Wednesday, February 27, 2008

le sigh

where i am...


where i want to be...


Seriously...I CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE SNOW. It's beginning to take a toll on my mental health. And just when I had finally weaned myself from my therapist in a attempt to remedy my financial situation. But according to Tom Skilling, Chicago's favorite weather man, that whole global warming thing is about to turn in our favor. And I quote: "seventy degree days are not far in our future." !!!!!!!

In other news, I am exhausted. I taught for nine and a half hours yesterday between my job at the store in Palatine and my work at the public school for Music of the Baroque. I'm not going to be able to do too many more of those days -- it's a bit dangerous to put that many miles on my voice, plus it renders me completely unable to practice because I have to spend my non-working hours being silent. The good news is twofold: I made a LOT of money yesterday, and I can pretty much make my own schedule with the MOB job (haha, that rhymes) and rest my voice when it needs it. The work at the public school is so gratifying though. Most of these kids need a good mentor and are so darn excited to have a private lesson that it's infectious -- I went home absolutely beaming yesterday.

I've started to panic a bit about the summer, however. My church job takes a hiatus during the summer, and no church money = no loan payment money. Lots of students "take a break" from lessons for the summer, so I'm not sure I can count on the lesson money I've been making. And so far, no gigs to report. Unfortunately, I was sick for the Grant Park Chorus auditions, which was basically my last ditch hope of making any money singing this summer. So...I'm not sure what's going to happen. On the one hand, I'm looking forward to a relaxing summer of attending lots of weddings, spending time with friends and Nick, and enjoying myself; but on the other hand, I am highly anxious about being poor and not advancing my career. Plus, I'll need to coach and take lessons this summer in preparation for Audition Season 2008: Please Hire Me or I Might Do Something Rash. Any ideas, anyone? I really can't see myself going back to temping for thirteen bucks an hour, it would be too awful. My fleeting thought at the moment is to try to capitalize on wedding gigs. I have a friend who is a wedding planner and I've been pumping her for ages to hook me up. You might say, "why not try to save money for the leaner months?", and to that I give a resounding "HA!". I've already given up my therapist, manis and pedis, lattes, lunches out, and clothes shoppping -- and I'm still not doing so well. I blame it primarily on the loan payments and the ridiculous price of gas. Freakin' Northwestern and the economy.

Sorry if that last paragraph bored you to tears. My finances are so exciting, I know. They basically consume my thoughts for much of the day, so...I can't help but blog about it.

So, Nick is leaving for Greece next Thursday (the 6th) through the 23rd. I've never spent a night alone in our gigantic apartment, and the thought of it makes me a little nervous. Our apartment is completely gated and safe, but I'm thinking it will take a little getting used to for the first few nights. Attention all of my friends who think I've dropped off the planet: I will be calling you soon. Yes, it's lame that I am calling you when my boyfriend goes out of town, but honestly I haven't spent much time with him either these days. And the month of April will be completely consumed with OFY tour (three weeks in a row, whoaaaa) so I've got the month of March to be a good friend. And sing the St. Matthew Passion, which might be the hardest thing ever, which reminds me I need to download a recording so that I don't make such a poor showing of sight reading it as I did the other night at rehearsal. Happy Hump, kids!

2 comments:

Elaine said...

Hmmmm....ways to save money. Jerod and I turned our thermostat down to 65...you could try that! We're freezing but we have a great gas bill! :)

I'm over the snow too, even if it does give me a day off school. I have SAD, I think.

I hate sleeping in the house alone, so creepy. I like to leave on lots of night lights and turn the sound machine up so I don't hear noises.

That's all the advice from here. I can't wait to come visit for Spring Break!!

Thomas said...

yes, the winter is extremely cold, gray, and messy, i feel ya on that.
however, it isn't as bad as i anticipated, and i think i have adjusted well to the lakefront hell season. on the other hand, i don't drive. only walking for me.
things will work out somehow with time, just keep hangin in there!!