Working it out

November has started much like any month this year. I have been quite busy with school and with trying to keep up with running - the real key of which is motivation which I often lack and when I get motivated to run I have to battle the demons in my head. While running my demons will such supportive things as "stop, you can do this tomorrow" (this is when the demons are still being nice). When that fails to work the demons go deeper "you aren't doing yourself any good, you aren't even loosing weight, what is the point" (this starts to work on my psyche, but usually against the demons as I will push a bit harder). Now the demons are really pissed off but I try to run through it. Now they go into reverse psychology mode. "You're doing great...especially for someone like you" (they aren't specific about the "like you" part of this nag). I ignore this voice and push a bit longer. I have really ticked them off now. This is usually the point where the demons work with my nervous system and cause all cooling abilities in my body to completely shut down causing me to get hotter and hotter and turn interesting shades of red and eventually turning to purple. When this fails to stop me the demons conspire with the universe and send the very elderly past me in a whiz of perfect running form...this starts to work as my legs are throbbing and my head is starting to hurt from the impending heat stroke. I find the water fountain. I cool my head and legs and catch my breath - the demons believe they have gotten me to stop and I am thinking the same thing. I start to feel slightly human again and just begin to mentally award myself for pushing through the demons and getting in a work out. This is when the universe sends a series of runners by with 0% body fat and perfect hair and beautiful white toothed smiles. This is the one and only time in the process when my demons and I agree and in a unison chorus of anger and resentment we start the run again. Turning toward home for the remaining 1.8 miles of the run, the battle cry "skinny bitches" echos through my head and co-mingles with the music in my i-pod. I arrive home somewhat satisfied but know that the demons are lurking for the next day when I lace up my shoes again.

zombie pumpkin

October09 044
Originally uploaded by lyricalmezzo

So - my friend Heidi called me this afternoon to see if I wanted to come over and carve pumpkins and eat dinner. I carved a zombie pumpkin, Carlos drew one of his own and Suz made a goofy faced pumpkin. It was fun to pull all the goo out of the pumpkins and then Heidi roasted the seeds for a tasty snack. I thought the zombie turned out pretty spooky.

Early October - Mixed Bag

October has come with alarming quickness. It started with a taste of fall temps to come which has been swiftly replaced by the muggy remembrances of summer. Allergies run rampant as usual for me this time of year so eye drops and Kleenex are always at hand. The month began with what I hope is not ominous of things to come. Enjoying the sneak at fall temps, I went for a nice run and came centimeters from putting my foot right through a rotting rat carcass that was on the path. After almost jumping into traffic and getting run over, I resumed my run with the occasional shivering reminder of the creature. I ran inside the next day just to make sure there was no repeat of that activity and then the muggy heat came again and banished me to the indoors for a few more days. Feeling better and almost forgetting the rat, I sat down at the computer to find that I had a special offer to “find my match” on senior singles.com – well, ain’t that a slap in the face! Normally I would laugh this off and in the end that is what I had to do, but since I am an October baby, jokes about age are not always easy to slough off this time of year. And since I am approaching my countless birthday as a single – it was especially unwelcome! But I managed to rise above it an thoroughly enjoy one of Savannah’s best annual events, Picnic in the Park. This year’s theme was Johnny Mercer music.



There were themed picnics, great music (mostly) great food and wine and lots of merriment with 10,000 of my closest friends sans, of course, Mimi who was particularly missed. As the end of the second week of October looms, I have to wonder what treasures, surprises and insults await the later half of the month. I sit and wait for the other shoe to drop humming Van Morrison’s Moondance and hoping for more treats than tricks.

Wake me up when September ends

Yawn. Thanks, that was not at all restful! It was a fun but busy September. I started school number two, worked on music and fought off a couple of colds. I felt pretty good about the result of some of my hard work. What was I working on? It was Bellini - and it almost kicked my butt. Follow the link to see my first (possibly last) High C.

The forecast calls for broken clouds

Sunday came with broken clouds...yeah. It sounds like the beginning of a poem and were I someone capable of poetry I might have been able to turn that into something free verse and beautiful, but alas...I lack the skill. The term broken clouds actually came from my local paper today - it was a forecast I had never heard and I thought - man if I could write poetry - that would be my opening line. However, all I can give you is the opening line. I think at some point we all sit and write poetry - at least most of the girls I know have attempted it. Personally I love poetry, its actually one of my favorite things about singing...impressive is opera, and an aria can break your heart, but when you sing poetry, you are breathing and singing life into a soul. It is a privilege and an honor to do so and to do it well is one of the most gratifying things I can think of. I was watching CBS Sunday morning today and there was a poetry recitation competition among high school students. There were fifty competitors - one from each state - and they recited poems they had learned. It was so touching to see these teens not just memorize and recite a poem, but to embody that poem and bring the words to life. I remember as a young eighth grader having to memorize and recite a poem; probably what most eighth graders learned - Robert Frosts' "Two Roads Diverged..." I think for me, that is where it all started. Give me sonnets of Shakespeare, the verse of Swinburne, the beautiful and bewitching words of Burns...don't marry yourself to the rhyme of poetry, but rather the rhythm of its voice, the beauty of its secrets and the song that lies hidden within.

Last Sunday in August

I can't believe how quickly August went - September right around the corner and the year will then just steamroll away - sigh. At least we are getting somewhat cooler temps as the evenings come around bringing some promise of fall and nicer weather for outdoor activities. The downside of all the rain we have had all summer is that even though it is getting nicer outside, the mosquitoes are taking over the world! School is back in swing although I still have one that will start after labor day so I am not yet in full swing, easing my way back in; working with new students and trying to avoid swine flu (college kids are germy). I've been doing well on the running, trying to extend my distance so I can possibly run a 10k in December. I am up to 5 1/2 miles with a day of recovery in between so I am pretty close, I just need to build up my endurance so it doesn't take so much out of me. I've been doing some singing lately - just completed a recital with the voice faculty at Georgia Southern - we sang the entire 26 Italian Songs and Arias, it was a fun night - now I am preparing a duet from Norma and getting back in the swing/sing of things. Lots of cooking in August - hoping to do even more as September rolls around...I am already looking forward to the traditional "first pot of chili" of fall - its always a the best one.

Festivus 2009

Festivus Poles in progress
Originally uploaded by lyricalmezzo

We decided it was high time to celebrate Festivus. I had some closet rods to spare and lots of paint and Heidi had loads of glitter...so the celebration began. The evening began with a pitcher of sangria; sauteed eggplant, and black-eyed pea burgers. After dinner we set about decorating the poles. We had four paint colors and we painted our hands and then grabbed the poles. They actually came out looking sort of like abstract flowers. We let them dry a little and then added the glitter. While the poles were drying we came inside for the feats of strength which amounted to a confusing wii boxing match between Suzanne and I and then one between Suzanne and Adam. There was a brief airing of grievances about compost and worms (don't ask) and then the second feat of strength came about this time in the form of wii bowling with Heidi taking first, Adam second, me third and Suzanne fourth. We polished off the sangria and then evening wound down. We headed home - each with a piece of the festivus pole. I will display mine in my office starting tomorrow. A festivus pole should certainly ease the transition from summer to the school year...here's hoping anyway. There are a few more pics of the celebration here.