Day 143: Lovey and Honey

It's Farewell Fika for Helen and Nick today and I feel grounded. Coffee's bought, and milk. Plenty of teas in the house. Pastries of course. Lunch for honey, lovey and me: check.

I'm so looking forward to spending the day hanging out and talking, contemplating the good times we've had together, planning for the future. And laughing. Because when they're around, there's always lots of laughter.

Sure will miss these guys when they've moved. Sure am happy to have met them and be able to count them among my friends.

Day 142: Feeling lovey

Today a great peace descended on me. Our logo is done. What do you think?

I am stoked. There is something in the air about this musical. Our director asked the other day, "What is it about this musical that makes everyone so willing?" For me it's the music. So complex. So stunning. It's  about bringing to it to life, discovering its beauty. Being part of that process. An amazing journey that I feel so privileged to be a part of. And it's Sondheim of course, so what could be a better match?

And wait till you read the program! :-)

Day 141: The Wonders of Modern Technology

Every once in a while, I marvel at the wonders of modern technology and tonight was just such an occasion. When people ask me if I miss New York, I answer that there are things I miss about New York. At the top of the list is always theater. Theater also accounts for one of only two things I actually like about London (the other is afternoon tea :-)) It's not so much seeing theater in English, although that too is a joy. It's the variety of plays around and the quality of the acting.

Watching The Last of the Haussmans broadcast live from London's The National Theater at BioRio this evening, I reflected on how much technology had contributed to the fact that I attended this performance at all. I first heard about BioRio in a post a friend had uploaded to Facebook. We made arrangements via e-mail to go see this performance. I bought my ticket online and was able to select a seat right next to her. This afternoon, I downloaded the ticket from BioRio's Web site and printed it. And tonight, I got to see an excellent play, very well performed and directed, right in the comfort of my own city!

What exquisite use of technology...more technology to the people!

Day 140: The day after

It was a blustery fall day today in Stockholm. The winds blew, trees became barer and temperatures were lower than they've been in a while. I woke up this morning with that wiped-out-and-happy feeling permeating my body. You know the feeling...your joints ache and muscles feel heavy. You're sleepy and tired and your mind works just a bit slower than usual.

Found myself humming bits and pieces from yesterday's musical run through, puttering and working, but mostly anchored in that fantastic morning after feeling. Like when you've spent the night with the one you love and off he goes to work or wherever and you are left with the afterglow, that tingling sensation throughout your body and a perpetual smile on your face.

Yes my friends, life is good.

Day 139: Exceeding expectations

Had the privilege of watching a true craftsman at work all day today as one by one she transformed people  she worked with. With a great deal of encouragement, humor and expertise she managed to elicit the very best from each individual in the room. More than once, I was moved to tears both by the performances I witnessed and by the grace with which this fantastic voice coach worked.

My first encounter with Monica Einarsson was in 2002 in a Swedish reality series called Fame Factory. The premise was quite similar to SYTYCD but instead of dancers, it featured singers who had been selected by audition and whom we got to follow over the course of a season as they competed to stay in the show. Like SYTYCD, each week a singer was eliminated. Fame Factory played for four seasons and was aired daily which meant that you got to follow the budding singers and the Fame Factory personnel quite closely. Einarsson stood out among the staff for the extraordinary work she did and for her generous and sympathetic style. Although I do not have great aspirations to perform, deep down I always harbored the fantasy that someday, maybe, I would get to work with her.

That day was today. And the title of this blog says it all.

Day 138: Bathing in song

So filled with the sounds of the day, not really sure how I'll ever get to sleep. Eighteen people and two pianos. A script. A score. And voices, so many wonderful voices, that brought our musical to life. With us, one of Sweden's foremost voice coaches...exquisite and generous and compassionate, and so very very good.

Then a great meal followed by, you guessed it, singing. This time a competition to see which team can name the song, its composer and lyricist, the musical it came from and which year it had its premier, with bonus points for singing all or part of the song. Heaven.

And tomorrow...master class with said voice coach. I can't wait!

Day 137: Happy kind of tired

Today, I was up early to prepare the place for board games afternoon. A cup of coffee and some straightening up later, it was time for the co-op's semi-annual cleaning day. My task (self-selected) was scrubbing down the walls and floor of our garbage room. Rubber gloves and elbow grease. The room shined when I was done with it.

Next, an extra meeting of the shareholders to ratify our new bylaws, followed by communal lunch. Then shower, change of clothing and solving a bit of an internet crisis before the games began at 2 PM. A fun four hours, spent playing a variety of board games, was capped off with delicious snacks that people brought to share.

Promptly at 6 PM, I kindly but firmly showed everyone out the door in time to catch the 6:14 bus to a singing rehearsal. Then home again, dinner, some organizational work for the language exchange meeting tomorrow, and here I am, at close to midnight, looking forward to a good night's sleep.

My kind of day!