From the Mind of the Airstream Diva

Return to Houston

2011-10-11T10:41:00.000-06:00

I am home in Houston!
Folks, we are coming up on a strange time in the life of Tara. First some highlights:

1. Just finished up Barber of Seville at Tulsa Opera, working with some of my favorite people in the world. It was not the easiest show to put up, but it turned out really beautifully, as this review will attest: Tulsa "Barber" has Perfect Pitch. Whoo hoo!
2. Prepping for a visit with my family (they are coming here). This generally means a house project. I am thinking we may repair and repaint the arts-and-crafts historic screens on the house, though this morning my dad was talking about storm windows which would probably be a smart move. Pretty sure there is not a window on my entire house that is square enough to make storm windows work.
3. This morning I found KITTENS in my shed! Two adorable buttery orange kittens, look to be about a week old. I was afraid they were orphans but I caught sight of the mom slipping away and then saw she was waiting for me to leave, hiding behind the shed, within earshot. Good mama. Nonetheless, if you need a pair of adorable kittens, I can hook you up.

So.... here's the news: my boyfriend has a new job which has at least temporarily relocated him to New York City. He is there now, and I go to join him later in the month, when I will consider relocation as well. Back to nyc. I did not see this in my future plans.

Ok, back to house cleaning and parent-preparations! Have a good week!

Bad Lip Reading

2011-09-28T08:11:00.000-06:00

I don't care what your politics are.... this is hilarious. hehehehhehe.

Language Barrier | Austin Interior Design by Room Fu Knockout Interiors

2011-09-16T08:28:00.000-06:00

Language Barrier | Austin Interior Design by Room Fu Knockout Interiors

I am continually amazed when people reading blogs feel the need to "correct" the blogger on their tone.

Friday Friday

2011-09-16T07:26:00.000-06:00

Friday morning, sitting on sofa in temporary apartment, Tulsa Oklahoma

This is the state of my life: I have become so insular that I am totally obsessed with the weather.
A cold front! Most exciting news ever. Will Houston get rain at last? Let's check 3 different radar scenarios. I can pretend it is a result of the ridiculous heat this summer and/or the drought which is trying to kill all of my plants, but really I think it is a result of some sort of strange neurosis that is taking over my life.

Or maybe it is an effort to ignore some other parts of my life that are about to completely rock my world. Namely, my long term boyfriend, with whom I have been enjoying a wonderful, lovely life in Houston, has just had a major career shift that involved transferring him to NYC. That's right.... New York, the city I fled 10 years ago for the more hospitable (southern -ish) atmosphere of my adored Houston.

So, here is what is happening:
Matt is in NYC now. I took him to the airport with a carload of bags last week. He is moving into his tiny (and we just learned: mouse infested!) sublet on the upper east side next week.
I am currently in Tulsa, doing a show.
After the show opens in October, I am going home for a week, and my parents will visit.
Theoretically, I will be going to nyc on Oct 17 and staying at least until Nov 30.
The fun twist: This first 90 days, he is actually on contract. At the end of this he may be kept in nyc, he may be moved to another office (his boss, for example, is in Germany), he may move on to another company. They MAY send him back to Texas! which would be GREAT! HAHAHA
So.... after Nov 30 WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WILL HAPPEN. This is a really exciting time in my life. And by exciting, I mean I want throw up a bit.If he is kept in the NYC office, then he and I will have some talkin' to do over Christmas. Neither of us are interested in doing a "permanent" long term, so I may be returning to the city. I literally cannot wrap my mind around the idea of moving out of my house, so I probably will try to do some long term sublet. That is not such a normal thing in Houston, but it may be possible. we shall see.

So there is the full story, folks. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.... I am spending some time on final prep for my show (Barber of Seville!) and rehearsals begin in earnest on Saturday. It is a RIDICULOUSLY SHORT rehearsal period, so we are off to the races!!!

This will make you smile

2011-09-15T07:48:00.000-06:00

I have had a headache for approximately 3 solid days and it is getting really old. This little video is guaranteed to make you smile, no matter how you feel. It is both amusing and strangely entrancing....

Grilled Shrimp & Mango Salad

2011-08-25T11:52:00.001-06:00

Here is my new favorite recipe...

Grilled Shrimp & Mango Salad

Ingredients:

1lb shrimp, peeled
jalepeno
olive oil

The Veg in the Salad:

1 mango
Grilled corn
butter lettuce
green onions
avocado
sugar peas in pod
cilantro

The Dressing:

juice of 2 limes (or more)
siracha to taste (or chile paste, or chili flakes)
1tbsp brown sugar
1tbsp fish sauce
2tbsp sesame oil
olive oil

So... easy peasy:

Light your charcoal.
Mince the jalepeno, cover it with olive oil.
Put your corn on the grill (This takes about 10m per side, maybe longer. I just put it on the grill and let the husk get mildly blackened.)
Skewer the shrimp. Drizzle them w olive oil blend.
Grill em up! (maybe 3m per side)
Blend the dressing, adjust seasonings to taste.
Cut the kernels off the corn.
Put the veg in a bowl, top with shrimp, top with dressing.
Enjoy!

Musing and a list

2011-08-25T09:24:00.000-06:00

A story about freelance life:
My name is Tara. I am a freelance opera director. I sometimes think I may be the laziest person on the planet, but surely that can't be so, right?
I am in that difficult time when I have about 1 million things I COULD be doing, probably SHOULD be doing, but there are not any imminent deadlines. The show I am working on is mostly prepped, and we are in rehearsals. There is plenty of time for said rehearsals (barring something insane) so I am not really stressed about it. The show that IS a bit of a stressor does not go into rehearsals until mid-September, so I have plenty of time to freak out about that one (which I do, continually). I have done the bulk of my homework for that one too... now I just want to get in a room with the singers and see what we can make work!
Then I have 2 major shows later in the season. I have picked at those a bit but don't feel too pressured. So... here I am. In that strange no man's land, waiting on inspiration. Getting the procrastination part of the process over with.

This is what I have done today INSTEAD of working on opera:

Went to Home Depot at 8am to exchange some mini-blinds. Again. This will be my 3rd set in as many days.
Did a load of laundry.
Hung mini-blinds.
Put away tools.
Watered the crepe myrtle tree I decided to plant just before Houston's sweeping drought.
Checked all my bank accounts.
Washed dishes.
Made some inquiries about a sublet in nyc for my boyfriend.

Then later today I have coffee with a friend and my book club meets tonight. That sounds good enough, right? No need to transcribe translations in a show I am doing in March? sigh.

Photo-bomb!

2011-08-12T17:12:00.000-06:00

The craziest freaking picture I have seen lately.
Read the entire story: here.

Productivity

2011-08-11T08:37:00.000-06:00

Well I have been back home in Houston for just about two weeks. Two very hot, but fairly productive weeks! This is what I have done since my adventures with Sweeney Todd at Wolf Trap:

Took my time driving from Washington DC to Houston with my boyfriend as co-pilot, making stops to visit my parents in Georgia, and his parents in New Orleans. Little to no bloodshed in the family meet-ups, lots of laughs. Verdict: good times, sore fannies (from the long drive!).
Meet with the Tax Authority to protest the new valuation of my house: It had miraculously increased in value nearly $40,000 in just a year! Amazing! Especially since that valuation was $20,000 more than I paid for it just over a year ago! Luckily, the protest guy agreed with me and set the tax value of the house at my purchase price. Oh, home ownership.
Have been tediously transcribing a literal translation in my Barber of Seville score; thinking about and studying the show; having major doubts about my ability to direct this piece well, interspersed with feeling really good about it.
Assessing the situation and hiring contractors to do interior work in the tenant side of my duplex before my new tenant moves in. They are over there right now, re-tiling the bathroom. It's gonna be so pretty!
Working my ever loving buns off on another major home project! The tenant side yard of my property was a total nightmare when I bought the place... there was once a concrete sidewalk but it was all broken and it basically looked like an earthquake had hit that side of the property. I had the concrete pieces taken out in the early summer and had hoped the mud would miraculously smooth out and grass would seed and all would be lovely. On my return I realized this was a fool's wish, and thus I have been spending my mornings creating this:

Can you even believe it? I excavated and hauled sand and gravel and bricks and pavers and this morning it is done! Now my side yard is jealous of the tenant side yard. As well it should be.

Ok, off to be productive for today.... more soon?

What have you been doing with your August?

Freak out

2011-08-05T17:29:00.000-06:00

Nature is so freaking amazing. Watch the first 30 seconds of this and I defy you not to watch the rest.

NY Times Shout Out

2011-07-22T10:43:00.001-06:00

Ultimate TO DO list: Have a show I've directed get a mention in the NY Times. hmmmmm..... CHECK!

Opera Takes the Heat With a Little Help From Gatorade - NYTimes.com

ok, yes it is a pre-performance mention, but still!

Director Notes

2011-07-12T06:07:00.000-06:00

So there comes a time, during the weeks before you go to direct a show, that the company usually calls you up and says.... "hey, we were wondering if you have a few thoughts to share for the program?" Usually that conversation ends like this... "and could you get them to us by tomorrow?" I don't know why it is a surprise every time! I know it is coming, they know it is coming, but every single show it sneaks up on us! Well, this summer my company (Wolf Trap!) should be commended... I got almost a week's notice. Not that I was any more prepared than usual to produce said notes, but hey, it is progress in a larger sense.

However, I am making a new goal for myself: work on the notes well in advance. Not for the company... for me! It is incredibly useful to sit down and force yourself to put IN WRITING what it is you think you are trying to communicate in the show. Has it changed since you began working on the piece? What have you learned in your study and while working on the design? It is all very well to have a sense of your message in your head, but can you actually put it into words? In working on my notes for Sweeney Todd, I found several little holes that needed filling. I had also needed to fill in the bridge between some big ideas I had. The notes may or may not reflect that homework, but the project is all the better for having done it!

Anyway... here, for your reading pleasure, are my notes this go-round. The show is staged, we are working through reviews, my lighting designer and I am gearing up conversations, our video production is well underway, and my costume designer is here for final fittings this week. It is happening!!

DIRECTOR NOTES

I saw Sweeney Todd for the first time at the New York Philharmonic in May of 2000. A naïve twenty-something, I was deeply disappointed to learn that I would be seeing a last minute replacement in the title role: some guy by the name of George Hearn. It turned out to be one of the most thrilling theater experiences of my life. With few props and very little set, these artists completely swept me away. This concert staging opened my eyes to what theater could be, taught me that music and story telling is enough...in fact, is more than enough. A very wise man said to me recently that the future of our art form, if there is one, is in forcing our audiences to use their imagination. The live theater is not best equipped to create a highly realistic world, nor should it. Rather, our job is to invite our audience to participate in a living creation process.... to engage in the performance and come on the journey with us, because using our imagination makes us feel alive.

Why should we “attend the tale of Sweeney Todd?” Todd wants revenge, one of the most primal, natural urges. He fully embraces his vengeful impulse, but rather than finding satisfaction, he becomes a shell of a man who literally destroys everyone in his path. To quote Mr. Sondheim: “To seek revenge may lead to hell. But everyone does it, if seldom as well as Sweeney Todd.” If we attend this tale and allow ourselves to feel his rage, his thirst for revenge and the inevitable desolation that follows, we create for ourselves a place to entertain unexpressed desires... without risk or consequence. Through our participation in this story, we experience a dark side of human nature that is simply not practical (or advisable!) to realize, but no less valuable for having happened in our imaginations. Could it be that when we look into the eyes of this killer, we actually feel more alive? My experience says yes. Hopefully, yours will, too!

All Things Thrifty Home Accessories and Decor: Tutorial: How to make a Fabric Headboard

2011-07-06T05:59:00.000-06:00

Absolutely putting this on my to-do list!

All Things Thrifty Home Accessories and Decor: Tutorial: How to make a Fabric Headboard: "In my master bedroom, I wanted an extra large headboard that would make a statement. Here are my instructions on how to make a fabric headb..."

"did you hear a click?"

2011-07-05T06:03:00.000-06:00

ahhhahahahahah. This video totally made my day. I feel I am about two minutes from such a state.

TED talk on creativity

2011-07-04T09:37:00.000-06:00

Listened to this TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert about creativity... and more importantly, how fear plays (or doesn't play) into that.... Lordy, is it speaking to me today, this week, in the midst of my monster summer project.

TED talks, if you are not yet familiar, are simply amazing. Genius speakers offering chats on various subjects. It is basically the holy grail for nuts like myself. Check the site, there are literally hundreds of hours of mind-blowing videos right there for you to watch at any ole time.

Friday delights

2011-07-01T07:25:00.000-06:00

Just because I don't post 'em doesn't mean there aren't plenty of delightful things going on.... but here are a few for today:

morning workout (not sure this qualifies as delightful, but I am delighted I have managed to keep doing it this week!)
catching up with an old friend. How can three years pass without notice?
gorgeous east coast foliage and weather
amazing home grown tomatoes
chorus rehearsal for Sweeney Todd! And delighted to BE delighted about chorus rehearsal!

Also, I have finally jumped on the Twitter bandwagon (see feed to the right). Come on over and follow me there, if you like. Not really sure how to work it all, but I'm slowly learning.

Have a happy Fourth of July weekend!

Traffic

2011-06-21T18:27:00.002-06:00

Have you seen this amazing video of a busy NYC street? It is a wonder we don't hear of more pedestrian fatalities every day. Houston is examining this study and considering a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly city plan. Hear, hear!

See article on Houston plans HERE.

Homemade Pizza

2011-06-21T06:09:00.001-06:00

Well, since I will be away from my full time cook/boyfriend for the next five weeks, I am going to have to remember what it means to plan, shop and cook my own meals. It is a hard life I lead. I thought this article looked good, and I am totally interested in making some homemade pizza. I realize it is not exactly diet food, but it is better than the old frozen pizza routine, no? Anyone out there have a good crust recipe they can recommend?

Recipe: Homemade Thin Crust Pizza | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn

Paris please

2011-06-12T08:51:00.000-06:00

I interrupt this insanely long silence with the following: ye olde "win a trip to paris" competition. How embarrassing to have been away for so very long. If I win this trip, I promise to send postcards. :)

Spring cleaning

2011-03-06T19:09:00.000-06:00

So my boyfriend is away this weekend, visiting his family in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. When he asked me about attending MONTHS ago, I said "oh sure, that sounds fun...hope it works out." Little did I know that to native New Orleanians, this is like Thanksgiving and Christmas all rolled into one. When I stupidly took a job during this time period, I simply did not realize its import. I thought it was much like missing a weekend bbq or a nephew's birthday party. Little did I know.
ANYWAY, suffice it to say, here I am, spending the weekend at home alone. Nice for me: gorgeous weather. So while it is odd to find myself without any real social plans, I have tried to make the most of it..... i.e. spring cleaning. I.e. "trying to turn this hovel into something bearable." hahah

What I have done:

1. Friday night: Dungeness crab, Dos Equis, and Double Indemnity. Yes, better with a pal to curl up with, but not too shabby a way to spend a Friday night. :)

2. Sang a funeral. No this does not sound fun, but it IS fun to sing a bit in a great space, possibly touch some folks that need a bit of musical healing, and make some spare change. Hollah!

3. Dinner and a movie with some pals. The Adjustment Bureau. Totally enjoyable. Also I have been told that Emily Blunt may be my "celebrity who stars as you in the movie version of your life." Verdict: Totally flattering.
4. Cleaning my bedroom. Bought a cute wooden dresser at a yard sale and promptly set up shop in my bedroom, trying to be organized. Went thru ALL of my clothes for the annual "what haven't you worn in 2yrs" clear out. Hung some pics. Room is looking fairly spiffy, if I do say so.

5. Yard Work! Today I spent 6 hrs. YES 6 HOURS! raking, digging, mowing, burning leaves and sticks, etc from my yard. Why on earth did this take so long? My yard is tiny. But lordy does it need work. My back is sore but I am feeling rather self satisfied. Stilll loads to do, but what a great start. Yay!

6. Finished the weekend with 2 margaritas at Original Ninfa's which was totally packed. And totally delish.

What still needs to happen:
1. more yard action in the backyard. sigh.
2. washing dishes.
3. straighten up living room

Am I a party animal or what???

Crock Pot Carnitas

2011-03-01T15:14:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday night I purchased a brand new Crock Pot for a whopping $15 and have since been feasting on the most delectible dish:

Crock Pot Carnitas

Prepare to swoon.

What you need:

Crock Pot
4-5lb pork shoulder (mine was like $6)
1 can beef stock
5 or so cloves of garlic, peeled
cumin
4 limes, squeezed

Throw these items into the crock. I am so lazy I did not even brown the pork before, but you can do that. Turn the crock pot on low and let it cook for 6-8hrs. When it is done, shred the meat with a fork.

Serve with:

Salsa. I recommend Arriba! Mexican Red Hot Salsa. Whoa baby.
Cilantro
Limes
Sour cream
Tortillas if you like
Red or Black Beans

I have seriously been eating this every single day for lunch and it has not stopped being amazing. Enjoy!

Back to the Future

2011-02-20T11:01:00.000-06:00

Well this is super interesting: photographer Irina Werning invites people to reenact childhood photos, in a project called Back to the Future. See more HERE.

Brick path saga

2011-02-18T14:50:00.000-06:00

So I thought it might be nice to build a little brick pathway off the side of my front porch. Lord knows, I have enough spare bricks around here, and just a reminder, this is the "path" before:

Not pretty. And constantly muddy and gross. I hated this area.
So I had a dream... a dream of a cottage-y brick walkway.

Countless hours of back-breaking work later, my dream is almost a reality!!
First step: excavate the pounds and pounds of clay mud, rock and tree roots in the area:

Good lord this took longer than expected. Good lord my back has ached for 2 weeks.

That is definitely the hardest part. Then you put in landscape edging, and add the first bag of gravel! So satisfying!

Here it is with all the gravel in place:

Next I poured lots of sand on top of that gravel, and smoothed it out. Perfect levels are for sissies. I like a more organic (lazier) look.
Then the painstaking brick-laying:

So pretty!! Now I am taking my time brushing sand into all those nooks and crannies. Could do with a light rain, but looks like we are cursed with perfectly gorgeous weather for the nest week. Oh Houston spring.
That did not stop me from planting some edging plants though!
Check the Dwarf Mondo Grass:

Should fill out that area nicely.
Look for "final" pics in the days to come!

Music book madness

2011-02-17T14:07:00.002-06:00

Ye olde music sale is going amazingly well!! Thanks so much for looking.... there are a few good titles left. Not to be corny, but I love seeing these books going to loving homes where they will be used. I am a full time sap, I know. Here's what's left:

$10 per book
20th Century Art Songs (Schirmer)
21 Classic Duets arr by Ovid Young -sacred
Anthology of Italian Song - book 1 (Schirmer)
Anthology of Italian Song - book 2 (Schirmer)
Fifteen Arias for Coloratura Soprano (Schirmer)
Garcia, Malibran & Viardot – Songs and Duets
Lennon & McCartney – 50 songs
Lerner & Lowe – “Camelot” vocal selections
Mendelsohn - Hymn of Praise
Mozart – Arias vol 2
Scarlatti – 5 songs for high voice
Yeston – “Nine” vocal selections

$5 per book
Bach – Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen
~~Laitman – I Never Saw Another Butterfly~~
Laitman – The Years
Schubert -Shepherd on the Rock
Rutter – Mass for Children

Music Book Sale!

2011-02-16T11:18:00.006-06:00

Hello all....
I am doing a little spring cleaning and have decided to finally let go of some of these music books sitting on my shelf! I have quite a collection.... and am selling them at a flat rate of either $10 or $5. Houston area folk get first dibs, and I will deliver them personally! Let me know what you might be interested in, or if you have any questions at all. tarafaircloth@gmail.com

ps. if they are crossed thru they are SOLD!

$10 per book
20th Century Art Songs (Schirmer)
~~Actor’s Songbook (women)~~
Anthology of Italian Song - book 1 (Schirmer)
Anthology of Italian Song - book 2 (Schirmer)
~~Broadway Comedy Songs (women)~~
~~Debussy- 43 songs~~
Fifteen Arias for Coloratura Soprano (Schirmer)
Garcia, Malibran & Viardot – Songs and Duets
~~Handel – 45 arias vol 1, high~~
~~Handel – 45 arias vol 2, high~~
~~Handel – 45 arias vol 3, high~~
~~Head - Songs of the Countryside~~
Lennon & McCartney – 50 songs
Lerner & Lowe – “Camelot” vocal selections
~~Mahler -Symphony 8~~
Mendelsohn - Hymn of Praise
~~Mezzo Soprano Songs (Boosey and Hawkes)~~
Mozart – Arias vol 2
~~Niles - Songs of John Jacob Niles~~
~~Poulenc - Fiancailles pour Rire~~
~~Prima Donna Album~~
~~Rodgers & Hart - All Time Favorites~~
Scarlatti – 5 songs for high voice
~~Songs of the 40s~~
~~Warlock – A Second Book of Songs~~
~~Wolf – 65 Songs high~~
Yeston – “Nine” vocal selections

$5 per book
Bach – Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen
~~Barber – Knoxville, Summer 1915~~
~~Canteloube -Chants D’Auvergne~~
~~Hundley – 8 songs~~
Laitman – I Never Saw Another Butterfly
~~Libby Larsen - Try Me Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII~~
Schubert -Shepherd on the Rock
Rutter – Mass for Children

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNEEEEEEEEY

2011-02-10T14:11:00.000-06:00

Well, it's official!

I am directing Sweeney Todd at Wolf Trap Opera with the National Symphony Orchestra. This summer. Freak out. And with a really stellar cast, almost all of whom I have worked with already. And with my favorite costume designer in the whole world. It is like I have died and gone to heaven. Please don't wake me up!

See Kim Witman's post HERE.

Wednesday Delights

2011-02-09T16:13:00.000-06:00

Wednesday delights:

1. The Ikea Kitchen Planner. What an amazing tool! Check out my plan, above. Now that I have paid for my new adorable roof, I am dreaming of the next big move.... kitchen reno. White cabinets, butcher block countertops, white tile on floor, soft yellow on the walls, dry goods in glass jars on a shelf. It is a beautiful dream, and I am diligently saving AS WE SPEAK. See also the pic below....mine will not be a literal interpretation, but definitely the model I am after....

2. Getting my home inspection scheduled, after multiple occasions for literally pulling my hair out in the home insurance biz.

3. Grapefruit. So good. Nature's little gift in the winter.

4. Cleaning my desk at work.

5. Slow but steady progress on the ole brick walkway. Can't wait to show more pics! But here is a sad one from day two of digging:

It is hard to tell, but that soil is mostly clay filled with rocks and BIG tree roots. Digging is not easy, fo sho. I've managed to break a couple of garden tools already. I am just so freaking strong, you see.

6. Looking forward to some real time off. During which I can plan for the upcoming months. So much planning!!!!

Monday delights

2011-02-07T17:23:00.000-06:00

Delighting me this Monday:

1. lunch with a pal.

2. the most gorgeous day. Still a BIT nippy when working on Project Brick Walkway, but the sun is shining and it is amazing. Love for Houston (esp in winter): still intact.

3. A new book: The Happiness Advantage. I am actually listening to the audiobook, and I wonder if the print version might be better but the information is good. To quote Abraham Lincoln, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be".... and now science is telling us this is verifiable.

4. Another (very different) good read: The Fall by Guillermo del Toro. This is the 2nd in a Triology and I have not read the first, but I was pretty wrapped up in the story from moment one. Is it great literature? No... but it is great story.

5. My sweet boyfriend. Are yall getting sick of hearing that yet? hehehe.

6. A fairly productive day. And still many more hours before bed! For a basically lazy person, I sure do like getting things done!

7. Canasta. We've been playing cards with another couple and geez do I like it. I may buy a mumu and move to Florida and drink fruity umbrella drinks all day.

Wednesday Delights

2011-02-02T16:49:00.000-06:00

Delighting me today:

1. Thinking these might be the perfect summer shoe...

2. Getting a brand new roof TOMORROW AT 9:30AM!!!
3. The hurts-so-good feeling that you get when you do manual labor. Like building a path out of used brick...

4. Gratitude that the manual labor I am doing is by choice and I do not have to do this for a living.
5. The occasional spurt of creativity in regard to my future projects.
6. Electric blankets.
7. My awesome gas heater... especially during repeating power outages!
8. A new haiku:

Major bride-zilla:

Lucia di Lammermoor.

What a wedding night!

Wednesday delights

2011-01-26T18:08:00.000-06:00

Delighting me today:

An amazing (but cheap!) pedicure and the resulting shiny red toenails

This pretty dress from Anthropologie. le sigh.

Shingle shopping for my new roof!!! I am thinking dark brown. What a decision!

Pretty pretty drawer pulls, also from Anthro. Can you tell I am back in the home improvement game?

My sweet boyfriend.

A day of relaxation.

Chicken tikka masala on the docket for dinner.

Plans for drinks with pals at a favorite beer bar.

Life is good.

help me rhonda

2011-01-16T10:37:00.002-06:00

If someone were to make these for me I would be happier than a pig in mud.

Ming Makes Cupcakes is a lovely lovely site.

Brought to my attention by Little Miss Bossy.

Missive from the road

2010-12-20T14:11:00.000-06:00

Traveling can be so exhausting.

Greetings from the Middle East

2010-12-18T02:50:00.000-06:00

So... I am writing you from sunny, lovely Baku, Azerbaijan. I am here on a mission from the Houston Grand Opera, to meet with Azeri composer Franghiz Alizadeh about a small opera she is writing for production in the spring.

Getting here was quite a trek. I left Houston at 6:30pm, (flight: @8.5hrs) arrived in London at 11:30am. My next flight was scheduled for 1:20pm, but there was a delay due to weather, then we boarded, then we sat on the sweltering plane for a while. Short story long, I arrived in Baku around 1am (5hr flight). A very long day and I purposely only slept about 2 hrs on the flights, so I would be able to jump right into local time. And now it is morning, and here I am!

I woke around 9:30am and got a sense of the place I am staying.... a "guest room" in the Composer's Union building, right across from Sahil Gardens. There are lots of upscale shops nearby and the building is very grand, if rather sparsely (but nicely) furnished. Everything seems to be very large here.... the buildings, the squares. The ceilings in my suite area are probably 25ft high, and there is a lovely chandelier in my room. I am on a pulll out sofa but seem to have almost the entire building to myself (it just occurs to me that may be because it is a Saturday). I am on the 3rd floor, have to take 3 flights of very grand green marble steps.

After a shower and some tea I took a walk around the area to try to get my bearings. Some observations:

There are very few streets signs here.
I feel very conspicuous on the street and people are not shy about staring at me. Also they do not smile. The locals look very Turkish/Russian (as you would expect), so my coloring is a bit unusual.
The light is gorgeous here.
I am about 3 blocks from the Caspian Sea and there are very nice parks and blvds.
It is really disconcerting to be in a place where you do not understand the language AT ALL. It bears no relation to any of the languages I am familiar with.... not even in writing (especially when they use the Cyrillic alphabet).
This is indeed a very modern city. The "old city" is not too far away and I plan to walk over later on.

So now I am just hanging out at the residence, awaiting further orders. I do not know at all what my schedule will be like this week. But I will keep you posted!

Winter News

2010-12-16T15:30:00.000-06:00

O lordy. I may be the worst blogger on record. Having been firmly hassled by myriad rabid readers of late, I am at last succumbing to the pressure and offering up a little blog post. The form: a list, of course.

What is Up in my Life, or Why I have been a Horrible Blogger:

Worked on Peter Grimes at HGO this season. What a doozy of a show. Tons of chorus work and it is not just standing around, singing pretty music. Happy to work on it, happy to see it come to a close.
Trying to get things lined up for next season. Its looking pretty good! More to follow on this, pronto.
Spending lots of time with the man in my life. Including a whirlwind vacation to lovely, wintery NYC. See pics above and below!
Getting work done on my Money Pit, I mean house. As in foundation repair, reno of bathroom, new septic/sewage lines. Saving up now for a new roof.
Singing (actually sobbing throughout) at my younger brother's wedding. Who knew I was such a sap? (I suppose the question should be who DOESN'T know?). Story to follow if I am feeling brave. In any case, the wedding was lovely, we love the bride, I think they are a great pair. Happy ending.
Spending lots of time getting ready for my spring work. More info to follow.
Packing madly for a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan. A perfectly normal place to spend the week before Christmas, I say. Houston Grand Opera is sending me there to work with a composer on a commission for a small show we are producing in the spring. More info to follow.

so pretty

2010-10-08T13:03:00.000-06:00

ok, I interrupt this incredibly long period of silence to show you some beautiful flowers:

What I like:

succulents
flowers that are almost black
lots of texture
dahlias

Saved the best for last:

All images from Flora Grubb at The Cutting Garden. Go there now for even more amazing flower porn.

HOpe you are having a great fall weekend!

Madama Butterfly: Music & Lyrics

2010-08-16T16:23:00.000-06:00

(This is a very old and damaged video but it features AMAZING singers... Freni & Domingo... and has some subtitles. There are tons of other videos on Youtube if you are interested)

There are a couple of places in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly that evoke spontaneous tears from me…. and surprisingly, the end (her death) is not one of them. For some reason, the moments that tear me up the most are ones of intense passion…often the happiest moments in the opera.

This is one: the love duet at the end of Act One. Pinkerton, an American sailor, has just “married” the very young geisha, Butterfly. After an ugly incident with her family (in which they renounce her), the pair are left alone, perhaps for the first time, and they share their feelings with one another: Pinkerton sings of her beauty, how she has entranced him. She urges him to be gentle with her, to love her as he would a little child, explaining that she comes from a simple people , with quiet but deep emotions.

Ah, love me a little,
As you would love a baby, is all that I ask for.
I come of a people accustomed to little;
Grateful for love that's silent;
Light as a blossom and yet everlasting
As the sky, as the fathomless ocean.

The music is continually soaring, drawing us into their growing passion. Pinkerton grows more and more ardent, and (to me anyway) Butterfly grows more and more transcendent. As he calls to her “come, come…” drawing her into their bedroom, she gazes towards the heavens, suddenly overwhelmed with the enormity of the gorgeous night sky. She feels she has never seen so many stars and is completely enraptured by their beauty and majesty as she experiences love for the first time. (around 4:25 in the video)

Oh! how kindly are the heavens,
Ev'ry star that shines afar is gazing on us,
Lighting our future for us...

The music alone may bring tears to your eyes, but this is what breaks my heart every time: it seems that these two are having completely different experiences at the same moment. Hers is deeply spiritual, and his is deeply carnal. I believe this scene captures the great struggle of the human condition: that even in our most intimate shared moments we can only have our own experience. While we seek connection we remain separate.

Sunday delights

2010-08-08T07:29:00.000-06:00

Delighting me this Sunday morning:

Pleasant endings (last performance of FACE, last performance of Orpheus, saying "catch you later" to friends old and new at the end of my summer festival)
Exciting beginnings (Return to Houston! Face-to-face time with a lovely man-friend! New home renovation! Catching up with old friends! Full season ahead! New foster kitties!)
Road trip ahead....long but not grueling.
Great podcasts for the road: Radiolab
Packing packing packing

Thursday delights

2010-08-05T08:13:00.000-06:00

Delighting me this Thursday morning:

Planning home renovations. This Old House is my new best friend.
Knowledgeable and helpful and generous parents.
Waking up to the most beautiful sunrise.... and 50 degree weather. (and knowing that I should soak it up because in just a few days Houston is going to provide quite a different sort of wake up scenario!)
Exciting future career plans.
Only three more days before I hit the road home, and a very light schedule for those three days.
AWESOME new podcast obsession: Radiolab.
Finding an amazing steal on Craigslist.... pics to follow soon!
Lovely flowers on my kitchen table.

something to ponder

2010-08-03T12:10:00.000-06:00

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
from The Life and Work of Martha Graham

2010-07-21T20:57:00.000-06:00

Wednesday delights:

DELICIOUS DINNER: grilled pork chop; roasted potato, sweet potato, garlic & rosemary; white wine. The meal was delish, and sitting outside, watching the sunset over mountains, reading a new magazine, with a glass of white wine, was just as nice.
Final scene of the summer, STAGED AT LAST. Still needs perfecting and costuming, but the bulk of the work is out of the way.
Good workout: hiking, then running on treadmill.
Realizing I am only 18 days from returning home to Houston.
Feeling like we are ahead of schedule on both big shows I have going up in the next couple of weeks.
A new good book (Thieves' Opera) and a new good magazine (Cooking Light)
Fun texts with my sweet man-friend.

2010-07-18T10:32:00.001-06:00

I got an email from a friend the other day, telling me how he enjoyed reading my "delights" posts and what a happy life I seemed to be living. In the interest of full disclosure, I felt a little confession was in order: My life is not actually a series of full time delights. Shocking, I know. Taking the time to write down things that ARE delightful is a good reminder to me of all that IS wonderful, especially when I am feeling down. And generally, the more I write, the more I realize what there is to write about. To quote Abraham Lincoln, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." If I chose, there are plenty of things I could write about that are NOT delighting me, but would that really make me feel better? Would it make you feel better to read it? ha!

(poster via Etsy)

So.... my Sunday delights:

Frank conversations.
Beautifully designed movies: Despicable Me and A Single Man
Steel cut oatmeal with summer berries.
Another scene up in Opera a la Carte.
Seeing the rest of the summer schedule all on ONE page.
Notes from long lost friends.
My scheme for managing finances. See details HERE. Really, I cannot explain how happy this system makes me. Especially if you are a freelancer with head-scratching finances, check it out.

Thursday delights

2010-07-15T09:16:00.000-06:00

(Bird coop at Mary Arden's farm, England, May 2010)

Delighting me this Thursday morning:

Sweet morning phone calls.
Finishing a great novel.
Fun and productive rehearsals.
Reading Oprah magazine in bed.... takes me forever to finish, but I do love it.
Thoughtful friends.
Clean laundry
Wondrous internet technology that I use every day: mint.com, dailyburn.com, ingdirect.com, gmail.com, google reader.

Wednesday delights

2010-07-14T14:00:00.002-06:00

(Pretty little door in Lower Slaughter, England, May 2010. Check the awesome black tulips.)

Delighting me this Wednesday:

Seeing a potentially awkward situation magically work itself out.
Getting the tax credit check in the mail! yay new house!
Enjoying a good novel (Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen).
Waking up and actually WANTING to go exercise.
This cool new online tool: www.dailyburn.com.
Making great progress with the cover cast!
Another day closer to Houston.

June movies

2010-07-14T06:26:00.000-06:00

O lordy, it has been a doozy of a summer for movies. I am striking out left and right! But in the interest of keeping a record....here we go:

1. Iron Man (Ultimate 2 Disc Edition) So I basically went to see this movie because I love Robert Downey, Jr. and I love going to movies, and there was virtually nothing else worth seeing on my day off. I enjoyed the first Iron Man well enough.... and this was not painful to watch. It doesn't seem so awesome when "this was not painful" is kind of the best comment I have. hmmm.

2. Duplicity I wanted to like this so much. Really. It seemed stylish enough at the outset... really like a lot of the actors...the plot seemed fairly interesting. But somehow, I just got completely mired in the story telling. I couldn't even finish the thing. What IS awesome: the first 5 minutes of the show... Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson cat-fighting on a tarmac. Priceless.

3. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo This spring, I read and loved this book, and I thought the movie was a pretty fair representation. The entire time, though, I wondered what it would be like to see the movie NOT knowing how it was going to end. Incidentally, this film is already available for Instant Watch on Netflix.

4. Killer at Large: Why Obesity is America's Greatest Threat.   Thank you Netflix Instant Watch. Without you, I would not have seen this horrifying documentary.

5. Cyrus Saw this recently with one of my very favorite people (hi matt!) at one of my very favorite movie theatres: The Mayan Theatre in Denver, Colorado.   Awesome theatre. Awesome company. Did not love the movie. Interesting performances. Not a great script. A comedy/drama... somehow, something just fell through the cracks.

6. New York, I Love You   Boooo...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Not so much bad as just incredibly dull. A series of vignettes about New York life. Great actors! Theoretically, a wealth of fabulous subject matter! What happened??? And who the heck can tell me what the episode with Julie Christie and Shia LaBoeuf was supposed to be about?

7. Samson et Dalila   The Met Opera production with Domingo and Borodina. Interesting production of this French Grand Opera. Really loved the ballet sections. Very inspiring. I am directing this piece in fall 2011, so it is good to get a sense of some production history.

HOWEVER, there are a few movies I am really looking forward to seeing! So hopefully the next roundup will be bit more effusive. Fingers crossed...
1. El Secreto De Sus Ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes)
2. Descpicable Me
3. Micmacs
4. Toy Story 3
5. A Single Man

Tuesday delights

2010-07-13T11:32:00.000-06:00

(Tombstones at Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon, May 2010)

Things that are delighting me this morning:

Gorgeous sunny day, no humidity (thank you rocky mtns!)
Getting all sorts of chores done: washing dishes, cleaning room, cleaning out car. Yay!
Feeling good about a stable financial outlook for the immediate future (as a freelancer, this is not an everyday feeling!)
Steel cut oatmeal with berries for breakfast.
Starting a new workout routine.

Company: Music & Lyrics

2010-07-11T09:26:00.000-06:00

This song is really on my mind today, for a variety of reasons.

I've written about it before, here, but I didn't share a link ... this one comes from the very excellent documentary about the making of the Cast Album for Company. What a great film.

Delights return

2010-07-10T23:27:00.000-06:00

In an effort to get back to blogging AND as a reminder to myself of how much wonderfulness there is to be enjoyed in life, I bring back the "delights" series..... simply a list of things that are delighting me.

Here's today's list:

Performances that move you in unexpected ways.
Talking to interesting new people.
Catching up with old friends.
Putting on a new top and feeling pretty.
Seeing your younger colleagues succeed.
Delicious red wine.
The West Wing Season 1
Great lines like this one (the beginning is paraphrased)... "I go to the theatre... Not to escape, but to connect." Thank you, Gene Scheer.

Unique Scoop: Kitties Rescued by US Marine Soldiers in Afghanistan

2010-07-09T08:09:00.000-06:00

I realize I haven't posted in an age... no good excuse will do... and though this is not my own personal content, it definitely brought a smile to my face today:

Read the whole story: Unique Scoop: Kitties Rescued by US Marine Soldiers in Afghanistan

April & May movies

2010-06-06T09:46:00.000-06:00

April and May were busy months.... I was on a gig out of town for all of April, then out of the country for virtually of May. I did not watch many movies, nor did I make careful note of the movies I did watch. Sigh... good thing I write this blog for fun.   Anyway, a roundup of those I did remember to write down... in no particular order.

1. Fantastic Mr. Fox Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous craftmanship.   Also very clever. So why was I ultimately kind of bored? Some folks just can't be pleased, apparently. And apparently I am one of those folks.

2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall An enjoyable, mindless comedy. Perfect thing to watch after a long day of rehearsal when you'd like to be amused but your brain cells are almost completely used up. Plus it has Paul Rudd, who can do no wrong. Though he tries in this movie. But still.

3. Coco Before Chanel Another gorgeous period film about a fascinating woman. Knowing almost nothing about Ms. Chanel, this was incredibly interesting to me and I think Audrey Tautou is amazing.

Sidebar: I realize I am not writing earth-shattering reviews here, alright? Mostly this list is just a reminder of what I have put into my brain throughout the year. If you are looking for stimulating critical genius you are looking at the wrong blog. But I'm glad you are here, please stay.

4. Seeing Other People A serio-comedy about an engaged couple that decide to spend the last months before their marriage sleeping around. Sparks ensue, lessons are learned. slightly zzzzzzzzzzz...

5. Taxi Driver   Amazing. As this is consistently on the list of best American movies, this should not be a big surprise, but I had never seen it before and it was amazing. DeNiro looks to be about 14 years old in this film. Loved the script, loved the perfomances, loved the cinematography. Haunting and wonderful. done.

6. Did You Hear About the Morgans?   This is what happens when you are on an international flight and can't sleep. You watch trashy movies. Love Hugh Grant. Love SJP. Did not love this movie. Not funny, just tired. So sad, really. I hope they had a good time on set making it.

7. Whip It   Awesome. Coming of age story: small town Texas girl discovers roller derby in the "big city" and finally finds her niche. Fun to watch, but also moving and lovely. Marcia Gay Harden is wonderful as the over-bearing mother. My obsession with roller derby is revived.

8. Sex and the City 2 Oh how I wanted this movie to be even just a little bit good. sob. Helas. Really, we have to take the ladies all the way to the other side of the globe? Are their characters not enough? Weren't they good enough for 6 solid seasons?   Anyway... best parts of the otherwise dismal but visually stimulating movie: 1. Carrie's phone call to Big, confessing a mis-deed. THERE SHE IS! There's our girl! There's our dialog! There's the genuine delivery, the heart of the script! 2. The scene with Charlotte and Miranda discussing motherhood. Some of the only successfully intentionally funny writing in the show (I realize there was a lots of writing that was supposed to be funny, sob).   That said... ok, yes, I'm still one of those women... it was good to see what our old friends have been up to. Doesn't Miranda just get better and better with age?

9. The Lovely Bones Also watched this during my international flight. Unexpectedly sobbed almost throughout the entire film, much to the discomfort of the surfer guy sitting next to me, on a trip to Vegas. Directed by Peter Jackson, who also did Heavenly Creatures, another amazing, disturbing film.   Yes, the afterlife sequences got a bit strung out....I thought the "real life" sequences were just so breathtakingly lovely, the afterlife stuff seemed slightly over the top. BUT the performances were absolutely wonderful (stanley tucci, saoirse ronan), the storytelling was amazing, the design, etc. Even the aforementioned afterlife stuff.... that tree actually took my breath away. More than once. You should see this film.

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Take me away....

2010-06-04T15:50:00.000-06:00

Isn't that bike just a breath of fresh air? Such clean lines. Simple, beautiful, and calling to mind summer breezes, freedom, smiling into the wind. I am really wanting a cruiser right now.

Movie set pretty

2010-05-28T08:21:00.000-06:00

More loveliness from England. In terms of beauty, the Cotswolds have got it down.

1. Anne Hathaway's cottage. Check the thatched roof.

2. Gardens in Stratford, right across from the hotel (Legacy Falcon). Freaky

Whoa.

2010-05-26T15:18:00.000-06:00

I was there.

Windsor Castle. Notice the gorgeous rapeseed field in the background.

Then notice that that ridiculously gorgeous "Thomas Kincaide"-esque scene in the second photo came out of my (borrowed) camera. Because everywhere you turn in that country is so out-of-control gorgeous, you can't help but accidentally take some amazing photos. Criminy.

Adventure

2010-05-11T06:44:00.000-06:00

It's been a bit quiet around the ole blog lately..... getting all those things on my previous list done... but now it is 7:30am and I think, I THINK, I have crossed everything off my to do list. And now I sit quietly and wait for my pal Shelley to come and pick me up to take me to the airport, for the grand adventure to Shakespeare country.

At dinner last night (hi matt!) I was telling a new friend how much I enjoyed reading My Life in France... the Julia Child bio. She was a woman filled with so much joy and laughter, and found humor in the most trying circumstances. It is my goal to remember Julia on this trip. :) There will be lots of opportunities for things to go wrong and I know my attitude will be the deciding factor: will they be tragic or will they be comic blips for dinner conversations years to come? Today, I choose B.

I will TRY to blog about my adventures while I am gone, but not sure how successful that will be. Anyway, happy May to you and we'll see you on the other side!

Crazy time

2010-04-27T14:35:00.001-06:00

This is what my life looks like for the next several days/months....

Mad packing this afternoon (all day really.... how do I make such a mess?)
Show tonight... Tosca at Opera Colorado. Final paperwork, goodbyes, etc. (sniff)
Tomorrow morning: off at the crack of dawn! Driving to Houston.... 16hrs. Might try to do it all in a day. But probably not, as my butt might stage a revolt if I try.
Thursday: finishing the drive. Sleeping in my own bed. yay.
Friday: more mad packing in preparation for....
Saturday: MOVING DAY! I am finally moving into my new house! Also, my parents arrive to help.
the week following: home repair projects, visits with the parents, seeing all my Houston friends, taking care of home ownership tasks, finishing driver safety course, and more packing for....
May 10: GOING TO ENGLAND! Yep, I am off to merry olde England for a Shakespeare trip with my good friend Kate Pogue and 25 senior citizens. That's right. I am a "travel host." If I survived the two weeks with the group, then I have a week of sight-seeing for myself.... hello European pals!
May 27: Home for a couple of days, more packing...
Drive to Central City. Where I am once again spending my summer. Apparently I cannot get enough of Colorado. (ColorAHHHHHHHHHdo if you will)

Does reading this make anyone else tired?

March movies

2010-04-15T07:14:00.000-06:00

When I am on the road, I tend to see a lot of movies and since I've been out of town on business for much of March and April, I have quite a list to share!

1. The Young Victoria Ok, maybe this was not an edge-of-your-seat dramatic event, but it was a really beautiful film... GORGEOUS costumes and sets, and I was actually really moved by the love story. I don't know much about this time period.... my English monarchy festish is much more Elizabethan-centric... so it was fun to learn a bit about the more recent past.

2. The Ghost Writer The latest Roman Polanski film. A typically stylish political thriller featuring Ewan McGregor. I enjoyed watching the film... it seemed almost old-fashioned, while maintaining a slick modern design affect. Put me in mind of another film that I LOVED: The Lives of Others

3. Avatar I will go ahead and admit I did not have high hopes for this one. And thus.... It was surprisingly good! I don't think the script was really life changing, and yes, the plot was pretty predictable, but WOW it was PRETTY. SO VERY PRETTY. I am a sucker for pretty. :)

4. Up in the Air Another very stylish movie, lovely to watch, but ultimately a bit cold. However: I DID NOT EXPECT THAT TWIST! I love to be surprised at the movies. Love it. Not sure what I was supposed to take away on this film... life sucks? Open your heart and get screwed?

5. Forget Paris A sweet movie from the mid-nineties. I have kind of already forgotten the story or why I had this on my Netflix, but this is what I have to comment upon: remember when movies featured people who actually look like people we know? People with bad hair and imperfect clothes and lumpy bodies? What happened to those movies?

6. An Education whoa I love Peter Sarsgaard. Woweee. So this was a slightly disturbing film about a young girl's romance with an older man. Gorgeous design. Sweeping and heartbreaking and full of amazing characters and beautifully set in 1960's Britain.

7. Sherlock Holmes Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. These guys could do an ad for toilet paper and I would happily watch it. That it was a sexy, muscular detective tale with accents.... yes, please.

8. The Innocents Just finished working on Britten's opera (Turn of the Screw) based on the same story. This movie is awesome. I say this as a person that does not automatically love old movies. But it was awesome and disturbing. You can "watch instantly" on Netflix.

9. I Love You, Man Paul Rudd can do no wrong. If ever I felt compelled to stalk a celebrity, it would be Paul Rudd. This movie, maybe not life changing, is nonetheless touching and funny. No one does painfully, adorably awkward better than Paul Rudd.

Tina Fey is amazing

2010-04-14T22:53:00.000-06:00

this is my life.

(le sob. pass the potato chips.)

Wednesday awesomeness

2010-04-13T09:00:00.003-06:00

what is awesome? Calling up the moving guys to book a move and finding out it will only cost $150 to have some perfect strangers haul your junk from one place to another.

I think after age 30 this is really the only acceptable alternative.
I really love living in a big city.

March books

2010-04-11T19:12:00.002-06:00

Man oh man I have been absent for a while!! Blame it on my return to the vagabond life....ironic since I just purchased my first home, but what can you do?

What say we get the ball rolling again with a roundup of the books and movies I imbibed during March?

Books
1. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate My bookclub decided to read 3 young adult novels for this month, and IT WAS AN AWESOME DECISION. CRIMINY I LOVE YOUNG ADULT FICTION. This was my favorite of the three. A lovely tale of a young girl growing up in turn of the century Texas.... a girl with a decidedly un-girlish fascination with the world of nature and science. WONDERFUL.

2. The Invention of Hugo Cabret Amazing. #2 in the bookclub lineup. A beautiful book.... actually a graphic novel. Gorgeous illustrations. Great story. read it.

3. The Headless Cupid Another lovely tale. Wonderful young adult reading. Gooness I love this genre. My favorite book at this age: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Definitely not young adult fiction. I'll admit, it was a little slow going for me at first, but once the ball got rolling I could not put it down. Well I did put it down once, and then I got up again, turned on the light, and stayed up reading into the wee hours.

5. Tosca's Rome: The Play and the Opera in Historical Perspective A really interesting resource on an opera that is rife with historical reference and religious realism. I would recommend this to other directors who are supposed to be directing the show. Harumpf.

6. The Soul of a Chef: The Journey Toward Perfection Truthfully this was re-read, but it was just as engrossing the second time around. A journalist's observations of the master chef exam at the Culinary Institute of America and then of 3 major American chefs.... what makes them tick? What makes a chef a chef?

So that is a respectable lineup isn't it? And I saw a TON of movies.... think I will save that for another post. On the edge of your seat now aren't you? :)

Mini Flute mania

2010-03-22T17:55:00.000-06:00

I left Salt Lake City on Sunday with a grin still pasted onto my face, after spending a week putting The Mini Magic Flute on its feet and seeing a FABULOUS performance on Saturday morning. What a wonderful score. What a pleasure to work on this delightful piece.

Salt Lake Tribune article about the show here (including interview with yours truly).

A nice review from an audience member here.

My little pad

2010-03-13T10:49:00.001-06:00

So here she is.... my new little home.
I closed on this cute little duplex just last week. I can hardly believe it is true.
Yes, she needs a little work. She was born in 1935 for pete's sake!
No, she is not in the best neighborhood, but it seems this neighborhood (Eastwood.... developed in the 30's by the same guy that developed the Heights) is on its way up. Prices are certainly rising, and I happen to know several pretty interesting folks who live there.
Yes, she is small.

BUT... yes, she is adorably historic!
Yes, she already has a great tenant on the other side of the wall... a lovely tenant that makes a big dent in my mortgage payment!
Yes, she has a big yard, front and back!
And yes, SHE IS MINE!!

A tiny tour....
View from front door.... den, into dining room, bedroom in back.

tiny kitchen.... higher on my "fix it up" priority list...

tiny bathroom....

Backyard... (washer/dryer in storage shed!)

close up of bedroom...

And another view of the front porch....

And that is that! When you are tiny, tours are short. hehe
Anyway, stay tuned for updates as I get all moved in and start making improvements. Ridiculously, I was only able to move a few boxes after signing on the place, because I had to leave town for a gig almost immediately! And now I am pretty much out of town until next August, excepting about 10 days in May. Ridiculous, I say.

But while we are on the subject, I am going to go ahead and take the liberty of crossing off a big one on my Ultimate To Do List: ~~"Live in a cottage with ivy and rambling roses."~~ Whoduthunkit?!

February books

2010-03-07T15:11:00.001-06:00

I've decided keeping up with the books I've read every month is a grand idea (Hope you agree!).

1. Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home You may notice theme in a moment.

2. The Historian A whopper of a book.... really a hefty read, which is often a big bonus in my opinion (If it is a good story, let's keep it going!). Unfortunately, this one got a little sloggy...and I never even finished it (sad trombone). The story was pretty awesome: a young girl discovers a book in her father's library which leads her to uncover his amazing tale and her incredible heritage... she is a descendant of Dracula. Like an Indiana Jones story, only with less adventure and more time in libraries.

3. My Life in France Julia Child led an amazing life. the end.

4. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money-That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not! This book may have changed my life. I'll let you know when I am a millionaire in, oh, five years or so.

5. Cash Flow Quadrant See above.

6. Home Buying For Dummies, 4th Edition That's right.

7. About 80 home improvement, landscaping, home repair, and gardening books. I guess you can't call this "reading" as I basically skimmed thru, looking at pics, and then read any pertinent sections.

Keeping a list for March. What have YOU been reading?

Meet the Dillingers

2010-02-26T09:21:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a bit of sad one around here.... I lost my first foster kitten. This little guy had the deck stacked against him from the beginning....the runt, about 1/2 the size of all the others, and he had a horrible eye infection that just would not go away. After bottle feeding him for a week and hovering, hoping for improvement, it became more and more clear that this little kitty was not gonna make it. So now, there are 5.

Let's meet the crew!

First, remember when they were tiny babies......awwwwwww!

Now let's meet the queen (yes, that is the official term for a litter mama. I love it!):

Miss Cleo Dillinger

She is a lovely lady. Quite the conversationalist. Barely legal, but she has a beautiful set of babies. Check out that eye decor.

The twins:

Herbie "The Face" Dillinger & James "Dice" Dillinger

Herbie is so named due to the creeping rash he has on his face, but as that clears up it can only make reference to his obvious handsomeness.

Dice's little body is covered with black and white spots. He is a bit camera shy, so you will just have to take my word for it.

Next up, the gals:

Chloe Dillinger

Kind of a supermodel, no? You might get lost in those dreamy blue eyes.

and...

Miss Tabitha Dillinger

You might notice, Tabitha looks a little.... different... than the others. There are 2 possibilities. 1. She has a different father than the others (Mama cats can carry kittens from multiple fathers at the same time!). 2. She is a stowaway. These kitties were part a of large rescue operation in which several litters were recovered. One of the mamas couldn't make milk, so Miss Cleo served as a surrogate milk nurse for some of them.... and it is quite possible Tabitha just buried herself in the pile.... a smart girl!

And last but certainly not least, my boyfriend.....

John "Dozer" Dillinger

This photogenic bug has stolen my heart. Lovey dovey, precocious, wildly handsome... sigh.... what a dreamboat.

BIG HUGE THANK YOU TO ERIC MELEAR, whose mad camera skilz made all this kitteny goodness possible today. Thanks CameraMan!

exactly

2010-02-22T19:18:00.001-06:00

Hugh MacLeod always has something interesting to say.

This sketch pretty much sums up my thoughts for this week.... maybe slightly more vulgar in translation than I would put it, but still.

hahahhaah. I literally laughed out loud for a solid minute when I saw it. Anyway interesting article as well.

Erin Tyner on Flickr!!

2010-02-21T22:24:00.003-06:00

Fade
Originally uploaded by Erin_T

I just discovered that Erin Tyner is on Flickr!! Not sure how I missed this before, as I am a big fan (recall my much anticipated purchase here).... in any case, see her pics in all their glory any day of the week at Flickr. com. YAY!

Amazing Poet Alert

2010-02-20T12:24:00.001-06:00

Maya Stein
I have posted one of her poems here before, but I am kind of obsessed. Maybe because it is like Ms. Stein has a private webcam into my life, and then she writes about the most mundane things with exquisite beauty and profound understanding? amazing...

Let the world spin as it spins

Eat the last cookies in the box.
Wear the same pair of jeans two
weeks in a row. See the orchid die, leaf
by leaf. Wipe the countertop carelessly,
so it’s sticky as spit the next time
you lean on your elbows wondering
what’s for dinner. Watch hours
of television. Call for pizza, for Chinese,
for the cable company to give you even
more channels. Drive by the gym
without skipping a beat. Wash your hair only
when it starts wilt, when the mirror
produces someone who doesn’t look like she wants
to get laid. Think about sex constantly.
Order cocktails. Play pool. Spend your money
on a massage, on t-shirts from the warehouse sale,
on inflation-priced bagels from the café down the street.
Ignore the obvious fact that the sheets
need changing. Occupy your bed gratuitously.
When you’re done reading for the night,
flop the pages open, straining the jacket.
Allow the avocados to ripen beyond repair.
Stain the kitchen sink with grape stems,
mango peels, olive pits with the meat
still clinging. Use vast quantities of paper towels
for a simple spill of water.
Lavish attention on the minute landscape
between your eyebrows.
Lose time. Ditch the mail into the bulging
plastic bag near your desk. Almost mistake it
for trash. Abandon the task of fixing
the dresser drawer. Turn your car
into a wastebasket.

And when it comes, fall with extravagant
ugliness. Grieve noisily into the balls of your fists.
Push your heels against the carpet, your chest squirming.
Feel the walls of the house vibrate with your pain.
Make pockmarks of your heart.
Collapse if you have to. It is like this.
The world spins as it spins.
No one knows,
even though we all know
this is between
you and you alone.
So yield. Commit your entire body.
Recognize your own astonishing anguish.
Tear it from your skin like a wolf
eviscerates her trapped leg. Shriek like
the downed bird you are.
Invest wholly in your damage.
Lap up each tumescent despair. Swallow
the pinbones of your loss. Caress
every razor edge of not enough. Gift yourself
long, bruising hours of hopelessness.
The world spins as it spins.
Your life is on that same axis,
half shadow, half radiance
and turning, always turning.

my new boyfriend

2010-02-16T21:17:00.000-06:00

allow me to introduce my new boyfriend...

...and I don't even know his name yet. Shocking. He's a much younger man. Approximately 3 weeks old. We have seen each other naked. I told you, shocking.

He comes from a really large family (6 kids!) and not only does he still live with his mom, he has the audacity to bring the whole family to shack up with ME! Even so, he's super sweet. While I'm not sure this is a long term thing, it sure is fun for now!

For now, I just call him Big Red, but we are trying on other names. Top of list: Oliver, Sidney (in honor my new pal, boy-soprano Sidney Primm), Dozer (as in Bulldozer), Taft. Suggestions???

Wolftrap Virtual Season Launch... my little piece of the pie

2010-02-08T15:55:00.002-06:00

HI all! I've been sitting on a fun little project for the past week or so and AT LAST I get to share it with you. I think this may just be the first in a series of short interviews with interesting women. FUN, RIGHT??

OK, Let's do it...

Kim Witman of the Wolf Trap Opera Company is celebrating today’s announcement of the WTOC 2010 season by doing guest blog posts and interviews in a few places across the blogosphere. You can see links to all the others here. As always, WTOC is doing a wildly interesting mix of rep with some really stellar young talent. I hope one day to join them myself, but in the meantime, let's take a peek into the mind of the lady pulling the strings.....

Is there a “typical” day for Kim Witman?

Typical non-summer day: Corresponding with production teams, refining staff schedules and responsibilities for the season, planning special events for donors and patrons, writing supertitles, reviewing budget figures, writing and editing program books, planning workshops for the next commissioned opera, preparing preshow talks, managing databases, researching repertoire, writing artist recommendations for competitions, reviewing box office reports, remembering to breathe deeply.

Typical summer day: Whack-a-mole. Show up and problem solve.

What is the best part of your day?

Depending on my frame of mind, it’s either a creative challenge (writing supertitles, brainstorming with artistic staff, researching repertoire for future casting) or a satisfyingly linear task with a tangible outcome (a beautifully geeky spreadsheet, a clearly-documented cut list, a well-edited bit of copy.)

What part do you dread?
      Meetings. Thankfully, they are few.

If you had to sum up in one sentence what you want an audience member to take away from a visit to Wolf Trap this summer, what would it be?
      That they’re glad they came, for whatever reasons matter the most to them.

What is the thing you are most proud of at Wolf Trap?
      The positive regard in which our alumni hold their WTOC experience.

What is something you’d really like to see change at Wolf Trap?
      We desperately need venue renovations at our main theatre, The Barns.

What are the best books you’ve read in the last year?

The Black Swan (Taleb), Drive (Pink), The Last Lecture (Pausch), Three Cups of Tea (Mortenson), What the Dog Saw (Gladwell). It’s not that I don’t read fiction, I do… it’s just that I haven’t really liked a bunch of what I’ve read recently. And after I turned 50, I promised myself that I wouldn’t force myself to go any further than 50% through a book that I hated. Life is getting shorter and shorter.

What blogs do you read every single day?

Yours, of course

Sadly, there are 175 blogs in my Google Reader feed. I spend no more than 20 minutes on them a day, though, and therefore there’s lots of surfing. About half of them are music and arts-oriented, and the rest are technology, marketing, psychology & general news and ideas.

What are your three “desert island” bits of music?

I am so spectacularly bad at this. Every day I have a different answer. Today, I will give you the 3 songs in my iPod shuffle that gave me particular pleasure during my most recent plane ride: “Slow Me Down” by Emily Rossum, a cappella version by the Virginia Sil’hooettes; “Take It with Me” by Elvis Costello, sung by Anne Sofie von Otter; and Handel’s Lascia ch’io pianga. All kind of mellow, but that’s where I was that day.

What reminds you who you are?
My kids and my husband.

Who are you leading? Where are you going? Does it matter?

I will lead anyone who trusts me enough to follow. I’m trying to go in the direction of the dreams of those who trust me. And it does matter.

What is delighting you today?
Feeling connected.

Hope you all are delighted with our little interview. I know I am.... and can't wait to read the other blogs dedicated to celebrating the day! As soon as the links are live, I will post a few over here. Happy virtual season launch, Wolftrap, and thanks to Kim for sharing her time!

Trolling for valentines on Etsy

2010-02-07T11:00:00.000-06:00

Loving this card.

Also, this one, though that one stings because it was recently kind of true. And now it is not. (sad trombone)

What are yall doing for valentines? I am considering having a girl-fest and watching Fatal Attraction and eating popcorn in pajamas.

Wednesday delights -February

2010-02-03T09:15:00.001-06:00

Things that are delighting me this Wednesday morning....

Replacing a burned out tail light by myself..... for the cost of the bulb.
My brother getting engaged on his birthday!
Going to Discount Tire to have them check out a slow leak, getting it fixed in 30m, no charge!
Cuddly kitty boyfriend nose rubs. (Even more delightful, considering how they were completely scared of humans when I first got them!)
Julia Child. (Reading "My Life in France" for the first time)
Getting taxes done... in February!
House hunting.
Steamed crab. And butter. And a cold beer. How long till dinnertime??

Transitions

2010-02-02T09:00:00.001-06:00

Hi there. We sure are getting big.....almost time for us to go find our forever homes. How will you go on without seeing these long whiskers every day??

Lordy lordy it will be tough.

But something tells me this little guy might help me assuage the pain....

January books

2010-01-28T22:10:00.000-06:00

You may recall I made some fancy vow to read "one book a week" for the 52 weeks of 2010. After doing some simple math, I determined that that plan was sheer folly, but that I would consciously make an effort to devote myself to more reading. And thus I find, here on at the tail end of January, that I have indeed completed a fair number of books this month.

Restoration by Rose Tremain. A beautifully written tale of a 17th century man coming to know himself. I was absolutely swept away by the lyrical, witty loveliness of this story. I began the book expecting an everyday pleasant historical fiction read, but I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a novel more.
Real Estate Riches: How to Become Rich Using Your Banker's Money by Dolf de Roos. I read this in a single evening, after having dinner with a fellow "starving artist" who is getting into the real estate game. It has lit a fire in my belly.
What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell. I am sorry, this man is genius. Not only does he connect the dots that no one else even sees, he explains the connections in the most fascinating way. My favorite chapter: the one about Caesar, the dog whisperer. Amazing.
Raising Lazarus: The Science of Healing the Soul by Blair Justice and Pittman McGehee. This one is still in progress. "Chronicles the relationship of a mind-body scientist and a Jungian psychoanalyst priest as they bring together the wisdom and knowledge from each of their fields to save the life of the scientist from severe depression." Report to follow. But you know the intersection of psychology, mysticism and molecular biology is an interesting little corner I am happy to visit.

I feel certain that the moment I publish this post I will recall other books that belong on the list... no worries, I will report on them next month. In the meantime, I have foster kitties to wrangle. Thank you and Good night.

The Livermores

2010-01-27T09:24:00.000-06:00

I have been very very busy on my latest show, and thus have not taken too many pics of the latest kitties to bless my household... The Livermores!!

Head of the class, the big talker, Wally Livermore...

Adventurer, intruder: Matilda Livermore....

Sweetheart and beauty queen: Maybelle Livermore.... (black cats are ridiculously hard to photograph!)

And my little boyfriend, the roly-poly Wilbur Livermore....

I'd love to show you a family portrait, but getting this gang together in one place, still enough for a shot, is a bit of a Herculean effort.

Squiggy & Lenny on the move!

2010-01-07T09:56:00.000-06:00

I have very happy news to report: the baby kittens I kept for 6 weeks over the holidays HAVE NEW HOMES!

Lenny & Squiggy seemed to grow up overnight, from tiny little babies to muscle-y strong toddlers, and when I took them to the HSPCA on Monday morning, they both weighed in at just over 3 pounds. Leaving them was tough, coupled by the fact that Squig climbed up onto the bars and gave me the biggest round sad-eyes ever, and a well meaning lady in the room kept saying over and over "I don't know HOW you can walk out of this room." Thanks lady. I have developed a heart of steel, that is all. Now please excuse me while I go sob in my car.

ANYWAY, saw that they were posted online for adoption by noon on Monday.... and Squig was adopted that very afternoon!!! He is such a super model. Of course, then I was all worried about poor Len, wasting away in a cage all by himself, sad and alone, so on Wednesday morning I revamped his promotional materials and took them over to say hi. He was doing wonderfully! Seemed to be just fine, but delighted to have a visit, gave me lots of purrs and nuzzles, and we had a ball playing for a bit. I gave him a pep talk, told him to show his best side to the ladies, and went on my way. .... and by 3p, Lenny was adopted and on his way home to a new family!
Shwew!

Fostering is just an amazing blessing. Yes, I do get attached, and it IS hard to say goodbye, but I just feel so lucky to have these little guys in my life for a time before sending them on their way. My heart is full.

My wish for you this new year

2010-01-01T13:21:00.001-06:00

Something for everyone

I want the water to fill your glass the moment
it sees your thirst.
I want the staircase to meet your footfalls.
I want the line to the freeway to move like breath.
I want the wind flattering your hairline, the rainshower
a welcome refreshment. I want the parking space to fit your car.
I want the birds on your back deck to warble in the exact way
they did during your childhood. I want the photographs
of all your holiday dinners buzzing with a certain unnamable
happiness. I want the dry cleaners to understand
your outrageous requests.
I want the man calling your house to survey
your thoughts on phone companies to remember
the evening is precious as silk. I want your new jeans to not
come undone in the wash. I want snow to land on your eyelashes
like it does in the movies, an etheric, slow-moving kiss.
I want a letter to arrive the moment
you feel most unwelcome of your own company.
I want the scent of lemons in the air. I want the power lines
overshadowed by the view your neighborhood offers at twilight.
I want the downtown ice rink to keep your fantasies aloft.
I want the moon to articulate your most punishing silence.
I want the willow tree revived and teeming, the broken daisies
resurrected and obstinate with brightness.
I want the labyrinth of what ifs narrowed
to a single, poignant sentence.
I want the tulips to be wild as clover, as fog, as good intentions.
I want your heart to cut through its own brutality,
for your body to see everything about you that’s beautiful.
I want love to come at you in thick pats of butter,
in strands of spun sugar, heavy and light as cream.
I want it to bathe your skin until you are nothing
but forgiveness, until your shadows have disappeared,
until all of your perfect right angles have collapsed,
until you are a curve of a curve,
and your hands slide forward and open
and are able, at last, to feel everything.

-Maya Stein
(her blog: One paragraph at a time)

Holiday wishes

2009-12-24T13:16:00.001-06:00

From the inimitable "I Can Has Cheezburger"....this about sums up my holiday spirit for the year. hahahah....

Project 2010

2009-12-23T15:55:00.000-06:00

Well the time has come to consider New Years Resolutions, and I have come across a project that might be right up my alley.
This man read 52 books in 52 weeks. That's one book a week. That seems do-able. No?
Here is an interesting interview with the guy.

So now, to consider the book list. Suggestions????

Saturday

2009-12-19T19:18:00.000-06:00

Saturday delights:

toasted rice green tea
exchanging presents with pals
old friends
The Pioneer Woman
my foster kittens
settling summer plans
moving on to something new
How God Changes Your Brain. AMAZING read.
this gorgeous day.... Houston winters cannot be beat!

This will change your life

2009-12-18T12:30:00.000-06:00

The information I am about to impart to you may change your life. I cannot be held responsible. But I should be given credit. (Apologies to anyone who actually knows how to make clam chowder. This recipe is completely made up and any resemblance it may bear to a "real" established recipe is completely accidental.)

Tara's Homemade Clam Chowder

What you need:

6 pcs Thick cut bacon (smoked and none of that pansy maple stuff)
1 large yellow onion
6 medium idaho potatoes
1 1/2 bottles of beer
Salt & pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
12 oz canned clams (I used one regular can of baby clams, and one small can of chopped clams)
1 cup heavy cream
saltines
the ability to ignore potential fat content in a bowl of soup

The very strict instructions:

Cut up your bacon into small pieces. Cook it up in a heavy pot. Set aside and drain away some of the fat (leave about 1-2 tbsp).
Cut up your onion into small pieces. Cook it up in that bacon fat. Smell the smell and know that you are one with the universe.
Cut up your potatoes into small pieces. When the onions are brown and translucent, throw in the potatoes, and then cover it all with the beer, then add water until all is covered. Then add a little more.
Add some salt and pepper and a dash or two of cayenne pepper if you are feeling bold.
Bring to a low boil.
Cook cook cook.
When potatoes are tender, open up the clams and throw them all in there, including all the clam juice. Stir it up.
When all is warm through, add the cream. Call your people to the table. Serve with saltines and more cold beer.
Sleep the sleep of the righteous.

tuesday delights

2009-12-15T12:17:00.003-06:00

What's delighting me on this gloomy Tuesday:

My Life as a Dog . What a charming film. Netflix says: "This Oscar-nominated gem offers an honest depiction of the often-confusing nature of childhood. Shipped off to live with his uncle for the summer, 12-year-old Ingmar finds unexpected adventures with the help of the town's warmhearted eccentrics. These experiences give him the strength to accept his life and eventually enjoy childhood." I say: this film forced me to stifle a sob for nearly 2 hours.... happy moments and sad.
Mom's homemade blackberry jelly.
Getting some clarity on a worrying situation.
Good test results from the vet for my baby fosters!
Considering the menu for a cold evening at home.
Slowly crossing things off the To Do list.

cutest present ever

2009-12-12T08:10:00.010-06:00

so my pal Susan knows me well....
earlier this week she brought over what may be henceforth known as "the cutest Christmas present ever." That's right.... a miniature clothesline filled with a handmade miniature santa outfit, from long-johns (complete with trapdoor!) to mittens to scarf. Lordy lordy.

best part?
they are almost a perfect fit for these guys....

not that I have tried it. no way. what sort of foster mom do you think i am?

blog breakdown/ Google Reader I love you

2009-12-10T09:25:00.004-06:00

Every morning (except when I am running out the door like a crazy woman) I make coffee in my old-fashioned percolator, then turn on the computer, check my email, check my bank accounts, and pull up ye olde Google Reader, one of the best inventions ever.

I am subscribed to a RIDICULOUS amount of blogs. RIDICK. REDONK, if you will. I can't even tell you how many, because I can't count that high. Of course I don't read them all everyday, so I always have 1000+ in the "unread items" countdown. However, these are the ones I check religiously:

Lifestyle/Personal

Fashion

Design

O LORDY I CAN'T STOP! I JUST KEEP ADDING THEM! Who am I kidding? They are ALL "must read." CRIMINY!

what are YOUR must-read blogs???

Wednesday delights - December edition

2009-12-09T13:48:00.003-06:00

Things delighting me today:

Making music with some really talented folks (Houston Chamber Choir concert this weekend!)
Giovanni Palestrina (wikipedia article here)
Breakfast date with a pal
Rekindling old friendships
Shiny Christmas ornaments
The smell of fresh evergreens in my living room
Mischievous kittens tumbling about
Itunes
A seemingly endless "to read" list
Summer possibilities
Finally landing on a great gift idea!
Houston's "winter"
High end makeup. And frankly, low end makeup. (so I'm a girl. sue me.)
The picture above

I could do wonderful things for you

2009-12-07T10:59:00.002-06:00

can't get enough of this.... can't explain why.....

Music & Lyrics --- Hope there's Someone

2009-12-06T16:18:00.004-06:00

I was introduced to this song one Halloween eve when my pal Chad Sloan had innocently invited me to go to an insanely big, scary haunted house. I tried to act like I was cool with it but as we got closer and closer I totally began to shut down and eventually almost had a panic attack in the parking lot of the place, so instead we went and got coffee and red velvet cake and then drove around Salt Lake City and listened to interesting music. (long sentence) I remember Chad saying, "What do you think of this?" and at first I was violently repulsed by this man's voice, but almost immediately I was drawn in. The sadness and loneliness in this tune is so palpable I feel like I can taste it. And then there is this freaky ethereal hammering uplifting bit near the end... as if you are being physically pulled into the sky. Amazing.

Artist: Antony and the Johnsons
Disc: I Am A Bird Now
Song: Hope There's Someone

Lyrics:

Hope there's someone
Who'll take care of me
When I die, will I go

Hope there's someone
Who'll set my heart free
Nice to hold when I'm tired

There's a ghost on the horizon
When I go to bed
How can I fall asleep at night
How will I rest my head

Oh I'm scared of the middle place
Between light and nowhere
I don't want to be the one
Left in there, left in there

There's a man on the horizon
Wish that I'd go to bed
If I fall to his feet tonight
Will allow rest my head

So here's hoping I will not drown
Or paralyze in light
And godsend I don't want to go
To the seal's watershed

Hope there's someone
Who'll take care of me
When I die, Will I go

Hope there's someone
Who'll set my heart free
Nice to hold when I'm tired

The line that stays with me... that haunts me, if you will, is "I am scared of the middle place between light and nowhere..." I don't think I could begin to explain what that means to me, really, but it is true for some part of me that is very deep inside.

Anyway, hope you take 4 minutes to listen to this amazing song. There is real healing in beautiful music, I think. And I think hearing this song was way better than any stinkin' haunted house.

smells like holiday spirit

2009-12-03T08:44:00.004-06:00

I am settling into my own "real" pad for the first time in many years, having lived out of my suitcases for several and been in the airstream for several before that, and it is really fun! I considered a tree for the holidays, but took a look at the monkeys running around (and on top of) my coffee table and decided that might be a recipe for disaster.... so instead, I picked up 2 nice pieces of greenery that can be hung out of reach!

Above, mixed evergreens for the door, and below, a wreath of noble fir that I stuck throughout with bits of "gold" berries. My pics, as usual, kind of suck, but I am really pleased with the look and I LOVE the smell. My favorite thing for the holidays: candles that smell of evergreen. It is hard to find good ones that don't reek, but when you do get just the right one.... heaven.

In other, completely unrelated news:
How cool is this: Vocation Vacations. "Look before you leap. Test drive your dream job on a VocationVacation." Genius. Some career options I may or may not be considering: Oyster farmer, pro-wrestling ringside manager, shoe designer, sword maker, archeologist. Strangely, freelance opera director was not at the top of the list. hmm.

Wednesday delights

2009-12-02T08:58:00.002-06:00

Wednesday delights:

Surprises: like grabbing a glass of "water" from the coffee table, slugging it down, and discovering it is white wine! GOOD MORNING!
Birthdays of special people.
Anticipation.
Modal jersey sheets. Lordy these are soft and cozy.
Lap full of kitties.
Making plans for the day.
The public library.
Thrift stores.

trickster

2009-12-01T09:32:00.006-06:00

I will tell you now that the next several posts will not completely dedicated to the little kitties sharing my home, but I think it is safe to say you can expect to hear about them a bit.

Exhibit A: Lenny. The trickster. The cheeky monkey.

If there is trouble to be found, Lenny is your man.

Funnily enough, I thought Lenny was a bit stand-offish to begin with. Squiggy was the first to purr and visit with me on the couch, while Len was far too busy checking out the room, but last night Len proved himself to be the real lovebug of the pair. Let's just say that for a while he got so worked up with lovey-dovey enthusiasm he literally tried to crawl into my nostrils. And my eye sockets. Eventually he realized he would have to make do with just rub rub rubbing on my face and neck and ears.

a (rare) pensive moment...

Anyway, I am feeling full of gratitude today. I have a full social calendar, got tons of stuff done yesterday, and Houston is pretending it is winter for a few days.

Things that are delighting me today:

1. Hot coffee on a cold day.
2. Rambunctious kittens.
3. Plans with friends.
4. Clear communication.
5. Paying bills.
6. Clean laundry

Living with boys

2009-11-30T08:20:00.006-06:00

Last night, two young men moved in with me for the month: Lenny & Squiggy.....

Not those guys....
THESE guys....
Lenny:
And Squiggy:

ummm.... taking pictures of these two is proving problematic. They never stop running!! Well, that's not entirely true.... they will occasionally hop onto the sofa, give me a lightning-quick nuzzle, then zoom away, purring the entire time. Lordy, they are loveable.

A brief moment of repose:

Yes, I am fostering again. Happy to report that both Duke and Caroline (did I ever even post pics of Caroline? She was a quickie!) have been adopted! If you are interested in taking on this wild pair, drop me a line.

T-day countdown

2009-11-24T08:20:00.005-06:00

Only two more days to one of my very favorite holidays: Thanksgiving!!

I love love love it.... delicious food, great pals, a nip in the air (fingers crossed!). A day fully devoted to the idea of gratitude for all the blessings we have in our lives. And a parade. Hello? What's not to love about this day?

For many years now I have reserved Thanksgiving as the holiday I spend with the family I have made for myself. I've lived quite far away from my natural family since I graduated from college, and 2 big trips in the space of one month just doesn't make sense, so I've developed my own traditions. I've spent T-day on Ellis Island with a childhood pal, around a sad little chicken in my first apartment with a high-school friend, with the families of various loved ones... upstate NY, Texas Panhandle, Texas Hill Country. For the last couple of years, I've spent the day with the family of a dear dear friend here in Houston, which has been wonderful. And last year I began a new tradition: Delivering home-made CINNAMON ROLLS!

Thank you Pioneer Woman for adding to the collective waist-line of those in my inner circle.
Anyway, I hope you are all looking forward to a very happy Thanksgiving as well, surrounded by people you love. xxoxox

Tim Burton at MOMA

2009-11-23T09:54:00.002-06:00

I am not the biggest fan of Tim Burton (lord knows that would be a difficult title for which to fight!) but I certainly appreciate his attention to detail and how fully his work is realized.... every piece is it's own AMAZING world. Anyhoo... here is a fascinating interview with the man that includes lots and lots of stills of his drawings and movie work. Worth the 7 minutes, I say.

Music & Lyrics --- Fleurs

2009-11-10T09:53:00.004-06:00

As usual, a car trip of any length sends me to my stash of un-listened-to CDs and I take a musical walk down memory lane (schmaltz with your morning coffee anyone?)

Recently I pulled out "Love Songs"... a collection of songs sung by Arleen Auger, who has an exquisitely lovely voice. This is a great disc of all sorts of music written for the concert hall and/or parlor singer, and includes some really gorgeous tunes. Near the end of the disc is the haunting "Fleurs" by Francis Poulenc.

I came across this song during my last year of undergraduate study, and really, it is a big part of the reason I am still a musician today. As a young singer, I had grown steadily more frustrated with my technical progress, had begun to lose all faith in my skill, and spent a great deal of time sobbing in the practice rooms. A sad sap, indeed. And in your senior year of a music degree, you must present a final recital... the culmination of your studies, meant to show a polished product, ready for the world.

Disillusioned with my ability to do the job, disgusted with the plethora of frivolous music suitable for a young soprano, I nonetheless managed to stumble upon a book about Francis Poulenc. I flipped thru the pages, and came across the first poem in a set that includes "Fleurs", "La Dame D'Andre" ...

André does not know the lady
whom he took by the hand today.
Has she a heart for the tomorrows
and for the evening has she a soul?

On returning from a country ball
did she go in her flowing dress
to seek in the haystacks the ring
for the random betrothal?

Was she afraid, when night fell,
haunted by the ghosts of the past,
in her garden, when winter
entered by the wide avenue?

He loved her for her colour,
for her Sunday good humour.
will she fade on the white leaves
of his album of better days?

Wow. The coldness and "un-romantic-ness" of this really struck me, and I hadn't even heard the music. I read on to the next poem, "Dan l'herbe"...

I can say nothing more
nor do anything for him
He died for his beautiful one
he dies a beautiful death outside
under the tree of the Law
in deep silence
in open countryside
in the grass.

He died unnoticed
crying out in his passing
calling, calling me.
But as I was far from him
and because his voice no longer carried
he died alone in the woods
beneath the tree of his childhood.
And I can say nothing more
nor do anything for him.

And now I was hooked. I have big interpretive thoughts about both of these poems, but this is becoming the longest blog post in history. So... fast forward thru a couple other poems, and then we hit "Fleurs."

Promised flowers,
Flowers held in your arms,
Flowers sprung from footprints.
Who brought you these winter flowers,
Powdered with the sands of the seas?

Sands of your kisses,
Flowers of faded love,
Your beautiful eyes are ashes.
And in the fireplace
a heart beribboned with sighs
Burns with its treasured images.

Promised flowers,
Flowers held in your arms,
Flowers sprung from footprints.
Who brought you these winter flowers,
Powdered with the sands of the seas?

In my mind, this poem (song) is the voice of a woman who sits in front of a fire, burning the momentos of a love affair that is over. It speaks to me of quiet agony, of memories that are deeply painful because of the happiness they once held. And it is the music that tells me she is now in doubt about the entire relationship... were they ever really happy? Did she even know the man who gave her these flowers? Was she fooling herself all along?

You can listen here: listen

These poems were written by Louise de Vilmorin, an incredibly interesting character. Poulenc found in her writing "a sort of sensitive impertinence, libertinage, and appetite..."
Found this quote on wikipedia:

She had a limp but possessed an ethereal elegance. Evelyn Waugh described "Loulou" to Nancy Mitford as "an Hungarian countess who pretended to be a French poet. An egocentric maniac with the eyes of a witch. She is the Spirit of France. How I hate the French." Mitford concurred, "Oh how glad I am you feel this about Lulu—I can't sit in a room with her she makes me so nervous. And vicious… She is much more like a middle European than a French woman."

ANYWAY.... this is to me one of the most beautiful songs in the world. Because of its beauty and depth and haunting pain, I was inspired to keep singing. Listen to it, love it with me.

What song breaks your heart?

On my plate...

2009-11-06T11:57:00.002-06:00

What is on your plate this week?
Mine is FULL!!!

Going to Round Top, Texas, this weekend for a symposium on Noel Coward and Vaudeville.
Meeting new people
HGO's Lohengrin #3
Book club: featuring the informative and disturbing Half the Sky.
Washington Pub Crawl. Second incarnation. Missed the first, determined to enjoy the 2nd.
Flying to Tulsa and back multiple times... sometimes on the same day! .... to direct a small show for the opera there: Britten's Noyes's Fludde.... and am THRILLED to be using the costumes & sets from a production I did with Rooth Varland several years ago.
Lohengrin #4 and #5
exhaustion/relaxation

German Romantic fever

2009-11-05T18:46:00.003-06:00

Can I say something obvious? Why, yes. Yes, I think I can. And I will. :)

Beethoven is astounding. I've been watching "Immortal Beloved" on Netflix today, loving Gary Oldman, and remembering why I used to have Beethoven Piano Sonatas on permanent play when I was working desk job.

Exhibit A:
A bit from Symphony #7, mvmnt 2:

Good lord I love how that unfolds and just washes over you.

Exhibit B:
Sonata #14 in C# min (Moonlight)
Yes, this is the world's most famous piano sonata. (is it? maybe) But just listen to it, folks!! I love this scene in the movie (see pic above)... Beethoven thinks he is alone in the house and he puts his ear right onto the instrument he is playing, trying desperately to hear the music. Tears. me. up.

If you are big ole nerd like me, you can go to YouTube, type in "Moonlight Sonata" and begin a comparision of the 800 versions there. The various interpretations are kind of astounding.... compare Glenn Gould with the one I've posted, by Barenboim.

And then, for something completely different, check this out:

THAT is art, people.

I heart Teesha Moore

2009-11-02T09:35:00.004-06:00

Have you ever seen the work of artist Teesha Moore?
Her vivid style is instantly recognizable and I was attracted to it immediately when I began exploring the world of mixed-media art. You can see tons of her journal pages here.

A couple of years ago I heard about a rubber-stamping convention in Pasadena, Texas. I happened to have the afternoon free so I made the trek... and imagine my surprise when I ran across a booth with Teesha AND her wildly talented husband, Tracy! I spent a couple of hours talking to the pair and looking at their wares (definitely stand-outs in a sea of traditional rubber-stamping), and fell more in love with their work than ever.

And this week, Teesha has posted a series of "how-to" videos on her blog... Teesha's Circus. What an amazing glimpse at the process of a creative mind. Good lordy, it is fascinating.

Take a few minutes, scroll down thru her blog, and immerse yourself in Teesha's techni-color world.

headshots

2009-10-29T15:59:00.004-06:00

ok, mini-freak out...how's this for a new headshot? I know, I know, push the hair out of your face.... what can i do ???
taken by the ever-talented CameraMan. Maybe I will post other options as personal demons are confronted and courage is plucked.
In the meantime, compare with this one, taken OVER A DECADE AGO. wow.

In other news, I am coming up on a bit of time off. I have some projects in the works, but I am looking at a LOT of free time. AND I NEED SOMETHING TO OCCUPY MY EASILY CRAZED MIND! so... suggestions????
Things I am considering:

Getting serious about jogging. You know I love the podcast, but I am crap at keeping up with a program.
Getting serious about language study. Even if I force myself to study for one hour a day.. think what I could learn!
A crazy opera study project: Mozart immersion or something. Really devote myself to one opera a week... watch at least 2 videos, read up.

I should do ALL of these, shouldn't I? I could be educated AND svelte by Christmas. Che pazzo!
Seriously my friends, let's hear your ideas, pronto. I need you.

Well-rounded, my A..

2009-10-28T10:34:00.002-06:00

Today I enjoyed an excellent post over at The White Hot Truth entitled "The Ridiculous Pursuit of Being Well-Rounded." Maybe you will enjoy it too: here.

The post comes a good time.... I have been surrounded lately by people who are absolutely brilliant and doing exactly what they are really good at. This, while trying to do some things that I do NOT think I am particularly brilliant at doing..... holding my tongue, holding my ego in check, keeping my opinions to myself, thinking in German.

And, to paraphrase a wise friend of mine: Comparison is the root of discontent.

What if, instead of comparing myself and noticing the lack, I focused on doing what I am good at.... and getting better? Quoting the above article directly....

So what makes you feel strong?
Do more of it. And more still. Find ways to get even better at it, sharpen your saw as the old master of effectiveness, Stephen Covey puts it. Push your edge. Dare to be focused on your natural capacities. Say yes to what you love, what inspires you, what lights you up. It takes some kahunas, but it beats well-rounded mediocrity any day.

Monday morning

2009-10-26T08:02:00.002-06:00

Things I love today:
1. Coffee from the percolator
2. Sound of rain tapping on my roof and windows
3. Kitty purring at my shoulder
4. Matt Lauer on the Today show
5. Knowing that tomorrow's opera schedule will be easy to plan
6. Having 2 good books waiting for me on my nightstand
7. Feeling like age actually HAS brought a bit of wisdom (a bit. not a boatload!)
8. Feeling inexplicably restful in spirit.

book mania

2009-10-17T08:26:00.003-06:00

A story about a woman who has been reading a book a day for 350 days... and hopes to make it the full year: here.

.... and the place where she blogs a review of what she's read every single day: here.

wow.

bits and pieces

2009-10-16T08:30:00.004-06:00

You know I am ensconced in a show when I am mysteriously silent for long periods of time... and thus is the case lately. It has been a whirlwind week!

We fear our show may be cursed.... we've been through 3 sopranos already (the first never even made it to day one!) and now expect a new one to arrive on Tuesday.... AFTER the three huge piano techs and 2 days before Piano Dress. This in addition to cast members with death in the family (entailing international travel), late arrivals, swine flu in the family (quarantine!), and births. Let's just say production staff feels well rehearsed about now.
Had a bit of a kerfuffle (new favorite word) in the ol' personal life. Without going into detail, another little chink in my belief in the ultimate good nature of mankind has been hacked away. Emphasis on the MAN. :) A little bruised, but mostly relieved at this point. bleh.
Kind of love our director (another late arrival). We had been rehearsing the show up to this point with the associate director (whom I also am quite fond of), and I was a little anxious to know how things would shake up when the official director arrived so late in the game... but as it works out, he is lovely. yay.
To soothe my stress about this week, I splurged and purchased a print I have been admiring for some time. I've salivated over the captivating photography of Erin Tyner forever, and this one is my favorite. As I am busily making my nest in a new place, I thought it was time the print came home to me!

Isn't she lonely? and beautiful? and a little creepy?

So that is the news from my little corner of Houston. Weather alternates between disgustingly hot and muggy, to gorgeous, perfect tropical Fall. Foster kitty Duke is still with me (how do I give him back?! Anyone need an awesome orange/white tabby?). All is well. Hope all is well with you.

Flanita

2009-10-05T09:40:00.006-06:00

This week the children's opera I directed for Houston Grand Opera made it's first small run of performances. This show turned out so much cuter than I expected it to. My friends must get so sick of me.... I invariably hate the material I am working on until I finally get it all on its feet and then suddenly I am in love with the show, the performers, all of it. Ridiculous.

So here are some pics from a live performance, taken by the ridiculously multi-talented CameraMan.
give it to me hot...
oooo.... the things pirates did to me...
fiesta!