Finished the second half. It's the best movie I've seen in ages and aeons. Besides the obvious beautiful and tragic ending, may I say that it has the best love scene I've ever seen. Anne and Peter are upstairs, and she's playing with a pencil....there's like five minutes of conversation (I should say monologue -- she does most of the talking) as they play back and forth with it. Sounds cheesy, no? But it was so emotionally tense -- made every fiber of your being long......why don't they make movies like that anymore? I would far rather watch something with content, and plot, and characters that you can relate to than all the sex and violence in the whole world! And yet, there was plenty of terror and violence in this movie...the terror was more real because it was, obviously, REAL. The worst part of course is knowing the inevitable. Kind of like Titanic....you know eventually the boat will sink. Anyway, more on this later -- I have to go wash the mascara off my face.....

Has anyone ever watched the old black and white "Diary of Anne Frank?" It's a wonderful movie! I'd never seen it before -- but I'm sewing, and I need something to listen to, not read (a little hard with both hands occupied). The girl who plays Anne is very convincing. I really like her characterization -- the whole cast is strong. The only one I have problems with is the Dentist -- Mr. Dussel? He is played by the actor that played the buffoon in so many Disney movies. He was the toymaker in "Babes in Toyland" and the man who floated on the ceiling in "Mary Poppins." I just have trouble taking him seriously as I picture him bobbing about and laughing. I suppose every actor has a right to break out of a steriotype -- he's still playing the bumbling idiot, and that's pretty close. Anyway -- part two is rewound now. Time to go watch her have her first kiss, her first love, and then off to the tragic ending. Where's my kleenex?

CONGRATULATIONS! To my friend Matt Moore who just won the regional competition for the Metropolitan Opera! YAY! 1st place is nothing to sneeze at -- now on to the finals in New York!!!

For those of you who know the hymn "Eternal Father Strong to Save" (otherwise known as the Navy Hymn) a new verse was just added to the Episcopal hymnal:

O God who names the starry host,

and by whose love not one is lost;

who stretched thy arms wide to the sky,

from cross to heav'n so death would die:

Oh care for those who traversed space,

Embrace them now who touch thy face.

The Rev. Vincent Uher, February 1, 2003.

More beading of the recital dress. Oh I'm losing perspective quickly. I've hit the point where I can't tell if its going to look good or not. As dad says, non only can I not see the forest for the trees, I can't see the bark for the microbes under it. Anyway -- back to the sweatshop! And I have to pick out more recital music tomorrow! One more italian set, on Bach thing-y from some mass....and maybe some english if I have time. We'll see how much music I'm talking about. But I've break-ed long enough. The beads are calling. Here I come master! Oh and yes, my Italian extra credit recital went splendidly. We all did very well....and we now have "extra credito" as we so masterfully call it! Ciao! A domani

Well Crap! We have a four hour choir rehearsal tonight for TMEA. Blech. Basically that means that we'll stand there for an hour and a half waiting for Dr. Bailey to "fix our windows." -- (otherwise known as placing us all on the risers so you can see everyone). He always takes forever counting and re-counting -- somehow he doesn't ever count correctly. Never! Takes forever. Other than that it's Adrian's birthday -- so we're probably going out beforehand to celebrate. Does anyone else thinka daquiri would take the edge off? Oh, maybe not.

Ah, my recital is approaching! AAAAH!! And my dress is barely started (notice I'm more worried about the dress than the singing. But to use an old instrumentalist saying "Singers can practice anywhere" -- even when sewing). It'll be beautiful if I ever get it done. Not much hope of that from where I'm sitting now. I put the zipper in backwards last night. arrrgh. I should just suck it up and fix it, but I feel like I have so much accomplished with a zipper in. So I've put that on hold and I'm working on the skirt. anyway -- back to the sweat shop

I just got home from my fourth opera of the year! The Merry Widow -- put on by Houston Grand Opera! It was so very good! And added to the others that I've been to (Romeo and Juliet-Fort Worth Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor-Houston Grand, and L'elisir d'Amore -- Baylor Opera Theater) I'm having far too much fun! And there are several more to go to before the year is over! And I'm going to be in Little Red Riding Hood March 6th -- so there we go! Everyone come see it who's near Waco! Yay!

Thanks so much for all of the sympathy. I've really enjoyed hearing so many comments of "sorry you're sick, hope you feel better." For the record, I am not running myself into the ground. I am not in the opera this year to prevent more of the crashing and burning that I've done before, nor have I taken on any additional opera roles for Waco Lyric and Opera scenes. I have also been eating like crazy -- and part of what makes me so upset about having the flue is in one evening, I have managed to lose all the weight I worked so hard to gain. So. Thanks again. Remind me to be similarly encouraging when you aren't feeling well.

Sick again. Lovely. At least with a cold you can sit back and thoroughly enjoy the break. Not so with the flu, or the stomach bug, or whatever the heck decided to show its ugly little head last night. I was sitting at rehearsal, and all of a sudden, I didn't feel so well. I made it home, and then proceeded to lose what little I ate that day. 36 times. At least I think it was 36. I kind of lost count at about 6 this morning. Anyway -- I'm currently managing to keep down sprite, water, broth, and saltines. I feel terrible!