New to the blog

I have added the American Idol vidoes running at the top. It will be there for the next few weeks. Enjoy the recap for every week.

I miss my Meg!

You know that one person that you talk to all the time. Good things, bad things, not even remotely important things....it doesn't matter because you talk about them. When they answer the phone, they don't care if you start in the middle of a conversation, because they already know you well enough that the first part of the conversation isn't needed! That's Meg. She and I have been friends for about a dozen years. When I moved across the country we relied solely on telephone conversations and short visits! It was tough, but in the past year she has been online a lot more (thank you TM's) and I have gotten accustomed to her being available during the week for chatting through out the day. It has been almost like high school again. We talk all the time.

(Enter tragic heartbreaking music)

Meg's computer broke last Friday. I know she is experiencing withdrawals from the internet, (as this blog is all about me) what is important is that she is not here to chat.

Who am I going to ping when something tragic happens.....
or something that is so hilarious that I know only she would find it funny
or I have to figure out how to react to certain situations........
or.............
or.............

I miss my Meg.

Please Mr Computer Fix-It Guru, please hurry and get her back online.

(And Meg........remember, I will clean your kitchen for the rest of my life, you just have to do one itsy, bisty, teeny, weeny, little favor)

Tag. I am it.

Okay, Baby Sister Tallie tagged me and in my desire to support my family I am responding. (See Tallie, I do love you!)

What were you doing 10 years ago?
10 years ago? Let’s see I was almost 19. Lukas wasn’t even a year old and I working at Days Inn and Sears helping out at the house and taking the boys with me to BYU to play. Lol!

5 Things on my ‘to do’ list today:

1. Organize the Donations for our Afghani Drive! YAY!
2. Walk….hopefully the rain lets up.
3. Figure out my response to Roommate drama…UGH!
4. Clean my Room
5. Laundry

3 Bad Habits

1. When my life gets stressful, I disconnect from those around me and hide in a world of books. I am training myself out of this but it is slow going….
2. I have to be doing something with my mouth….if I am not talking I am eating. To stop both I will chew gum.
3. I am not sure of a third… I am sure my “oohh, shiny” moments count as a bad habit. I have got to learn to focus!

If I were suddenly a billionaire?
I always answer this question the same way. I have no idea. I would end up putting it in the bank while I tried to figured it out.
I am sure, there would be bank accounts set up for family, friends, and others. Something would have to be put away for retirement or whatever…Do you think there would be enough to build a library?

4 Places I have lived:
Well if I had to name just 4; I think my favorites are………

1. New Hampshire
2. Washington, DC
3. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
4. Orem, Utah

5 Jobs I have had:

1. HR Coordinator
2. Medical Receptionist
3. Customer Service (Sears Home Central. How may I help you?)
4. Housekeeping at Days Inn
5. And my all Time Favorite..Barnes and Noble bookseller! (Now if only I didn’t like getting a decent paycheck I would give up everything and work there. Lol!)

5 Things people don't know about me:

1. I am actually a very shy person. I try to tell people but no one believes me. It takes a lot for me to be outgoing; most people think it comes naturally. In reality, I get sick to my stomach every time I have to deal with large crowds and new people.
2. I am scared of the dark....and all things that go bump in the night!
3. I have little personal epiphanies all the time; you would think I know myself by now. (The most recent being I don’t talk like most people. Just ask Patience and Meg!)
4. I don’t consider most people friends but acquaintances. There are many people that consider me friend that I count as acquaintances. I can count those I consider friends on 2 hands. (Not including family, of course.)
5. When I am uncomfortable I try laugh. Even in writing I will use ‘Lol’ quite a lot if a topic makes me nervous or uncomfortable.

I now tag: Meg, Patience, Kate, Jess, Code Monkey and Tiana (That’s twice T…..get a blog!)

That is what Meg said too.....

Well we already know I am a geek so when I saw this over at Reading Adventures and just had to take the test and see if Meg was right....

Which Twilight novel character are you?

You're Bella Swan - You are intelligent and kind but not quite sure what you want out of life yet. You have a feeling there's something more out there for you. You're attracted to those who are real and avoid the fake. Sometimes you're a bit accident prone, but your true friends will always be loyal to you and come to your aid when you need it. Take this quiz!

Maybe I would like this more if I thought Bella would end up with Jacob....unfortunately I don't think that is in the cards for her. *sigh*

Wisdom comes in all shapes and colors

Weeks ago I came across an interesting post about “the lost art of wooing” on yet another blog. I, of course, quickly added this new blog to my bloglines. I would have been sad to miss the insightful posts like Dreamgirls and Profilin, and of course today’s Dating/Shopping post.

While reading today I was struck with the thought that one of the many things the internet has given us is the opportunity to learn from people all over the world in many different ways. I have no idea who this person is; I don’t know anything important about them, not even their name. But that doesn’t change the fact that I can learn from their life lessons. Just as I can learn from the life lessons of those I meet, like last night’s Dottie who told me stories of her time during the Korean War. There are so many people in this world, and the experiences are never the same. Maybe if we were able to learn from each other rather then fight with each other, life would be better.

Thanks to **K** and the other bloggers for your willingness to let me peer through the windows of your lives.

***Yes, I know the information that is posted in the blogs can be fictitious. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to enjoy them or find nuggets of wisdom in them. ***

To explain the slightly lost look on my face.......

You Are a Question Mark

You seek knowledge and insight in every form possible. You love learning. And while you know a lot, you don't act like a know it all. You're open to learning you're wrong. You ask a lot of questions, collect a lot of data, and always dig deep to find out more. You're naturally curious and inquisitive. You jump to ask a question when the opportunity arises. Your friends see you as interesting, insightful, and thought provoking. (But they're not always up for the intense inquisitions that you love!) You excel in: Higher education You get along best with: The Comma

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Thanks to good friends and evening walking! I survived another day.
I even got up the gumption to try a club sandwich! HA! I ate something that had cold meat, mayo, and mustard. I know! I can see the shock and awe on so many faces. But the bread was just so good and it was homemade, and about the size of my head. How could I not try it. It was good, thanks Code Monkey!

I have been thinking a lot lately.

*Gasp!* *Ack!*
Thinking....oh no! The shock! The horror!

There is a lot that is going on in my life. I just can’t blog any of it. Everything just solidifies my sever dislike of confrontation. Thanks to my upbringing I have been trained well. I learned a long time ago to deal with facts and only facts (thanks Ralph!). I know that I am to handle situations in a logical manner with out emotion; to wait until I am calm to respond to aggravating communications.

That being said, when this is all over, you can expect a venting blog entry or two describing the various dramas that surround me in an illogical and emotional manner!

Until then, you’ll just have to survive on the quizzes and music videos I post. Sorry!

So, here is another shameless plug for Yahoo Launchcast! Heard in my office today:





I mean really, where else do those songs get put on the same playlist? I LOVE music!!

I'm just me!

Your Slogan Should Be

Rae - Delightfully Tacky, yet Unrefined

The Slogan Generator

You know, sometimes they get it right. ;)

My recap (Even if Kate thinks they are all idiots)

I must say......I hate confrontations. Why can't we all just get along?

But moving right along....
My Idols evaluation:
Every week I find that I enjoy the performances of The Davids and Carly. The three of them have amazing talents. This week was no different. I loved the choices that they made. Jason Castro was his usual performance self....I really do see him on a beach somewhere toking it up and strumming his guitar.

The 2 I am posting for this week are the ones who impressed me most.

Syesha:

I usually don't have much to say about her. She has a great voice, but has always bored me. I was not bored this week, as a matter of fact I was amazed! I think she made an interesting comment when she was talking to Lord Andrew. She said: "It's American Idol, not musical theater." My response: Honey if you had been this animated from the beginning you would never be in the bottom 3. Play to your strengths, the audience always loves a good show! Broadway is callin'


Brooke:

Brooke is also not usually a favorite of mine. She is gangly and awkward. But her voice is so interesting and she does have a lot of talent. This week, she impressed me with how she handled herself. You know she was mortified and she was almost in tears during the judges. While the performance wasn't her best, it was still very effective and moving.
Plus...she didn't spend the whole time talking!

I need a good brown belt.

My favorite jeans are ruined; even fresh from the dryer, they no longer fit snugly. A girl expects them to relax the fit after a wearing them for a day or two. But that first wearing they are supposed to be snug on your hips and rear.

I know this is a happy thing, but really, these jeans I just purchased (Kate was that just last fall?) won't stay on my hips any more. Which in turn means that they are way to long. I purposely bought them long so that I could wear heels with them making my legs look great. But now all I can worry about is if my underwear is showing! How can a girl feel as if she looks good if she is constantly pulling her pants up.

*sigh*

I miss that snug feeling.

For all those that wonder why I am interested....

P.S.....I have the bestest best friend in the whole wide world! Rock on to angry girl music!

Richmond for a day……..

Here I sit curled up in bed with leftovers of Panaang Gui and Carey Grant frolicking with Sophia Lauren on my TV…..It has been a long couple of days and I am so glad to be able to curl up for a while.

I have been planning today’s trip for weeks. The TM’s of VA were getting together. As the day got closer our numbers dwindled. None of the crowd from the north was able to make it and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to go myself. In lieu of renting a car, I found a great price on a train ticket to Richmond. The only draw back was that the morning train left at 7:30 am arriving in Richmond just before 11 am. Since I wasn’t meeting with Tiff until just before lunch at 2:30pm, I had plenty of time to wander around Richmond.The bus to the train station left at 6 am and I was up and out with the dawn. The morning ride through downtown was beautiful; the sky turning a pretty gold as I stepped off the bus in front of Union Station.

The train ride was a peaceful trip; the green of Virginia is breathtaking. Upon arriving in Richmond, I struck off on my own.
There is something about being able to walk around and explore on my own. I came upon a beautiful area called Canal Walk in Old Richmond. It has loads of history, which we all know is what I crave. There was even a historic tour which took me down the canal itself. I had a lot of fun. Especially towards the end when the guide described the ‘give me liberty or give me death’ speech that was given all those years ago just a few blocks from the canal. One of the last things that the guide pointed out while we were touring down the canal was this view........
Here we have the transportation for the last 3 centuries:

At the lowest level you have the 18th century canal, if you look close you can see the gate that runs through the flood wall for the boats to pass through.

Directly above the waterway you have a 19th century train track which is still in use. It is one of the tracks used for the triple cross in the world.

And finally above that there is the 20th century express way.

After my little tour I found a small farmers market that had a gentleman playing Jazz on a keyboard. It was awesome to sit and listen while soaking up the sun of the beautiful day!


Which brought me to the exciting part of my deal..Lunch with the TM’s…most of the time it was Tiff and I, Marie joined us at the end. It was fun to talk to about Twilight with other women…lol! We talked twilight and kids and work and husbands and Kmart and Emmett and Jacob………and all those other important things! Time seemed to fly and before we knew it the time had come for me to catch my train back to DC….*sigh* I can hardly wait until September; nothing but Twilight and friends; with out any time constraints or distractions.
We did take a picture but It was with Tiff's camera....I'll post it when I get a copy. I can't wait until we can do it again!! What fun!

Well Carey Grant has now married Sophia Lauren and they are one big happy family….that means it is my bed time. I hope everyone has had a great week!

*Code Monkey…I got your VM…..have fun with your mom this week. :)

Silly Ol' Bear

I find this interesting for many reasons but the 2 most obvious ones are:

1. When I was younger I was taught to use the name "Pooh Bear" as an insult. He is a bear stuffed with fluff...as in he had no brain.
   
2. I think I am a bit more of a worry wort then described here. Lol!

That aside....I really like the quote from pooh.....maybe that is why Thursdays are my favorite day of the week.

Happy Friday Y'all. I'll blog later with info about the trip to Hairspray with Jess last night!

Your Score: Pooh

You scored 11 Ego, 13 Anxiety, and 14 Agency!

"What do you like doing best in the world, Pooh?"

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best?" and then he had
to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very
good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to
eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know
what it was called.

You scored as Pooh!

ABOUT POOH: Pooh is a bear of Very Little Brain but quite a lot of heart. He enjoys the simple things in life, like visiting friends (in time for lunch), counting honey pots, and going for nice walks. He is a steadfast and loyal friend, and is often much brighter than he thinks he is.

WHAT THIS SAYS ABOUT YOU: You are a positive and calm sort of person, and you tend to go with the flow. When things go wrong, you generally find the most practical solution and put things right, with very little worry or fuss. You are a rock that your friends can lean on in times of trouble.

Your attitude towards life is very Zen. You appreciate the small things in life, while still managing not to sweat the small stuff. Your biggest flaw is your tendency to underestimate yourself. You are actually much smarter and more capable than you think you are.

Link: The Deep and Meaningful Winnie-The-Pooh Character Test written by wolfcaroling on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test View My Profile(wolfcaroling)

Channeling My Inner Boo!

Me: Yes, I would like to order dessert. I would like the Hot Fudge Sundae; but I don’t want Hot Fudge I want Caramel.And I don’t want Almonds I want Strawberries.

Waitress: Well you know we could do both Caramel and Fudge if you would like….

Me: You are brilliant. That is exactly what I want!

See Boo, it only took 3 years, but now I can get exactly what I want at a restaurant; instead of settling for something that I don’t really like!

Thanks for being my mentor.

Memories

Today is a boring post. While in the process of scanning a bunch of pictures I found the old collages I did. When I moved out here I didn't have room for my box of pictures so I took only the most important ones to preserve my memories. Somewhere during the process of shuffling from home to home, I put them away and haven't had them out. I had forgotten how much fun they were. So for my enjoyment more then yours:







UPDATE: So I just watched the stuff from last nights American Idol...the Davids are Amazing!!!

Especially my boy David Cook! Dang the boy has one HAWT voice!!!

The Cherry Blossoms and Evan Almighty

It has been an interesting day for me here. Not so much because of anything I have done, more because of the chance for introspection.

I was up early to head over to Constitution Ave for the Cherry Blossom Festival annual parade. I have been volunteering at this parade for 3 years now. It is one of the reasons I love living where I do. I get to meet people from all over the country who are here for various reasons. Today, my bleacher section was mostly tourists in for a week, with a smattering of band parents. The band parents are my favorites. They are so enthusiastic. It was a great time! People are amazing, even in the rain and mud.
I was also pleased to be able to cheer on the Timpview High Marching Band from Provo. I know, sacrilege, I am an Orem High Tiger (and will remain true forever...I promise). But there is very little representation from Utah in the parades out here, so I’ll take what I can get. Lol!

Afterwards, I was to hit up the National Mall for D.E.A.R. Unfortunately, there was rain off and on all morning and I decided to head at home instead. A change of clothes and a bit of breeze and rain coming through the open windows in my room was the perfect setting for my latest book. Which turned into a 6 hour nap. Apparently I have been going pretty strong these days and needed to rest. Lol!

When I woke up, I decided I was in the mood for a chuckle. Last night, I had watched Accepted (a cheesy but funny movie that, ironically, provided me with my Kellmett fix even though I couldn’t see his latest. Thanks Jess!) and I wanted to continue with that theme. I had recently received Evan Almighty from my blockbuster queue and figured that would fit. It did…but didn’t. It wasn’t the type of movie where you shut off your brain and just laugh at the stupid antics. Maybe it is just my frame of mind. I found it to be a movie that was full of humorous (possibly sacrilegious) jokes that in the end taught us that we must have faith and trust in God. That God has a plan in mind and only wants what is best for us. Even if it seems to be hurting more then helping at times. I was particularly struck with a scene between God (Morgan Freeman) and Evan’s wife Joan Baxter(Lauren Graham).

Set up: Joan takes her sons and leaves Evan after he declares to the United States Congress that God talks to him and that he has been commanded to build a boat. She thinks he is crazy (which I can totally understand……Maybe that is the reason I am still single. Lol!) Anyway, Joan is sitting in a diner listening to people make fun of her husband. God decides to have a short chat with Joan. He appears as her waiter and they have a short discussion about her life. A discussion in which she doesn't say much.

Joan: Oh, excuse me, can I get a refill please?
God: Coming right up.......Excuse me. Are you alright?
Joan: Yeah.
God: (just looks at her...)
Joan: No. It's a long story.
God: Well, I like stories. I'm considered a bit of a storyteller myself.
Joan: My husband, you heard of New York’s Noah?
God: (chuckles) The guy who’s building the Ark.
Joan: That’s him.
God: I love that story; Noah and the Ark. You know a lot of people miss the point of the story. They think it’s about God’s wrath and anger. They love it when God gets angry.
Joan: Well, what is the story about then, the ark?
God: Well I think it’s a love story; about believing in each other. You know the animals showed up in pairs. They stood by each other, side by side, just like Noah and his family. Everyone entered the ark side by side.
Joan: But my husband says God told him to do it. What do you do with that?
God: Sounds like an opportunity. Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience do you think God gives them patience or does He give them the opportunity to be patience? If they pray for courage does God give them courage or does He give them the opportunity to be courageous. If someone prays for their family to be closer do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings or does He give them the opportunities to be love each other?

God:Well I gotta run; lotta people to serve.

Now as you can guess….Joan goes back to Evan and they work side by sided to build the Ark. The love part, while great, isn’t what made me think, today. It was the second part, about the opportunities. All my life I have prayed for help to become who God wants and needs me to be as part of His great plan. I have always known that, as individuals, we grow by how we handle the opportunities that we are given daily. When I pray for things like patience and knowledge, am I using the opportunities given to me on a regular basis to learn patience and gain knowledge? How can I expect to continually become a better person if I am not taking the opportunities presented to me? What about love for my fellow man. When I ask Heavenly Father to help me to love others as He loves them, do I actually try to love others? How can I expect to love if I don’t take the chance to serve? Is there any greater love? There are so many opportunities to serve others every day. Not only the fun big things, like volunteering in parades, but the little things, like helping the tourists who get stuck while trying to use their metro fare cards. (Yes, annoyingly, that happens frequently) If I am not taking advantage of these “opportunities” how can I expect to grow? How can I expect to be the person that I am supposed to be? That I expect myself to be?

Now…it is after 11 pm and I am going to get in my 30 minutes of reading before crashing. I think I’ll make it the Book of Mormon, instead of my current novel. Happy Saturday everyone.

Today is another one for you!

For the Fabulous Gypsy Wings!

Meg and I hope you have a great one!

D.E.A.R.

Did you know it was a day? I thought it was just something cool you did in elementary school. A reason to pillows and junk food to class. Thanks to the girls over at SBTB, I came across this:

Drop Everything And Read Day is TOMORROW!

I wish I was in able to hit Central Park in NY tomorrow to join in.

But I will just have to substitute the National Mall instead. Since I am volunteering at the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in the morning it shouldn't be too hard to find some time to DEAR!

Anyone want to join me?

He's really into needlepoint......

I couldn't resist sharing this one.

Thanks to My Neighborhood Librarian

Lunch time….

Lunch time today consists of me sitting in for our receptionist at the front desk and listening to last night’s American Idol performances (thanks YouTube!). This seems to have become a ritual. For the past 3 weeks, I have missed my show so I have caught up while covering the reception desk.

I have nothing else to write really. Life is just plodding along at its regular slow place.
Sunday was particularly fun as we headed over to Code Monkey’s pad to watch the second session of conference. Unfortunately, there was very little watching and lots of chatting. Thank heavens the transcripts will be available online tomorrow so I can catch up on what I missed.

Monday there was walking with Patience. We learned that DC can change in a matter of blocks. And that there are many areas in DC that are better then mine. Lol!

Tuesday was spent angry at my tv…..who screws with the local channels when American Idol is on...

Which brings me to today….a boring Wednesday with nothing to write about other then the fact that I got to mail 17 books to my best friend. We can’t have her going with out. Lol!

This weekend is the Cherry Blossom Parade, which I am volunteering for. Next weekend is the Twilight Mom’s Lunch in Richmond…That should be fun!

Lunch is over so I will post the two I enjoyed the most. They aren’t the best of the evening but maybe because I am currently into the angry power rock I liked these.

I do think the judges were wrong. I really enjoyed Carly last night:


I do think the judges were right, David had a good performance but it wasn’t his best. But then again I think I am in love wiht the scruffy look. Yum!:

Is it just me?

Is anyone else in love with the music by Pink?


There is something to be said about girl power music.

Today's Quote of the day!

"When going to the home of a code monkey always bring your computer....."

Todays Random Notes:

These are the thoughts from today:

Twice a year millions of members of my church gather to listen to the words of a prophet’s voice. Modern Technology has made this quite easy for me, even if I didn’t have the ability to watch it on tv, I could listen to it via the internet. How cool is that. I am blessed with BYU TV in my bedroom so I am able to listen to the broadcast from the comfort of my own bed. I can be spiritually uplifted dressed in an oversize t-shirt, pajama bottoms and fuzzy socks.

A solemn assembly. It has been many years since I last was present for a solemn assembly, and at that time we had 2 in a short time. I still remember the rush it was to watch the priesthood arise and sustain the new prophet and quorum of the 12. Today it was just me watching by myself. I watched the priesthood on TV and then joined the women of the Relief Society to sustain our leadership. Finally, I also joined the complete membership to sustain our leaders. As I stood there, I knew that my family and friends were standing in their homes in VA, TX, UT, CA, and other places. There is still a rush. :)

Generall Conference:

Me: So do you have any big plans for this weekend?
Co-worker: No, do you?
Me: It's a church weekend for me?
Co-Worker: A What?
Me: We have 8 hours of church.....
Co-Worker: 8 Hours! God bless you!
Me: That's the point. ;)

I'll write more later, President Monson is speaking......

It’s Not You, It’s Your Books.

Twice in one day....I know shocking. But some one from one of my books clubs passed along this article and I had to share it with y'all. :)

The quote that interested me most was given by Anna Fels, a Manhattan psychiatrist and the author of Necessary Dreams: Ambition in Women’s Changing Lives.

“It’s a bit of a Rorschach test. It tells something about ... their level of intellectual curiosity, what their style is,” Fels said. “It speaks to class, educational level.”

The article isn’t that much of a shock really. But I have to wonder, if people are using my taste in books as a guideline, what must they think of me. As with food, movies, and music, I don’t have a specific favorite. I’ll try anything once and it is rare that there are things I won’t read. I mean really take my current reading list, off the top of my head I am reading:

• A non fiction book about the Battle of Balleau Wood
• A non fiction Book about the mementos left at the Vietnam Memorial
• A fiction novel about a homicide detective in NYC in the year 2061
• A fiction novel about girls who switch identities to save a girl from marriage
• And not to be forgotten, my current audio book is about a socialite who inherits a football team when she knows nothing about football [As I know nothing about football and choose to remain in that thoughtless state, I thought it appropriate..right Sarah?;)]
  

Some of my favorites include classics by Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Dickens. But they also include authors such as L.M. Montgomery, Madelaine L'Engle, Suzanne Brockmann, Robert Jordan, Mitch Albom, Iris Johanson, Orson Scott Card, J.D. Robb, The Smithsonian, various church authors...and many more (hence I have over a thousand books at my house. How do you narrow it down to one?

My philosophy is: Don't judge me by my book covers. Read (or watch... or eat....or listen to) what you want; I am going to enjoy my eclectic tastes!

Struck down by the statcounter....

I have an obsessive relationship with my statcounter. It fascinates me to see what people are searching for. I love checking to see who has checked in, I can tell when my sister in Texas has checked and know that there will be a cute comment waiting in my inbox for me.

This morning I checked after a full day of not getting online. (Yesterday was a day spent in bed trying to remind myself that it only felt like God hated women. UGH!)

So this morning when I checked the counter it showed that someone had spent time reading through my archives yesterday. I was curious and clicked on the page that caught their attention and was whisked back to the end of last year. As I read through the entries of November and December I was reminded of why I have this blog. My memory is fairly poor and as I read my words I remember the emotions of that time.

I also remembered Mr Anonymous. Anyone else remember him? As an update: I still have no idea who you are. It has been about a year now; do you feel up to letting me know who you are yet?

Tomorrow is General Conference. I am looking forward to it. I expect to post a blog with my thoughts tomorrow night. You will have to survive until then on this:

I came…I saw…..I was not conquered.

Update:
The hard drive was a complete loss but somehow my iTunes library has been restored…ALL of IT! Who knows what the original problem was but when things were transferred to the new hard drive my iTunes library didn’t put up a fuss. *sigh* All is right in my world again.

Yesterday my day ended at the Opera. I was able to get discount tickets for a performance of Rigoletto at the Kennedy Center through my Generation O membership. Amber and Patience agreed to join me for the performance and we have been looking forward to it for the last week.
Boo and I arrived early and had time to walk around and get some snacks before patience arrived. I was reminded again of why I live out here. I love it! When Patience arrived we took our seats.

I am just learning to appreciate the opera, it is not something I was raised on. As a matter of fact, the only thing I knew about Rigoletto was the Feature Films for Families version that I saw as a kid. For some odd reason, I didn’t think that was the story I would be seeing. I love music and knew that regardless of the story, the music of Verdi would be enjoyable. And it was, the music was beautiful. There is something so moving about the opera. Even when I don’t understand the words (thank heavens for super-titles) I can feel the music move through me.

The story, on the other hand, left much to be desired. I had heard some of the songs before, even enjoyed them. I almost wish I had chosen not to see the performance so I wouldn’t know what the songs mean.

Quick Synopsis:
Rigoletto is the deformed jester of a duke; he spends his days making fun of the courtiers expecting the duke’s name to protect him. The duke is a particularly raunchy fellow who believes that all women are fickle and were made for one thing. (Yeah he is just a peach) The duke and other courtiers spend their days “seducing” each others young wives, mistresses, and daughters. Whether said women want to be seduced does not seem to matter.
Rigoletto has wisely hidden his 16 year old daughter Gilda from the town, as she is all that he has left to love in this world. The Duke finds Gilda at church one Sunday and after months of eye conversations he follows her home. One night he sneaks in and convinces Gilda that he loves her, that she is the only one for him…blah blah blah… Unfortunately young Gilda believes him; she is too naive to know that the words might not be true. The courtiers, believing that Gilda is Rigoletto’s mistress, kidnap her and take her to the palace. The duke learns that Gilda has been abducted and is in the palace so he rushes to be with her. Rigoletto, pleads with the courtiers to return his daughter, he fears that the duke will…well…. do what the duke usually does.
When Gilda is finally found, she confesses to her father that she had previously met with the Duke and loves him. She speaks of the “shame” of the abduction. (After some discussion last night; Patience and I believe that rape or “seduction” is meant to be inferred here.) Rigoletto is angry (well duh) and swears vengeance upon the duke. Gilda tries to talk him out of it but he can’t be persuaded.
Rigoletto tries to prove to Gilda of the duke’s fickle-ness by showing the duke trying to seduce another woman. Even with proof of his infidelity, naive little Gilda professes her love. Rigoletto sets assassination plans in motion. When Gilda learns of a way to save the duke’s life she gives her life to preserve his. Rigoletto realizes that his vengeance has killed his daughter.

The End

I know, wasn’t that uplifting? As I watched last night, I kept trying to find redeeming value in any of the characters. Just one…that was all I needed. But no, the Duke is just a slime ball, you think he is going to give it all up for love, but then he falls right back to the same routine. He doesn’t even get to learn that his life is saved by the one he threw away. Rigoletto’s own actions cause his downfall. If he hadn’t been so cruel to the courtiers, they would not have sought revenge by abducting his daughter. Even more so, he and Gilda would have been safely ensconced in Verona finding her a new husband if he hadn’t been seeking his own revenge. And young Gilda, I know women have brains, even the naive ones, but I am not sure where hers were. I’m not sure Verdi thought of women’s need for emotional self preservation but he seems to be under the definite impression that the fairer sex was given the disposition of angels. I mean, who else would be willing to sacrifice their love and their life, for someone who thought so little of them in return.

I am always grateful that I was born in this generation. I don’t consider myself a feminist but I doubt I could have handled the general mindset of earlier centuries. I value myself too highly to be a viewed as a doormat or piece of garbage to be thrown aside. Now I just have to convince myself that all men aren’t as fickle as the Duke or as egocentric as Rigoletto

Another week.........

Due to the Opera I attended last night I missed my American Idol fix. Therefore today during lunch I watched the performances on Youtube.
During my search I found this:


Yet again, why are Kristy Cook, Rami, and Syesha still in the running. PUh-lease! ;)