March 10, 2011

    Dreamed of a Democrat convention to nominate a presidential candidate dissolving into acrimonious factionalism; a non-existent TV thriller series about a guy carrying an object full of incriminating information, being chased by ruthless government operatives.

    Went to the Tibetan demonstration at the Chinese Consulate-General.  I didn't know there were that many Tibetans in Canada! (I heard about the event on Facebook from Cheri di Novo, whom I think I saw there--she was the only blonde.)

    Then I went to see my shrink Dr. Hassan, who says I'm his hero(?).

    Dinner was sausage and mashed potatoes.

    Went to the master class.  Henry sang Gounod's "Ave Maria" just before I sang "Le Veau d'Or" from Faust, and I quipped "From Gounod's heaven to Gounod's hell!"

    Moira said I shouldn't read Anne of Windy Poplars on the bus late at night lest I get attacked, which led to a spat. (Is she afraid they'll think I'm gay?)

March 9, 2010

    Got my hair cut. (The barber had seemed interested in my operas, but she didn't get around to seeing them.)

    We resumed work on our used-book business accounts. (September was profitable.)

    Dinner was stir-fry chicken.

    Went to the master class.  I had to leave early, so Giuseppe let me sing first.

    Then I went to a new Discussion Meetup.  We split into small groups to discuss different subjects.  I met several immigrants, including a Japanese girl called Azumi who was impressed by my ability to say a few sentences in her language.

    Baked rye bread overnight.

March 8, 2011

Hostage (being released): "Would you really have killed me?"

"I'd have saved you for last."

--Carlos

    Dreamed of a tough manly thriller set in a town in Alaska; the Robert Mitchum remake of The Big Sleep (which I haven't seen).

    Went shopping.

    Dinner was steak.

    Went to Paramount Middle East Foods near Dundas Square and paid my fee for the upcoming karaoke night.

    Then I went to the Bickford Centre and helped put awawy the opera sets.  I was there less than an hour, but got a slight gash on one finger.

    Then I went to the Revue and saw Olivier Assayas' long but absorbing biopic Carlos.  I have to admit that those terrorists seemed to have more guts than me. (I'm all talk...)

March 7, 2011

"Don't rape the messenger"--Weeds

    In the online game Kingdoms of Camelot I got raided by someone in Camford and lost a lot of resources, so I finally quit James Barger's alliance--which still had only three members--and joined the Train Wreck alliance instead. (I guess I should have quit earlier, but I didn't want to be disloyal, and I kept hoping the alliance would grow.) The same raider hit Camford a second time, but he hit five minutes before a gold and food shipment arrived from Strathkirk, so he missed a second big score!  That raider's alliance is friendly with Train Wreck, so I'll ignore that he's occupied a wilderness adjacent to Camford!

    Dinner was scallops.

    Barbara gave me a photo her husband took of me and Sandra in Die Fledermaus.  The family likes it, but I wish I looked more joyful.

March 6, 2011

"I'm modelling for a photographer.  He has no heat!"--The Smallest Show on Earth

"Tell me Samoa about Samarra"--ibid.

    Performed Die Fledermaus for the last time. (I skipped the cast party afterward.) All the men (and the women in trousers roles) put on makeup goatees to pose for pictures, and I felt like a redneck!  I told Giuseppe I'm ready to start our singing lessons again.

    The Aspergers Meetup came to see the opera and enjoyed it greatly.  Beforehand they had lunch at the nearby Zembaba Ethiopian restaurant. (I only had time to go there briefly, a pity since I love Ethiopian food.) Afterward we hang at a Tim Horton doughnut place.

    Dinner was lasagna.

    Saw the DVD of the 1950s British comedy The Smallest Show on Earth, about a young couple inheriting a shoestring cinema.  English whimsy.

March 5, 2011

    Went to another Art Walk Meetup.  We met artist Travis Schilling at a Gladstone Hotel exhibit, then visited the Angell Gallery.  Betty Annes seems interested in everything I say!

    I left early to attend the first Volunteering Meetup.  Unfortunately it was at the huge Movenpick Marche restaurant--the worst kind of place for an inaugural event!--and I couldn't find the group.  The worst of it was that I had to move around everywhere and risk annoying people.

    Started reading Anne of Windy Poplars (for the second time), which I'd borrowed from the Forest Hill library.  L.M. Montgomery's in fine form in this series entry, which was written later than most of the others.

    Dinner was frozen Indian food. 

    Performed Madama Butterfly for the last time.  We're finally getting a big turnout in the last weekend.

March 4, 2011

 Dreamed of a non-existent Classics Illustrated comic book from the 1950s, of a contemporary novel set in the postwar South that became a Coen Brothers movie.

    Dinner was chicken divan.

    Performed Die Fledermaus.  Everyone's been talking about how good I was in the master class. (Giuseppe told Barbara my singing was "passionate.") Renee's Orlovsky wig almost came off at one point, which reminded me of a similar moment on The Red Skelton Show, in an episode with a Three Musketeers spoof.