As usual, I am single on Valentine’s Day. I don’t actually remember any specific Valentine’s Days when I was with my ex, but I must’ve been around them for at least a couple of them. Other than her, the only time I was dating anyone on Valentine’s Day must’ve been my senior year in high school. That was 21 years ago. That’s like 2 or 3 lives ago, so of course I don’t remember that.
I think Valentine’s Day in elementary school was cute: all those crappy little valentine’s you gave to everybody; and getting excited that some cute girl gave you a valentine...of course she gave everyone a valentine, just like you did. Now it just seems a terrible waste of resources. I suppose I’m somewhat inclined to view it all as a corporate money-making holiday for greeting card companies and flower shops and candy-makers. But to be honest, I just can’t get myself into an uproar about it. It’s just another stupid holiday, when I’m supposed to feel something, but I don’t.
I suppose, as on my birthday, if I were around lots of people who kept telling me “Happy Valentine’s Day!” I’d probably get annoyed. But I haven’t really interacted with anyone yet today. I’ll go to school later and play for a few people in their studio rep classes, and probably for one girl in studio recital after, if we can do it early enough.
The main thing I’m doing today is driving to the next town for the first night of Guys & Dolls auditions. I’m the music director. I feel like I’ve been working on this show forever. I’m doing it with a community theatre, and they can’t afford a decent-sized orchestra for the show. So I’m basically re-orchestrating the show for piano + 5 or 6 other musicians. I’ve done everything except a couple of numbers. I started working on it the week before Christmas, then took a lot of time away from it to focus on Silent Pictures and a couple of days on Heck’s Kitchen. This past week I was in rehearsals for Clue, the musical with some kids from the American Hebrew Academy. I didn’t have a chance to really hang out with them or get to know them well, but I really enjoyed working with them. They’re a good bunch of kids. SO...I still haven’t quite finished the G&D orchestrations. The performances aren’t until April (ah...community theatre...long, slow rehearsal process), so I’ve got time.
