Day #14

So much to do and so little time!  Another day of the grind, but I felt good at the gym!  

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #11

     30 minute warm up. Alleluja, Batti, batti.  It's so important that when you are practicing you record yourself...it makes such a difference in being able to hear what you are doing right/wrong.  There are things that Natalia says in my lesson that I don't really understand until much later and I start to hear them later as well...weird how that works.

KEYBOARD SKILLS #10

     Blues chord progression for chorus, On top of old Smoky (ha I remember this one from when I was a kid)

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #14

     Yesterday was my last day for a while of animal protein in the morning so now it's just coffee, shake, and cantaloupe or as this side of the globe calls it "rock melon"

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #9

      GYM TIME!!!  Yes went to the gym did a 10 minute interval warm up on 6% incline. Then did abs routine (100x100x10 4 sets of these 3 different exercises).  Then glute machine, leg press, calf press, leg extension, hamstring curl, abductor, adductor machines - all 3 sets x 15 reps.  Also after every two exercises 5-6 chin ups an done set of 10 dips at the end. I am happy with this for now...I'll probably get bored again and have to change eventually.

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

how I would love to be at her level she's amazing!

Day #13

It was so hot today...everything outside was getting my nerves because I was just uncomfortable all day!  

VOICE LESSON #2

      So today my coach tells me that I worry too much and I think about what I am doing instead of just doing it.  It's so funny how just when I think I have a breakthrough, it just opens the door to another problem that I need to fix with my voice.  I wonder when I will get to the point where I will just be amazing???

KEYBOARD SKILLS #9

     OMG these scales are wearing me out...why won't my fingers just do what's on the page??  Went through all Major scales one hand at a time...tried to do two but, um, yeah wasn't happening.

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #13

     ok...so I forgot to take a pic of this before I drank it, BUT it is cabbage, apple, beet, celery juice!!

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #8

     45 minutes P90X Yoga (all moving asanas but warrior three - just too tired to do it)

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

every moment is your chance to turn it all around!

Day #12

Today I pretty much spent in my room, but I managed to get a few things done!  I started on chapter 6 of my theory textbook and I got about half way done.  It takes a lot of effort to focus on that...I had forgotten!!  Tomorrow evening I should be done with that chapter,  There's a lot to remember.

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #10

     30 minutes warm up and 45 minutes rep - Alleluja and La Danza

VIEWING OF RECORDED OPERA #2

     "I Puritani" (Bellini) starring Anna Netrebko, Eric Cutler, Franco Vassler, John Relyea, Eduardo Valdes.  Filmed in 2007 at the Met this is the story of a 16 year old Elvira who was to marry Riccardo, but then fell in love with Arturo.  Of course, this is an opera and that was destined to fail.  Elvira goes crazy after thinking she was abandoned" by Arturo and has a 30 minute long mad scene.  I knew there was going to be some amazing singing from the first act.  Riccardo's first aria is quite difficult in that there is not much melody line to follow.  The voice is exposed and the passages are long.  I know Eric Cutler is supposed to be an amazing tenor, but something about his high notes was unpleasant to listen to - maybe I wanted them to be a bit rounder/fuller sounding.  Netrebko's singing and acting are effortless and natural, which is a feat considering how difficult her role is and that she has several powerhouse high notes sprinkled throughout the opera.  Yeah, um, the stuff I am working on now is NOTHING compared to what she does and what I'm doing I'm having trouble with...oh my!  Other great singers who have done this role include Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, and Montserrat Caballe.  Now I am interested to hear their interpretations as compared to Anna's.  One thing is for sure - she is fit and so beautiful to watch.  

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #12

     Killed two birds with one stone...watching the opera and having a snack of muesli and rice milk.

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

Day #11

Today was a crazy day...lots going on and I just try to do what I do - make the best out of it.  The best part about today was that I wasn't really coping well with a situation and as I was finishing up with my errands, I saw a lady in Vivo that had beautiful dreadlocked hair.  I am all about going au natural and I just had to talk to her.  As I passed by I said "You're hair is beautiful" and from that we started chatting.  Turns out she is singing at the Ritz and her husband is from Vegas as well and knows people I know.  I told her that I had been having a trying day and I appreciated them stopping to talk to me, because they really did brighten my day...you know what they did? They both gave me a hug which was really what I needed!  Strange how people are placed in your life at the right moment, but it is up to you to act on it.  Something told me to talk to her...

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #9

     30 minute warm up and one hour practice of current rep (Alleluja, Zerlina, La Danza).  Can't wait until my voice lesson on Friday to see how I've improved on Alleluja...man those runs are frustrating.  I just want to perfect them already.  Next week will work on recitatives of Zerlina - arie are at a respectable level of memorization. 

LIVE INDUSTRY AUDITION #1

     Today was the internal audition for my job.  I didn't do the singer/dancer audition since I am not a trained dancer and it's highly unlikely that I would be selected for a show.  So I just re-auditioned for my current role.

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #11

     ok, this is so boring, but I can't go without my hearty breakfast!!  BUT I think after this package of bacon is done it's back to turkey bacon...it's cheaper and so much less grease.  Not that I have a problem with eating grease, it's the clean up that's annoying!

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #7

     Gym time!!!  Went to the gym after my audition and did my ab/leg/chin-up routine.  I really love the leg abductor and adductor machines.  They feel great.  Thanks to Scorpion King Jake for giving me the ab workout.  It's 800 reps with leg raises - ow my!! Yeah those are not fun at all.  BTW...my chin ups are getting good.  I can almost fully extend, which I wasn't doing before.

CHARITABLE DEED #1

     I approached a stranger, gave her a compliment, and engaged her in conversation - may not seem like that big of a deal, but when you're a minority in a foreign country a friendly face is always welcome.  Let's face it people, I don't really relate well to a lot of people.  It's hard for me to be open and I'm definitely not the social butterfly so it took a lot for me to not walk by.

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

Day #10

Wow already I am a third of the way there! Time really does fly.  First and foremost I wanted to show you what my hard work has gotten me.  We all have our self image, but sometimes you really need a frame of reference.  I know I've lost some weight since I started this whole process last November, but I didn't really have an understanding until today as to how far I've come.  I am proud of my progress and even though I haven't been 100% sticking to no sugar and no processed food, I keep it to a minimum.  I try to work out in some fashion 5-6 times a week and sometimes I am so tired I don't make it all the way through, but I still try.

The picture on the left was 6 months ago at 135lbs. It was the second week of my diet after I had dropped 5lb in the first week (no those are not my underwear, it's what I wear over my underwear and under my clothes...just go with it).  The pic on the right was this morning at 130lb.  So little difference in weight, but a HUGE difference in how I look.  Weight should be a guide, but not the ideal goal unless you are preparing for a fight LOL.  My goal is when I look at myself in a pic am I proud or does my face scrunch up in a disapproving glare (you know which one I am talking about).  I still have a ways to go on my legs, but they are getting much better.  Yay for small victories!!

Ok SO moving on to what I did today...not much actually.

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #8

     30 minute warm up, Alleluja, review Don Giovanni Score with recording.

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #10

     I wasn't hungry until like 3pm today...that I like; but then I kinda ruined it by having a huge dinner at Marche...that needs to be addressed.  

No need for a daily inspiration...that pic above was it!

Day #9

focus means exactly that...focus.

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #7
     30 minutes warm up as per lesson - in case you didn't know I make the best use of what I have...and that is the girls' bathroom...yes that's where I warm up almost every day!!  90 minutes Alleluja, La Danza, and Zerlina

KEYBOARD SKILLS #8

    30 minutes scales E - C#...wow can't wait until this gets easier...spending all my time on scales LOL

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #9
     I don't care what you say...bacon is healthy!!

I must admit...I got some food at work today from one of the restaurants in the park and it was good, no doubt, but the processed food made my stomach turn.  Weird how that happens.

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #6
     45 minutes P90X yoga...can't wait for this to get easier as well!!

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

Day #8

Realized today that I was a little off on the numbers so I corrected them all and have the right ones going forward...doing a little better than I thought :) I also finished my review of chapters 1-5 in Theory...that was a continuation of the session #1 from a few days ago.  I had started to do theory a few months back but wasn't consistent about it so that was as far as I got. I figure I will try to do one chapter in a session and if I don't have enough time I will just do it over a couple days - no pressure because it's just a review.

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #6

     30 minutes warm up and 30 minutes repertoire practice - Alleluja...I know it's only one song, but if I can get this one, I think I will be able to do any coloratura easier.  The process is slow and painstaking, but I'd rather lay a good foundation than just try for numbers.

KEYBOARD SKILLS #7

     scales, C major primary chords and "About the Blues"

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #8

     After the gym today I was so hungry so I went to Marche which is right next door and had salmon and mashed potatoes...ok the potatoes aren't that healthy, but salmon is so good for you! It was delicious!

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #5

     Went to the gym today and did abs and legs.  800 crunches in total!!  That's a lot.  Plus 15 chin ups.  I went in the afternoon before work...there was nobody there and I'm not sure if it was the time or because of the holiday, but it was nice being able to have access to everything without waiting.

...DAILY INSPIRATION...