Total Nerd.

 And proud of it! ;)

On Saturday, I went to a seminar on the voice at Mass Eye & Ear. It was awesome! I learned so much and many things to think about. However, I can't stop thinking about the superficial lamina propria layer of the vocal folds and how it deteriorates, and there is nothing you can do about it. That's kind of unnerving. BUT the miraculous and unexplainable thing is that the singing voice gets better with time. Now, that is incredible. :)
(And nothing like a lecture in pedagogy class the following Monday about vocal disorders to bring out the hypochondriac in you! haha!)

One of the most interesting things they told me was that you only ever actually have a 50% perception of your own voice. That's a HUGE margin! It is because we hear internal sympathetic vibrations and bone conductivity, and the mouth is ahead of the ears, so we do not hear the reflection of the sound outside of our body once it leaves our mouths. Even if we hear a recording, we still don't get an accurate perspective. Isn't that remarkable?! And this is why when you hear yourself speak or sing, you think, "I don't actually sound like that!"

Also, the deer larynx is located behind their nose...what would we sound like if that was where ours was, too?! (This is the type of stuff my brain thinks about constantly. haha!)

 I have come to the conclusion that I need to marry an ENT. haha! Seriously, though. What is better than someone who knows everything about the voice and what I do but isn't a musician! Plus, it is so practical. (And I saw some pretty fine looking docs on Saturday meandering about the hospital... Now, just to find an available one... teehee!)

Back to Bean Town...

After a few wonderful days vegging and chilling out with a pretty cool 3 y/o and the fam, it was back to Boston late last night. For such a "Samantha" city, a great group of friends, and a school practically made for me, why is returning back after a break always turn out to be so damn frustrating and emotional?!

It's been a bit of a frustrating semester, thus far... The learning curve of new teachers, new technique, an exasperating amount of repertoire to be learned, and a relentless time table can seem overwhelming at the least. (Plus, I didn't exactly have the most stunning of voice lessons before I left, so needless to say, I have a bit of anxiety about my return to a full-fledged coaching, lesson, and class schedule bright and squirrely on Monday morning... And singing an excerpt from Haydn's Creation for a masterclass with Ryan Turner on Easter Monday makes my stomach flip when I realize how close that is and how unsatisfied I am with the way I am singing that piece right now! GAH! Where on earth did all of my nervousness come from?! Go away, second-guessing devil!)

My few days at home were exactly what the doctor ordered. I wouldn't have complained if it had been a little longer, though! Nonetheless, responsibilities can only be ignored for so long...not the biggest fan of this "being an adult" business. Sometimes, I think the disadvantages far outweigh any its advantages.

We spent the days in sweatpants, eating too many PopTarts, being spoiled with big dinners, playing Play-Doh, Becca's soccer games and practices, and watching Cheers, Friends, endless DVR TV shows, and Xander's latest obsession of Octonauts on Disney Channel. My little sister and my dad are obsessed with the fact that Cheers takes place in Boston and constantly ask questions like, "Does the street really look like that?" "Does the bar really look like that on the inside?" "Is Norm there?" I think that they just need to get their butts to Boston to see for themselves! hehe!

My nephew Xander is the craziest, most adorable kid ever...and way too smart for his age!

This kid is totally ridiculous...and fittingly so, my nephew. ;) We played "Easter," since I, sadly, won't get to spend Easter at home for the first time in my life. We decorated the house, colored eggs, and hid plastic eggs around the playroom for pretend egg hunts...that kid is sneaky! He hides them IN things, like his toolbox, or a crayon box! He got mad when I had to leave on Friday afternoon...said he doesn't like saying "goodbye"... :(  This career comes with perks...and just as many sacrifices... Sometimes, I wish I really was Samantha Stevens, so I could just twinkle or blink myself anywhere, any time.

The apartment is mine for the weekend. Roommate is still out of town visiting relatives. And unfortunately, I gotta get up for work tomorrow morning. =P I would really like a job that I enjoy...and to actually go to church once in awhile...such a bad Catholic! Guess I shouldn't complain, though, since at least I am getting a few hours, and it's time-and-a-half in MA on Sundays in retail...but still not really amused. (BTW...on the look-out for voice students in the Greater Boston area...if you know of anyone, hook me up! Yes, I am a crazy soprano, but I've been told I really know my stuff when it comes to teaching...)

And for the record, St. Patrick's Day in Boston is not cool like it sounds...it's an annoying, drunken mess...at 4pm! This Irish girl was not amused by the sloppy public display and hoards of college kids crowding the streets.

Thus, I was lame and spent the night with a bottle of wine and cleaning the apartment...after stupidly deciding that going downtown to Trader Joe's for groceries was a good idea...mistake #758...haha! I was invited to a few parties but decided against them tonight. (Who would've ever thought I'd actually be "popular"?! HAHA! Yes, I am "miss social butterfly"...think that really started in college...but certainly wasn't the case in that dreadful place they called high school! Sorry, kiddos, for skipping out on social events this weekend.) Except for the grocery fiasco, I'd say I chose the best option for the night...esp. after barely getting any sleep last night and then a 9-hr day today. ;) Going back to school not rested is not in my best interest...but it'll probably still happen from mere lack of not being able to fall asleep.

Pajama Day

How has it been so long since I posted?! Oh, yes...I am in that institution called grad school that consumes all my energy, time, etc.! haha! However, today, I spent the entire day in my pjs, sitting on the couch, catching up on Smash, and doing my reading for pedagogy class tomorrow. (I did leave the apartment for a few minutes to go get chinese food with my roommate...wasn't very good. :( But I determined whilst walking in my Glee fleece pants, pink rainboots, hair piled on top of my head in a mess, and a glittery pashmina wrapped around my neck that I will end up meeting the man of my dreams one day when I am looking that ridiculous! haha!)

I seem to have a new obsession with countertenors. They just sound so beautiful! And I have a million questions as to how their voices work. Also been swimming in the music of Handel and Haydn. I never would have thought before coming here that my voice would be so well suited for Baroque and early Classical music, but it is becoming more and more apparently true. Loving it, but those boys sure love to test my patience by writing everything in the passaggio! The other day, I discovered Handel's oratorio Jephtha. SO gorgeous! Can't wait to sing it someday! :) Currently, though, I am working on an excerpt from Haydn's Creation for a masterclass next month.

I have been thinking a lot lately about my repertoire and where I am headed. I don't think I really want to do opera much. Maybe I will change my mind later. But right now, I see my career focused mainly in oratorio and art song. (Yes, we have already established that I am crazy!)

In other news, I have been attending a lot of concerts lately...student recitals, the symphony, chamber music, and even rock concerts. My dear friend Glo hooked me up with a couple of tickets to Flogging Molly's Boston show (her sons are the drummer and manager), so I took my friend Francesco along. They put on a great show! :) We were going to go try to see George (the drummer) after the show, but we both had class early in the morning and was pushing midnight, so we needed to get home. (Really, we are actually like 92 years old! Ha!)

Ticket for my flight home for a few days next week has been purchased. I haven't figured out my return trip yet, so hopefully my family doesn't decided to just keep me hostage! ;)

Massive sinus headache, so I am off to bed now...