Ok. I think I have the comments feature fixed. On to my Artist's Way checkin! I'm getting back to business!


Progress for the week: I reworked the web site quite a bit. Took off the blog and the link to the personal page on the advice of a friend whose opinion I respect. I still may put them in the Links page as a compromise. Need to mull that one over. Good musical work this week, even with the extra duties I had filling in for the vacant teaching position. I love the strength my voice is gaining. The lesson felt pretty good today too, as I already stated.


Synchronicity: First, subbing in Spanish and finding out that the FUUS concert for the season is all Spanish music/Spanish based music. Ok, I'll keep working on this one too! Second, finding out that the district allows substitute teachers to buy in to the health insurance plan and then getting the sort-of-long-term sub job. Ok, it was only a week and a half, but the paycheck will more than cover the first payment. Needless to say, I'm calling the doctor, the chiropractor, etc to get all the appointments I've been putting off - and off, and off..........


Morning Pages: As I'm just starting back up with Artist's Way, none for the week. My goal is for 5/7. I know how I am when I'm starting back up. It won't be perfect at first.


My own addition to the AW program: DQT. I know - the MPs sort of work in here, but I want to include my DQT (Bible study) as part of my personal improvement program. This will be 7/7 at the end of the week.


Artist's Date: Again, I'm just starting back up, but I think I just found some more synchronicity. My mom just handed me a duplicate family membership card for the local nature center (and window sticker, but that's not important.) Interesting that it was right as I was thinking about what to do for this week's Artist Date.......... Hmm. Maybe God is trying to tell me something?


Walking: (from the Walking in the World book): Pretty good. I started a walking program this summer. I'm walking at least 5,000 steps per day. If I do once in the am and once at night, I should be able to get in the 10,000 steps for weight loss for my cardio. One will be a breathwalk. 6/7 at least. Probably 7/7.


Goals:

Acting: Work on one monologue this week. Do acting exercises.

Cleaning: Work on FlyBaby steps. Focus on decluttering bedroom for my own personal mission for the week.

Voice: Get Impresario fully in the voice. Put role on index cards. Keep working on aria package. Have O luce di quest' and Manon Gavotte ready to go for Barbara next week.

Dance: Ballet barre every day.

Physical/Weight: try Windsor Pilates weight loss (do the video every day). Keep up the yoga for the breath. Don't eat after 8 pm.

Fabulous lesson with Patrice today. Bester Jüngling - oops - Come My Love (we are in English, after all) is going much better than I expected. Old pieces can be a pain in the butt, after all - all that old muscle memory. I was feeling it while working on it this week, but with the new techniques Patrice showed me for practicing, it felt like a brand new piece. Singing it in English probably isn't hurting any either. This show is going to be so much fun!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation.


Well - not really. Performers never have summer vacations - or holidays with family either, sometimes. Church jobs have a way of taking up your time around the holidays. But hey - the money is good, and I'll be singing some good music too.


At any rate, although I do wish there was some way to have gotten back to

Rising Sun for the Rising Star Singers' Audition Works in July, I found ways to keep myself busy. (Rising Star is a fabulous program, BTW. I highly recommend it.)


First, my church job with Atonement Lutheran Church kept going through the summer, with some lighter (meaning pop) solos than I usually do, including some great stuff by Keith and Melody Green. If you don't know their music, check it out. I love the no-holds barred presentation of the messages in their lyrics.


Now, for the theater: first was Cortland Rep's Music Man. I had a blast with everyone there and learned a lot in the process. I got to be one of the Pick-a-Little Ladies (Maud Dunlop, who utters the immortal words: "Linus, play to me son, play to me!" at the end of the show. A big thank you to my sister (her blog is at: http:closetdiva.blogspot.com ), who put up with me singing the Pick-A-Little number every time we drove up to camp when we were younger, and for never complaining about singing the "Good Night, Ladies" parts. And a big hug to all my fellow Pick-A-Littles! I think we did kick some "pickle butt"! I miss our Shipoopi dancing offstage!


In the middle of all that came an offer to do a voice over with Full Cast Audio, a book-on-tape company started by fabulous children's author Bruce Coville. The book to be recorded was Tamora Pierce's Wild Magic. If you don't know Full Cast Audio, check them out. The concept is that the book is not recorded with one person doing all the parts, but with - well - a full cast of characters as well as the narrator. I got to read the part of Buri, for those of you that know the books. Fascinating character. I'd love to tell you more, but just do yourself a favor and go read the books. I knew her writings before, but found time to delve into them this summer while sitting backstage at Cortland Rep when I didn't have to be on stage. It was interesting, being a female warrior during the day and a prissy, gossipy Pick-A-Little at night!


Lastly, but not least, Syracuse Opera Ensemble did a concert version of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer. I got to sing the role of Constance, sighing and falling in love with the wrong person with that great waltz number at the beginning of the second act! I wouldn't mind doing that part on stage some time. If you don't know Gilbert and Sullivan's music, check out the following web site:


Gilbert and Sullivan Archive


Hey, check it out, even if you are familiar with their music. It's a wonderful resource!