Do I have everything?

*We are nearly packed, but there are always a few last-minute things, aren't there?  Like the fact that I've lost two pairs of sunglasses in the past week, and all I have left are some goofy mirrored ones, circa 2001, that live in my glove compartment and give me a headache.  The town where we're stopping for lunch is world-known for being a small town (hint: a '60s sitcom was inspired by it, and it's not Green Acres), but they do have a Wal-Mart.  I may resort to that, or I can pick up some once we're in Charleston tonight.

*I spent a lot of time with my enormous gift project this past weekend, so I worked on my February Fitted yesterday.  I'm still not sure it's going to have the negative ease I was looking for, but I really can't tell until I get it over the bust, so who knows?  (This is why I prefer top-down construction.)

*Rosina had a much better day yesterday!  She did get pretty crabby at one point, but I was able to get the Tylenol in before the meltdown.

*Went to a birthday lunch with my coworkers.  That was some damn good carrot cake...

*Third night with my (expensive, not-covered by insurance) TMJ mouthguard:  I think it's helping to relax my jaw at night, but it certainly can't prevent grinding during the day when I'm not wearing it...

It finally stopped raining!

*It has been a long few days around here, punctuated by hour-long shrieking jags by the small one. When the HELL are these freaking teeth going to come in already?!  It goes easier when we can catch her at a more compliant moment so the Tylenol actually goes into her mouth, but it's not always that easy. Other than her waking up two hours early again (on a day I'd set aside to catch up on some sleep!), she was fine this morning, and at lunch ate a surprising amount of canteloupe--quicker than I could cut it. When she started whining intermittently at about one, I should've known what we were in for, but I just didn't move quickly enough. I hate to dose her up preemptively, but maybe we ought to this week. We never give it to her more than twice a day anyway (usually only once), but the pain is interfering with her sleep now. 

*On a happier Rosina note, she has discovered that she loves raisins, like more than anything. I'd never wanted to give them to her because I was worried about her choking, but I guess if they're fresh enough and we're right there with her (doling out a few at a time), she can handle it. 

*Two other food notes:

1. Mark grilled some steak on Sunday. It was really, really good. 

2. Tried a Starbucks caramel macchiato for the first time last night. I guess I see the appeal, but that's way too sweet for me!  I suppose the sugar covers up the burned Starbucks taste...

*Still prepping for the trip. Currently doing lots of laundry so we don't come home to huge piles of it. I never feel quite prepared for big trips--despite the fact that we're going to freaking Cleveland, and I hear they have grocery stores there and everything now... I am always making these epic lists, but still manage to forget like, toothpaste or my glasses. These problems can be surmounted! {eyeroll}

*One of the other things I'm supposed to do today is research exterminators, since we are killing multiple palmetto bugs a week, and they are so freaking gross. I think they come in through the chimney, judging by where we see them, and they certainly could get under the front door and kitchen door if they wanted to. Ugh, bugs are not supposed to be that big, and that is that. 

Strike that, reverse it

*The audition went fine.  My high As weren't 100 percent, but they weren't awful, either.  The auditioners were all very nice, and the pianist was fine (though I probably should've confirmed my tempos!  some were a bit sloooow...).  Most of the singers there were quite young.  It is motivating me to get my act together, in any case.  My website has been languishing "Under Construction" for a while now, and I really need to take care of that before our trip next week.  I also need to email Carla and Marion about lessons--hopefully their summers aren't so busy that I can't squeeze in a lesson or two in the next few months.  I would really like to figure out whether my voice is getting lower, or if I've just been a little lazy!  And there are a few local conductors I'd like to touch base with to get back on their radar for choral gigs.  Once I feel like things are settled, Mark has a lot of ideas for getting me back out there (his hospital is always looking for performers for benefits and mid-day concerts, for example).  I just need to keep moving forward!

*Because my audition was so late Tuesday, I had a hell of a time getting to sleep.  Last night was even worse--I was up until almost two, I think.  Rosina didn't get me out of bed until after ten-thirty this morning!  I guess we're both way off schedule (though in her case it's from teething--she's just had a hard time falling asleep).  I haven't had insomnia in a VERY long time...my main IBS medication causes drowsiness and I take it at night, so I definitely shouldn't have any trouble.  I'm going to stop my caffeine consumption as soon as I finish my current glass of tea, and maybe I can take a bath tonight to wind down.

*Downton Abbey!  I won't give anything away, but there's a mid-third series plot point that hits WAY too close to home (and I saw it coming).  Pretty upsetting, honestly, and Mark was sad, too.  But don't worry, I'll make it. Just a TV show! :)

*Knitting updates:  finished the gift, at long last.  The February Fitted doesn't have nearly enough negative ease, for some reason (why does this keep happening?!), but I think it will work so long as I make it longer.  I've started another gift project--a long-term one!--and I'm not sure it's headed in the right direction.  I'm taking it with me on the long car trip, so I need to figure it out in the next week!

*Working on a tricky bellydance step.  I think I've got it, but it is not coming naturally!  It's kind of hard to describe.  Also, when I watched a video from last Monday's class, I noticed that I'm doing everything in a really exaggerated way.  Maybe now that I know what I'm doing (some of the time!), I can back off on doing the widest figure 8s possible...

merp

Kind of freaking out about this audition.  Honestly, I'm just not ready.  I thought I was singing a decent amount every day, but right now I just don't have the stamina built up to get through my bigger arias without really struggling at the end (which is naturally where the high tessitura always is).  My old starting aria is basically out (there is some serious bel canto pileup at the end, and a few B-flats, which are not my favorite note), and the one I've decided to start with is also tricky at the end.  I don't know how much of it is that I have been working on much lower rep lately (like a contralto aria!), or that maybe my voice just sits lower now...or am I just out of shape?  I guess I need to schedule a lesson and figure this out, but that's all too late to address tonight!  I'm sure I'll get through it, and it will be okay, but it won't be my best.  Maybe it's a good thing that the stakes aren't so high...

*In non-useless freakout news, we had a nice weekend.  On Sunday we went to a city pool, where Rosina had a great time in the super-shallow kids' pool, and my half-assed sunscreen self-application technique was rewarded with some blotchy spots on my back. :)  I got to wear my new bathing suit, which I was initially very excited about (it's in my bra size, and it only cost $32 with shipping!), but I should probably have ordered a band size up; it is kind of snug.  It would be more comfortable if I lost a bit of weight, but at least I can walk around with full bust support.

*I meant to work this afternoon because I wanted to sleep in (I didn't want to sing an audition after having been up for 13+ hours, and happily Rosina obliged by sleeping until ten!), and my remote desktop is not working. I don't know if it will be fixed today, because the office is technically closed now, so I suppose I may get to sleep in again tomorrow!

*Product review:  Everyday Coconut Super Hydrating Conditioner.  I suppose coconut is included in the ingredients, but this is neither hydrating nor a conditioner.  I had to use a huge amount, and even then I ended up re-conditioning with my current conditioner (Nature's Gate Jojoba, which works fine--I just wanted to shake things up).  I am hoping to be able to return it due to extreme dissatisfaction, and have ordered some Gud Vanilla Flame conditioner instead.  I do like vanilla.

*Another fail:  I tried to make milho for the first time on Saturday, after my grandmother walked me through it over the phone.  I added too much liquid, and it won't fry!  :(  I've been eating it as is, but I mean to give it another try in a few weeks.