gaaaah!

[chanaleh]

Slammed! I have been slammed for what feels like weeks. Busy, that is. Largely with actual workday work, which is largely why I haven't had a chance to LJ about it. So I am stealing 10 minutes now to check in. :-)

Work has picked up because we're adjusting to an enforced personnel shortage (read: we had layoffs in late January, almost 10%), thus trying to shift responsibilities around to make more efficient use of people. So suddenly I have lots more to get done in a given day or week, which is something I've been kind of spoiled at in the past several months. And forcing me to be more productive is not overall a bad thing.

Freelance: my catalog project is ALMOST done! I just have one more quick change to run by them and then I can turn over my final files (I don't even have to make PDF for now, just the PageMaker source). Of course, I haven't taken the 20 minutes it will take to get that last change over there. But anyway, soon this almost-2-year project will be done and I can bill them for all my 2002 *and* 2003 hours (I billed the 2001 hours sometime last year). That'll help.

Speaking of money: I'm doing okay overall, but feeling a little more strapped than usual lately. I think the past year of therapy is finally catching up with me (financially, that is); MIT reimburses pretty generously by most mental health standards, but it still leaves a chunk out of my pocket each month. I'm putting myself on a bit of a fiscal diet these days; this includes writing down every penny I spend, which was my habit for years and I'd fallen out of it more recently -- to my detriment, no doubt. It has the effect of making me more mindful, in a healthy rather than an obsessive way. In fact I actually find it freeing because I know exactly how solid the ground is that I'm standing on, and what choices I can reasonably make.

Travel: Gotta plan family visits for this spring: California, possibly Florida, possibly Chicago/Indiana. This summer, also Portland, OR for the wedding of my friend Sierra (best friend from jr high/h.s.); I've never been to the Pacific NW and I've hardly seen her in the several years since she moved out there, so I'm really eager to go, I just have to figure the logistics! Also was invited to join navrins on a trip to London in late July, but, speaking of money, it doesn't look like I will be able to pull it off if I intend to go all these other places first :-/

Lunacon is next weekend already (yeah, and I guess that's travel too). Taking off that Friday (finally remembered to clear it at work) and driving down with ablock, which is always the fun part. Both kalessin and mangosteen must bag it on account of work, boo! >:-) But jessruth is coming, so I can bring down her birthday present. Looking forward to it.

Relationship(s): all fairly stable and pleasant for the moment, actually. No more comments at this time :-)

Play (MITG&SP): coming together. We go up in, what, just over 3 weeks? I'm sure we'll get a lead tenor on board before then...

Comments

if i was in mass

[adamosity.livejournal.com]

I'd sing your lead tenor, but sadly, I'm in Florida.

Besides, I'm a bit rusty on it, even though I may end up directing a chorus as part of a teaching gig that's in the formation stages.

I'm closer to a baritone than a tenor now--I was a tenor in late high school/college, so I suppose if I practiced, I could get the range back.

adam

[zenala.livejournal.com]

No tenor who can't do himself justice?

[blkdrgn.livejournal.com]

Muh haa haa. There *is* a lead tenor. The EC got confirmation last night. The music will have to be altered slightly to fit his range, but finally, we have a Fitzbattleaxe. I had been previously supporting a rewrite of the show so that Fitzbattleaxe ceased to exist, but now that's not necessary. Whee!