Sinkin' Soon

Sinkin' Soon - by Norah Jones

We're the oyster cracker on the stew, the honey in the tea
We're the sugar cubes, one lump or two, in the black coffee
The golden crust on the apple pie, shining in the sun at noon
We're the wheel of cheese high in the sky
But we're gonna be sinkin' soon

In a boat that's built of sticks and hay, we drifted from the shore
With a captain who's too proud to say that he dropped the oar
A tiny hole has sprung a leak in this cheap pontoon
Now the hull has started growing weak
And we're gonna be sinkin' soon

We're gonna be sinkin' soon, we're gonna be sinkin' soon
Everybody hold your breath and down and down we go

We're the oyster cracker on the stew, the honey in the tea
We're the sugar cubes, one lump or two, no thank you, none for me
We're the golden crust on the apple pie, shining in the sun at noon
We're the wheel of cheese high in the sky
But we're gonna be sinkin' soon

Ten Cents A Dance

"Ten Cents A Dance" - Rodgers & Hart

Lyrics:

I work at the Palace Ballroom, but gee that palace is cheap
When I get back to my chilly hallroom, I'm much too tied to sleep
I'm one of those lady teachers, a beautiful hostess you know
One that the Palace features at exactly a dime a throw

Ten cents a dance, that's what they pay me, gosh how they weigh me down
Ten cents a dance, pansies and rough guys, tough guys who tear my gown
Seven to midnight I hear drums; loudly the saxophone blows
Trumpets are tearing my ear drums; customers crush my toes

Sometimes I think I've found my hero, but it's a queer romance
All that you need is a ticket, come on big boy, ten cents a dance

Fighters and sailors and bow-legged tailors
Can pay for their tickets and rent me
Butchers and barbers and rats from the harbors
Are sweethearts my good luck has sent me
Though I've a chorus of elderly beaux
Stockings are porous with holes at the toes
I'm here till closing time, dance and be merry
It's only a dime

Sometimes I think I've found my hero, but it's a queer romance
All that you need is a ticket, come on big boy, ten cents a dance

A Minor Bird

"A Minor Bird" - by Robert Frost

I have wished a bird would fly away
And not sing round my house all day
I have clapped my hands at him, from the door
When it seemed as if I could bear no more

The fault must partly have been in me
The bird was not to blame, for his key
And besides there must be something wrong
In wanting to silence any song.

Singing

July 26, 2008

Note to any readers I might still have: I started this post several months ago, so please don't hold the "today" against me :P
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Today I had my first singing lesson since I had the catheter implant surgery, waaaaay back in October last year. Turns out my vocal range is still mostly there - a full step down in the top range, as my teacher says, but my low range is intact. What's completely missing is any sign of stamina. And of course, the fluid didn't help.

Fluid? Yeah, fluid. Last night, I was so focussed on getting my dialysis started by 10pm, because my supplies for the next month would be coming in early this morning, that I totally forgot I would have to use slightly different programming, and a regular bag of dextrose solution for my last fill of the morning (and do a split midday exchange). Didn't realize my mistake until this morning. N very kindly offered to reschedule, but I refused. I had been waiting for this day for simply months! No way was I going to put it off, even if I did have my full complement of fluid for the day.

Speaking of fluid - I've in fact been consciously been speaking in shorter sentences, because I find that I lose my breath completely by the time I get to the end of long sentences. It is very disconcerting, because I've never had to think about breathing while speaking. I mean, we outgrow that by the time we learn to speak, ferchrissakes. I hate that - that and the completely unexpected hitch in my breath (almost sounds like a sob) as my diaphragm goes into spasms every now and then. VERY annoying.

But back to my lesson - I had a very enjoyable session with N. I have missed this so much all these long music-less months! I didn't notice the time pass at all, and WAY before I was ready, I had to leave. But I am set for the next 5 weeks at least, after which N and her husband are going on a cruise to the Galapagos Islands. Wish I could go to the Galapagos too! Anyway, I'll be there at her house like a burr, once she gets back.
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Moving on to the present...

I haven't voluntarily cancelled a lesson since I started up again. In fact, since I wasn't able to attend the spring recital, and the summer one was cancelled due to lack of interest (there were exactly two singers willing to go on, and not enough songs prepared for even a half hour recital between the two of us - yeah well, what did you expect?! Of course I was one of the two), I now have a new repertory of 7 songs that no one has heard, except for N, of course, and her two kids, who are usually home when I have my lessons.

N says I have enough to have a small concert al my own, which we have yet to schedule. My aim was for after Amma gets back from CT. Now I have several people planning to visit (or flying in to live here) who are all going to be there the second week of September, so it is tempting to do it then. But I will have to really get ALL the songs in perfect shape for that, and with just 5 weeks to go, that's a little daunting. Not to mention all the work work work that is hanging over any plans, like that alien ship over the city in Independence Day... :-(

So if and when that solo concert happens, I will be sure to update you, all my two blog readers. Until then, adios!