Via Sequencia

Via Sequencia celebrates four years

Just after George W. Bush was re-elected president in 2004, I launched this blog as a place to spew my vitriol. I was so unbelievably angry that the people of this great country of ours could make the same mistake twice. Of course, now we can rejoice in knowing that circumstances leading up this year's general election proved to the electorate that we needed some major change. The fact that 64,417,303 of us (as the count stands so far) voted for Barack Obama to be president, gives me great hope in us. 

I am very disappointed that a majority of the voters in California felt it necessary to take away from our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters their newly given marriage rights, but I'll save that for another day's post. The fact that Barack—I feel like I can call him that since that's how he's been signing his many emails to me—mentioned the gays in his victory speech gives me some hope, as well. 

After my man Bill left office, I wondered if I'd be inspired by a presidential candidate again. I'm happy to say that I am. 

YES!

And that's all I have to say about that. Except "Thank God!"

Indiana is leaning Blue?

Oh, my God! My historically-red home State of Indiana, which I left 16 years ago for the solidly-blue State of Illinois, is leaning blue for Obama. I wonder if my staunchly Republican family members are leaning toward Obama, too. I can't imagine that. May the polls be right.

Check out this site and Vote Barack!

Addendum: Today (Thursday) it's back to leaning red. Oh, well . . . at least it's a battleground this time.

Welcome home, dear

For almost a week now, Incontesta has been staying with his parents so I could be free to go to work. It's been hard having him away from home, but I've spent as much time there with him as I've been able. Finally, last night, he wanted to come home for the night. He had missed the Ladies Dundee and our nice big bed. It's been a nice night.

Now, back to sleep. Funny how one never knows when one is going to have an overwhelming urge to blog. Cheers!

Knee update

We were given wrong information. Incontesta was released today and is resting somewhat uncomfortably in the easy chair. More soon.

Day of Surgery

Just heard that my beloved Incontesta will be kept in the hospital overnight. Damn! He came through surgery just fine, as far as I know, but I haven't been able to see him yet. Please enjoy this lovely picture of his leg from the day of the accident.

Ode to Il Supremo

Some years ago—not quite sure how many exactly—a young singer who was desperately trying to find his voice ("Am I a tenor? Am I a countertenor?") breezed into the lives of Incontesta and me. This wonderfully effervescent and flamboyant young man instantly intrigued me and very soon after won my heart. He is known by many names—Il Supremo, Prophet Gregorius, Sr. Mary Magnifique, Manprano, et cetera, but his mama gave him the name Gregory. This is my humble attempt to honor one of my favorite collaborative musicians, one of the most fabulous gayboys walking the earth, and one of my very best friends.

This very obviously brilliant—just ask him—musician started studying with Incontesta, and within a few months became quite aware that he was indeed a countertenor; as a matter of fact, he was a soprano countertenor. It was one of the most beautiful voices I'd heard, and I couldn't wait for him to finally "get it" and really come into himself vocally.

Over the next couple of years, I had the privilege of playing for him in lessons and enjoying his progress. It's such a gift to have the opportunity to witness an intuitive musician with more ambition than anyone I know work so well with such a great teacher as is my dearly beloved husband. When they worked together, sparks flew. I was witnessing history.

In 2004, when Incontesta took over as choir director and I as organist at our suburban parish, we brought Gregory on as a section leader. The choir didn't know what had hit 'em, but Incontesta and I sure did. Not only did we have our section leader, but also a resident composer, a substitute director for when we were both away, and an ambassador—or was it a mascot—of bitchiness and hilarity. (I endlessly tease him as I am doing here, but I assure you it is only out of great respect and love for the dear boy.)

It has been my great delight to watch him work toward his newly earned Master of Music degree. And in these past few years, I have had the great happiness to collaborate with Gregory on three recital projects. We had the greatest fun making wonderful music together. Next to my husband, I've enjoyed collaborating with Gregory the most.

Why am I going on like this? Because our dear boy is about to leave us for his next life-adventure as the newest soprano with Chanticleer. I couldn't be happier for him than I am. But I couldn't be sadder for myself. Our boy is moving on toward greater things. I know he isn't really leaving us; he's simply expanding his world.

Glegoly, my dear, Mommy is so proud! I am going to miss having you in my life on a near daily basis. I am going to miss hearing you sing to my right as I play the organ. I am going to miss your infectious laugh. I am going to miss trying to read my music through tears as you and I perform things like Duruflé's "Pie Jesu." I am going to miss sitting with you and bitching about the mundane. I am going to miss kissing and hugging you at least twice a week. Thank you for your compositions that I've had the great honor to premiere. Thank you for all the many things you've done for me. Thank you for being my sister, my BPI therapist, my wedding attendant, my collaborator, and my friend. I wish you the greatest success as you embark on this exciting journey. I love you with all my heart.

God bless the iPhone

Just updated my iPhone to version 2.0. Can now blog from my iPhone. My calendars now all sync properly. I am now, for the first time since buying this lovely phone, able to do all I want to do with it. Gregory, dear, I am finally without any disappointment. I'm giddy really!

5+++ Sequencia Stars

Shuffle up and deal!

Finally, after all this time of obsessing about Texas Hold 'Em by watching it on TV whenever I can find it and playing online with invisible opponents, I played a real game with real live people . . . and was the big loser.

Incontesta and I spent the evening Friday with a couple of great, long-time friends, with whom we've had poker nights before. In the past, we always played stupid games with lots of wild cards; and a bet of 50¢ was eyebrow raising. Friday was different. We played only no-limit Hold 'Em, we used real 11.5 gram chips, and a couple of our pots were as big as $15-17.

Now, I've played way more hours of this game than everybody else at this party put together times 10. And still I was the big loser, dammit! We each bought in for $20. I lost all my chips within an hour and a half, and re-bought another $20. After that, I won a couple of pots, but nothing to blog about. It became obvious that all of us were getting a little tired round about 1AM, and I was dealt two suited connectors. I only had about $7 in chips left, so I went all in. Player to my left called. Player to his left pushed all in, too. Incontesta folded (he was chip leader, as unbelievable as that is to me!) Player to my left called the last bet. OK . . . here we go! While I drew two more cards toward a straight flush, I didn't get a thing in the end and lost the hand. So . . . I and my friend opposite were out, and we decided to stop and figure out who owed what to whom. After counting all the chips in Incontesta's stack and that of my friend to the left, Incontesta had $59.95. That means we owed our host couple 5¢.

A fun three hours, for sure, but I'd rather have had the $59.95 in my stack.

Some of God's creatures are a big pain in the butt

Herman, the squirrel, strikes again. Usually he just makes a mess out of our garbage after we put it in the receptacle out back. A couple years ago, he singlehandedly ate all the tomatoes we had growing long before they were ready to be harvested. Actually, he tasted each one and left the remainder to rot in the grass.

This year, however, Herman outdid himself. He built a nest up in the underneath side of our Yaris and chewed through the fuel line that was obviously in his way. Incontesta discovered this lovely fact yesterday as he was driving home and almost passed out from the gasoline fumes that were creeping into the car. It took him two and a half hours and 3/4 of a tank of gas to go 8 miles this morning to the car dealership to be told it would cost us over $700 to undo Herman's damage (none of it covered by the warranty, of course).

Tomorrow I go shopping for a slingshot.