I'm truly in the Christmas spirit today, since we attended that really great concert yesterday. Kirstin sang with about 200 other kids and the Greater Lansing Symphony orchestra in a holiday pops concert. The kids did a really nice job, and the concert was very entertaining! It was all Christmas music, and very merry indeed. The Great Hall at the Wharton Center was sold out (and I think it seats a couple of thousand people), and all the people there were jolly and having a good time. I was a little worried about this at first, because Kirstin is easily distracted, and I knew that 2,000 audience members, 199 other kids, an orchestra, some dancers, lights, Christmas decorations and the Great Hall itself would be very distracting in nature. As a matter of fact, the first time I sang on that stage, I was pretty floored by the experience, and I was an adult.
To complicate matters more, these 200 grade-school kids sat on that stage on their risers for most of the 2.5-hour-long concert. I talked to Kirstin all weekend about watching the director, sitting still, and being very quiet. I was really worried she'd be off in space, daydreaming as always, and miss out on this really great thing she is doing. Oddly, she wasn't nervous at all, probably because she has been in front of smaller audiences before. She was excited, though, which added to my concern. I sat on the edge of my seat as the orchestra played the introduction, and the conductor cued the children's choir. My munchkin opened her mouth and sang. I could tell that she knew every word, and was focused on the director with all her might. She has an adorable way of looking sincere while she's singing, and I was moved to tears. I was so proud! Forest and I clapped our hands numb when it was over.
The kids sounded wonderful, and they performed several peices. This was a fantastic opportunity for her, and I hope the kids will be invited again next year.
On a bit of a down note, Forest is sick, and I think I'm coming down with it, too. It's a nasty cold that I think we're getting from his family. It doesn't help that I still have this dumb measels-like thing, so I know that having another virus hanging around will most likely extend the period that both of them are bugging me. It's frustrating.
I'm working up the nerve to quit my mall job. They keep screwing up my schedule. I have gone out of my way to accommodate their mistakes, and in return they have not even shown any sort of concern about getting it right the next time. I just discovered that they've scheduled me for the entire time I'm supposed to be at my dad's Christmas thing, which I asked off way back in October as part of my availability requests. To top it off, by now I should have received two paychecks. One last friday, and one two weeks before that. Quite the contrary: I haven't been paid AT ALL. I don't work for free. I think it's only fair that I get paid in a timely manner for my efforts. They have all sorts of excuses, and it's not the store manager's fault, it's the corporation's fault. I'm really past caring, however. I was considering dumping them in the first place, and this has merely pushed me a little over the edge. Besides, I am going to want rest, because I'm sick, and living with a sick man, which means I'm devoting a full-time effort to listening sympathetically to sniffling, whimpering, and snoring. It's my experience that all men are like that when they're sick. Forest isn't the worst I've seen! He's at least endearing about it, and apologetic. Aww. I chased him out the door to hand him a box of Kleenex today. I hope he feels better.
I'm a little concerned that the main gift I ordered for him might not be here in time for Christmas. I just got another confirmation slip saying 7-10 days for delivery. Well Christmas is in 12 days. That's a little too close for comfort. All I can do is wait, I guess. It's annoying, because I carefully ordered it way WAY in advance. Like at the beginning of November. Just for some reason, they are just now getting around to shipping it, and wanted me to approve a shipping cost, and blah blah blah. I'm a bit nervous about all of this, too. I try to be a very thoughtful gift-giver, but I know he is like me in that he prefers the "giving" part to the "receiving" part. I hope I've come up with some things that will make him smile. I still haven't stuffed his stocking, though. I guess I ought to get started on that. This weekend in Chicago we're going Kirstin-shopping (assuming Natural Wonders ever bothers to pay me) together, so I won't have much time for it then. Perhaps I will join the throng and shop on Christmas Eve. That would be an adventure and a half, but it would be a merry chase, I suppose.
Last night after the concert Forest and I felt nostalgic, so we watched Midsummer Night's Dream, the movie version that came out last summer. We thought it would be fun to reminisce, and laugh a lot, since we were both under the weather. Unfortunately, I must say I don't recommend the movie to anyone who is as familiar with the script as we are. They cut out most of the character development for the 4 lovers, and parts of the plot, apparently so that they could have Puck play with a bicycle, and add some wordless scenes for Bottom the Weaver. It was annoying. They also pitched all the monologues. The worst part, though, is that they took everything far FAR too seriously. There were hardly any funny parts, and it is *written* to be funny! They also took out most of the brawling, and a lot of the Shakespearean curses. What fun is it without curses? So I'm afraid that I must "pan" that movie. Sorry Michelle and Kevin. You are two of my favorite actors, and it wasn't your faults.
Kirstin's school was on a two-hour delay this morning for no particular reason, so I ended up getting to work quite late. Looks like I'll be here until 7 tonight, and then go straight to Tae Kwon Do. That will be good, because I feel like kicking people. (In a jolly way, of course.)
