August 10, 2000
Stress, Music and Friends
God. So much to talk about today that I couldn't bear to wait till tomorrow, although this is probably the equivalent of two journal entries.
Today at work was horrendous. I was reminded yet again that I am far too empathetic for my own good -- even when I'm not trying to be. It's one of those situations where I feel like I can't say too much, because it's not my story, but it's seriously affecting me. Essentially, two people I work with are best friends. One is married, one is not. The unmarried one lives with her sister. Apparently this past Sunday the four of them (the two friends, sister, and husband) got together. Husband apparently gets infatuated with sister. Trouble ensues. I spent most of my day today trying not to listen to the two friends yelling at sister and husband on the phone. Honestly, for various reasons, I've seen a separation coming for quite a while, so seeing it come now isn't a surprise. I just... don't want to feel involved. There was so much tension and anger and badness floating around our rather small workspace, I just... sort of absorbed some of it.
Then I was stressed about my monthly data entry project, which is due tomorrow at noon. Ordinarily, I would have been able to take time off of answering the phones to work on this project. However, the front desk receptionist is on vacation. What does that have to do with anything? Well, before we moved, we were seated right next to the front desk, with a little window installed. That way, if someone came in while the receptionist was gone, we could greet them from the window. Her phone automatically forwards to ours if she's gone. Our move upstairs was delayed, in fact, because the sales reception team was delayed in moving to our old area (window and all), and the Powers That Be decided that they needed to be there, for when the front desk receptionist isn't.
Completely logical so far, right? So when I get in this morning, I find out that one of us has to sit down at the front desk all day. Apparently sales reception is only able to greet folks for very short intervals. They couldn't possibly do it all day for three whole days. I mean, it's not like one of them sits three inches from the window or anything. Frankly, this was the stupidest bit of illogic I've seen in the three years I've been with this company. How does this all tie in? With one of the four of us downstairs at the front desk, we're shorthanded upstairs, which means I can't take time off the phones to do my project. Add to that the fact that the other two both spent their day mostly yelling at sisters and husbands on the phone, and it was all horribly stressful. I think the kicker was, after doing this project for three years (and in fact, this is the last month I'll be doing it, as it's now automated), discovering a shortcut that would have saved me hours of work. Probably like, weeks worth of work, all told. I wanted to cry.
But salvation arrived in the middle of all this. Shelly (psst, click the link, she's a journaler) emailed me to ask me if I was going to the Nields concert tonight at the Ark. (I think I just set a personal record for most links in one sentence.) At the beginning of the week, we'd talked about possibly meeting there, as she's a great fan of the group, and since, well, it's in my town. Besides, I've heard great things about the Nields, so...
I waffled. In fact, I started to reply to her before I'd even made up my mind. I was tired. It was a crappy day. I should either stay late and do data entry or go home and do it. I shouldn't spend the money. Did I really want to go listen to a group I'd never heard before?
Spontenaity won the day. "To hell with it," I emailed her. "I'll be there." We exchanged clothing descriptions and (if Shelly's anything like me) peeked at the other's picture again, just to be sure.
Right after work, I ran a couple errands, then headed to downtown Ann Arbor. Got in line, cause I was way early, and people-watched. Ann Arbor is a great place to people-watch. Finally I went in, bought my ticket, and found three good seats. (I mean, good. The Ark's a pretty small place anyway, but we were like third row dead center.) Shelly and her husband Andy got there and we sat around and talked while we waited for the show to start. They were very cool. Shelly has a wonderful laugh. (And, at the risk of being smacked, they were a very cute couple.) I was a little nervous, because, well, while I've met bunches of online folks before, I'd never met a fellow journaler before!
Then the concert started. The Nields consist of two sisters, Nerissa and Katryna, and three guys named David. (I'm not kidding.) There are three things I absolutely adore in a live musical performance: harmony that gives me chills, intelligent, moving lyrics, and humor! I mean, I understand being a serious musician and this being your livelihood and all, but make me laugh out loud, and I'm sucked in. The Nields had all three things, in spades. Musically speaking, they're sort of folk-rock, Indigo Girls and Sarah McLachlan -- sort of. Edgier though. Wittier. Shelly said they were closer to Ani diFranco, but I've not listened to much of her stuff. Whatever the case, I loved it. I walked out with two CDs, which I'm currently listening to.
There's something about live music that makes me very happy. Especially good live music. There were moments when I just could feel the music swelling inside me, pure and powerful. After one song near the beginning of the concert, "Snowman", I leaned over to Shelly and just said, "Wow." Another memorable moment came at the end of the concert. They did the old Hank Williams, Sr. song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" for an encore. Nerissa and Katryna have great voices, and I've always maintained that family voices harmonize the best (maybe it's genetic, I don't know). Then they did a verse a cappella. You can't beat that. Not for me. Good a cappella harmony is just one of the best things in the world. There was just so much clarity I wanted to cry or sing or... something. Y'all. I'm not kidding. Go to the website, listen to the sound clips. Buy stuff.
And speaking of singing, I got audition information yesterday for the University Musical Society Choral Union. this is a serious choir. They do the Messiah every Christmas, and perform with symphony orchestras all over the Midwest. Now that my work schedule has changed, I could actually attend rehearsals, which are once a week. For the audition they want me to sing a prepared piece, and do some sing reading. I want to. I miss singing in a really good choir. However, I'm pitifully out of practice with sight reading. Pitifully. Not to mention that I'm out of practice with 'real' singing. Auditions are about three weeks away.
Guess who's been singing in the car to and from work? I want to do this. I'm good enough. I know I am. Geh I hate auditions.
Posted by Lisa at August 10, 2000 11:41 PM
