Friday

Okay, the biggest news of today is that I am walking around like a 90-year-old woman thanks to last night's torture session, aka YOGA.

I get there early, spread out my mat, trying not to be obvious about needing the edges of the mat to line up perfectly with the seams of the wood floor. I then remember that I am there to let go of all these psycho tendencies and lay back on the mat to try to go to my zen place. I'm almost there when I hear the voice of our teacher saying: "For those of you that were here last week, you know we focused on relaxation and restoration. This week is going to be the exact opposite of that." Of course my first day back in a month is the day she spends 20 minutes on core work and all these other sadistic things that nearly killed me.

That's cool. I needed it and should not complain. But it hurts.

Back to the Pamina conundrum: I am not convinced. Voce is being stubborn about that funny run in the middle of the aria. If it were on an "Ah" vowel, I think it might me a different story. I'm practicing it as an "Ah" though, and hope that by slowly shifting the vowel back to what it really is, I can trick myself into being able to singing it with the proper articulation. But, I am REALLY enjoying Manon and Adina. They are lovely in every way, challenging, not at all just a breeze, but they seem to fit better.

Happy Weekend!