Jacquelyn's Space

I am so excited! UM-Flint theatre is performing the play Pride and Prejudice! I found out when I went to buy symphony tickets so I bought theatre tickets too! I hope it is good. I haven’t been to a play in ages and never a one based on a Jane Austen novel. I read that the play is 2 hours long–too short to really do the novel justice but hey, it should be interesting. I can’t be late for the play though!! I want to get a good seat. Now me and my husband have lots of events to attend…I hope I am not overdoing it.

Have I told you that Flint has an awesome cultural center? Probably not lately, though I know I have written about it in the past. My husband and I went to a free faculty concert in February at MacArthur Recital Hall at the Flint Institute of Music. It was awesome. It was Brazilian music featuring:

“KYLE CANJAR GUITAR, WITH CANJA DE BOA

Prepare for an eclectic night of music with FSPA Guitar Instructor Kyle Canjar, as he performs solo guitar works from the Baroque, Classical, and Modern eras, and is joined by his Brazilian Jazz ensemble Canja de Boa.” from Facebook, FIM

I liked going, getting out, and learning about different music. I still remember the concert me, my hubby, and stepson went to 11 years ago (February 18, 2011, same date as the above concert) where a saxophonist played Argentinian jazz and an artist painted on stage while the music played. It was awesome, the music and the painting.

This concert was nice but short. I enjoyed the music but didn’t get a program so I am not sure what songs were performed. The singer of Canja de Boa was beautiful and I loved both her dress and her voice. I was jealous of her nice toned, muscular arms. The concert had the dual affect of making me want to take voice lessons again and start working out in earnest, especially working on my arms.

That concert inspired me to buy Flint Symphony Orchestra tickets. Well, there are a lot of events, both music and theatre events, to choose from. I do miss going to the theatre too. I used to do a lot of that when I was in drama class in high school and then that interest fell by the wayside until college, then again disappeared the more I had to deal with real life issues that sap all my energy. It is sad really and I miss that part of me. I need to really tend to that part of me more. I miss performing in both music and theatre and going to performances inspire me.

My husband and I attended the symphony last night at The Whiting. I had an incident where, because we were in a hurry to get to our seats, I got out of breath because I am so out of shape, plus I have asthma. I pushed myself to walk fast, take stairs but then really overdid it when the usher lead us to the wrong seat, and I had to hurry back up stairs again to get to our seats on the other side of the auditorium when I really needed to sit down. I may have made a little scene because I had to SIT! I had to catch my breath! That kind of put a damper on the evening. I did catch my breath but we missed the Maestro’s opening and had to walk in to the symphony playing the Ukrainian national anthem, an emotional tribute but all I could think about was my little episode. We also didn’t make it to our proper seats since the performance had started and the seats we were in offered a view of only half the stage. The music was good–they played Smetana’s The Moldau (which I love) and then Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and some music I hadn’t heard, Ginastera, Estancia: Three Dances–but again the concert was short.

I want to go again. There is another free concert at the FIM next Friday. I would like to go and I am determined to go to the symphony next month too. They are playing a Tchaikovsky symphony, though not my favorite. It should be good regardless. Flint is blessed with many talented musicians and a lovely orchestra.

I’ve been blessed with beautiful hair, or so people tell me. I was crabby today but my hair got me through, lol, or at least it made me stop and count my blessings. I don’t know why I was so crabby. Little annoying things at work, the weather, and just being overtired, probably. I’ve been fairly glued to the news, crying over what’s happening in Ukraine so that doesn’t help any.

I was at work, on my bus, working on some training we have to watch every year–BORING. My boss comes out and compliments me on my hair. She was like, “AH! I just love it! Look at that! Your hair is so beautiful.” I didn’t do anything to it. I had washed it the night before and threw it up in a bun with a hair tie as I usually do. I let it down in the morning to put up in again, in a more ordered fashion because I had slept on it (to capture any stray hair that had escaped) but I never did end up putting it back up. I thought I’d let it flow free. I guess I made the right decision even though the weather called for a case of the frizzies.

I was getting lunch and was super annoyed because McDonald’s was being slow and stupid. I hate eating there but I had a good coupon and a crap-ton of points plus want to quit spending money on food so there I was (and this particular McDonald’s will give you a free large ice water). I noticed this little-ish girl (probably around 11 years old) watching me as she was sitting in the dining room. To be honest, it kind of annoyed me more, to be watched while I was annoyed with McDonald’s and their lack of customer service. As I was standing, waiting for my order, the girl walks up to me and is waiting too. I give her a half smile, and she is looking at me, kind of really interested in what I was doing. Then she says, “I like your hair, it’s pretty.” So that made me feel pretty good and less annoyed–well, made me think I need to check my annoyance over stupid stuff. Sometimes you just can’t help it though. She had hair that kind of curled too so maybe she needed someone to bond with over curly hair. I told her I liked her hair too.

Then I was delivering meds to a participant and she let me into her apartment and started oooohing and aaaaahing over my hair. She called me beautiful, then accused me of having make-up on. Ha! I’ll be damned if I can get up early enough to put on make-up for work! I value sleep above looking pretty. LOL But she made me feel good.

Maybe I should try a little bit more. I just lack energy for make-up and hair care. Maybe, once I get some other things in my life situated to where I want them, I will spend more time on my appearance. I just wanted to write about the day to remember the beautiful compliments I received.