Currently SHERRILL MILNES - AMERICAN ARIA: ENCORE By MILNES SHERR see related

Today has been awesome!  Other than accidentally sleeping through class this morning (which I guiltily admit, was kinda nice), we had a student recital in the Cupples House, at which I feel like I gave a great, fun performance in front of my peers and teachers.  Since reading Sherrill Milnes's autobiography, I feel like I've learned so much about singing and all that goes with it.  I owe him so much - thanks a million, Sherrill!  A man like you is what I want to grow up to be!  You, sir, are my icon!  They also liked the little intro I gave before starting, in which I got a good laugh due to the victim's character of the aria's scene coincidentally being named "Marguerite", just like our pianist.

Singing what was currently my favorite aria for an audience today while currently reading about being an opera singer and the career of one of my favorite artists was kind of emotional and wonderful.  It felt so good to do it, thinking of the distant possibility of having such a life.

In the audience were representatives from the national chapter of MBΨ, here for initiation.  It's so exciting, our new music fraternity is almost finally established!  They gave the test of information, and I passed, thank God!  I was afraid.  Being a part of this is going to be so great!  We've almost made it through!

Currently Gounod: Faust (Complete Opera); Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov, Allen, Pretre By Georges Pretre, Mirella Freni, Charles Gounod, Orchestre de l'Opera de Paris, Nicolai Ghiaurov see related

November is here.  It got here so fast, I can hardly believe it.  It's been kind of a while since I last wrote, too.  I guess my little habit may really be getting the better of me, to put it lightly.

I'm almost worried that I may have made everything a little too easy for myself.  I have so much more free time now, and it's awesome, but it makes me feel guilty, too.  Next semester is pretty much set, too, and it looks like it'll have a little more to it.  That'll be good, though.  Also, I looked through the requirements, and it looks like I really might have time to add another minor.  I'd definitely like to, so hopefully that will work out.

Since being here, I realize that I have been blessed with something I was hoping so desperately to have once I came back to SLU.  I now have a group of real friends here who care about me and actually want to spend time with me.  I've had some of the best times the last few weeks thanks to them.  After all the ridiculous crap this summer, it feels like the best thing that could have happened, and I'm grateful to God.

A couple of days ago at American Kantorei rehearsal, the bass who sits next to me leaned over and asked me if I had a girlfriend.  I told him I didn't, and he said there are probably a lot who are looking at me.  I thought that was kinda funny, and it also was definitely useful for making me feel good.  I just don't know, though.  The one girl I'm considering being interested in right now appears to be busy non-stop with everything, and I feel like it's not likely to go anywhere.  Am I being pessimistic, or just realistic?

This weekend is finally initiation for Mu Beta Psi and the first rehearsal for The Barber of Seville!  It'll be awesome!

Currently Y Tu Mama Tambien By Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Fernando Becerril, Paloma Woolrich, Flor Eduarda Gurrola see related

It's a cold, rainy day in St. Louis.  It's very autumn-ish out there now, gradually getting colder by the day.  I can hardly believe it's already the end of October.  Where'd this year go?  Not that I'll particularly miss it.  Most of it I'm actually pretty gald to see go by.

I don't think I really knew how much lighter this semester was going to really be once I "lightened" it.  It feels nice, but at the same time feels a little too light.  I might have a 4.0 this semester, really, but something about it makes me feel kinda bad.  Did I give in too soon?  Well, if I have to or ever just want to, there's always the possibility of picking it back up later, isn't there?  It still feels like I've done what's right, but there's always that little part of you that says, "how might my entire life have been different had I not done this?"

There's still a couple of weeks before rehearsals start for Barber.  I've just about memorised my part, and I'm really ready to get started.  Until then, there's not much to be excited about, except I guess American Kantorei.  The opera chorus is such a great thing to be finally doing.

Other than all the typical music major business, not much has been up besides hanging out with Angie, Don, and Anna.  Things are pretty good at the moment.  All's fun.  We're planning something really fun for Spring Break!

Currently SHERRILL MILNES - AMERICAN ARIA: ENCORE By MILNES SHERR see related

It's officially a requirement now: the girl I end up marrying must like Donnie Darko.  Oh, how I love to watch, think about, and sympathise with it!  I watched the director's cut recently, and it really was not as good as the theatrical cut.  I ordered a copy of the theatrical cut to arrive when I got home for the weekend, but I haven't seen it yet.  Gah, I freakin' love that movie.

It's Fall Break, and I'm home for the weekend.  It's alright, though I'm definitely not as enthusiastic about being home as Lucia is.  Purely by coincidence, this was also our high school's homecoming, so I went to the football game.  It's actually really nice that almost no one left there remembers me.  They apparently still talk about me (so I've heard), but it feels nice to visit as an alumnus.  Being back there made me feel old, though.  It's so wild seeing everyone - high school kids seem so small now!  The chief reason to go, however, was obviously the band.  It took me back to the good old days, and even though one of their drum majors this year is five years younger than me and I never marched with her, she's really the only person there that I got to talk to.  It was cute and inspiring to hear her talk about her dream being to play flute with the world's greatest ensembles like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and being so enthusiastic about that dream of hers.  Why is it that all the really passionate musicians started to show up after I graduated?

I'm reluctant to come out and announce it, but I finally dropped my math major down to a minor.  It was a tough decision, but now that it's done, I can't lie - it feels excellent.  Now I'm in only classes I thoroughly enjoy, the workload is a lot lighter, and any work that I do still have is just fun.  It's sad and admittedly a little embarassong to run into people from the two classes I axed who ask me where I've been, but I figure I didn't have too much left in terms of classes anyway, and I can always go back and finish the degree later if I really want to.  Getting a music degree by itself feels like a slightly bold move, but I'd really like to try to make a life out of it.  We'll see how it goes.

I ordered an autobiography by Sherrill Milnes and have read a decent amount of it, given that I started it yesterday, at least.  Apart from having had three wives, this man is really who I'd like to be someday.  I honestly wouldn't mind going no further than some regional opera comanies, but he's really the one I look to as an icon.

Yeah, this is kinda fun.
I like those guys just fine.  They're fun to hang out with, and I like having them around just fine.

I'd happily give it up though.
Much as I like them, I would really rather be with you.
I wish I could see you at least half as often as I see them.

Tuesday is my favorite day of the week.
It's the day I get to see you
To talk to you
It's the day I get to hear your voice

O sweet one, when you smile at me and I smile back,
I feel like nothing in this world
could possibly be wrong.
When I talk to you and you talk back,
It seems so easy.

So why don't I?

I tried.  I really thought I could do it, too.
Damn the force that must keep it from being.
That's college - no time
Is there the interest you let me think there is?
Or are you just being sweet like you naturally are
and hinting to me that I should go no further?

Would that I could see your face more than once a week
Would that you had the time
You say you were interested in coming to see me, and I want to believe you.
Can I, though?

Or do I have a terrible, wrong idea?

I wish that flying little Nimrod would quit doing target practice with me.
Or at least hit you back, for once.