Shoes

I am not a shoe-freak.  In fact, I had two pairs of wearable shoes for wintertime.  Two.  Tennis-shoes and black dress shoes.  In the summer, I have a lot; my winter wardrobe is limited.

To be fair, I have several high heels that I could theoretically wear to church.  The only problem is that they were probably more in style in the 1980s than now. 

I've been wearing my black flats to church every week.  It does not bother me.  Nor does the fact that I wear the same shoes to the "big city"  for lessons and such every.  single.  week.

Mom must have gotten tired of it, because she went out and bought me three pairs of shoes.  One are the exact black pair I own and love(she was afraid I'd wear them out), one were some knock-off tom type things(which I dislike, and younger sister is probably getting), and some OH SO CUTE black and white flats.  She also bought me some nice sweater tops.  I tell you, that woman is good at shopping for me.

I now own more than two pair of shoes for winter.  I own four(so what if one is a duplicate).  Be proud. 

Give Me Some Horns

Yesterday, I looked in the mirror.  I thought my butt had gotten smaller, when I realized that my thighs had just gotten bigger.  Dang.

I'm currently 121.5  pounds.  This is down from a few days ago.  However, it is still six pounds heavier than at the beginning of December.  I want to get down to 115 again.  I did not grow two feet in December.

I don't usually announce to the world that I'm on a diet; mainly because "diet" in my estimation should be a lifestyle change.  Also, some people are made to be heavier.  I am not one of those people, but I would never want someone with a bigger frame to be hurt.

Yet, there's another part of me that just doesn't care anymore.  Oh dear, just get me some horns and I'll be looking like your stereotypical opera singer.

I'm a little afraid losing 6 pounds will do something to my singing.  My voice has been rather fabulous(for me, anyways) lately.  Dr. SAL once said something about how weight affects your support.  Maybe if I take it slowly enough, I can adjust.  I know six pounds doesn't seem like a lot, but it is.

I also wonder if that's why I've had more vibrato lately.  A woman in our church used to have this SUPER bad wobble.  Her vibrato jumped octaves, and probably cycled about one per second.  It's gotten better since she lost weight.  Not wonderful, but a little better, I think.

Sigh.  Just give me some horns.

I Am a Music Snob

Yes, my dear readers; it is true.  I am a music snob.

I have not always been this way.  Heck- when I was 10 years old, I listened to stuff that was "in".  High School Crap Musical type stuff.  It is true.  Nowadays, I feel that if I give my seal of approval to anything less than Netrebko, I am somehow marring my musical integrity. It makes it hard to enjoy anything.

When you are passionate about a particular activity, you become more sensitive to it in your every day life.  In my case, singing has become something I am constantly judging in the world around me.  While this makes "normal" people singing something to simply be endured, it makes true artistry a rare, but overwhelming treat.

This concept of sensitivity is why I like the occasional football game.  I know nothing about football.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  Nothing.  For that reason, I am never critiquing the performance, and I never feel like I could do that.  I couldn't in a million years. There is nothing to remind me of my own weak areas(because they are all weak and I couldn't care less) and no way for me to see the players' weaknesses.

I am constantly playing the vocal coach for singers I hear in movies, sitcoms, and on the radio.  A few nights ago, I watched the new Disney movie, "Tangled".  I loved it; Disney music is still as wonderful as ever.  It is not classical, and the main character's singer used chest resonance as high as an A above middle C.  That being said, it was tasteful.  Her head resonance had a beautiful tone to it.  I also think that she adjusted her break so that she was not getting an awful Christina Aguilera type sound, but a rather even registers all the way.  I enjoyed it.  She had a nice vibrato, and also used her voice to portray her character. 

I got all this from one song. This is a much more generous and nice commentary than usual. Most people do not make these assessments.  I do; it is a part of me, and always will be. 

I am a music snob.