with someone for many years, your voices blend, merge, fill in the gaps for one another almost seamlessly. Lou and I have been singing next to each other for 18 years now, and we sound like one voice when we sing together. Leah hasn't been with us as long, but already she is blending with us so well that we still sound like one voice. Many times now, I will sing 1st with Leah, and Lou will sing the 2nd Soprano line with Mary. Such long association even helps with harmonies. It's like we can feel our way around each other and the music somehow.
Our rehearsal this evening was a wonderful reaffirmation for me of how much I have learned, and how well we all work together. Most of the pieces were familiar, and we picked them right up. The one that we more or less sight read was not as difficult as we thought it might be. All still need practice and polish, but we knew what we were supposed to sing, and could find the notes. And I did this with a scratchy throat from allergies. I have decided it isn't a cold, because antihistamine makes it almost completely go away. Colds are unfazed by the antihistamine usually. Also, the grass and ragweed pollens are off the scale this week. I wasn't always so sensitive to them but since they tested me, and I came up slightly sensitive, I'm feeling like maybe I'm now MORE sensitive to those pollens.
At any rate, I am very grateful to still be able to sing. Singing makes me feel so good, lets my spirit soar, and when I lose my voice, it is extremely frustrating. Not just for the progress I lose in my voice training, but for the fact that I cannot let myself soar with the music when my voice is gone. I miss the communion of sound when we sing with the choir, I can't bear to be in church if I can't sing. Singing is such a big part of our worship in the Episcopal Church.
Our church has an entire page of the website devoted to our music. Here are a couple of things from that page:
O Come Thou Sweet Redeeming Fire sung by our Cathedral Choir. (Lou and I were singing First Soprano.)
A photo of Lou and I in the loft singing :
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
A Feeling of Accomplishment!
This was written on Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Today I finished this round of Nerdy Dozen training for my job. It's a chance to investigate various web 2.0 applications and see how they might be useful to us in our jobs, or to recommend to customers. We have to blog about each topic on the training website, and it has taken me longer to do so this time around than it did the first time out. I was one of the first to complete the first round of Nerdy Dozen. That's when I actually did something with my Twitter account, and boy, that has certainly snowballed. (As has my continued use of Facebook, Pinterest, and my fitness sites.)
I felt like I got a lot done at work, as I finished the last two Nerdy Dozen posts from work for once. I usually have to complete them at home because there's too much actual work to do at work. ( I find myself writing in comments on people's posts who DO have off-desk time "What is this "off-desk time" you speak of? I do not know of it.")
...This bit is being added on Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Monday, the plumbers finally got the go ahead from the service line insurance company to do the water leak repair. My next water bill ought to be considerably lower! It had been leaking for AWHILE, they said. I feel like I accomplished something there by being smart enough to buy the coverage when the city informed us that such was available, and for remembering I had when this happened!
Today has been behaving an awful lot like a Monday even though it is, in fact, Wednesday. First off, I have a stuffy head, I know not whether it's the insane cedar pollen count, or a cold, but the sinuses are unhappy. So far (knocking on wood) my voice is not effected, but that could change if it IS a cold, and a cough develops.
So, this morning, I was a bit sluggish, and it was hard to get moving. I DID get my walk done, and I got to the store to pick up some things we needed. Good thing I decided to go to work a bit early to drop off some stuff I bought for the staff snack stash. It turns out I was supposed to be in Norman by 1 pm for a training on using our fancy new catalog to its fullest, and I had completely forgotten. I got there only a few minutes late. (This is what happens when my schedule does not make it to my phone. Chaos.) I got back to work by 3:30, and had to go straight out to the Customer Service Desk. I hadn't eaten breakfast, or lunch, so I scarfed a granola bar and drank some water before I actually went to the desk. Everything at work went well, but I felt rushed all day.
By the way, you should check out our enhanced library catalog. It's great. You can choose your search variables, you can even get "read alikes" or "similar authors" for any book by clicking on the "Novel list content" bar at the bottom of each item entry.
Our library catalog is Here. Just type your search term in the box and go.
You will then get a page of results which you can further refine with the choices along the left-hand side of the page. Really cool. MUCH better than the old catalog for general use.
We made it to choir rehearsal, where I was once again the lone first soprano. Only a couple of notes all to myself, but a challenge to find them on pieces we were sight-reading. Hard to counter the years of habit that say "Follow Lou". Sunday's anthem was fairly easy to stay with my own note, because it was a very familiar piece.
On Monday, I was also able to get my voice to work better at higher pitches than it has in the past, leading Karen to believe that it is undergoing some stretching and deepening up there. (As it should, if I keep practicing.) I hope that the sinus issues do not turn into a cold, because that will set my vocal work back quite a bit. It is VERY hard to come back from things like that.
I am about to go and give myself another accomplishment. I'm going to do an elliptical workout. Because I need to start doing that every day again. Because my weight is still not all the way back down to what it was before Thanksgiving and Christmas with all their food showed up.
Today I finished this round of Nerdy Dozen training for my job. It's a chance to investigate various web 2.0 applications and see how they might be useful to us in our jobs, or to recommend to customers. We have to blog about each topic on the training website, and it has taken me longer to do so this time around than it did the first time out. I was one of the first to complete the first round of Nerdy Dozen. That's when I actually did something with my Twitter account, and boy, that has certainly snowballed. (As has my continued use of Facebook, Pinterest, and my fitness sites.)
I felt like I got a lot done at work, as I finished the last two Nerdy Dozen posts from work for once. I usually have to complete them at home because there's too much actual work to do at work. ( I find myself writing in comments on people's posts who DO have off-desk time "What is this "off-desk time" you speak of? I do not know of it.")
...This bit is being added on Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Monday, the plumbers finally got the go ahead from the service line insurance company to do the water leak repair. My next water bill ought to be considerably lower! It had been leaking for AWHILE, they said. I feel like I accomplished something there by being smart enough to buy the coverage when the city informed us that such was available, and for remembering I had when this happened!
Today has been behaving an awful lot like a Monday even though it is, in fact, Wednesday. First off, I have a stuffy head, I know not whether it's the insane cedar pollen count, or a cold, but the sinuses are unhappy. So far (knocking on wood) my voice is not effected, but that could change if it IS a cold, and a cough develops.
So, this morning, I was a bit sluggish, and it was hard to get moving. I DID get my walk done, and I got to the store to pick up some things we needed. Good thing I decided to go to work a bit early to drop off some stuff I bought for the staff snack stash. It turns out I was supposed to be in Norman by 1 pm for a training on using our fancy new catalog to its fullest, and I had completely forgotten. I got there only a few minutes late. (This is what happens when my schedule does not make it to my phone. Chaos.) I got back to work by 3:30, and had to go straight out to the Customer Service Desk. I hadn't eaten breakfast, or lunch, so I scarfed a granola bar and drank some water before I actually went to the desk. Everything at work went well, but I felt rushed all day.
By the way, you should check out our enhanced library catalog. It's great. You can choose your search variables, you can even get "read alikes" or "similar authors" for any book by clicking on the "Novel list content" bar at the bottom of each item entry.
Our library catalog is Here. Just type your search term in the box and go.
You will then get a page of results which you can further refine with the choices along the left-hand side of the page. Really cool. MUCH better than the old catalog for general use.
We made it to choir rehearsal, where I was once again the lone first soprano. Only a couple of notes all to myself, but a challenge to find them on pieces we were sight-reading. Hard to counter the years of habit that say "Follow Lou". Sunday's anthem was fairly easy to stay with my own note, because it was a very familiar piece.
On Monday, I was also able to get my voice to work better at higher pitches than it has in the past, leading Karen to believe that it is undergoing some stretching and deepening up there. (As it should, if I keep practicing.) I hope that the sinus issues do not turn into a cold, because that will set my vocal work back quite a bit. It is VERY hard to come back from things like that.
I am about to go and give myself another accomplishment. I'm going to do an elliptical workout. Because I need to start doing that every day again. Because my weight is still not all the way back down to what it was before Thanksgiving and Christmas with all their food showed up.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Merry Christmas!
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Again. Already! This year has sped by, and I have not felt ready for this Holiday season to be upon us yet. What with Matt's hospital visit earlier in the year, the loss of our cat, the horrible storms that damaged our town,the loss of my nephew Marty, the loss of my friend and colleague Melodie, this year has been full of difficult and NOT very celebratory times. Yet we have the house decorated, and I have made the usual sweets, though not as many. We have friends coming to visit tomorrow, to share food and good times. So many blessings to help offset the sorrows. The weather is a paradox right now. It is so cold out that we feel like we are living inside a giant freezer. Everything is coated in ice EXCEPT the roads and sidewalks. Every other outdoor surface has at least a half inch of ice coating it. Many trees have lost limbs, many more are bowing low to the ground. The ice is a worry if the wind picks up, but as it is, it is beautiful, especially at night, and in the sunlight.
I feel more in the spirit of the season now. I am done with work until the day AFTER Christmas, and my voice studio recital is over. I did pretty well, I thought. There is a link to follow that you can go to and listen to the song I sang. The piece is Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head by John Jacob Niles. It was performed by me, accompanied by Karen Smith-Pearson, my vocal coach, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oklahoma City on Sunday, December 22, 2013.
Katie Armistead Voice Recital - Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head
There are only a few last minute things to be done, and we will be ready to celebrate the joy of Christmas with our friends. We sing at the late service tomorrow night. 10:30 pm Festival Music, and the service starts at 11pm. Usually over after midnight. If you are in the 405, and would like to join us at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, 127 NW 7th St, Oklahoma City, OK
You can find out more about St. Paul's, and hear recordings of our choirs and the pipe organ, and even download the Worship Guides (bulletins) for our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services at The Cathedral's Website
May you all know the warmth and joy of the season, may you find love and caring where you least expect it, and may your New Year be filled to overflowing with good things.
Thanks for reading.
As Ever,
Katie
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Some Observations
Can't think of a coherent topic today, so little pieces of things I have gleaned over the last few days:
Every inanimate object in this house that gets in my way, acts up, or otherwise thwarts me is of illegitimate parentage. (At least that's what I tell the world when said objects thwart me.)
Though, sometimes these objects and the circumstances surrounding the thwarting of my purpose are said to be fornicating.
I hate rolly-pollys. Pill bugs, woodlice, whatever you call them. They came in the house somehow and died in their hundreds along the baseboards on the north wall of our bedroom. I spent several minutes this morning removing the corpses. I have also now sprayed the exterior and interior surfaces at the base of that wall. I better NOT see any more rolly pollys. (Chemical warfare is on! I have my chem gear, bugs. Do YOU?!)
While losing weight is very good, and important for my health; when my favorite pants are TOO BIG, it isn't so much fun. These were nice trouser jeans that I got on sale, and I really liked them. Now I can't wear them, and I can't find replacements. Also, replacing clothing that no longer fits is getting expensive. Matt has lost enough to be back in his smaller set of slacks, but if he loses as much as he intends to, we're going to go broke buying clothes. A lot of my stuff will still fit all right, but his slacks most definitely will not. (I don't even want to think about how much it will cost to get new brassieres. I will have to custom order because of band size vs cup size. Been there before. Not cheap or easy.)
The cords on vacuum cleaners, extension cords, and garden hoses will tie themselves in knots the minute you unwind them, no matter how carefully and correctly they were wound up after the last use. It's some kind of law that you must stop and unsnarl them from themselves every time you go to use them. The same is true of ear bud cords. I am looking forward to the day I can get Blue Tooth headphones.
Now that I'm older, I notice it more when I don't eat. Used to be able to eat a couple of lettuce leaves for lunch when dieting and not have it really bother me. Not so anymore. The stomach rebels, and I get light headed. So I keep fruit and low fat cheese and crackers in the house. I also feel the effects of alcohol much more strongly on an almost empty stomach. (No surprise there!)
When one of your friends has a great experience, it can make you really happy, too. Glad to share vicariously in a friend's OzComiCon adventure, mostly because she is so over the moon about it. It is great to know that someone I really like and care about is having such a great experience. Great to see other fellow fans being supportive and happy for her, too. No griping and jealousy. Renews my faith in human nature. (And my faith in my own judgement about people. Especially regarding a certain actor.)
Though I have been kind of superstitious in the past, I haven't seriously had "lucky" clothes or items. Not until now. I now have a lucky shirt. (2 actually). Both have the same artwork on them. One of Michael Ornstein's paintings called "Blue Sweater." I really like the art, and every time I wear one of those shirts, good things happen. So when I need a little boost, or I want to maybe send a friend a little good luck, I wear one of the shirts. Has worked every time so far! :-) I am going to have to order a third one soon. I'm going to need a smaller size!
Two adults can generate more laundry than you would believe. There are only two of us here, yet I end up doing seven or eight loads of laundry every week. (Well, I do have to separate things that need special care, and we do have towels at least every other week.)
My throat will be perfectly clear all day until I start to do voice practice. Then every little bit of phlegm in the universe comes to visit. Very glad I only sing for fun. Would hate to depend upon this capricious voice for my livelihood. Singing is done for the love of it. For the soaring, ringing beauty of great music. To share with others when appropriate, but not for money. For money, I do something I also love and believe in passionately. I help keep our public library open and running smoothly. Getting people access to the information they need to make decisions, or just finding a good book to read for fun, or a DVD to watch is important. Freedom for ALL to access ANY information they need is important. Helps keep a democracy going. Helps people keep learning and growing their whole lives long.
Things are still shocking me as regards the tornado damage. Intellectually I know they are tearing down what was left of the hospital. Still knocks me for a loop every time I drive down there. My landmarks in that part of town are just GONE. Still grateful that our large retail areas are intact. City could not have taken that big of a sales tax hit.
Extremely grateful to Bill Warren for building his theater so well. It is a beacon across the darkened parking lot and the highway from the book drop when I have to go empty it some Thursday nights. Always cheers me up to see the Warren over there with its old school movie palace design. So glad I am going to get to go see Pacific Rim on Friday evening in the IMAX theater at the Warren.
Got to see Pacific Rim. Not JUST because Ron Perlman is in it, and I happen to love his acting,(Okay, I love HIM, too) but because it is about giant robots. I LOVED Gigantor as a young child. Always wanted my own giant robot. In this movie, humans control giant robots to fight giant monsters. All that excitement AND Ron Perlman! You can't ask for better than that for a great summer movie.
That is about all the random observations that I can come up with for now. I happen to know there is a load of laundry waiting to be folded and put away, so I'll be on my way.
Thanks for reading.
As Ever,
Katie
Every inanimate object in this house that gets in my way, acts up, or otherwise thwarts me is of illegitimate parentage. (At least that's what I tell the world when said objects thwart me.)
Though, sometimes these objects and the circumstances surrounding the thwarting of my purpose are said to be fornicating.
I hate rolly-pollys. Pill bugs, woodlice, whatever you call them. They came in the house somehow and died in their hundreds along the baseboards on the north wall of our bedroom. I spent several minutes this morning removing the corpses. I have also now sprayed the exterior and interior surfaces at the base of that wall. I better NOT see any more rolly pollys. (Chemical warfare is on! I have my chem gear, bugs. Do YOU?!)
While losing weight is very good, and important for my health; when my favorite pants are TOO BIG, it isn't so much fun. These were nice trouser jeans that I got on sale, and I really liked them. Now I can't wear them, and I can't find replacements. Also, replacing clothing that no longer fits is getting expensive. Matt has lost enough to be back in his smaller set of slacks, but if he loses as much as he intends to, we're going to go broke buying clothes. A lot of my stuff will still fit all right, but his slacks most definitely will not. (I don't even want to think about how much it will cost to get new brassieres. I will have to custom order because of band size vs cup size. Been there before. Not cheap or easy.)
The cords on vacuum cleaners, extension cords, and garden hoses will tie themselves in knots the minute you unwind them, no matter how carefully and correctly they were wound up after the last use. It's some kind of law that you must stop and unsnarl them from themselves every time you go to use them. The same is true of ear bud cords. I am looking forward to the day I can get Blue Tooth headphones.
Now that I'm older, I notice it more when I don't eat. Used to be able to eat a couple of lettuce leaves for lunch when dieting and not have it really bother me. Not so anymore. The stomach rebels, and I get light headed. So I keep fruit and low fat cheese and crackers in the house. I also feel the effects of alcohol much more strongly on an almost empty stomach. (No surprise there!)
When one of your friends has a great experience, it can make you really happy, too. Glad to share vicariously in a friend's OzComiCon adventure, mostly because she is so over the moon about it. It is great to know that someone I really like and care about is having such a great experience. Great to see other fellow fans being supportive and happy for her, too. No griping and jealousy. Renews my faith in human nature. (And my faith in my own judgement about people. Especially regarding a certain actor.)
Though I have been kind of superstitious in the past, I haven't seriously had "lucky" clothes or items. Not until now. I now have a lucky shirt. (2 actually). Both have the same artwork on them. One of Michael Ornstein's paintings called "Blue Sweater." I really like the art, and every time I wear one of those shirts, good things happen. So when I need a little boost, or I want to maybe send a friend a little good luck, I wear one of the shirts. Has worked every time so far! :-) I am going to have to order a third one soon. I'm going to need a smaller size!
Two adults can generate more laundry than you would believe. There are only two of us here, yet I end up doing seven or eight loads of laundry every week. (Well, I do have to separate things that need special care, and we do have towels at least every other week.)
My throat will be perfectly clear all day until I start to do voice practice. Then every little bit of phlegm in the universe comes to visit. Very glad I only sing for fun. Would hate to depend upon this capricious voice for my livelihood. Singing is done for the love of it. For the soaring, ringing beauty of great music. To share with others when appropriate, but not for money. For money, I do something I also love and believe in passionately. I help keep our public library open and running smoothly. Getting people access to the information they need to make decisions, or just finding a good book to read for fun, or a DVD to watch is important. Freedom for ALL to access ANY information they need is important. Helps keep a democracy going. Helps people keep learning and growing their whole lives long.
Things are still shocking me as regards the tornado damage. Intellectually I know they are tearing down what was left of the hospital. Still knocks me for a loop every time I drive down there. My landmarks in that part of town are just GONE. Still grateful that our large retail areas are intact. City could not have taken that big of a sales tax hit.
Extremely grateful to Bill Warren for building his theater so well. It is a beacon across the darkened parking lot and the highway from the book drop when I have to go empty it some Thursday nights. Always cheers me up to see the Warren over there with its old school movie palace design. So glad I am going to get to go see Pacific Rim on Friday evening in the IMAX theater at the Warren.
Got to see Pacific Rim. Not JUST because Ron Perlman is in it, and I happen to love his acting,(Okay, I love HIM, too) but because it is about giant robots. I LOVED Gigantor as a young child. Always wanted my own giant robot. In this movie, humans control giant robots to fight giant monsters. All that excitement AND Ron Perlman! You can't ask for better than that for a great summer movie.
That is about all the random observations that I can come up with for now. I happen to know there is a load of laundry waiting to be folded and put away, so I'll be on my way.
Thanks for reading.
As Ever,
Katie
Monday, July 1, 2013
Musical Triumphs, Musical Frustrations
The frustration I was thinking about was the fact that we thought we were recording the duet, but the cell phone camera malfunctioned, and it was not recorded. A great shame. Adria and I did VERY well, if I do say so myself. So Anch'io went better than I expected. It actually sounded good. I asked Matt NOT to record it, as that would have made me really nervous, given how much I have battled with that piece.
So, I cannot share the results of all that hard work with you. Make no mistake, singing properly is very hard work. Especially opera. Very physical. My weekly lessons with Karen are a real workout. I feel it in my abs when I get done. You see, to properly produce sound, you must use your abdominal muscles to help control airflow and support the breath.
There are some recordings I could perhaps share, but the voice recorder over modulates, so my high notes make the speaker crackle. Not pretty. There may be a recording of the duet to share, depending on whether Adria remembers to email it to me. Also, I never sound right to myself on recordings. I always think there's an odd quality to my voice that I just don't hear when I sing. I have been told repeatedly by many people that I have a lovely singing voice, and in fact, I have a couple of "fans" who come to all of my recitals. (They are friends, not relatives.) I just don't believe it is true when I hear a recording and all I hear are the hesitations, the not quite in place notes, the odd intonations of my voice. Perhaps I am just insecure and hyper critical of myself. I have always had this need to be REALLY good at everything I do, so if I screw up, I have a hard time forgiving myself. I have gotten a lot better about this with age. Now, I figure not trying at all is a failure. Trying and flopping is at least a learning experience. Sometimes you do better than you thought you would and end up glad you did it. Like last night's recital. I really was ambivalent about So Anch'io. I was afraid I would really mess it up. Instead, I did really well, and it made me feel fabulous. I'd still rather sing Mozart, but at least I conquered this one.
Working on Mozart right now, from The Abduction From The Seraglio. (Durch Zaertlilchkeit und Schmeichlen). It's a cute piece, and fits the voice right now pretty well. Also working on two by Gilbert and Sullivan. Learning Poor Wand'ring One from Pirates and The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze from Mikado. Like the Mikado piece better because it is shorter and easier. Also, it is a lovely melody line. (And really neat lyrics). Poor Wand'ring One has a lot of pointless screeching in it. (There is a point for a voice student, but for an audience, well, not much.) Once I can sing it properly, perhaps it will be more enjoyable. Getting from here to there is a LOT of trudging uphill against the phlegm and old habits.
I have had quite a few triumphs at recitals, come to think of it. When I made it through Les Oiseaux without killing myself, I was extremely pleased. (Also known as the "Doll Aria" from Tales of Hoffmann.) It is a fun piece, but exhausting. Lots of trills, runs, high notes, and repeats! Dove Sono was another that I really loved singing. It is Mozart, of course, and my voice seems to love Mozart.
Vedrai, Carino was also well received. Quando Mem Vo worked well, but I really don't have enough "attitude" to sing that one well.
There are some pieces that just take me out of myself and take me soaring with the music. Dove Sono tends to be one of those. So is Deh Viene Non Tardar, the one I used to sing to call Skye. She loved that song, too. The Sun Whose Rays gets me into that place, too. When the conditions are just right, I can really make that one ring. The duet I sang with Adria, the Letter Duet from Figaro, really is transporting, too. Her voice is lovely, and our voices blend so well, it is all too easy to get lost in the music. I missed entrances when we first started rehearsing together, because I would be too busy enjoying the music.
Singing with the choir at church is yet another transporting experience. Our voices blend so well, we know each other so well after so many years of singing together, that the sound is phenomenal for such a small group. The music we sing is often acapella, and the way we have learned to listen to each other make for some lovely moments. The fact that we sing out of love and gratitude to God for our ability to sing adds a little something, too.
However, I must end this day with the frustration of being unable to get decent recordings of my singing to share with family and friends. Matt is hatching a plot, and we shall see. Future recitals may be sharable.
One good by product of recording is that it makes me determined to work harder and make the recordings sound more like what I hear from inside my head when I sing. (Though some of the high notes ring and resonate to the point that I can't hear, really...)
Well, I shall leave this here for now, resolved to find a better way to record, and to practice more!
As Ever,
Katie
Lyric Soprano
And still insecure about it after ALL THESE YEARS.
P.S. At LAST, a triumph! Here is a link to the Letter Duet from Marriage of Figaro
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Why Are You Haunting Me, Tallulah?
Every time I get a sinus cold, I eventually sound like Tallulah Bankhead. I always knew this to be so, my own mother told me when I was a teen that I sounded EXACTLY like Tallulah Bankhead when I had a cold. After watching Lifeboat and a couple of other things she was in, I came to agree with my mother.
Tallulah Bankhead was from Alabama, as was my mother. Ms. Bankhead was from an entirely different part of the social strata than my mother, however. My grandfather was a school teacher during the Depression, which means he was unemployed a lot. Her grandfather was a U.S. Senator.
When I was younger, and didn't have so many singing commitments, sounding like Tallulah was funny, and could be fun, sometimes. Tallulah does not sing first soprano. I do. This is a problem.
These days, I sing in two different choirs, and I have voice lessons once a week. I do not like to let people down, and when Tallulah hangs around, as she has been, I can't sing very well, and I feel like I'm letting my directors and my voice coach down.
The other problem is Tallulah's personality. She can be quite sarcastic. She is a lot funnier than I am.
If I let her loose, I am afraid I will make many problems for myself. Here are some of the challenges Tallulah brings with her:
I answer the phone at work with my voice like this, and people pause a LONG time before they ask "Is this the library?" ("No, Darling. It's the city morgue. Who are you looking for?")
The older gentlemen who come to the desk do a double take when I speak. They know I don't normally sound like that. ("They're old enough to remember Tallulah, Darling." )
I develop the unfortunate tendency to call everyone "Darling."
After hearing me on the phone, one of my friends suggested I try working for the phone sex lines. ("Oh, please, Darling. I'd die of boredom.")
When it's time to do closing announcements, I must fight the temptation to say "Listen kids, it's been fun, but we have to close the place down now. Sorry to be a wet blanket, Darlings, but go home!"
Our choir director gets such a kick out of hearing me like this, he actually talks to me on purpose so I'll answer. ("You can't blame the man for having good taste, Darling.")
Tallulah overcame a lot in her life. I have read her autobiography, and I recommend it. It is an interesting read. I don't mind as much having her stop by for a visit anymore. It just gets frustrating when she won't give me back my singing voice. That she could get through the things she had to deal with and still be so funny, well, she was really a class act. Even if she had a bad reputation in some circles. Alabama is still proud of her, and that should tell you something. (Of course, Southerners are very tolerant of eccentric relatives, so maybe they view her that way...)
She and I have one thing in common. She was Episcopalian, when she attended church, that is. Seems her father sent her to the Episcopal church because her mother had been Episcopalian. I married into it. I love it, though, the tradition, the music, the very real love and faith of the people at our church. Episcopalians are not averse to having fun.
Since we almost never have bourbon in the house, she'll have to settle for a little of the Jameson's tonight. Sorry Tallulah, Darling, but this Celtic girl likes her Irish and her single malt Scotch better than bourbon. (Not often, but once in a wee while.)
Here is a picture of Tallulah. She was indeed beautiful.
Tallulah Bankhead was from Alabama, as was my mother. Ms. Bankhead was from an entirely different part of the social strata than my mother, however. My grandfather was a school teacher during the Depression, which means he was unemployed a lot. Her grandfather was a U.S. Senator.
When I was younger, and didn't have so many singing commitments, sounding like Tallulah was funny, and could be fun, sometimes. Tallulah does not sing first soprano. I do. This is a problem.
These days, I sing in two different choirs, and I have voice lessons once a week. I do not like to let people down, and when Tallulah hangs around, as she has been, I can't sing very well, and I feel like I'm letting my directors and my voice coach down.
The other problem is Tallulah's personality. She can be quite sarcastic. She is a lot funnier than I am.
If I let her loose, I am afraid I will make many problems for myself. Here are some of the challenges Tallulah brings with her:
I answer the phone at work with my voice like this, and people pause a LONG time before they ask "Is this the library?" ("No, Darling. It's the city morgue. Who are you looking for?")
The older gentlemen who come to the desk do a double take when I speak. They know I don't normally sound like that. ("They're old enough to remember Tallulah, Darling." )
I develop the unfortunate tendency to call everyone "Darling."
After hearing me on the phone, one of my friends suggested I try working for the phone sex lines. ("Oh, please, Darling. I'd die of boredom.")
When it's time to do closing announcements, I must fight the temptation to say "Listen kids, it's been fun, but we have to close the place down now. Sorry to be a wet blanket, Darlings, but go home!"
Our choir director gets such a kick out of hearing me like this, he actually talks to me on purpose so I'll answer. ("You can't blame the man for having good taste, Darling.")
Tallulah overcame a lot in her life. I have read her autobiography, and I recommend it. It is an interesting read. I don't mind as much having her stop by for a visit anymore. It just gets frustrating when she won't give me back my singing voice. That she could get through the things she had to deal with and still be so funny, well, she was really a class act. Even if she had a bad reputation in some circles. Alabama is still proud of her, and that should tell you something. (Of course, Southerners are very tolerant of eccentric relatives, so maybe they view her that way...)
She and I have one thing in common. She was Episcopalian, when she attended church, that is. Seems her father sent her to the Episcopal church because her mother had been Episcopalian. I married into it. I love it, though, the tradition, the music, the very real love and faith of the people at our church. Episcopalians are not averse to having fun.
Since we almost never have bourbon in the house, she'll have to settle for a little of the Jameson's tonight. Sorry Tallulah, Darling, but this Celtic girl likes her Irish and her single malt Scotch better than bourbon. (Not often, but once in a wee while.)
Here is a picture of Tallulah. She was indeed beautiful.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
On Being Detached From Reality
Since I was a snot factory this morning, I didn't feel like going to church and making everyone else just as uncomfortable as I am. I stayed home. (Actually, I went to the grocery store on the corner for a few minutes to restock my La Croix water and my Coke Zero.) That accomplished, I spent most of the day reading or knitting while watching some TV shows on the computer.
Yup. When I don't feel good, my life is EXTRA boring.
This whole weekend has felt like it was spent in another dimension or something. The only normal thing that happened was that laundry got done. (And I still have one load to fold and put away.)
The rest of the country was watching the Superbowl, I was reading tweets about it. (Some of them extremely entertaining.) Just my luck, the one year the game is decent, and I didn't watch. Oh, well. I wasn't able to focus on anything for that long at a time anyway.
Strange how dependent we become on our little routines. Let something disrupt them, especially several of them, and we tend to come a bit unglued. At least, people like me do. Some of us like order in life, and when things get too chaotic, it becomes very difficult to function. Then it takes awhile to get back into the routines again. Or to establish new ones.
Right now, I'd just like to be able to re-establish the routine of breathing through my nose.
Not looking like Rudolph would be a plus, too. At least I don't sound like Tallulah. But I still can't sing. That is what really makes me mad. I HATE not being able to sing. (Especially when I have a lot of music to learn!)
The worst part of being ill is the fact that you can't always trust your brain. Sometimes, it comes up with stuff that you just KNOW isn't right. Like how I was pretty sure the Ravens would win the Super Bowl because I had Poe's poem stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks. (And so the raven remains in my room. No matter how much I implore. No words can soothe him, no prayer remove him, so I must hear forever more.......Quoth the raven: "Nevermore") Why would that poem make any difference? It wouldn't. My brain is not trustworthy today.
Add to that the fact that my brain wanders off without telling me that it's going or WHERE it's going. I've been staring at the screen here for quite awhile, and my brain just now ambled back with an "Oh, sorry about that. Guess I kind of left you hanging there...." That's one reason I could never memorize piano pieces. My brain just gets bored and wanders off, leaving my fingers to make something up. I can memorize something to sing, but the long arias are a real challenge. I can't blame middle age (joke, only middle aged if I plan to live to be 106, and I don't) for this because it's been happening since I was a kid. First piano recital when I was 7, and my teacher figured out that my brain just wasn't trustworthy with memorized piano music.
Here's hoping normal brain function and breathing return tomorrow. I have to take the cat to the vet, and Tuesday, thanks be to God, I get my hair cut and colored. It's been driving me NUTS. I am hoping to feel almost human by then. Off now to try and convince my nose that horizontal will work as an orientation in space. Vertical isn't doing so hot, so maybe horizontal will work better. Further hoping that I will be able to write something of some actual substance again soon.
The source of being indisposed
Is this stuffy, but drippy, awful nose.
To make it even worse, my dears.
The congestion has also plugged my ears.
Throat is scratchy, there's a little cough
It itches on the roof of my mouth/
My lips are chapped, my nose is sore
Thus quoth the raven: "Forevermore."
Yup. When I don't feel good, my life is EXTRA boring.
This whole weekend has felt like it was spent in another dimension or something. The only normal thing that happened was that laundry got done. (And I still have one load to fold and put away.)
The rest of the country was watching the Superbowl, I was reading tweets about it. (Some of them extremely entertaining.) Just my luck, the one year the game is decent, and I didn't watch. Oh, well. I wasn't able to focus on anything for that long at a time anyway.
Strange how dependent we become on our little routines. Let something disrupt them, especially several of them, and we tend to come a bit unglued. At least, people like me do. Some of us like order in life, and when things get too chaotic, it becomes very difficult to function. Then it takes awhile to get back into the routines again. Or to establish new ones.
Right now, I'd just like to be able to re-establish the routine of breathing through my nose.
Not looking like Rudolph would be a plus, too. At least I don't sound like Tallulah. But I still can't sing. That is what really makes me mad. I HATE not being able to sing. (Especially when I have a lot of music to learn!)
The worst part of being ill is the fact that you can't always trust your brain. Sometimes, it comes up with stuff that you just KNOW isn't right. Like how I was pretty sure the Ravens would win the Super Bowl because I had Poe's poem stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks. (And so the raven remains in my room. No matter how much I implore. No words can soothe him, no prayer remove him, so I must hear forever more.......Quoth the raven: "Nevermore") Why would that poem make any difference? It wouldn't. My brain is not trustworthy today.
Add to that the fact that my brain wanders off without telling me that it's going or WHERE it's going. I've been staring at the screen here for quite awhile, and my brain just now ambled back with an "Oh, sorry about that. Guess I kind of left you hanging there...." That's one reason I could never memorize piano pieces. My brain just gets bored and wanders off, leaving my fingers to make something up. I can memorize something to sing, but the long arias are a real challenge. I can't blame middle age (joke, only middle aged if I plan to live to be 106, and I don't) for this because it's been happening since I was a kid. First piano recital when I was 7, and my teacher figured out that my brain just wasn't trustworthy with memorized piano music.
Here's hoping normal brain function and breathing return tomorrow. I have to take the cat to the vet, and Tuesday, thanks be to God, I get my hair cut and colored. It's been driving me NUTS. I am hoping to feel almost human by then. Off now to try and convince my nose that horizontal will work as an orientation in space. Vertical isn't doing so hot, so maybe horizontal will work better. Further hoping that I will be able to write something of some actual substance again soon.
The source of being indisposed
Is this stuffy, but drippy, awful nose.
To make it even worse, my dears.
The congestion has also plugged my ears.
Throat is scratchy, there's a little cough
It itches on the roof of my mouth/
My lips are chapped, my nose is sore
Thus quoth the raven: "Forevermore."
Saturday, February 2, 2013
This, That, and The Other Thing
So. It appears I DO have a cold. I have been keeping away from the kitchen as Matt is making goodies to take to church tomorrow. I have only been in there to have a soda handed to me.
It is surreal how my head feels right now. There seems to be an ocean in there, and the tide goes in and out on a whim. I hear it, and feel the pressure in my head. Also, just as soon as I am convinced that the medicines I took have kicked in, the nose will start trying to drip, I will sneeze repeatedly, and the roof of my mouth AND the insides of my ears will itch. (I guess it still could be allergies, but I really doubt it) It sometimes feels like I am going back and forth between two dimensions...
Guess I won't be auditioning for any solos on Tuesday night. If the ears don't clear, there is NO WAY I'm going to be able to sing. Tallulah hasn't shown up, but her evil henchmen have. (Congestion plays havoc with resonance and the musculature used in singing. Also, ear congestion can get painful when you try to sing, and the sense of pitch is adversely affected.)
There is an online Beauty and the Beast "convention" going on right now. It's called Winterfest Online, and it is a great deal of fun. I have read stories, played games, chatted with other fans, looked at art work, watched fan made videos, there are even round robin stories you can add to if you want. (I can't write fiction worth beans, so I'm not even going to try, but I want to read the finished stories!)
There are some extremely talented people in this fandom. They are really nice, too. More nurturing of newbies than most Star Trek fan groups are.
It's February already. How the heck did THAT happen? Did somebody mess with the TARDIS and speed this timeline up or something? Or is it just that time escapes more quickly because I am older now? I remember when I was a kid, it seemed like FOREVER between Christmas and my birthday. Now, it zooms past in the blink of an eye. (Ooh. Said blink. Don't blink, not if you're a Whovian and there are Angels nearby!) (I've had several antihistamines today. Can you tell?)
Oh, yeah. I think I have laundry going, too. Guess I should go check on it...
OK, I'm back. Dryer still needs a few minutes.
I have a couple of books going at the moment. One is the latest of one of the series I follow, but I haven't been able to get into it much yet. The other is Dave Barry's new book Insane City. It is really funny. It also has some sad parts. Amazingly enough, there is more to it than a series of jokes. I seem to remember that quality in his last novel. It has been a LOONG time since I read that one. And I read so much. Between the fan fiction, the non-fiction and the series mysteries, I am surprised I can keep anything straight in my brain anymore. But Insane City is turning out to be strangely compelling. Not riveting, not so that I can't stop reading and must continue no matter what, but I must go back and read some more, mull that over, perhaps laugh out loud a few times, read some more and wonder when it stopped being all about the gags. Good job, Mr. Barry. If I can follow your writing and enjoy it, and find myself thinking about it when I am on THIS much antihistamine, you have really done a good job.
The other books I am currently reading are Phillip DePoy's December's Thorn, which I am sure is a good book, just not one I have had the chance to spend a lot of time with yet. I am also reading The Mole People about the homeless in New York's subway tunnels. (Sound familiar to any BATB fans out there? Well, this is a serious look at a real tunnel society, or societies, and none of them as nurturing as the tunnel society WE love.) The author is Jennifer Toth, and it was published in1993. I am also reading, in bits and pieces, Anna Quindlen's Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake. There are also all of the Lord Peter/Harriet Vane mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers on my Nook waiting for me to re- read them. It;s been awhile.
So, that's about all for me today. Nothing very organized, I'm afraid. I blame the antihistamines and the germs having a party in my head. Gotta go check on that dryer again. Something more coherent in a day or two, I hope.
It is surreal how my head feels right now. There seems to be an ocean in there, and the tide goes in and out on a whim. I hear it, and feel the pressure in my head. Also, just as soon as I am convinced that the medicines I took have kicked in, the nose will start trying to drip, I will sneeze repeatedly, and the roof of my mouth AND the insides of my ears will itch. (I guess it still could be allergies, but I really doubt it) It sometimes feels like I am going back and forth between two dimensions...
Guess I won't be auditioning for any solos on Tuesday night. If the ears don't clear, there is NO WAY I'm going to be able to sing. Tallulah hasn't shown up, but her evil henchmen have. (Congestion plays havoc with resonance and the musculature used in singing. Also, ear congestion can get painful when you try to sing, and the sense of pitch is adversely affected.)
There is an online Beauty and the Beast "convention" going on right now. It's called Winterfest Online, and it is a great deal of fun. I have read stories, played games, chatted with other fans, looked at art work, watched fan made videos, there are even round robin stories you can add to if you want. (I can't write fiction worth beans, so I'm not even going to try, but I want to read the finished stories!)
There are some extremely talented people in this fandom. They are really nice, too. More nurturing of newbies than most Star Trek fan groups are.
It's February already. How the heck did THAT happen? Did somebody mess with the TARDIS and speed this timeline up or something? Or is it just that time escapes more quickly because I am older now? I remember when I was a kid, it seemed like FOREVER between Christmas and my birthday. Now, it zooms past in the blink of an eye. (Ooh. Said blink. Don't blink, not if you're a Whovian and there are Angels nearby!) (I've had several antihistamines today. Can you tell?)
Oh, yeah. I think I have laundry going, too. Guess I should go check on it...
OK, I'm back. Dryer still needs a few minutes.
I have a couple of books going at the moment. One is the latest of one of the series I follow, but I haven't been able to get into it much yet. The other is Dave Barry's new book Insane City. It is really funny. It also has some sad parts. Amazingly enough, there is more to it than a series of jokes. I seem to remember that quality in his last novel. It has been a LOONG time since I read that one. And I read so much. Between the fan fiction, the non-fiction and the series mysteries, I am surprised I can keep anything straight in my brain anymore. But Insane City is turning out to be strangely compelling. Not riveting, not so that I can't stop reading and must continue no matter what, but I must go back and read some more, mull that over, perhaps laugh out loud a few times, read some more and wonder when it stopped being all about the gags. Good job, Mr. Barry. If I can follow your writing and enjoy it, and find myself thinking about it when I am on THIS much antihistamine, you have really done a good job.
The other books I am currently reading are Phillip DePoy's December's Thorn, which I am sure is a good book, just not one I have had the chance to spend a lot of time with yet. I am also reading The Mole People about the homeless in New York's subway tunnels. (Sound familiar to any BATB fans out there? Well, this is a serious look at a real tunnel society, or societies, and none of them as nurturing as the tunnel society WE love.) The author is Jennifer Toth, and it was published in1993. I am also reading, in bits and pieces, Anna Quindlen's Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake. There are also all of the Lord Peter/Harriet Vane mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers on my Nook waiting for me to re- read them. It;s been awhile.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Bits and Pieces
Today's blog is composed of forgotten bits of poetry from one of my many journals.
From Nov. 2005
The subtle process of poetry
Is lately rather lost to me
I scratch a few pathetic lines
Wishing for more inspired rhymes.
Always interrupted by dog or cat
Or by laundry, or supper, or such as that.
My work has dwindled down to naught
Or exists merely in the realm of thought.
From March, 2008
The quiet world
Is so rudely awakened
By the screech of my
Voice waking up and stretching.
Soon, if God is merciful, my throat
will clear,
The notes will come forth in their liquid brilliance
(As I promise you, they have done.)
Just now, though, unwelcome bits of allergy or sleep are
Making the notes squawk like an oboe
With a bad reed.
But when it works, oh, what joy,
What release.
The music flows out, warm and sweet and smooth,
Taking me soaring oh, so high.
Autumn Thoughts From a Few Years Back
Autumn has finally come - the trees are turning at last.
The days are bright but cool, the nights are actually cold.
Halloween is coming. The night of ghosts and frights.
We may be plagued with little goblins, but maybe not. Hard to say.
So many pictures lately of stylish, sleek, modern houses.
They look so cold and unfriendly to me.
I like cozy places.
Places with overstuffed furniture and lots of books ,
Lots of pillows and blankets
And a well-provisioned kitchen with a teakettle on the stove, and teacups and bowls and things handy.
Furnishings with history, things with love and memory attached;
Things that give a house a SOUL, make it a HOME.
From Nov. 2005
The subtle process of poetry
Is lately rather lost to me
I scratch a few pathetic lines
Wishing for more inspired rhymes.
Always interrupted by dog or cat
Or by laundry, or supper, or such as that.
My work has dwindled down to naught
Or exists merely in the realm of thought.
From March, 2008
The quiet world
Is so rudely awakened
By the screech of my
Voice waking up and stretching.
Soon, if God is merciful, my throat
will clear,
The notes will come forth in their liquid brilliance
(As I promise you, they have done.)
Just now, though, unwelcome bits of allergy or sleep are
Making the notes squawk like an oboe
With a bad reed.
But when it works, oh, what joy,
What release.
The music flows out, warm and sweet and smooth,
Taking me soaring oh, so high.
Autumn Thoughts From a Few Years Back
Autumn has finally come - the trees are turning at last.
The days are bright but cool, the nights are actually cold.
Halloween is coming. The night of ghosts and frights.
We may be plagued with little goblins, but maybe not. Hard to say.
So many pictures lately of stylish, sleek, modern houses.
They look so cold and unfriendly to me.
I like cozy places.
Places with overstuffed furniture and lots of books ,
Lots of pillows and blankets
And a well-provisioned kitchen with a teakettle on the stove, and teacups and bowls and things handy.
Furnishings with history, things with love and memory attached;
Things that give a house a SOUL, make it a HOME.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
An Unintentionally Lazy Day
Dear Universe,
I really did mean to get up and get a lot of things accomplished today. Unfortunately, Texas has very thoughtfully been sending us LOTS of cedar and juniper pollen, and well, getting my head into operational condition this morning was NOT easy.
I did, however, manage to dispose of a few crapalanches around the house. Funny, you can't really destroy a crapalanche, you just end up moving its parts around. The removal of the major crapalanche that was my desk has caused the growth and/or appearance of crapalanches in other areas. Most notably the side cabinet in my desk and the office closet. I have not been brave enough yet to tackle those, but I did remove one from my beside cabinet, and from the interior of the fireplace cupboard.
The walk was accomplished this morning, though due to the activities of the city's large waste removal truck (dubbed the Terminator) I had alter my route a bit and evidentlly Endomondo thought this crossing of the road shaved a LOT off my distance. My time was also a bit shorter, so maybe the silly thing was right for once.
The oil change for the car has been postponed yet again. I just didn't think driving all the way to Norman and sitting around in a Ford dealer's waiting room was in the cards for my pounding head today. By the time the head stopped pounding and I got the walk done, it was too late. I'm off Friday, we'll try again then.
Now I must do a few clerical things (like balance the checkbook with the last statement) and make some birthday cards for fellow staff members at the library. That is usually fun, but getting the printer to cooperate is sometimes a challenge. (This printer knows it is on the way out, as my laptop is now the only computer in the house that will speak to it. No Windows 7 drivers available for the poor thing.) So I guess this should be finished and the laptop hauled once again out of hibernation and set up. (I just got it put away after it kindly donated part of its stored memories to this new machine.) It was getting dust in it, it had sat upon the craptastic desk for so long.
Master Chorale rehearsal tonight. We are starting work on the Faure Requiem and the Rutter Requiem. (Pray for us.)
Thank you for your patience with me.
I really did mean to get up and get a lot of things accomplished today. Unfortunately, Texas has very thoughtfully been sending us LOTS of cedar and juniper pollen, and well, getting my head into operational condition this morning was NOT easy.
I did, however, manage to dispose of a few crapalanches around the house. Funny, you can't really destroy a crapalanche, you just end up moving its parts around. The removal of the major crapalanche that was my desk has caused the growth and/or appearance of crapalanches in other areas. Most notably the side cabinet in my desk and the office closet. I have not been brave enough yet to tackle those, but I did remove one from my beside cabinet, and from the interior of the fireplace cupboard.
The walk was accomplished this morning, though due to the activities of the city's large waste removal truck (dubbed the Terminator) I had alter my route a bit and evidentlly Endomondo thought this crossing of the road shaved a LOT off my distance. My time was also a bit shorter, so maybe the silly thing was right for once.
The oil change for the car has been postponed yet again. I just didn't think driving all the way to Norman and sitting around in a Ford dealer's waiting room was in the cards for my pounding head today. By the time the head stopped pounding and I got the walk done, it was too late. I'm off Friday, we'll try again then.
Now I must do a few clerical things (like balance the checkbook with the last statement) and make some birthday cards for fellow staff members at the library. That is usually fun, but getting the printer to cooperate is sometimes a challenge. (This printer knows it is on the way out, as my laptop is now the only computer in the house that will speak to it. No Windows 7 drivers available for the poor thing.) So I guess this should be finished and the laptop hauled once again out of hibernation and set up. (I just got it put away after it kindly donated part of its stored memories to this new machine.) It was getting dust in it, it had sat upon the craptastic desk for so long.
Master Chorale rehearsal tonight. We are starting work on the Faure Requiem and the Rutter Requiem. (Pray for us.)
Thank you for your patience with me.
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