Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto

Have droids come into our lives already? Or machine body doubles? I give you an example:

We used to know and love (or hate) him as the Southern nerdy boy from American Idol. He was the one that Simon said should be on Broadway because of his flaming.... err...because of his voice.

He did better at the start of his career than Ruben did, and he actually won American Idol.

He got a little make-over on the show, and proved to everyone that little Southern boys can clean up with a bit of hair dye and a team of 30.

Then for his Christmas CD he looked a little cryogenically frozen. Maybe they frosted his tips a little too much? In any case, he was still a pretty big hit with the youngens. And the oldies still wanted to hit him. I will say that he looks a little plumper in this icy pic. Perhaps a little padding for the winter?



Or maybe he's hit puberty!

Then as just as quick as his career rose and fell, he once AGAIN sheds his "look" and is now sporting a look even more plastic look than:

Joan Rivers?

or Melanie Griffith?

or Kathy Griffin?

or Dolly Parton?


I think the closest match is between either Data or Ken.


I'll leave the final cast of judgment up to you.

What Happened?

I'm not talking about my lack of blogging. Although, it's almost becoming indecent. Blame that on the work load. 25 hours, and it's only Tuesday. Anyway, I just had to drop a quick post.

Whilst watching CSPAN (something I try not to make a habit of). I see Cynthia McKinney speaking. I wasn't really listening to what she was saying. I was too distracted by the thing above her. Not too long ago, she was sleek and professional looking with this do'. However, tonight she looked like ...
It looks she accidentally dropped a metal brillo pad down the running kitchen sink disposal and fished it out with a salad tongs, and stuck it on her head.

Some one, please help this woman.

Saturday Surprise

If you get the Pioneer Press, turn to page 4B and you will see a surprise on the bottom half of the page! Teehee

I'm off to spend a day singing at lessons, and the Vocal Essence Gala. More to come.

Unadulterated Loathing

I'm finally out of that god forsaken place! I'm so happy I could cry. Of course, I couldn't get out with one last evil check mark on my "I hate Parkside Apartments" list.

I spent all of Saturday moving out what was left. It was such a lovely day with a combination of drizzle, rain, and down pours. I'm positive Parkside planned it that way, just to make moving miserable. Well, with the help of my family, we got everything out. We scoured the place and called it a day.

We couldn't check out of the apartment on Saturday because Tami (possibly Satan's spawn?) was out of town. However, the person answering made it clear that even though we couldn't check out until Monday, we HAD to be moved out by Sunday noon. What, were they going to check? I think not. Regardless, I was happy to be out of there ASAP. So, our walk-through was at 8am Monday morning. Yay.

So, Kevy drives over from Minneapolis, and we're both there in plenty of time. We wait in the apartment (as instructed from another office employee), and 8:15 rolls around. So, I give dear old Tami a call and remind her that we have an appointment at 8. Then in her demure manner she says, "Oh, well, some people choose to come over to the office." So I ask her if she would prefer that, because we were told to stay in the apartment (seeing as that's where we would need to be anyway!), and she says she's on her way.

As the angel walks in with her 2 lackeys (all wearing their shoes) she proceeds to slam open all the cupboards and drawers. She informs us in the nicest way, "There are crumbs in this drawer!" Could that be? It's a drawer lady! So we clean out the expensive crumbs from the drawer and re-wipe down the fridge. Then she tells us that we need to clean the windows because they're dirty. So we look, and not the inside of the windows, no no no, the outside of the windows. OK, so this is my first apartment and all, but is it part of the security deposit requirement to clean the windows from the outside? Apparently here it is. So we said we didn't know that we had to clean the outside of the windows. So she pleasantly says "That's why they pop out! To clean them!" At this point I picture popping out the window, and then slamming it over her head. She just made everything so pleasant to deal with.

I'm done! And I never have to think about that place again!

Narcolepsy At Its Finest

I could topple off of my chair at any moment, but I've been kept away from my blog for too long. Must blog, must blog, need to blog. zzzzz

What a whirl-wind past week this has been! I'll try to piece together all that has happened, but with the narcolepsy and my old age, it could be a little spotty. So, I'll write in pieces to make it through everything. Here goes!


I think I have a problem.


My name is Rachel, and I'm addicted to caffeine.

I always thought, this couldn't happen to me. I come from a good family, I have a strong education, and darn it, people like me!

It's sad, but true. I suppose it doesn't help that I have a pint sized mug that says CAFFEINATED up the side. BUT! I only use that on severely desperate days. (I think I still might be in the 'excuse' phase of rehab.)

The Migration Continues

Does moving ever cease? I could never be an ant, because all they do is move! Or maybe we're more similar than I realize. Ants move constantly to put their dirt pieces in the perfect place... I'm moving constantly and I'm OCD, so everything has to be in the perfect place too.... Too bad I can't lift 20 times my body weight. That would make moving a whole lot quicker.

So, I'm still en route to my parents house with boxes. It's been 2 WEEKS of moving, and now I'm halfway into the third. However when you live on the third floor of an apartment, and are schlepping your junk to the top floor of another residence, and you're doing it all yourself, it's slower than a crock pot set on low! Wait, do you hear that? Ah yes, the strings are playing. But come on people!

I don't have that big of a car (pretty pie yes, big no) but my the time I load it all up, and drive the 5 minutes to my new temporary residence and unload it, it takes a good hour and a half. And folks, I'm booking it. Whoever said that slow and steady wins the race, lied! That hare just didn't have stamina. I'm about ready to give up and just wait until I have help. Bah, who am I kidding? I'll sacrifice my dinner, time, and life just to get it done with. I will prevail!

Another Win/Loss/Win

I ventured out to Keagan's the other night for another game of trivia. The questions were on the vague side, but we came out with the highest score! Only to be disqualified... AGAIN!

I have to stop going to trivia, my appearances have resulted in a disqualification, both times. Don't they know that I'm only a hindrance to the team? I shoot down right answers, I blurt out wrong ones. I'm such an asset, it's a mystery why they still let me tag along.

Well, in any case, we got our names entered into the drawing. I'm not sure for what drawing. Another trip to Boston? Who cares, a trip anywhere would make me a happy camper. And the charming Sam Adams man gave us a round of beer. I had the light. I'm not a beer drinker, at all, but this was more than tolerable. I would even go as far as to say, it wasn't bad at all. St. Paul and Atomizer had the black. Blech. Too much beer for me. I like the beer that you can hardly tell if it's beer or water. I better stick to the tasty hard stuff.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable night. Lots of friendly faces, and sympathetic looks. ;-)

Friends and Fried Okra

Last Friday a group gathered at Dixie's to celebrate Cathy's birthday. It was full of laughter, tons of food, and friends.

For some good Southern cooking, Dixie's is where you go. Abbie got the fried okra. Barf. I hate fried okra, but to be fair I tried it again. Yeah, still hated it. Everyone else said it had no taste. Are they crack? The texture alone is enough to send you running to the nearest spittoon. I mean look at it! There is no possible way that people could find this appetizing. (Sorry Abbie, I have to include you and the entire south in this.)

It's just not a quality dish. I'll go as far to say that I actually enjoy some grits (with butter and brown sugar), but there are certain foods that I just won't eat. Fried okra, collard greens, and tainted fruit. I just can't do it. Sorry to those of you who like them... I'm not envious in the least. Blech.

Silly Me!

Doesn't everyone know the inner details of my life? Blast!

Well, as regards to my last post, I realize that I wrote short hand.... which I will do again, but just getting down to the point.

My fiance - you may know his as Saint Paul from Fraters Libertas

The wedding date - August '07 (I'll say the third weekend, but I suppose I should firm that up with the other party involved)

Yup, I think that's all the necessary details!

I'm kidding, I'll post more later, but it's too beautiful a day to go sit inside a cubicle with one window that's blocked by cubicles, that I have to run.

Busy Bee

Well, so much to write about. This past week has been a whirl-wind. So much to tell, some of it good news and some of it bad news. I'll start with the bad... better to end on a high note.

I was meeting with Larry again for our few and far between lesson, and I found out that U of M did not accept me into their masters program. Bummer! So, that means no grad school for Rachel for another year.

After I stopped flogging myself, I thought, that's it, I need to make some big changes that will set me on the straight and narrow toward opera diva-hood. I don't want to have a life of "if I had done ___ then I could've done ___". So, I'm taking on a new approach.

Big changes are in the wind. I need to buckle down and practice like I really want it. No more once every other week practice sessions. I refuse to be busy every waking hour of the day. It's time to take some time to improve the future.

Onward!

As for the good news.... I'M ENGAGED! Can you believe it?!?! I can't!
(For the ladies, the pictures of the ring are below.)

I'm Heated... But Not Literally!

My heat in my apartment is out... AGAIN! What, you say? It couldn't possibly be out again. Alas my friends, it is. Out like a gay man on Broadway. That's how out it is.

I think that my heat has been off longer than it's actually been on. We're rounding on count #9 for the heat to be out, and #3 for different maintenance men.

Supposedly it was going to be fixed during the day today... we shall see. It always makes me a little nervous when there's strangers in my apartment. Good thing I don't have anything valuable in there. I have my iPod in my pocket, and my computer at my side. And all my Coach purses are already packed away.

I can't wait to get out of my place, where hell freezes over.

Rehearsal - Work - Nap

Well, rehearsals are going pretty well... OK so we hit a little hitch yesterday with the orchestra. You can't hear the choir at all. Other than that, it went swimmingly. Tonight we will get a new arrangement, and hopefully all will be dandy.

I'm struggling through my day trying to keep awake. I'm using every method possible. Eight cups of coffee along with 2 Mountain Dew's and a slap to the face, dousing my face in cold water, sticking myself with needles, and propping my eyes open with toothpicks. All the usual stuff.

Nothing is working! The coffee/Dew has only made me a narcoleptic with spontaneous seizures, and the cold water makes me look even more like death, and now I'm bloody from the needles and I have splinters in my eyelids from the toothpicks.

I feel like I'm permanently trapped in the Salvador Dali picture with all the drooping clocks. My eyeballs are resting atop my desktop barely able to peek up at the brightly lit computer screen.

Will anything save my from my fatigue? I suppose that I could stop burning the midnight oil playing with my new gadgets, but they're too fun, so that's not an option...

However! Despite my lethargy, I will be animated and full-steam-ahead for the performances. Funny how that always works out that way.

Pocket Conductor

There is the cutest little man ever! He's directing our Israel in Egypt concerts. His energy is only surpassed by his love of music. When he directs, you can't help but get caught up in the music. He's so expressive without being distracting. It's a realy great honor to sing for him.

He has many ways of expressing himself. Ali wrote down some things that he said, but they were just classic. As odd and off the wal as they were, they still made complete sense. One of those times where you laugh because his analogy is so random, yet you couldn't have thought of a better way to put it.

I tell you folks, this is going to be a great concert.

Despite these gruelling long rehearsals every day and evening this week, it'll be an amazing performance each nights.

Christmas Come Early

It's Christmas come early! Or my graduation present come 3 years late, but in any case...I'm so excited!

My new MacBookPro came the other day!! Now I can actually set use my new iPod that's just been sitting on my desk! Wahoo! We got a bunch of those rebate offers, so along with my purdy new laptop, I got a trendy little messenger bag, and a 3-in-1 printer-copier-scanner. We looked at the reviews for it, and apparently it really sucks at scanning... but who cares?!? It was all free! *with about 83 mail in rebates*

Just thought I'd share my exciting news, since that's all I could think or talk about for the past 3 months. Now I shall go into hiding to play with all of my fun new toys. Yippee!!

Home Alone

My room-mate has moved completely out. I feel torn about the situation.

On one hand, I will miss having my Kevy around. It will be very empty without him. There will be no more:
~clothing critiques
~cleaning parties.... (well, obvs I'm OCD and there will still be cleaning parties, but now it's just going to be a cleaning party for 1)
~belting out show tunes at random times
~new furniture, kitchen items, glass-ware, decorations, or anything Michael Graves
~fun times with Kevy as my roomie

On the other hand, I'll love being able to go home and actually relax... if I still remember how to do so. For those of you that know my room-mate, he's a little intense.
I won't have to worry about:
~leaving my knitting or magazine out for the time I step away for a minute. I can just leave it there, and it will still be there when I get back!
~not using our kitchen table that's been permanently set for 10 months. Yes friends, I have a kitchen table that was set for 2, but was not to be used. Soooo many questions about that one.
~getting bolted and chained out of the apartment every Saturday morning
~feeling guilty about not continually buying new things for our-already-completely-furnished apartment
~double permit parking in the lot, or arguing that it's my turn (after 6 months)
~having certain friends over
~be able to go to bed without being pressured to go out for a drink, movie, or shopping

I'll miss him, but I think I'll hang in there. *wink wink*

Another Opening, Another Show

Well folks, I haven't had a performance since February 19, and I didn't see ya'll there. So, here's your chance at redemption (in more ways than one).

I will be performing at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts again. This performance is something everyone should see. Vocal Essence is performing Israel in Egypt with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. You can order tickets online or call 651-291-1144 to order from the box office.

Israel in Egypt is an amazing choral work. It's an oratorio, which makes its impact and drama heightened. An oratorio is basically an opera, but without all the staging. You can read the libretto in the above link. (It looks long, but it takes about 1 minute to read.) It's a powerful piece of work. Each time I sing it, it stirs something inside. Here's a few clips.

I think that it's very fitting to perform this in the season of Lent. It's a performance that everyone should attend.

Rachel Rejected

Well folks, I heard from my first graduate school (NCSA). It was a short and sweet... NO. I figure this letter is something to keep forever... but I threw it out quicker than old chicken. It is my first rejection letter from a school. Luckily I didn't have any from undergraduate applications, so it's high time I started getting some now! I just hope that I'm not 0 for 2. Otherwise, I'm pretty much screwed.

So, bad news for me with a missed opportunity at Fletcher Opera Institute. And bad news for Abbie. (Sorry I won't be out east with you, but you might not be there either!)

Good news for the rest of my friends and fam. I'll be here to fulfill your every need... and by fulfill your every need I mean, move back home with my parents because I'm po'!

Still waiting on the University of Minnesota. Let's hope they don't have the dreaded "cap" again ! Or else I might have to run off on a cruise ship and join the other sea-bound performers.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

I hope that you're all out drinking green beer today! (Well, except for JB.) Or that you're wearing green if you're Irish. Or getting kisses.... I'm not sure how the last one came about, but if someone knows, please tell!

As for me, tonight I will be at Keagan's Irish Pub. Me... hanging out with all the Irish. I think I'll blend in. I almost look Irish. South Korean ---- Irish, it's practically the same.

So sláinte to the Irish!

And geonbae wihayeo to the Koreans!

New Things!

I got a new hair cut.



16 inches gone.



I absolutely love it.

My Ghetto Life

Like any good suburb kid, I would spend the day pretending I was from da hood. How fun it was to speak, act, and dwell in the ghetto.

Oh, who am I kidding? I do live in the ghetto, my heat has been out no less than 8 times this winter, and my little Geo Prizm got vandalized, and our neighbors aren't exactly upstanding citizens. It's always pleasant to walk down the hall and hear babies crying, people yelling, and smell something of an unknown origin.

Here's our pimpin' ride that we took to school everyday.

We liked to play basketball after school. The grocery cart we stole from the homeless man on the corner worked great for the hoop! Talk about innovative! After we got done shootin' some hoops, we liked to cool off on the boat.
This is the treads I almost got instead of the Mazda3. It was a tough call though.

Here's my favorite shirt, and a good rule to abide by.

I hope that gave you insight into my childhood. It was a fond one.

A Loved Player

A sad loss occurred yesterday, Kirby Puckett passed on. He was a great baseball player and had a vitality to life about him, that I never imagined him changing in any way.

Like many, I had all 8876179 different baseball cards of him. He made up the majority of my baseball card collection. Hmm, I wonder what happened to that shoebox... In any case, he was a huge part of my childhood baseball memory. He will be missed.

Possible Narcolepsy

I went over to the parents to have dinner and watch an "exciting" award show. I think that this is the first award show (minus the Tony's) that I've actually planned to sit down and watch. It wasn't my choice, but my parents (and by parents, I mean my Ti-Vo addicted mother) really wanted to watch it, so I succumbed. I suggested that we play a game, or do something fun during it, because usually the awards aren't so fun.

Last night reminded me of why I don't watch those ceremonies. The beginning 5 minutes was quasi-enjoyable, but then it all went downhill from there.

All the speeches seemed so long and lame. Nobody seemed excited to win, except the schmoes that won best song for the hardships of a pimp. The audience looked like they were bored out of their minds, and I think they kept saying, who is that? There were so many B list stars and under, that they showed Keira Knightley for like 80 hours! Not that I don't love her, and think she's amazing, but good gracious!

The interviewers were as talented as slugs. They had no interesting questions to ask, they made everyone feel uncomfortable, (including the viewers) and I wanted to punch them in the face to stop the pain.

The dresses were interesting to watch for about 2 seconds, then... not so much. Some of them were just hideous, nobody looked outrageously beautiful, or hideous. Everyone just played it safe. Although Naomi Watt's dress was particularly hideous. What was she thinking? It looked like someone gnawed on her dress. Not to mention with the rouching around the waist made her look like she had love handles the size of Antarctica.

Needless to say, with all the excitement going on in the award show, I was passed out on the couch circa 8:30pm. It was that amazing. I think that I'll just stick to my Tony Awards, and save myself the torture.

Trivia At Keagan's

Well folks, I finally went to Keagan's trivia with the Fraters. They're one of a kind, and prized at Keagan's. Prized so much in fact, that they were declared the losers in a tie, because they increased the bar's revenue by adding a couple of guests to sit at their table. Poor saps.

The added guests put in their two cents, but only to be shot down. They would've won if they had just nodded and wrote it down. So, not only did they end up in a tie situation for not listening, they lost the tie because of their added companions.

In any case, it was fun to see familiar faces again, and catch up with Janelle. Fraters, next time take heed.

Mauer Married?!

I was in a jewelry store the other weekend, and I came across a rather juicy bit of information from a buddy. He told us that Joe Mauer was in there the other day to order a ring. He didn't tell us what kind of ring he ordered, nor did we ask, but he purchased a ring none-the-less.

If that ring turns out to be a diamond, it will be a very sad day for all the ladies of Minnesota that have gone to many a game to gaze adoringly at the handsome catcher. I swear that's not why I go... I'm a Twins *cough cough* (Mauer and Cuddyer) *cough cough* fan, through and through. Even if it doesn't turn out to be a diamond ring, I don't think that little Joe Joe is buying a ring for his mother or sister, so it's just a sad day all around.

I share with you the information that I know, disheartening as it may be.

Hi My Name Is

Slim Shady. Barf. No. I'm kidding.

My new car has a name. I have settled on The Rachel Express.

I'm keeping the "Train" theme, but altering it. So, the pickle is regected 80 million times over. Sorry Shyestviolet and Hammerswing, it was just never meant to be.

A Clarification

My new Mazda will NOT be called the pickle. I'm thinking the Rachel Express... developing...

IIIIIIIIIIt's A New Car!

I finally got my new Mazda3i-touring and I love it. Now I just have the insurance, payments, warranty, and transfer of plates, title, and other little stuff like that to take care of. Ha! On the up-side, it's almost done!

The Rachel Train is with Wilbur today, and I'll get her back at the end of the day. Hopefully I will sell her to my sister? Not sure. Either to her or to a complete stranger where it will probably be treated a lot nicer... but shh, I didn't say that.

So now ya'll don't have to read about my trials and tribulations of finding a new car. Now it'll be about selling my old one!

However, at the end of all of this, I will make many vows to my brand spankin' new car that I didn't make to the Rachel Train.

~ I will never drive you through flooded seas.
~ I will never give you a love bump harder than a squeeze.
~ I will change your oil on a regular basis.
~ I will fix your windshield wipers promptly and not wait 2 years.
~ I will try to keep the hoodlums away from you with your new alarm.
~ I will not leave invaluable CDs inside, so that some punk will come along and rip off your face and mar your beauty.
~ I will not drive you over the canyon that St. Paul calls a road.

So many more promises to make, but I think that covers the basis. I feel pure bliss driving my beauteous new car. :-D Hooray!

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

And by sun... I mean my checkbook. Tomorrow's the day I go talk to the Mazda guy and sign my money away for the next few years. A sad day for the Rachel Train, but a happy time for "unknown".

I'm so very grateful that the hard-balling, and the negotiating, and the option searching is over at last! I can stop making phone calls to different dealerships, loan venues, my insurance guy, and to my dad. I think he stressed out about it far more than I did. That's how you know they care, when they drive you to the precipice of insanity. That's my family. God love 'em.

I hope to have my new car next week. Hopefully I will not agree that "pickle" is a suitable name for it, but only time will tell.

Hurray!

Here Comes.... ?

I'm waiting to make the go-ahead call to John for my new Mazda3i-touring. (Isn't it purdy?) I can't wait! But I'm going to have to. We're checking out a few more financing options and sprucing up the little Rachel Train. Then it's go time!

I've been thinking about what to call my new companion. I don't even know how the Rachel Train came to be. It was always the Rachel Train. It's "all-aboard the Rachel Train" was legendary on the hill of Gustavus. Everyone (who was somebody) got to cruise in my pimped out ride.

People have suggested that I call it the Rachel Train as well, but let's face it, there's something about a pimped out Geo Prizm that can't quite be compared to a Mazda. And the Rachel Train is irreplaceable.

It's quite the pickle.

My Million Dollar Baby

Well, I brought my beloved Geo into Wilbur (my mechanic) today to fix the damage that only idiotic hoodlums could have made. My banged in lock. I figured I should get the slightly malfunctioning door handle fixed, since it's already there. To fix the bruised lock is going to cost me another little bundle for the parts. Wilbur can fix the temperamental handle without any parts.

This whole break-in is getting to be quite expensive. (and by quite expensive, I mean look for me in about a week living in a box at the end of the block.) And for what? A half dismembered CD player, and some Broadway/opera CD's. Stupid stupid people!

My hatred for these imbeciles is growing with each passing second. I don't understand the human race. Who would do something like that? Why not break into a car and steal a good CD player, or at least take the part that plays the CD's!? Why would you take something so meaningless to you, and not worth much to pawn shops, when it could mean a lot to someone. Who does that?!

Maybe I'm naive... but I just don't understand some people.

To My Amazing Friends

This is a thank you for those who have taken the time to start replenishing a part of my life that was stolen from me. Rob, Cathy, Abbie, and Brian, how can I ever thank you?

You've burned me CD's that you've had, or given me gift certificates to buy more, or have bought new ones as well. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it. Music is the heart and soul of my being, and now it's being filled again with love and friendship. You guys are the best.

I love Carmen, and kudos to Rob for getting me a fabulous version of it! (With a little help from a fellow music nerd.) I now have a version of Carmen with Marilyn Horne and the Metropolitan Opera in the Deutsche Grammophon version. Yessss! And thank you for offering to burn me your collection as well.

Never worry that your friends are mooches, because it'll always be for the best. Karma friends, karma. Thanks to Cathy who burned about 1/3 of all my CD collection last summer (including an irreplaceable CD!) and taking the time to burn me all of them again, and sending them too me, along with some of hers. I can't tell you how grateful I will be to get that wonderful package in the mail.

Thanks to Abbie for offering to let me use her computer to burn CD's, and for coming up with the idea of visiting the local library for some of those rarer CD's. I wouldn't have thought to check them out, but I bet they'll have a lot of my older operas.

To get a gift certificate is great, to get one to one of my favorite stores is too much for words. Thanks Brian for the generous certificate to Applause to continue rebuilding my collection. Now I'll drag you there every night... they're open until midnight!

Thank you thank you thank you to everyone! These gestures really mean a lot to me. I can't tell you enough how grateful I am for your kindness and thoughtfulness. I love you guys.

The Car Quest Has Begun

I test drove the 3 cars last night that could possible replace my beloved Rachel Train. I'm looking at the Toyota Corolla CE, the Honda Civic LX, and the Mazda3 i-touring. It's not going to be an easy decision.

I started at Toyota and the Corolla drove very similarly to my little Geo. I liked the way it felt, and it was a nice ride. However, Toyota consists of packages and add-ons. The car comes with virtually nothing, and you must buy an entire package to add things. I haven't ever had power windows, and to get that, you had to buy the "UP" (upgrade) package, and to get ABS you had to add on the "safety package". It was all rather confusing, and you get a few more things in the packages than you really need or want.

Honda was our next stop. I thought this whole car shopping thing would be much easier. You find a car that you really feel comfortable in, and you'd just know which one to get. Wrong! The Civic handled so similar to the Corolla that it was going to be a tough decision. The Civic was a little more dramatic in the handling, not quite as supple as the Corolla, but very similar. I did not like the inside of the Civic. Perhaps if I were an 18 year old guy I would prefer the electronic double dash with all the flashing lights and graphics. Alas, I am not. They were distracting, even when I dimmed the dash. This car was bumped behind the Corolla on my favorite list.

We journey on to Mazda. We grow weary (after all it is 8:30 on a week night!), and since both of the other dealers compared these 3 cars as well, I expected the same feel as the other 2. My mistake! The Mazda3i has a bigger engine, it has much more space inside, and it handles much better than the other 2. The brakes were amazing too. My favorite to drive by far. The downside? There's huge rear blind spots that make it difficult for us little folks to see past. Otherwise, it was a very smooth ride. The dash was a little obnoxious with all red lights giving you the evil eye, but you can dim those pretty low, and at least it's not the flashing blue/white/red/green/yellow like the Civic.

Now it all comes down to my pocketbook. They're all in the same range, but it depends how much each will come down. The Mazda dealership that I went to, doesn't barter at all. They gave me a reasonable price, and said there's no haggling in this store at all. So, unless the Corolla can give me everything I want, (with the 8 million packages you have to buy to get power windows), it looks like the Mazda wins out. (The Civic is out of the running.) However, I think Toyota will come down significantly.

Only time, and some hard-balling will tell. I hate haggling. I'm not good at car haggling... because I've never done it, and it's a pain.

My Olympics Obsession

The Olympics have finally begun! I anxiously await sitting for hours in front of the TV watching curling and thousands of people skate around on the ice in speed skating, figure skating, pair skating, hokey, etc. It's Olympic time that makes me feel patriotic.

I always like a good game, but it's always more exciting to be rooting for someone. I went to a Angles/Yankees baseball game in LA, but didn't mind who won. It was a beautiful stadium and a perfect day to set the tone for a great game. Half way through I wondered why I wasn't more enthralled... I LOVE baseball! I came to the conclusion that it's not quite as fun if you don't have a team to cheer for. It makes you more invested. That's why the Olympics are so great.

When you see certain sports you know little about (for me it's curling), it makes an otherwise channel-flipping-worthy-sport fun to have someone to cheer for. It makes it that so much better to not just be cheering for your state or area, but to be cheering for you country! How great is that folks?! It makes me feel united with my country to know that every one around the USA is cheering for the same team.

I love watching every sport I possible can for the Olympics. The winter Olympics have less coverage than the summers unfortunately, because I miss the two cable channels that have solid Olympic coverage all day and night. It's so amazing to watch these athletes, that are the best in the world, compete against each other. It makes you want to take up speed skating, or the long jump, or curling! Well, ok maybe not curling...

What a great tradition. You can't help but love it.

My Grand Theft Auto

Well, I'm back from my Chicago audition/vacation. So much to write about! I'll have to do it in spurts. The first thing to be addressed should be the unfortunate incident that occurred before I even left for the big city.

My car was broken into.

Yes, that's right, some punk must have thought that I had big bucks to be driving a broken little Geo Prizm.

I was walking out with all my luggage at 7:30am Saturday morning, when I noticed that my car door was ajar. I walk closer, and realize that all the locks are unlocked, I peek inside and everything is strewn about. My glovebox was open and emptied, my CD player was destroyed, and worst of all, all my CD's were gone. I have kept them in a case in between the seats for 8 years now. They're my crutch.

They're my most cherished possession, and now they're gone. What thief would want Marilyn Horne, or all of my Broadway collections? The worst of it, is that most of them can't be replaced because they're not retail CD's. I got them by going to specific performances and then purchasing them at the theatre. Who would want them? They're not worth anything to those kinds of people. It's just such a depressing experience. It's like having a huge part of your life ripped away from you. I'm still really bummed about the CD's. I can't get over it. And it's not like I have 4k to throw down on new CD's either. That's the worst thing they could've taken.

My CD player's face was ripped off, but not the device that actually plays the CD's. These people are genius. Now it's useless to both of us. Keep in mind friends, that this was NOT a new player by any means. I think that it was about 10 years old, and it scratches CD's over time. I could care less about the CD player, but I still mourn the loss of all of my CD's.

Now my poor little Geo, who's been through thick and thin with me has to go to the shop, yet again. I need to replace her lock that was punctured, and see if we can do something about her sticky door, and replace her missing eye (side headlight).

My poor baby. Violated by a stranger.

Lunch-Time Crazies

Gather 'round my friends, and I shall tell you a tale of a true lunch-time crazy. Her name and origin are unknown, but some things you probably don't want to know.

Brian and I decide to head out to Perkins for an enjoyable lunch the other day. It started out great, we didn't have to sit in the bad waitress's section. Huzzah. Victory was ours for the taking!

We got a nice booth on the side with only one other booth adjoining. We had a very nice waitress to take our orders and were waiting quietly enjoying our beverages, when all of a sudden the lady behind Brian starts saying rather outrageous things. She was accusing that the little old man sitting across from her (directly behind Brian) was treating her like crap, and was constantly depleting her self esteem. She chose more trashy words, but sounded basically unhappy with life in general.

She wasn't yelling, but had her voice slightly raised, but then out of nowhere she shoves her soup bowl across the table at the little old man. Brian and I were stunned, but didn't make a run for it. Then faster than we had time to react, she throws her water glass at the little old man and it showers him and Brian. With her other hand she whips her bowl at the little old man, but it soars past both him and Brian and smashes inches away from my head on the wall. I look down and there's porcelain pieces all over me and the bench, Brian's soaking wet, and the crazy lady is yelling and storming out!

By the time we stand up, the lady is already walking out the door, and the little old man stands up and he's covered with soup, water, bread, and whatever else was on the table. He couldn't have been younger than 80. He looked like a sweet old man, and he hadn't said anything during lunch, despite her accusations, but he did say that he didn't need a towel to clean up. He just walked out.

Good riddance! And that my friends, is the tale of a Perkins lunch-time crazy.

Puppy Mill Tragedy

In Belle Prairie Minnesota, a "dog kennel" (aka a puppy mill) has been approved. (See links for articles.)

In a nutshell this is an operation for 600 small dogs to live in barely livable conditions. It was approved have no one living on the premises to care for the animals. This amazes me. Are people really that ignorant that they think that 600 dogs will be able to care for themselves? I don't know anyone that would have even one dog live on its own for any duration. No one will be there if there's a medical emergency, birthing complication, or despite the fact that dogs crave companionship and interaction.

Who are these people that think it's ok for dogs to be kept in small kennels without exercise or fresh food/water only to live out their lives to breed in these terrible conditions?! It's mind blowing to think that there's people out there that lack all compassion for other living beings. It makes me sick.

In addition to the cruel conditions, the "kennel" has plans to de-bark the dogs to prevent noise pollution. This entails:

"going down a dog's throat with a sharp debarking instrument and tearing apart it's vocal cords by removing chunks of flesh. The debarking tool is an elongated device, with serrated edges. The dog is under general anesthesia as the Vet reaches down it's throat tearing out chunks of vocal cords and tossing them in the bucket or the floor. This process is repeated over and over. The dog's head then must be kept facing down off the table to allow blood to drain and avoid drowning, despite an ET tube. Upon recovery, the dog drools, coughs up blood and sadly tries to bark. They are sent home the next day on tranquilizers to prevent barking which will cause scar tissue and enable the dogs to once again vocalize as they should."

I am incredulous that this proposal passed. I can't believe that it's not against animal rights yet. So many people are outraged, and have a right to be heard. If these articles had ANY affect on you, please sign the petition, and spread the word. It literally takes 15 seconds to complete online.

PLEASE help out the puppies that can't help themselves by signing the petition below.

Stop the Puppymill in Morrison County, Minnesota

Larry Has Been Found!

Well, I finally got a hold of Larry. I'm sure you all were losing sleep about it, so don't worry, lessons have been scheduled. I have to take off work, but that's the least of my worries.

For the time being, I feel the crabby beast has been contained. My apologies for all those who have felt its wrath the other day. It's ugly head will not rear in the near future.... hopefully.

My Arctic Apartment

After another weary day filled with turmoil, I return to my apartment only to find that it's only slightly warmer than an igloo in winter.

Poop.

So for the fourth, (yes fourth!) time this winter our heater has kicked the dust. In my pleasant state which has consumed me for the past few days, I pick up the phone to leave a cheery message on their voice mail. My roomie was gone, so I gave myself the liberty to free speech.

I kept my tone stern without sounding snotty or belligerent, but I stated my case. My message consisted of reminding them that it has been the fourth time our heat has been fixed this winter, including emergency maintenance, and someone was just in our apartment twice this week. I then proceeded to say that if they had no intention of fixing the heating problem that they should let us know immediately so we can start looking elsewhere. I then thanked them and asked them to get back to us as soon as possible. I think that's a reasonable message under the circumstances. After I hung up, I high-tailed it out of our ice box.

I got a call this morning from my roomie. Apparently, the manager of our little complex came over personally this morning at 7:45 am. (My roomie isn't on a morning schedule.) There were two of them, and they walked around our apartment and apologized that it wasn't fixed. They also made reference to the fact that our thermostat was probably broken... I'm sorry friends, but when you have to sit around in a parka and Uggs, it's not because you're under the impression that it's 58 degrees, it's because it really is 58 degrees.

While management was talking to my roomie, it came up that I sounded irate in my message (hmmm imagine that). So, my roomie undercuts me and says that I get upset a lot and that I was just really worked up. Then he goes on to say that it's not such a big deal, it's just a bit uncomfortable. There goes our leverage! This is the first time that management has personally intervened with our heating problem, and then my roomie goes and says that it's just a bit uncomfortable?! Maybe it's just a little uncomfortable for a Tauntaun, but for those of us without arctic fur, it's unbearable.

Strike two with the roomie. One more and....

Where is Larry?!?!

Well, I've been trying to get a hold of my voice lesson teacher, Larry, for almost a week now, but to no avail. No word on where he is, his voice mail doesn't make reference to his potential where-abouts, so I'm at a loss.

In this "connected era", it's rather bothersome to not be able to connect to someone. At the very least, I think it's common courtesy to your dependents to let them know if you hitch-hiked to the Mexican border, or if you pulled a Dave Chappelle. What happened to notification? Especially when everyone in the world can be contacted through 4 different e-mails, cell phones, home phones, PDA's, letters, voice mail, and word of mouth!

Maybe I'm just exerting my nervous tension due to upcoming auditions unto poor Larry, or maybe I'm just crabby. In any case, he has duties as an instructor to those he instructs! Where are you Larry?! People are relying on your for their sanity!

Apple Avid

I can hardly contain myself! The new Apple computers have come out. They are now equipped with the Intel Duo Core processors, and to top it all off, they came out with the updated iWork, iLife, iTunes, and QuickTime. Could anything be better? I think not!

These fine goodies will make appearances on the seventh of February. However, you can order through the Apple website earlier. Get 'em while they're hot folks! Apples for sale!

#1 Cruise Spokesperson

Let me tell you my friends, I had an amazing time on the cruise! I don't think I could ever go back to the old way of vacationing, planning what to do, looking for restaurants, hotels, etc. They take care of everything for you, and everyone has a pleasant demeanor! If you're bored, there's 8 things for you to do at any given time. If you're hungry, there's always many places to eat, or receive complimentary room service. It's fabulous to have so many things to do, but not feel bad if you don't want to do any of it! Cruising is the way to go.

Now I'm back here in the real world, and it's the pits. I'm swamped at work, and I still haven't really unpacked. My suitcases are "unpacked", but really they just vomited all over my room, and I haven't started to clean up the aftermath. Another day, another time.... maybe.

We had long days of traveling, but it was worth it. We boarded early on Thursday, and had a great welcome buffet. Everyone was still pretty tired, and anxious to get settled in from a long trip the day before. We met up with Cathy (she flew from Chicago) and got our bags, unpacked, walked around. (It seems like that day was forever ago, I don't even really remember what we did.) Oh, we had a drill, that was fun walking around in fabulous orange life jackets... hot. Our rooms were a lot more spacious than I thought they would be. Cathy and I had an interior room (aka a cave), but it had ample storage and space. Everyone else had a balcony room. They were beautiful, and had an extra bench, but I liked the interior rooms layout better. Even if you did wake up to pitch darkness every morning. It was like time was non-existent in our sunless room.

For our days at sea, we ate a lot, explored the ship and had a strict regimen of at least 3 morning hours of sun on the Lido deck. It was a rough life, but eating a huge breakfast tires you out, so it's a good thing we had to lay in the sun for a morning nap. That's pretty much how all our days at sea went. Got up, ate breakfast, sun-napped, ate lunch, walked around, ate ice cream, went to an activity, ate more ice cream, more activities, ate second lunch, more activities, happy hour, 5-course dinner, went to a show, went to bed. It was a gruelling schedule, but we managed to stick to it, and come on, with 24-hours a day ice cream, how can you go wrong?

Our first port was on the island of St. Maarten. It was a beautiful island with many beaches. We had registered for a snorkeling tour around a shipwreck, but found out (the minute we were supposed to leave) that it was cancelled. There had been storms that week, and the water was too churned up to see anything. Bummer, but my lungs were saved. So, we spent the day on the beach and walked around to different shops (spending far more than we should have), and enjoyed the great weather.

Our next stop was Barbados. We went on a long excursion that took us around the entire island. We saw plantations, a mahogany carving farm, and the rum distillery. It was really interesting to see the island in its entirety. Unfortunately, I was pumped full of motion sickness pills and was narcoleptic on the ride home.

Our final port was Martinique. It was a beautiful island. We took a catamaran around the island to a bat cave, but it was too rough to take the boat inside (thank goodness!). Then we headed over to a black sand beach where we got to snorkel (with gear of questionable hygiene, blech). The water was really murky and we couldn't see anything in the water, so we scraped the gear and just swam to shore. They stopped about a half-mile away from the beach, it was quite a haul! We body surfed and enjoyed the soft black sand, then took a dingy back to the catamaran. We had a nice long ride back to the docks, so Cathy and I sat out on the netting in the front, and looked in the water, but saw nothing. It was so beautiful, and really neat to be lying on a net with only the water beneath you, and the quiet wind blowing in the sails. This port of call was my favorite.

Now I'm back in the land of ice and cold. Booo! Whatever happened to the days of relaxing in the sun? Or the 75 degree "chilly" days? Or the 5 course meals with a wait-staff of 3? I'm sad to say that those days are now gone my friends. This is a sad day for all of us cruisers. :-(

A Much Needed Vacation... From Vacation

I finally get the vacation from all the vacations that I need. I leave at 7am on Wednesday with Carnival Cruise's 'Legend' for the ocean blue. I can't wait. I packed last night, and I hope I have everything. I had a near heart attack when I almost forgot my bathing suit. That would've been my luck. Since I had 3 days to think about it, while frantically trying to get everything done before I leave, I realized my mistake, and corrected it.

Packing is a very time consuming and stressful activity for the obsessive compulsive. Although, I think with 5 hours of neatly folding and contemplating weight issues, I have successfully packed a suitcase. I chose an expandable suitcase for the anticipated messy packaging on the way home. It's hard to know what will fall to the bottom of your suitcase. You don't want your heavy things, like shoes and bottles, to fall and plough through your lighter and neatly folded (and categorized) shirts. It will probably be rummaged through at the airport, it always is, but hopefully they will be kind enough to leave it as they found it.

We had our cruise-planning meeting on Friday night with all the ladies. It's going to be a great group dynamic. Everyone's a little sassy with a good sense of humor. Let the good times roll, along with copious amounts of rum! We decided what we wanted to do at each port, and surprisingly we agreed on almost everything.

We're going to snorkel at our first port in St. Martaan. I'm scared to death that I'm going to drown by inhaling water through the little tube they expect you to breath out of, but that's not going to stop me. Our second port is Barbados, and I'm going on a tour of a rum distillery, a mahogany carving shop, and a plantation. This little excursion has it all, I'm very excited... for the rum. Then our last port is Martinique, where we will go on a party cruise to cap off our week. There's going to be "live calypso music, dancing, and bottomless rum". What could be better?!

I'm getting really excited to head off to distant islands to relax in the sun. I'll be thinking of all you vitamin D deficient people with sadness while I'm soaking up the rays, but I don't I'll lose sleep over it. Ciao! I'll be back in a couple of weeks!

Packing Anxiety

Is there such a thing as packing anxiety? I think I may have a severe case of it. I'm already anxious about packing for my cruise next Wednesday. I think it could be a branch off of my OCD. I like to have everything just so. I've never been on a cruise before, and I'm not so worried about that, it'll be fine, I'm worried about packing!

I usually always forget something that seems so vital to my survival at the time: sunglasses, sunscreen, a third pair of white sandals... the list goes on and on. I also seem to pack everything that I think I should wear, but realize upon arrival that I never wear the things I packed. Which leaves me longing for my other clothes that are neatly tucked away in a far away closet.

I'm determined not to do that this time. I have a game plan this time. I won't bring a suitcase of shoes (as I did for Colorado), I will only bring my 5 most commonly worn shoes. I will only bring clothes that I know fit, I will leave my "someday I'll fit into these again" clothes at home (as I did in Italy). I won't forget my unders (as I did in Colorado), and I will bring enough to last me the entire trip. I will have all of my toiletries especially my toothbrush (which I failed to remember in Texas). I will bring sunscreen (forgotten in Costa Rica), so I won't have burned eyelids...again.

If I can abide by these few rules, I think I'll be ok. I also run into the difficulty of suitcase size. I usually pick one that fits everything perfectly. I neatly fold, there's never any wrinkles, and it's a perfect amount of space. However, on the return trip when everything needs to be washed anyway, I usually don't fold as neatly and I have to jam the suitcase closed. Is there a way to compensate for this dilemma? Too big and I risk my clothes doing more tumbling than Kerri Strug. Too small and I won't be able to buy anything there or fit all of my junk less folded.

I realize this is a sad sad thing to be posting about, but it's a grave concern. Does anyone have this sort of angst while they prepare for a trip? Do I need to join a support group? Who has time?! I need 3 whole days to pack. But if I pack too early, the creases set. Yikes! I'm at it again!

I need help.

Java Tampering

I headed into work today to start my daily routine of gulping down at least 3 mugs of coffee. I go into the sacred coffee area, and I start to pump the usually office's bitter caffeinated-sludge (that they try to pass off as coffee), when I smell an aroma.

It started out rather pleasant. I peered into my mug and notice it's not the usual ebony muck I force down. Then the smell hits me, like a sumo wrestler on crack. It's amaretto hazelnut coffee. It smells ok, what could be the big deal? I grab my mug and head back to the land of cubicles.

I start in on the forever piling work load and set my coffee aside. As I'm sitting in my non-ventilated cube, I start to feel queasy. The evil coffee was continually emitting a sickeningly sweet odor. I of course procrastinate quitting my work until the last possible second. I couldn't take it any longer, it was either the coffee or fresh air. I emptied that mug faster than a rain cloud in April. It was just sick.

Who makes coffee like that? Isn't coffee supposed to be for enjoyment? a caffeine high? a sugar high? for ingestion? Good gracious people! Choose one additive and stick to it! I prefer caffeine straight up.

The worst part? Nobody liked it. It sat in the regular coffee urn for the ENTIRE day. No coffee for Rachel.

Bastards.

Vacation Needed From the Vacation

I could really get used to having 4 day weekends with 3 days of work. Maybe that's how things out to be. I would like some more vacation to recuperate from all the vacation that I just had. Everyone has to do the vacation visits with everyone whom you haven't seen in at least a week, but does everyone have time to just veg out?

Whatever happened to the good old days of bumming around? Back in the good old days of my youth, I used to lounge around all the time. Now, when I really need to (in order to minimize my icy hot usage), I can't seem to find the time! Maybe we all need to pencil in some much needed personal time.

Filled with other obligations and time restraint, I find myself looking at an open night as an opportunity to schedule in more things, when really all I want to do is primp and relax. Maybe it's the guilt of having a free night, and knowing that I could be doing other things. If I have more than a couple of hours, I think: Well, I haven't seen so-and-so in a while, I should give them a call. Or... If I fit in another night of teaching, I could almost fit in all the lessons needed during my vacation. Or... I should really be doing - 'fill in the blank' because I said I would four score and seven years ago.

In any case, it's going to be my New Years resolution to take one evening a week for just myself. I shan't be bothered by anyone or anything. I will take a stand for lying down! I will see this through to the end!

Happy New Year!

To bring in the New Year, I thought I'd dig up some helpful quotes and sites, and let you choose your poison. Enjoy, and have a great New Year!

Some quotes to inspire you in the New Year:

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. ~Bill Vaughn
-- Does this mean I'm middle aged at 23?

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan
-- I don't think I know a true pessimist then...

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin
-- How very true. I hope each year I'm a better... man?

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland
-- Agreed. Life is like a fine wine, it gets better with age.

The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year's Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you're married to. ~P.J. O'Rourke
-- Talk about wild celebrations!

New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. ~Mark Twain
-- Truer words were never spoken.

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce
-- I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Other tidbits of need-to-know information for the New Year:

Hangover Helpers: Beyond Sheep Eyes
-- from the NY Times online

Horoscopes
-- from the Pioneer Press online

New Years
-- definition by Wikipedia... in case you didn't know what is was...

New Year's resolution
-- Wikipedia pulls through again. I like that in the definition is says "many resolutions go unachieved and are often broken fairly shortly after they are set" the definition itself is even pessimistic. Does anyone keep their New Year's resolution any more?

Countdown to New Years
-- Who knew about the additional leap second? I surely didn't.

New Years Around the World
-- a neat site with pictures. Oooo pretty-pie!

Resolution Solutions
-- by the perfect woman, Martha Stewart.

So, armed with this valuable knowledge, I hope all of you have a great year. Make it better than the last, and look back with no regrets. Happy New Year!