Inside Andy's Brain ( A Scary Place)

Sunday, January 24th

One of my fellow choristers from Aida died suddenly yesterday on the way out of rehearsal. In my business, I deal with death all the time but it's usually in those who have completed long and full lives. I still have difficulty when it's someone young and healthy who is no longer there. It also brings up memories and feelings of Steve and his illness and death. Having been widowed makes me much better and more effective at my job as I can tap into all that when dealing with the aged and the chronically ill, but there's a downside as well when I have to confront unexpected mortality.

Aida has been going well. We start tech tonight. There will be a bit of a pall on the whole thing with the death as this person was talented and well liked. We have our lyrics down, the staging is done, the music sounds glorious. Elephants are being replaced with camels after the structural engineer said that the stage won't take the weight of an elephant. The audience may be a bit disappointed, but better than watching an elephant go through the floor and into the timpani in the pit during the triumphal procession.

Work seems to be going well this month. That is likely to change given all the uncertainties in the air in terms of economics and health care. The current state of congress and the administration is making all of our lives somewhat crazy. At this point, I doubt much meaningful reform will pass. Some bill will pass, but there will be little in it that actually changes the system.

posted by Andy @ 5:24 AM

Monday, January 11th

We have been in the deep freeze around here for a week and a half. It's barely cracked an acceptable temperature since New Years. Tommy and I went out of town for New Years weekend and we returned home to frozen pipes in the master bath and they have yet to thaw so we have no idea if we have any plumbing damage or not. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Work continues slowly but surely in the basement. The floor is nearly done. When that is finished, we may be able to start using the room a little bit. We're supposed to have a house guest through the opera starting the 22nd so it needs to be before then so I can get all the crap that belongs in the basement out of the guest room.

Aida rehearsals are in full swing. The Italian is starting to come. I have most of the first act down and the second act is getting there. Most of the third and fourth acts is off stage so I can cheat and look at the music if I need to. The principals are all decent sorts and the staging is such that I can do it even in my cast so it shouldn't be a problem that I'm still hobbling around on a broken foot. I see the orthopod on Wednesday for a check up and to make plans for the next go round. I'm hoping I can graduate from a cast to a boot that I can take off at night and for showering.

Tommy starts spring semester today. He did very well last semester and I expect him to do the same this time around.

posted by Andy @ 7:56 AM