Archive for April, 2006
So much to report from this weekend….although none of it is running/walking related. I swear, I’ll get back to that stuff eventually.
First of all, I had my recital on Saturday night. It went really well overall, I had a great crowd (a full house!), felt good about how I played, had fun, and most importantly, wore a fantastic new pair of shoes. I’m relieved it is done and that it was a success, but my busy days are far from over.
The most exciting event of this weekend? On Saturday, while I was preparing to play my big show, Brian was at the 2006 Nuts for Mutts show with Lucy. At about 2:30 I got the good news that she had advanced out of the Qualifying Rounds (yes, I’m serious) in the Most Beautiful category. A prouder moment I have never had. I actually screamed out loud and jumped for joy. (Sadly, she didn’t advance in the Mystery Mutt or Ear-resitible Ears categories.) Mostly I was excited because it meant that I could go back today for the final round and watch her compete. Unfortunately, she didn’t get a prize but she did get a chance to schmooze with the B-list celebrity judges they had on hand. Here’s a picture of her meeting Chyna, a person who I assumed was either a drag queen or transsexual and thought “Well, isn’t that a fun change from the usual cheesy soap opera stars!” Later, however,it was explained to me that Chyna is actually a real woman and a wrestler who has taken so many steroids that she has the build of a man and the husky voice to go with it. Plus, a big ‘ol boob job. Damn, I liked her much better as a drag queen.
Anyway, it was a successful weekend for all. We even managed to drag my mom to the dog show and I think she liked it, although she probably wouldn’t admit that in public. Tomorrow morning, it’s back to business as usual and I can’t say I’m excited. But at least the weather has finally warmed up out here and it is starting to really feel like spring. If I can get through one more month of craziness I should be sailing home free into the lazy days of summer. I can’t wait.
April 30th, 2006
I’m in the home stretch now, one more week until my recital. Things have been going pretty well, not counting the minor meltdowns I have every so often. It is great though when those moments happen to be able to blame them on pregnancy hormones and be done with it. Who/what is going to assume responsibility once I have this kid?
Speaking of kids, I am not the only one who has a big event next weekend. Lucy is registered to compete in the annual Nuts for Mutts Dog Show in Woodland Hills. Nuts for Mutts is a big fundraiser for New Leash on Life, an organization that rescues dogs and helps to find them new homes. And it is an opportunity for us proud owners of mutts (also known as All-American dogs, according to our dog trainer) to force their dogs to compete for prizes. Last year, we found out about the show pretty late and the only category still open was Best Dressed (that and best Chihuahua Mix, but we didn’t think she could pull that off, even with the ears). Oddly enough, my dear husband has had some experience dressing up our animals so we decided to go for it. Here is her outfit:
Isn’t she stunning? Make sure to look at the larger size of the picture so you can see the pearls around her neck (yes, they are fake…I’m not THAT crazy). Sadly, we didn’t realize the extent to which the other competitors would go to win the category. There was a dog dressed as Pinocchio with his owner dressed as Gepettto, a little pup with a spiked collar, kilt, punk t-shirt and green mohwak and, my personal favorite, the three-legged dog dressed as a pirate with a peg-leg. So, Lucy didn’t get out of the qualifying round and there was much sadness. When she got home that night, she smashed her pearls, threw herself on her pink canopy bed in tears and refused to play with her Barbies. Her only consolation was that we promised to enter her in multiple categories this year and play to her strengths.
This year she is registered in Most Beautiful, Ear-esisitible Ears, and Mystery Mutt. I can’t go to the qualifying rounds next Saturday because that’s the day of my recital and I will have to sit around at home and “relax”, but if she advances to the finals we all get to go on Sunday, including my mother who will be in town and forced to attend (hilarious).
Yes, I am crazy. But at least it is all for a good cause. Honestly, on Saturday the 29th I’m not sure what I will be more nervous about-my recital or Lucy’s big show. If she wins a ribbon, I told her she can retire early.
April 22nd, 2006
Lucy’s cousin Lola has been visiting this week. And when I say visiting, I mean that my sister and brother-in-law decided to go on vacation at the last minute and deposit their dog here on the way out of town. Not that I really mind, Lola is a sweet girl and Lucy loves having her around to play with. Unfortunately, ’tis the season for shedding and all their rambunctious behavior leaves my house full of dog hair. Every morning, I sweep up at least three dustpans full of brown and black doggie locks, mixed in with cat hair for flavor, of course. Between that and everything outside starting to bloom, my allergies are in rare form, particularly since I can’t take my meds because I’m preggers. But, this is the price I pay for my love of animals.
We’ve been doing lots of walking this week with the girls. We live right near the Arroyo Seco, the old dry river bed, in L.A. which is a great place to walk your dog(s). Right now, everything is growing like crazy and it is just beautiful. Lots of tall grass for doggies to bound through, which is always a good time.
Recital prep has been going pretty well. I had a bunch of work for this week get cancelled, so now I should have lots of time for practicing. Unfortunately, it will probably take me a couple of days to recover from this weekend. Six and a half hours of opera rehearsal last night (exhausting) and three more tonight, plus a rehearsal for my recital this afternoon and supposedly practicing this morning (which obviously, hasn’t happened yet). One of the drawbacks of being a musician: you don’t really get a weekend. All the days start to blur together.
I’m hoping for a few more long walks this week as well if the weather chooses to cooperate. I don’t remember such a rainy and cold April in all the time I’ve lived here. Here’s hoping for some sunshine.
April 15th, 2006
Oh good God, my recital is three weeks from tomorrow. I am a wee bit stressed out. This last week was a wash-I spent all day, everyday playing on the soundtrack for an upcoming summer movie starring Hugh Jackman dressed up as a wolf-guy. As much as I enjoy that stuff, when I get home from 6 hours of playing action-adventure-superhero music , the last thing I am able to do is practice. I am exhausted, especially since the creature living in my body is sucking all the energy out of me, forcing me to fall dead asleep every night at 9:30. Three weeks is still a good amount of time, but unfortunately I have to continue to work and make money while trying to get ready for this concert. I can’t help but think back to the days when I was in music school and all I had to do was practice and get ready for my recitals, but those days are long gone. A mortgage, car payments, student loans and the constant feeding of three animals has taken care of that. But I wouldn’t change any of it, even if I could. Ok, maybe I would lose the student loans.
Unfortunately, this week doesn’t get much easier. On Monday, I will be on a committee listening to auditions for the Principal Double Bass position with my opera orchestra (If you would like to know a little about the torture that is an orchestral audition, read this). I am glad my days of playing auditions are most likely over, and sitting on the committee to pick a candidate is fun, but 6 hours of solo double bass may be a bit maddening. Then later in the week there is more superhero work and many hours of opera rehearsal. But hey, I am a working musician, I shouldn’t be complaining. It’s just that the hours sometimes suck. I’m sure I will find some time to practice, even if it means it happens at 8:00 a.m., before going to work.
This morning, I am planning a long walk with Lucy, maybe three miles or so. She has been home alone a lot this week so I think she deserves it. Today at 7:00 a.m., she started howling like crazy-I guess we slept too late for her liking. Charming.
April 7th, 2006
I have been a bad blogger. Honestly, I have been too busy to even think straight lately, let alone put together cohesive sentences. Spring is always crazy for musicians, I’m not sure why-maybe spring is just crazy for everyone? It seems like all the work I would love to have spread out evenly over the course of the year lands in my lap for the months of March, April and May. I’m not complaining, I am very happy to be a working musician, it would just be nice if I didn’t have to pull a couple of 12 hour days this week when back in November I was sitting around on my ass. Whatever, enough complaining…on to the good stuff.
Adding to all of my confusion lately (and the explanation for my non-running status) has been the fact that I am PREGNANT. It is very exciting, and something Brian and I have wanted for a while. This will be our first child, not to mention the first grandchild for both our families so needless to say, this kid will be one spoiled little brat. We are very happy, but I have spent the last few months being very, very tired which has made it hard to get a lot of work done. I think it is slowly getting better (I am officially in my 2nd trimester now) but I know there is a long road ahead.
I had really hoped to keep running through my first trimester, but it was amazing to me how clearly my body asked me not to. I just can’t do it. Not to mention that now that I have a heart rate monitor, I have discovered that with only brisk walking, my heart rate sometimes goes up to about 150! How crazy is that? I hope my heart doesn’t explode one of these days when I’m doing something really strenuous like buying groceries.
Anyway, there it is, my big news that I have been keeping from all of you (all five of you) for the last three months. I assure you, this will not turn into a baby/pregnancy blog-I’m not ready to go down that road. But at least I can regale you with tales of my constant weight gain and non-stop eating. I’m pretty sure there will be some good material in there.
April 1st, 2006
