Facebook Game

I got roped into playing this game on facebook where you write 25 random things about yourself, then tag 25 of your friends, and they have to do the same thing. It seemed like a good thing to put on the blog too.

1. I'm very busy, and can't believe I'm actually spending time doing this right now. But someone asked me to, and then I started thinking about it, and then there was no going back. Once something gets into my head its better for me to just get it out of my head. Otherwise it will rattle around in there and drive me nuts.

2. I am a Texas Aggie through and through. You may think some of the traditions are dumb, but I think they're fun! Hullabaloo Caneck Caneck, Gig em! and WHOOP!!!,

3. I absolutely love opera and consider it the ultimate culminating art form. My favorite opera I've ever seen was Handel's Tamerlano at Washington National Opera. The music, singing, costumes, everything was absolutely beautiful. I had "standing room only" seats, so I had to stand in the back where the only way I could see the supertitles (translation) was by crouching over. By the end of the 3-hour opera I felt like I'd just been to an Aggie football game- completely worn out and tired from standing and bending for so long, but totally pumped up because IT WAS FREAKIN' AWESOME!

4. There's only one guy who's ever had enough of me to break my heart, and he's done it three times- the last after he had asked me to marry him. Trust me, he will NOT being doing it again.

5. I am completely addicted to Gilmore Girls, and feel that there is no other TV show that even compares to its greatness. One of my favorite things to do on Saturday morning is wake up and watch Gilmore Girls in my PJ's like its Saturday morning cartoons.

6. I've worked at a staffing service called Express Employment Professionals for waaaaaaay too long. Four and a half years if you add together the time before and after my mission. I really loved it for the first couple years, but now I feel like it is slowly crushing my soul. Can we say burn out?

7. I really really want to go work in the administrative offices for an opera company after I graduate in July. I don't really care what I actually do for them, I just love being in that environment and want the experience. However, what I really want my life's work to be is raising my children in my home. After they are all grown and moved away I'll go work in opera again. Unless by some chance I'm rich by then. In that case I would become an arts advocate and join the board of directors of some fabulous opera company and give them obscene amounts of money for the sake of the art.

8. I am the Relief Society President for my congregation at church. That means I am responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of all the women in my congregation. It is exhausting and difficult at times, and I often don't feel like I do a good enough job, but I love it. I love knowing everyone and having a perfectly good excuse to care about them and serve them, and I love seeing people's lives get better because of Jesus Christ.

9. Up until about two years ago, my dream in life was always to become a famous country singer, and I absolutely planned on doing it. Then one day at work one of my coworkers was talking about how sick her four-month-old baby was that she had just dropped off at the daycare. At that very moment I realized that it didn't matter what I had to give up- I NEVER wanted to have to put my children in a daycare. I would be the one to raise them and care for them. Thats when I decided I was not going to be a professional singer.

10. When I was 8 I started collecting little porcelain clown figurines. Today I have thirty something, including one Lladro that is absolutely beautiful. I'm really really freaked out by clowns in real life, so I promise all of mine are pretty and not scary.

11. Not a single aspect of my life has actually worked out the way I planned it would when I graduated high school. In fact, not a single significant plan that I've ever made for myself has actually happened the way I planned. Heavenly Father always has other, better things in mind for me. I don't even know why I make plans any more.

12. I don't know how many times I've been accused of being an exact clone of my mother. I think my mom's pretty amazing, so it doesn't bother me at all.

13. My dream car has always been a Dodge Ram truck with nice big tires and a lift. I guess I have little man syndrome or something.

14. My fingers naturally curl outward at the tips. A lot of people find it a little freaky.

15. Quesadillas are the crutch and staple of my diet.

16. I have pretty high standards when it comes to how I like to be asked out on a date. Don't even think about asking me out via text or facebook, and I'd recommend not beginning with, "So what are you doing on...?". You're just setting yourself up for rejection. I'm pretty busy, so I probably already have plans that day, but if I like you I'll change them.

17. I don't like olives, pickles, mustard, or pork. However, I absolutely abhor hot dogs and this Croatian dish called sarma that my grandma used to make.

18. I always thought my favorite color was green until a few years ago when I started realizing that maybe I like pink better. I've been in an identity crisis ever since.

19. I met Ruben Studdard last summer while I was working backstage at the Kennedy Center in DC. He mostly kept to himself, but he brought his old friend Alvin with him. Alvin and I became friends, and he talked Ruben into taking a picture with me. However, I look like a total dork in the picture because Alvin was making me laugh. He gave me his card and I felt special.

20. My most memorable concert experience is when I went to see Brooks & Dunn at Fair Park in Dallas with my mom when I was in fifth or sixth grade. It started raining about the time we pulled into the parking lot in our little Geo Metro. We decided to stay in the car until the rain passed, thinking it would just be a quick storm. Hours later we were still sitting there in the parking lot watching other cars float by. Luckily the storm caused some kind of technical difficulties with the concert, and they rescheduled it for a few weeks later.

21. Jacob is my favorite Book of Mormon prophet. I think I relate to him because we have a very similar manner of teaching the gospel. I especially love his sermon in 2 Nephi 9. You can just feel him getting more and more excited as he teaches about the Atonement, and he explains things so clearly and with so much love for the people he's speaking to.

22. The Celestial Room of the temple is my absolute favorite place in the whole wide world, and I'm not just saying that.

23. I have this thing about looking pretty for church on Sunday. It makes me feel happy. I love getting to wear a pretty dress and do my hair nice and not have to worry about it getting messed up, because I'm just going to be sitting in church! You might think I'm doing it for someone else, but I'm not. I often start thinking about what I'm going to wear to church the next day on Saturday night.

24. When I was little my siblings started calling my Toadie, after the littlest ogre on the cartoon Gummy Bears. You see, I was the littlest ogre in our clan. One of my sisters still calls me Toad on a regular basis.

25. My old mission companion Athena and I have been in a poking war on facebook for over a year. We poke each other back and forth often multiple times a day. Its completely pointless and insane, but we're both too stubborn to stop, so it will probably go on until one of us dies.

Doing just fine...

Songs that in some way describe how I've recently felt (ordered somewhat in priority):

One Step Closer - Wade Bowen
Leave the Pieces - the Wreckers (like... wow.)
Don't Make Me - Blake Shelton
White Horse - Taylor Swift
Better in Time - Leona Lewis
Hot N Cold - Katy Perry (the music video is really funny, pardon the one bad word at the beginning of the song)
Better off Wrong - Randy Rogers Band
Kerosene - Miranda Lambert (lines from this song actually used in recent conversation. Ignore the video though, I don't really like it.)
In The End -Lincoln Park
How Far - Martina McBride
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
If It Don't Come Easy - Tanya Tucker
I'm Not Loving Anymore - Kevin Fowler

Any others?

...Everyone knows I'm one of those people that can't hear a song without relating to it, right? :)

P.S. The story (see previous post) will be finished in my journal, but not for the public.

The Story (Segment 1)

I've been meaning to do this for a while, and now that school is over I finally have some time. Its a long, long story, and there are parts that even I don't believe! Here is the mild beginning...

The Long, Exciting, Often Difficult, Always Crazy Story of
Ruthie and Brant
(as told from Ruthie’s extremely unbiased perspective)

Part I – The Early Years

I guess we technically met in 2003, but I’m not sure if we ever actually talked then. I moved to College Station and into the Bryan University Ward for the first time in January. Brant had been there for years. Actually, he’d lived in Bryan his whole life. But, he had a girlfriend at the time I arrived and I wasted no time in going after another interest (that would be Cash, for those of you trying to figure out the reference). We were only in the ward together for a few months before Brant left on his mission. Brant’s most vivid memory of me during this time period happened when he was sitting behind me in Sunday school and I was sitting next to Cash. Apparently Cash was trying to hold my hand, but I was very determined to pay attention to the lesson, not him. At one point I impatiently turned and gave Cash a very stern look after which he ceased all attempts at physical contact for the remainder of the lesson. Apparently Brant was very impressed. I, on the other hand, only have one vague memory of Brant during this time, and that was the day of his mission farewell in March or April. I was surprised to learn he was going on a mission for two reasons – he looked much older than a 19-year-old, and he had a girlfriend!

Part II – Setting the Stage

The next time I saw Brant was three years later. I had been home from my mission for about a month and taken a trip to College Station to see old friends and find a place to live. I planned on moving back a few weeks later. I went to the ward on Sunday and was sitting on the left edge of a center pew. When Brant walked up to hand me the sacrament tray our eyes met for a brief moment and he broke into that beautiful, shy half smile that still melts me to pieces every time. There was something about his deep brown eyes and dark mysterious complexion that intrigued me. I didn’t know a thing about him, but I wanted to go out with him. At some point during that day I found out his name. I also found out that he was the Ward Mission Leader. Perfect, I thought. Being a newly returned missionary the chances of my being called to the ward mission were very high – the perfect setting to get to know each other and maybe – just maybe – I might even catch his eye.
My hopes were partially fulfilled when shortly after my moving back to the ward I was indeed called as a Ward Missionary. Only one problem – somewhere in the weeks since our last meeting Brant had started dating someone else. It was torture! I felt so guilty! We were spending time together at least once a week in our callings, and it was so easy to flirt with him! I became increasingly confident in my opinion that if we could only go out a time or two we surely would discover that we’re perfect for each other! I also was developing quite a strong opinion that the girl he was dating at the time was not right for him. Even the sister missionaries serving in the ward at the time agreed that we were perfect for each other! Why couldn’t he see it?!
After a couple months things did end between him and the “other girl” (who, by the way, is a dear friend of mine. I have nothing against her. I just honestly didn’t think they were right for each other). For a brief time I thought I would finally have my chance. But my hopes proved false once again when I learned he had reconvened an old relationship with a girl in another state. Soon he was released as Ward Mission Leader and as the months went on I gave up hope of ever getting to date him. The girl from out of state came to visit a couple times and I even met her and thought she was a wonderful person. By the end of the year Brant and I only chatted occasionally at church and I was expecting to hear any day that he was engaged.

Tune in next time as the plot thickens in Part III - The Preliminaries!

Opening Night

I had the amazing opportunity to fly back to DC this weekend for Washington National Opera's 08-09 Season Opening Night festivities. The opera itself was amazing. La Traviata is an extremely popular opera. Even if you're not an opera person you would have recognized half the songs because they are used in commercials and movies so much. La Traviata is actually the opera they see in Pretty Woman. It was incredible. The story is set in mid 19th-century upper-class France, and the production stayed true to this. The sets and costumes were ornate and gorgeous, the singing was amazing, the music was powerful and moving. It was a perfect opera experience. They actually simulcasted it live to the Nationals Ballpark, so anyone could go sit on the infield and watch it live on the jumbotron for free. I'm guessing there were some opera fans born at the ballpark last night.

After the opera, I went with Lanie, my boss from this summer, to the Opening Night Gala at the Italian Embassy. It was no Opera Ball, but impressive enough. Rather than being an open-mingle type event, it was actually a sit down dinner. Between courses the opera's President, Executive Director, and General Director Placido Domingo spoke, acknowledging special guests, cast members, and others in the audience. The dinner was pretty good. I had veal for the first time, and actually kind of liked it! And, the dessert was amazing. The tables were gorgeous, but the Italian Embassy was not very impressive. Actually, it wasn't impressive at all. A little disappointing. But, overall it was an amazing night, and I felt very special to be able to jet across the country just to go to an opera and fancy party!

"Passionate Possession"

"I have said that Texas is a state of mind, but I think it is more than that. It is a mystique closely approximating a religion. And this is true to the extent that people either passionately love Texas or passionately hate it and, as in other religions, few people dare to inspect it for fear of losing their bearings in mystery or paradox. But I think there will be little quarrel with my feeling that Texas is one thing. For all its enormous range of space, climate, and physical appearance, and for all the internal squabbles, contentions, and strivings, Texas has a tight cohesiveness perhaps stronger than any other section of America. Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study and the passionate possession of all Texans."

-John Steinbeck

Interesting quote a fellow Texan shared with me. I wouldn't call it an "obsession" for me personally, but "passionate possession" could be accurate. All I know is I sure am looking forward to crossing the good ol' Red River Sunday afternoon.

The Playlist (in chronological order)

Elektra, by Richard Strauss
When: Thursday, May 15, 2008, 7:30pm
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC
What: Opera, 1 act
Who: Washington National Opera
Cast highlights: Susan Bullock, Christine Goerke, Irina Mishura, Robert Cantrell, Daniel Sumegi

While Elektra is only about an hour long, it has more intensity packed into it than most three-hour operas! I mean, it was intense, in every sense of the word - the music, the plot, the characters, the scenery… Intense. I enjoyed getting to see it, but I must say, it was not my favorite. The orchestra frequently overpowered the singers (understandably so, since it is written for a huge orchestra), and while I appreciate the modern-style costumes and scenery being symbolic of the tormented mind of the main character, it was just plain not pretty. And I like my opera pretty. Maybe that’s uncultured of me, but it’s the truth. I like to watch sets and costumes and characters that are pretty.

El Niño by John Adams
When: Sunday, May 18, 2008, 7:30pm
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington, DC
What: Oratorio (sacred text)
Who: The Choral Arts Society of Washington
Cast highlights: Sharla Nafziger, Leslie Mutchler, Christopheren Nomura, Brian Cummings, Paul Flight, Steven Rickards, Children's Chorus of Washington

My sister Nancy and I went to this concert together. It is a modern work, so naturally there were a lot of parts I liked, and a lot I didn't. The text of El Niño is a collection of writings/scripture about the birth of Christ, but it is more focused on birth in general, specifically from the woman's perspective. I actually really enjoyed the text. It consisted of a choir, soloists, orchestra, and a large screen over the stage with scenes to help depict the message the music. After a few minutes I mostly quit paying attention to the screen. It was a lot of modern dance and pictures which I didn't entirely understand, so it was more of a distraction than anything else for me.

Tamerlano, by George Frideric Handel
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC
What: Opera, 3 acts
Who: Washington National Opera
Cast highlights: Sarah Coburn, Patricia Bardon, Plácido Domingo, David Daniels

I still get excited just thinking about Tamerlano. It was absolutely, hands-down the best opera I have ever seen. I can’t even express how much I loved it! The cast, production, and music were all top of the line. Sarah Coburn completely stole the show with her beautiful, pure, natural, effortless soprano sound. She and Patricia Bardon (a mezzo-soprano playing a male role) performed a gorgeous duet in the 3^rd act that absolutely turned my insides to mush. The rest of the audience apparently felt the same way, because I have never witnessed such a long applause at the end of a number mid-act. Of course Plácido Domingo was fabulous. I have never seen anyone die so beautifully! I even enjoyed listening to David Daniels, the countertenor. Normally I have a hard time with countertenors. I acknowledge that it takes a huge amount of talent for a male to sing as high as a mezzo soprano, but lets be honest, it’s just a little weird. But David Daniels was fabulous. He made it sound natural and effortless, which is not always the case with a countertenor. Seriously, I can’t think of a thing I didn’t like about Tamerlano.

It was completely sold out, but I managed to snag a "standing room only" ticket. I stood in the back next to a railing, where I had to crouch down to see the supertitles over the stage, for over three hours. It reminded me very much of an Aggie football game, where all the students stand the entire game. You only get to sit down during half-time (or intermission in this case), and it feels so good. But the fact of the matter is that even though you're tired and your feet are killing you, what you are witnessing is so exciting that you are completely on a high by the time its over. Yes, thats how good Tamerlano was. I would stand through it again any day.

Selections from Giacomo Puccini's La Bohéme
When: Thursday, May 29, 2008, 7:30pm
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC
What: Open Orchestra Rehearsal
Who: Washington National Opera
Cast highlights: WNO Young Artists Aundi Marie Moore, Elizabeth Andrews Roberts, Yingxi Zhang, Oleksandr Pushniak

This was very cool. The opera decided to open up this rehearsal to its season ticket holders to give them an inside look at the rehearsal process. The conductor, Riccardo Frizza, was mic-ed so that we could hear everything going on. They began with just the orchestra and conductor rehearsing, and then brought in the singers and added them. One of my favorite parts was when the conductor turned to the audience and said in his thick Italian accent "the problem with singers is that they are always acting, and they forget to pay attention to the baton." Maybe you had to be there, but it was really funny the way he said it. After the one-hour rehearsal they opened up for questions with the singers, conductor, and WNO's Artistic Director. I kept quiet so that the subscribers could ask questions (I can ask questions whenever I want to). Most of the questions were directed at the singers. When asked how long it takes to learn a new role, Elizabeth Andrews Roberts replied that when you are a young aspiring singer like them, if someone asks you if you can perform tomorrow, the answer is always "yes."

Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni
When: Friday, May 30, 2008, 7:30pm
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC
What: Opera, 1 act, in concert (no sets/costumes, orchestra on the stage)
Who: Washington National Opera
Cast highlights: Salvatore Licitra, Dolora Zajick, Madeleine Gray, Gordon Hawkins, Leslie Mutchler

This was a wonderful production. The cast did a great job of acting out the parts even though they were not in costume. I have a confession, though. I went straight to the opera after work and didn't get a good dinner. About half way through I found myself unable to focus on anything besides what I would grab to eat on the way home. Wendy's or Chick-fil-A? Chic-fil-A won't be open this late, so I'll have to go to Wendy's. I want french fries, but I have to get some real food too! No, I'm not in the mood for a sandwich. Chicken nuggets?... It was very sad indeed.

Eugene Onegin, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
When: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 7:00pm
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington, DC
What: Opera, 3 acts, in concert (no sets/costumes, orchestra on the stage)
Who: National Symphony Orchestra
Cast highlights: Irina Mataeva, Sergei Leiferkus, Daniil Shtoda, Irina Tchistjakova, Ekaterina Semenchuk

I really didn't know what to expect with this one, but I was pleasantly surprised! It was a wonderful opera in every way from the music to the plot to the performers. Who knew Russian could sound so pretty? I would really like to see the full production of this opera some day.

Now do you understand why I've been so busy? It should be slowing down for the rest of the summer because our season is now over as well as The National Symphony Orchestra's.

Did I mention that I didn't pay a cent for any of these? My internship totally rocks.

Opera Ball

When: Friday, June 6, 2008 10:00pm
What: Washington National Opera's 2008 Opera Ball
Where: The French Ambassador's Residence, Washington, DC

Oh how wonderful it was! Opera Ball is Washington National Opera's biggest event of the year, and has been called the best party of the year in DC. There were many comments last night that this was the best Opera Ball ever.

Nancy diligently worked her circle and found this beautiful dress that I borrowed from a girl in her ward who wore it to Prom last year. I got a lot of compliments about it. One of the "official" photographers actually requested a picture of me - just me in my gorgeous dress! HOW COOL!



From the luminares along the driveway and silhouettes in the windows as you walked up to the house, to the crystal chandeliers hanging from the trees in the back yard, it was beautiful in every way. Dinners were held before the Ball at 22 different Ambassadors' homes, and then everyone came to the Ball for desserts and dancing:






There were a lot of important people there from Ambassadors to Congressman to crazy left-wing political candidates. My favorite people were the ones dressed in opera costumes. They were so beautiful and fun!


This one was my favorite:


You should have seen the guys in wigs, tights, and heels getting jiggy on the dance floor to 80's music at the end of the night!


She ran away when she saw I was trying to get a picture (why?!), but can you see that her gown and head piece have lights?!


For the first hour I was assigned to hang out near the steps going down off the balcony to the service trailer and make sure no guests went down there. For the second hour I was assigned to "warm" the Empire Room. Now that was fun! Why? Because I was right next to this amazing spread prepared by the French Ambassador's chefs:



Yes, that is a little cup of creme brulet (sp?). Yes, that is gold leafing on the chocolate!


Near the end of the night, after most of the guests were gone and most of the staff were relieved from their posts, the dance floor was filled with staff members and costumed supers going nuts on the dance floor. I have to be honest, I had some prom flashbacks, but it was pretty fun seeing all the people I work with - including some that are pretty high up in the company - letting loose like that! I think the open bar might have had something to do with it...

Can you tell we're not as "fresh" looking? Did I mention the dance floor was outside and it was in the 80's?