the bug, the bus, the bozo's

Yup. Trav and I both caught the vicious bug going around. It's awful. It sticks and refuses to leave your body...it wants to hibernate. We've been miserable. Travis seemed to get it in different ways than I did. His voice went down nearly two octaves, I swear. He sounded completely different. It sounded painful when he would talk. Uhg. I can't imagine how he held his own at work with a class full of 30+ students. For the last week or two we've been downing vitamin c like no one's business. Trav has also been guzzling some serious amounts of airborne. It seems to be working, slowly but surely, because we are on the mend now, but we still have plenty of mucus (ewwy).

I'm grateful because rather than lose my voice -- it would be the equivalent to Travis breaking his hand -- I just got really achy, dizzy, congested, and had a medium-to-bad sore throat. We really make an awesome couple each morning...can you imagine what it sounds like in the bathroom while we're trying to get rid of as much congestion as possible?! It's sick. I'll leave it at that.

So today was interesting. Travis had a HUGE test he had to take this morning at 7:30. Every teacher has to take this test (it's called the Praxis) to get their teaching license. We won't find out if he passed for another 3 to 4 weeks. :( Miserable, I know. But we're glad it's done and over with. He has been studying for that beast for the last few weeks. The Praxis is a timed test. It's specific to his content area (art) and tests him on anything from Art History to photography to tapestry. It's craZy intense. It costs a purdy penny too.

I had the great opportunity to sing in a trio this morning. We had a religious gathering (Relief Society Commemoration) including approximately 475 women and I was asked to sing with two other women. It was stressful, but a great honor to be a part of it. I am so grateful to be involved in music. I don't think any of us -- and I include myself in this -- understand how much music impacts our lives. I think it would only be recognized and fully appreciated if we lost it. I hope and pray that never happens. Anyway, the performance was a success. I feel good about it. And I feel good about it being DONE. No more rehearsals. Wahoo!

This next week is going to be exciting and awful at the same time. I am heading off with the UVU Chamber Choir to San Francisco. We will be performing with some Universities out there (I believe), singing at a cathedral, receive an afternoon coaching session with the conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, and more. I'm excited to perform and fall in love with Cali. No offense but I'm not too fond of that state -- I'm hoping that'll change after next week. I think the drive out there and back is going to be insane. There will be 32 choir peeps on one bus. Can you say PaInFuL?!?! I not over exaggerating either. Okay, I am. Most of them are pretty normal, believe it or not. There are just a few I worry about. You know who I'm talking about, right? The one or two people who irritate the H-E-double-hockey-sticks outta you? They are loud, obnoxious, and honest-to-goodness stupid? Yup. They are drawn to the music world. I am surrounded my idiots. Not just any idiots, needy ones. Ohhh, the stories I could tell.

Okay, I have to share one: I have a friend named Kyle. He's normal, thank goodness. We normal people stick together; there are two of us in the music program: me and him. Anyway, last Monday we were in our conducting class and Kyle was up in front conducting. He was conducting wrong so our [young, single] professor grabbed Kyle's arm and showed him how to do it right. Kyle was able to grasp what our [young, single] Professor wanted, so the [young, single] professor let go of his arm and let him do it on his own. As our [young, single] Professor was walking away from Kyle this woman says OUT LOUD, "Can you do that to me later?" I nearly shot snot outta my nose I was so blown away (remember, I'm congested)! Who says that?!!! Only in music. What's worse is this woman is 30-freakin-2. 32 people. And she will be on the bus with me...and the same [young, single] professor who teaches conducting will be on the bus as well. I think I'll sneak Travis's pellet gun in my bag and pull it out when necessary. I can only handle so much before I lose it. Pellets don't hurt too bad, right? She very well may be my first target.

The good news is my mom, two sisters, and Grandma will be out there with me! But with the good comes the bad. I won't be able to sleep in their hotel room and I won't be able to drive with them because of legalities. But at least I'll see them each day, throughout the day. They will be my saving grace. I only wish Travis could tag along too. But he can't. He has to work. *Tear* I DO NOT LIKE BEING AWAY FROM HIM. Call me a sissy. Call my needy. Call my dependent. I don't care. I like being around my husband. I enjoy his presence. He is my comfort zone, my safety net, my validation. Yes, I'm still an individual and yes, I'm still a MARRIED individual. I happen to like who I married. I'm dreading the separation. I guess the one positive is he'll have all the time in the evenings to do his art without feeling guilty. No need. I'll be in San Fran with a bunch of musically inclined weeners. Sweet.

Well, my little pumpkins, I'm going to bed. I have a headache in my eyes (seriously. It's painful). Plus I don't think you want to read anymore of my boo-hoo-style ramblings.

Much love.