Monday morning at the office was painful. I was late again (although only 20 minutes this time and not 3 hours) because I just couldn’t force myself out of bed. But somehow I made it through the day and hopped on the 5:30pm bus to NJ for our Merry Widow sitzprobe. Work on Tuesday was torturous since I hadn’t gotten home from rehearsal until well after midnight the evening before. But at least I managed to get there on time. Since I was extremely excited to Barack the vote that night, I got through the day on sheer adrenaline (and diet coke).
I highly doubt a more historic election will happen again in my lifetime. The energy and anticipation was palpable on the streets, especially in Times Square (where I work). I giant TV screen was set up smack dab in the middle of it and throngs of people were just watching and waiting. In anticipation of long lines at the polls, Trish and I headed to our voting site as soon as I got home from work. I know New York is waiting for new voting machine technology to be perfected before replacing the old voting machines, but come on. Those huge hunks of gray steel are positively ghetto. They could at least throw on a coat of paint or change those moldy curtains. The old voting booths remind me of a cross between those huge old computers from the 1970’s (you know, the ones that used to take up a whole room) and a peep booth at an adult video store - not that I’ve had any experience with those, of course.
I just want to say how proud I am of our country’s choice. It almost makes up for the fact that Bush was voted into office two terms in a row. Almost. Unfortunately, I feel like Obama is in a no-win situation. Intellectually, people know that he can’t change the country overnight, but Americans are emotional and fickle. Can they wait a couple years to see his policies start to take effect or will they have the unrealistic expectation that the economy will turn itself around instantaneously? I guess we can only wait and see. Whatever happens, I’m glad that all Americans, not only the rich, white ones, are finally starting to take ownership of their voting rights as citizens. Let’s hope that in four years, we haven’t returned to our old, apathetic selves. But enough politics, let’s get back to me, me, me!
I was a hot mess at work again on Wednesday morning. I thought I’d finally get a full night’s sleep, but I just couldn’t stop watching the election results. I got so swept up in the emotion and momentum of the election that I inevitably stayed up for Obama’s acceptance speech and didn’t get to bed until well after midnight. So once again I had to rely on a steady stream of diet coke and tootsie rolls to get me from 9 to 5. As has become an almost daily ritual, I boarded a NJ Transit bus after work and headed to the first dress rehearsal of Widow. I can’t honestly tell you how the run went because my back was to the stage the whole time. I’m playing in the pit, supplementing the orchestra on the piano. I can, however, tell you that the cast doesn’t know their lines. That much was clear even without seeing their faces. Some of the “acting” on stage was embarrassingly amateurish. Of course, some of the blame does fall squarely on Juan and me, but come on, people! We can’t memorize your lines for you. The show opens in three days and you’re still stumbling over dialogue? That’s just plain sad. Anyway, I was just too tired to even take notes. But regardless, the show looks and sounds lovely. The audience will just have to grit their teeth through the book scenes. They should be used to it anyway if they attend opera with any regularity.
It looks like sleep just isn’t in the cards for me, at least until around mid-December. I ended up missing the last bus back to NYC by five minutes. Damn NJ Transit for actually running on time! Again, home after midnight and my alarm set to go off way too early Thursday morning for work. The rest of the week's schedule? - Thursday: work then NJ for final dress, Friday: work then NJ to finish building set, Saturday: set up for champagne event and opening night, Sunday: reception, closing performance and strike. Then Monday we start all over again with High School Musical. Yeah!
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