tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-243674782012-02-01T16:11:05.470-05:00it's never too late, you're never too bad, never too old, never too sick to start from scratch and begin again.-choudhuryRahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.comBlogger8971100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-82202156731593701302012-01-28T20:26:00.000-05:002012-01-28T20:26:49.424-05:00

My day started off with delivery men. Arriving EARLY. (What are the other Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Time to start living large, my friends.) I took a class at the gym that kicked my ass and reinforced the thought that I probably should have someone look at my left foot, as it pretty much hurts all the time. But I have this 13.1 miles to run in March? And I'm totally in denial that something's

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-63330602743500684162012-01-25T19:20:00.000-05:002012-01-25T19:20:17.969-05:00

I saw Ryan Adams last night. Strathmore. (Ashamedly, my first time. It's beautiful...like being inside a cello. But I have to ask, could you not spend the buck-two-ninety-eight for purple gels for those exit signs onstage? Obnoxious.) Two hours of amazingly intimate Americana from our generation's enfant terrible, interspersed with self-disparaging comedy. (whispered to the sound guy at the top

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-50601844530820926372012-01-23T21:57:00.000-05:002012-01-23T21:57:11.849-05:00

Oh, chickadees, it's been a week. And it's only Monday night. This weekend was a blur, but it was an awesome blur. A beautiful spot, a group of generous, fun, silly pals, a great celebration for a great man, and more food/booze than even a group of our proclivities could consume. (Seems that we're not, in fact, young enough to eat/drink everything in the world and still function the next day.

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-4947308317694047272012-01-16T14:37:00.000-05:002012-01-16T14:37:50.139-05:00

One my my personal challenges this year is to get some big-time creativity back into my life. I've been talking with this lovely lady about it, and have finally started reading this (and, despite my marked resistance to it, it's rocking my world. Seriously.) I spent an hour today playing with Garage Band, and, when I get a little more confident I'll post something here so that you all can suffer

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-77885683158475393682012-01-14T11:30:00.001-05:002012-01-14T11:31:30.985-05:00

Saturday morning. Chilly, sunny...all those things that a January morning is supposed to be. After a good but intense workweek, taking an hour to run with a pal and catch up? Is really a fantastic way to start the weekend. Especially when the run starts a little later because it's too chilly for either one of you to contemplate voluntarily spending time in the cold AND dark. Granted, I totally

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-48222192997353103322012-01-07T21:53:00.000-05:002012-01-07T21:53:59.017-05:00

ok, maybe not actually. but boy, do I feel pretty ancient. you see, this little race I've been training for? it demands long runs on the weekends...firstly to make sure that i'm on track, and to also quiet that little voice in my head that says "you're never gonna make it, chubby." [i hate that voice.] anyhow, this morning was a big run morning...preceded by an evening of sub-par sleep. the

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-61640082119838005272012-01-04T22:00:00.000-05:002012-01-04T22:00:05.391-05:00

Happy January, lovelies! As I'm watching several tv programs and commercials that feature someone ill-advisedly (and angstily...never a good time to make big decisions!) hanging out on a very tall building ledge (go USAnetwork), it strikes me that maybe this is a plunge year. A go-ahead, say it/do it kind of year, a year that throws caution to the wind and acts. Says exactly what it's thinking!

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-60504933395282346462011-12-31T14:47:00.000-05:002011-12-31T14:47:26.449-05:00

I'm nursing my 2012 hangover a day early.  I had pretty big plans for today. A nine mile run with Melissa, some grocery shopping and tidying, and an informal dinner at home with neighbors and friends to usher in 2012. It's a similar plan to last year's, which worked out quite well. What's that saying? The best-laid plans of mice and men yada yada yada....  Yesterday, 1.30.11. I had my last

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-75415680315050631282011-12-29T21:58:00.000-05:002011-12-29T21:58:26.704-05:00

So, I just spent a little time going my archives, and found that this weird, lazy+melancholy+restless feeling? Is just what my brain does on this week between Christmas and New Years. (I have to admit, it's both reassuring and discouraging to know that this feeling is as much a tradition as anything else this time of year.) I'm restless, feeling like I'm lacking forward movement. But a good

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-36394182077161868772011-12-20T21:16:00.000-05:002011-12-20T21:16:27.233-05:00

I saw this picture on Indexed. Which made me think of Hermione Grainger. Who, in turn, made me think of Mary Poppins. And it made sense that I can't make myself clean out my purses or bags. Because if I do? I might misplace the magic. Hoping the next week-and-change is filled with magic for you...ordinary, every-day, Parking Angel, Everlasting Green Light magic. Calm, serene, wintery magic.

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-77680747592099442422011-12-18T18:13:00.000-05:002011-12-18T18:13:09.552-05:00

So, I'm in the middle of the usual holiday paradox. Lots of fun Christmas parties coupled with job stress (not mine, thankfully, but someone whose stress I tend to wear like a bad wig.) equals lots of home stress and foregone invitations.  i know...our faces are gonna freeze that way... Actually, December is not being terribly friendly, on the whole. Difficult work situations (with managers and

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-58574490938633210912011-12-11T14:00:00.001-05:002011-12-11T14:00:09.079-05:00

Can this be our Christmas tree? I'm sitting down to write this as one of my rewards: a 10 minute break for focused housework. I find that if I just put the time aside to clean (which, let's be honest, I totally hate. Love the result, don't get me wrong, but I hate doing it. The decision fatigue occurs WAY earlier than it should. And by the way, when will they make self-folding laundry, for

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-22273981368228225762011-12-03T14:38:00.000-05:002011-12-03T14:38:50.887-05:00

...but i'm feeling the need to crow a little bit. 7 miles this morning, after running 3.5 last night. So, in 18 hours, 10.5 miles. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. The coolest thing about this morning? Was that I felt really good up until the end. I've been giving myself walking breaks every mile/10 minutes, and it really helps me feel less punished. By mile 6, though, I was wishing I had brought some

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-35249161731664295892011-11-28T21:33:00.000-05:002011-11-28T21:33:19.862-05:00

Ben Folds, I love you. I'm watching The Sing-Off, and he's teaching the audience a harmony part so that they can participate. He did something similar when he appeared at work a few years ago with his tune "Army", and I totally fell in lurve. Geeking out BIG TIME. In other news? Thanksgiving was full of thanks, and sloth, and roasted meat. I caught my first hockey game in years (The Caps lost,

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-68046193063813587012011-11-19T10:38:00.000-05:002011-11-19T10:38:07.977-05:00

I'm sweating. Sure, it's 40 degrees outside. Sure, I've been sitting still for the past 15 minutes. Sure, I have even been into and out of the shower. Still. Sweating. In the interest of reclaiming some of the ground I lost to the audition tour towards my personal goals, I made a running date with MR. (I have to come up with a good alias for her...she's an English teacher, mom of 2, and just

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-45091487247231201592011-11-13T09:46:00.000-05:002011-11-13T09:46:08.062-05:00

We're almost to the end of the audition tour. It's been a whirlwind, although not as punishing as it's been in the past. I don't feel broken physically, and I'm only slightly overwhelmed at the amount of work that has to happen over the next two weeks. I'm a little off track with the writing goals and the running goals, but if I tuck in this week I'll likely make up the time/mileage/words. I'm

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-12933587897879562692011-11-06T20:36:00.000-05:002011-11-06T20:36:09.280-05:00

Chickadees, it's been a crazy few days. Friday - a memorial service for one of my favorite professors. She was one of those joyous, inquisitive, no-nonsense kinds of ladies, and was a personal boon to me in many ways. (Not least of which was the fact that she lived in the neighborhood that hubs and I first found ourselves in when we moved out of Pittsburgh. It was a tiny apartment, we were

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-35018186915304028662011-10-31T21:29:00.000-04:002011-10-31T21:29:28.035-04:00

Well, tonight is an eve of many sorts. It's All Hallow's Eve. We've had cows and cats and even a (Baltimore) raven. And still we have a cubic ton of sugar. The great thing is that I finally wised up and bought candy that I don't really like. I guess I CAN BE TAUGHT! It's also the eve of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. And I signed up, for the first time. I've done NaBloPoMo before, but

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-65708649673351166582011-10-27T11:44:00.000-04:002011-10-27T11:44:32.322-04:00

sun peeking out over the fog line I force myself awake at 5:45am, knowing that I'll be back on eastern time tomorrow, and that the transition will be ugly at best. My budget hotel room is trashed - a combination of fatigue, tight schedules, the lack of a closet (a serious design flaw for a hotel), more dirty clothes than clean ones, and my ever-present messy inclinations have covered every flat

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-57675109417943778072011-10-16T15:40:00.000-04:002011-10-16T15:40:33.409-04:00

Boy, kittens....it's been a week! Last Friday we set out for New York. Seven days of auditions, meetings, reunions. We heard a million renditions of Je suis encor and Lenski's aria, heard a great monologue about tuna fish (well, only peripherally about tuna, really.), and passed by Nabucco for fried zucchini and pizza. (Don't judge.) I saw alums from the opera company, favorite students from my

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-15706374853064657062011-10-04T19:53:00.001-04:002011-10-04T20:27:54.411-04:00

..when the world falls in love, every song you hear seems to saaaay.... "Please, hire me, I'm the best, in ev'ry waaaaay!" But, 'tween your ears and mine not many cross the line... And it's hard to say "Thank you. Next, pleeeease." We leave for auditions on Friday. The receding singer in me still has a love-hate relationship with this tour, and I think that's actually a good thing...preserves

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-58687674989710985852011-09-24T20:59:00.000-04:002011-09-24T20:59:26.340-04:00

So, I've been keeping things from you, my lovelies. Wonderful, tasty, thoughtful things.  Let's remedy that, shall we? Um? YUM. Every girl sometimes knows, sometimes hopes, that this sentiment is about her. Funny, momma's lullabyes never went like this... Time-elapse photography in a pretty place? Yes, please. I'm a fan of Simon's Cat. ...and of back-to-school supplies, even if I'm not so much

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-38952443565813417732011-09-11T07:42:00.000-04:002011-09-11T07:42:03.061-04:00

Ten years ago today, on that shockingly beautiful September morning, I was in a lovely second-floor classroom at the Ellis School in Pittsburgh. I was fully intending to blow off Morning Meeting to get some overlooked prep work done before Glee Club rehearsal. Sara Sturdevant walked into my classroom and said "I'll walk to Meeting with you." When I tried to beg off, she turned on the TV in the

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-79415669121509646202011-09-05T20:58:00.000-04:002011-09-05T20:58:29.142-04:00

It's September! I've had a labor-less Labor Day, which has been exceedingly lovely. And, I'm totally excited about the next few months - there's so much going on! This week? A light work week. Heck yeah. Weekend? Pierogi making. Why pierogis so early? Tailgating on Sunday for the first NFL game of the regular season. GO STEELERS! The following weekend? Going to a Ball! Gotta get a dress... The

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-31077431661557111682011-09-02T12:43:00.000-04:002011-09-02T12:43:00.540-04:00

Oh, lordy. So, in the time that's elapsed since that last post? We've had an earthquake (5.8, bitches!) and a hurricane. Well, maybe 'hurricane' is being a little generous... by the time she reached us, Irene was more like a really windy night followed by the most glorious weather ever created...a half-hearted tantrum from a young weather deity. But that earthquake was the real deal...especially

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-3211177756469241522011-08-22T20:58:00.000-04:002011-08-22T20:58:39.894-04:00

So, I wrote a whole post. And when I went back to re-read it, found that it wasn't so much in English. Grammar. Just another victim of End-of-the-Season-Fatigue. So, the shortlist: Thursday and Friday I worked at WETA on our radio series. We started 90 minutes late one day, bc the talent (a lovely, if chronologically challenged, gentleman) just couldn't get there on time. When we're not busy

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-84045299145219321262011-08-16T20:55:00.000-04:002011-08-16T20:55:11.900-04:00

Duuuuuuude. Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude. It's been a summer. Not technically over yet, let's be honest...we have a big honkin' show on the 24th that will be seven shades of fantastic. But that's, like, OVER a WEEK away! (And I am reminded of how irritated I was when my secondary school students wouldn't actually pay attention to the musical until 2 days beforehand...and wonder why I got so

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-71417950177993974482011-08-09T21:55:00.000-04:002011-08-09T21:55:41.120-04:00

Best. License. Plate. Ever. Chickadees, it's been a long summer. One hundred and forty days of summer, give or take a handful of days. But that summer is almost over, for better or for worse. Because in four very short days Hoffmann will close. We'll have a two-day grown-up opera fest (seriously, did you know about it? Because it's going to be AMAZEBALLS) the week after, and then Ethel and

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-6548013633180990512011-08-04T22:15:00.000-04:002011-08-04T22:15:29.562-04:00

My folks were both teachers. As was respectful, I called all of their friends - mostly teachers, themselves - Mr. or Mrs. As I grew up, I was allowed to call them by their first names only after I had asked for, and was granted permission. I tried to skirt this little formality with Mr. Riker. I called him "Don" once, in front of my mom. I was probably 5 and was, ahem, soundly discouraged from

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-11980918748826129692011-07-31T22:36:00.001-04:002011-07-31T22:37:19.803-04:00

Tomorrow would be my parents' 41st wedding anniversary. I would send my mom flowers, but she's moved and I don't have the address... Should I read into that? My last entry was a sinfully hot day backstage at the Filene Center, accompanied by a criminally fantastic performance. This past Friday? Also too warm to be charitable, and yet the headliner was one of the most gracious, elegant men I've

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-26620379209494179812011-07-22T09:32:00.000-04:002011-07-22T09:32:26.209-04:00

Tonight is our one-night-only production of Sweeney Todd with the National Symphony Orchestra. It is fan-damn-tastic. The singing and playing are out of this WORLD. The projections are glorious. The costumes are adorable and creepy (if those two things ever go together). A compelling evening of theater that looks great and sounds great. Yesterday started at 10am, and ended - well, for me,

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-3106708906122121902011-07-16T10:24:00.000-04:002011-07-16T10:24:05.093-04:00

Oh, chickadees... July and I are not friends. Not even frenemies. Granted, he's trying to win me back with a stretch of the most impossibly gorgeous weather...blue skies, low humidity, gentle breezes... But he's also Captain Burnout. He makes me work long hours. He asks me to spend more money than I have and then give back money that I need. He makes the same mistakes over and over again, and

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-19940796607669863372011-07-08T00:41:00.000-04:002011-07-08T00:41:13.983-04:00

I have a file folder on my desk titled "Problems Time Has Solved", and at this point I'm chucking everything I possibly can into it. It's a risky strategy, as the likelihood of something dragging itself out of the magical folder and biting me in the ass is quite high. (Some of the things in that folder? Zombie-like...totally unkillable.) But here's hoping! However, that's not to say that

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-3165365158215815432011-06-28T21:42:00.000-04:002011-06-28T21:42:44.870-04:00

so....have you ever had one of those days when nothing earth-shattering is going wrong, but every tiny little thing that can futz out does? welcome to my monday. overflowing toilet, an ingrown toenail and a gnat infestation in the morning. an artist cancellation, a truant agent, and scheduling problems during the day. a willful dog and a muddy tramp around the neighborhood in the evening. And a

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-37396681057998799642011-06-25T08:32:00.000-04:002011-06-25T08:32:55.596-04:00

Wow. You want to talk whirlwind? Even with 2 days away from the office plunked squarely in the middle, this week has been big...big celebrations, big stress, just...BIG. Big celebrations: Tuesday was our birthday! I say 'our' because there are three of us who have the same birthday; me, KPW, and Marco. I can't imagine a nicer bunch to celebrate with, and in true WT fashion we had a rousing,

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-12862506402257322822011-06-20T21:55:00.001-04:002011-06-20T21:55:37.571-04:00

Hubs had a bad day. Now, when I have a bad day it's just as likely a result of a scant amount of sleep or a lack of chocolate or coffee in my immediate vicinity. I'm not a surgeon or EMT -people don't perish as a result of my actions. Sure, I can irritate the living beejezus out of folks, or lose traction with an issue (or five) for enough time to make me scramble. But we've not lost anyone to

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-27400681097288269222011-06-18T09:54:00.000-04:002011-06-18T09:54:52.229-04:00

Wow. I am in a totally pissy mood. Which stinks, because it's my day off. But somehow I rolled off the wrong side of the bed several hours before I should've and am paying for it. Irritating pets? Check. (Unintentionally) bossy hubby? Check. Stupid work emails? Check. My body aches. My coffee doesn't taste as delicious as usual. My head hurts. Waaaaah.  Tomorrow is Fathers Day, and my birthday

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-84296989248338401212011-06-17T08:25:00.000-04:002011-06-17T08:25:34.070-04:00

ram·ble verb \ˈram-bəl\ram·bledram·blingDefinition of RAMBLEintransitive verb1a : to move aimlessly from place to placeb : to explore idly2: to talk or write in a desultory or long-winded wandering3: to grow or extend irregularly Well, this post - and indeed, life in general - mirror this verb quite handily. This week has been the first really performance-heavy week of the summer: Vocal Colors

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-41902637021944812102011-06-14T21:34:00.000-04:002011-06-14T21:34:52.692-04:00

One where the weather is gorgeous? When the smell of fresh-cut grass/salt water/honeysuckle/charcoal/coconut oil immediately transports you back to a treasured moment during a childhood summer vacation? When the full moon is rising at the same time as the sun is setting, and they counterbalance the sky? And you look around, feeling the vibrancy, the unlimited potential, the nostalgic freedom

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-17135190436654932032011-06-09T23:15:00.000-04:002011-06-09T23:15:52.109-04:00

Catch-up. Get it? (Worst part? That's totally a recycled joke. LAME, Rahree. Lame.) I'm trying so hard to write a post - a challenge from ArTee that I want to address thoughtfully - but tonight is not that night. So instead I give you a little picture tour of the last few days...minus shots of my office, where I spent a fair (read: large) amount of time. Antique shop in Leesburg, VA I

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-36205424937958922182011-06-05T09:49:00.000-04:002011-06-05T09:49:52.275-04:00

Oh, summer. That time of year when my job goes into overdrive...I usually have a host of work- related things to write about. But this year I'm having trouble...it either sounds like whining (which, frankly, some of it is) or bad PR. I could talk about the fun I'm having trying to slide meaningful experiences with pals around the opera schedule (lunch on a free day! shopping! brunch before

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-36056663097896554162011-06-01T20:20:00.000-04:002011-06-01T20:20:59.470-04:00

It's been 90+ degrees here the last few days, and humid as all-get-out. Which, in late July/early August is business as usual, but in May? UG-leeeeeee. I tried to walk the dog last night and just about killed him in the heat. (Sorry, Boo!) This afternoon's weather is hazy and still, totally comfortable until I try to move.The gnats have threatened to ruin my life unless I'm on the porch, under

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-25440643604293689912011-05-27T16:37:00.000-04:002011-05-27T16:37:54.346-04:00

...and lawdy did I need one. It's one of those hiding-in-plain-sight days off. I'm home, running my usual weekend errands and such, going to the gym, hanging on the porch. But everyone else is at the office, in the classroom, tending the store. And so this free day is really feeling, well, free. I spent a long time on the porch this morning. Coffee, watering the plants, getting hit full force

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-80058093355971471482011-05-17T21:46:00.001-04:002011-05-17T21:47:36.745-04:00

I'm not one of those girls who cares what other folks are doing. Seriously, I'm not a keep-tabs person. I love the Joneses, but keeping up with them isn't so much my thing. I only keep score when it's overtly, ridiculously obvious that I need to reciprocate. (well, unless it's hubby, sadly...for some reason I am a totally anal scorekeeper when it comes to housework.) Lately? It seems like

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-15468479909039175832011-05-15T13:13:00.000-04:002011-05-15T13:13:14.706-04:00

The summer season officially starts tomorrow. Our stage management team for The Curious Women arrives, as do two of our interns. And I think I might be ready. Am I having teeny panic attacks about things I've messed up/gotten wrong/forgotten about? Indeed. Am I looking at every single hobby and vacation activity and cooking class and feeling pangs that I've missed the boat. Yes. But even with

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-54099445395254334172011-05-07T21:51:00.000-04:002011-05-07T21:51:05.017-04:00

-not because i don't have a cool job and fantastic coworkers, obvs. Because I do indeed have a lot of the best things, jobwise. But a few days out of the office make me contemplate becoming a lady of leisure. Or, if that's not really an option (and, after the summer spazz-out of 1998, when I finished my first year teaching and lasted all of 3 weeks before going crazy (and almost 100% nocturnal)

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-47942420551888764132011-05-04T20:04:00.000-04:002011-05-04T20:04:59.721-04:00

I had so many things to say about the opening! Witty things, deep meaningful things, things about comedy and friendship and surprises and inspiration... But here it is, three days after the last performance, and I can't remember a single damn thing. (Not really - there were fantastic moments in this process, and many of the ones that have stuck with me are 100% due to the lovely community that

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-32021853951541723522011-04-24T00:06:00.000-04:002011-04-24T00:06:35.024-04:00

Hot. Damn! Tonight was orchestra tech... the night where we have all of the pieces of the opera (sets, props, costumes, wigs, makeup, lights, sets, orchestra), and we try to get through the show. After the show there are two meetings that happen simultaneously: the director gives notes to the performers, and the tech folks give notes to each other. (The musicians union mandates that players'

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-66883102247398512212011-04-22T00:03:00.000-04:002011-04-22T00:03:21.637-04:00

wow, folks...live theater is an interesting animal, for sure. ...and I am saying that with an incredulous note in my voice, even though I've had the privilege to work in this little niche for more years than I have fingers. SO. We're opening this little (world premiere) opera (that we started working on at about the same time I started my new job) in five days. Which is cool... We had some

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-82179109454160360822011-04-16T13:14:00.000-04:002011-04-16T13:14:32.998-04:00

This spring is a whirlwind...there's more going on, more details, more new experiences than in a normal spring. There are more a-ha moments, but also more balls to drop. It's mid-April, but my house looks strangely like summer...bare fridge, ginormous dust bunnies...and I swear someone threw a clothes-bomb into my closet. It's trashed. Today is a day off - it's been 2 weeks since my last one,

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-84335882484714120712011-04-07T21:52:00.000-04:002011-04-07T21:52:22.215-04:00

my neighbor's lovely cherry (?) tree I'm not writing much here because things are so changeable. We went from middle-of-winter calmness to full on whack-a-mole in .2 seconds. And life in general seems to be devoid of middle ground. Work fluctuates between big-picture dreams and the micromanagement of the smallest details...between incredible rehearsals and horrible, music-halting family

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-87982756571227716692011-03-27T20:40:00.000-04:002011-03-27T20:40:37.962-04:00

So, we almost adopted a dog this weekend. Almost. We've been talking about getting a puppy so that El Diablo has a pal, but there's no time for training a newcomer until, well, 2012. On Wednesday I got an email from the service that we use to walk Boo when I'm out of town. 9 year-old female lab needs a home. Clean bill of health, needs to be placed immediately. Female. No housebreaking needed

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-130452006648256482011-03-26T13:33:00.000-04:002011-03-26T13:33:47.915-04:00

is the sincerest form of flattery. Obvs. Protesting the cold weather by getting a sassy new 'do? Check. Thanks for the inspiration, momma!

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-41311274654982844992011-03-25T21:27:00.000-04:002011-03-25T21:27:27.977-04:00

This happens every year. Honestly, every year. Making the transition from long-range planning to drop-everything-and-deal-with-it. Or, as we think of it? Getting into the Whack-a-Mole groove. 'Tis time. A month and a half earlier than normal. I now officially need to answer my phone every time it rings/beeps/vibrates, from now until September. I need to juggle seventeen things but be

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-73553729250759778912011-03-22T21:10:00.000-04:002011-03-22T21:10:01.874-04:00

Today was the first day of whack-a-mole. (And I kinda loved it.) KPW - (I gotta find a new nickname for her...something short and catchy and cool... thinking...) is out of the office for a few days, so we were pouring over a few tings that need to happen while she's gone. So we were in the thick of that great information-sharing, mind meld that doesn't EVER happen during the winter. She's great -

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-38162998224323558372011-03-21T20:13:00.000-04:002011-03-21T20:13:44.241-04:00

....and we're almost off! Stage management arrived today, on the wings of some very warm breezes...and ushered in the unmistakable feeling of summer. In March. Amazing. But it's great - the energy level has ratcheted up, even if the focus hasn't matched pace. Things are happening, changing, morphing...and the atmosphere is feeling familiar, in that whack-a-mole kind of way. And while there's

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-44334560077665925852011-03-17T20:20:00.000-04:002011-03-17T20:20:53.465-04:00

Boy, if my moods swung any more, I'd have clockmakers knocking down my door. For. Shiz. But tonight? I'm happily ensconced in happy mood...good dinner, looooong walk around the neighborhood avec Boo, and a plethora of magazines to scroll through, meaning I'll be spending a little less time on the computer. (My colleague KPW went tech-free over Christmas, and I'm growing steadily more fond of the

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-82203298861121043372011-03-12T11:01:00.000-05:002011-03-12T11:01:34.113-05:00

I woke up in a good mood! Sadly, it's been moving steadily south throughout the morning. I'm feeling marginalized, without a voice, and on the giving end of lots of relationships without getting much back. It's that dreaded "poor me" attitude that I can usually break free of with a good breakfast and a good sweat. But this morning, after a walk and a run, I'm feeling worse instead of better.

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-15030552209738197702011-03-08T21:58:00.000-05:002011-03-08T21:58:18.491-05:00

Fat. Tuesday. C'est aujourd'hui. But this spring? I'm not making a weight-related Lenten sacrifice. It's not about my butt, or fitting into clothes or not jiggling. It's about getting healthier. About tapping into that inner creativity, and not censoring the crazy ideas that show their face in my head. About acknowledging the things that make me uncomfortable, and taking steps to confront/

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-6413880270335025132011-03-06T20:32:00.000-05:002011-03-06T20:32:18.500-05:00

i had girl time this weekend. a three hour hike on saturday, a cozy afternoon today. two ladies that i adore, but don't see very often. you know how sometimes you don't know what you need until you find it? yep, this weekend was like that. My five: Crock Pots. I tried the Airstream Diva's carnitas recipe tonight. BIG WIN. And capital-E-easy. Although strangely we didn't have very much left

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-55837390326662200072011-03-04T23:40:00.000-05:002011-03-04T23:40:14.321-05:00

We got up really, reeeeeeally early. Hours before sunrise. And, while I caffeinated and walked the dog in the cold, I was still not 100% awake. I had an appointment with the lovely and evil Lisa (my trainer), but didn't have the brain power to figure out the morning (shower and dress and run errands and then gym? run errands stinky and then gym? go back to bed?) not enough brain cells to parse

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-26900907546564081482011-03-03T20:46:00.001-05:002011-03-03T20:46:44.219-05:00

Caveat: I'm not a photographer. My dad was, and I've been lucky enough as an adult to have friends with good equipment and even better eyes. (KPW, CM and LMB, I'ma looking at you.) But, as the only words that I seem of late to use on a regular basis are "herein" "moreover" and other bits of contract-ese? A picture update. Insofar as one could call it by that name. (LORDY. Make it STOP!)

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-74114820156165842452011-03-03T07:34:00.000-05:002011-03-03T07:34:03.780-05:00

Yesterday my arch-nemesis Grumpy McBitcherson was in the house, having a pity party and charging the tab to my credit card. (She's a total bitch.) Today? She's in hiding, at least for the time being. Hubs was up and out the door before the sun was up. (Gah. One of the best things about leaving teaching are the relatively leisurely mornings I now enjoy!) I downed my first cup of coffee (French

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-64015969643564934982011-02-25T23:50:00.000-05:002011-02-25T23:50:31.135-05:00

So, I've been a bit of a Grumpy McBitcherson lately. (And let's be honest - it's likely not over yet...) But today? Was a really good day! Firstly, it was a split day...went in regular time, took a few hours off mid-day, and then came back mid-afternoon and worked until the end of the show. PERFECT! During that mid-day hiatus? Well, the weather went totally psycho. Sunny! Pouring rain! Gusty

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-37139151946481539692011-02-24T20:33:00.000-05:002011-02-24T20:33:07.484-05:00

...I might actually have a scenes program! And role studies! Granted, it's largely due to the marvelous GL, who came to the table with great ideas and listened to me ramble endlessly as I tried to figure things out. But I'm still relieved as all get out to email folks and give them their assignments. Progress, people. It's called progress. (It's also called Stepping Away From The Endless

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-87750883171758615192011-02-21T20:25:00.000-05:002011-02-21T20:25:43.499-05:00

I spent today intentionally doing things that are out of my usual purview. (However, because I'm a first-born and I like to be the good child? I did get some laundry and a large chunk of work done. But I worked it in when I wasn't going to be irritated by its sheer existence.) (I guess this is as rebellious as I get while still feeling good?) (How lame.) (Moving on...) I read in bed. I sang

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-67973764129469567892011-02-20T08:44:00.000-05:002011-02-20T08:44:46.347-05:00

I know that I don't really have it in me to be a lady of leisure. I tried, back in my first year of teaching, to take a whole summer off. I lasted all of 3 weeks before admitting that I was going totally batshit crazy. After starting and finishing all of the small "Boy, if I only had the time..." projects, and staring down the barrel of "wow...if I start this and love it, it could totally change

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-28441183078774338662011-02-16T20:36:00.000-05:002011-02-16T20:36:06.450-05:00

Did you notice that it's staying lighter longer in the evening? I know - not rocket science, happens every year. But those extra minutes of light do WONDERS for my state of mind. And, though Boo and I end our walks in the dark, we're making it farther each night in daylight. It's good. Other good things: Mom finally got an offer on her house! It wasn't the right offer, but it got her thinking.

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-81704799742864427042011-02-13T19:19:00.000-05:002011-02-13T19:19:49.978-05:00

So, three years ago today my sweet co-workers were picking my sorry butt up from its teary puddle, calling my husband, investigating bereavement flights to Pennsylvania on my behalf.  It was the day that I grew up.(...it's hard to remain a perpetual Daddy's Girl when he's not around to dote on one's every accomplishment.) And every year, when this day rolls around, I struggle...I spend most of

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-40824187302056966562011-02-09T19:25:00.001-05:002011-02-09T19:27:37.712-05:00

...not really. It's been a pretty lovely winter, all things considered. But I'm fairly discontent this evening. It's cold. And I don't mind cold outside...I bundle up nicely for dog walking and such, and am not above wearing 4-5 layers. But my office is an icebox. I layer, and wear wool socks and walk around every 45 minutes to get the blood going...I'm really trying to be both warm and

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-21323755280128114652011-02-05T18:02:00.000-05:002011-02-05T18:02:07.603-05:00

Before... ...after! (B&W because, well, I'm a tech brassy. But you knew that... Begun. It'll be rough for a while, but I'm anticipating at least a little platinum in my future...by summer, hopefully! My five: Chinese take-out.  Smartwool socks. Changing things up. Lazy evenings at home. SUPAHBOWL! Go Stillers!!!

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-37761556247792030602011-02-04T20:07:00.000-05:002011-02-04T20:07:27.644-05:00

This week kicked my ass. That's the long and short of it. I got a lot done - almost got a kickin' chamber music series booked and in the can. Started to figure out scene assignments for the Studio. Wrote a metric ton of contracts. Made it to the gym once. (Whoops. Who signed up for a 10-miler in April? Oh yeah...me.) For work, we've made a huge triage document so that we can keep track of

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-14800243623525273292011-01-28T23:51:00.000-05:002011-01-28T23:51:37.058-05:00

(I may be dead before I finish this post...nay, before I start it. The cat has lost his little kitty mind and is dive-bombing me from the windowsills. The intent is to maim, if not kill outright, I feel sure....the malicious little bastard.) So it's Friday. Which is AWESOME. Because I have a real reason to walk away from work. ...which is weird, because usually I'm totally ok with made-up

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-49160932242971773192011-01-26T21:27:00.000-05:002011-01-26T21:27:22.678-05:00

So! It's snowing! Boo is in doggie heaven. I've shoveled the drive three times already, and thereby justified another glass of wine from the unexpected cardio. Hubby is stuck (read: enjoing beachy drinks and sand between his toes) in Florida for another night. (Which means I have control of the clicker for one more night. Bravo tv, anyone?) And, with an early dismissal from work and closed

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-41521283949535438512011-01-23T15:40:00.000-05:002011-01-23T15:40:04.962-05:00

I will never, ever get used to the DC area news. Especially the weather-related news...I am totally unable to inure myself to the hype machine. After returning from balmy Florida, I turned on the tube and there they were, telling me that if I were so dumb as to venture out into the weather this weekend I'd be rewarded with frostbite or something equally unpleasant. Brr. It took very little

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-2076087759282445192011-01-21T19:08:00.000-05:002011-01-21T19:08:45.808-05:00

The TV news has been lighting up with stories about the passing of Sargent Shriver. He was a pretty amazing man. When we moved into our first house, way out in Potomac, we'd pass his family's home. You could see very little of it, as there were man-made rolling hills on the sides fronting the roads, but we all knew that it was their house. ("house" being relative: we lived in the same zip code,

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-56767089725352578132011-01-16T17:44:00.000-05:002011-01-16T17:44:17.483-05:00

Oh, Lordy. Where to begin? Besides the amazing decadence of feeling warm air on one's toes in the middle of January? I do believe that true luxury is the ability to seek outdoor comfort regardless of the season. In my personal paradise you'd likely find me shuttling between Maine or Quebec in the summers and someplace decidedly more equatorial in the winters. I'd spend autumns in the NY-PA-MD-VA

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-64638724336945613722011-01-11T21:00:00.000-05:002011-01-11T21:00:06.961-05:00

Dark night. The pavement slides under my feet. Are we being rained on? Snowed on? Iced over? It's hard to tell. We walk through the neighborhood, pausing here and there to sniff, watch, listen. We cut through snow-covered grass to the shopping plaza to get out of the weather. As we walk through the breezeway, the intro to a Dean Martin tune plays over the plaza's speakers. The snow swirls in

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-70430514067966860562011-01-10T20:48:00.000-05:002011-01-10T20:48:14.536-05:00

We're walking around the neighborhood on our evening constitutional. It's dark, but I'm trying to go a little farther than normal...he's been cooped up in the house all day, and the cold doesn't bother him, so it's incumbent on me to suck it up and walk a little more. We turn a corner, and Boo picks up his pace. Weird...he usually only does that when he sees something or someone he knows and

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-57194208269798599032011-01-09T19:57:00.000-05:002011-01-09T19:57:36.105-05:00

I headed across the world (i.e. the other side of the Beltway) today to visit IKEA. Now, IKEA is one of those tricky stores for me...I LOVE putting furniture together (it's like a 3D puzzle! that I can sit on/put clothes into/ read by the light of when I'm done! WIN!), and I always find 87 things that I didn't think I needed prior to my visit. (Tealights! Baskets! Cool chairs and tables!

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-25313929858482260592011-01-09T08:19:00.000-05:002011-01-09T08:19:55.077-05:00

Our little house got up WAY before dawn this morning to take the hubster to the airport. Now, I have well-documented early bird tendencies, but they're lately less of a natural state and more of a habit...meaning that if the critters in my house would allow me to sleep past 7am? I would do so more often. Much more often. I drove the truck back from the airport - it actually might've been the

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-14493387189830925882011-01-07T21:42:00.000-05:002011-01-07T21:42:29.475-05:00

"Should I be pointing the camera over there?" This week I pretended that my real job was that of a video editor. (Or, more appropriately, video editing student.) The problem? It was a really fun week! I know how to do more, faster. I can actually have fun with the program! And the new camera? SUPER AWESOME. I know that I've only scratched the surface of the program and equipment, but I'm a

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-83247430875091267662011-01-04T22:45:00.000-05:002011-01-04T22:45:28.280-05:00

We get so used to measuring our progress in school... all of those assessments meant to tell us whether or not we're making the grade. But in real life? There are fewer opportunities to see if you're on track. I mean, I can't really tell if I've lost or gained weight (unless the pants are snug...but as someone who favors skirts, I can go a long while without straining against denim seams...) or

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-3581101534501339702011-01-04T08:02:00.001-05:002011-01-04T08:04:39.689-05:00

It's haircut time. I've been trying to let it grow. To acquire long, thick hair that I can toss around like a Breck girl. That I can braid and ponytail and French twist and curl. My college roomie BB and I used to "coif" before performances/big events. Now, BB has Breck girl hair...it weighs a metric ton, has pretty natural highlights in front, and has a lovely, subtle wave to it. It is

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-225340788974004132011-01-02T06:54:00.000-05:002011-01-02T06:54:32.770-05:00

Well, if yesterday is any indication of the way 2011 is going to treat me, it's going be a lovely year! We toasted the new year with neighbors and kids and champagne. I wore sparkly necklaces and silver shoes. We ate and laughed and drank, and I didn't poison anyone inadvertently! Plus, I was enough of an adult to clean up the house prior to going to bed (a large personal victory!), and slept

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-91356201179987513022010-12-31T09:16:00.001-05:002010-12-31T09:16:53.625-05:00

Well, my 2010 has wrapped up fairly nicely...my house has been scoured (I love to start the new year with a spanky clean house...it means I'm off the hook for the rest of the year!), I have a small gathering planned for this evening for which I'll no doubt make way WAY too much food, the sun is shining and the temperature is supposed to get above 50 degrees. Lovely, right? Right! And, while

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-72688023740695910462010-12-28T20:29:00.015-05:002010-12-28T20:29:00.729-05:00

This is a hard time of year. And it's been a hard year for many of my friends and family... Major health concerns. Crumbling relationships. Loved ones lost. There was a time when it seemed like everyone was getting married, having kids, celebrating. We tried to figure out how to buy enough presents for all the occasions we were invited to,  juggled our schedules to make it to the various

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-4989449773601864132010-12-20T18:44:00.000-05:002010-12-20T18:45:20.327-05:00

Hi All, So, I've been writing in this little corner of the interwebs for almost five years...and while I'm not lighting any narrative fires here, I love it. I love that I feel like I know so many of you, even if we've not met IRL. I love that I have a place to share stories and music; that I get good advice and support from so many of you. And I love that I don't have to censor very much....sure,

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-13047920268465648462010-12-18T16:29:00.000-05:002010-12-18T16:29:38.925-05:00

I'm obviously finally feeling better. How else to celebrate than with a trip to the Galleria on the Saturday before Christmas?? I'm nuts, I know. But hear me out: it's the smaller of the 2 malls (the other being Tysons, which is HUGE and a total madhouse on normal weekends), the Macy's is tidier and more thoughtfully curated that at the other location, and there are always fewer people because

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-68522065062844948942010-12-16T15:35:00.000-05:002010-12-16T15:35:09.163-05:00

Here's a secret that's not really a secret: the teachers are almost always happier about a snow day than the kids are. Santa came to my office! Old habits die hard, friends...the office closed early, and even though I was making some good progress I was out of there as quickly as my boots would take me. I'm happily ensconced on my couch, a dog at my feet, the tv tuned to my dvr'd episodes of

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-32334630369845712532010-12-11T13:56:00.000-05:002010-12-11T13:56:14.309-05:00

Usually my weekends consist of a long list of little to dos...errands to run, chores, classes at the gym, new recipes to try, folks to visit. I'm good a spending an hour or so being lazy, but too much more than that and I get restless. That restlessness is also my litmus test when I'm not feeling well. I started feeling a little pooky Wednesday night. By the end of our work holiday party I had

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-31701919535945314942010-12-08T19:22:00.000-05:002010-12-08T19:22:27.341-05:00

Ok, so half-marathon training is on hold while my knee returns to its original size. (Go big or go home, I say. And, as I was reminded today, I could've broken a tooth in my spill...so I'm still firmly in the "Lucky" camp.) To mourn the passing of several non-sweaty days and a holiday party or two, I've eaten the lion's share of a loaf of Italian bread slathered in butter, with a bit of stew as a

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-17461123032973946052010-12-07T18:55:00.001-05:002010-12-07T19:29:15.458-05:00

stuffing a giant wreath for Holiday Sing I have to admit, I've been defaulting to "Grumpy Old Lady" mode more often than I'd like. Easily irritated, prone to poor-me-isms, with achy joints and a desire to wrap myself up in a fake illness and spend the day in bed. But today? Well, today could've been more of the same. It's freakin' cold here, with winds that exemplify the word "rude." They cut

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-48570420110748575602010-11-28T11:06:00.000-05:002010-11-28T11:06:43.975-05:00

peanut butter dog biscuits! Because I am SO there. After being away for so long, the last few days have been all about my house & family. I have totally trashed my kitchen on multiple occasions (Thanksgiving dinner for 2, homemade Manwich night, turkey jook, homemade dog biscuits, maple-hazelnut granola, pierogi filling, and today pierogis!), started decorating for the holidays (wreaths, porch

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-84727789895911852452010-11-25T16:07:00.000-05:002010-11-25T16:07:51.055-05:00

Today is a great day to reconnect with friends and family - to gather together, give thanks for all the good, break bread and laugh together. I'm doing things a little differently. My mom & brother are a few states away, and the last month's grueling travel schedule makes me reticent to pack ANYTHING and toddle to another city/state. I haven't had quality time with my hubby, my pets or my

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-11919112003112457172010-11-23T18:30:00.000-05:002010-11-23T18:30:01.025-05:00

Today we heard the last singer of the audition tour. Whoa. I'll let the boss lady churn out the statistics, as she's so good at that. But if I were to convert the number of arias we heard to, say, cheese cubes? Well, that'd be several years worth of party/reception cheese cubes. An array of cheese cubes that would easily make it impossible to fit into my favorite pants. (Not that I'd know

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-16856851556035805282010-11-22T09:31:00.000-05:002010-11-22T09:31:19.240-05:00

I'm sitting in the Starbucks in the lower lobby of the Palmer House, listening to Leonard Cohen over the sound system (a large step up from Josh Groban's Christmas Album yesterday...that was a rough start to the day.), and trying to keep the anxiety smooshed down. We fly from O'Hare to Dulles today, sprint off the plane and drive to work, where we'll hear another several hours of auditions. So

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-180817923310880472010-11-21T09:01:00.000-05:002010-11-21T09:01:06.584-05:00

Chicago has blessed us with volumes of good stuff. We're in a bee-you-tee-ful room that is vocally flattering but still easy to hear. And we're hearing some great stuff. In the vein of my last rant though? A mini-rant. Well, not even a rant...a thought. Here goes: Dramatic action and physical action? They're not the same thing. Every single aria demands dramatic action...intention behind the

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-54685579282684180092010-11-19T13:44:00.000-05:002010-11-19T13:44:50.859-05:00

We've landed safely in Chicago! (And the flight was WAY better than this one. For. Sure.) It was amazingly ironic that I packed the smallest bag I've ever packed IN MY LIFE for this jaunt. I fit all of my gak into one backpack...computer, files, clean clothes (promise!), magazines for the airplane. You're thinking, "Rahree, that's not ironic. Resourceful or something, but not ironic." To

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24367478.post-90528532593877529622010-11-16T22:47:00.001-05:002010-11-16T22:49:15.133-05:00

For more than 90% of the year, I am a homebody. I have a routine that I love, plenty of time for my little family, fabulous neighbors and friends to spend time with. Also? I have a serious yen to get OUT. To go out, to travel, to try something different. But November? In November I get to squish all of that wanderlust into a focused, full-of-travel month. And it's awesome! We cram auditions and

Rahreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08717413359442483098noreply@blogger.com0