I Only Know What I Know

On my facebook page I've been posting a bit about the Oliver! soundtrack. Auditions for a production of the show are in May. Before, oh, a few months ago, I didn't know a whole lot about this show. I knew Consider Yourself and a bit of Food, Glorious Food, but that was it.  I learned "As Long As He Needs Me" as a potential audition piece, but I didn't know how it was set within the context of the musical.

Anyway, now having watched the movie several times, listening to the soundtrack, and working on the vocal selections book, I have a pretty good grasp of the music.

Today's weather was really nice, so I posted "Who Will Buy This Beautiful Morning" as one of my status messages (just that line). This lead to a discussion about the song, and a friend being surprised that I wasn't familiar with Oliver! until fairly recently.

So here's a list of shows I could sing in my sleep: (bold type indicates I've seen it live, italic means I've been in it)

• Phantom of the Opera
• Les Miz
• Jekyll and Hyde
• Parade
• Miss Saigon
• The Scarlet Pimpernel
• The Secret Garden
• Ragtime
• Side Show
• Beauty and the Beast
• The Lion King
• Avenue Q
• Titanic
• Gypsy
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• My Fair Lady
• The Sound of Music
• Sunset Boulevard
• Evita
• Into the Woods
• Wicked
• Children of Eden
• Annie
• Annie Get Your Gun
• Cinderella
• The Producers
• Spamalot
• The Music Man
• Fiddler on the Roof 
• Aida

Ones I know fairly well:

• Oklahoma
• The Light in the Piazza
• The Pirate Queen
• Carousel
• Allegro
• Guys and Dolls
• Chicago
• Company
• Working
• Love Never Dies (still working on this one)
• State Fair
• South Pacific (I know almost all of the songs except for ones like Dites-Moi. Know the title, not the tune.)
• The King and I 
•  West Side Story

Ones I'm familiar with (as in, I can sing a few of the big songs, but that's it)

• Kiss Me, Kate ("Another Op'ning", "I Hate Men", "Brush Up..."
• Flower Drum Song (The ABHORRENT "I enjoy being a girl")
• Martin Guerre ("How Many Tears?", etc.)
• Cats ("Memory", that's it, sorry.)
• The Little Mermaid (this, and Mary Poppins--I know the movie songs)
• Mary Poppins
• A Little Night Music ("Send In the Clowns")
• Camelot ("The Simple Joys of Maidenhood", "Before I Gaze...", "If Ever...", "Camelot")
• Little Shop of Horrors
• The Fantastiks (Who DOESN'T know "Try to Remember"?)
• Finnegan's Rainbow
• Brigadoon! ("Waiting for My Dearie")
• 42nd Street ("Lullaby of Broadway", "42nd Street")
• Chess ("Someone Else's Story")
• A Little Princess ("Live Out Loud")
• A Christmas Carol 
• Street Scene (which could be considered more opera...)  
•  A Chorus Line ("One", "What I Did For Love", "Nothing")
• 1776 ("Sit Down, John"...I would like to know this one better. On the list...) 
• Hello, Dolly! ("Hello, Dolly!", "Ribbons Down My Back", "Until the Parade Passes By" )

A short list of ones I know nothing or almost nothing about:

• Swing!
• Contact
• Steel Pier
• Spring Awakening
• The Woman In White
• The Beautiful Game
• Little Women
• Merrily We Roll Along
• 50 percent
• The Apple Tree
• The Putnam County Spelling Bee (yeah I know, I shortened the Title)
• Mamma Mia
• Jersey Boys
• Stop the World, I Want To Get Off
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (I know "comedy tonight")
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
• Two By Two
• Zorba
• 
  

I know I'm missing some. But really, there's a fair amount of musical theater--especially from the 50s, 60s and 70s--that I know NOTHING about. Any big dance shows are not my thing, because my dancing skills are limited. And any shows without decent alto parts--also limited. So that eliminates a lot of early musical theater.

Into the Ether

It is a strange thing to know people read your blog.
You hope people do. I hate to think of my words just flying off into the ether, never to be read by a single soul but me. Usually, if you're writing a blog, it's because you have a desire to share something (hopefully brilliant/insightful/at the very least funny) with mankind. Or your kind relatives and friends that humor you and bump up your stats counter.
So it's very strange to see people (strangers!) not just reading, but linking to your blog.
(How did I get here? I'll tell you...)
I was playing one of my favorite time-wasting games, "Six degrees of me", on Facebook. What I do is click on a friend, then click on one of their friends, and so on, just to see if anyone knows anyone super cool (like Christian Bale, or whatever) personally. (Or as "personally" as one can on facebook.)
While doing this, I noticed that one BalletMet dancer had posted a link to my entry on A Midsummer Night's Dream on another dancer's page.
Seeing this made me promptly scurry back and read the review, and then sigh when I realized that I had said nice (in one case, rather adoring) things about the dancers.
I know that people read this blog. I don't have thousands of family and friends. And I definitely don't have any that live anywhere near Tibet.
But it's still weird to see your post posted on someone else's wall, by someone you don't know.
And in a way....strangely gratifying.

A Clouded Constellation

The Corner has this to say about the Obama Administration's proposed canceling of the Constellation space shuttle program. This is one of the things in the budget I'm a little disappointed about. 

 For one thing, space is cool. I loved studying space and astronomy as a kid, and really, it's one of the few places where I could see clear (and AWESOME) applications for higher math. I'm an Ohioan, so flight and space are big--we have the Wright Brothers, Neil Armstrong, and NASA Glenn research center in Cleveland. 

Over the summer, I visited the Johnson Space Center in Houston. It was a world-class museum, offering something for everyone at rock-bottom ticket prices. I got to touch a moon rock, visit Historic Mission Control, see the Saturn V rocket, and learn that we've figured out how humans could survive on the Moon. It was so neat. If I was a kid, this might have motivated me to work harder in math and science!

Growing plants on the Moon

Space is part of the national consciousness. Star Wars, Star Trek, Apollo 13, and the Challenger explosion are easy examples of space-themed things in our culture. My Tempurpedic bed is (supposedly) based on NASA science. 

Sure, it's a government agency, so it's bloated and inefficient. But it does need consistent funding if we're going to reach the Moon again, or Mars. I've been reading Man and the Moon, by Andrew Chakin, about the space program. These moon trips were complicated research missions-- a lot of science was involved, as was the taking of samples and other experiments. It wasn't just, "hey, let's beat the Russians to the Moon." 

I don't think exploration can come with set standards. Christopher Columbus wanted to find China; he found Hispanola instead. Alexander the Great wept when he saw there was no more to conquer. Magellean found the way through the treacherous strait that bears his name. Every terrestrial has added to our knowledge about this planet, her people, and her life. (Let's save the arguments about why it wasn't so great for another time.) Why can't extraterrestrial exploration do the same thing? Astronauts are today's Columbuses and Magelleans. They give us license to dream. 

New technology

I normally like new technology. I love iPods, macs, etc. I haven't gotten on the Blu-Ray bandwagon yet because of two things: The player price, and the fact that I have lots of DVDs.
Cell phones are an area where I am technologically WAY behind. I've had my old cell phone since 2006. That's like eons in cell phone-ese.
Today, I finally got a new one. This one is much easier to text and surf web with, as well as sort contacts and even listen to voice mail. I love it.
Welcome to the new decade, says my phone.

Dinner with the Chief Justice

A fun story for your Tuesday:

October 26, 2009, 10:05 AM

Waiter, There’s a Gavel in My Soup

By GAY TALESE

My writer friend Sidney Offit and I were dining at Lumi’s on 70th Street and Lexington Avenue on Saturday night with our mutual friend, the enduringly beautiful 78-year-old modelCarmen Dell’Orefice; and seated next to our table, quietly engaged in conversation with his wife, Jane, while sipping red wine, was the chief justice of the United States, John G. Roberts Jr.

Although it was raining heavily outside — so much so that the Yankees‘ playoff game at the stadium was called off — Lumi’s restaurant had few cancellations, and every table was occupied when the chief justice and Mrs. Roberts arrived to receive, as is standard in New York, barely a nod of recognition from the onlookers and not a trace of effusion from the waiters, most particularly those who lent service to the justice. It is one of those clichés in Manhattan to remark upon the restaurant population’s indifference to celebrities of any kind, ever.

We at our table, true to form, paid the Roberts couple no mind, although after two hours of pretending not to notice them, we were certainly respectful (and grateful) when, as they stood to leave, the chief justice himself said: “Excuse me, but we cannot possibly finish this wonderful bottle of wine, and I wonder if you’d like to try it.”

“Oh, thank you, Mr. Chief Justice,’’ I replied, and then added my own admonishment (how brazen of me!) “… but only if you’ll sign the label.’’

Unhesitatingly, Chief Justice Roberts removed from his jacket pocket a ballpoint pen, and scribbled on the label his name: “John Roberts.’’

After they had left, and we were about to leave, I handed the autographed (half-empty) bottle to Carmen. She was pleased to carry it home. On the label read “Chianti Classico 2005,” from Villa Mangiacane.

“It’s from Firenze,’’ she explained, adding that this is the region of her ancestry. She had a renowned uncle from there, she went on to say — Enzo Dell’Orefice, a voice coach who tutored Caruso.

Arrival of Fall

Today it really feels like fall! It's a lovely day, sun is out, a bit of a breeze, not too hot...

Leaves are changing colors, from green to gold and copper and scarlet...
Football is on the TV...
My bathroom smells like vanilla and apple...
And it's sweater time.

I love Fall.

Because I can...

(And it's Monday)

A facebook note:

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
Never had one. Sigh.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
Rarely.

3. What was your 1st alcoholic drink?
Does communion wine count?

4. Who was your FIRST kiss?
Real one--James. Real, but onstage: Dominic.

5. What was your FIRST job?
baby-sitting. FIrst job w/ taxes--the concession stand at the Swim Club

6. What was your FIRST car?
1995 Honda Civic EX 4 door

7. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
Ha! no one has yet.

8. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
That shall remain unsaid. :)

9. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Mrs. Lewis

10. Where was your FIRST apartment or place of your own?
The one I'm in right now.

11. your FIRST ride on an airplane?
When I was about a year old, to Maryland.

12. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?
Anne Neighbor, and yes.

13. Where was your FIRST sleep over?
Probably Anne's.

14. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
Christine @ work

15. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
My Aunt Patty's. Flower girl.

16. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
Hit the snooze button.

17. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Probably Sesame Street Live! when I was five.

18. FIRST tattoo?
Um...none.

19. First piercing?
My ears, when I was about eight.

20. First foreign country you've been to?

Haven't done it yet.

21. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
The Great Mouse Detective

22. When was your FIRST detention?
In fifth grade, for handing in a homework slip late. (Yes, it was THAT dumb).

23. What was the first state/province you lived in?
Only lived in OH, baby.

24. Who was your FIRST roommate?
Brooke....something?

25. What was your FIRST "bad" word?
I used to think "Ass" in "What Child Is This?" was a bad word.

26. What was your FIRST broken bone?
my right humerus, second grade. Gloves and wet monkey bars do not mix

27. When did you lose your FIRST tooth?

Disney World! At breakfast!

28. If you had one wish, what would it be?
To become a world famous actress.

29. What is something you would learn if you had the time?
The violin, and Russian

30. Who do you think will be the next person to post this?
No idea. But it's fun!

Pray for our bishop

He's having part of his leg amputated due to bone cancer and infection.

I thought I was more Kelly...

You Are Olive Green

You are the most real of all the green shades. You're always true to yourself. For you, authenticity and honesty are very important... both in others and yourself. You are grounded and secure. It takes a lot to shake you. People see you as dependable, probably the most dependable person they know.

What Color Green Are You?

Huh

You Are The Brain

You're the type of person who's always on, always churning. You are alert and quick to react. You like to stay busy. You are responsible but also demanding. You take up a lot of energy. You are someone of deep mystery. There's a lot below the surface that's hard to figure out.

What Internal Organ Are You?

Blah and stuff

OK so this week has been really super duper blah.
I'm not sure quite what's wrong with me, but first there was no appetite. Then there was no appetite and nausea. Then today there was no appetite "let's sleep ALL DAY", which I did, from about 6:30 to 3:30.
Yeah, that's weird.
I don't know if it's the weather or my body just being odd, but this has not been fun. Tonight my parents came over and brought Chinese, which helped, so I now feel human.
Maybe it's the weather.
But anyway, if I have been ignoring you, it's not because I don't love y'all--it's just my body hates me. I think, though, it's done doing that.

FYI

Well if you've ever wondered what my personality score would be,

Check out my
personality profile!

I'm a believer

in the energy-efficient lightbulb. 

I was puttering around the house today and decided to change some lightbulbs that had gone out. I only had one lightbulb, though, for more than 1 lamp. So I decided to buy some more. 

I head to Kroger and notice that the "energy efficient" lightbulbs are marked down, and are plastered with stickers that say things like "good for 5 years!!" "will save $33!", etc. etc. 

So I buy a few, along with some regular bulbs. 

I love these crazy-looking things. 

case in point: My desk lamp. My desk is a computer desk that is sort of placed in a niche in my bedroom. It's a dark corner. I bought a "daylight" bulb that promised "fresh, clean light." 

Well, it delivered. This corner is now bathed in a lovely white light. It's so much easier to type when you're not squinting at the screen. 

So I'm a believer. Who would have thought? 

Awesome

Out of the 6 inhabitable continents, I have readers in all but Africa and South America. 

Thanks guys!

I feel cool now. :)