and it brings us back to....

[mangosteen]

Since I had vacation on Monday, I used it as a "life maintenance day" to take care of the entropy balance that tends to accumulate just through living life.

Observation: Possibly the biggest lesson I learned from being told to make my bed every day is that humans create entropy. It doesn't just happen, with us as observers. Neat freaks (unlike myself) make a constant effort to minimize their entropic presence, at least in some forms. Others, like myself, tend to take care of it wholesale, after noting that the laundry pile is beginning to develop language skills.

So, in retrospect, it was like any other life maintenance day. Pay the bills, balance the checkbook, do some laundry, sort through the book queue, alphabetize the socks by texture, etc.

The evening was different, however.
I got to audition for an a cappella group, that being Honorable Menschen.

I used to sing (as in vocal musical performance in front of an audience) quite a bit when I lived down in NYC. There are no doubt quite a few of you who have actually heard me. For me, there's still nothing quite like the rush of cranking Handel's "Dixit Dominus" up to one notch below disturbing the peace and singing along with the bass choral part all the way through. Once I got out of college (and moved to Boston), I didn't have the time or the energy to commit to any sort of organized vocal group. Well, that was the theory, anyway. The real story is that I was so afraid of committing regular intervals of my life to something, that I blocked off several avenues of creative (and other) pursuits, all because I wanted to "keep things open". Now that, to use the technical term, is a load of hooey. I've been in a job with normal hours and a sane on-call rotation for two and a half years, now. No more excuses.

So, back to the audition. I chose "The Other Shore" by the Austin Lounge Lizards as my audition piece, mostly because it wasn't a popular show tune that had been done to death, as if there is truly any other kind. I warmed up a bit, practiced during the day (in between the checkbook balancing and sock alphabetization), and drank a lot of tea with honey. As 8pm rolled around, I stood outside the audition room fully confident in my abilities, despite my former track record with a cappella group auditions (i.e. 0 for 4).

I did the scales, managed the intervals, sang along with the group, and did my audition piece, all while having my heart try to burst out of my chest and display its repertoire of retro-chic breakdancing moves.

I thought I did okay. Not great, but okay.

I got home, went to sleep, and woke up to find mail from chanaleh (as she is Membership Chair of the group) saying that they offered me a spot in the group.

[happy dance elided due to decency restrictions]

Wow. Just.... wow. Like, um, wow, and stuff. Wow.
I'm going to get to sing again. Holy crap.

Because I'm unable to make a couple of the next practices due to prior commitments, I got my hands on the sheet music for some of the pieces they (we?) are currently rehearsing.

And I played some mp3 recordings of said music.
And I followed along in the sheet music with headphones on.
And I sang along with the recordings.
And I remembered what it felt like.
And I became just a bit more alive.

I missed this.
My ghod, I missed this.

Comments

[dchenes.livejournal.com]

I miss singing, too. I quit the last chorus I was in because it got more political than choral. Someday I'll find another one to get into.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

Yay for you!

I have a vivid memory of the two of us, in my dorm at some ungodly hour of the night belting out "Sodomy! Fellatio! Cunalingus! Pederasty!" I think that might be the last time we sang together ...

Congrats on getting into such wonderful company. See you this weekend.

[mangosteen]

I have a vivid memory of the two of us, in my dorm at some ungodly hour of the night belting out "Sodomy! Fellatio! Cunalingus! Pederasty!"

I recall that fondly. :)

Congrats on getting into such wonderful company. See you this weekend.

Thanks! See you in a couple of days.... look for the guy in the suit. :)

[redcountess]

The Hair soundtrack is one of my favourites to sing along to, I just wish I could hit the high notes in "The Flesh Failures"!

[bouncingleaf.livejournal.com]

Congrats! That rocks!

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Yay! I know just what you mean. :) Mazel tov!

[pookfreak.livejournal.com]

Mazel Tov - I bet you'll be a wonderful addition to the group. I've always enjoyed hearing you sing when you've don't it ad hoc.

[watercolorblue.livejournal.com]

That sounds excellent.
Reminds me, I oughta start up singing and playing music again, and a choir could be a good way to do that.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Mazel tov! Good job! If enough of my friends join this group, one of these days maybe I'll actually make it to a concert. :-)

[doeeyedbunny.livejournal.com]

Whoo hoo!

Now all you have to do is figure out how to sing, smile and snap at the same time.

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

And I became just a bit more alive.

Fun, innit?

:-)

[kazmat.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Singing was definitely a rush, and I'm glad you got back into it and are enjoying it.

[gingicat]

Excellent! :)

[fj.livejournal.com]

Woo-hoo!

(Although when I am tired I read that as Horrible Menschen)

[broken-gizmo.livejournal.com]

Yay! That's awesome! Congratulations. :)

[magid.livejournal.com]

Yay! Chances to hear the Voice of Mangosteen in all its fullness!

[wolfkitn.livejournal.com]

congrats! you'll let us know when concerts are, yes? :)

(i used to sing also. i miss it, too. it's hard to work into my weird-ass schedule, though. :( )

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

That is awesome. I have another friend who recently went back to singing Barbershop and having problems remembering why he left in the first place. It's wonderful to be able to be creative in ways others can enjoy too...

[naudia.livejournal.com]

*bounce* *snuffle* Go. You. Let us know when your group performs?

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

I, too, took a far-too-long break from singing and started again last February. It's truly energizing.

Let me know when your concert is.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[redcountess]

Congratulations! I'm really happy for you!

[metalfatigue]

*jealousy*

[42itous.livejournal.com]

sweet!

can't wait to see/hear y'all perform!

[srl.livejournal.com]

Yay! you /will/ post a concert announcement, right?

Congrats!

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

I auditioned once for an a cappella group, but I flubbed it. What a neat-sounding group! I hope you have lots of fun, and post concert dates indeed. }:-)