Never sing an audition with a migraine. And your period, and intestinal distress. It will suck. I now know this from experience, unfortunately.

Ah, well, I'm over it now. That was my Monday audition. (I'd actually had two aura episodes, for lack of a better term, in a week; I have a call out to the gynecologist, since this is probably a side effect of going back on the Pill, but I haven't heard back yet so I'll assume it's not an emergency.) The Friday one went much better, but it was actually preliminaries for a competition, in which I have a very slim chance of advancing. And that, friends, is my fall audition season. Nobody else gave me an audition! And there are a lot of reasons for that--I'm really too old for YAPs, I'm new to my voice type, I'm a voice type that doesn't usually get into YAPs, I don't have enough experience in my new rep to get a mainstage audition--and in general I'm pretty Zen about it. I know what I have to do--more local auditions, more competitions, just to get a new company on my resume!--and I'm prepared to do it. So that's that.

While in New York I had dinner with my college friend Christine, who I hadn't seen in eight years. Hi, Christine, if you're out there! And I was able to visit the happy newlyweds Cathy and Mike in DC, who appear to be behaving themselves. :)

The other theme of my trip up north was, unfortunately, my grandparents' health problems. I know I'm lucky to still have them, and spend time with them every chance I get, but it's pretty humbling and sad to see them having problems with everyday activities. I was planning to get my grandmother (member of the Red Heart Cult) some really nice yarn for Christmas, but she needs cataract surgery and has developed diabetic trigger finger (a very creepy ailment, indeed), so crocheting is out for her right now. She should get back to it in the new year, but it just makes me love that gorgeous rose afghan she made me even more...

And speaking of Red Heart, and having to give up crochet: one day my grandmother asked if I wanted "Tia Olivia's wool", Tia Olivia (pronounced "tuh-LEEV-ya" in my family, long story) being my great-aunt who had a stroke five years ago. Why not, I said, though I was surprised that Tia Olivia would have actual wool. Of course it was not wool, though there was some rather nice brushed acrylic mixed in with the scratchier stuff--and most of a hank of pretty butter-yellow mohair blend. I may have found a home for the yarn I don't think I'll use. Also, she had two dozen granny squares/circles of various sizes and shapes already finished. I crocheted square borders around half of them while I was up there, and will get to the rest after the holidays (and some other charity knitting I've volunteered for)--I should have enough to make a blanket for Project Linus, which I can donate in my great-aunt's name.

But before I got back to the holiday stuff, I did get a chance to make some Rainbow Socks:



Love these. There is a bit of a jog on the wrapped stitches, mainly because of the color change, but they are really fun socks, and surprisingly quick even with the short rows. I'm wearing them right now.

And huge thanks to my Secret Pal, Maartje, for my final package:



Some lovely wool and buttery silk-blend yarn (no, these are not too bright for me!), an adorable sock-blocker keychain (with a fluff of Cider Moon yarn to go with it), salt scrub with a great scent, and a little tea book with recipes in it. You've been such a great spoiler--I've already nominated you for the third contest. I look forward to getting to know you, since you already know all about me. :)

Marathon blog post! Happy Thanksgiving for those in the US--I hope you don't have to spend much time at the airport. My parents are in New York for the week (we probably crossed paths somewhere in Pennsylvania sometime Saturday), so Mark and I are having a very small celebration with a friend of ours--with a possible visit from a certain political candidate. Should be interesting.