Finally A Music Blog!

Since graduating, I haven't really done much, musically. But! I have been involved with a couple projects and the one I'm currently involved with, is, I must say, super friggin cute. And it being officially the holiday season, it comes to no surprise that the Nutcracker is involved.

A SF ballet troupe came up with the idea of cutting down the origional 2.5 hour ballet into something that a small human could easily enjoy. It's colorful, energetic, and most importantly, short. So they contracted Michael Morgan, the conductor of the Oakland Symphony to go in and decide what parts are the most crucial to the story. Not only did he have to cut so much music, but he had to condense the 60-100 piece orchestra into something 9 people can play.

Last year, things were a bit rough. I was interning with Magik*Magik Orchestra at the time, so there was plenty to do. Music to correct and copy, errands to run, etc. etc. The show doesn't just involve musicians and a ballet troupe, but little kids as well! They play the Nutcracker's gunmen, the two ADD kids in the toy shop causing trouble, and the minions of the Sugarplum Fairy. I think it just adds a little something extra by including kids IN the show.

Basically, this show is flippin cute.

There's one part in particular where the dancer dressed as a nutcracker, unknowingly to the audience, crawls under a table and places a doll sized nutcracker where he was. Another character is holding up a cape so that the kids don't see what's happening. And when the little nutcracker is revealed, I always look at the audience. The kids in the audience will actually get out of their seats in wonder. It's so cute.

Well this year, things went a lot smoother. We had the same musicians even. I'm not interning with Magik, but they did request a budget in order to hire me. : )

I actually told my boss that I felt bad that she was paying me to do this. I quite literally just show up and stick around.

Something else that's different this year is that we're providing a couple free shows in downtown SF. Why limit this to just families that can afford it? Isn't the holidays about giving? We do, however, have to condense the performance even further! Regardless, I think it'll be fun... unless it rains. It's suppose to rain. We'll see!!

In other news, Happy Hanukkah!!

Gravity is a little heavy

I'm not going to go into the pity party that was my mono experience. I already tried to write a blog about that and it ended up deleted. Aaaaand I just don't have the energy to rewrite it (I blame it on the mono fatigue). However, I will ask--

WHY WAS I NEVER TOLD HOW TERRIBLE MONO WAS!?!?!??!?!?

It was the sickest I have ever been in my life. I would much rather try and loose 25 lbs (btw-- I did NOT loose weight. I actually took care of myself) than have this stupid thing.

That being said...

Fun Customer of the Day:

It's late in the shift. You're staffed for a slow evening (one person at the cash register, one to watch the front of the store, one to watch the back, and maybe one of two other people to float around). A woman comes up to your cash register with a look on her face which says that she has smelt something very terrible. You know, THAT customer. The second she walks up, you know she's going to be a hassle. Now, I'm tired (yeah thanks, mono), and as soon as she walks up, three more people get in line. She not only wants seperate bags for everything... But do you have any boxes? Do you have any ribbon? Do you have any tissue??

Basically, she's the customer that will want everything from you. I hate these customers. I'm fine giving you a box, or tissue, but when you want me to do every. little. possible. thing. you can think of? Not to mention that slight superior-than-thou attitude?

I give her the box, the tissue, but draw the line at giving her a bow. At that point, we charge for gift wrapping (I get another look of spoilt milk for this).

After all this, she's held up the line so that now there are five people waiting, and just little me at the cash register. Five people in line isn't a big deal. After doing this repetative job for so long, I can ring a customer up faster than it takes for the new people to sign into a computer. But this woman is holding everyone up, which is going to make those people angry. And they're going to be angry at ME. Not HER.

So here's a tip for anyone who hasn't been in customer service and probably doesn't know any better. Be a simple customer. Be aware that there are other people waiting in line. Don't ask the world of your cashier when they're just trying to do their job (mainly, getting everyone rung up in a timely manner). And if you're that customer waiting in line, if you start yelling and asking if there's another register or if there's someone else to help ring up? Yeah, you just got yourself an extra five minutes in line. Your welcome.

Don't be these people.

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Now back in real life, I feel like gravity has gotten just a little bit heavier. After I graduated college (mmmm, I like saying that), I had absolutely no energy. Every waking moment was spent catching up on sleep. Or regenerating in some way. I did not go out. I did not do anything exciting. I simply existed. Oh, and I went to work. After a few months, I started going to yoga. I started exercising. I started hanging out with friends. I started to think about what I'm going to do to get back into music. And then the mono hits. I suddenly feel just like I did outside of college.

I know this is normal. I know that it's to be expected. But that doesn't mean it sucks less!!! I WANT to go to yoga again, to go running with my boyfriend, to get stuff done, etc. Gravity is just a little too heavy right now.

It's not just the physical aspect, though. My brain goes through these fuzzy periods... Where I just find myself staring off into space... (I just did it, which reminded me that I've been doing that....) It doesn't do much for your morale.

I watched Date Night tonight. Hilarious movie. In the bloopers at the end, they're improving a scene where they're trying to be super pretentious. So naturally, they go into the french accent. And at one point Steve Carrell starts talking about Sur La Table (Su' la Tabl' in french).

I can't wait to tell my coworkers tomorrow.

AH!

Internet.

I hate you.

You just deleted my blog.. that I wrote.. and proofed... and re-proofed...

Big sigh.