too fast to live, too old for facebook

So, I just got on to Facebook and honestly? I think I am too old for it. There's stuff on there like "Buy your friends" and I'm like huh? I've gotten some friend requests, and most people I know from high school and I'm happy to hear from - like, oh, I wonder what so-and-so's been up to. But today, I got one total surprise from someone in grade school. I haven't done anything with this friend request because I was like, really? It was junior high torture. Friend? I think not. And some I'm like who ARE you? I only created a profile because my friend Beth told me she'd done one and the only way I could see hers was to create one myself.

As any of you who visit me here know, I'm not the best with updating this blog, and I haven't done anything with my facebook page at all. Like I really need two places on these interwebs where I don't update stuff?

++ Update: Well, I went over to Facebook and updated my stuff. I still don't really get it, but it is kind of addictive...

Oh hell to the yes...

It's coming, people. The Mamma Mia! sing-along!

Brush up your ABBA and let's go!!

advancing art is easy, financing it is not

My life lately has turned into a Sondheim musical number. Naturally, I would be played by Bernadette Peters. Haa. My new job position requires a lot of writing and a lot of shmoozing - after all, what's a little cocktail conversation if it's gonna get us our foundation?

Here she is, boys...

The Gypsy cast recording came out yesterday! But since I pre-ordered mine at the theater on post-Tony Tuesday, it came straight to my door on Monday afternoon, so for a while at least, I was the first kid on my block to own it. I can't stop listening to it. Makes me want to go again, like right now. I did the same thing in the car when the overture started that I did when I was sitting in that darkened theater, waiting for the show to start, I bounced in my chair, clapped my hands and went "wheee!" (Yes, I know. Easily entertained. But give me a break here. I got kind of a promotion last week, although this basically means a new title and more work. I am taking my entertainment where I can find it, these days...)

I was intrigued especially by the added tracks that have not been recorded before - songs that got cut along the way. My favorites of these are "Small World/Momma's Talkin' Soft" "Nice She Ain't" "Smile, Girls" and "Who Needs Him." I would really like to see a few of these put back into the show, but when you listen to them, it is kind of understandable why they got taken out in the first place. But they do kind of add a whole new dimension to Rose's character.

Back to school!

It seems that summer is well and truly over - it is the first day of school in my home town district 219, our short Friday summer hours end this week, and it's time for me to start thinking about new boots...

I am obsessed, for some reason, with back-to-school supplies. It was always my favorite part of going back to school - new clean spiral bound notebooks, reams of filler paper, pens(!) #2 pencils, trapper keepers, chandler's assignment notebooks, backpacks (and can I just ask WTF is with the kids now lugging around backpacks on wheels?? I carried all my crap for 12 years on my back, and I'm totally fine. Toughen up, already) all of that good stuff. Even now, I can happily spend a good solid hour in Staples or Office Max, just looking at all the great stuff. This doesn't mean I want to actually go back to school or like, have kids or anything. It probably just means I am very easily entertained.

I was also thinking about my first day as a high school freshman. I don't remember a lot about it - I had a good locker location B275, which is of course critical. There was a lot of ice-breaking going on that first day. I remember specifically having Spanish class mods 2-4 (oh, yes. We were on a mod system. Something else to throw the freshmen completely off track.) and our teacher, a young enthusiastic guy with a ponytail, got up on his desk and did a trust fall, backwards, onto us. Stop and think about this for a minute. Asking a bunch of freshmen, first thing in the morning, to catch you as you tumble backwards off your desk? That takes a LOT of trust (or foolishness?) Good thing he didn't try this move at the end of the year, as I think we all would have let him just fall. Seriously. He this kind of crunchy granola touchy feely, 'I'm THERE for you' kind of teachers. Really really earnest. I remember looking around at my classmates thinking nobody told me THIS was going to happen in high school. Are they ALL going to do this?? Fortunately, the other teachers just stuck to regular kinds of ice breakers and nobody else threw themselves bodily off of any furniture.

Thank you, Peter Gelb!

Since I can't actually go to New York City to see the dazzling Ms. Renée Fleming in the Metropolitan Opera's Opening Night gala on September 22nd, it looks like I will have to settle for the next best thing... the Met in HD, coming soon to a theater near you (& me!). Seriously, I think this is one of the best ideas anyone has ever had, ever. I get to see the Met's gorgeous productions, have some popcorn and milk duds if I want, and not have to leave the state.

In other news, since I can't let an entire year go by without actually physically going to the Met, I've bought a ticket for Thais in December. It is all part of my 30th birthday blowout extravaganza. This will also hopefully involve another trip to see Patti in Gypsy (stay open, please!) and maybe a few other shows...

You can't make this shit up...

1. I'd like to formally apologize to my colleague, as I thought she was lying about trampolining being an Olympic Sport. But it really is! I didn't believe it until I saw it last night with my own eyes. It's oddly fascinating, and I like it MUCH more than beach volleyball. You know how most people like jumping on the bed as kids? This kind of reminded me of that - jumping on the bed with no danger of hitting your head on the ceiling, no chance of getting yelled at by mom, and being able to do triple double sommersaults and cool stuff like that. There is also apparently synchronized trampoline and I am super curious to see that. Strangely though, this seems to be a sport where the US is not smashing the competition. I wonder why not?

2. Was at Ravinia this past weekend. Can someone please explain to me why on earth anyone would buy lawn tickets to a dance event?? The music wasn't really that great, and if you go spread a blanket or whatever way the hell back by the special event tents, you aren't going to see anything, either. So what's the point??

TGIF!

Well, I don't know about all y'all, but I am SO ready for the weekend! Some happiness that added to my Friday:

1. The purchase of tickets to see Ms. Patti at North Central College in Naperville (yes, it's in April. I am all about planning ahead)- front row seats, too, holla!

2. A new beverage at Argo tea - the Carmelotto Macchiato - it's coffee! It's chocolate! It's caramel! It's full of caffeinated deliciousness! Can you tell I'm still kind of on the caffeine buzz??

3. A lunchtime visit to my happy place - AKA the Art Institute where I spent most of my time in front of the Seurat. I am considering membership over there, should this become a serious habit.

4. Tomorrow night I get to see a certain bunch of talented dancers at Ravinia and the weather is supposed to be beautiful.

5. Tonight I am planning to get scrappy with my friends - I have not done anything remotely crafty in a very long time.

6.

Authorized Patti at Les Mouches recording... I have a not-s0-authorized one... which I love... but the real thing?? Woo!

Happy happy Friday! I am outta here!

the 'twilight' zone (thanks a lot, Heidi)

I spent most of this past weekend lost in a little town called Forks, Washington, where vampires and shape shifting wolf men roam free. Yes, I finally got with the program and read Stephenie Meyer's four book Twilight saga. I started on Friday with the first book, Twilight, and I finished the fourth book Breaking Dawn last night. That averages out to about a book a day, and they are not small books. I would have been done with them all sooner, I think, but I kept getting distracted by the Olympics... first the opening ceremonies and then non-stop swimming, diving and gymnastics (but set your DVRs, people, trampolining is set to be aired this coming Saturday!)

See? I'm distracting myself even now. The books are lots and lots of fun, and I enjoyed reading them, so here's my public shout out to Heidi my home girl and fellow member of Team Jacob, for telling me about her obsession and helping me to feed it by loaning me a few of the tomes so that I didn't even have to leave the house in order to finish the series. You were right, once again. And thanks.

So my book pile is sadly depleted again... any ideas??

thinking ahead...

Well, ohmigosh, were you all watching the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Games on Friday night?? Despite some initial misgivings I had about Chicago's hosting the Games in 2016, I admit that I got extremely beligerant watching the ceremony and hearing about some of the other candidate cities for 2016. I mean, what does Rio have that we don't?? And keep dreamin' Madrid, it is all about Chicago! Does it really matter that we don't have the space, the transportation system OR the infrastructure to host a major international event? Not so much. Daniel Burnham once urged the city to "make no small plans" in the creation of the World's Fair and now, generations later, we are carrying the torch of his legacy.

And speaking of carrying the torch, the clock is ticking. We've got 8 little years to start planning a completely awesome opening ceremony, and I'm thinking we've gotta start like, yesterday. Chicago has a rich history that can be used to create some very strong imagery. I don't have details worked out just yet, but for instance, the White City would be kind of cool to bring back to life, opening-ceremonies style, glistening and glittering and lit up by lightsticks.... past, present and future, all in one....

And of course, maybe the most famous Chicago story, the Great Chicago Fire, would have to be incorporated somehow, and I think I've got a Plan. As the Olympic flame is relayed into the stadium, passed from hand to hand of various famous Chicagoans, the last runner runs up many many stairs to a gleaming white platform and there's a cow standing there. Not a real cow, a sort of dancing cow, Mrs. O'Leary's cow, to be exact. And she's smiling and dancing and she's so happy to see the runner she sort of knocks the torch out of his hand.... and into the Olympic cauldron below them, which lifts high into the air above the stadium. Welcome, children of the world!

Come on, it would be fantabulous.

because sometimes, it's about dancing...

To find out more about this dancing fool, check out http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

guts 'n glory

So, I am not really athletic. Argh, I hated gym class. Like, when we played baseball, I always went and stood as far back in the field as I possibly could. Too many people shouting at me, it always freaked me out. Volleyball is my idea of pure hell. I was always like, what? You want me to hit the ball with my bare forearms? Um, ow. And I think not. The two years when we had swimming was also not my idea of a good time. Fortunately, the last two years of high school, we could pick what we wanted to do in gym class, and I always chose things like cross country skiing where we went out maybe twice if we were lucky - the rest of the time we played silly team games like pillow polo or scooter ball, things like that, and archery (no changing into manky gym clothes!) and step arobics etc. In junior high, my gym teacher hated me. I wasn't one of her star players and so was nobody. When I was made volleyball captain in class and got to pick a team, she yelled at me for picking my friends. Uh, right, because I am sure I was the only one to do that?? In high school, the gym teachers felt sorry for me, I think, since I am so hugely uncoordinated. They always thought I was "trying" and so I got pity A's for effort. Ha.


All this is really building up to say that despite all that, I really really really love the Olympics. It makes me wish I was athletic just so I could go there and compete and win (naturally). During the Olympics, I watch stuff on tv that I would never ever watch otherwise. During the Torino winter games, I found myself watching a cross country skiing race, and curling, and strangely, the gold medal hockey match (but that was mainly because the Swedish goalie was totally hot). I love the opening ceremony and the torch lighting and all of that rah rah, USA! USA! stuff. I will be glued to the swimming and diving and gymnastics in the coming weeks, and then not think about it again for another 4 years. And I love all the crazy stuff that qualifies as "Olympic Sports" - in particular, my coworker swore up and down this week that trampolining was an Olympic sport. I totally did not believe her, but I just looked it up and it's true. It was introduced as a discipline in 2000 in Sydney. They will probably televise it late at night...

I am conflicted about Chicago's Olympic bid, but if the games were to come here, you know I would totally go, just to get my Olympic junkie fix.

Opening Ceremonies are tonight! Well, actually, they are probably happening even as I type this, but whatever. Let the games begin!!

Another Friday, Another Patti YouTube....

The voice! The drama! The hair! Love it! Happy Friday!

Ya want fries with that?

I was in McDonald's for lunch today (shut up. some times you need the fries, you know?). Since it is in the "theater district" (across from the Goodman Theatre and next to the Oriental Theatre) this particular McDonald's is decorated with window cards from different shows. There's Bernadette Peters in Annie Get Your Gun downstairs by the counter where you order your bag o'junk, and upstairs there's Guys and Dolls, Les Miz, and....

is it friday yet?

This was on the news this morning - go there and see how many people in the US are running around with your name. There are 9 of me, apparently, and all of them except me show up when you google them (for some reason my dad was googling my name yesterday and he wanted to know how come he could't find me...I guess all the other Kristens are more googleworthy) And the name Kristen is the 361st most popular.

well, as long as i won't be bored...

Today's Yahoo! horoscope tells me:
Changes are coming. They may be overwhelming, but at least you will not be bored.

Barack Around the Clock...

Don't worry - I had a dream that told me I needed to vote for Obama. (Really. I did. He was in it for a while, too, and later, I also kind of beat up this ex-coworker of mine who was ragging on me about being a democrat & an Italian American. It was some dream!)

This revelation, however, did not stop me from thinking of the video clip below when I heard that Mr. Obama visited Berlin...

sick day!

I seem to have acquired a "summer cold" from somewhere... decided to stay home today rather than inflict my germs on my cube-mates. It was actually a wonderful thing, staying in bed until 10, drinking tea in my jammies (heck, I am still in my jammies!) and being able to go take a nap whenever I want.

In other news, it appears I was at a totally different concert on Saturday night... both the Sun Times and theTrib were dazzled by the Dame (less so VonRhein, I think, who did say in his article that in these farewell concerts, audiences see what they want to see rather than what is there. Maybe my problem was that I didn't have any former glory days performances to compare the concert to... Who knows? It was a beautiful little concert anyway...)

UPDATE: I talked to someone else who was there, who agreed with me that it seemed like Dame KTK had somewhere else she'd rather be. He said that he'd seen her live before and that she had loads of personality and charm... none of which seemed to be in evidence Saturday night. At least it was not just me being crabby.

Also, there was an article in the Sun Times that reported on the Gala and said that Ms. Kiri spent all of 5 minutes mingling with the gala guests at the big party afterwards. Really, Kiri? 5 whole minutes? With the people who paid thousands of dollars to bask in the warm glow of your presence? That means she was probably back at her hotel by the time I found my car in the parking lot. She's made me kind of bitter, I guess...

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa...Chicago's Grand Finale

So last night was Ravinia's gala celebration, with a concert featuring Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in what was billed as her final performance in Chicago. Last year, I attended the gala because of a generous benefactor who did not want to use his tickets. This year, I was my own generous benefector, and since I am poor, I just bought tickets to the performance (pavilion of course) that did not include the super swish and molto expensive gala celebration dinner. There are only two people I shell out that kind of cash for...

The rain held off and the humidity lifted briefly to give us a gorgeous evening for a concert. I would have really hated to be on the lawn though, as it was wet and muddy from the rains. Still, it did not stop people in any way from setting out some incredibly elaborate picnic spreads.

The program began promptly at 7:00 with James Conlon leading the CSO in the overture to La forza del destino. Then out came the Diva, in a gorgeous vibrant red and black gown (that made me hot just looking at her. I mean, yes, the humidity had lifted, and it was comfortable in the pavilion, but I was still wearing a sleveless dress). The program notes list her as being 64, and I hope I look that good when I am 64! She was absolutely gorgeous, gracious, elegant and cool (more on that later). She performed three Strauss songs Morgen, Standchen and Cacilie, then left the stage. The orchestra perfomed Schreker's Intermezzo Op. 8 and KTK came back to the stage for three Canteloube songs - Bailero, La delaissado and Lo fiolaire, two selections from La boheme - Mi chiamano Mimi and Donde lieta usci, and Io son l'umile ancella from Adriana Lecouvreur and then three encores including the popular O mio babbino caro.

The thrill was being able to see this great operatic legend in her final concert performance in Chicago - although she reported "I'm not retiring!" Her voice was lovely, if a little quiet (and she was standing in front of a microphone) and she was still able to reach some strong soaring high notes. Her presence was, unfortunately, a little underwhelming - she acknowledged the audience gracefully, but didn't seem too excited to be there on stage. I didn't feel any connection at all or anything much coming from her. Maybe she was hot? Or jet-lagged? She did thank her hosts, a family in Lake Forest, for "putting up with me for five days" so maybe she was body-snatched and replaced by a North Shore pod person? (by the way, how do you sign up to be an official diva sitter for Ravinia? Can I volunteer??) Or maybe that's just how she is? I have never seen her live before, so I have no idea what she's usually like in concert. Does anybody know?? I wanted so much to be dazzled, but sadly, I was not.

It was still a lovely evening that seemed to go by too quickly. The concert itself was an hour and a half, maybe less than that, since we were in the car by 8:30.

Ravinia!

Saturday night: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's Grand Finale: Women's Board Gala showcases legendary soprano in her farewell to Chicago!

The program will include:

Schreker: Intermezzo

R. Strauss: Morgen, Op. 27, No. 4

Ständchen from Sechs Lieder Op. 17

Cäcilie

Canteloube: Three selections from Chants d’Auvergne

Bailero

La Delaissado

Lo Fiolaire

Puccini: Two selections from La bohème

Si, mi chiamano Mimì

Donde lieta usci

Cilea: “Io son l’umile ancella” from Adriana Lecouvreur