Some thoughts on singing...

Recitals are intereting little events, aren't they? Ok, so those of you who don't sing may be saying, "What the hell is he talking about?" But the musicians reading this probably understand what I'm saying. One spends so many hours practicing the literature he/she may perform in a recital - perhaps even having "sneak-peak" performances of the various pieces in smaller venues - only to find themselves with a one-time, one-chance go at delivering each individual work at its best for the audience in the real deal.

I just listened the recording of my voice recital in February. I was not impressed. Chaulk it up to my being my worst critic, but I was convinced I sang better than I did. Hahaha. I guess I need a reality check. Thinking back to that evening a little over a month ago, I felt as if my recital was a little bit on the not-so-great side when I first stepped off the stage. There were definite errors made. But, after receiving so many great compliments, I guess I bought into all the buzz. I should have known better! However, there were some things that were generally good - great even! Some of them quite surprising, too! So, no, I'm not having a pity party! :-)

Anywho, at least now I know the things I need to fix. I like knowing that I have smart ears and that those ears can usually translate the problems (and their remedies) to my voice. Learning through recordings can sometimes be dangerous because you aren't listening to a live sound, but I find that it is helpful in finding my way through the maze that is my voice!

Live, Laugh, and Love!
Kelly

Disney

Thursday was the beginning of my trip with Mr. B to the sunny town of Orlando, Florida for a quick three-day visit with dear friends Rachael and John. To say that Disney is a magical place is a flat out lie - it is nothing short of a miracle. Granted, there are things that I did not enjoy so much, but for the most part I had an amazing three days in the most magical place on Earth.

We began our little expedition Thursday morning on a very affordable (cheap) direct flight from Greensboro to Orlando on Allegiant Air. To say that they cut corners to offer such wonderful prices on fares is, well, an understatement; I don't think our plane had been cleaned in quite a few flights. However, we made it safely to Orlando where John picked us up from the airport and we went directly to the Disney Grounds.

We arrived at the Magic Kingdom and quickly experienced the popular attractions - Splash Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, etc. - before Rachael joined us after getting off work. We continued at Magic Kingdom, checking out the very cool "Mickey's Philharmagic" and then hopped over to Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) for dinner and a show. As luck would have it, my cousin was also in Orlando on a business trip and was headed to Disney for the remainder of his evening. He met us for dinner and we had a great time laughing and carrying on over pasta at Mama Melrose!

Our second day was spent entirely at Epcot Center and we got to do things such as Soarin', Test Track, and Mission: Space. Soarin' was absolutely breathtaking, but none of these newer rides could have matched the awesomeness that is Captain EO - a kind of action-adventure rock musical set in space starring the one, the only Michael Jackson! I can't even begin to tell you the excitement I was experiencing watching a re-released attraction (it was made and premiered in the mid/late-80s) that was so dated but still so incredibly wonderful! I'll spare you the story (hopefully you'll go see it yourself) and just let you know that it's worth any wait to watch it in 3-D!

Another great thing about Epcot was the start of the annual Flower and Garden Festival. Some of the most beautiful and ornate displays of flowers were on full display as characters from beloved Disney films. I took pictures of most all that I saw, but there were several that I didn't have time to snap. The pictures are awesome though, and hopefully I'll be able to put those up on Facebook soon. :-)

Our third day was spent at Animal Kingdom where we saw a very cool "Lion King" performance and went on a great "Safari." The live animals were probably the best thing about Animal Kingdom, although Expedition Everest was a fun roller coaster ride. After leaving Animal Kingdom, we made our way to Downtown Disney for some shopping and drinks, and then back to Magic Kingdom for the Electric Parade, Cinderella Castle Projection Show, and Fireworks Display. Those last two were simply amazing and probably my favorite parts of the whole trip - good thing they were last! Of course in all this business there was little time to eat, but we did manage a dinner that night at the Polynesian Resort, which was quite good.

Now, can we talk about LSU fans? Such a weird place to talk about them, I know, but they were all over the place at Disney World (Mardi Gras was this week as well) and it seems to me that they only own LSU regalia for clothing. Most of the Magic Kingdom was a sea of purple and gold and it was very annoying to see them all out and about. Sure, there were other collegiate sports teams represented by the visitors at Disney, but not as much as LSWho?... just a bit annoying. Really, people? Buy some regular clothes and at least attempt to blend in! Hotty Toddy!!!

While we're on the subject of crazy things one might see in super public places such as Disney World, can I also give a shout out to new mothers... please do NOT nurse your child in public. It's one thing to discreetly nurse your newborn with some kind of blanket or visual block, but it is quite another to have your bare breast out for all to see while your child suckles on it. Not to mention that Disney has places for you to go for you to do this. Better yet, bring a bottle? It is highly likely that you are not an American, but, "When in Rome..." Just sayin.

Live, Laugh, and Love!
Kelly

Pilot Blog

Ok, ok so this isn't my first blog ever - I had a very short stint about 4 years ago when I was living in New York City and attending the Manhattan School of Music. But, I can say that I've grown a tremendous amount since then and hopefully can (re)start something constructive and stick to it! :-)

So, I'm a "Born Again Blogger." The words "born again" scare me considering the context in which I usually hear them, but I'm sure I can change my perception of those words. So here's to my first blog in a very long time! It is my "Pilot Blog" because, like a TV show, I'm planning on being around for a while. Or at least until the writer gets tired! :)

Today I had a very productive 11am hour - I stopped by the Apple Store to get a power cord for my laptop, had two spare keys to my apartment cut at Lowe's, and went grocery shopping at the Teet (Harris Teeter). Somehow I managed to get to three different locations in Greensboro and accomplish all that in an hour??? I swear I must have had one of those time changers like Hermione has in Prisoner of Azkaban... Anyways, I got home, made a delicious chocolate cake and then got ready for Ash Wednesday service at my church where I sing. Can I submit a request to have the Presbyterian sermons downgraded to Homilies for regular services? The sermons are SOOOOO long and, I'd gratefully sing more to use up the time!

Anyway, church was a beautiful service and then I joined some friends for a celebratory drink since our friend Karen vanquished her Comprehensive Exams earlier in the day. Now I'm off to pack for this weekend's trip to Orlando! As Charlie Sheen would say... "WINNING!"

Live, Laugh, and Love!
Kelly