Pi Girl

It was bad enough that this week was going to be rough. With the LPGA in town, this is one of the busiest weeks of the year at work (right behind NASCAR week in August). I usually enjoy working LPGA week but this year has been filled with challenges and bad situations.

I blame the weather for most of it. Tuesday’s rain and clouds put everyone in a gloomy mood.

I think I also jinxed it because I’m supposed to have been learning my music for this weekend’s concert extravaganzas - the Carol Jacobe retirement/Silk n Satin reunion concert on Saturday and the Carol Jacobe retirement/Musical memories concert on Sunday (an 8 hour concert - eek!). I say “supposed” to have learned and memorized, but I can safely say I only know 1 song. And half of a 2nd song (I have 6 songs). I’ll have to break out my faking skills for rehearsal on Saturday.

I was hoping to visit the Corning Classic golf course for some Annika-watching and free food and drinks. But, being the bad week this is, technical difficulties at work prevented me from doing so. Stupid programming languages…

But the real kicker was last night. I can forgive working until 4 am, there’s kind of a badge of honor to do that during LPGA week. But I was not a happy camper when my tire blew out on the highway while driving home.

Of course, my first reaction was to call my hubby. Jason, ever-so-loving and brilliant that I claim him to be, and knowing I was still out there and not home, left his phone on vibrate and let the battery run out. So, my next reaction - panic. In a mess of tears and still trying to connect to Jason’s phone, I decided to continue driving on the shoulder of the road at 5 mph. I got myself off the highway and up to the nearest gas station (a good 3 miles away) and parked the car there.

mmmm…the smell of buring rubber from having completely destroyed my tire. At that point, it was starting to turn light outside, so I walked the last mile home from the gas station.

So I’m on about 2 hours of sleep and mostly adrenaline at this point from having to deal with towing the car, getting the tire fixed, hoping to have my car back so I can head up to B’ville for the weekend.

In case you’re wondering, I did consider my options while creeping along the highway, hoping the trucks wouldn’t hit my car. I considered stopping the car to read about my roadside assistance that I knew I had, but I really didn’t want to be stopped in the dark on the side of the highway by myself. I thought about calling 911, but didn’t want to get in trouble for calling in a non-emergency.

I did thank God many times for opting to leave Kelsey at home and not bring him to work (I do that often when I work late) because he would have raised the stress level about 20 notches.

Oh well. At least I’m safe. I’m cranky and tired right now but I’m ok and alive and not hurt. And I think it’s about time my weekend started looking brighter.

According to target.com, that’s my Star Wars battle name. If I were to embrace the light side anyway. If I gave in to the dark side, I would be Empress Coor Evilwoofer.

Since it’s the last Star Wars flick and all, Jason and I decided to experience a little pop culture and saw the midnight showing of Episode III last night. I’m a little out of it today, which 4 hours of sleep will do to you. But was it worth it? You bet!

The line was a tad disappointing. The length of the line at the Arnot Mall was certainly impressive But after listening to the stories about the lines in big cities across the country, I was hoping for some cool costumes. How quickly I forget where I live. There were only 2 characters that I saw: a jedi knight and Darth Maul. Darth Maul ended up in our theater and kept our spirits up while we waited for the movie to begin, letting out occasional roars and waving his lightsaber around (there were quite a few lightsabers).

Now, I don’t claim to be any kind of knowledgeable movie critic or anything. If I’m entertained, it’s a good movie. I grew up with the Star Wars movies and enjoyed them, but I am not obsessed with them.

That said, I loved Episode III. Annikan’s turn to the dark side was very well done and I didn’t even mind the gruesome battle scene that destroyed Annikan’s body (hence, the Darth Vader suit). I don’t know about anybody else but I seriously got chills when they lowered the mask and placed the helmet and then he started breathing.
Between that and Yoda’s fight scenes, I had no problems staying awake throughout the movie. Jason says he wasn’t as enthralled, but he might also recommend the movie. Maybe. He’s way more of a diehard fan than I am.
I’ll have to sit through a IV-VI marathon this weekend now. I may have to reignite my crush on Mark Hamill.

So, I have this ultimate dream that I will one day sing with the Indigo Girls. On-stage or off, it doesn’t matter. And staying true to my Pisces nature, I honestly believe that my dream will come true. (Oprah, are you reading this?)

Being the true fan that I am, I am currently reading a book that Emily wrote with her father, Don Saliers titled “A Song to Sing, A Life to Live : Reflections on Music as Spiritual Practice”. Basically, it’s about how we express our faith through music and how music is essential in our lives.

In the book, it mentions often how people are moved during Indigo Girl concerts and those moments when the audience and the band are at one while every one is singing together. I’m only on Chapter 6, but the only specific concert example Emily has cited is their recent performance at Radio City Music Hall in NYC when 6,000 people sang “Galileo.” This book was writen in the summer of ‘04, so that recent appearance was in March of last year when I was there!

Clearly, Emily and Amy heard my voice out of those 6,000 people and were so moved by it, they were still feeling it several months later and it is in print for all the world to read. And noone is allowed to burst my bubble on this. Even if the point of the passage was that the sound gelled so well, which would indicate that no voices were sticking out. Nope, I choose to believe that my voice reached their ears all the way from the back of Radio City Music Hall.

Hmm … I’ll have to work on a strategy so the next time, the Girls will be able to find me in the crowd.

When they do this:

Yup, my shoe broke today at work. I didn’t even see it coming. I suppose I should have. I’ve only had the shoes about 9 years now. They were starting to crack a little.

I went a whole 2 hours plus a trip to Wegmans thinking my shoes were just extra squishy and when I finally looked down, it was not good.

At least I solved the puzzling question of what is all that white stuff on the carpet at work. The building guy at work is going to kill me when he sees all that styrofoam.

So I ran over to Panosian’s Famous Shoes to grab the first pair of work-appropriate sandals on clearance I could find in my size. I normally love shopping for shoes, but it’s not so fun when it’s more out of immediate necessity than just because I need retail therapy.

There is a very touching in today’s Star-Gazette about Bill Ober and the family he left behind when he killed himself. The Obers are members at my church and while I have not talked to the kids in years, Mary is one of the sweetest people I know.

But the article definitely got me thinking. We all have people in our lives that we appreciate and are so thankful for, but how often do we tell them? Maybe, just maybe, if people were reminded more often how much they were loved and wanted, we could create a world where it’s ok to ask for help (and I mean financial, medical, mental, whatever) and we might be able to hold on to a few more people.

So, here’s my abbreviated list of people who need to know how much they rock:

Jason - you get bonus points for being you and sticking to it, even if I think you’re a dork sometimes.

Mom - because I see more of you in me all the time … so I’m studying up on the good points because everyone always wants to be around you.

Jim - I wish you could believe in yourself as much as the rest of us believe in you.

Amber - I don’t get to see you or talk to you very much these days, but you are always in my prayers and I’m always looking for ways to spend more time with you (Indigo Girls, June 8 - you have to be there!). I could not have gotten through my wedding without you and you are the most fun, most generous and all-around best friend I know.

Janice - You always put a smile on my face. I love our conversations and the way you look at life. And bonus, your family cracks me up.

Amy - Just because I’m married and about to maybe actually get a house this time doesn’t mean we still can’t “date.” Kelsey just doesn’t respond to Jason like he does to you. I’ll even let you decorate your room however you want.

Desra, Debbie, Becky - aka “We’re in Treble Now” - I love our Monday night rehearsals. Debbie, thanks for playing “mom” and Becky, thanks for being our ear. Desra, I love being your Crystal Chords buddy; from getting our nails done to rooming together to Friendly runs, I’ve learned you are a beautiful person when you let your light shine.

Anne, Donna, Michelle - aka “Affinity” (go our new name!) - I am seriously addicted to our sound. I am learning from The Best and get all giddy every time I think about it. Michelle, every time we talk, we find more in common, which just makes me look forward to our next conversation.

Mom and Pop and the whole Wilke family - I am so lucky to have married into your family. I wish we could visit more often because I want to get to know all of you better. Thank you for accepting me and loving me. You make the term “in-laws” a pleasant one.

All my kids at St. Matthew’s and Grace - I love working with all of you because you show me so much how to be a Christian and how to show strength and grace in all situations. You are all going to grow up to be amazing adults and I have the prvilege of saying “I knew them when …”

Vocare CNY group - Thanks for sticking with me during this time when we are still finding our voice in the Diocese.

WinGS - thanks for keeping diocesan programs alive while everything is so crazy and we feel so lost without Thornfield. Because of you, I can introduce my kids to the programs I got to go through when I was growing up. Kate, I swear, you deserve a medal.

Crystal Chords - I am so grateful that I have singing back in my life and it’s all because you make it so much fun and we sound so good that I can’t wait for rehearsal every Tuesday.

I told Jason last night that I feel like I’m dating someone new …. even though I’m not really …. or maybe I am. I had so much fun this weekend, I’m feel like I’m infatuated with all things singing. I can’t stop thinking about it, talking about it, driving people up the wall with all my stories that they could care less about hearing. Poor Jason - he wants to tell me all his fun stories about poker night and war stories in Iraq and I’m just having none of it (but then hearing the words “80 page report” doesn’t help even if I was paying attention).

But the Area 3 contest this weekend was a blast (in case you couldn’t tell). I got to learn from the best what to do and from the not-so-good what not to do. I got to spend more time with my favorite people and wear lots of bling. (Desra, you were hands down, the best-dressed chica at the Moonglow!) There was impromptu singing everywhere, free stuff, stuff to buy that said “Canada” on it, a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. We played how many people can you fit into a hotel room and how much wine can you drink before the quality of your singing goes downhill (bachelorette party attendees know the answer to that question).

I am also now at liberty to announce that I am crazy enough to join a 2nd quartet. But when you’re talking about Anne, Donna and Michelle …. you do NOT want to pass up an opportunity like that. First, there’s that boost to the ego, then there’s the feeling of absolute heaven to sing with those girls, and then I get to add that I’ve sung “Friends” about 50 times now. Yes, Thornfielders, there is a barbershop arrangement of the Michael W. Smith classic. Can we say too good to be true?