Relatively Lazy Day

So today is Wednesday. I have a history of not liking this day. Why? I guess because when I was in grade school it seemed so long until Friday!! Ugh! Why couldn't everyday be like Friday?? I was bored in school... That's what everyone says right?

Well we have some pretty exciting things coming up. Let's discuss!
Ok so a little background about becoming an opera singer.
1. you have to have management to get the big bucks
2. to get management you have to have started out on the "opera path" at like 16. Which means you went to a top tier school, had the right teachers, made the right contacts, did the Metropolitan Opera Contest, did the Merola Program etc and won

I did not do any of those things. I didn't get the guts to start singing until I turned 26, hmmmm, a little late eh? Well I had an awesome teacher who had done the same thing and she had a career and she thought I had great potential, bada bing bada boom. Here I am a few years later (cough cough) and I'm working and working on it. If you want to be a performer you need to audition for every little part possible so you can be seen. There are also training programs during the summer that you pay for which give you stage experience, super famous teacher instruction, and amazing coachings. Ok so I did one of these training programs last January (it was in the the winter not summer, sue me.) Sherrill Milnes and his wife head a winter and summer program. (Sherrill Milnes is a retired Baritone (voice type) probably the most famous American baritone ever.) The winter program is only 10 days long in NYC and you coach with some great people then put on a show. Immediately after that program I got pregnant and VERY VERY sick. So that was the end of my singing last year, booooo.

This passed February I did it again, this time with a 4 month and husband in tow. It was great! I then decided to do their summer program in Tampa FL. Its 3 weeks and you get to work with big name teachers and coaches and that's all! So you just practice your brains out until you are awesome. Unfortunately this costs over $3,000.00. Yes you read that right. ugh.... So I applied for a grant from the Pittsburgh Concert Society (I have yet to hear anything, they should tell me in May) It is doubtful that I will get it though because every musician needs some money. So I thought I'd try and stay with some family in Tampa to cut the cost. I inquired what that would change the figures to and I was told to email them IMMEDIATELY~! ohh! how weird? So I did, on my birthday none the less (last Friday). I spoke with Sherrill's wife, Maria Zouves. She said, "We host a competition in Chicago and the winner gets to attend the summer program for free. You didn't apply to do it, but we think you should. You'll will be the 6th Finalist. Its next Friday. We'll pay for your hotel, you just have to come up with the flight" oh.my.goodness.... whoopie!!!! I love traveling and I love exciting last-minute things like this! except, I'm not really prepared to do this and how am I going to buy a ticket for myself and my husband and take the baby on such late notice and blah blah blah!!! oh! ok

We looked all over for a cheap plane ticket, the cheapest out of Charleston was 600$. Yeah that wasn't going to happen. PS I have to take the baby because I am still nursing her and I don't want to stop yet, so there. PPS Badi has to come so someone can watch her... Ok so we miraculously found a cheap flight out of Myrtle Beach to Chicago for 189$! Woohoo! We bought 2 tickets, and are on our way Friday morning at 7am. Myrtle Beach is 2 hours from here so we will actually be leaving Thursday night (that's only 1 day away!!!) and staying in a hotel which we paid for with cc miles. Goooooo Credit! We are very excited. This will be Callie's second flight and she's only 6 months. She has traveled more than I did at 18 years old... ahem. So that cute pic of her at the top is us in our NYC hotel room going out to brave the blizzard that fell while we were there.

So today is a relatively lazy day but tomorrow should be full of excitement. Goodbye SC for a few days and hello Chicago! What should we do there? Any suggestions? We've never been. I think I'm going to find out where Oprah lives and go visit her. Yeah, that's a great idea!