NaNoWriMo is going on right now and, to be completely honest, I feel a little left out. I love the concept, I love doing it, but I cannot (CANNOT) do it now. But I want to! But I can't! OH THE ANGST.

The bottom line is that I cannot sacrifice my sleep for NaNo because sacrificing what precious-little sleep I get means sacrifices my opera-strength. AKA NOOO. It's not worth it. And I don't have time during the day to write. :( I have class non-stop 9am-10pm three days a week and I get out at 5:30 on the other two days. The weekends are work and practicing. Keine Zeit für schreiben...

So, yeah, this is a whiny post. I'm sorry. I just had to get it out of my system...

Did you ever get the feeling that something is just so beautiful that you could burst from it?

It doesn't happen too often (and when it does it usually involves me taking 888 pictures), but this summer was chock-full of those moments. It happened every day when I was over in Europe and it happened again last night. It's amazing how these things can sneak up on you and bring such a profound surprise that it tantalizes your brain for days.

Enter Sven-Eric Brechtold's production of Der Rosenkavalier (also known as "the best $20 that I've ever spent"). This has to be one of the most beautiful opera productions that I've seen since the Met's new Butterfly. But this isn't about opera; it's more than that -- it's aesthetics and talent and loveliness.

It doesn't happen too often, but when a bunch of creative and talented people get together and work for something, beauty is created. It's amazing to think that we can generate beauty -- that's it's something tangible enough to be formed with human hands and brains. And yet beauty is intangible enough to be elusive, even when it's on full display. My mind cannot comprehend the immense power of what it has witnessed. It's like putting down an incredible, incredible book and spending the next week thinking "How does something like this even exist? Who had the ability to create it?" And to be the one to actually create that is one of my life goals.

The funniest thing of all is that my awe is never inspired by perfection. These immensely beautiful things are always flawed, sometimes deeply so. I could rant and rave about how much I hate a particular choice that the director made or this bad character moment, but I'm still overwhelmed with love for the production. How is this possible? How am I so overwhelmed by one little DVD?

(Strangely enough, as I was writing this post, I read that m_stiefvater wrote an entry on this very subject. I happen to be reading her book at the moment and it has added to my mystifying encounter with beauty.)

I'm actually at a loss for words. Some writer I am!

It's frickin' GORGEOUS out today. LOVE IT!

Did some fun shopping today; got a pair of Skullcandy headphones that I love. They're green (at least I'm told; I'm colorblind) and they fit inside your ears. They work fantastically but being the paranoid person that I am, I'm scared that they work TOO well. I'm going to use them when I can't use my big ones (<3). I was hesitant to buy them up to know, but they were a totally low price so I felt it was worth the risk. (The biggest risk was, of course, that they wouldn't fit in my ears. I have the smallest ear canals. :/ )

Washed Gia the Kia-- she now looks beautiful (for about another 20 seconds; then the birds will get her). I'm debating buying a vanity plate for her. I just love vanity plates so much! The $$ is the problem; I'm trying to save up for my Austria trip. I had to buy books already, so that was money down the drain (not really, but you know what I mean). That and I couldn't help but buy the 1979 Kleiber Rosenkavalier DVD. BRIGITTE FASSBÄNDER, I LOVE YOU. Cutest Octavian ever!

My brothers are watching The Dead Zone. I've never watched that show before. It's pretty interesting. And YAY EZRI DAX. At the end of the day, Star Trek is really the only show I care about. (LOST gets second place.)

I have a new book idea stamping around in the back of my brain. This summer might produce another novel! Hurray. I love when that happens. :) We shall see...

Ok, it's off to more lounging in the sun. Yayz!

People amuse me.

A bunch of kids and their teachers were walking over the unispan (glass enclosure that goes over the main street) at my school. I was walking with them, enjoying the various reactions. One kid said what I always think when I go over the unispan:

"What if this really big truck goes by and smashes through? Wouldn't that be cool? We'd be like 'woooah!' and we'd fly through the air and..."

That was a 10-year-old boy. Love how the same thoughts that go through a 10-year-old boy's head go through mine.

Then they passed by the doors to the library. One teacher said to another,

"You want to peek your head in, just to see it? It looks like a hotel lobby in there."

I never realized what a ritsy school I go to. *shrug* Whatever. I'm not paying for it.

Speaking of paying for school...

I've decided that scholarship or no scholarship, I'm going to get my masters in Europe. I don't know why I didn't come to this conclusion sooner. There's no point in studying in the States.

The way I see it:
1. It's waaaay more expensive here ($30,000-50,000 a semester vs. $800-1,000 a semester)
2. Opera is a European art form. They're better equipped to teach it. Besides, their programs are driven toward opera; in the states, opera is just an add-on.
3. Why not? I'm going to move away anyway. Might as well go all the way.
4. Foreign languages don't scare me. In fact, they excite me. Might as well make my life as interesting as possible.
5. I could possibly win an all-paid scholarship to study there. You can't beat that.

Speaking of foreign languages...

I started my annual summer language study. This year I picked Russian because I'll be playing a Russian prince in the opera in January.

Russian is so cool! The alphabet is the love child of ancient Greek and English (aka "my" alphabet). The printed letters look nothing like the written ones, but WHATEVER. They have so many more letters than we do. There are ten vowels. Ugh.

The really interesting thing is that the letter for "I" is actually the last letter in the alphabet. There's something psychologically interesting about that. I'm always interested about a language's choice for the word "I" and how they handle its capitalization. As in German and Italian (and probably tons of other languages), the Russians only capitalize I when it's at the beginning of a sentence. What is it about us English speakers that we always capitalize it? There's no grammatical need for it. "i" is not a separate word. Is there something haughty about the fact that we always capitalize "I"? Is it a confidence thing or a mere grammatical tradition/decision? This is very interesting...

I cannot wait to master Italian. When I do, I'm going to write a novel in the language. I feel like it is so much more conducive to fiction. If I were writing a philosophical or other non-fiction work, I'd use German, but I'd never use German for fiction. It's horribly incompatible. That's a rather broad generalization and I'm sorry. My point is: I want to write in Italian one day. The end.

But I'm enjoying Russian. My co-worker is shaking her head at me saying "RUSSIAN?!?" Whatever. Got to love the shock factor.

I just can't completely be my character if I don't know the basics of his language. Certain words and phrases need to come out of my mouth without thinking. In the show, English (usually German, but we're doing this production in English) is his second language. That needs to be apparent. I'm going to work on my accent. Yay! I love imitating accents; it's so fun and I can usually do it. The Russian accent is hard, but I think I can handle it.

This is going to be such a fun part in general. I'm really looking forward to working on it. How often do I get to be a spoiled young princeling?

More to come.

Omgosh, this semester is officially and finally OVER! Thank God!

I just handed in my 96-page honors project; that means SPRING 09 IS COMPLETE. Ah! I can't believe how amazing this feels. It's disgusting outside but I feel like I could coax the sun out with my enthusiasm.

What a change this is from the last month. Before Monday, my life was hell for three weeks. Terrible. I was so happy when it all turned around on Monday with my huge C Level Petition/Jury. It was a turning point moment: a Shakespearean "point of no return." It could have gone really bad (which would have jeopardized the rest of my career, aka my life) or I could have broken through the three-week slump and done amazing. There was no in-between.

Thank God it was the latter. I did fantastically. I got an A and I was emphatically approved into the performance program by all four judges. Yes!

Now summer can begin. :) Here's the music that helped me get through the end of the semester:
Head over Heels (In This Life) - Switchfoot
Even Angels Cry - Jars of Clay
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen - Mahler (Translation: The world lost me long ago)
Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse
Awakening - Switchfoot
Cinque...dieci...venti... - Mozart (opening duet from The Marriage of Figaro)

For those of you who have been paying attention the past few months:

( On writing, art, and self-discovery )
But enough philosophy! I hope you all have a great summer and good luck to anyone who still has school/finals.

Toi, toi, toi!

So this all started with my obsession with killing myself with unnecessary work.  In other words, I joined the Honors College (when I came in freshman year) just so that I could gawk at a pretty little stamp on my diploma.  I couldn't have it any other way.

Considering everything, I only have one option for my honors credit this semester: music history.  Same as last semester.  Last semester I got roped into writing an isorhythmic motet in the Ars Nova style (with a paper on top).  If the words "isorhythmic motet" don't hurt your head, I don't know what will.

Needless to say, I did not want to get stuck with that sort of project again.  So I took up the reigns and spent my entire January break thinking up an honors project.  I knew that it had to be good; if it wasn't, my professor would choose my project again and I'd get stuck counting 16th notes and interpreting ancient mensuration signs again.  Slowly but surely, inspiration did its work.  I thought out the project and presented the idea to my professor.  And she accepted.  Here's my plan:

I'm going to write a novella on Mozart.

I knew this would be a huge undertaking (I'm starting now for the end of the semester).  As I'm starting my research, I'm realizing that this is even bigger than I imagined (and I over-compensated when I imagined).  Omgosh!  Mozart is such a complex character.  I only hope that I can do him justice!  Everyone has their own perception of him.  I'm trying to get to the core of things.  As usual, I'm trying to get to the truth.

I've started with a book that discounts all the myths about Mozart.  In other words: whatever you think you know about Mozart probably isn't true.  However, he WAS a genius and he WAS an incredible person and I can't wait to illuminate his life through fiction.

I've decided to focus my novella around the premiere of Cosi fan tutte.  I've chosen this because 1. it allows for some drama/conflict goodness and 2. it allows me to incorporate Miss Luisa Villeneuve.  Now, this is the cool part.

In my lessons, Tammy gave me two Mozart concert arias to put on my recital.  Both of those arias were written for Luisa Villeneuve.  So!  I get to incorporate both classes into my honors project!  How cool is that?

Sorry for geeking out on you.  I'm just so excited for this project!  I spend time researching every day.  I have so much more to read and learn (even though I had a head start in the summer -- I read 8 books on Mozart).  History is so intriguing and mysterious and complex.  It's fun to read what's there and imagine what's not.

I shall keep you updated whether you like it or not.  I'm super-excited.

I'm really sad because I've felt so uninspired lately in regard to my writing.  I haven't been able to write anything for over a month.  This is depressing.  Sure, I don't have too much time, but that usually isn't a factor.  And I thought being in an opera would be a good, creative atmosphere.  I thought it would spark tons of stuff.  Not so.

I guess this opera isn't very "inspiring" in general.  But still...Music always makes me creative.  *sigh*  Sadness.

In a few days, classes will start again and I'll have the usual 4 seconds of free time.  Aka: no more writing for me!  This is sad, especially considering that I wrote a 50K-word novel last January.  I wanted to write at least PART of a novel.  I have so many ideas but they're just not working on paper.  Maybe they're all too new.  It usually takes a while to get an idea to work out on paper.  I hate waiting, but I'm forced to.  Story of my life.

It's okay, I guess.  At least now I have this convenient little Netbook.  Now I can write in any spare second that I have.  That was one of my major motivations for getting this sort of laptop.  Ultra-portability = more writing for me.  :)  So...we shall see what this year reaps.

Ok, my rant is officially over.  Sorry to you all.

On a happier note: "dress" rehearsals for the opera start Sunday!  I'm excited.  I can't wait to put on my costume!  (In other words: I can't wait to be Peter Pan!)  hahah  Good times.

Alrighty, I have to pay attention now.  Hurray for corrupted Rome...

Another year come, enjoyed, and going. So much happened this year! I think it's really good to look back over the year and remember. I meant to do this before, but 2008 wasn't over until tonight, so I'm glad I waited. Things happen right up to the end. So, here's my 2008 in review, a meme stolen (as usual) from mcollinknight


( 2008 in Review )

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:


You give me every broken dream,
I'll give you restoration.
Come and trade in all your hatred for
A brand new motivation.
This Love is all the power we need
To sound out a revelation.
We join our hands and all agree tonight
For one thing...our salvation.
~New Wave Revolution - Rock 'n' Roll Worship Circus

Happy New Year, everyone. May your 2009 be filled with joy and blessings and new challenges to overcome. Life is the greatest adventure; enjoy it.

Things I'm Currently Addicted To:

"Hanging by a Moment" - Lifehouse

Checking my email

Fallen leaves

Thinking

Praying

Journaling

Comedic Opera

Livejournal

Checking my email

Jack/Juliet videos (I never thought I'd see the day)

My book, Kalonice

Outdoors

Madeleine L'Engle

Checking my email

Sweaters

Words

Love

Books

Voice teachers

Checking my email

I'm sorry for all the posts, but I am SO hyper!  I haven't been this hyper since middle school!  Isabel has to post that list or I'm going to go IN-SANNNNNE!

If all goes well, I will know the casting for the (full) opera in less than 24 hours.

I know that most of you don't care, but you will care when I spout endless gibberish about it on YOUR friends page.  And this is only the beginning!  WHAHAHAH!

*is recovering from her moment*

So, all is well and all will be well.

Oh, best phrase I heard all day: "random thoughts of a single alien"

Those words, put together like that, just tickle my insides.  <3  I think I'm in love.

*geekiness = over*

Ok, I'm insane.  And I will be until that list goes up.  At least it's coming by email (and not being posted on some random door like in the old days aka until now).  I'm going to be stalking my email like a lion stalking its prey.  Wish me luck!

Buona notte.  :)

 I'm trying something different today
prose is so old
or too powerful a sword to wield
no 
this is not "good" poetry
is it poetry?
e.e. cummings?
whatever

I've got Rice Krispies
in the keyboard
down my shirt
there's nothing else to eat!
I'm a full-blown
college kid
I'M STARVING
haha
not really
those poor kids are starving
I'm just a spoiled brat
who hasn't eaten
or wanted to eat
or remembered to eat
for many hours
are RK healthy?

I've been snooping around
LJ
and found someone I know
but don't really know
ever have that happen?
is it considered "stalking"
to read without their knowledge?
do I have a moral obligation to tell them?
or to friend them
or to comment with my name?
will it scare off their honesty if I
unveil my presence?
I don't know
suggestions welcome

I'm missing a possibly
"important"
moment in history
the future president is at my school
and I'm not
I mean,
what's the point?
if I'm there
I'm just a few miles closer to them
and yet still just as far
(metaphorically)
I can't get anywhere near anything
so what's the point of being there?
I might as well use my time well
(by being on LJ - haha)
studying and practicing at home
and chillin' with my Dad
who's working hard
(hurray)
on our kitchen
--hence the RK--
no stove
no microwave
no toaster
no way to make lunch
he says
"there's cereal in the back room"
thanks Dad
apparently he's not worried about me
becoming anorexic
or something crazy
at least someone isn't
just because the culture's vicious
doesn't mean that EVERY GIRL
is prone to eating disorders
if anything
I have the opposite problem:
I don't care enough about what I look like
I'm a happy pear-shaped girl
but I do love my pilates
<3

I think this is just lazy journaling
yes
sometimes "creativity"
is just an excuse
for laziness
hehe
it was fun anyway

Here's another hilarious (hopefully) take on an opera.  This one isn't well-known, but it's Mozart and "serious" so it has to be good (at least good enough to make fun of).

Allison, you might enjoy this.  :)




Enjoy!!!

I'm suffering from post-novel depression. Again.

I can't help it. It just comes. I'm so happy about finishing my book, but...there's suddenly something missing in my life. I sit around, listless, for minutes at a time thinking, "I used to use this time to write. Now there's a big hole there!"

It seems so dramatic, though. I was only writing this book for 6 days. That's not long enough to establish a habit! It's not like when I was writing every day for a month. Maaaaan, my body thinks it's a princess. I'm convinced! My body mutinies on me sometimes. It DOES think I'm a princess (which I AM NOT!). It hurts for no reason, gets tired easily, and other such nonsense. Stupid mutiny.

So, anyway, I'm subconsciously torturing myself. I want to sleep but I won't let myself. I want to write but I don't think that I should (like it will shatter everything that I've done or something weird like that). Why is everything inside me turning against me?

Okay, now this is getting silly. This sounds so, so silly. And dramatic. I'm sorry! I'm not usually like this. I just get into these moods.

I mean, today stank in general. I had to be "mom" and everyone was misbehaving. You'd think that a 17 year old could behave himself? Apparently not! Honestly...I had to give him a "can't you be responsible for what you do?" speech. I even made dinner. I was a bonafide surrogate mother today. It was insanity. I'm in NO RUSH to be a mother.

It was all okay in the end, though. Mom and I went to rehearsal and we listened to Mozart on the way out. It was church choir rehearsal. This has been an experience for me, to say the least. Singers are so funny; they whine so easily. First, the notes are too high. Then, they're too low. Gosh...they're never happy. Not one of them is adventurous. You have to RELISH in the challenge! I guess that's what you get for a church choir...

I'm going to go now and try to sleep. I have to get rid of this post-novel depression and quick.

Man, it's good that I'm not going to be doing this for a living. What it would do to my personality!

So here I am again, spending a late night with my computer. How romantic.

Honestly, though. I'm not used to staying up this late. But I'm a woman with a mission!

Last night, I stayed up until 4am finishing my book. Definitely worth it (except for the fact that the last two pages were complete and utter garbage). I slept until 11:30 and felt like a bonafide writer. I'm glad that I'm not going to be a bonafide writer for my life; I hate the schedule.

Tonight, I stayed up getting the draft ready for consumption. I've chosen a few victims friends to read it for me. This should be interesting.

When I finished it last night, I felt so satisfied. It's that deep contentment that you can't conjure; you have to find it, work for it. I had that last night. It was so wonderful. :)

I can't wait for my cruise. I love being out on the water and going to new places. It's definitely going to be an adventure (especially considering my family's dress code...this should prove most interesting). We're taking a family photo; we have to wear khakis and a pastel shirt. WHY must we always match? It's so dumb. I think it looks...prissy? I can't think of the perfect word for it. Either way, it's dumb. Super dumb. I hate it when people stifle creativity. I mean, I'm sure my brother was going to wear a chicken suit. I still have my Carmen outfit. Or, I could always break out the old DANCE COSTUMES! Omgosh, yes! SEQUINS! That would be the best family picture ever!

*sigh* If people want to be boring, then fine. I don't think I own a pastel shirt (that doesn't have whales or dinosaurs on it). Grandma bought me something pink recently. Maybe that will pass as pastel. Whatever. I always stick out in these things anyway.

Dad keeps asking if we have our attitudes ready yet. Apparently we need to work on them before we leave. He asked me and I said, "I always have a good attitude." Honestly, who wouldn't have a good attitude about going on a free 5-day cruise to Mexico? On second thought, I could name a few brats that would have a bad attitude about going on a free 5-day cruise to Mexico... We shall leave the guilty unnamed. I'm just too nice.

2:42...beautiful. I really hate staying up this late, but what must be done, must be done!

For Narnia, and for Aslan!

I'm just dropping in quick to say something rather incredible.

I'm almost done with my new book...

And I've only been writing it for 6 days.

That's INSANE! I mean, 10,000 words in one day! WHAT? I don't even accredit this to myself. It's supernatural!

The weird part is that I'm not feeling it or sweating over it, like I was during NaNoWriMo. It's so easy. The only reason I know that anything is happening is the word count. Otherwise, I don't feel this book being written. It's amazing!

I can't comprehend it. The numbers are the only proof that any of this is real. It's just so effortless...

Ok, now this sounds like bragging. I'm sorry!! I'm just venting my utter amazement at it all. I've never experienced anything like this before. It's so strange.

Is this what Ray Bradbury feels like? Is this what it's like to be prolific?

I don't know. All I know is that the result of my fingers/brain/muse is insane. Absolutely insane.

I'm pointing a big finger at God. What else can I do?

I'm really enjoying life with time. I can do what I want to. Omgosh, what a concept.

I'll admit: it took me a while to get into the swing of things, but I get it now.

I've written about 25,000 words of my new book. In four days. Hurray for free time!

My goal is to finish it this week. That seems feasible to me. Sure, I've put aside a bit of my music time, but it's only for a week, right? Hugo Wolf can wait. Besides, I don't have my next audition until August. That gives me plenty of time. :) Still, my crazy practicing self is whining, but sometimes you need to ignore yourself, you know? Well, that's what I'm doing: ignoring myself. hehe It seems mischievous somehow...

Besides, I AM getting things done. I fixed my grandparent's computer today. It couldn't find the primary drive (aka it lost itself). I had it fixed (with the help of some really great tech support) in about an hour. Wipe the sweat away on that one! I'm glad it's over. My aunt was crabbing about it yesterday at Father's Day festivities. Well, she can't crab about it anymore!

Speaking of Father's Day, my computer battery stinks on ice! It died in 20 minutes with one program running and the screen luminosity all the way down. It's my third battery only because Dell kept making me send mine back because it was liable to blow up or something. Well, I liked my old one better! This is making me kind of mad. >:|

I had a really fun time at Kelly's party on Saturday. I got to see some people that I hadn't seen in FOREVER. Happiness! Also, I've made an agreement to go see Wall-E with someone. Yay! I LOVE ROBOTS! They're so cute! I don't even know why I love robots so much; I just do! I guess that's why I adored Bicentennial Man when I saw it last month. I had to buy it and I never buy movies!

Ok, I've blabbed enough.

Oh, a Narnia update. I really love the PC soundtrack (especially A Door in the Air). I've listened to it in earnest now. I really wasn't so into The Call at first, but now I am. :) Yay. (I just had to erase the Susan/Caspian image from it. hehe)

So, until I'm sane!!

For (one of the) first times in my life, my room is ridiculously messy.

I blame college.  Completely.  Oh, and I also blame C&E.  But, then again, I blame C&E for everything (including my sometimes lack of sanity).  It is rather depressing to see piles of clothes.  It's even more depressing to have to go through them at 7 in the morning to find a tan cami.  Yes, it is all very depressing.

But, it will all be over very soon.  Good riddance.  I haven't had two moments to myself (until right now but, as you can see, I'm "wasting" it on the internet).  Anyone who's in college knows what the last two weeks of school are like.  Those of you who don't, BEWARE.  haha  It's really not that bad.  I only have two entire songs to memorize (in French!) before Sunday.  And I'm not memorizing them for just anything, but for a huge performance that will show the entire music department what I'm made of.  It's NOT my fault that I have so little time.  I was informed Saturday of this ... change.  Oh, God help me!  I shall not mention that I still have three concerts to perform in (I've already done two) and I have two juries to get ready for.  Most music majors only have one jury.  I have two because I play two instruments.  Go figure.

Sunday is my first opera scenes program.  I'm playing 1. a flirty, cigarette-toting girl who works in a cigarette factory in Spain (but apparently speaks French) and 2. a chambermaid that gives everyone syphilis.  I don't know how I get cast for these sorts of parts.  I'd be the last person on earth to smoke or give anyone syphilis!  Oh, the irony.

Oh, by the way, my director hasn't told us what we need to wear for this production.  I guess I'll be getting my costume at the last second.  WONDERFUL.  I hate hate HATE doing things at the last second.  Why me...WHY ME?

I'll let you all know if I survive.

Today I printed out the book I wrote over January break.  I had 300 printing credits at school.  I might as well use them, no?

It's really cool to see it all printed out.  I'm going to have fun (mostly) reading for the first time since I finished it.  I haven't as much as read one word of it since I completed it on January 30th.  It's all hole-punched and put in a nice binder.  I can't wait! :)

It's going to be very interesting to read it.  It's going to be SO rough and choppy, but it's been long enough that it's going to feel like someone else wrote it.  It will give me some perspective on my project.  :D  I'm excited.  I'll have some time tomorrow at work (there's lots of down-time).  I'm excited.

I was really scared this weekend because my vocal teacher, Beck, was in the hospital.  She has something wrong with her heart and it started acting up on Friday.  I was really relieved yesterday because I called the hospital to talk to her and she'd been discharged.  :)  I started celebrating on the phone and the hospital operator was still on.  I apologized, said goodbye, hung up, and continued to celebrate.  Tammy (another voice teacher) said that it wasn't looking good, but that Beck would pull through.  When she (Tammy) spoke with Beck on the phone, Beck was laughing.  That's always a good sign.  I'm sure I'll hear ALL about it when Beck gets back.  I'll get it all, down to the last detail.  Just like I like it. :)

I really hope she's in tomorrow.  Mom bought me this great shirt of a kitten playing an electric guitar with lightning bolts around him.  It's hysterical and I know it will make Beck's day. :)  I also have another picture of Kuzco to put on her door with a funny note.  I really hope she's in tomorrow! *crosses fingers* 

I was really praying for Beck; I was so scared that she wouldn't be okay.  I had tons of people at church and my family praying, too.  I don't think I can take the loss of another vocal teacher...

Well, all is well with me.  I'm happy and life is good (even though it's insanely hectic).  I have some really good things to look forward to (like the last day of C&E and the Music Awards Dinner!  Can't wait!).

Good night!  Over and out!

Yesterday was so much fun!  Dad did not fall asleep during the opera (which was a plus) and he didn't want to kill me (another plus).

Ugh...Ryan just turned on junk music.  Grrness!  WHY must he play it so loud?  Listen, I have nothing against different kinds of music, but there is a difference between good music and bad music.  This falls into the latter category.  The "musicians" are terrible.  Oh, hooray!  Heather just yelled at him to turn it down.  She's like, "Whatever it is, just turn it down!"  haha  Thank you, Heather!  Twelve and so much musical wisdom.  :)

Ahh...that's better.  No screaming.  Only the Countess hitting her beautiful high Cs.  :)

Sooo!  Barber of Seville.  It's so funny how connected it was to Nozze.  There were SO many correlations.  But I won't get into that.

Elina Garanca, the mezzo that I went to see, was INCREDIBLE.  Her technique was waaay beyond average.  Her voice was outstanding.  I was most impressed by her control.  It was just breathtaking.  And she was so graceful on stage.  She was wonderful to watch and listen to.  She was a great actress (which isn't as common an attribute as I'd like).  She made the show for me.  I mean, the music was outstanding (of course!), but she made it amazing for me.  It's not very often that you get to hear a mezzo lead.  It was a nice change. :)  Oh, and her range...amazing.  She had so many high notes and low notes.  Sooooo impressive.

Figaro was good.  His costume was so weird, but his voice was great.  He executed the really fast passages well.  Siviglia is a technically challenging opera in general and everyone handled their parts well.

The Count was my least favorite.  He had really really nice high notes, but that was about it.  He was kinda awkward on stage and I didn't like his mid-voice timbre.  I think that was just personal preference, though.

Overall, it was amazing.  I mean, it was the Met.  I've never heard a bad voice there.  Ever.  I'm so spoiled. :)  Once I start going other places I'm going to start groaning.  I even groan at some recordings.  The Met is just so...amazing.  It's in a league of its own.  And it's so much fun to be there.  It's gorgeous and the acoustics are out of this world.

My one qualm was that the orchestra could have been a little louder (especially in the Sinfonia).  It was opening night (!) and I think they were a little timid/scared/nervous.  The conductor was great.  He was so into it and he was so much fun to watch.

I hope everyone enjoyed their yesterday.

Today was good, too.  I submitted my new sci-fi short story to a contest on deviantART.  We'll see what happens.  I'm personally proud of this particular piece, but it might be a little too experimental to win or it might be too short.  I don't know what to expect.  I put a lot of work (and a lot of my heart) into it and that's the best I can do. :)

Oh, I found out today that the girl who auditioned after me on Thursday sang the same aria!  I'm glad I went first.  Also, that's really weird because my aria isn't usually studied.  I asked my teacher last semester to study it (right after I saw Nozze for the first time).  I didn't know that anyone else knew it.  Oh, well.

Also about my audition:  I gave the accompanist my tempo and she changed it!  She played the piece SO fast.  But I kept up and made it sound normal.  Later, the opera lady, Professor Heuermann, came into my voice lesson and commented on my audition.  She said that she was impressed and that I had a very pretty voice.  :)  That made me happy.  Then Beck (my private voice teacher) started talking about how professional I am and Prof. Heuermann covered her ears because she has to stay impartial.  Professor Heuermann also commented on the fast tempo.  She asked if I'd given the accompanist that tempo and I'm like, "No!"  She said, "I didn't think you did."  Gosh, no one sings it that fast.  But she said that I handled it well.  :)  That's very good to hear.  I was happy with my audition to begin with, but now I feel even better.  I probably will only get a chorus part, but oh well.  I just want to be in it.  I hope we do Rossini or Mozart or something really good like that.  I don't like all that experimental, modern stuff.  It's always so junky.  There's nothing like the masters. :)

Ok, I have to go.  I have a Concert of Praise at church tonight.  In other words, I'm going to be playing my cello for like 2 hours straight.  It's always fun/painful.  But I love these; they're just huge worship services.  :)  I love musical worship.

To everyone: enjoy your long week or weekend!

I'm supposed to be sleeping.  Shh!

I just got all the stuff I ordered (sans my new bag, pin, and Kirstie's sticker).  I am officially ADDICTED to Le Nozze di Figaro.  I just can't stop watching/listening to/thinking about it!  Ah!  Mozart, I LOVE YOU!  I already forced convinced my sister to watch it with me.  She said she enjoyed the 3 hours and 5 minutes of beautiful operatic bliss.  I'm not sure if she's being serious or nice.  Although!  Whenever people walk by when I'm watching it, they stop and watch.  People don't want to admit it, but they LIKE it.  They do.  Something inside them just screams: "This is amazing music!  LISTEN!"  Even Joey Cummings (!) stopped to watch/listen.  I was shocked.

I also got my Met 2007-2008 Rep mug.  <3  I already used it. :)  Hopefully, it will live a long and useful life.

I also got the season book.  Squee!  The only thing that's annoying is that Figaro got ONE measly picture and it's of this ugly guy that I didn't see perform.  *sigh*  Oh well.

I just couldn't do anything today but immerse myself in Figaro.  Ah!!  Oh, I did write some poetry and prose.  That was nice.  Today was one of those rare days (which won't come again for a long time) when I had this elusive thing called Free Time.  omgosh...

Alright, I'm done.  Just had to get that out.  Opera scenes auditions are Thursday.  I'm nervous and excited!  I get to be Cherubino.  Again.  :D  How amazingly exciting!  I LOVE CHERUBINO.  omgosh  That's my dream role.  Shh!  Don't tell anyone.  :D

Ok, the slap-happiness is stopping.  I'm going, I promise!  G'night~!

I actually did it!  I finished a 50,000 word novel in 30 days!  Omgosh, I feel so accomplished!  That was hard, even for me!

I rolled into 50,003 words at 11:43pm on January 30th.  I DID IT!

WOOOHOOOO!!