freude

The person who sat next to me tonight at chorus rehearsal is probably the best singer I've ever sat next to, EVER. Someone told me she just graduated from UIC, so I guess she's around 22. Anyway, she was so good, arrr, this is exactly why I joined, to be trained and inspired and given a reality check. She is my new goal. ARRR. It's the EASE, how EASY a high B flat is for her, and amazing sound.

[Warning: rambling to follow] THEN... there was a surprise placement audition to determine soprano 1 and soprano 2. OK not a "surprise" like an evil pop quiz, more like, Hey all the sopranos are now gonna sing so we know who can do what. In front of each other. Run by two girls (one of them my new goal). If you know me, you know why this is a big deal--I'm overly shy, twitchy, hang-nail bitey, nervous laughy. This is not the best thing that can happen to me. I am usually completely spent after an audition just from the 5 days of mental preparation. This usually does not apply to placement auditions because you are already "in." But in front of your peers? They were letting us size each other up, how evil. Although logically it is a good thing that I didn't know about it beforehand or I would've had a nervous breakdown. Anyway, we had to sing the first 3 lines of "My Country 'Tis of Thee," starting on C, then D, then if they think you can keep going, you do E (which yields a high note of A). I don't even know why they had to do this, I already had a placement audition with the conductor. Anyway, I was so nervous I totally squeaked and creeked between notes, major lack of breath support, had to clutch my diaphragm, which I HATE, I always need to push it with my hand when I'm nervous. Anyway, for those of you just dying to know: Soprano 1.

I think there are only like 5 soprano 1's, erm, there aren't even that many sopranos, like maybe 25 on a good day (more altos), which is unusual. Which I normally would think is cool, because then I feel like they need me, it's not like I'm just taking up another seat. Except there are only like 5 soprano 1's. There is a descant (especially high) part in one piece, and my new goal sitting next to me was singing it, and I was singing it, and she high-fived me afterward, but it was bad because... she rocked! I sucked! OMG SHE ROCKS. CRAAAAAP, I'm gonna be her (because I don't believe I can beat her).

And for anyone in the know or who did choir with me in high school... one of the pieces we are doing is "Choose Something Like A Star" by Randall Thompson, which is amazing, which I did in high school, I did some really amazing ones in high school, the two "O Magnum Mysterium" pieces (Vittoria and Lauridsen (sp? x 2)), ahh.

I am so frustrated and pumped up right now to pull out the old tapes of voice lessons to start practicing. I know I need a voice teacher. I've contacted two who for various reasons, I'm probably not gonna be seeing. The last person I'm gonna contact is a total hotshot "by audition only" teacher in Glenview (a big plus), whom I am guessing will cost more.

I feel petty, oh so petty

My boss had to pull another act of mathematic ineptitude on my last day at work. I told him $0.32 is 0.32% of $100 and his reaction? "NOOooo." Oh and he types really hard. Like serious hard--ooh I'm such a confident computer whiz, I literally "hit" enter--like he's trying to burn a hole into the screen with his finger strength via the keyboard. I can't stand that, it makes me NUTS! Can you imagine? And everytime he goes on about how great Shanghai is, I just give him this "Oh REAlly, congratulations" look. You know, how Scarlett Johansson looks at Anna Faris whenever she opens her mouth in "Lost in Translation." Oh and he has to get his 4-yr-old daughter involved in his self-importance by telling everyone (completely serious) he thinks she might look like Zhang ZiYi when she grows up. O-KAY. And he's obsessed with Zhang ZiYi.

Stuff we did today:
Woke up
Watched some World Cup
Did some work
LePeep for brunch (spinach bacon omelette)
Went to art festival
Went to Marshalls (socks)
Played tennis (2.5 hrs)
Showered
Went to Anam Cafe (beef noodles)
Watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

The art festival was so cool, it's pretty much the same stalls every year (in downtown Evanston) with new stuff. I'm gonna go back tomorrow to get some prints. There's this one guy who does these crazy cool paintings and sells 'em for $8,800 for the highest ones. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang rocked! It's funny. Don't watch it if you are anti- swearing, guns, nudity, humor. Robert Downey Jr. is crazy good, he should be really happy he can act, with all the issues he's had with drugs.

Where's my free steak?

I'm only gonna be working at my job for 2.5 more days and the free steak hasn't arrived yet. (Refer to previous "doop di doo" entry.) OK maybe she was lying. But after today, I won't be able to take the steak because my boss will be back from China and I'd have to let him have them. Oh well.

Went to first Chorus rehearsal last night. It was okay. I like the singing aspects of it, but don't like the social aspects. I wish people just went to rehearsal to sing. I don't know any of the students, and since they all know each other, it's not like I'm gonna butt in. And the non-students are all like 40 - 65 AND all know each other--probably go to the same gym or something. Which is why I just go to sing.

Congratulations, Lo Sai

Went to Steve's graduation from MBA (Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University) yesterday. Went inside Ryan Field auditorium for the first time, HA. Sweltering hot, you can ask Steve, he was the one in a tie and gown. We couldn't find a seat arrr... sat on the "mountain top," the speaker was CEO of American Express, a speech that I thought was really good... simple, stuck to the theme (ethics, morals, values of companies, as in corporations that try to be charitable), non-lame. And... I don't think I've seen such a high percentage of Indian people in a large venue before. Just everywhere you look, Indians. Proud mamas plus every other kind of family member. Can it be said that it's an unofficial cultural requirement for Indian kids to get an MBA?

Anyway, here's a pic of Steve, can you find him?:

A picture of the three of us, thought my dress was extremely graduationy:

Here's a pic I took, because I was obsessed with the red dress this girl was wearing, and her bag, and they went together so well. The dress was ruched on the top, halter ties, little white leafy petal print, I wanted her outfit. But I'd have no place to wear it to, as usual. The dress I am wearing is the first time after getting it 2 yrs ago. Anyway, I also happen to love the Kate Spade bag that other woman is carrying. I hope none of these people see this pic:

Time

In case you don't read Time Magazine, the last article is always an Op-Ed article, which I happen to always read and think "I KNOW, right? I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks that way!" Part of this week's article pasted below. Didn't want to paste the entire article... I just think in our society, people unanimously agree to lie about certain things, one of them being how perfectly great it is to have kids. I think it's really sad for some young people to believe the lie without question, only to get a harsh reality check after it's too late.

Except from "Does Fatherhood Make You Happy?" Time, June 19, 2006

Studies reveal that most married couples start out happy and then become progressively less satisfied over the course of their lives, becoming especially disconsolate when their children are in diapers and in adolescence, and returning to their initial levels of happiness only after their children have had the decency to grow up and go away. When the popular press invented a malady called "empty-nest syndrome," it failed to mention that its primary symptom is a marked increase in smiling.

Psychologists have measured how people feel as they go about their daily activities, and have found that people are less happy when they are interacting with their children than when they are eating, exercising, shopping or watching television. Indeed, an act of parenting makes most people about as happy as an act of housework. Economists have modeled the impact of many variables on people's overall happiness and have consistently found that children have only a small impact. A small negative impact.

Those findings are hard to swallow because they fly in the face of our most compelling intuitions. We love our children! We talk about them to anyone who will listen, show their photographs to anyone who will look and hide our refrigerators behind vast collages of their drawings, notes, pictures and report cards. We feel confident that we are happy with our kids, about our kids, for our kids and because of our kids--so why is our personal experience at odds with the scientific data?

See full (not long) article here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1202940,00.html

what's the word?

I quit, my last day is June 23. Hmm, pretty on-schedule. I've been saying I was gonna quit around mid-June for months. "You poor unfortunate soul, it's sad, but true. If you want to cross the bridge my sweet you've got to pay the toll, take a gulp and take a breath and go ahead and sign the scroll."

Now, I will attempt a most daring feat! I will become a paid chorister! Somehow. (In addition to origamist, by the way.)

"I don't know when, I don't know how, but I know something's starting right now, watch and you'll see, someday I'll be, part of your world."

Why is it we always want more? Will I want more if I become a paid chorister? (Ariel was a princess, the most talented singer among her sisters, but all she wanted was to be human. I guess Ariel and I would love to trade places huh.) I'm living in Chicago, no time is better than the present, it IS possible to be paid to be in a chorus, you know. I have a plan muhahaha. First, I find a teacher. "My dear sweet child, it's what I do. It's what I liiive for. To help poor unfortunate merfolk, like yourself."

Somebody should write an opera for the Little Mermaid.

Maybe I'll get the DVD.

"I'm ready to know what the people know, ask 'em my questions and get some answers, what's a fire, and why does it, what's the word, burn? When's it my turn, wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up above? Out of the sea, wish I could be, part of that world."

Goodbye, sweaty summer

Our apartment is not air conditioned. It is torturous. There is sweat everywhere in the summer.
Today we came back from tennis to find a very large air conditioner next to the dumpster with a note reading "a little old and worn but works like a champ!" We carried it upstairs. I can't believe I actually had to convince him of the greatness of the event ("you mean you'd rather not take this for free and have to buy one one day for a hundred something dollars?") ; it looked non-sketchy and I was positive it would work great. Decided which window it had to go in. Opened the window to find a freakin huge-ass bee dead between the window and the screen, approximately 1.5 inches long and half an inch fat, it was really gross. Fixed this one broken part on the AC, stuck it in the window, plugged it in, and voila...

doop di doo

Found out today that the Ocean's 13 prospect is over. The set decorator had contacted me previously, interested in using many (approx 200) large (1 ft) origami cherry blossoms to cover a set wall, and ordered a few samples, said she loved them and would get back to me. Hadn't heard from her after 7 weeks so emailed to check up, anyway she said they aren't using 'em anymore. Oh well. I wouldn't want to encourage people to see Ocean's 13 anyway (after what happened with "12"). That would be my version of the "bright side of things" :P

I've joined Northwestern's Summer Chorus. We are doing Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (don't people get sick of this? EVER? At least I won't have to practice outside of rehearsal), and a piece called American Impressions. Hmm. Anyway, the whole program is only 1 month + 4 days long. Rehearsal starts on June 19.

If you want to be really depressed, watch Avril here. Again, it's totally worth it!

Just got a really weird phone call (at work). We get lots of telemarketers calling here. This woman called and said a guy who used to work here entered a sweepstakes at a trade show and won 4 Omaha steaks and since he doesn't work here anymore she's just gonna send them to me. Then she started pitching a monitor-cleaning product to me. I said no thanks to the product, and she was nice about it. So I guess we're getting free steak??

My glamorous life continues...

Had a get together with the Treblemakers on Saturday, and the weirdest funniest thing... well it's a long story... let's just say, the world is HKers is small if you seek them out. The rest of world is still big though. I can't wait to tell V.Li the whole story, I think she'll freak.

Jensen Wong was here this weekend so that's what we did all weekend. Watched X2 (4th time) at Steve's place with them and Florence. Pretended to play tennis. Ate Indian, ice cream, pancakes, dim sum, French, Pocky, etc. We also watched this HK movie "One Bamboo Shoot" (I think), supposed to be a comedy according to Steve (but really not haha), and I really liked it, until the last five minutes. Take out the last five minutes and I would really like it.

Tonight, watched Serenity (3rd time), man that movie is so sad, what the heck. Right now, the Fifth Element on TV, approx. 20th viewing, can't believe every time I watch it I notice or see something new. My favorite line is:
Fog: "We're sending somebody in to negotiate!"
Korben: [shoots bad leader in the head] "Anybody else want to negotiate?"
Fog: "W-w-where did he learn to negotiate like that?"
President: [looks at the General] "I wonder."
[General sheepishly looks away.]

Can't wait for the new Luc Besson-directed movie. Also can't wait for Lady in the Water. I loved 6th Sense, loved Signs, LOOVVED the Village.

arrr

I... don't feel like blogging about anything "important" such as how much I suck at working for other people, and how I am conflicted about the "group," and my biz, and I hate my wrist and I hate sucking at tennis...

On Monday, Memorial Day, Steve, my husband, and I had plans to see X-Men: the Last Stand. Anyway, I had invited Justin Wong to come with us and told him to call me if he wanted to go. Well 25 mins before the show he hadn't called and I accidentally left my phone at home, but whatever I was assuming he wasn't coming or he can just run into us in the theater. Then yesterday he messaged me and said he went and sat on the edge of our row, and how there was a seat next to Steve, and I was like "yeah right," and he said it's true. WHAT? Turns out he waited for us outside the theater after the show, but of COURSE, being the major geeks we are, the three of us stayed to watch the hidden scene after the credits. He wondered where we went. So I didn't even know he went at all! Ha.

OK I'm gonna have to change subjects now. I am still mourning the X3 that could've been. I haven't read the comics, but just from what I know about it, it makes me sad that they just kinda let X3 go, let it be bad. There is basically one scene I love. The scene that starts where Jean Grey wakes up in the infirmary until when she leggily storms out of the room. Other than that, nothing is right. I have been reminiscing about X2 by reading Harry Knowles's review. I really feel like watching it right now actually. OMG I hate my job. If I didn't have to work there I could watch X2 right now.