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In the wee, small hours of the morning...

     Why the bloody hell am I still awake? Got a bunch of things to do before heading to campus then rehearsal tomorrow afternoon. Grrr. I dislike this.

     Oh, well, guess I could put the time to some good use, like finishing putting down the chords I want on my song so Kayleen and I can put our heads together and see what goes where before she knocks out the accompaniment. Maybe rehearse that solo audition for the Regina Coeli that's coming up in two weeks. Figure out something to make for the potluck at rehearsal tomorrow evening.

I need to find code for an event countdown timer...Five days, 7 and a half hours before transformation starts...

Earlier Jabberwocky...

From our first stop of our Spring '16 tour, at Providence UMC in Richmond, VA

Notice how myself and a few others try to bail prior to the Alma Mater. Heck, we didn't know...

It's the Final Countdown (insert overused guitar rift here...)

     Too many distractions. Too much drama. Too many people trying to bring me back down to where I was. Too many painful memories continually appearing. So, in light of almost falling behind in my studies, falling behind in my fitness goals, and losing ground on preparation for race day, I've decided to purge myself of social media, for a minimum of one week (i.e. until after the race next Saturday, which will be EPIC!). That means more than just not checking Facebook. That means logging out of not ONLY Facebook, but Instagram, Twitter, Match, Messenger, Whisper, Snapchat, Kik, whatever other things that are out there.

     Without the distractions of the last 3 weeks, there might have been more of a difference in the following photos:

June 27th, 2016

September 3rd, 2016

     Yes, you're reading those dates correctly. Yes, that's 9 weeks and 5 days. Holy shlamoly. 

     I know, I know, it's like being upset that your goose that lays golden eggs doesn't also barf up diamonds...

     Distractions, distractions, distractions. Some I've allowed to happen, others I have no control over, but have let bother me anyway. As a result, I've missed going to the gym for much longer than I like, I've not been prepping myself for this Spartan Race next Saturday (although, with 281 runners on the team, there won't really be much in the way of actual running involved, as we're taking the obstacles as a team), I've let things get back into my head, I've started to fall behind in my homework...just a lot of crap.

     Great opening game of our football season! Down 20-17, 47 seconds left in the game, and our QB lobs a 38-yd TD pass that miraculously went between both defenders covering the receiver in the corner of the endzone, and with the PAT, we went up 24-20, which was the eventual final score, giving first-year head coach Keven Williams his first win.

     Seven days until transformation...

"I must break you..."

     Someone is mighty damn lucky. My friend may not agree with violence, but I am tired of seeing her getting hurt. However, as I do not have the right information, I can't even contemplate what I'd like to do, so I will channel my pissed-off-ed-ness into my music.

     

     So, assuming we can get the guys and learn the music, the school will pay for us to go to Asheville for the regional collegiate barbershop competition. We win that (which Michael says we should, handily) then they'll pay for us to go to Florida for the International...yeah, buddy!

     Gotta make this one short, hafta go earn my keep in the choir loft at church tomorrow morning!

     My love to y'all, as always...

Even now? What will it take?

Methodist University Spring Tour 2016

Our third(?) performance of our 2016 Tour to Philadelphia...

Rub some dirt on it/"You're So Vain"

     So, for those of you who read my rant on Facebook, I'm pretty sure you are all smart enough to figure out what happened, or, at least, deduce what I may be talking about.

     For the newcomers, or those I am not friends with on Facebook for varying reasons (or if you're not as smart as I give you credit for), the long and the short: I made a real connection with someone who wasn't self-centered or thought they were too good, yadda, yadda, yadda...or so it seemed. Went out a few times, and a grand time was had by all. Then came the clues, which I couldn't completely ignore (I'm not COMPLETELY changed inside yet...), that pointed to something not being right. First was the sporadic communication. Then the cessation of communication. After a few days, I just wanted to know WTF was up: was she still alive? Did she decide to bail and not inform me? So, I send a text. The 2 replies: "Hey, I lost my phone and just got a new one.", "Refresh my memory, who is this?" Both within a few minutes of my text.

     Real freaking nice, eh?

     Oh, it gets better.

     "I've lost my wallet and everything with it." "I haven't eaten since this morning because I lost my card." "Can you help me? I need XXX$. I'll give you my account information so you can send it to me." Yes, it was a three-digit number...

     I may be slow from time to time, but I'm not completely stupid.

     That was bad enough. Then I get a bombshell dropped on me tonight that really shook my foundation. I nearly lost it, and the messenger was hard-pressed to keep it together; then while in the cafeteria, I did lose it. Luckily I was able to keep the sobbing to a minimum as I collected myself, finished my salad, and went back to the practice room, so no one was the wiser. I'm going to feel the sting of this news for quite some time. I understand the why of it all, and I agree with it, it was just completely and utterly unexpected.

     



     But, you know what? I've worked my ass off these last 3 months physically; something fundamental snapped in my consciousness while on vacation, causing a major shift; and a vision of what is possible has been burned into my mind's eye. The man you think you know, the one who would have let this cause him to retreat back into himself? Yeah, he's as dead as last year's daisies. A few of you found out last night that you don't really know me anymore. I find it amusing to see the looks on the faces of my acquaintences (pfft! Friends? Ha!) when they realize I'm not that background-dwelling wallflower anymore. Hell, it was to my advantage last night at the restaurant, being the person I am now: the manager came out and introduced himself to us, and to me especially, because he and his employees were having a good time watching me dance on their patio. So much, in fact, I paid even less for my drinks than the day's special!

     And apparently I'm more approachable now than last semester, as I have had numerous encounters and even full-blown conversations with students outside of my major. I've been asked to entertain the friends of the kids that were in my NSO group with my rendition of "Overweight People" and I willingly have obliged (pretty soon it won't make any sense for me to sing it: sure you can figure out why).

     Two and a half more weeks before I attempt to kill myself by proving I'm in better shape than I actually am. WHEN I cross that finish-line and vindicate myself to myself, it's game over for the past. Don't be on the wrong side when all is said and done, because I will have no problem leaving anyone behind.

     Plenty of solo work to audition/rehearse for this season, both in school and at COS. The Ralph Vaughan Williams piece MIGHT be just a formality, for myself and a few others who did it 6 years ago, with the only difference being me wanting to do the final bass solo rather than the first baritone solo as I did back then. We shall see. The Regina Coeli is starting to come back to me, so, with a little coaching from Dr. Susan, I should be ready for that audition next month. And the Chamber Singers piece we're doing, She's Like the Swallow, will be a slight challenge, but one I'm more than able to conquer.

     Alright, me loverlies, it's time to ATTEMPT to lay my ass down and go to sleep. I have stuff I need to get done prior to my 0900 class, which will be difficult, as the program I need to install is only written for Windows, so I will need to spend time setting up a work-around.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night.

I hate to go and leave this pretty sight...

You are not the center of the universe...