Skip to main content

Year Four, Day 2: Singing in the Dark

It is 4:24 a.m. I woke up with a start about 3:39 a.m., with a very dry mouth and feeling like I had forgotten something.

My blog! I fell asleep without posting last night. The shame of it all!

So I drank big gulps of water and refilled my diffuser. I am using Eucalyptus oil to open my sinuses. And to attempt to regain my sense of smell.

Which has disappeared completely.

I mentioned it my nurse practitioner a few weeks ago when I was seen for my extreme fatigue and lingering wheezy cough. She told me it was normal with allergies.

In a way, it is a blessing. I ride the bus. Without a sense of smell, I am completely oblivious to offense odors. Which means my own as well. I am careful to apply deodorant every morning and use mouthwash.

In the downside, I miss lovely smells: Flowers, hot coffee, baked bread. Then again, perhaps not smelling fragrant foods will help my weight loss. My sense of taste does not seem to be affected.

Nor my appetite.

Speaking of senses, the power went out 30 minutes into choir practice last night. It was both creepy and exciting. All at the same time!

It was a very important rehearsal. Our dress rehearsal is Friday with the orchestra. Saturday is the performance. (We are performing Bach's "Magnificat" for choir, orchestra, vocal soloists and yours truly on the organ).

So last night was the last rehearsal before we run it with the orchestra on Friday.  The director of the music center came in and gave a nice talk, thanking us for our hard work and giving us particulars for the venue.  Then our choral director gave us a lovely pep talk. I set out in the audience, until I was needed.  He then sat down to do vocal warmups. I did a few quietly myself.

Then he motioned for me to come on stage. I grabbed my music folder and started to head up, when 'BOOM'!  Big noise, like a circuit breaker. Out went the lights! And even more startling, the big doors to the audiotorium all slammed shut.

Like a horror movie! I expected to see Freddie Kruger storm in at any moment. My heart skipped a beat.  But our choir is tough. Our director tougher. He said, "That is alarming!"

But continued with rehearsal. I grabbed my dependable flashlight (I was most proud of myself for being so prepared!) and headed up. One of the choir members who was sitting in the audience with me, with a sore throat came up and held the flashlight for me.

We had a short rehearsal. It was surreal, performing in a dark auditorium.

But I must say it was exhilerating!

I admit I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Anything out of the ordinary wakes me up.

They ended up closing the music center early. PGE said there was a gas line that had accidentally been cut off of SE 102nd and Foster.  All electricity in the SE are had been shut off as a safety precaution.

One of my friends from the choir gave me a ride home. We noticed that people were outside in larger numbers, congregating on the sidewalks and sitting on their porches. It was a lovely sight.

My friend mentioned that disasters do bring people out.

"You finally get to meet your neighbors!", he laughed.

It is true.  I loved seeing my neighbors in SE Portland, visible and interacting with one another.

It was a strange time for a blackout.  Right before our performance.  It kind of gives me goosebumps. We will never forget this rehearsal.  And perhaps this little mini disaster will draw us closer in performance?

Who knows.

But it was a night to remember!

Talk to you later!

Love,

Zita




P.S. Here is today's, er yesterday's hooping video. Day 318!




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Day 347: My Big Fat Greek Salad!!

I have perfected the art of making a Greek salad!  I have made two huge bowls in the last week. My kinds rave. Essentially the secret is f vegetables , good feta cheese, Greek olives and a homemade dressing made with light, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar,  and oregano. Here is my recipe: MY BIG FAT GREEK SALAD Serves 4 hungry adults 4 cups greens (I used a "spring mix" from Fred Meyer) 2 cucumbers 6 roma tomatoes one small red onion 1 cup cubed feta cheese 1 cup Greek olives (pitted) Get out a big bowl. Peel a clove of garlic, cut in half and rub it over the interior of the bowl.  Wash the lettuce if it is not prewashed and packaged like mine was.  Dry the leaves, and tear into bite sized pieces. Throw into the big bowl. Note: Romaine lettuce is good to include in the mix, because it is hearty. Peel the cucumbers and dice. Add to bowl. Cut the roma tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds (otherwise they make th...

Year Two, Day 307: Chasing Away The Gloomy Weather...with Music and a Smile! :)

It seems to me that most of the city is depressed, tired and sick. I still have my low grade snuffly nose, along with sneezing, and itching eyes.  Low energy. It is nice to know I am not the only one. Misery loves company, don't you know! Even through the gloom, I had an enjoyable day.  I told myself several times that I really am a lucky woman. My kids are grown, I'm going to be a GRANDMA, and I love my work. My church job is a nice secure little job and it seems I am quite needed there.  I am still learning the ropes. But I am enjoying it. Meeting new people. And best of all, I have only a 1 1/2 minute commute (by foot!). I have a cozy little room in a household full of wonderful laid back people.  People who love animals and music. But best of all, my afternoons are filled with music. I basically get on the bus and travel about town, sitting at pianos, visiting with students, who are like my family. We talk. They play the piano for me. I offer pointe...

Year Three, Day 110: I Like Change, But How Do I Help the Suffering?

I woke up in a bit of a panic this morning. I had planned on getting to the track by 6:30 a.m., because I thought today was the first day of school. You see, the public is not allowed to use the track when school is in session. Understandably so. But alas, I overslept! I still headed out with my hoop, hoping it was before school hours at 7:30 a.m. And I breathed a sigh of relief. The school looked vacant. And only one solitary jogger with her solitary dog was present. I got busy in case the kids were due to arrive. Got a nice hoop workout in. No sign of children as I walked back to the house. So I did what I should have done in advance. I consulted Google. And most happy am I - North Clackamas School District does not start back to school until September 6th! Portland Public Schools start today. But the elementary school next door to the track lists "student hours" as 7:45 - 2:00 p.m. So I really am going to have to get an earlier start next week. I am aiming...