Magic Moments

Ick - I've got to get to work. Yuck. On the other hand - thank god a deadline has shown up - I am so totally addicted to the internet that I get nothing done. Anyhow, before I get started . . .

I have made it six days without a drink. Yesterday was tough. I'm ignoring a fight about my work hours as best I can. That's a post traumatic stress trigger for me. I'm being harassed about it right now, and yesterday it came up again just as I was preparing to leave for the day. My posted work hours are 7-4, but I got way off of that and started working more like 9 - until no one was looking. I'm never on time. All I can hope is to be here before anyone else.

Still - I didn't drink. I had to go buy a suit to wear to Russ's wedding on Saturday. And I was hungry so I did abandon my diet and ate just the grossest collection of food from a half-price buffet, and some chocolate truffles. When I got home, although desperate for Merlot, I had raspberry tea. And a sandwich with mayonnaise and pine nuts and chicken and micro greens in a whole wheat pita.

Actually, that was pretty good.

_________

I WORE MY TUX to the WATCH Awards tech run. I remembered that last year it was a tough costume change to get out of the rehearsal clothes and into my new tuxedo before the Birchmere's doors opened. And also, as I was in charge of the tech run, and not being nominated for an award, nor performing; I figured that I should dress up for the casts. At least it helped them identify who was "in charge."

I was the entertainment coordinator for five groups singing songs from the Best Production of a Musical nominees. The first up on stage was Seussical. And they had a huge cast. There must have been 50 people in it, all very young - elementary school through college. They were so cute.

Timing was tight, so I got them started right at 3:15 even though their pianist was late. And when she got there, (the opening of the stage door slashed brilliant light through the dark theater,) she dodged across the stage as they danced and sang (acappella) "Oh the Thinks You Can Think" to find that she couldn't get to the piano from up on the stage.

I mirrored her progress across the stage and called her to the steps, which she could not see, as I gave her my hand and she blindly and shakily descended the steps, taking my arm as I took her to the piano. (Which was on the stage, but it was on a side wing of the stage, surrounded by sound and lighting equipment.) She couldn't even see the steps leading up to the piano, even though they were white and right in front of her. I had to describe them . . . "not very wide, right here . . here take my hand. " And I led her up those steps and went back to watch her group continue to sing as she throws her bag and coat down, and swings her music score onto the piano and sits in one fluid movement, quickly scanning measures, notes, and pages as the cast comes to a key change.

She hits the chord, an instant after fear of the impending key change glazes over the young cast. The fullness of the music swells from the rock-concert sized speakers, and the huge cast continues their rehearsal with bright-eyed joy.

Ah.

Pure Magic.

Believe.