The In-Between Time; and Rake notes

I'm in that strange time in the life of an opera.... the show has opened, so rehearsals are over, and after a couple of days of rest and recovery, I am suddenly adrift in unaccustomed free time, with my work duties limited mostly to show days.  Don't get me wrong, I have a million things I SHOULD be doing, but somehow I am fairly useless, mostly reading, diving the internet rabbit holes, feeling bereft.   After a day or so, I will get truly sick of this and find some project to dive into, but for now I am just flirting with productivity..... polishing up a cut list here, typing translations there, reading old blog posts.  Like you do.  

This morning I looked at my various posts on "opera" and was pleased to find so many of the program notes I've written over the years.  It was a real walk down memory lane for me, and brought back so vividly my concerns about each of these special shows.   

Ironically, I did not manage to post my notes from what was arguably one of my most satisfying projects to date: The Rake's Progress at Wolf Trap Opera.   Perhaps because I struggled so mightily with them, and the opera itself.  Wrestling that beast was a massive task.  haahaha.     So, without further ado....

In the graveyard: Craig Colclough, Eric Barry
(pic by Kim Witman)

A Hero for Our Time?  Looking at Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress

On the heels of World War II, Stravinsky and Auden offer us a frothy confection concealing a rather grim modern outlook. Listening to the score, one is immediately aware of the dichotomy presented by its creators.  Relying on classical forms and textures, Stravinsky nonetheless has created a musical world all his own, one that sounds vaguely familiar, yet is askew and often unsettling.  Similarly, Auden’s libretto features a flowery language that calls to mind times past, but the content is modern, with a complex psychological viewpoint.   The two paint a hero who, while beautifully constrained in the trappings of a traditional classical opera, struggles to find meaning and purpose in a world that simply does not make sense anymore.  An unlikely hero, but one that may be all too familiar for today’s audience.   

The perhaps ironically named Tom Rakewell actually does not do “rake” very well. To quote the opera itself,  “He’s but a shuttleheaded lad: Not quite a gentleman, nor quite completely vanquished by the bad.”  Tom has everything going for him… looks, charm, a nice inheritance, the love of a good woman… but he cannot seem to find the internal motivation to realize his full potential as a human being.   He thinks he will find meaning in material pursuits and schemes, but it all ends in ruin.  Unlike many of opera’s rakish bad boys, he has a conscience, and that makes Tom a decidedly modern hero, with a decidedly modern resolution…  that is to say, not a clear one at all.  Rather than finding greatness in true love,  heroic deeds or other traditional operatic pursuits, Tom’s only real quest is to save himself…and he cannot.   

Our production seeks to illustrate visually the musical and dramatic complexities found in the score.   The story begins in a dreamlike place. While firmly rooted in the familiar, it is almost too perfect. Tom’s departure from the country means a shift from his classical norms.  His world becomes more surreal as he struggles to appropriate the values of a more modern existence.  The people he encounters on his progress are not quite “real,” but symbols of his experience.   The opera proper ends where it began:  with Tom, alone, gazing into the fathomless sky, full of questions that will not be answered.

A Stunningly Great Life

Saw this going around the Facebook interwebs today and thought it was pretty great advice.

60 TIPS FOR A STUNNINGLY GREAT LIFE   by Robin Sharma

1. Exercise daily.
2. Get serious about gratitude.
3. See your work as a craft.
4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.
5. Keep a journal.
6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.
7. Plan a schedule for your week.
8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
9. Say no to distractions.
10. Drink a lot of water.
11. Improve your work every single day.
12. Get a mentor.
13. Hire a coach.
14. Get up at 5 am each day.
15. Eat less food.
16. Find more heroes.
17. Be a hero to someone.
18. Smile at strangers.
19. Be the most ethical person you know.
20. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
21. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
22. Save 10% of your income each month.
23. Spend time at art galleries.
24. Walk in the woods.
25. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.
26. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
27. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
28. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
29. Have 5 great friends.
30. Become stunningly polite.
31. Unplug your TV.
32. Sell your TV.
33. Read daily.
34. Avoid the news.
35. Be content with what you have.
36. Pursue your dreams.
37. Be authentic.
38. Be passionate.
39. Say sorry when you know you should.
40. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
41. Have a vision for your life.
42. Know your strengths.
43. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.
44. Be patient.
45. Don’t give up.
46. Clean up your messes.
47. Use impeccable words.
48. Travel more.
49. Read “As You Think”.
50. Honor your parents.
51. Tip taxi drivers well.
52. Be a great teammate.
53. Give no energy to critics.
54. Spend time in the mountains.
55. Know your top 5 values.
56. Shift from being busy to achieving results.
57. Innovate and iterate.
58. Speak less. Listen more.
59. Be the best person you know.
60. Make your life matter.

Robin Sharma is the author of the #1 international bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title”

2012 wrap up

2012.  I think I am getting to that place in life where you blink and five years have passed.  I know this is a time of year when we all tend to look back and evaluate things, but this is especially so for me, since I get not only the new year, but also my birthday, which is just a few days before.  In any case, here are some highlights of the year....

Wrote my most popular blog post ever, How to Not Starve as a Freelancer, or What They Don't Teach You in Music School.   I'm actually working on expanding this post and would love to offer a little workshop for college kids or something.  Let me know if you are interested.

Lived thru year one of long-distance with my man friend, who now has a job in NYC, while I am still officially here in beloved Houston. Not always easy, but we are making it work, hopefully growing stronger because of it.  Also, lots of frequent flyer miles.  ha!

Got a brand new niece of my very own: Little Shannon Olivia Faircloth conveniently made her appearance on my dad's birthday.  I like this picture of her because I think she looks like a little Jedi in training.   I have evil plans for her, and intend to be the best crazy aunt on the block.

Directed a beautiful new production of  The Rake's Progress at Wolf Trap Opera, probably the highlight of my career so far.   AND THE CRITICS AGREED.  hhahahahah.  But seriously, while I like to pretend the reviews don't matter, it is awfully nice when they like your work, and when they say so in the Washington Post ("a simple and elegant production") and Opera News ("highest peak of the past decade").    Learning the show, working with my designers to figure out the best way to tell this wild story, then making it all happen with a dream cast and production team.... this was definitely the highlight/biggest agony of my year.

Other career stuff:
Mainstage debut at two regional houses (the "must-see" Rigoletto at Utah Opera and "an imaginative, absorbing" Trovatore at Opera Colorado ).  Returned to Tulsa to do another bel canto comedy: The Daughter of the Regiment. It was pretty great, leading to plenty of eye-rolling from my man-friend, who is getting a little sick of my "it's going to be the worst show ever seen on the stage" routine.  Directed another show for Houston Grand Opera's East+West project, this one about Azerbaijan:  The Bricklayer.  I was really pleased with this one too, but the very best part was meeting and getting to work with a new artstic soul-mate, my lovely and talented set designer, Laura Fine Hawkes.   A perfect design collaboration is one in which the other person is able to understand and materialize thoughts that you are not even sure you understand yourself, based solely on some random images you found on the internet and a few disparate phrases.  Seriously, I would say the most inane things, and Laura would be able to pick that out of the air, add to it and make it concrete, on paper, only 300 times better.  Plus she is fun and likes fostering kitties.

Visited Chicago for the first time, then worked on a show there, surrounded by great old pals and lovely new ones. This marked my return to assistant directing work, and I have to say, this was a wonderful way to do it.... interesting show, easy-going director, one of the best houses in America.

Worked on my house. Of course. Because that is what you do when you own a 1935 bungalow that is fairly decrepit.
Most Awesome Improvement that Makes My Life Better Every Day:  a whole kitchen reno!
Most Unexpected But Also Beautiful: removed the bricks from the rear of the house and replaced with siding. This happened because one day the bricks on the rear of the house decided it was time and simply fell off.  Owning a home is an adventure.

Also, signed up with Airbnb.com which has changed my life.  Check out my cute listing!  This is an online service wherein folks can rent my home when I am away.  They get a cute place to stay and I make a little money to stuff under my mattress for when I am old.

I read some really great books this year.  Got a Kindle for Christmas last year, and I must admit I really like it.   In 2010 I made a point of mentioning the books I had read each month... maybe I will try that again this year.

Finally, got much more into watercoloring this year.  I am determined to get my Etsy Shop up and running again!  I renamed it: One Part Whimsy, now I just have to put some things inside of it.   I'd love to do lots of custom work.... I think I am pretty good at houses, so if you'd like a painting of your childhood home perhaps, let me know!

LONGEST POST EVAH.  ok I will wrap this up for now, but expect to see a bit more activity around here.  Fresh year, fresh start.  Happy new year!

Some musing on creativity

The Starbucks (inky) Red Cup from Johanna Basford on Vimeo.

The gal over at Pikaland.com just put out one of the best articles on working in a creative field that I have read in a long time.   It is sooo easy to sit back and whine that it is just too hard, there is no time, the market is flooded, etc.  There is literally no limit to the excuses you can come up with when you set your creative mind to it!    And yet, here are some practical, useable-right-now tips.

This one is my favorite:

Create your own opportunities. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, like what Johanna Basford has done here (see video above). Some people say that you shouldn’t do the work before being commissioned and with a piece of paper in your hands. Bullshit. Be generous – show what you can do first, especially people are unsure about your capabilities or when you have nothing to show but a bunch of student work (which you think could be better). Be smart about it though – show that you can solve problems, not just make pretty things that can be recreated by an intern. If you’re good, there’s plenty more where that came from, so don’t be afraid to open up.   

It brings to mind this beautiful quote from Martha Graham:

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."  ― Martha Graham

This is a truth I am coming to understand more and more as I make my way in this world:  There is no one else who can do what I do.  Not that what I do is NECESSARILY the best (have to let others make that decision!)  but I am the only one who can do it, and when I try to box it up or make it safe or edgy or anything other than what my heart wants it to be, I am short-changing the whole situation.   Scary and freeing at the same time, no?

The Pikaland article urges us to START NOW and to move with boldness.  Seriously, read this post!

Creativity Boot Camp?

I read a great article over at Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project  today:  Put Yourself in Creativity Boot Camp. 

The idea is simple:  for a certain period of time, you devote yourself INTENSELY to a single project. 

Like most folks I know, I struggle with procrastination.  I have gotten the "pre-show preparation angst" down to a science, and it seems the more experienced I am, the worse it gets.  Once I have gotten some major decisions out of the way, it like pulling nails to get me sit down and study.  This is all the more frustrating in light of the fact that whenever I devote ANY time to the project, I get a ton of work done, and feel IMMENSELY better.

I have a little list of activities that don't require a huge amount of brain power, but "count" towards my learning a show..... the biggest is prepping the score:  writing in my translation, printing and binding. Then on to the creative work.  This is where it falls apart.

A method I have been trying on the past several shows:  I literally create a study schedule, assigning a scene or two to work on every day.  I try to get my "assignment" done very early.... first thing, if possible.... so I can then relax. If I feel inspired to work on more later in the day, fine, but I am officially  "off the hook."   In some ways this is a bit like Gretchen's boot camp idea, but it needs some tweaking.  

Here are 4 points from her article that really resonate with me.  (This is a direct cut-and-paste from Gretchen's article, but there are a lot more over there, so do check it out!)

• Progress itself is reassuring and inspiring. Panic tends to set in when you find yourself getting nothing done, day after day.
• Because you’re so focused on your project, you begin to make deeper connections and to see more possibilities, instead of being constantly distracted by outside concerns. 
• Because of the intensity, you can hop in and out of the project, without having to take time to acclimate yourself. 
• Because you have a voracious need for material, you become hyper-aware of everything happening around you — and ideas begin to flood your mind.

 I LOVE this.  Basically, it is what happens during the production period of an opera!  We meet and for a month, my whole life is about making that show happen.  I can stand the intensity because I know that at the end of that time, I move on.    

So I'm thinking a more serious boot camp is in order for future shows.  I going aim for a shorter boot camp EARLIER in the preparation process, then a less intense review time closer to the show.   Of course some of this will revolve around my calendar, but it is food for thought.  Will report on progress....

What are YOU doing to stay on top of major projects?  

August musings

Hi folks. 
About time for my random check-in, no?

Here's what's up:
1.  In NYC for a few days, seeing the man-friend, decompressing after the opening of my big summer project:  The Rake's Progress at Wolf Trap Opera.  If you are connected to me via Facebook, you already know I was ridiculously pleased with the production.  And so, apparently, were the reviewers!! This almost never happens, so please permit me to crow a small bit....

Washington Post---Rake's Progress at Wolf Trap highlights vocal talent:  "Tara Faircloth directed a simple and elegant production."

Baltimore Sun---Rake's Progress gets potent staging from Wolf Trap Opera:  "All of this can be richly savored in what easily ranks among the most satisfying Wolf Trap Opera Company productions, musically and theatrically, of the past decade or so....there are imaginative and absorbing touches throughout."

BOOM.  So proud of my singers, my designers, the music folk, and the amazing crew and admin that make all of that happen.  What an amazing experience. 

2. Just posted my Houston apartment to AirBnB!  See the cute button there on the side??  I have absolutely no good pics to post on my listing yet, but I thought I would go ahead and get it going.  However, if YOU have friends that might be interested in subletting, my terms are flexible and we don't have to go thru AirBnB, though it is nice that there is a credit card option.  Anyway, I am out of town a lot this year, so I'd love to see the place get used.  Spread the word, will ya?

3.  Looking for some good book recommendations..... it takes a lot of energy to avoid working on my fall projects, and a good book will often do the trick!  What's is on your nightstand this week?

And that is kind of that for right now.  I will try to work up some juicy posts for the rest of the month.  Surely there is some sort of trouble out there for me?

Musing and a list

A story about freelance life:
My name is Tara. I am a freelance opera director. I sometimes think I may be the laziest person on the planet, but surely that can't be so, right?
I am in that difficult time when I have about 1 million things I COULD be doing, probably SHOULD be doing, but there are not any imminent deadlines.  The show I am working on is mostly prepped, and we are in rehearsals.  There is plenty of time for said rehearsals (barring something insane) so I am not really stressed about it.   The show that IS a bit of a stressor does not go into rehearsals until mid-September, so I have plenty of time to freak out about that one (which I do, continually). I have done the bulk of my homework for that one too... now I just want to get in a room with the singers and see what we can make work!  
Then I have 2 major shows later in the season. I have picked at those a bit but don't feel too pressured.  So... here I am. In that strange no man's land, waiting on inspiration.  Getting the procrastination part of the process over with. 

This is what I have done today INSTEAD of working on opera:

1. Went to Home Depot at 8am to exchange some mini-blinds.  Again. This will be my 3rd set in as many days. 
2. Did a load of laundry. 
3. Hung mini-blinds. 
4. Put away tools.
5. Watered the crepe myrtle tree I decided to plant just before Houston's sweeping drought.  
6. Checked all my bank accounts.
7. Washed dishes.
8. Made some inquiries about a sublet in nyc for my boyfriend.

Then later today I have coffee with a friend and my book club meets tonight.  That sounds good enough, right?  No need to transcribe translations in a show I am doing in March?  sigh.

Director Notes: Sweeney

So there comes a time, during the weeks before you go to direct a show, that the company usually calls you up and says.... "hey, we were wondering if you have a few thoughts to share for the program?" Usually that conversation ends like this... "and could you get them to us by tomorrow?" I don't know why it is a surprise every time! I know it is coming, they know it is coming, but every single show it sneaks up on us! Well, this summer my company (Wolf Trap!) should be commended... I got almost a week's notice. Not that I was any more prepared than usual to produce said notes, but hey, it is progress in a larger sense.

However, I am making a new goal for myself: work on the notes well in advance. Not for the company... for me! It is incredibly useful to sit down and force yourself to put IN WRITING what it is you think you are trying to communicate in the show. Has it changed since you began working on the piece? What have you learned in your study and while working on the design? It is all very well to have a sense of your message in your head, but can you actually put it into words? In working on my notes for Sweeney Todd, I found several little holes that needed filling. I had also needed to fill in the bridge between some big ideas I had. The notes may or may not reflect that homework, but the project is all the better for having done it!

Anyway... here, for your reading pleasure, are my notes this go-round. The show is staged, we are working through reviews, my lighting designer and I am gearing up conversations, our video production is well underway, and my costume designer is here for final fittings this week. It is happening!!

DIRECTOR NOTES

I saw Sweeney Todd for the first time at the New York Philharmonic in May of 2000. A naïve twenty-something, I was deeply disappointed to learn that I would be seeing a last minute replacement in the title role: some guy by the name of George Hearn. It turned out to be one of the most thrilling theater experiences of my life. With few props and very little set, these artists completely swept me away. This concert staging opened my eyes to what theater could be, taught me that music and story telling is enough...in fact, is more than enough. A very wise man said to me recently that the future of our art form, if there is one, is in forcing our audiences to use their imagination. The live theater is not best equipped to create a highly realistic world, nor should it. Rather, our job is to invite our audience to participate in a living creation process.... to engage in the performance and come on the journey with us, because using our imagination makes us feel alive.

Why should we “attend the tale of Sweeney Todd?” Todd wants revenge, one of the most primal, natural urges. He fully embraces his vengeful impulse, but rather than finding satisfaction, he becomes a shell of a man who literally destroys everyone in his path. To quote Mr. Sondheim: “To seek revenge may lead to hell. But everyone does it, if seldom as well as Sweeney Todd.” If we attend this tale and allow ourselves to feel his rage, his thirst for revenge and the inevitable desolation that follows, we create for ourselves a place to entertain unexpressed desires... without risk or consequence. Through our participation in this story, we experience a dark side of human nature that is simply not practical (or advisable!) to realize, but no less valuable for having happened in our imaginations. Could it be that when we look into the eyes of this killer, we actually feel more alive? My experience says yes. Hopefully, yours will, too!

TED talk on creativity

Listened to this TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert about creativity... and more importantly, how fear plays (or doesn't play) into that....    Lordy, is it speaking to me today, this week, in the midst of my monster summer project.  

TED talks, if you are not yet familiar, are simply amazing.   Genius speakers offering chats on various subjects.  It is basically the holy grail for nuts like myself.  Check the site, there are literally hundreds of hours of mind-blowing videos right there for you to watch at any ole time. 

Winter News

O lordy. I may be the worst blogger on record.  Having been firmly hassled by myriad rabid readers of late, I am at last succumbing to the pressure and offering up a little blog post.  The form:  a list, of course.

What is Up in my Life, or Why I have been a Horrible Blogger:

1. Worked on Peter Grimes at HGO this season.  What a doozy of a show.  Tons of chorus work and it is not just standing around, singing pretty music.  Happy to work on it, happy to see it come to a close. 
2. Trying to get things lined up for next season.  Its looking pretty good! More to follow on this, pronto.
3. Spending lots of time with the man in my life.   Including a whirlwind vacation to lovely, wintery NYC.  See pics above and below!
4. Getting work done on my Money Pit, I mean house.  As in foundation repair, reno of bathroom, new septic/sewage lines. Saving up now for a new roof.
5. Singing (actually sobbing throughout) at my younger brother's wedding.  Who knew I was such a sap?  (I suppose the question should be who DOESN'T know?).  Story to follow if I am feeling brave.  In any case, the wedding was lovely, we love the bride, I think they are a great pair. Happy ending. 
6. Spending lots of time getting ready for my spring work.  More info to follow.
7. Packing madly for a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan.  A perfectly normal place to spend the week before Christmas, I say.  Houston Grand Opera is sending me there to work with a composer on a commission for a small show we are producing in the spring.  More info to follow.  

something to ponder

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.

from The Life and Work of Martha Graham

Take me away....

Isn't that bike just a breath of fresh air?  Such clean lines.  Simple, beautiful, and calling to mind summer breezes, freedom, smiling into the wind.   I am really wanting a cruiser right now.

Amazing Poet Alert

Maya Stein
I have posted one of her poems here before, but I am kind of obsessed.  Maybe because it is like Ms. Stein has a private webcam into my life, and then she writes about the most mundane things with exquisite beauty and profound understanding? amazing...

Let the world spin as it spins

Eat the last cookies in the box.
Wear the same pair of jeans two
weeks in a row. See the orchid die, leaf
by leaf. Wipe the countertop carelessly,
so it’s sticky as spit the next time
you lean on your elbows wondering
what’s for dinner. Watch hours
of television. Call for pizza, for Chinese,
for the cable company to give you even
more channels. Drive by the gym
without skipping a beat. Wash your hair only
when it starts wilt, when the mirror
produces someone who doesn’t look like she wants
to get laid. Think about sex constantly.
Order cocktails. Play pool. Spend your money
on a massage, on t-shirts from the warehouse sale,
on inflation-priced bagels from the café down the street.
Ignore the obvious fact that the sheets
need changing. Occupy your bed gratuitously.
When you’re done reading for the night,
flop the pages open, straining the jacket.
Allow the avocados to ripen beyond repair.
Stain the kitchen sink with grape stems,
mango peels, olive pits with the meat
still clinging. Use vast quantities of paper towels
for a simple spill of water.
Lavish attention on the minute landscape
between your eyebrows.
Lose time. Ditch the mail into the bulging
plastic bag near your desk. Almost mistake it
for trash. Abandon the task of fixing
the dresser drawer. Turn your car
into a wastebasket.

And when it comes, fall with extravagant
ugliness. Grieve noisily into the balls of your fists.
Push your heels against the carpet, your chest squirming.
Feel the walls of the house vibrate with your pain.
Make pockmarks of your heart.
Collapse if you have to. It is like this.
The world spins as it spins.
No one knows,
even though we all know
this is between
you and you alone.
So yield. Commit your entire body.
Recognize your own astonishing anguish.
Tear it from your skin like a wolf
eviscerates her trapped leg. Shriek like
the downed bird you are.
Invest wholly in your damage.
Lap up each tumescent despair. Swallow
the pinbones of your loss. Caress
every razor edge of not enough. Gift yourself
long, bruising hours of hopelessness.
The world spins as it spins.
Your life is on that same axis,
half shadow, half radiance
and turning, always turning.

tuesday delights

What's delighting me on this gloomy Tuesday:

1. My Life as a Dog. What a charming film. Netflix says: "This Oscar-nominated gem offers an honest depiction of the often-confusing nature of childhood. Shipped off to live with his uncle for the summer, 12-year-old Ingmar finds unexpected adventures with the help of the town's warmhearted eccentrics. These experiences give him the strength to accept his life and eventually enjoy childhood." I say: this film forced me to stifle a sob for nearly 2 hours.... happy moments and sad.
   
2. Mom's homemade blackberry jelly.
   
3. Getting some clarity on a worrying situation.
   
4. Good test results from the vet for my baby fosters!
5. Considering the menu for a cold evening at home.
6. Slowly crossing things off the To Do list.
   

Wednesday delights

Wednesday delights:

1. Surprises: like grabbing a glass of "water" from the coffee table, slugging it down, and discovering it is white wine! GOOD MORNING!
2. Birthdays of special people.
3. Anticipation.
4. Modal jersey sheets. Lordy these are soft and cozy.
   
5. Lap full of kitties.
   
6. Making plans for the day.
7. The public library.
8. Thrift stores.
   

T-day countdown

Only two more days to one of my very favorite holidays: Thanksgiving!!

I love love love it.... delicious food, great pals, a nip in the air (fingers crossed!). A day fully devoted to the idea of gratitude for all the blessings we have in our lives. And a parade. Hello? What's not to love about this day?

For many years now I have reserved Thanksgiving as the holiday I spend with the family I have made for myself. I've lived quite far away from my natural family since I graduated from college, and 2 big trips in the space of one month just doesn't make sense, so I've developed my own traditions. I've spent T-day on Ellis Island with a childhood pal, around a sad little chicken in my first apartment with a high-school friend, with the families of various loved ones... upstate NY, Texas Panhandle, Texas Hill Country. For the last couple of years, I've spent the day with the family of a dear dear friend here in Houston, which has been wonderful. And last year I began a new tradition: Delivering home-made CINNAMON ROLLS!

Thank you Pioneer Woman for adding to the collective waist-line of those in my inner circle.
Anyway, I hope you are all looking forward to a very happy Thanksgiving as well, surrounded by people you love. xxoxox

Tim Burton at MOMA

I am not the biggest fan of Tim Burton (lord knows that would be a difficult title for which to fight!) but I certainly appreciate his attention to detail and how fully his work is realized.... every piece is it's own AMAZING world. Anyhoo... here is a fascinating interview with the man that includes lots and lots of stills of his drawings and movie work. Worth the 7 minutes, I say.

On my plate...

What is on your plate this week?
Mine is FULL!!!

1. Going to Round Top, Texas, this weekend for a symposium on Noel Coward and Vaudeville.
   
2. Meeting new people
3. HGO's Lohengrin #3
4. Book club: featuring the informative and disturbing Half the Sky.
5. Washington Pub Crawl. Second incarnation. Missed the first, determined to enjoy the 2nd.
   
6. Flying to Tulsa and back multiple times... sometimes on the same day! .... to direct a small show for the opera there: Britten's Noyes's Fludde.... and am THRILLED to be using the costumes & sets from a production I did with Rooth Varland several years ago.
7. Lohengrin #4 and #5
8. exhaustion/relaxation
   

headshots

ok, mini-freak out...how's this for a new headshot? I know, I know, push the hair out of your face.... what can i do ???
taken by the ever-talented CameraMan. Maybe I will post other options as personal demons are confronted and courage is plucked.
In the meantime, compare with this one, taken OVER A DECADE AGO. wow.


In other news, I am coming up on a bit of time off. I have some projects in the works, but I am looking at a LOT of free time. AND I NEED SOMETHING TO OCCUPY MY EASILY CRAZED MIND! so... suggestions????
Things I am considering:

• Getting serious about jogging. You know I love the podcast, but I am crap at keeping up with a program.
  
• Getting serious about language study. Even if I force myself to study for one hour a day.. think what I could learn!
• A crazy opera study project: Mozart immersion or something. Really devote myself to one opera a week... watch at least 2 videos, read up.
  

I should do ALL of these, shouldn't I? I could be educated AND svelte by Christmas. Che pazzo!
Seriously my friends, let's hear your ideas, pronto. I need you.

Well-rounded, my A..

Today I enjoyed an excellent post over at The White Hot Truth entitled "The Ridiculous Pursuit of Being Well-Rounded." Maybe you will enjoy it too: here.

The post comes a good time.... I have been surrounded lately by people who are absolutely brilliant and doing exactly what they are really good at. This, while trying to do some things that I do NOT think I am particularly brilliant at doing..... holding my tongue, holding my ego in check, keeping my opinions to myself, thinking in German.

And, to paraphrase a wise friend of mine: Comparison is the root of discontent.

What if, instead of comparing myself and noticing the lack, I focused on doing what I am good at.... and getting better? Quoting the above article directly....

So what makes you feel strong?
Do more of it. And more still. Find ways to get even better at it, sharpen your saw as the old master of effectiveness, Stephen Covey puts it. Push your edge. Dare to be focused on your natural capacities. Say yes to what you love, what inspires you, what lights you up. It takes some kahunas, but it beats well-rounded mediocrity any day.