Check-in: I lost 10 more pounds in my quest to control my weight! It’s pretty much been in the last 2 weeks, just by really watching portion size and almost completely avoiding processed food (chocolate is my big downfall, but I’m much better than I used to be).

Synchronicity: I was concerned about not having any work for the week and 2 days before T’day after my 2 gigs got over, but by the time Magic Flute finished, I had almost every day covered, including my first solo “Star-Spangled Banner”! at a major luncheon that the local opera company asked me to cover - huge boost to the ego!

Today (Monday) is the only day that didn’t get covered, but I’ve got some catch up work to do for my church gig after missing 2 full rehearsals for our Lessons and Carols this Sunday. The Palestrina “Rorate Coeli” is the most difficult for me - we’re never asked to sing straight tone, but it feels like a totally different vocal approach than I use for operatic stuff if I’m to blend with the rest of the choir. Anyone have any early music advice for me?

Synchronicity II: The artistic director of the other outreach program in the area called and asked me to sing the role of Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk. It’s my first trouser role (good thing the weight is getting under control!), and all G&S - I even get to sing “If You Give Me Your Attention” (aka Disagreeable Man from Princess Ida), which I love, as I love giving my diction a work out on these pieces from time to time.

Morning Pages: I’ve come to appreciate how much the dumping of issues helps to stop negative self talk. And the poetry is still flowing out of the pen every once in a while, which is a lot of fun.

Artist’s Date: I used the sensazione excercise (using our senses to really explore the world around us) from the “Think Like Leonardo DaVinci” class I’m taking and spent some time shopping for really fresh ingredients, including any herbs I wanted to experiment with and made a lasagna for my parents Thursday night - the night after my “Star Spangled Banner” gig, as Mom covered the subbing job I was supposed to do so I could go sing. I mixed up a couple of herbs (mosty lots of parsley) in the cheese mix, didn’t put in the eggs (I never understood why you had to do that - anyone know?) and came up with a dinner that even my father really enjoyed, and he never says anything! I loved chopping the fresh parsley the most - probably my favorite herb, along with dill and oregano. I also used my cousin’s method of making garlic bread: he puts the slices flat on a cookie sheet, uncovered, buttered both sides with *lots* of garlic butter and chunks of diced garlic and toasts them in the oven. We’ve always been boring and garlic buttered them on one side, wrapped the loaf in foil and baked it in the oven. This “new” way resulted in a crispier outside and a softer inside that we just love. The house smelled wonderful for the next couple of days!

Does anyone else have a favorite way to make garlic bread?

Goals:

1. learn new outreach score
2. send out new apps
3. polish Lessons and Carols music
4. keep exercising and avoiding processed food
5. keep polishing arias package.
6. cooking for T-day
7. take care of drycleaning and clean out clothes that are too big! (I don’t want to give myself any excuses this time!!! ;-)