California, here I come...

My painting of Carmen... I painted this when I still thought I'd never get to sing the role!



I am so excited for my upcoming experience in Santa Barbara, but this departure is bittersweet. Before grad school, I had been working in a cubicle and feeling somewhat isolated in my life. Many of my best friends, particularly women friends, left Chicago after college and I had yet to fill that void (not that people can ever be replaced, especially not the amazing friends I have been fortunate enough to find in this journey called life, but a woman always needs girlfriends to spend time with). In coming to Roosevelt, I have made some wonderful new friends, both men and women, and I am so grateful for their presence in my life and the laughter and support. Saying goodbye to them, even for just a couple of months, is sad.

It's always difficult leaving for these things... I feel anxious, excited, nervous... I get there and we immediately start rehearsals and have a performance the day after we arrive. So I will drink alot of water today and tomorrow, allow for a day of vocal rest as I travel tomorrow, pack only my scores/music, my journal and Harry Potter 5 in my bag so that I will study and solidify my memorization while on the planes and in the airports. This week home has been good but of course extremely busy and hectic, so I could use a day essentially "by myself"... while surrounded by planes and airports full of people. ;-)

I am also so grateful that my mom and dad live close to Chicago, so that even though I have sublet my apartment, I have a place to stay where I can relax while still being close to my teachers and coaches. And my dad can drive me to the airport and send me off with his constant encouragement and assurance that, like all of these other adventures I've had so far, I'll have a wonderful time.

I drove Maria, the wonderful woman who cleans my mom's house, to the train station today, and in a bizarre hodgepodge of english, handgestures and polish, I explained to her why I was leaving for California and for how long. This is a woman who works so hard and helps to support a son who is confined to a wheel chair. We lamented about the price of apartments and bills in Chicago, and she really felt sorry for me that my jobs were so unsteady... 3 weeks here, 7 weeks there. I tried to explain to her that I really like what I do, which is why I can deal with the lack of consistancy, but I think that got lost in translation. But it reminds me to also be very grateful that I have to means to pursue a career that is not consistent, to go back to school. I am blessed to have the opportunity to do what I love.