After forgetting to post last week (what with my power difficulties and all), here's The Friday Five:

1. What was the last song you heard?
"Evenflow" by Pearl Jam. It was the album version, not the preferred MTV live-ish version. As I sang along (best I could--it's not 1991 anymore, after all), I thought that I couldn't remember the last time I'd sung along to a Pearl Jam song on the radio...

2. What were the last two movies you saw?
In the movie theater? ADAPTATION and CHICAGO. I loved them both, and hope they both win a cartload of Oscars.

3. What were the last three things you purchased?
Besides food and drycleaning and developed photographs? That would be: a sparkly purple purse-sized hairbrush, Queen Helene facial scrub, and 2 boxes of Trojan Magnums with Spermicide. I had a COUPON!! (Well, you wanted to know...)

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?
Get together with my Wilmington people, work on my Mozart paper, go to the beach, and perhaps use one of those 24 you-know-whats...

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?
My mother (on the phone), Luz (my former supervisor), the waiter at Applebee's (where we had lunch), the hostess at Applebee's, and Mark (at the paper, before I used the ladies' room).

Long week...

Here I am in Wilmington, at the UNCW library. I just had lunch with Luz, my old supervisor (who's building her first house--go Luz!) and am ready to get a few hours of Cosi fan tutte work in before my 4pm massage appointment. (No, I'm not really a Junior League grey-hair! But doesn't it sound that way? Hell, if salads at Applebee's, schlepping books to the library in the rain, and cashing in a Christmas gift certificate make me sound bourgeois, well, so be it!)

I'm feeling pretty good today, actually--even though I can't seem to reach Amanda and Nancy, and I really wanted to meet with both of them this weekend! This week has just been trying for me. I've just been in a weird space. I was supposed to perform at this Studio Voice Recital on Tuesday, but because of some typical miscommunication (which is my only real complaint about the voice faculty) I wasn't signed up to do it--but I ended up having a really good lesson Monday and am poised to do two Strauss songs I love at the next one (in May). This one song really makes me weep...here's the poem, and imagine heartbreaking Late Romantic music with that. Ouch...beware of high larynx!

Anyway. Tuesday I met with my dance professor, and we discussed the fact that I basically don't know how to do research, mostly because it's been so long since I've taken Research Methods (3 1/2 years) that all the technology has changed. For the better, of course, but there are all these new, useful research sources that I just don't know about. Oh, well. After this semester I may not have to worry about papers much anymore. :)

Wednesday I finally went to Student Health for a follow-up visit on my GERD (reflux)--the PA (who was really nice, and reminded me of somebody, I don't remember who) put me on Zantac to see if it would work in place of Prevacid (which is $108 per month at SHS without insurance!). I also bit the bullet and mentioned to him that my binge eating problem is an important trigger for the reflux. He suggested the counseling center--where I'd already been, and which didn't help my problems. But I decided to do a little research, and I think I'm going to start attending Overeaters Anonymous meetings. The twelve-step thing seemed to work wonders for my father--and millions of other people--so why not me? The only thing that feels scary about it is that it means I may actually give up this crutch, once and for all. It really is unnerving to think about! But I'm trying to level with myself: are you happy about the way you look? about all of your clothes being too tight? about getting winded from one flight of stairs? about feeling too tired after binging that all you can do is roll into bed, which means getting behind in your schoolwork? about feeling inadequate? Then DO something, damn it--this method of dealing with life is obviously not effective! Anyway, that's what I'm trying to tell myself. The only problem is that the local meetings conflict with my MERRY WIVES rehearsals. I guess I can try to wait it out a month--maybe just the realization that this really IS a problem, and that I CAN'T handle it alone, will help keep things in better check. Just wait it out...

Oh, I had my costume fitting Wednesday. My costume is totally cute! I have this lace-up overjacket/underskirt/fake blouse inset-type-thing that fits--and works with my figure instead of against it. No potato sack here! I'll make sure I get pictures...

And yesterday I went to work, cleaned my apartment like crazy (i.e. bleach was involved) for my mother's impending visit, then went to class. I actually talked to Elena, which was good. I've been subconsciously avoiding her, and I'm not totally sure why. Mostly I've been kind of weirded out since last Thursday and the whole ice storm thing (I had called to see if I could stay with her, but she ended up not checking her messages until after our midterm)--plus I guess I've been wanting to give her and Jeff some space. I've just been feeling socially very awkward and forced lately, and feeling like a third wheel makes me feel even worse. I guess deep down I know we're cool, but it's sometimes hard to reconcile that with myself. Anyway, I think this and the binging thing are related, somehow. I mean, I always feel awkward eating in front of people, so for the three of us to go to dinner is difficult for me sometimes, depending on how I'm feeling.

Damn, there's been a lot of honesty in this post! That's enough for now--I need to get to work!!! Ah, well, now I only have like forty minutes before I have to go...