Mark one down for me.

Five down, three to go. A scary thought in terms of semesters. My life as an undergrad is flat out flying. I wonder why it is, that all the education before college seemed to take such a long time. I mean, it did actually take a long time. But, it seemed like it could go on forever. Now I feel like i just started college and in less three semesters I'm going to be leaving with a piece of papers that says I can legally teach in this state.

It's a little scary when I sit and think about it. It's not that I think I'll be a bad teacher or anything like that. I just now see how fast my career is sneaking up on me. I guess I really still feel like a nine year old when the rest of the world want's me to be twenty something. I guess i can still go home after work and finger paint.

My lack of resident's over the past couple of days has afforded me a new luxury. I can now sit in my room and TRY to sing opera anytime I want. It's a lot of fun. I can try new things, make mistakes, and jump around like a crazy person. Singing in my sun filled room in the middle of the day today was very refreshing. A nice change of pace from practice rooms in a basement.

Now to find an aria to work on for next semester.

If you stumble upon this and have ideas, leave a few that you care to part with.

And so we begin...

I've done this before. I'm no stranger to blogging. I've done it before, and always failed. So why try again? Life has taken many interesting turns recently. Not to say I didn't know myself, I just think I've found a new side of me. I think the term I've given it is born-again-optimism. Not to say that I was a negative person, I was just... content. However, sometime in May I decided I wasn't content anymore. So I tried something new. I started taking voice lessons with Joshua Hecht. He's been phenomenal to me, helping me through some weird things and turning my voice into... something.

So I've gone from one musical concentration to two. People tell me in my line of work that makes me "desirable". The truth is, it just makes me happy. I love playing the euphonium. There is nothing like sitting in front of Boonshaft at a concert and having everything click at that moment. But, there is nothing like opera either. That's what I've been dealing with lately, a double dose of passion.

This past weekend was my first serious performance vocally. Or I should say, my first three performances. Two concerts with the HSO and Chorale and my first opera scenes performance. Music is my drug and singing is my new fix. Nothing has ever been like standing in front of a room full of people and running around singing Se voul Ballare. I'm addicted to this art and I won't stop.

AND CONDUCTING! MY LOVE! I've just finished my first semester with a brilliant conductor, Dr. Peter L. Boonshaft, and he's helped me so much. He's helped me realize what works for me when I conduct whether he knows it or not.

So many good things right now! Two amazing private teachers. Survival of this semester in sight. Die Fledermaus in January!

It all clicks right now.