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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!




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