I am
repurposing the Christmas card messages I've written since 2001. From old
Christmas cards to new blog posts. One a day. Merry Christmas.
So many
stories to tell, so little space.
Singing
For several
years I’ve wanted to sing in a choir, and this year I took action. My venture
has had sort of a rocky beginning. First, I found out that the choir I want to
join—the Capitol Hill Chorale— requires an audition. No way, I said, and
started looking around for another group.
About that time I learned about a sing-along
gathering that takes place every summer, and I showed up for it one Tuesday in
July in a church across town. I’d guess there were 200 singers there. We sang Brahms’ Requiem. I had never heard it, let alone sung it. When they
handed out the scores I thought they had made a mistake, because mine was all
in German. The next week was to be Bach’s Mass in B Minor, in Latin. But this
time I wised up and listened to it ahead of time (free computer download—not
even stealing). Both experiences were just grand! Being in the midst of so many voices was wonderfully
invigorating and confirmed me in my desire to join a choir.
A woman I
met at the sing-alongs encouraged me to go ahead and audition for the Capitol Hill Chorale: “What have you got to lose?” she pointed out. She’s right! I thought. Plus, I’ve always thought of myself as plucky. Nothing to be afraid of. So I signed up for the audition.
When I showed up on the appointed Tuesday, several people there. Eventually it was my turn. It was just
the director and me in a room with a piano. First, he asked me to sing “Row,
Row, Row Your Boat.” I did that. Then he asked me to sing it again “with good
intonation and performance style.” I wasn’t sure what he meant, but given how
plucky I am, I sang it again, louder this time, and standing up straight. There
was a lot more to the audition—about 15 minutes more—but I’ll spare you. It was painful enough without reliving it.
In rejecting
me, he couldn’t have been nicer: “I don’t think you would have a very good time
in the choir,” he said sweetly. Really, in a very nice way. I had told
him I was planning to take voice lessons, and he encouraged me. He actually
sounded sincere when he said he hoped I would audition again next year.
Whether he
was sincere or not, I and my plucky self have started taking voice lessons.
Work
I’m just
finishing my fourth year in business, and I still get a rush when someone calls
me to handle a new assignment. The down side is that later I actually have to
do the work. But I still love the freedom of working for myself—of going for a
walk at 10 am, of taking in an afternoon matinee. Well, I never really have
taken in an afternoon matinee, but I love knowing that I could if I wanted to.
Parenthood
After finishing her PhD coursework in Albany, Rachel took a
job with the Texas health department and moved to Austin in August. We’re
flying to Austin after spending Christmas with Tom’s family in Cincinnati, and
we’ll spend New Years with Rach and see her new digs.
Merry Christmas and much
love to each of you.
