Recital plans

Here is a poster my friend Tim did for our upcoming recital.  I cannot figure out how to have it read correctly.  I have re-done it about eight times and it remains sideways.  I also can't figure out why my text is underlined.  I'd appreciate any help from anyone who has a solution to either of those problems.  Anyway,  just turn your computer on its side and you'll be able to read this.

Impatience

I have decided that I am impatient.

Why? Okay, only those people who don't know me well will say that. Those who know me will wonder what took me so long to admit it! I just got a hankering for an Uncrustable. Have you ever eaten one? I never would have if Ky hadn't been around. She dislikes sandwiches. I don't know that she has ever actually eaten a sandwich, but she is extremely sensitive to food textures. She's not quite a "food can't touch" type of person, but she's close. When she was young, she threw up every time we had spaghetti. I eventually realized that it wasn't because she was ill, but she simply couldn't tolerate the texture/taste mixture. Anyway, somehow she had an Uncrustable. She liked it, so I got some more. I eventually tasted them and I agree. They are good.

Uncrustables are pretty weird, though. They are a blob of jelly surrounded by an even layer of peanut butter which is surrounded by two slices of bread crimped all the way around in a circle to keep everything neat and tidy. No crusts, either. (I LOVE crusts, but that's a different story.) Uncrustables are meant to be kept in your freezer and you get one out and it thaws in about half an hour.

As I said, I got a hankering for an Uncrustable. Got it out of the freezer and carried it around. I don't really want to know what would happen if I microwaved it. It would be a cool experiment, though! I finally ate the thing frozen. It just took too long and I was thinking about all the pb & j goodness. MmmmmmmmGOOD!

It's not really very good frozen.

Now you know and you don't have to try it yourself.

I think I need some Diet Dr. Pepper!

Texas, our Texas

Here I am in Texas, until tomorrow, that is. I have been visiting my parents at their home in the Lone Star State. I was hoping for some warm weather, but they have had weather comparable to that taking place in my hometown. Thanks, Texas. It really doesn't matter. Who spends that much time outdoors, anyway? Certainly not I.

We have had a good time together, but my mom apparently hadn't been to a hospital in a few weeks and needed to go. Yesterday afternoon, that's where we ended up. She is still in the hospital, but she seems (to me) to be back to her normal wonderful self. Now, all she needs to do is convince the doctors that she is back to herself and she can break out of there.

Have you ever noticed how hospitals keep the peace? The do it by keeping visitors/guests/patients confused and lost. Lots of doors, misleading signs, multiple sets of elevators. Most people in hospitals look as though they are wandering around in their jammies. While visiting Mom today, I left to retrieve a newspaper. I went downstairs, asked for directions and followed them. Each path was traveled several times as I felt that I was following the signs, only to find that they led to dead-ends or a set of double doors with "Authorized personnel only" signs. I eventually went outside, found a small building and asked a workman for directions. He sent me off in a different direction. Once I found the correct building, I asked a security guard for directions. He told me to go to the "vending area" I'd find at the end of a certain hall. I went up and down that hall about eight to ten times before I found the newspaper machine. Then, I needed a drink. I decided I had explored pretty successfully already and I took off down a different hallway. I had already traveled about 15 minutes in order to find this vending area, so I felt I would have to ask for directions to return anyway, so I might as well explore a little more. As I took that hallway, I noticed that things looked pretty familiar. Aha! There was the cafeteria, but certainly it couldn't be the one that was across from the elevators I had taken down at first. Ah, but it was!

Well, I fly home tomorrow. I wish I could be here to help my dad while my mom is hospitalized, but I can't. I've had a good visit in spite of Mom's problems and I was glad to be here to help out.

Building character

Yesterday was interesting. After work I had to rush home, pick up three girls and drive them down to Old Fairfax City. The four girls were playing background music for a dinner honoring two scholarship recipients. It was quite nice, but long. The girls started playing before 6 and got finished around 8:15. That is a long gig. They played several things three or four times. They also sight-read some music. All in all, I thought they sounded pretty good.

Ky also had homework. Her school has block scheduling, which means she has periods 1, 3, 5, and 7 on "Red" days and 2, 3, 4, and 6 on "Black Days." On Friday, a Black Day, she had to go to District Orchestra. It is an honor to be chosen for District Orchestra, but once you are in, you are committed to two long days of rehearsing. She was there from 9-4 Friday and 9-6 Saturday, but still had homework to do. We went out to eat Saturday night and got back home around 9 p.m. The homework began and didn't stop until 2:30 a.m. this morning. Ugh. This online Physics class is just eating up much more time than it should. I admire Ky for persevering. She is also staying as active in church as she can. She's building character. I admire her!

Recital

Things have been up in the air for the past couple of months--in terms of my upcoming recital. First one thing, then another. It has been looking quite grim especially in the past two weeks. Then, today, I received an email and a phone call that has me excited again about singing. I relayed the information to my DH and he was very supportive. He usually (for 27.5 years) doesn't give me his opinion on anything, even if I ask. (Wouldn't it be great to have that kind of self-control??) This time, however, I think he knew how desperate I was, so he helped me sort through my options and see things from a different perspective.

As a result, I will be singing in a recital on February 9. Now, all I must do is write my bio, find the additional lyrics and translations, practice, practice, and practice. Oh, and try to invite my friends. Everyone I ask says, "where is it?" and when I tell them, they suddenly have other obligations. Sigh. It is on Capitol Hill in DC. Quite a drive from here, but a great building to sing in. The acoustics are pretty good. Much better than most places around here.

Wish me luck!