Turtle Creek Chorale opens the holiday concerts (A Very Special Holiday Special) tonight, at 8:00, in the Winspear Opera House of the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Dress/Tech went quite well last night, and the crew was back in this morning to finish focusing lights and getting all the magic ready to happen. I will need to be heading downtown in about an hour (Chorus called at 6:30). We repeat at 8:00 tomorrow night, and 3:00 and 8:00 on Sunday (no Hidden Door for me this weekend... will be there for the 30th Anniversary festivities on the 17th).
In competition for parking tonight... the Dallas Symphony is starting its annual holiday run - through the 20th; and tomorrow, being the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, means that Latinos will be flooding into the Cathedral Guadalupe tonight. Mass at Midnight; Las Mananitas at 5:00a.m. and Masses all day tomorrow. In today's Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Diocesan spokesman says they are expecting 25,000+ people through the Cathedral in the next forty-eight hours.
And Sunday morning is the White Rock Marathon, so traffic will be screwed up getting around in Downtown Dallas until early afternoon... the marathon starts and ends at American Airlines Center and goes out along Live Oak and Ross to White Rock Lake and back.
For now, off to the shower then to get dressed. See y'all in the funny papers.
- Mood:
energetic
Last night was the Mr Dallas Eagle contest. Congratulations to Jack, our new representative. Thanks, Jeffrey, for a great year as Mr Dallas Eagle 2009. You did us proud. It was nice to see so many of the Leather community in attendance. I was a good boy and was home shortly after midnight to get ready for this week's schedule. But I did enjoy a cigar on the patio... even if I was freezing.
Turtle Creek Chorale sings today at NorthPark Mall at 5:00pm. We will be in the court below the AMC theaters. Tuesday is Orchestra rehearsal; Thursday is stage rehearsal (at the Winspear Opera House of the AT&T Performing Arts Center); Friday, Saturday and Sunday are performances (8:00pm each evening plus a 3:00pm matinee on Sunday). So if you don't see me out and about, just know I would probably rather be out and about.
Somehow, I will fit my gym schedule in for the six days this week. Have already told
Thank the deities I don't have to fit a job into this week!
Ah well... Ho HO HO and deck the halls and all that stuff.
- Location:Home... the study
- Mood:
okay
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
bond_ms_bondHope you have a wonderful year!
ladyfaye Happiest of birthdays to you , Ma'am. Hope you have a wonderful year.
Holiday concert music is sounding quite good and i actually think I will have it all memorized before the first performance. There is always that big challenge, especially when so much of the music is familiar. But doing this set of concerts in the new Winspear Opera House will be a lot of fun. We can have sets fly in and out, and we get to have an orchestra in the orchestra pit - as opposed to in front of us - which is what has to happen on the Meyerson stage. Of course, that means the conductor is going to seem a mile away from my position in the top row of the choir.
If this rain (and thunder!) keeps up, it may be an early-to-bed kind of night. Snuggle under the comforter and listen to the storms. I think today will turn out to be the last warm day of this Fall... its only supposed to be in the lower 50s tomorrow; twenty degrees cooler than today.
For the record... training is going quite well. I was in the gym six days this past week... three with the trainer and three doing cardio on the treadmill. I will weigh in the morning and see what the scale says but I know body mass is changing.
- Mood:
cheerful
Gym sessions are going well. We did free weights for the first time on Friday... adds a whole lot more muscle groups to keep that barbell balanced when over the chest! But most of the soreness has already dissipated... just in time for tomorrow's torture session.
Note from my sister that she and her family will be going camping (if you call an RV camping) for Thanksgiving so I know I need to start considering my plans. Don't know if my brother will want to do anything since I doubt our aunt will want to come out... I'll see if he comments on sis' e-mail. Maybe I will just cook a turkey breast here at home and take it easy... or go to the baths and find some other white meat! Ah, well... still have a little time to decide.
- Mood:
contemplative
'Tis true, I am back in Dallas following a wonderful weekend in San Francisco. I had a great time at ILSb/ICBB. Congratulations to Dallas' own Syr Evan on winning International Boot Black 2009. Dallas Eagle will have to get a new trophy case! And congratulations to Sir David and boy John on their competition. You did a good job in a field of eleven really creative and competitive teams.
The trip home was uneventful... it just seemed like we landed at Love Field and taxied back to DFW! And, of course, we did not land at the terminal I departed last Wednesday, so had to catch the Terminal Link shuttle to get back to where the car was waiting.
The Hotel Whitcomb is a beautiful old hotel, and very accommodating for a large group of leather men and women, but I am REALLY looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight. The mattress in my room had an annoying list to the left, so I ended up sleeping diagonally across the bed! WIll have to post a pics later.
Saw lots of America from 40,000 feet. On the way out, we flew over the Mammoth Mountain Ski area then directly over Half Dome and the northern end of Yosemite Valley. Coming home, we went over Lake Tahoe and Glen Canyon/Lake Powell. There was a beautiful full moon by the time we were landing tonight.
Now I need to go unpack and get ready for this alternative reality.
- Location:Dallas - home
- Mood: content
- Location:Home
- Mood:
anxious
After some searching, I have found a trainer to work with me at the gym. Today was session number one. I have a feeling I am gonna be cussing his name in the morning when I try to get out of bed. I am planning to work with him three days a week to get into a routine. I had gotten a gym membership a year or more ago but quickly figured out that I had no idea how to use most of the machines and could hurt myself BADLY in that fashion. Now I am paying someone to hurt me badly! How masochistic is that?!?
Turned fifty a couple of months ago (actually, in June) and have decided it is "do or die" time for doing something about my weight and general state of fitness. I won't post my current weight... lets just say its still less than an Orca. My goal is not to be a muscle-bear; I want to get rid of significant weight and get tone into the muscles. Strengthening the back and abs, to give me more support when singing, is another of the goals. After the TCC Monday night performance of Mozart's Requiem, I realized how badly I need to get the abs and lower back in better shape.
Speaking of, I think the concert went very well... over 300 singers (by the time we added women to -more or less- balance the men) and fifty members of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra to accompany. There were some flaws, which the Classical reviewer at the Dallas Morning
Okay... I am going to try to get back downstairs and do some laundry.
- Location:Home
- Mood:
sore
In other news, there is a strange light in the sky this evening... and it is the oddest color sky - blue rather than the gray it has been nearly all this month.
Planted mums today and replanted the peony... it has been unhappy and I think it might have just gotten waterlogged with all the rain the last six weeks. Hope it will perk up a little now. The marigolds outside the back door are a riot of orange and yellow... accented with some spiky, purple something I found at the garden center.
Home Depot was full of Christmas when I wandered there this afternoon. I remember that last year, HD caved to the religious idiots who protested them carrying Hallowe'en decorations as so much Satan worship.
- Mood: content
In other news... Dallas Summer Musicals has announced its new season.
Christmas with the Rat Pack!
101 Dalmatians
The Color Purple
Alfred Hitchcock's 39 Steps
Phantom of the Opera
RAIN The Beatles Experience
Xanadu
The Music of Andrew Lloyed Webber
Little House on the Prairie - the Musical
Wicked
Dreamgirls!
Shrek
Wicked will be its 3rd stop in Dallas; Little House on the Prairie - the Musical! - didn't know such a dreadful thing existed. Shrek will be the State Fair musical next year (DSM always brings in something during the run of the Texas State Fair).
And it feels like Autumn in Dallas. At 2:00pm, it is still only 55 degrees outside and only supposed to be in the 60s tomorrow. Its overcast and someone in the neighborhood has a fire burning... can smell the lovely aroma of woodsmoke when I step outside.
- Mood: bored
Last night was Dallas' Black Tie Dinner (HRCF) at the Sheraton Dallas. Had a great time with
lthrfanand lthrchaps6 and my other guests. A great dinner and Gavin Newsom (mayor of SF) gave an incredible Keynote speech. Cyndi Lauper received the BTD Media Award (for her work through her True Colors tour) but was not present to receive. She had sent a taped acceptance speech and her sister, Elen, picked up the award. Judy Shepard was, thankfully, brief in accepting the Equality Award. Dinner itself was excellent and I am always surprised that the hotel can turn out plated dinners for 3,000+ people and still have it warm at service. Good wines (Bridlewood Monterrey Chardonnay and Sterling Vintner's Cabernet Sauv'ignon) and champagne to round out the evening. Tonight, and the next two Sunday evenings, I will be rehearsing Mozart's Requiem for the Oct 19th performance opening the Turtle Creek Chorale 30th Anniversary Season. Performance is with SMU Meadows Chorale, member choirs from our Partners in Harmony churches (various denominations that affirm the belief that all people are created equal) and the Richardson Symphony Orchestra. Tuesday nights the chorus is rehearsing the Holiday concert music. Mozart concert will be in the Meyerson Symphony Center; Holiday concerts are in the new Winspeare Opera House of the AT&T Center for the Performing Arts (tickets at www.turtlecreek.org)
Now I can also concentrate on San Francisco and ILSb weekend. Looking forward to the end of October in San Francisco.
- Location:home, the study
- Mood: content
Big storms blew through this evening -took about ten minutes- leaving lots of rain and cooler temps in the wake. This is supposed to be the leading edge of a cold front but the wind has not moved into the north-northwest as of the 7:00 pm posting from the National Weather Service. Still, its supposed to be down to about 56 in the morning and only upper 70s tomorrow afternoon. I saw that the mountains of northern New Mexico are under HARD FREEZE warning for the overnight.
This weekend is the Dallas Black Tie Dinner - the local fundraiser for HRC. I am hosting a table, which looks to be a nice mix of ten friends. This event is reported as the largest seated dinner in Dallas each year... more than 3,000 people attend in one ballroom (Texas Ballroom of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.) Funds are divided between HRC and local beneficiaries; Turtle Creek Chorale being one of the locals. Mayor Gavin Newsom is giving the Keynote Address. Cyndi Lauper is receiving the Media Award and Judy Shepard will accept the Equality Award.
After Saturday, it will be time to concentrate on San Francisco and ILSb weekend. I am looking forward to being in the city again and looking forward to it being cool enough to wear leathers; Dallas is still not there yet!
Then on to the holidays... Had reason to go to Target CityPlace yesterday. The Hallowe'en decorations are up, and Christmas is right across from them! No sign of the Thanksgiving Turkey in the mix! Of course, Chorale is in the midst of learning Holiday Concert music. Maybe I should "Haul out the holly..."
- Location:home
- Mood: contemplative
Thank the gods that there is a flaming ball in the sky this morning... drag queens in soggy feathers is NEVER a pretty sight.
We have been inundated with rain for the last full week. I think totals are pushing the 10" mark for eight days; more just further south of Dallas-Fort Worth proper. There was still a heavy downpour yesterday afternoon as I was trying to nap.
I have been fighting very aggressive allergies (all this mold and weeds with the rain?) or flu since Tuesday night. The fever broke last night finally... at the peak, it hit 101.0; today its back at 98.3, which is much closer to my normal temperature (I am always under 98.6); there is still some coughing... not nearly so intense as the last couple of days... and that nasty little crinkling/gurgling in my sinuses when I am laying in bed and all is quiet.
So I will be missing all the activities this weekend. I am going to lay low and continue to rest. Those of you in Dallas, have fun celebrating Pride... the rest of you, have fun doing whatever.
- Location:home... in the study
- Mood: refreshed
eric_mathgeek ?Yes it could... happy birthday, Eric. Hope you have a fabulous day and year.
- Mood: bouncy
- Location:New Orleans
- Mood: thoughtful
Friday afternoon... 04-September 17:28
Having a great time at Decadence. The weather is not oppressively humid and there are hot men everywhere.
Lets see... arrived Wednesday afternoon; the drive was uneventful -except for that insanity called I-10 from LaFayette to New Orleans. Who decided a major interstate (and hurricane evacuation route) should be two, 2-lane freeways built on bridges through a swamp?!? The whole damn thing crosses the Atchafalya basin, sitting maybe ten feet above the bayou. At Baton Rouge, they are working feverishly (for Louisianna standards -its only been four years since Katrina!)) on making it wider through there... but then its back to the bridge all the way to Lafayette.
The hotel is getting steadily busier and the pool is definitely hopping.
Had coffee and beignets at Cafe DuMonde this morning. Wandered down Rue Royale, past the Courts building and the police station, then turned backed to Bourbon and back up past all the straight clubs (why do the ones that have live man-on-woman sex not also have men-on-men? They have woman-on-woman!) and back up to the gay end of Bourbon. Lunched at Pere Antoine's; wonderful gumbo and muffeletta sandwich. Dick dancers at all the bars! Checked out the Rawhide... it was about a thousand degrees in there.
Now back for a brief rest at the hotel before venturing back out for the night.
Stay tuned for more lurid details from New Orleans.
- Location:Bourbon-Orleans Hotel
- Mood: in a good way
Bags are packed -except for the toiletries after I shower in the morning- I think I am set; probably a little over-packed but have no idea what the weather will be doing. Of course we now have tropical storm -E- (Erica?) in the near western Atlantic... hopefully she will head for FL-GA-SC and not decide she has to charge across the Gulf.
Looking forward to Southern Decadence... even if I don't have fun at the official events (I suspect I am neither young nor cute enough to really be the IN crowd) it is still New Orleans. I am sure I can find some fun to be had. And some really good food to enjoy.
For all my friends off to Delta... have a good time; do something kinky for me... post lots of pictures!
Now, off to bed ... as if I will ever fall asleep. Today is the birthday of Artistic Director of TCC... there were hundreds of cupcakes, and cookies, and brownies at rehearsal. Between two hundred men hopped up on sugar and an AD who is ADD, second half was a circus.
But. I shall go try to sleep, since I am driving to New Orleans tomorrow morning.
- Mood: bouncy
Friday was good; went to dinner with friends then to see the musical Altar Boyz... really funny, at least to this recovering Cathoholic.
Saturday started good but was disrupted early by a killer migraine... came home and slept for several hours. Then got up and watched the graveside service for Sen Kennedy; perhaps overdone a bit... still, he made a huge impact in the American political system I suppose. Kinda weird to see his current wife, Vickie, and his ex-wife, Joan (how DID the Church square all that away?) together.
Got up today, feeling better, and drove over to Johnson County to see dad... gave him his birthday present (early) and showed him the pics from my Alaska trip... he seemed to enjoy them. His present was a 7" totem pole of the Raven and the Sun legend; when i was going to Alaska, he asked me to bring him a totem pole... so I did. We visited for a while... he seems older each time I see him (will be eighty-two on the 9th) but seems in good spirits.
Driving over also gave me a chance to try out the portable GPS I bought, for the impending trip to New Orleans for Decadence. Since there is always a chance of the weather going south, I have decided to drive down (so I can head north, if I have to). The GPS worked well, even when I would intentionally not make a recommended turn and it had to recalculate. So that will be a big help when i am negotiating my way into the French Quarter to the hotel (Bourbon Orleans).
I will leave after my regular Wednesday morning breakfast at Lucky's and should be in NOLA between 5:00 and 6:00 I think. If the weather holds, I will drive home on Tuesday, Sep 8th... maybe in time for Turtle Creek Chorale rehearsal. If I have to leave in a hurry, my plan is to head up I-55 to Jackson MS, then cut back west to Dallas on I-20. There seems to be a deepening low heading into the far southern Caribbean... The Weather Channel is forecasting it to strengthen into a depression tonight or tomorrow. Then I will have to start watching it in ernest.
So, maybe next post will be from the heart of Decadence.
- Location:Dallas, home, the study
- Mood: antsy
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