So, picture this scenario. You randomly stumble upon your husband's high school girlfriend online. You start nosing around (cause that's what the internet is for), you check out pictures, read some blogs and one day, maybe fate intervenes, you actually start emailing her. Maybe you comment on her blog, maybe she comments on yours, maybe you i.m. here and there. And then maybe one day, you find out that she is coming home for a little holiday visit. What might you do?
Well if your name is Jill and your married to my high school boyfriend you would end up being beyond cool, incredibly hospitable and downright hilarious. Really.
We had beer, cookies, uber-strong vodka cranberries, and were introduced to Wii.
We're also a little sad that we have so many people to see and can't hook up with them again this trip.
So thank you again to the Dian's for helping turn what could have been a weird, awkward situation into one of the highlights of our trip.
And speaking of which...I swear to God that we are trying to see everyone, we are!

Oh lordy, where to begin. I'm in a bit of a hurry right now as we are trying to get to sleep to make the long drive to Minnesota tomorrow. BUT I realize it has been a while.
My Christmas concert was a success. We sang, we drank, we sang some more and drank a whole lot more. I had a blast! And, I'm sure, embarrassed myself nicely at the after party. What? It was a stressful week and I deserved a couple of bottles of wine.
Work is work.
I auditioned for a show. Made down to the last two and didn't get it. And I couldn't be more excited to see my friend Aimee play the role!(really!)
I have a nice supply of Vicodin for my travels..why? you may ask...well folks, I am an avoider. Of the dentist that it. I've avoided it long enough and am due for a root canal...when I get back. As for my trip, my doctor prescribed a heavy dose of antibiotics and my favorite opiate. No worries I shall be fine.
I am really, really pumped for my trip. I get to meet my nephew, Nathan, for the first time. I get to hang with the fam...which, I have found as I get older, is imperative. I miss them and I just need to be in their presence.
I get to see my best friend of all time really pregnant.
My high school boyfriend's wife and I have planned a night out on the town for all of us. Fun? Probably. Interesting? Well yes, considering her and I have never even met. We've started internet dating, her and I. And frankly I cannot wait to meet her...she seems awesome!
We will end our trip with New Year's in Chicago!
Can't get much better than that.
I'll let you know how it goes.

I am an imposter!

So last night I had my first rehearsal for the benefit Christmas concert I am performing in. The concert is for Standing O Productions, an up and coming theatre company in Annapolis. I am very excited to be working with this company for the first time (I was cast in a previous production but had to bow out due to an unavoidable commitment). The company is run by my friend Ron, he has already asked me to co-direct a project with him and they have had a very successful first season.
All of this being said....I am an imposter! Yessir, I have no right being onstage with any of the people that are in this Christmas concert.
What? Why, Sara? You are a singer, you have always sung, why should you not be allowed to sing amazing choral, Christmas music with these folk?
I'll tell you!
These people are fantastic! They can all read music and sing like they've known the song their whole lives after only seeing it once! They are all vocal music majors and choir teachers and paid performers! Oh my! I won't lie, I held my own, but shit, we sang through 'O Magnum Mysterium' once(!) One time completely acapella and we were right on pitch! That's hard to do kids!
I looked around the room at one point and I felt like a kid being moved to the adult table for the first time. I mean, I have seen these folks, some I have performed with already but damn.
Ok, I know you'll say I'm being too hard on myself...I was asked to do this so I must be doing something right...right?
Well, I can't read music, never could. I've always had a good ear (thanks Grandma) and no matter how much I've smoked in the past I still seem to be able to hit ridiculously, unnecessarily high notes.
I tried to be a music major for about ten seconds in college...do you know what music is people?...It's math. It's math and I hate math.
And yes, I have gotten paid to perform in my adult life. In fact, in Chicago I actually got to sing for a living for almost 2 years.
But I still felt kinda small. At the beginning of the rehearsal the director (out of Baltimore, a man I've worked with once before) said, "you can all sight read right?" ( I assume he asked this because we have a shitload of music to learn in not at all a lot of time) Two of us, not so sheepishly, raised our hands and said "Heeeelllllll no!" But once again we held our own.
I am pumped though. I actually have some family members coming to see this and I am already very proud of what they will see.
At the end of rehearsal last night we were finishing up and the director, who is a music professor at a local Baltimore university and graduate of the Peabody Institute (fancy for "knows his shit") said to all of us that he had "more fun in three hours with us than all semester with some of his students"....
I guess that's fancy for..."we sang the shit out of it!"