working out for Disney

[Sans Souci]

So, let's try and come up with some positive things in the area to consider as a pick me up. This isn't the American Airlines interview, so it may be better...at the very least...different. BUT, maybe you can dread it less if you have some other fun or therapeutic things to consider in the area for the short time you're here. OK...I know food really isn't the cure, but if you're stuck waiting in the airport...I want to give you some good Texas food options to help pass the time.

Terminal E has a Pappadeaux's. If I could eat anywhere at IAH, this would be it. In fact, we're constantly bothered that this location is the closest one to our house, but it's past security...so we can't eat there unless flying through that airport. On the more casual side of things, I believe it's Terminal B that has a Whataburger. Yes, it's a fast food burger, but Whataburger is to Texas as what In-N-Out is to California. The only thing that irks me as that they will put mustard on your burger (a very TX thing) if you don't tell them otherwise, but they will tailor the burger to your wants and will gladly make it with whatever you want. I can't eat any of their stuff anymore, but I still crave their burgers and fries. While not as good as Pappadeaux's, there is a Landry's in terminal C and it's still usually decent food. There's a Pappasito's in there too, but not a huge fan for Tex Mex. I think there is a little rail system that goes between some of the terminals, so you may be able to move around (since United will likely have you flying through C or E) if you want to explore more options.

Now, if you're interviewing at the downtown offices (609 Main, I think), there is a lot in that area. When I first moved here, Houston's downtown was nothing, but that area has really blossomed. I had a conference last year at the JW Marriott that's about 2 blocks away. I think Flying Saucer is just one block away from that building (good casual food and TONS of beer on tap). It's also a pretty quick walk (rail may also be an option) to places like Minute Maid Park (where the Astros play - may have tour options that day- stadium tour is great) and Discovery Green (sort of an artsy park area). Just thinking nice places to go if you need to clear your mind. Going the other way, if you do a rail and walk combo, you would get to the theater district and area by the Aquarium. It's another kid friendly Landry's based restaurant, but as the name would imply, it's a big aquarium. I am one of those people who is soothed by watching fish, so it might be a nice spot if you have time to burn and find that soothing. If only I worked in downtown!

Hopefully your doctor can help as well.



They also go by other names and come in a variety of colors. I lived here for a good 20 years before ever hearing of them. One day, a friend posted on FB about his young daughter accidentally touching one and having to go to the hospital. Within the same week, a friend of ours had one fall on him and he too wound up in the hospital. In some ways, it was an omen because I checked my yard and found three of them! Fall is normally asp season (they are quite fond of my Halloween decor), but when I was putting out Easter eggs a few weeks ago, I found one on the fence. I can't even imagine what would happen if one of the puppies got to it. So, I impaled the nasty caterpillar with a long stick and tossed it into a front flowerbed that never gets any foot traffic.

Thanks for taking the time to write all of this.

I think I interview at the old Continental training center, which is adjacent to the airport. I was looking at places to stay on JKF Blvd. I used to live near a Pappadeaux, but I never went in there. Then after I moved away, I heard all of these people going on about how good it is! I might have to check it out if I have time to kill. I think there is a Centurion Lounge at IAH. That's where I went at DFW. They had a nice selection of Tex-Mex to eat and I had a really delicious cocktail, too. I was tempted to get another, but I thought it was a bad idea. I was trying so hard not to cry and I think having another drink might have lowered my defenses. But the best part about the Centurion Lounge is the likelihood of me running into someone who was hired and wanted to gush about it was slim to none.

That is so crazy about your friend who had the caterpillar fall on him and had to go to the hospital. When I googled these things I read that they like tress, but don't harm them. Also, they cease being venomous once they become moths. How did you end up down there? Was it for work?

 

[Sans Souci]

I decided to give myself an extra 90 minutes of sleep and workout throughout the day...with the bulk being during my lunch. I did well...biked just a hair under 17 miles, had a nice little elevation walk on the treadmill and fairly strong abs and arms. This all, however, was a big mistake!

Today was a training run day and because the 10 year old had softball, I decided to head out for said run around 4:30pm. There are a few problems with this...

1. It was only about 3.5 hours after I finished biking and about 3 hours after I finished the treadmill. MAJOR FATIGUE
2. The sun is still pretty high in the sky at 4:30pm, so it was less than pleasant during the non-forested sections.
3. Temps were still right at today's high...about 86 or 87 with a heat index around 90.

I never felt asthma issues coming on during it all, but afterwards, I felt it. So, I did a treatment on the nebulizer...and now I'm wired!

The only pro is that humidity is lower later in the day.

In the end, I went about the same distance as Sunday (5k) and I was a smidge faster than Sunday...which is funny since Sunday was overcast and about 20 degrees cooler due to time of day. I was still slower than I was on Tuesday and definitely didn't feel as strong...but I got through it. I also realized I didn't need to enable my GPS to use the training plan, so I could have done this on Tuesday. I also realized that the plan Galloway has on this app is more intense than what he puts on the RunDisney plans. I got rid of my old fuel/hydration belt before we moved in 2017, so looks like I'm going to have to look into something new...because it's going to be a long hot summer.

Do you work from home? I would be such a sweaty mess if I did that during a lunch hour.

I would be so hungry if I did the workouts you do! LOL I'm guessing the Jeff Galloway plans for RunDIsney are a little less intense because RunDisney events attract people who have never run before. That's really good to make it approachable. I've only "run" two 5Ks at Castaway Cay. Now *that* is torturous. But I do it because I feel like I accomplished something and I usually reward myself with a dinner a Palo later that night.

 

[Figgy1]

Good morning I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to do the next couple of days except morning yoga because I'm prepping for a big family party this weekend, have fun and stay hydrated

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello--

I went back to my hour long power yoga classes today. The scale was up again this week and I am thinking it's the high intensity workouts that are making me so hungry. I feel like when I do yoga, I don't get as hungry and I get more "mindful" about hunger.

I am getting out for a walk before the storms roll in.

My doctor wrote me a script for Inderal and I am going to give it a whirl before my interview. I did some research about the interview format. You show up and they watch you interact with others, which is not an issue for me. Then at 8 AM, they start the interview and you watch videos about UAL and being a FA. At some point, you do get up and introduce yourself to everyone. Then there is a group activity where they watch you to assess how you work with others, again, I had no issue with this. Then you get an interview with a recruiter who asks questions about your resume and how your past positions are helpful to being an FA. Then, if the recruiter thinks your work experience is applicable, you interview with two current flight attendants who make you read a flight announcement and ask you behavioral and situational questions. So, I think with my "fight or flight" response blunted, I should be able to make a strong case for myself. I think also having been through this type of interview before is helpful. I am thinking which ever airline hires me, I will stay with. I *never* want to do a video interview again and I *never* want to do one of these interviews AGAIN.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I miss doing musicals though. I've never liked opera, and my voice doesn't have much vibrato....I have a " great voice for Jazz" according to my Jazz professor in college. The first year, I auditioned for Jazz as was required for my scholarship, and she said "You have a great voice for Jazz, but your sight reading sucks. Come back in a year, and maybe you'll stand a chance." I HATED Jazz back then and was relieved not to have to sing it. I came back in a year because I HAD to to keep my scholarship, I made it, and ended up LOVING Jazz. It's one of my favorite genres to sing. And my voice is so much better suited to Jazz or musicals than to opera. But there's no musical theater group here in my area, and I was in a pop choir which really wasn't the greatest quality, and then there were some real catty witches who ruined it for me. Our director had been wanting me to join his other group for a long time as they needed a high soprano, and I had been helping them for a year with English diction, so that's how I started in this group. It's fun, except the singing with headsets. But yeah, we have quite a range of styles. I use the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack to improve my vocal range.

It's funny, because I don't exactly love opera and classical, but it's what my voice does best. Kind of like your Jazz revelations, I had to do the same with classical. Unfortunately, I don't think I've ever grown to love it the way you did with Jazz. I have my pieces that I love...especially the major diva aria moments (Mein Herr Marquis from Die Fledermaus is my fave), but it's rare for me to listen to classical that isn't something I've sung and grown to love. Thankfully, my first real voice teacher indulged me with a few show tunes and art pieces that would either work in my range or be good building tools. I started college as a voice performance major since I knew it would give me an edge to get into my top schools and be good for scholarship $, but I wound up changing majors my sophomore year. I enjoyed all of my performance based classes, found sight singing highly beneficial, and music history is interesting...but theory and piano killed it for me. I too have encountered my fair share of cattiness that has tarnished things and from what I've heard, it's more prevalent in the soprano section than any other voice part...although, I think I like that better than the ultra stuffy "I'm a MUSICIAN" performers. I remember being selected for a chamber music group and I really loathed the piece. I shared this feeling with a fellow singer and they snapped at me and said, "But it's BACH!" (extra emphasis on the 'ch")...like I committed some cardinal sin. I was singing in the Houston Symphony's chorus before the kids, but it's too much to manage with their schedule. Maybe one day I'll get to sing like that again. Phantom is a fun one to sing! They wrote a lot of really fun things for Christine

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Ugh....I couldn't live in TX. My body doesn't handle heat well. I hope you find something new to keep you hydrated!

I grew up with real winter, but I've lived here for so long that I get cold once it's in the 60s. The only good part of this is that I'm very well conditioned for Orlando weather...both for travel and running. I keep going back and forth between a belt and a pack. I'm going to make a decision soon...very soon!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Thanks for taking the time to write all of this.

I think I interview at the old Continental training center, which is adjacent to the airport. I was looking at places to stay on JKF Blvd. I used to live near a Pappadeaux, but I never went in there. Then after I moved away, I heard all of these people going on about how good it is! I might have to check it out if I have time to kill. I think there is a Centurion Lounge at IAH. That's where I went at DFW. They had a nice selection of Tex-Mex to eat and I had a really delicious cocktail, too. I was tempted to get another, but I thought it was a bad idea. I was trying so hard not to cry and I think having another drink might have lowered my defenses. But the best part about the Centurion Lounge is the likelihood of me running into someone who was hired and wanted to gush about it was slim to none.

That is so crazy about your friend who had the caterpillar fall on him and had to go to the hospital. When I googled these things I read that they like tress, but don't harm them. Also, they cease being venomous once they become moths. How did you end up down there? Was it for work?

I think you have better lodging options on JFK. I access IAH via Will Clayton and while the things there aren't awful, I've seen nicer options on JFK. I think there are also more options on JFK. Will Clayton tends to have more of the off-site parking options. Hubby works near the airport and goes into the office every day, so that's why we moved to this side of town. There are a lot of good Mexican and Tex Mex options once you venture away from the airport, but not sure how much you want to be driving around the area. Sadly, my fave for Mexican and Tex Mex is nowhere near that part of town, so that's not going to be much help.

Yup...as moths they are totally harmless. Ahhh...how ended up here is kind of a long story, but I'll try and give the abridged version...which is still pretty long-winded

My parents moved to FL right after I graduated from high school. While I went to college in upstate NY (grew up in NJ), I moved in with them in FL after finishing my undergrad and started working on a master's degree. Around the time that I decided I hated the program, my dad lost his job (cuts in government funding) and got picked up for contract work by a firm in Houston. Just like things were with FL before I graduated HS, he'd spend his weekdays in Houston and fly back to FL on the weekends. The job market in FL was awful, so I started looking at other cities to get a better start. Option 1- move in with grandmother and try and find something in the NY metro area. Option 2- figure something out with a DC area friend and find something there. Option 3- Houston- because low cost of living and some benefits from my dad. I went with Houston because the job market was supposedly much better, it seemed easier to start from nowhere if the cost of living was lower, and while my dad didn't stay in Houston, the company he was working for let me use his corporate apartment for free until I found a job. April marked 22 years for me in the Houston area.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Do you work from home? I would be such a sweaty mess if I did that during a lunch hour.

I would be so hungry if I did the workouts you do! LOL I'm guessing the Jeff Galloway plans for RunDIsney are a little less intense because RunDisney events attract people who have never run before. That's really good to make it approachable. I've only "run" two 5Ks at Castaway Cay. Now *that* is torturous. But I do it because I feel like I accomplished something and I usually reward myself with a dinner a Palo later that night.

I work from home three days a week...most of the time. We're in the process of a huge acquisition (we're the acquiring firm) and I've got some weeks coming up where I'll be in the office every day. I'm dreading the daily commute.

It's funny you mention that, because I was ravenous last night and I've felt much hungrier now that I've started training. I grabbed a few handfuls of some GF cereal full of all kinds of good grains after the run just to give something to my muscles...but I chowed down after my younger one's softball practice. I made pan fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob...and I had a couple of chocolate chocolate chip cookies. It wasn't the healthiest meal, but it had a lot of healthier swaps to make it much better than I would have made that meal a year ago.

At the start of the training on the app, Galloway noted that he designed the app for someone who has already run a half and wants to improve performance. So, I guess that's why it differs from his Disney plans. I will say that his app plans scare me a bit, but I think it's going to be better race prep. Still, it's scary to look at the differences. The Disney training plan would have me running 2 miles this Sunday...the app has me running 5.30 miles. The longest run on the Disney plan is 14 miles...longest run on the app is 17.30 I guess I can always go for the Disney plan if the app plan becomes too much for me. Both will still get me trained to 13.1. I can also double back and start doing the intense app training after I do the 10ks in Sept. I worry because my friend running the 5k with me sounds like her two training runs so far have been torturous, and she's on a treadmill in a climate controlled environment. She's using Couch to 5k instead of Galloway. I've seen people write about the Castaway 5k. It looks like a very sunny course! I can handle heat, but direct sun is a beast! Dinner at Palo sounds like a nice treat! A 5k is definitely something to be proud of as well. I never take it for granted either when I finish one. One of the ones we do most years is the local Lupus 5k. A dear friend of mine was diagnosed 15 years ago. She often needs a cane to make it through the course, but every time we do it together, it reminds me that it's really something to be able to finish.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Hello--

I went back to my hour long power yoga classes today. The scale was up again this week and I am thinking it's the high intensity workouts that are making me so hungry. I feel like when I do yoga, I don't get as hungry and I get more "mindful" about hunger.

I am getting out for a walk before the storms roll in.

My doctor wrote me a script for Inderal and I am going to give it a whirl before my interview. I did some research about the interview format. You show up and they watch you interact with others, which is not an issue for me. Then at 8 AM, they start the interview and you watch videos about UAL and being a FA. At some point, you do get up and introduce yourself to everyone. Then there is a group activity where they watch you to assess how you work with others, again, I had no issue with this. Then you get an interview with a recruiter who asks questions about your resume and how your past positions are helpful to being an FA. Then, if the recruiter thinks your work experience is applicable, you interview with two current flight attendants who make you read a flight announcement and ask you behavioral and situational questions. So, I think with my "fight or flight" response blunted, I should be able to make a strong case for myself. I think also having been through this type of interview before is helpful. I am thinking which ever airline hires me, I will stay with. I *never* want to do a video interview again and I *never* want to do one of these interviews AGAIN.

After taking this high intensity approach to run training, I would agree that it's a major hunger builder. Yoga sounds like a good shift.

That's quite an interview process, but I guess better to be able to go into it prepared. Maybe it's because it's been a since the last one, but I feel like I like the sound of this process a bit better than the last one. Hopefully the meds the dr prescribed will aid with things as well. At least you have some time to test things out before going in for this. Do you have a date yet for the interview?

 

[Songbird76]

It's funny, because I don't exactly love opera and classical, but it's what my voice does best. Kind of like your Jazz revelations, I had to do the same with classical. Unfortunately, I don't think I've ever grown to love it the way you did with Jazz. I have my pieces that I love...especially the major diva aria moments (Mein Herr Marquis from Die Fledermaus is my fave), but it's rare for me to listen to classical that isn't something I've sung and grown to love. Thankfully, my first real voice teacher indulged me with a few show tunes and art pieces that would either work in my range or be good building tools. I started college as a voice performance major since I knew it would give me an edge to get into my top schools and be good for scholarship $, but I wound up changing majors my sophomore year. I enjoyed all of my performance based classes, found sight singing highly beneficial, and music history is interesting...but theory and piano killed it for me. I too have encountered my fair share of cattiness that has tarnished things and from what I've heard, it's more prevalent in the soprano section than any other voice part...although, I think I like that better than the ultra stuffy "I'm a MUSICIAN" performers. I remember being selected for a chamber music group and I really loathed the piece. I shared this feeling with a fellow singer and they snapped at me and said, "But it's BACH!" (extra emphasis on the 'ch")...like I committed some cardinal sin. I was singing in the Houston Symphony's chorus before the kids, but it's too much to manage with their schedule. Maybe one day I'll get to sing like that again. Phantom is a fun one to sing! They wrote a lot of really fun things for Christine

When I was in college it was an Alto who was a complete diva and rude. I had said I don't like to sing solo and she says "Then WHY are you studying music??" and I said I was studying music education, not performance, and she snaps "What's the difference? You're still performing in front of people!" I was like...wow....that's an odd way of looking at teaching elementary music. I can stand in front of a group and speak, but I get really nervous singing solo. They are completely different things to me, with completely different "audiences". She was a year or two ahead of me, and when she was graduating, she proudly announced that she had chosen her grad school based on how small it was because she would be the star, and would get all the solos. She didn't want to go to a bigger school where there would be other singers just as good or better than her. She also didn't make Jazz her senior year and said it was probably a good thing because you're supposed to blend in Jazz, and she insists that her voice be heard above all others. I've heard sopranos are known for being catty, but anyone who says this had obviously never met this alto! But I'm with you...you like what you like, whether it's Bach or not.
In the choir I was in before the current one, the catty people weren't catty to everyone, just certain people. One of them was overly concerned with physical appearance and told me I had to have my clothing approved and wear something different than everyone else, because I am overweight and they wanted to make sure my clothing was flattering. The other one was really jealous that the director would ask for my help/opinion, knowing that I had a degree in music. He was no pianist, so there was a part that he couldn't play on the piano, so he asked me to sing it instead because I can read music, and she grumbled something under her breath that I wasn't the only one who could read music, she had played recorder in elementary school!! Yeah....and you're now almost 60....reading a few notes for recorder 45 years ago is a LOT different than looking at a piece of music and singing it the first time you see it. And we had hired a choreographer for a big concert and she singled me out as having good stage presence, and had the dance committee assign people to stand in the front row on each song, and I was in the front a lot. So after the rehearsal, the soprano came up to me and says "How many songs are YOU in the front for??" I said I hadn't counted, and she said "I have 9!" I was just like...good job. So after that concert was over, she kept trying to hide me in the back. She'd say "We already have enough sopranos for the front." and she'd push me back while pulling another person forward. It was just catty and cruel and I had enough. That's not the kind of group I want to be part of. If it's more important to you that I'm thin than that I can sing, we don't belong in a choir together. And if my training and experience is threatening to you, then it's not a good fit. So I left.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I actually got myself up to workout this morning. Nothing really special...15.54 mi on the bike while using 5lb dumbbells for arms, shoulders, and back. Threw on the leg weights to do some stretches and moves to loosen up my legs and get deeper into areas still tight after yesterday's run. Abs were a blur...but they happened. I also walked a little bit, but my body was still a bit fatigued from yesterday so I kept a lighter pace. Thinking about tossing in some abs during down times today since I feel like I've been neglecting them.

 

[MinnieM123]

Good morning I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to do the next couple of days except morning yoga because I'm prepping for a big family party this weekend, have fun and stay hydrated

What's the big party for? Someone's birthday or a graduation, maybe?

 

[HouCuseChickie]

When I was in college it was an Alto who was a complete diva and rude. I had said I don't like to sing solo and she says "Then WHY are you studying music??" and I said I was studying music education, not performance, and she snaps "What's the difference? You're still performing in front of people!" I was like...wow....that's an odd way of looking at teaching elementary music. I can stand in front of a group and speak, but I get really nervous singing solo. They are completely different things to me, with completely different "audiences". She was a year or two ahead of me, and when she was graduating, she proudly announced that she had chosen her grad school based on how small it was because she would be the star, and would get all the solos. She didn't want to go to a bigger school where there would be other singers just as good or better than her. She also didn't make Jazz her senior year and said it was probably a good thing because you're supposed to blend in Jazz, and she insists that her voice be heard above all others. I've heard sopranos are known for being catty, but anyone who says this had obviously never met this alto! But I'm with you...you like what you like, whether it's Bach or not.
In the choir I was in before the current one, the catty people weren't catty to everyone, just certain people. One of them was overly concerned with physical appearance and told me I had to have my clothing approved and wear something different than everyone else, because I am overweight and they wanted to make sure my clothing was flattering. The other one was really jealous that the director would ask for my help/opinion, knowing that I had a degree in music. He was no pianist, so there was a part that he couldn't play on the piano, so he asked me to sing it instead because I can read music, and she grumbled something under her breath that I wasn't the only one who could read music, she had played recorder in elementary school!! Yeah....and you're now almost 60....reading a few notes for recorder 45 years ago is a LOT different than looking at a piece of music and singing it the first time you see it. And we had hired a choreographer for a big concert and she singled me out as having good stage presence, and had the dance committee assign people to stand in the front row on each song, and I was in the front a lot. So after the rehearsal, the soprano came up to me and says "How many songs are YOU in the front for??" I said I hadn't counted, and she said "I have 9!" I was just like...good job. So after that concert was over, she kept trying to hide me in the back. She'd say "We already have enough sopranos for the front." and she'd push me back while pulling another person forward. It was just catty and cruel and I had enough. That's not the kind of group I want to be part of. If it's more important to you that I'm thin than that I can sing, we don't belong in a choir together. And if my training and experience is threatening to you, then it's not a good fit. So I left.

I guess bad divas can come in all sections. All of that is just so unbelievably rude! I know plenty of people who don't enjoy solos or prefer ensemble work...for a wide variety of reasons. Back in my symphony days, our director put us into mini groups within our section to keep like voices together. A girl who became one of my closest choir friends was in my group and I remember her sheepishly admitting that she wasn't a fan of solos and was getting anxiety because she had some coming up for her church choir. It didn't make her any less of a musician/singer/person and her voice was still lovely. Back in my college days, I had a close group of friends who were all music majors. Some of us were performance, some of us were education and some of us were music industry majors. The only one to have a full time solo career devoted to performance was one of the education majors and one of the performance majors has an amazing career teaching music to kids. It's all a journey and we find different things we like and don't like. No reason to shame someone for not wanting a solo or not fitting what they think is visually OK. Jealousy also loves to rear its ugly head in performance. I remember when we started our show choir, some of the girls from the choir director's flag squad (for marching band) thought they should be front and center ahead of other girls who made the group...simply because they could do the director's flag choreography and they were petite. They didn't like finding out that some of the superior singers also had years of real dance training, but thankfully, our director kept things from escalating. I too got fed up with the cattiness and left.

 

[Songbird76]

I guess bad divas can come in all sections. All of that is just so unbelievably rude! I know plenty of people who don't enjoy solos or prefer ensemble work...for a wide variety of reasons. Back in my symphony days, our director put us into mini groups within our section to keep like voices together. A girl who became one of my closest choir friends was in my group and I remember her sheepishly admitting that she wasn't a fan of solos and was getting anxiety because she had some coming up for her church choir. It didn't make her any less of a musician/singer/person and her voice was still lovely. Back in my college days, I had a close group of friends who were all music majors. Some of us were performance, some of us were education and some of us were music industry majors. The only one to have a full time solo career devoted to performance was one of the education majors and one of the performance majors has an amazing career teaching music to kids. It's all a journey and we find different things we like and don't like. No reason to shame someone for not wanting a solo or not fitting what they think is visually OK. Jealousy also loves to rear its ugly head in performance. I remember when we started our show choir, some of the girls from the choir director's flag squad (for marching band) thought they should be front and center ahead of other girls who made the group...simply because they could do the director's flag choreography and they were petite. They didn't like finding out that some of the superior singers also had years of real dance training, but thankfully, our director kept things from escalating. I too got fed up with the cattiness and left.

Yeah, the cattiness really bugs me. I quit cheerleading after my freshman year of high school because of that. There was one girl who was desperate to be a cheerleader because her mom had been captain of her squad when she was in school. This girl was a friend of mine and hadn't made the Jr. High squad, and she was trying out for varsity and begged me to help her. We went to the rec center the whole summer and I taught her the cheers, the school song choreo, and tips like sharp movements, etc. She made the squad, it was her first year and she thought she should be captain for the sole reason that her mom was captain when she was in high school. Everyone on the squad had at least 2 years' experience except this girl, and one of the girls was a senior and it was her 4th year, and this freshman is demanding that she be captain. The coach finally just said we would take it in turns to be captain for each game. I don't know what it is about performing that brings out the worst in some people! My senior year of high school, we were doing My Fair Lady and I had had the lead role in every musical since my freshman year, simply because I was about the only person who sang. (small school...only 250 kids in 7th through 12th grades, and the musical was for all grades) My Fair Lady was EXTREMELY ambitious for our school....not sure why they chose it, especially since we always had trouble finding guys to sing, and it has so many male singing parts. So our choir director put us to work making signs advertising the auditions, hoping to get more interest so we could fill all the roles. Some of the other girls made some really mean signs that I was very hurt that the teacher approved. One of the signs read "Come audition fast before Susan steals your role!" There were some others, but that's the one that sticks in my mind...they were all whispering and giggling while making these signs, and I overheard them talking about me. It kind of ruined solos for me....like I couldn't do anything right. If I'm good and I do well, people think I'm being a show off, but even though I can sing, they don't want me to be rewarded for the hard work that goes into it, and want someone else to have the lead even if they can't sing, just because they are mad that I CAN sing. It's just not worth being in the spotlight. And then the pressure is on you to do a really good job to prove to those people that you weren't chosen for no reason, that you actually CAN sing. So I get massive anxiety before performances, especially if I have to do solos. In our performance last night, I had a couple of improv solos, and one part that I sang the high notes because I'm the only one who could, and both of those things were just "You're doing this." and I didn't get a vote. But no one is being catty in my current group...it's more like "You're doing it because you can. You'll be great!" and there's no one grumbling that they could do it better, or that they wanted to do that part, etc. I still don't particularly like doing the solos, but it's not the negative experience it was in high school.

 

[epcotisbest]

So, I posted the view from the room in Savannah, now here is the view sitting out on the patio at SSR. Don't know how we got lucky enough to score this view, but we like it.

 

[epcotisbest]

I got up early, made breakfast, went for a long walk all around the lovely grounds here at SSR, came back and her breakfast is still untouched and she is still snoozing. I am gonna quietly grab a swimsuit and head over to the Congress Park quiet pool for a dip. There was no one there a little while ago. Maybe that is still the case. The two feature pools don't open until nine, but the quiet pools have been open since seven.

 

[Songbird76]

If anyone is interested, I hope this link works, but please don't pass it on, because it's not public. The group apparently doesn't want it to be made public. It's just for us to be able to see ourselves and hear it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Yeah, the cattiness really bugs me. I quit cheerleading after my freshman year of high school because of that. There was one girl who was desperate to be a cheerleader because her mom had been captain of her squad when she was in school. This girl was a friend of mine and hadn't made the Jr. High squad, and she was trying out for varsity and begged me to help her. We went to the rec center the whole summer and I taught her the cheers, the school song choreo, and tips like sharp movements, etc. She made the squad, it was her first year and she thought she should be captain for the sole reason that her mom was captain when she was in high school. Everyone on the squad had at least 2 years' experience except this girl, and one of the girls was a senior and it was her 4th year, and this freshman is demanding that she be captain. The coach finally just said we would take it in turns to be captain for each game. I don't know what it is about performing that brings out the worst in some people! My senior year of high school, we were doing My Fair Lady and I had had the lead role in every musical since my freshman year, simply because I was about the only person who sang. (small school...only 250 kids in 7th through 12th grades, and the musical was for all grades) My Fair Lady was EXTREMELY ambitious for our school....not sure why they chose it, especially since we always had trouble finding guys to sing, and it has so many male singing parts. So our choir director put us to work making signs advertising the auditions, hoping to get more interest so we could fill all the roles. Some of the other girls made some really mean signs that I was very hurt that the teacher approved. One of the signs read "Come audition fast before Susan steals your role!" There were some others, but that's the one that sticks in my mind...they were all whispering and giggling while making these signs, and I overheard them talking about me. It kind of ruined solos for me....like I couldn't do anything right. If I'm good and I do well, people think I'm being a show off, but even though I can sing, they don't want me to be rewarded for the hard work that goes into it, and want someone else to have the lead even if they can't sing, just because they are mad that I CAN sing. It's just not worth being in the spotlight. And then the pressure is on you to do a really good job to prove to those people that you weren't chosen for no reason, that you actually CAN sing. So I get massive anxiety before performances, especially if I have to do solos. In our performance last night, I had a couple of improv solos, and one part that I sang the high notes because I'm the only one who could, and both of those things were just "You're doing this." and I didn't get a vote. But no one is being catty in my current group...it's more like "You're doing it because you can. You'll be great!" and there's no one grumbling that they could do it better, or that they wanted to do that part, etc. I still don't particularly like doing the solos, but it's not the negative experience it was in high school.

That's truly shocking that the teacher allowed signs that said things like that. I know some teachers say they're just trying to stay out of the drama, but when you sign up to teach kids...especially middle school and high school kids...you have to be ready to navigate that drama and redirect it out of your class and school activities. It sounds like your current group is nice and supportive. I mean, that's the kind of environment where people thrive and grow! What's funny is that my biggest high school battles tended to be with our director. While we were very successful in competitions and placed a high number of singers in the elite state and regional choirs, there was some kind of unspoken rivalry with us. I thought she was just trying to keep the drama out when she refused to let any of us have competition solos. Our entire music program was award driven and the idea of not going for every award possible seemed to be in direct conflict with their goals, but I realized it was me when senior solos came around. She usually allowed the top senior voice to have a solo of 'her choosing' during the two main choral concerts of the year. I forget what she gave me for spring, but for Christmas, instead of letting me do How Beautiful are the Feet from the Messiah (which was the right fit for my voice)...she pieced together a bunch of random portions from the Messiah (a blend of alto 1 and sop 2) for me to sing. AND THEN...after my solo...she got up and sang her own (O Holy Night). It didn't sour me to solos, but it made ready to walk at the first hint of drama or pettiness.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

If anyone is interested, I hope this link works, but please don't pass it on, because it's not public. The group apparently doesn't want it to be made public. It's just for us to be able to see ourselves and hear it.

This is so great! You guys have such a great sound and so much good energy! Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

So, I posted the view from the room in Savannah, now here is the view sitting out on the patio at SSR. Don't know how we got lucky enough to score this view, but we like it.

View attachment 373683

Yeah...I'm in total envy of your view!