Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You

When I first joined the SFSU Chamber Singers in 2000, it took me almost the whole year to discover that we sang a whole lot better once we got to know each other a little more personally than just singing in a classroom twice a week. Without fail, we would have good concerts at the end of fall semester, and great ones by the end of the spring semester. I think that's also why the SFSU University Chorus, though almost 4 times the size of Chamber, doesn't quite seem to gel together as in Chamber.

Keeping in the yearly tradition, the Chamber Singers had their annual fall retreat at the Point Montara Lighthouse Youth Hostel in Montara, CA [just a bit past Pacifica and Linda Mar on Hwy1 South.] Located right on the coast, the hostel has three buildings with various size rooms, two kitchens and a great view, not to mention beach access as well.

We were blessed with great weather the whole weekend. Arriving there at 1030, we wasted no time into getting straight into sectional rehearsals, with each voice part rehearsing by themselves. The tenor section [small but mighty] has only 7 singers as opposed to 9 in each other group [soprano, alto and bass] so we have to make up for the sound without subsituting good tonal quality. The rest of the day until 530 consisted of various sectional/tutti rehearsals with one break for lunch. That night we enjoyed a great Mexican dinner and watched the sunset/moonrise on the Pacific Ocean. We also hung out playing Apples to Apples [which is a great game].

Before sleeping I cooked two pots of rice, because for breakfast I was determined to do it with the PIN@Y stylez. I think I pretty much mastered cooking rice on the stove [being a spoiled mama's boy I'm so used to using a ricepot] and I actually had to measure using the 'finger' technique [again, mama's boy uses the marks on the side of the ricepot]. Then I woke up around 645 am so me and another girl Noel can make breakfast. With the recipe complimentary of CinnaBon, Noel served homemade cinnamon roles [including the frosting, also homemade], scrambled eggs w/bacon [and w/out for the veggies.] I chipped in with fried rice and chicken tocino. I didn't buy enough packages of tocino, so I cooked it and then cut it into small pieces which I mixed in. But I'll be darned if i still haven't figured out how my dad makes his.

We left 1030am on Saturday morning, but I had to work from 1245-9, and then had to wake up again for work from 11-7 on sunday. I woke up on Sunday with a dry throat and I developed a nasty, full of phlegm, cough, and when I got home last night, I was asleep by 745pm. Then I woke up once at 4 and then finally up fully at 7. I slept 12 hours. I think my body punished me for the long night on Friday, because I didn't get to sleep that night until 230am.

Needless to say, I went to school and had a visit in the Chamber Singers infirmary because my voice was shot.

Oh yeah, 1-3 (AGAIN!) in Fantasy Football but I have a good feeling about this year. So till next time,

Makin' Mine Music

~No Tations~