Day #16

So this evening I went out (finally) with the roomies to support a friend, Tim Garner, who put together an event called Musical Theater Mondays.  Tim recently came back from the States and had spent some time in NY so there was plenty for him to share.  We were also graced with the talent of a Wicked cast member, Dan Downing (I think that's the last name) and he sang (which was great) and did a Q & A period.  There were some give-aways at the end but I had to go to get to bed since I work tomorrow.  I didn't really do much else today...

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #13

     30 minute warm up and Zerlina...I have been trying to sing with a more open space in the throat and I was finding myself really out of tune today.  Hopefully that's because it's new and my muscles are getting used to supporting that.  I really wasn't happy with how I sounded.  It's ok though next lesson Natalia will have some new stuff to work with.

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #16

      Even with eating less at breakfast I am still full until later in the day.  But I did gorge on hummus and spinach/feta dip and shwarama at Blu Jazz...oh so good!

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

not sure if this is really an albert einstein quote, but it's genius!!

Day #15

Half way there!!! Yet even more lost and confused than ever.  If you don't sing opera - I cannot begin to explain the level of frustration that is involved with learning this technique.  Every time I think I am beginning to do something right, the flood gates open of things that I am doing wrong.  The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that if I keep working at it, slowly these things will correct themselves, but it's such a painstaking process.  And then if I think about it too much I still sound bad because I am tense.  I didn't pick this path, it picked me.  There is an undeniable drive that is dragging me kicking and screaming it seems LOL It's also frustrating that when I gondoliered at the Venetian Macau, people would say that I should be in operas and it would depress me because at this point even with all my practice and focus on getting better, there is not an opera company in the World that would hire me.  I just need to get better.  AND I don't ever want anyone to say that I don't deserve my success (and of course success will happen), like they do with Katherine Jenkins (even though I still think she's great).  So ahead I tread through the blizzard, unable to see 1 foot in front of me, just praying to God my food lasts and that my compass is correct.

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #12

     30 minutes warm-up as per lesson.  Repertoire Alleluja, Batti, Batti, La Danza.  These are all challenging pieces for me so yes it requires lots and lots of repetition...hopefully the roommates won't be too annoyed!

KEYBOARD SKILLS #11

     C and G scales, On Top of Old Smokey and The Can-Can (I don't know something out of my lesson book).  

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #15

     Ok os I really had this yesterday, but whatevs...love my fresh juice!!!

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #10

     60 minutes P90X yoga...always great after gym workout on legs.  I actually did all the moving asanas AND I also did right angle pose with arms wrapped around leg and back...this is not comfortable and it's really the first time I've done it since I've been doing yoga again. Happy about that one - progress.

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

doesn't matter what I do I always try to do my best and give 100%.  Even when people around me don't, I never let them bring me down.  I just separate myself from them and continue on.  What concerns me is whether or not I feel I have done my best.  

I am never going to make everyone happy. 

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!