playing catch-up

A couple of shots from OFY rehearsal week:

Myself and the lovely Saira, who plays the Queen, at our schmoozing party:


The amazing dragon during the first performance:


Week One cast in the Three Headed Lady costume:


Sorry, readers, I know it's been a slow posting week. Things piled up a bit whilst I was in Madison, so I've been playing catch up this week--trying to get bills in the mail, do laundry, clean the apartment, take down Christmas decorations (I know, I know, it's practically February), get back to the gym, make doctor appointments, order bridesmaid dresses....the list seems to go on and on. And I returned to teaching, of course. Apparently my week of making superb music turned me into Nazi teacher, because I found myself finally getting firm with a couple of my students who never practice. While before I would just watch the clock tick and listen to them make the same mistakes, this week I told them that it was a waste of everyone's time to sit here and do this every week. We'll see how it goes next week, but I think I made an impact on a couple of them.

My return to real life this week wouldn't have been complete without a slap in the face by some audition/opera company/singing related matter. A certain opera company in a certain state where I spent twenty two years of my life, an opera company that almost hired me last year and gave me fantastic feedback from my audition, whom I was REALLY looking forward to singing for again this year, informed me that they would not be hearing me this year -- "because we heard you last year." ????? When I told the woman on the phone how disappointing that was, considering the positive feedback from last year and encouragement to audition again, she told me that the director already knows who he is hiring anyway and is holding the auditions to be "fair." ???? It's almost laughable. I mean, thank goodness I'm not wasting my time and money driving there (or worse yet, flying, as many New York singers will be doing, since the company does not audition in NYC) to sing for people who don't plan on even considering me. I was fuming for a couple of hours after the phone call, and then I shelved it as one of the crazy, arbitrary decisions I can't and won't ever understand about this business. That shelf is getting pretty full. But then I remember that lovely company that I get to go on the road with for four weeks this winter and spring, and I feel better again.

And so life continues to propel forward into 2008. January can be a rather depressing month for everyone, so I'm combatting it with runner's high and doing good things for myself. Like seeing my therapist, as I did this morning. I've been seeing her for two years now and I can definitely say it has been worth every penny. 2008 may have started out rocky, but I have good feelings about this year. I'm in a good place. I'm having fun being me. But enough psychobabble. Time to get out of my head (and out of my bathrobe) and out into the world! Big weekend plans of combatting the below zero temps with good restaurants, friends, and probably some booze. Have a great weekend, everyone.