Time stands still

What is it that makes time move forward? I guess that many would say that its the Earth rotating around the sun that causes the days to turn into nights and then for the sun to rise again. Well, here on earth there are a few different things that make time move forward and one of them is a battery that goes inside a watch, or, in this case a laser pointer. What does this have to do with anything? Well, my beloved Daisy ate one yesterday! She ate a watch battery that fell out of this little laser pointer thing that I bought at, where?? A PET STORE! She devoured the battery yesterday at around 11:15am and at first we thought, well, I'm sure that it will eventually come out the other end. Well, then we started looking on the internet and found a site that said, "If eaten, a watch battery could kill your dog within 12 hrs." - UHHHH, WHAT??? Needless to say this caused a stir. So, we took her to the emergency vet for an x-ray to make sure that the battery was indeed in there. Yup...there it was in the midst of her skeletal system...a shiny beacon of metal. Anyway, long story short...we are still waiting after several samples of hopeful piles of, uhhh, yeah. So, this morning I dropped her off at the Vet and we are waiting to hear what they find WHEN they get a chance to see her. UGGGH!

In other relative news that has to do with time, I have less than a month before my 2 recitals at BARD as well as when rehearsals begin for AIDA in El Paso. I have 2 coachings scheduled this week to cover all of the above, as well as begin run-thrus of Enrico in Lucia as a refresher! ...its been 5 years. :-o The 2 recitals are coming along well, and I am truly looking forward to performing these great song cycles. Aida is learned and ready to roll, just need to get it all in the brain by the 20th! WHEW! ...it will happen, as it always does.

I'm starting to feel the distance between Dallas and NYC. Many of my friends were either performing or attending the performances this past weekend at the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, NY. I had the pleasure of singing Riccardo in I Puritani there last summer and certainly wished that I could have been there THIS summer to cheer on my colleagues as they tore it up in Trovatore and Linda di Chamounix. Alas, I will be there in 2 weeks from this Thursday! Holy moly!! Thats kinda soon! I just had a realization! AHHHHHH! I had better get to memorizing that AIDA!

One month to go...

Ok, well, one month and one day to go, but hey, who's counting? I guess that I'm getting a little bit of the cabin fever here in Dallas. I mean, dont get me wrong, its fantastic to be home and with my wife and with my kitties and my puppy...but, I'm gettin' that performing itch to get out there and start doing what I do best...ya know? So, this month will be filled with music preparation as I put the finishing touches on the song cycles that I am singing at the Bard Festival next month and there are sure to be countless moments with Verdi as I tread through the unknown waters of Amonasro in Aida. Its actually quite exciting to sing this great stuff!

Other than spending time in my studio at my piano, I will enjoy cutting the grass, continuing to train Daisy, and spending a lot of time with Christina and the kitties before heading out. This is going to be a bit of a bizzare whirlwind. I have only 1 day off between my last performance at Bard and before my rehearsals start for Aida in El Paso. Then following that final performance I have only 1 day off before rehearsals start for Lucia in Arizona! Thankfully I'll be quite busy during all that time and the days will hopefully fly by. Then after the Lucia performances are done I will have a relaxing 2 months off from performing. Hopefully there will be auditions in NY, and who knows...one can always hope for a last minute gig, right?

Thats pretty much it from this side. Its getting hotter in big D. Thank goodness for A.C. :O)