Wednesday, October 7, 2009

I've got a blog - now what do I do?

My husband has a blog, my daughter has a blog, why not me? You may think that I have nothing to say, and that may be true, but that doesn't mean I can't waste a lot of all of our times saying it.

Not long ago, I got back in touch with a friend from college. It was really cool. I think I'd have recognized her. And I've seen pictures of some people from college that I wouldn't recognize in the proverbial million years. I tried to get her caught up with the last 25 years of my life in 2 paragraphs, as you do on Facebook. (What I wrote) "The kids are almost grown up, out of 3 I still have one at home, but he's in college. I blew it the first time around, but the 2nd husband seems to be working out. We've been together for 21 years. I had an operatic career while we were in Germany. Now, I sing all over New Mexico, teach voice & piano, direct choirs, whatever pays the bills." She sent back that I'd had a busy and interesting life.

Actually, lately I've been feeling like my life was pretty boring and mundane. What have I really accomplished? What have I done? That kind of thing. And here comes this woman I haven't seen in a very long time, who thinks I must have an exciting life. Hmm. Let's see. Do we have money? Um, no. Are we happy? Yeah, I guess. Am I busy? Hoo boy. Like most working musicians, I work my posterior off, for very little cash. (I just wish I really was working my posterior off!) Is it exciting, interesting? Right now, I'm spending a lot of time working with high school kids, helping them to prepare for various competitions. This involves working on their Italian, pitch, timing, dynamics, and presentation. Some of them are really working and learning and audibly improving with each session. Yeah, I guess that is kind of exciting, even if I do get tired of the same songs over and over.

I'm helping to put on an opera in concert setting that has never been performed before. The music isn't grand opera, but has more of a celtic/folk feel to it. But it's good music, and we're going to be the first group to ever perform the work in its entirety. So, I guess that is pretty exciting, too.

Opera Unlimited is lining up performances for the school year. Hansel & Gretel goes back on the road in early Nov. (I'm the witch). We'll soon be back in the elementary schools all over the state, performing for the little kids, introducing them to opera. Some of those kids may go on to sing in a choir or a school show because they've seen us. Exciting.

Damn. Who knew?