Yesterday.
I have almost grown completely accustomed to working the opening shift. I constantly wake up about 15 minutes before my alarm goes off, which is annoying at 400a but useful. And I'm totally ok going back to sleep for my last 15 minutes of much needed beauty rest. So, thanks to that I made it to work at 515a on Saturday morning. Despite a few minor issues (people calling out, correcting the work from the night before, usual stuff) the shift went amazingly well. Especially considering I broke my glasses the day before. I'm not sure if I should just wear my glasses less and let my eyes go back to compensating for their lack of sight or rush over to spend money on new ones and possibly a back up pair.
I finished work at 1015a and headed to the grocery store. I pretty much have grocery shopping down to a science and I was home by 1115a. Groceries were put away just in time for the gym with my workout partner (and lyricist and bookwriter) Ross. So, I'm still working towards my goal of Triathlon in 2010. I did some research and this is NOT an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike followed by a Marathon, 26.2 miles). The Olympic Marathon is .93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike, and 6.2 mile run. This is doable. Ironmans are ridiculous. To prep for this I am planning to join the Tritons, a LGBT triathlon training group mainly for help with the swimming. But, they have been swimming on Thursdays which is when I am in Westchester for many hours for choir rehearsals.
Step 1 or the Tritathlon Prep has been just going to the gym 3 times a week. So far, so good. IThere was one week where I went twice but, I try to go 4 or 5 times a week when I can. Step 2 is to run in a 5k. (I have no clue how man steps there are by the way). A 5k is 3.1 miles. So far Ross and I are running 2.25 miles (the cool down gets us to 2.54) My goal is to officially register for a 5k by the end of May.
After the gym I ran home, sat on the couch for a few minutes and chatted with Ross. Then I showered and rushed down to the New World Stages to see the new musical - Rooms, a rock romance, because a friend was helping the theater fill up the weekend shows and had free tix. The only thing that I knew about this was that it was a two person musical. I've never really been THAT big a fan of musicals that small so, I was skeptical from the start. With my low expectations - it was not bad. I got my money's worth for sure. There were a few flashes of brilliance - a few grimaces - but, all in all I left underwhelmed. But - I had been up since before 5a and it kept me awake.....
I hung out with a friend in the Times Square area for a drink, scooted home, made the worlds fastest dinner - I had 11 minutes - and caught the 537p? train to Bronxville to take a cab to St. John the Baptist in Yonkers, NY to sing in an Easter Vigil. Liturgically, the 730p Easter Vigil Service is very, very confusing to me but, thats another post. I got to sing some good music - I switch hit up to the Tenor part for Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" from Messiah. I cannot sing a high A but, when there's a large organ and a big, blasting choir I can get a couple of G's out and F#'s are no problem. Not bad.
Following the service I went to the rectory to hang out with the organist, priests, etc....All said there were maybe 10 or 12 people. In the hour I was there I heard at least 8 bottles of wine, champagne or sambuca being opened. Oh Easter......One of the people there was a Chemical Engineer at Columbia University who was recently interviewed in the New York Times. He was AWESOME. And almost had me convinced that I understood how to release methane gas from the coasts of the world. Why my friend John Buckel likes to bring me around to these events I have no idea. I sing for him at most High Holy Days and Choral Concerts and I've been commissioned to compose a piece for his "new" organ which is about 25% done. I've gotten to know the congregation really well. Its actually a lot of fun. I've never really known much about Catholicism...as if I need MORE religion in my life.
After the rectory gathering....back to NYC and to Hell's Kitchen and the gay bar, Barrage. It was a party for John's room mate's birthday and wow....it was packed with very, very beautiful men. (That's right, I went straight from the rectory to a gay bar - that's how I roll.) It was fun but drinks were half priced from 11p to 12a. Between the gays and the priests - I had a great night. (That sentence seems quite wrong but, I'm sticking with it.)
I finished work at 1015a and headed to the grocery store. I pretty much have grocery shopping down to a science and I was home by 1115a. Groceries were put away just in time for the gym with my workout partner (and lyricist and bookwriter) Ross. So, I'm still working towards my goal of Triathlon in 2010. I did some research and this is NOT an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike followed by a Marathon, 26.2 miles). The Olympic Marathon is .93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike, and 6.2 mile run. This is doable. Ironmans are ridiculous. To prep for this I am planning to join the Tritons, a LGBT triathlon training group mainly for help with the swimming. But, they have been swimming on Thursdays which is when I am in Westchester for many hours for choir rehearsals.
Step 1 or the Tritathlon Prep has been just going to the gym 3 times a week. So far, so good. IThere was one week where I went twice but, I try to go 4 or 5 times a week when I can. Step 2 is to run in a 5k. (I have no clue how man steps there are by the way). A 5k is 3.1 miles. So far Ross and I are running 2.25 miles (the cool down gets us to 2.54) My goal is to officially register for a 5k by the end of May.
After the gym I ran home, sat on the couch for a few minutes and chatted with Ross. Then I showered and rushed down to the New World Stages to see the new musical - Rooms, a rock romance, because a friend was helping the theater fill up the weekend shows and had free tix. The only thing that I knew about this was that it was a two person musical. I've never really been THAT big a fan of musicals that small so, I was skeptical from the start. With my low expectations - it was not bad. I got my money's worth for sure. There were a few flashes of brilliance - a few grimaces - but, all in all I left underwhelmed. But - I had been up since before 5a and it kept me awake.....
I hung out with a friend in the Times Square area for a drink, scooted home, made the worlds fastest dinner - I had 11 minutes - and caught the 537p? train to Bronxville to take a cab to St. John the Baptist in Yonkers, NY to sing in an Easter Vigil. Liturgically, the 730p Easter Vigil Service is very, very confusing to me but, thats another post. I got to sing some good music - I switch hit up to the Tenor part for Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" from Messiah. I cannot sing a high A but, when there's a large organ and a big, blasting choir I can get a couple of G's out and F#'s are no problem. Not bad.
Following the service I went to the rectory to hang out with the organist, priests, etc....All said there were maybe 10 or 12 people. In the hour I was there I heard at least 8 bottles of wine, champagne or sambuca being opened. Oh Easter......One of the people there was a Chemical Engineer at Columbia University who was recently interviewed in the New York Times. He was AWESOME. And almost had me convinced that I understood how to release methane gas from the coasts of the world. Why my friend John Buckel likes to bring me around to these events I have no idea. I sing for him at most High Holy Days and Choral Concerts and I've been commissioned to compose a piece for his "new" organ which is about 25% done. I've gotten to know the congregation really well. Its actually a lot of fun. I've never really known much about Catholicism...as if I need MORE religion in my life.
After the rectory gathering....back to NYC and to Hell's Kitchen and the gay bar, Barrage. It was a party for John's room mate's birthday and wow....it was packed with very, very beautiful men. (That's right, I went straight from the rectory to a gay bar - that's how I roll.) It was fun but drinks were half priced from 11p to 12a. Between the gays and the priests - I had a great night. (That sentence seems quite wrong but, I'm sticking with it.)