weddingmania part I

Well kids, the wedding was a hit, and now my sister and my new brother-in-law are on their way to Rome for their honeymoon. Elaine was a beautiful bride, and not bridezilla-ish at all. She was the picture of calm and collected the entire weekend long. Miraculously, I held it together and sang well and gave a good toast. I was feeling very emotional (and slightly hung over from the rehearsal dinner the night before), so I wasn't sure what would come out when I got up there, but I think God must have crept into my vocal cords and made it happen. (In reality, I think that I could sing that Malotte Lord's Prayer from my deathbed if necessary--maybe I should start taking it to auditions-HA!). Anyways, enough of my babble, here are some pics from the rehearsal dinner and wedding:

the 'maids at the rehearsal:


Elaine and Dad rehearse walking down the aisle:


Mom telling people what to do (Grandma takes a nap):


time for drinkies!


so glucklich!


my mom made me sit at the old people table for the rehearsal dinner:


my honey (and the rehearsal/dinner photographer):


Grandma stocks up before the open bar closes:


our fam gains a member!


Mr. and Mrs. leave the church!


the reception hall:


ice sculpture:


the dazzling 'maids:


my toast:


father daughter dance:


dancin!


Hopefully I'll have some more good ones soon. (I don't understand why some of these are so small...they were sent to me by a cousin.) Enjoy! I'm going to go do some serious napping.

sallie mae, my new best frienemy

I've been having mild panic attacks for the last three days. My imminent graduation means one major thing: I am being faced with the repayment of my student loans. This is my first foray into the inevitable land of American debt; yes, I have a small car payment and a little bit of credit card debt, but nothing major, nothing that causes me to wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweats. I was fortunate enough to have a large scholarship to my undergrad, and my father paid the difference so that I didn't once worry my pretty little head about money during college. Grad school is a different story. As most of you know, Northwestern is not a cheap school, nor were they generous in giving me much help (that didn't have to be paid back). Saturday I had to attend a "loan exit interview", where they spewed information at me, none of it good news, while I sat wondering why I didn't choose that certain school in Ohio who offered me a full scholarship -- oh, because it's in the middle of cornfields to which I have no intention of returning, the teachers sucked, and the program wasn't so hot either. But oh, sweet Lord, how wonderful it would have been not to spend the next twenty-five years of my life sweating out these loan payments. I can just see myself as a fifty-year old woman, hair graying, voice starting to give way to menopause -- making that last payment on my loans and pouring myself a stiff drink to celebrate.

Unlike all those MBA students who sat next to me in that loan exit interview, I'm not jumping onto a rung of the corporate ladder in a Fortune 500 company, soon to make six figures. I've got two singing gigs in the next nine months, which is more than lots of my classmates, but the pay is shitty and the time committment is such that I won't be able to get a permanent day job that would award me benefits and a salary that would help me get by. But how can I pass up a gig that I've worked so hard to get for a secratary job that will pay the bills? It seems ridiculous to even have to make that decision. I know lots of singers who've passed up good singing gigs because their day job just won't allow them the time off -- a day job they can't survive without.

I know it's the way of the world, but I guess I'm wondering why it has to be so. Musicians are an important part of society, and a good bit of them do their jobs out of the goodness of their heart -- a heart that probably doesn't have health insurance and isn't a homeowner. It's unfortunate that fabulous talent goes to waste, all because a person decides (wisely) not to live the life of a pauper and finds a career that actually pays. I feel that something needs to be done, something more than a bunch of sopranos spending their twenties finding a Wall Street banker husband. I know there are people out there who are devoting their days to raising money for arts organizations, and I salute them. I just need to figure out how, as a young singer, I can make things better. There's got to be a way (that doesn't include turning tricks).

Get ready, get set....WEDDING!

Now that I am done with my Masters (woot!), I move on to my next important role : Professional Maid of Honor/Bridesmaid/Wedding Guest. I've got two weddings in two weeks, with an engagement party thrown in the mix, which is only the beginning of Weddingmania, which I expect to last for the next two to five years. My sister's wedding is a week from Saturday, and surprisingly, everyone seems relatively calm. I expect the calm to last until my arrival on Wednesday, when everything will most certainly get batshit crazy. Mom has already informed me that I will be put to work as soon as I arrive, tying bows on something or other. Thursday is nail day, at my very favorite Ft. Wayne Asian nail establishment, Le Nails, followed on Friday with a poosty Bridesmaid Brunch at Ft. Wayne Country Club hosted by the Lyday aunts. Then, of course, the rehearsal dinner and the big day on Saturday, which begins with crack-of-dawn hair appointments (not complaining Elaine--I'm sure Mom will have me up early anyway). It's going to be craaazy fun, with over 200 guests, many of which are people I haven't seen in ages. At some point, I need to think up my speech (ack!). Although I have no qualms about singing in front of large groups of people, I have major stress when faced with public speaking (yes, I've already thought that perhaps I can somehow sing my speech--but since I'm already singing at the wedding, I don't think that's a viable option.) I'll pull it off, but not without a few butterflies in my tummy and a glass of champagne for courage. I will post lots of pics when I get back (and I'm sure there will be plenty of stories!)

The following weekend Nick and I will be jetting off to Syracuse, NY for the wedding of my dear friend from Northwestern, Angela. Angela and I were accidental neighbors last year -- we met the day I moved in, and she just happened to be a singer in the Masters voice program, too! We became close friends, popping into each other's apartments for coffee and chats almost every day. Ang is a first-generation Sicilian, and her husband-to-be, Anthony, is of Italian heritage as well, so I'm told it's going to be a large gathering of boisterous Italians -- sure to be a great time (and great food!). The reception is at a casino/resort/hotel, which also happens to be where we are staying, so I'm pretty pumped about that. We're planning to explore Syracuse a little (if there's anything worth exploring) and God willing all our flights will be on time, since we're cutting it close flying in on the day of the wedding.

So it's time to break out my small-talk skills, my cute summer dresses, my best manners and picture-taking smile. It's go time, people. Let's get 'em married.

movin' on up

I can't believe I haven't gotten around to writing about this yet, but...WE HAVE AN APARTMENT!!!! And it's bigger than the shoe box which we are currently inhabiting. Nick and I are now the proud renters of a 2 bedroom, 1200 square foot apartment in Andersonville. It is everything I had hoped for -- brand new hard floors, gigantic living room and dining room, big bay window looking out on the street, big bedrooms, lots of closet space, and half a block away from all the fun stuff on Clark Street in Andersonville. It's a third floor walk-up, which will make moving day super fun, but I always feel much safer the higher up I am. Not that I don't feel safe on the ground in Andersonville -- the median resident is a mid-thirties lesbian, possibly with an Asian baby (that is not based on any sort of official statistic, but merely my own observation). But seriously, I love the neighborhood. It's much more chill than Lincoln Park or Lakeview, but still boasts all the wonderful restaurants, fun bars, cute shops, and is near public transit. And it's dog friendly, so when I finally save some money, I can get that pooch I've been longing for!

The apartment is vacant right now, so I'm hoping to be able to get in and do some painting during the last couple weeks of June. I've always wanted to have fun colored walls, so I've started brainstorming some color schemes for the various rooms. I'm thinking a pale green for the living room, a reddish-orange for the kitchen, and some kind of blue for the bedroom. Decorating is going to proceed rather slowly (budget dependent), but we are planning to get a new sofa immediately. We went looking yesterday and found a few we liked in our price range. Now we just have to measure the living room and doorways to see what will fit. A kitchen island will be the second priority -- the kitchen has almost no counter space. I found a pretty cheap one at ikea.com, so I'm planning an Ikea trip sometime in the near future. Nick is working a couple of days a week at Brite Smile in Schaumburg, so trips to Schaumburg have been pretty routine lately. (And I got a free teeth bleaching -- as Nick says, I'm one step from becoming a Lincoln Park trixie, since I got my teeth bleached and have been going to the tanning bed for my sister's wedding. All I need now are some blonde highlights.)

Come July 1st, I'll be a city resident once more! Hooray! And we'll have a great guest bedroom, so guests are welcome anytime!!!

Another edition of the Midwest Bookworm

Since I spent the better part of last week reading (and consequently, being BLOWN AWAY by) Jeffrey Eugenides' novel Middlesex, I thought I'd publish another edition of the Midwest Bookworm for all of you bookish types out there.

I stayed up til 1 am every night last week reading this book. I couldn't put it down; it was the most well-written novel I've read in years (as it should be -- it won the Pulitzer). The novel spans three generations of Greek immigrants and their children; it is chock full of history, but not at all boring. I couldn't believe how easily the story spun out, and how quickly I was hooked and felt so involved with the characters in the novel. The narrator of the story is a hermaphrodite, but I found that it wasn't her/his condition that peaked my interest. Mr Eugenides has a way of making characters seem so real and intimate that you care deeply about what happens to them, and you can't stop reading until you find out. Although it is a story about a hermaphrodite, it feels like it could be a story about anyone who has struggled with their identity and figuring out who they are. RUN don't walk to get this book and I'll give you $5 if you hate it. Ok, I probably won't, but I guarantee you won't hate it.

Another great book I read recently, of the non-fiction variety, is The Tipping Point, by Malcom Gladwell. It's a really interesting look into trends and cultural phenomenons, and Gladwell attempts to prove that these things don't just "happen", but rather are brought about by small yet well-planned actions. For example, he describes the ways in which the city of New York fought crime in the late eighties/early nineties by taking simple measures such as cleaning the grafitti off the subway. Another of Gladwell's points, although somewhat less developed, is that people are very much a product of their environment. By making the subways cleaner and less grafitti-ed, would-be criminals were persuaded not to commit crimes. I found this book very inspiring -- it made me believe (if only for a moment) that little changes can make a big difference, in your life, in the world, anywhere.

Anybody have any suggestions for what I should read next?

good news!

Well readers, I have some wonderful news! I have a job--as a singer, to boot! On Friday, I received an offer from Opera for the Young, a professional opera company based out of Madison, to sing Pamina in their tour of the Magic Flute in 2008! The company does an 18 week tour of elementary schools in the upper midwest each January through May, performing scaled down versions of an opera for elementary school students. The roles are triple cast (these people obviously have some sense--performing ten shows a week for 18 weeks wold be murder on the voice), so I will only be on the road for six weeks during the four month period, as well as in Madison for a week for the rehearsal period. The pay is pretty good, they provide lodging and a per diem for food, and the people in charge seem super nice. So...I'm beyond thrilled! I have two big gigs lined up, and for a soprano, that's pretty much like knocking a grand slam out of the ballpark. I figure this is pretty much how the next few years are going to go: piecemealing together a career with gigs here and there, teaching, auditioning like crazy, and temping when necessary. I feel super motivated now to get my "package" together; I'm changing up my audition arias for fall auditions, so I've got to get cracking on those. Life is good here, and I am happy and content--there is nothing like that feeling when you finally get something that you've been working toward for so long (I may or may not have jumped up and down all over the apartment like a silly little girl.)

One week left until I am done being a nun (thank God in heaven) in the NU prodcution of Dialogues. I didn't know it was possible for them to make this an even more miserable experience for me, but they have. The costumes (ie: wimples) are constricting and itchy and hot and horrible; I have to move a bed onstage, because apparently I'm doubling as a stagehand in this opera; and the stage managers find every possible way to make sure we have little to no fun at these rehearsals. Yesterday was our sitzprobe (for those of you not familiar with the lingo--a seated rehearsal with the orchestra), or as I called it, The Day of Reckoning. The orchestra for this opera is not small -- about 60 pieces, I'd say, with a huge brass section -- and it was pretty freaking hilarious to hear these undergrads who have lead roles struggle to manuever their mousy voices over the orchestra. Three dress rehearsals and two performances left, then I can forget about this experience entirely.

And, while I'm counting things down...three weeks until I am finished with my Masters degree, four weeks until Elaine's wedding, and six weeks until Nick and I move to a new, bigger apartment. We went looking yesterday without much success, but we have a few appointments this week, and I spend pretty much all my free time perusing craigslist, so I'm certain we will find something fabulous. My requirements are pretty high but not ridiculous: hardwood floors, new(er) kitchen and bath, 2 bdrms, near public transit and fun stuff, not in the ghetto. Too much to ask? I don't think so.

These six weeks are going to fly.

phew (giant sigh of relief)

RECITAL IS DONE!!!!!!!

After my recitals, I always turn into a major believer--for it is only God that can get me through something that requires so much composure, brain-power, technical skill, and trust in myself and those accompanying me on stage. I was so happy with how the recital went tonight; I felt like it was some of the best singing I've ever done. It's true that you have a sort of "out of body" experience with things like this--you can't think too much and you just have to let all the hard work you've done memorizing and rehearsing act on autopilot. I was so lucky to have a fantastic pianist and dear friend on stage with me, as well as three terrific string players and an oboeist. I was also very lucky to have lots of family and friends and my wonderful boyfriend cheering me on--as I have often said, without them I would have nothing to sing about. Some action shots taken by Nick:









It was alot of fun, but I'm glad it's over, as I usually am with these sorts of things. Now I just have to take one little exit exam, and I am a MASTER OF SINGING. That's right folks, I have mastered the human voice, just like a certain young woman at DePauw mastered the Bflat clarinet during her freshman year (Robert may be the only one who gets this joke---but that's ok, it was for his benefit anyway).

For real though...I'm not sure anyone can ever master the human voice. But tonight was the closest I've ever come. My voice did everything I told it to do, and everything I wanted it to do. I've never trusted it enough, that voice of mine, but after tonight I have a lot more faith in it. And in me.

Here's to four more weeks of being a student! (I'll probably be drunk for a good portion of them).

living in sin

As my mother would say, I am officially living in sin. We moved Nick's furniture to a temporary storage unit on Saturday, and his TV, clothes, and a few other things came with him to live with me in Evanston for the next two months. I'm not sure how all these things managed to fit in my tiny apartment, but somehow, everything found a place and the apartment doesn't look too shabby. So far, it's been wonderful having a "live-in" (again, Mom's words): today Nick had chicken stir-fry ready and waiting for me when I got home from a very long day at 8:30 pm. He does dishes and laundry, he irons, and if it weren't for the little black sock fuzzies I find on every surface of the apartment, I'd say he's practically perfect in every way! (I'm working hard to find him a new brand of sock--certainly there must be a sock out there that does not produce copious amounts of sock fuzz that kind of look like spiders and freak me out). We are now recruiting people for our July move -- you scratch our back, we'll scratch yours (meaning....PLEASE help us move and we'll help you move in return).
So I survived moving day, now I just have to survive recital week. There are a few crucial rehearsals in the hall this week, mostly to check balance with my instrumentalists, but for the most part, I'm feeling good about it. The pollen count as of late has been wreaking havoc on my sinuses, but I've been neti-potting and downing mucinex and sudafed like there's no tomorrow. I've got my gown, the reception food is planned (just not bought), and recital posters created by Nick. The parentals plus Grandma, Elaine and Tom are coming to town, so it will be quite the party!
Additionally this week, I am singing on a masterclass tomorrow night with famous coach and pianist John Wustman. I have a terrific dress, and I'm planning to totally rock out on the Brahms lieder I'm doing--Der Tod das ist die kuehle Nacht. Should be good times. Other than that, I'm spending my time honing my skills as third-to-last Carmelite nun to get guillotined, and doing lots of yoga to create more peace and love within me. I've also decided to boycott eyeliner.

So, pray for my soul this week: for forgiveness of living in sin until Nick makes an honest woman of me, and for a good recital and not too much pollen in the air.

Many exciting things happened this weekend:

a. I purchased my recital gown!!! It does NOT look like this:

But just about every dress in the store did. Rather, it's yellow and gorgeous, and I look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Now all I have to do is finish memorizing the music...

2. It was actually nice enough to frolic around the city. And frolic we did. A tapas date on Friday, hanging out downtown on Saturday, mini-golf in the 'burbs on Sunday, and a lovely Sunday dinner at Hop Leaf with our friends Julia and Ryan. (Makes me feel old to have double dates with the marrieds, but the amount of beer consumed was enough to make me feel young again). Here's a photo from mini-golf (at which Nick beat me mercilessly...now we're even, I rock at bowling, he's good at mini-golf):

(I spent a very long time trying to figure out how to rotate this picture, and I just can't do it. Just turn your head, please).

d. And the most exciting (for me anyway)...WE BOUGHT A NEW BED. For the entirety of our relationship, save for the time spent in Greece, we have crammed over twelve feet of person into a full size bed, night after night. In case you were wondering how that was going....NOT WELL. It was a fight to the death every night, legs and arms thrashing about, trying to find a comfortable position. But starting tomorrow, we will have an extra half foot of bed to ease us through the night, plenty of room for all our limbs. A glorious queen sized bed will be delivered to my apartment at some point tomorrow. Here is the one we chose: at Bedding Experts. I have a strong feeling that this bed is going to change our lives. I'll give a full review on Friday.

Every time I tell someone that Nick is moving in to my studio apartment for two months, they say "Oh, you're going to end up like Carrie and Aidan (on Sex and the City), screaming at each other and living amongst boxes piled to the celing." Can't say the thought didn't cross my mind, but I think we have everything figured out. Nick rented a storage unit for his larger items to live until we move to a bigger place in July, and I'm doing my best to clear out some clothes and make closet space for his stuff. It's going to be close quarters, of that I'm certain, but we will manage. OH the other piece of big news is that Nick got two jobs already!! One working for a dentist on the west side and one at Brite Smile in Schamburg one day a week. YAY my teeth are going to be so white!!!!!!!!!!

dawgs

Lately, I've been a little obsessed with researching dogs on the internet...because I REALLY REALLY want to get one this summer. I found this awesome website that has a page or two listing nearly every detail about every dog breed in existence. I'm leaning toward a Bichon/Yorkie mix or a Bichon/Shih Tzu mix or a Bichon/Poodle mix.


Just for fun, I looked up the page on dachsunds to see if their description of temperment matched the late great Royal Duchess Lady Lyday's (our family's beloved dachsund who passed away two years ago at the age of 15). Here is what it said:

Lively and affectionate; proud and bold, almost rash. Tenacious. Can be willful and clownish. Curious and mischievous, they are very clever and may attempt to train the owner rather than allow the opposite. Devoted to his family, some fanciers feel the long-haired variety is calmer than the other two types. The wire-haired variety is more outgoing and clown-like. All are slightly difficult to train. Dachshunds are good dogs to travel with. They are best with older, considerate children and are moderately protective. These little dogs like to bark (their barks are surprisingly loud for their size) and are compulsive diggers. They are generally okay with other pets, however, they can be jealous, irritable, obstinate and very quick to bite. Sometimes they will refuse to be handled. They should not be over fed, for this breed tends to gain weight quickly.

While she was a wonderful pet, Duchess had some quirks, most notably, she hated anyone who wasn't in our family. She was known to chase grown men around the house, nibbling at their heels. "Sometimes they will refuse to be handled"--this is a major understatement in Duchess' case. Weighing in at a mere 7 pounds during her peak of good health, it was very easy to pick up Duchess and put her wherever you wanted her, but if you weren't my mom, dad, sister, or I, good luck with that one. She'd attempt to bite your hand off before she'd let you pick her up. "These little dogs like to bark"--also a major understatement. When a stranger entered the house (or even a friend who had been over about a hundred times), Duchess would bark at them relentlessly until someone just put her outside to make it stop.

But she was a sweet and wonderful dog, and I remember many a sick day home from school on the couch when she would curl up next to me on the sofa and nuzzle her little nose into my arm or leg. We had a lot of fun with Duchess, and she was a part of our family. Rest in peace Duchess, rest in peace.

you need to see this

If you haven't laughed today, you will now.

bitch please

After reading the reluctant receptionist's post today, I began to evaluate my own behavior as of late. Northwestern has turned me into a rather awful person recently, and though I'm trying my hardest to be good (ok, maybe not my hardest), I still find myself acting like a complete bitch for most of the hours I'm at school. There are a few reasons for this:

1. I made a very poor decision to accept an EXTREMELY small role in the upcoming production of Dialogues of the Carmelites at NU. This after being beaten out for the large part I should have gotten by two idiot, flaky, 20-year-old juniors. All because the school allowed the dumb shit guest "director" they brought in to direct this production have free reign of casting, and he is apparently deaf and retarded. Now I am forced to sit through these rehearsals listening to poor singing, poor preparation, and generally unprofessional behavior. Has there been lots of eye rolling, whispering with my friend Ash, magazine reading, and general disdain on my part during these rehearsals? Maybe.

2. My decision to get out of the Mary Kay business has apparently given a few people at school (not naming names, but I don't think they read this blog anyway) reason to dislike me. I realize that their master plan of wealth and world-domination has had a minor setback thanks to my decision to get out, but please. Not only do I feel scammed and used and STUPID for getting caught up in this business, but the things I read on the internet continue to creep me out. Check out The Pink Truth and you'll see what I mean. Now I have to find time in my busy schedule to ship back my inventory (luckily I get 90% of my money back and get to keep the free products). If deciding to forgo a "business opportunity" is a reason to stop being my friend, then...fine. You want to play this game? Bring it. (Cue bitchy Emily behavior).

3. There is, in general, a high quotient of really lame and annoying people at Northwestern. In reality, about 80% of singers are lame and annoying to begin with, but I think NU rolls in at around 93%.

The underlying reason behind this behavior really stems from my amazing ability to beat up on myself relentlessly. Geez, I should have a masters in Psychology, not singing! Somehow, I imagine that all of these things are my fault when they are, in fact, merely the result of unfortunate luck and being preyed upon by crazy people in the beauty industry. The fact that I am able to come to that conclusion is an amazingly huge step forward. And dealing with horrible people, well, I'll just go ahead and steal a line from Robert:" i try to accept them for who they are, and remember that they’re a person just like my friends or my sister or my parents, not just a collection of behaviors that happen to annoy me." Couldn't have said it better. And I am trying. Maybe not succeeding, but certainly trying.

I feel better already. And now I will leave you with my favorite TV sitcom "let's calm down" lines: SERENITY NOW (I actually say this to myself numerous times a day, and then I think about George's dad on Seinfeld saying it, and oddly--it makes me feel better) and "3-2-1, 1-2-3, what the heck, is bothering me?" And if you can tell me what that's from, you will be officially on the list of people I like.

NICK IS HOME NICK IS HOME NICK IS HOME (for good)

Ich bin so glucklich. Don't expect to see me for awhile...

Check, Check, and CHECK.

One (1) crazy experimental opera. CHECK.

One (1) "let's make Emily sing high notes until her head pops off" Easter Sunday church service. CHECK

One (1) recital permission passed. CHECK.

Phew, that was tiring. During Saturday night's performance of Ursularia (the experimental opera), I pretty much put on a clinic in "relative pitch" and somehow pulled a G natural out of my ass at a very crucial point in the opera. It was either luck or God...probably luck. Sorry, God. Easter Sunday was...Easter Sunday, complete with Hallelujah chorus and ridiculously exalted hymns with random high C sharps thrown in at the end. But Holy Week is over, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief for another year.

The recital permission could not have gone any better today. I was really happy. I stayed up pretty late last night doing some last minute memorizing, and then they only heard one piece because there were seven permissions today. That really took the pressure off! And now I have a lovely four weeks to leisurely put the final touches on my recital, plus create a great reception complete with margaritas and guacamole, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. So don't forget, my masters recital, Cinco de Mayo at 6:15 pm! It's official! (Don't worry, I'll remind you atleast four times before then).

Now comes the time where I retreat to my futon, watch some tube, and eat chocolate. I love it when I've just finished lots of big things. It justifies some serious laziness.

I can't think of a weekend in recent history where I've been more productive. Hermit-ing really paid off: the stress has been diminishing significantly this week. The recital music is coming along splendidly; yesterday I had the first rehearsal with my violist for the Bolcom chamber piece I'm doing, and it went really well. I'm feeling better about the "experimental" opera that's going up this weekend. I have found that if I just trust myself to pull pitches out of my ass, I usually do relatively well. I'm always wondering why composers who write this crazy music don't just insist on hiring a singer with perfect pitch. I guess maybe they don't really care if you sing a B or a B flat?

In other news, last night was my debut party as an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay! The turnout was a little less than I'd hoped for, but I felt that the party was a great success and a great learning experience for my first time out--not to mention tons of fun! I held the party at Ethel's Chocolate Lounge and had two giant pots of fondue for my guests. Chocolate and beauty products--pretty much every girl's dream evening! Check out my website at www.marykay.com/emilylyday. The products are truly fabulous (the microderm abrasion kit rocks my world on a bi-weekly basis), and I am especially fond of what the business stands for: empowering women. And not in a
crazyin yourfacebraburning sort of way, but more of a Icanbebeautifulandmakealotofmoney sort of way. Let me know if you have any questions about anything on the site. And for the month of April, for my blogger readers only, $10 off your purchase of $50 or more!

In closing, I thought I would post a few more pics from my recent trip to Greece.

Day trip to Porto Rafti:




Road trip to Delphi and Arahova (the Greek Aspen!)


Exploring the ruins at Delphi:


Japanese tourists (complete with Louis Vuitton umbrellas and white gloves):


Ancient stadium at Delphi:


Ancient theater at Delphi:


More ruins:


The oracle at Delphi:


Arahova by night (where we stayed):


Arahova by day:


Angelo playing with his new pet, the hamster Squeaky:


Angelo loves his Uncle Nicaaaaa (he can say Nick's name now and yells it constantly!--it's so cute!)


Enjoy the photos!

Happy Friday!

My plans for this weekend are uber exciting. Basically, I am becoming a hermit until Monday April 9th at 1:00 pm. It's the only way my voice, body, and mind are going to make it through the next ten days. Not only is next week Holy Week (to quote the one and only reluctant receptionist, "By the end of holy week, singers with church jobs are ready to get up on the cross themselves), but I've somehow got to learn, polish, and memorize 75% of my recital music, plus finish learning, rehearse and perform (premier!) this completely crazy contemporary opera. After learning and performing George Crumb's Apparation last year, I thought I could do just about anything, but this is challenging me in new and unheard of ways. At one point in a rehearsal this week, I told the composer that I refused to make the noise he desired me to make. So yeah... But come check it out if you like that sort of thing (weird electronic music, people making crazy sounds, etc.) Info here .
Tonight's activities will include doing my laundry and my taxes. Super fun, no? There may or may not be Chinese food, Ben and Jerry's, and a hot bubble bath as well. When I decide to stay in and be girly/productive, I do it up right. And when I decide to be a hermit, I REALLY become a hermit. I've spent entire weekends in complete silence, which most people, even my singer friends, find ridiculous, but sometimes it is necessary.
The FANTASTIC news of today is that I accepted a role with Light Opera Works for their production of the operetta Bitter Sweet this August! It's a small role, but they also asked me to understudy the lead! I'm thrilled that one of my auditions paid off, plus I will get to be in a show this summer and meet new people and most importantly, GET PAID! Not alot, but it's a start. Another bit of semi-good news: In order to accept the role, I had to make a call to a company that I was still waiting to hear from, Opera North, just in case by some act of God they were going to give me a contract. I spoke with one of their admins, and she said that since I hadn't received a rejection, it means the artistic director liked my audition and I am on a "waiting list"--meaning I won't most likely get a contract but they were considering me!! So it's a step up from last year when they flat out rejected me. I'm waiting to hear from Indianapolis Opera as well...cross your fingers!!!

Bad Blogger, Bad!

I know, you've all been waiting with baited breath to know what is going on in the life. The truth is...I became so lazy in Greece that the act of blogging become too much of a task, and since I've been home I have barely had time to sit down for five minutes. Between planning and executing my sister's Bachelorette party here in Chicago last weekend, which involved many out of town guests, one naughty erotic store in Wicker Park, and many, many cocktails; getting my Master's recital together for the permission (presenting 75% to the faculty) in less than two weeks; starting Dialogues of the Carmelites rehearsals; and trying to learn this insane contemporary opera that I agreed to do during a moment of complete insanity, I have barely had a moment to catch my breath. (The Bachelorette party, by the way, was a HUGE hit and so much fun--I had forgotten what a fabulous hostess I make! Here are a couple of photos):

The vagina pillow/puppet, which created endless fun:



The Bachelorette receives her embarrassing presents:


The whole gang at G-Boutique:


Sippin' Big Cocktails at Big Bar:


Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the laziness of Greece and the crazy party of last weekend are long gone. Gone are the days of last quarter when I could lounge about and watch episodes of The Office on my laptop all day long. The next ten weeks will be a challenge, and at the end of it, I will have a very expensive piece of paper from Northwestern. Then what? Who knows....

more words from abroad

Life is good here in Athens. I've been sleeping inordinate amounts, pefecting the great art of lazing, taking in beautiful views in beautiful weather, snuggling with my honey, and generally being wonderfully happy. Save for a small one-day stomach bug and a little bit of a head cold that I caught from Nick, I've been having a terrific time on my second trip to Greece. This trip has been a bit more laid back; I saw most of the touristy sights on my first trip, so we haven't felt the need to rush out and do everything in a short period of time. Yesterday we spent a lovely Saturday walking around town, shopping, stopping for a freddo (Greek coffee drink, like an iced latte), people watching, and hiking up Filopappou Hill to take in the view of the Acropolis and Athens on such a gorgeous day (funny enough, most of the Greek people were wearing their winter coats, and I was wearing a t-shirt -- guess that says something about the weather I've become accustomed to in Chicago these days). We've spent some time with Nick's nephews, who are adorable as ever. We took a scenic drive to Sounio to check out some ruins and dined at a little cafe right on the sea.
And I've eaten plenty, as usual. The one-day stomach bug set me back a bit, but as the true foodie I am, I rallied and have been eating like a champ ever since. Last night we had a spectacular dinner in Psiri, a trendy "going-out" area of Athens, followed by some amazing gelato. The dinner consisted of some rooster with yogurt honey dipping sauce, pork with a spicy sauce, eggplant with melted feta on top, and salad. Delish. Tonight we plan to go to one of my favorite places, The Pigs, which serves up some of the yummiest souvlaki I've ever tasted. I've also had plenty of my favorite Greek pastries--bougatsa, galaktabouriko--and some new ones that I don't remember the names.
And now for some pictures:

from the drive to Sounio:


Temple of Poseidon at Sounio (it was very windy, I look like I'm about to blow over):


Emily and Nick at Sounio:


Still blowing away:


seaside lunch:


Greeks put lemon on everything!:


The little guy climbing on his uncle:


More pics later! Must go bask in Greek sunshine!

dna test

This test, which I stole from my friend the reluctant receptionist (see link in favorites below), is very fun. You should take it. I made Nick take it too, and we had the same Love Personality. Here are my results:

Read my VisualDNA™     Get your own VisualDNA™

For those of you who are pesonally acquainted avec moi, you can see this pretty much fits me to a T. What does your VisualDNA test show?

midwest princess goes global!

Dear readers, I am writing to you from Zurich, Switzerland! Their very fancy airport has wireless for a very reasonable price, so I signed on to pass the time during my layover. It's a beautiful day here in die Schweiz, but this girl is a bit weary from the past day's events and journey. Yesterday was a bit of a harrowing day that went something like this:

8:00 am - wake, shower, grab latte and muffin, last minute cramming before exam
9:00 am - 11:00 am - wrote essay exam on German Expressionism in the arts. My hand hurts.
11: 00 am - 12:00 pm - warm-up voice, look over music for audition taking place in the afternoon
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - phone meeting with Buffy, my new boss (sort of) for my Mary Kay business (more about that later)
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - madly get pretty for audition
1:30 pm - leave for audition
2:20 pm - sing audition. It was fine. The room was completely dead due to wall-to-wall carpet and drapes, and I pushed a little too much, but that's nothing new.
4:30 pm - due to complete inefficiency of El, do not arrive home until 2 hours later. Haven't packed one thing or eaten anything since the muffin.
4:45 pm - my darling lifesaver cousin Ang goes and gets me a cheeseburger from Wolfgang Pucks. I inhaled it, and I believe it saved my life.
5:15 pm - panic sets in. madly throw things into suitcase. as long as i have my meds i'm fine. i can buy a whole new wardrobe at Zara if necessary. ooh i like the sound of that.
5:50 pm - leave for airport

AGGGGH! I am feeling a bit more relaxed now, but the whole day I was in a complete panic room and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Not fun. The good news is, I'm a mere 4 hours away from seeing my man! YAAAAY! And a wonderful ten days off of school and singing. More later, it's 'bout time to board!

the last month or so, in pictures

Valentine's Day


The new addition to the apartment


The makeshift "bedroom"





The Midwest parents in Venice


The big news of today: I GOT BANGS! Pics to follow, my camera is out of battery.

me vs. the insomnia

Unfortunetely, my ongoing battle with insomnia ensues. Last night was particularly awful, so awful in fact, that I broke down sobbing this morning and couldn't go through with my voice lesson. I can hardly stand up I'm so exhausted, let alone do something as rigorous as classical singing. If this is what it is like when you have a baby and are up all hours of the night, I will already know what it's like when the time comes. I think I can officially call this problem "chronic", or so they say on WebMD, if your insomnia goes on for a month or more. I attribute this to one or all of the following causes:

1. Stress over auditions. Auditions leave you raw and tired. You're putting yourself out there, and more often than not, you get rejected. Imagine going on blind date after blind date and having the person tell you you're not for them over and over and over...it's kind of like that. And I've been on over twelve auditions in the past two months.

2. Stress and anxiety over the current separation (of an ocean) between me and my boyfriend.

3. Stress at school. School is usually not terribly stressful, but lately it's been a tad difficult to juggle everything I have going on at the same time.

4. Poor diet. I haven't been the best about eating healthy lately. At some point I realized I can eat whatever I want and stay skinny, thereby exempting me from eating healthy foods. Also I can't seem to find the time to cook anything, or I just feel too lazy, and ordering Pad Thai from next door is so much easier and yummier.

5. Poor sleeping habits. Since I have a studio apartment, I spend most of my relaxation time in my bed. I often eat, study, watch TV, talk on the phone, and do various other things in my bed. I am also guilty of eating close to bedtime.

6. Added stress over the possibility of getting addicted to sleep aids. My doctor has assured me that this won't happen, but I keep reading horrible things online about the side effects of these drugs.

Today, I decided to make some changes. My doctor had discussed herbal remedies, but until today I hadn't given any of them a try. So, I journeyed over to Whole Foods and bought the following:

1. Valarian Root. It comes in this little dropper and apparently I put some drops in my tea at night and it works like a sleep aid. Only it's totally herbal. I'm going to try it tonight; I'll let you know how it goes.

2. Bedtime Tea and Kava Stress Reliever Tea.

3. Lavendar aromatherapy foaming bath crystals

When I got home from Whole Foods, I feng shui-ed (sp?) my entire apartment...meaning I moved all the furniture around. I'm not entirely sure what feng shui means, and I'm pretty sure you have to do more detailed research about where to put your bed and stuff, but I felt that moving it to a different wall would achieve the desired result. Then I walked two blocks to Affordable Portables, where I bought a futon and one of those Chinese screen thingies, so I can atleast create the appearance of having a bedroom in my tiny apartment. The futon will be delivered on Thursday, and I'm elated. This means that I will no longer spend a large portion of the day on my bed, and that I will actually have a sort of "living room" space in my apartment. After moving all that furniture, I took a long bath and sipped some of the Kava Tea. I am feeling better already.

So it was a rather expensive day, and my credit card got a rigorous workout, but I can't think of a better investment than my health and well-being. And I must say, the apartment is looking fabulous...so here's to a good night's sleep.

word from abroad

My sister forwarded me an email a couple of days ago that my parents had written her, telling her to forward it to me because they couldn't write me unless I wrote them. I didn't really understand why, until I got this email from my mother this morning:

"Hey Emily, We couldn't e-mail you because the keyboard is different and we couldn't find the "at" sign. :) We just got back from a beautiful gondola ride. Very expensive but very cool and a must do. Our driver was great. Venice is an amazing place. We will call you tomorrow. This is my last time to ck e-mail. Love ya, Mom"

"@" sign debacle aside, they seem to have had an amazing trip. Hopefully Mom will send me a few (hundred) pics so I can post one or two on the 'blog.

update

I know it's been awhile since my last post, so let me bring you up to date:

*Last weekend I competed in the annual Bel Canto Foundation Italian opera contest at Monastero's restuarant. I was very happy to get past the inital round of competition, since only 16 out of 72 people were chosen for the preliminary round. I didn't advance to the semi-finals, but I received a lovely check for $250 as my prize for making it to the preliminaries, which now holds the record for the most money I've ever been awarded for singing. I hope to increase that in the near future with some other contests I'm doing.

*I got a callback for a role with Light Opera Works! It's coming up this week and I have to prepare a couple of songs for it.

*Winter quarter ends next Friday, so school has been rather intense lately. I had a little panic attack on Friday thinking about my upcoming Master's recital, for which the recital permission is two weeks after we come back from Spring Break. ACH! The recital will be May 5th at 6:15 pm, but more on that as the time approaches. Right now I have to concentrate on learning the music and finding an oboeist.

*Last week I went to see Dialogues of the Carmelites at Lyric. It was an amazing production, and afterward I got to go backstage and say hello to Anna Christy, whom I met two years ago when I was an actress in a production there. And I saw Susan Graham, who wasn't even in the opera, just hanging out backstage! I was starstruck! Seeing the production made me more excited about the upcoming NU production of Dialogues in which I will be playing one of the nuns. It's a powerful opera and beautiful music, and I'm excited to to start learning it.

*And finally (and most exciting), I booked my flight and am headed back to Greece for ten days over Spring Break! I got a great deal on a ticket, and I am really looking forward to a relaxing ten days with my boyfriend (with some memorizing of recital music squeezed in). Our hope is that Nick will come back for good with me on the 22nd, so I am praying that it works out. I'm ready for the trans-atlantic relationship to come to an end so I can have my boyfriend back on the same continent as I am!

So, that's about it. Nothing too crazy, just lots of singing and trying to stay sane. Good thing there's booze and pills.



Only kidding. Ok, half kidding.