And so it begins...

I've been horribly negligent with all my e-correspondence (and snail mail obligations too, to be honest). School/daycare has started, plus all the busy book stuff, Xander's extracurricular classes and everything else that makes the beginning of September what it is when you work in the school system. And so I haven't emailed good friends who've been far more on the ball, or updated here, or any of the other things I should be doing that I let slide to the wayside...

So dear friends, I shall get it together soon, really, truly...Of course, we're away this weekend...and next week is darn full...and then the next weekend is a family celebration (late for Xander's birthday, and Rob's away as of the Sunday..And we're in Vancouver the next weekend...Somewhere in there, though, I'll get back on track, and in the meantime, I've not forgotten you!

Anyways, once again, seriously sleep deprived and just taking 5 minutes before I climb between the sheets...A few thoughts though...

• The Producers is a damn fine movie. I'm sure anyone not interested in Broadway musicals would disagree, as it is very much in the old tradition of musical movies. But it stays so true to the stage version, and simply is wonderful. Unlike other, much anticipated stage to screen adaptations such as Rent and Chicago. Sadly disappointing. But how cool is it that I am able to make direct comparisons, having seen all 3 on stage, Producers only once without all the original cast, Rent and Chicago many, many times, with original cast several of those times. I am a lucky girl!
• I need to go back to New York. Rob and I were talking, and Xander and I were talking, and its agreed that we need to return, for a goodly amount of time. A Chorus Line is being revived! How cool is that? And Les Mis, but its barely been gone, and was overdue to go, so I'm not sure how excited I am about that. Though for Xander to be able to see it would be incredibly cool too. I think he's old enough now. But how to fit in New York and Disneyland? We shall have to do some figuring. And we've been invited to Quebec for Carnival with my brother and his wife and our parents...what an experience that would be. it's going to be a very full year - like it hasn't been full already!
• My brain is very, very full and I'm just dumping randomly. So be it!
• Work has been very hectic and not entirely pleasant. I hope it improves. I had an embarrassing (professionally) situation today with a youngster who had an accident just as the parent arrived...I was given this new child to care for - new to me, not the school, and was not told the extent of her special needs, nor indeed, what I needed to know in areas such as toileting and her limited language skills. So it was unfortunate that I didn't know her needs and mom walked in just after she'd soiled herself. But then again, if I wasn't told, how could I know? Still, I have to make good with the mom in the morning and it rather sucks..on the little's first day too.
• Still haven't resolved the computer networking/email stuff yet - probably won't until next week, as tomorrow is pretty full, ending with a dance class for Xander late, and early the next day to Galiano, where Rob's doing an event at our friend Lee's store. We're excited, and she and her partner have graciously opened their house to us too, so we get a vacation and visit as well
• Rob's book is still doing well - better and better, with spots on all sorts of bestseller lists - unofficial at this point, but it will come! It's incredibly intense and unbelievable and I'm so proud and a little stunned (but so is he!). The good news keeps pouring in, and there's still film deals, and Frankfurt book fair in October, and then the US sales and the Canadian trade publication has been moved up and, and, and...wow!
• I'm trying to figure out how best to approach Xander's reading problems - intense focus, or ease off and let it come, or something in between. It really sucks, because usually I'm incredibly confident and follow my gut and just go with it with anything to do with kids...no problems at all. But I'm doubting myself and questioning my decisions and that's really weird and hard.
• I'm back at choir and am absolutely loving it. I am determined to make music more a part of my life, to develop my voice and my skills, to sing just for fun more, and not care who's listening. I've discovered so much abut my voice this summer. The actual physical way I sing has changed, in several ways. I'm breathing differently, which helps hold the notes. I am developing an ear for pitch and actual notes, which helps. I finally know how to sing in harmony, technically, though the execution is not the same as the understanding of the principals. But that will come. And I sing differently. The sounds get formed in the back of my mouth now, rather than the front, and I can hold my note, be more accurate and way stronger. My voice sounds lower, and way less breathy. Its so cool. I am gaining such confidence and its putting a huge bounce in my step, which I love. I'm going to try to head to choir twice a week when possible this season, just for the joy of singing with others. If I had more time, I'd look into a second choir - there's a local neighborhood non-audition just down the road starting up and it'd be cool to be one of the original members. Or the gospel choir - that's be fun too. Another time, of course! This allow is doing wonders
• So the weight loss thing is not working so well. I do not have any self restraint around junk food, and around ensuring I eat regularly. But I've decided once again to push it back - just until after Galiano, I think. I need to get all the junk food out of the house and not bring more in!
• I had an interesting physio session today. My left arm and hand get very numb a lot, and I was talking with Ross about it, and he decided to try some different acupuncture. He put a needle in my chest, right near my collarbone, measuring very carefully to get the right spot. I didn't feel anything tangible in my arm, though it has felt better today, since the appointment. But what I felt, immediately, was my upper lip going numb, like dental anesthetic wearing off, and my eyes numb and watering. Then Ross put a matching needle in the other side and the feeling intensifies. I told Ross and he showed me a chart with the meridians, and I felt it exactly where the meridians went. How cool and weird is that? I respond very well to the acupuncture, and I guess this is another example.

I need to stop there. The room is spinning, I'm so exhausted. Holy typos! Hopefully spell check will get most of them! I'm not looking through this for them.

Sleepily signing off!