If You Have to Ask... Ask the Neighbors

If you have to ask, you can't afford it. So they say. Take, for example, opera tickets. Or voice lessons. Both very expensive habits. Addictions, really. So hopefully I'll sell a bunch more earrings in the coming weeks to help fund my musical education.

Made these tonight:



And the neighbors? Apparently, although I sing only inside my house, apparently they all agree that my singing has improved a great deal over the past several months. Like, they've talked about it. Amongst themselves. And then put a drink or two in any of them and they'll tell me all about it. And here I thought I was safe in my own home with the windows shut. Hm I wonder if I should shut the shades too...

So Hot, So Cold

Just returned north after a few days in sunny Florida. Didn't get to sing much due to disinterested parties, who, sadly enough, are my parents. I tried to sing officially once. Una Donna. They cut me off after two lines:

Dad: I can't understand that.
Mom: I have that in English from the Met, do you want to hear it?
Dad: You should sing it in English.
Mom: I have the libretto that came with the record - it's in English. (she starts to sing a bit of it...)
Dad: (walks away)
Me: Um... no thanks... ok, well... I guess I'm done.

Then another time I was reading my music and humming along to practice/learn. Alex and Husband were goofing around and Alex said, "Stop! Tell him to stop," and my mom misheard and said, "Yeah, tell her to stop." Nice. Thanks mom.

The third and final time I was singing bits of Traviata that I don't even know the words to, just oohing and aahing as I was going about my business, and I stopped/faltered when I got to a note that was too high for comfort. My father started to laugh. I asked him why he was laughing. I wish I could convey the tone of his response. Think ridicule. "Oh, I thought you were going to shatter a glass with that high C." Yeah, whatever. Thanks dad.

So, there you have it. Sing like no one is listening, including and/or especially your parents.

Many people are remarking upon how sad I must be to leave sunny Florida for freezing New Jersey. I'm sad, but I'm not that sad.

Off I Go

I'm going to Florida tomorrow and won't be back until Monday. Here's some stuff to hold you over until then. This is all part of my "sing like no one is listening" attempt.

Yet another video of this. I never give up.



And this:



There's one more... if only I could get it to upload. But if you click through those to YouTube (and you should, so you can rate and comment... PLEASE comment with suggestions!!!) you'll see the other. If it ever uploads. Otherwise, you can see it here:
Still Singing Like No One Is Listening - Vedrai Carino



Finally, something professional. I love love love this: