update in 08

"2008 will no doubt present challenges and obstacles...". No sooner than those words were out of my mouth, I got a taste of my first obstacle. Thursday, January 3rd was supposed to be a lovely day of teaching one lesson and celebrating Nick's birthday, but on my way home from teaching said lesson, I got into a car accident. In Nick's 2005 Audi A4. My fourth car accident in two years. And I swear to God IT WAS NOT MY F---ING FAULT. I don't want to go into lots of details, but I'm tired of everyone saying, "Oh Emily, she's the worst driver, she's always getting into accidents." Here are the facts: I'm unlucky, on average I drive many, many more miles a week than most people, and I live in city of idiot drivers. And I have to drive in order to make my living. Friday was supposed to be a day of packing and studying music; instead, it was six hours in the ER having my neck X-rayed after waking up Friday morning unable to move my head. Nothing was broken, just some severe whiplash, and it's feeling much better now, but it was scary. So yeah, I'm loving 2008 so far.

Somehow, I managed to get myself to Madison for OFY rehearsal week. It's been a nice retreat from the norm; the people are amazingly, unusually nice; and we're being treated quite well. The show is funny and fun and not that difficult a sing. Mozart is like medicine for the voice, I tell you. I will be ready to get home to my Nick, my bed, and a home cooked meal (eating out every meal gets WAY old after a couple of days), but it's great to be really working as a singer this week, creating a role and working with lots of talented people. I'm so thankful for this job and to this company for giving me a chance. It has helped me forget "real life" for a few days -- wrecked cars and ER visits and mounting bills. No, for this week, I am in a magical opera land where nobody can harm me (except maybe the Queen of the Night -- she's scary!). I'm getting paid to play with light sabers (yes, I get a light saber in this show!). It's a fantasyland...but I'll stay here for a few days, thanks. See you on the flipside.