urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolinaYou ask Joyce and Vickyif Candyfloss is stickyjustpolina2009-12-30T15:35:03Zurn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:61203justpolina @ 2009-12-30T15:34:002009-12-30T15:35:03Z2009-12-30T15:35:03ZOff to the opera tonight, to see Virgil Tracy's new show. Looking forward to it much, I must say. Although it's Jonathan Dove, and whilst the musical community seem united in wetting their pants with excitement whenever he writes a new piece, I remain pretty unconvinced. A wonderful friend described it as Extremely competent, extraordinarily well crafted shit, and I tend to agree with him. But everyone else keeps telling me that I should listen to his stuff, and that it is truly awesomely wonderful. Hmmm. I shall go with an Open Mind. After all, if Virgil can't convince me it's good, there's no hope. <br /><br />Unfortunately this means I'm missing my honey doing his next 3 Men adventure - iplayer time I think. ALthough it's never quite the same, knowing I'm not seeing it first of all.....ah well. If the stills I've seen are anything to go by and the descriptions from some of the crew, then it's going to be a giggle. I shall Enjoy in my own time. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:61068justpolina @ 2009-12-29T00:28:002009-12-29T00:28:42Z2009-12-29T00:28:42ZI'm afraid I'm not so very disciplined in the matter of only posting when I have something interesting to say, but had to stop by to go<br /><br />Woooaaah. Not The Nine O Clock News Retrospective. My goodness I was sensible 30 years ago. A babe then, and a babe now. <br /><br />And all jolly interesting besides. And it was still funny! Blessed be John Lloyd, now and unto the ages of ages.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:60741Its' CHRISTMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS2009-12-25T00:53:40Z2009-12-25T00:53:40ZMerry Christmas everyone!urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:604792009 Review Meme...2009-12-24T17:31:34Z2009-12-24T17:31:34Z<a name="cutid1"></a>1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? <br />Quite a lot... Did an opera course. Got to sing for Nick Cleobury. (Made tit of self - oh, wait....) Went to visit Trehilyn when Honey was actually there. Er. Got my daughter started at preschool. Nearly, nearly got organised! <br /><br />2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? <br />More a continuation of the same ones - they're kind of ongoing. Apart from Not LooK Like A Moose, which is kind of a lifetime project! <br /><br />3. Did anyone close to you give birth? <br />Yes - and another dear friend is about to become a parent! <br /><br />4. Did anyone close to you die? <br />No. <br /><br />5. What countries did you visit? <br />Wales! Does that count? <br /><br />6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? <br />Money! And a brain. And time. And some sleep. <br /><br />7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory and why? <br />March 19th - meeting Honey at the Pleasance....look into my eyes.... <br />August 7/8 - Trehilyn weekend. Without doubt one of the highlights of the year! <br />August 10 - the start of Hormone Opera. And of course the day I met - I can't call him Honey, can I, that job's gone. So, Virgil Tracy it is then. <br />September 4 - got to go on in Albert Herring. Scary beyond belief, but oh what fun. <br /><br />8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? <br />Albert Herring. No contest. <br /><br />9. What was your biggest failure? <br />Journey back from La Boheme in Portsmouth.....three traffic violation, one unscheduled visit to Clapham Common and oh how many times did I get lost. <br /><br />10. Did you suffer illness or injury? <br />Yes, but only in the last few weeks when I got the COld From Hell. <br /><br />11. What was the best thing you bought? <br />Tickets to Honey's do in Wales - for the sheer pleasure that brought to all concerned! <br /><br />12. Whose behavior merited celebration? <br />Just about everyone! <br /><br />13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? <br />Most of the politicos in this country, but also one person I thought was a friend but turned out just to like using me as a mental punchbag. Sorry, not up for that job. <br /><br />Oh, and yes. Anglers. ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE! <br /><br />14. Where did most of your money go? <br />Paying off the credit cards. Which, I would like to say, I've nearly done. Hoping that;s going to be the achievement of 2010. <br /><br />15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? <br />Honey! And opera. <br /><br />16. What songs will always remind you of 2009? <br />Take That: Up All Night <br />Beach Boys: Help Me Rhonda <br /><br />17. Compared to this time last year, are you... <br />i) happier or sadder? <br />Happier, I think. I wasn't unhappy at all last year, so it's hard to tell. This year's been a roller coaster, and things have happened to my emotions that have been good and painful, sometimes both at the same time. But, in the main, I think, happier. I'm certainly getting on with my job at last, and that is just a joy. <br /><br />ii) thinner or fatter? <br />slightly fatter. Boring! <br /><br />iii) richer or poorer? <br />Richer. Or rather, less bankrupt. It's all relative. <br /><br />18. What do you wish you'd done more of? <br />Sleeping, being sensible and getting on with schizzle. <br /><br />19. What do you wish you'd done less of? <br />Stressing. <br /><br />20. How will you be spending Christmas? <br />With my family - excellent. <br /><br />21. How will you be spending New Year's Eve? <br />No idea! Probably at home, but maybe at my sisters. Will be good either way. <br /><br />22. Did you fall in love in 2009? <br />Yes. <br /><br />23. How many one night stands? <br />None! My husband would NOT approve <br /><br /><br />24. What were your favorite TV programs? <br />Torchwood, Top Gear, Spooks, 3 Men in all it's incarnations (c'mon, they repeated them loads), Rivers, Griff's Poetry show, ummmmm - what else did he do? The IT Crowd. Ashes to Ashes. I think that's about it.... <br /><br />25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate last year? <br />No. Not even Jodie Prenger.... One person I thought I liked that I'm far less sure about now though. <br /><br />26. What was the best book you read? <br />ooh, tricky. Didn't have time for much reading.... <br /><br />27. What was your greatest musical discovery? <br />That La Boheme isn't complete shit! <br /><br />28. What did you want and get? <br />To see Honey. And to get on in ALbert Herring. <br /><br />29. What did you want and not get? <br />Honey! <br /><br />30. What was your favorite film of this year? <br />In the Loop. <br /><br />31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? <br />Sod off, and I can't remember! <br /><br />32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? <br />Well.... <br /><br />33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? <br />I don't have a personal fashion concept. I have clothes that stop me being naked, that's all. <br /><br />34. What kept you sane? <br />My family, my friends - one in particular, you know who you are... - Honey, NBF and the increasing joy of my job! <br /><br />35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? <br />LET'S GUESS! <br /><br />36. What political issue stirred you the most? <br />The expenses scandal. I know it wasn't the most important, but by god it pissed me off. <br /><br />37. Who did you miss? <br />Well, Honey, whom I miss all the time he's not actually around. And I missed the Opera gang after we finished, particularly Virgil, the Chinese Detective and my lovely brave and funny friend from Liverpool. <br /><br />38. Who was the best new person you met? <br />Close call - Camp William, the CD and Virgil all loomed large in my world. And many others too - Sally and Rachel may yet turn out to be the most important folk I met, and Lucia is the loveliest. But if I had to choose one, it would have to be Virgil I guess. <br /><br />39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: <br />Never read the comments. <br /><br />40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: <br />Baby, I don't need you to save me, just want you to help me.... <br /><br />41. What was your favorite moment of the year? <br />The Trehilyn Triple Take. No contest. <br /><br />42. What was your least favorite moment of the year? <br />When both my children were sick on me. <br /><br />43. Where were you when 2009 began? <br />On the sofa! <br /><br />44. Who were you with? <br />My lovely husband. <br /><br />45. Where will you be when 2009 ends? <br />Ditto! <br /><br />46. Who will you be with when 2009 ends? <br />Ditto again! <br /><br />47. What was your favorite month of 2009? <br />August. There were many good ones, but that was a joy. <br /><br />48. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2009? <br />I FELL OFF THE WAGON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS. But, hey, it reminded me why I don't drink... <br /><br />49. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2009? <br />Nope. <br /><br />50. How many people did you sleep with in 2009? <br />One. The lawful married one at that! <br /><br />51. Did you do anything you were ashamed of this year? <br />Yes - I got cross with my kids more than I like to. <br /><br />52. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2009? <br />Not a lie just not true - that Virgil was gay. I can sort of see the thinking behind it.....he just SO isn't. Not that I would have loved him any less if he had been of course. <br /><br />53. Did you treat someone badly in 2009? <br />I'm sure I did, but I didn't mean to. <br /><br />54. Did someone treat you badly in 2009? <br />I think so. But you move on. She wasn't anyone close, but it's still no fun. <br /><br />55. How many concerts did you see in 2009? <br />Lots! <br /><br />56. Did you have a favorite concert in 2009? <br />I've got two more to see before the end of the year, so this is a bit previous! But I'd pitch for the first night of Boheme - stunning achievement, not least because I don't really like Puccini and it still blew me away. <br /><br />57. How much money did you spend in 2009? <br />Too much. But on useful stuff. <br /><br />58. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2009 and change what? <br />Trehilyn, and I'd think of something more intelligent to say. <br /><br />59. What was your proudest moment of 2009? <br />Taking the curtain call for Herring. Looking down into the pit and seeing Nick and the band clapping was a moment of pure joy. <br /><br />60. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2009? <br />You'll have to bear with me on the logistics of this, but on balance I think the moment when I unintentionally offered to give Virgil a blow job on facebook. Let's just say Always be certain that the person you are talking to has finished their part of the conversation when you reply..... Now of course that was only embarrassing between me and the person I was talking to, so it's a close call between that and the Boheme party, where I embarrassed myself less but in front of more people. Swings, roundabouts. <br /><br />62. What are your plans for 2010? <br />Get more work, do it better, sort out a singing teacher, get better.... <br />and see Honey as much as I can without becoming a stalker! <br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:60007Wibbly wobbly2009-12-23T02:26:04Z2009-12-23T02:26:04ZFab surprise in the post of handmade card from my honey, saying thank you for his first night present for the show. Add to that a message to say I can basically go to the show whenever I want and go and say Hello afterwards, and, well, I'm very happy. He may have no hair, but he's still the sweetest man on earth and I loves him much. <br /><br />Am trying to think of some way of making life a little nicer for NBF as well. He's been a star this year and life has shat all over him. Anyone got any ideas for how to cheer a poor bloke up who has had the worst year ever? Any ideas not involving sex, obviously, that would just make life too complicated....urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:59449Disaster and catastrophe...2009-12-13T16:44:51Z2009-12-13T16:44:51ZMy babe has had his head shaved. It looks beyond terrible! And yes, I know it's for the show and thus hopefully will not last beyond six months, but I HATE it. <br /><br />And yes, I also know that he's still the same gorgeous and wonderful person underneath the, er, nothing that now resides on top of his bonce. And he still has those wonderful eyes, and the smile for which I would go miles (cue short outburst of The Proclaimers) but.....for a moment I didn't recognise him. Which has absolutely floored me. Until he smiled, I didn't know who it was. <br /><br />It's so hard to say this without it sounding as though I am thinking You've cut your beautiful hair and now I don't love you any more, which isn't true. But it was very beautiful, and he has always been so beautiful to me - and now he isn't. It doesn't make him any the less beloved, of course - he is still my honey and always will be. And with luck it will grow back at the end of the show, and he will turn back into my lovely one. And in the meantime I will have to put up with the fact that my most beautiful of chaps now looks the bastard offspring of Andy Parsons and Ming the Merciless, and just..... well, wait, I guess. Until I get my beautiful one back.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:59231justpolina @ 2009-11-17T01:24:002009-11-17T01:24:11Z2009-11-17T01:24:11ZAt some point in my life I will post properly again. <br /><br />But in the meantime - Happy Birthday my lovely, wonderful man that you are, and thank you for doing so much to make my world a brighter place. I love you dearly. May your shadow never grow less.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:59128Calling all GRJ fans!2009-11-05T17:10:56Z2009-11-05T17:10:56ZIt's that time of year again......I'm doing a birthday card from the website for the man (we did one last year which he loved) so if anyone wants to send their good wishes, send me a message on <a href="mailto:administrator@griff-rhysjones.co.uk">administrator@griff-rhysjones.co.uk</a> or on here and I will add it to the pile! <br /><br />(It's fine to do it anonymously if you want, btw.) <br /><br />He's 56 this year - and as far as I'm concerned more lovely than ever. Not that I'm biased or anything! <br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:57468OpGoss Retrospective....2009-09-03T17:25:31Z2009-09-03T17:25:31ZI've been on an opera course. This is a good thing. I haven't done anything like this for years - having kids, a husband, a house and No Fecking Money has put a total squish on the whole proceedings for about six years. Anyway, I thought I would post little nuggets of cogitations during the proceedings but being a useless arse I failed to post any until I found them hidden away on my hard drive..... so here, late and considerably overtaken by events, we are...... hope they're not rendered even more boring by the fact that they're three weeks late. <br /><br />Title shamelessly borrowed from Viala, despite the lamentable lack of goss!<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Week One<br /><br />Monday <br />Well here I am. Horrible stressful journey, horrible guiltiness for leaving Mr P with the kids for three weeks, argh....what am I doing here. Really enjoyed today's listen to Laura being coached for the role I'm covering, so I'm going to learn glods. Spent afternoon watching Scary Nick conducting Albert Herring, which was an education - bloody hell, when someone says Well, Britten always did it like this....you listen. Glad not singing for him today, though, he picks you up on EVERYTHING. Got yonked off to sing in the chorus for Boheme, which apparently I have to do. Artistic director camp as Christmas and very funny. Keeps going on about acting "with your nipples to the wind" which the blokes all find ridiculously entertaining. Everyone seems to know everyone else, which is a bit daunting, but all seem v friendly. We'll see. Rang NBF on way home to see how he is :-( poor old love, not having a good week. <br /><br />Tuesday<br />Apparently old mate of mine from Thursford coming. Excellent! Actually Took Part in a workshop today - sang two pages from Albert Herring and made everyone laugh. This is a good start! Was really getting into Herring rehearsal today, but Scary Nick got the hump when I was summoned off to sing my ten bars of shite in Boheme. I cannot get my head round Boheme at all. Met the MD today, funny looking out of proportion little bloke but seems fearsomely clever. Charming Carlos is apparently the assistant, which makes it slightly less depressing that he looks about 12. Long conversation with NBF when I got home. Only slight ray of sunshine about end of his relationship is that he gets more time on Facebook. <br /><br />Wednesday<br />Decided to open negotiations about whether I was ever going to do anything more productive than sit on floor watching Nick this afternoon. Apparently yes, but for now I must sit on the floor and watch Nick, or go to bloody Boheme rehearsals and learn the same six pages of chorus again (I can't keep it in my head for five minutes, ridiculous overromanticised crap. Hate Puccini). Anyway, Kelvin (Herring AMD) is going to teach us when he has finished teaching the main cast. Spent lunch with delightful set designer bloke who is a fine chap and comes from Chesham. Have both decided to abandon train journey in as costs arms and legs and is horribly inconvenient. <br /><br />Thursday<br />Wooo! Had excellent, excellent session with Kelvin, henceforth elevated to godly status, who seems to think I am OK. Really good sing, some fantastically helpful comments and am home now thinking that after all I May Not Suck Donkey Balls compared with everyone else. Decided to drive in this morning.......misjudged traffic horribly and arrived two and a half hours early, then fell asleep in car park, leaned on half open car door and fell out of car at feet of Boheme AD (Camp William) who now has me pegged as a lunatic. It gets worse when I try. Lunch with designer again who is looking considerably stressed now. <br /><br />Friday<br />Well I shall never complain about workload again. Had four hours of coaching, then two hours of Boheme Crisis, less foul than usual though as on stage and with actual MD. Charming Carlos has been lovely and done a really good job but it is nice to be handed over. Opening of Act 2 actually made some vestigial sense as well, wonders will never cease. Then fantastic ensemble rehearsal with Kelvin, who is becoming my lifeline. Am eating far too many cookies. Had proper chat with Boheme MD over lunch and argued about whether Puccini and Britten had a comparable aesthetic in the setting of effectively conversational dialogue rather than set piece libretti which was thoroughly interesting but did nothing to dispel considered artistic opinion that Boheme is shite. Think I might keep that one to myself. Went to joyously bonkers workshop on Reiki healing and fell asleep during therapy session. Had proper talk with lady playing Mum Herring, lovely lady with a fab voice. Apparently she was in Cardiff Singer of the World! Go her, she's great fun. Really good session with Kelvin on my own afterwards - I might actually be quite good. Shall go home to cogitate on this surprising piece of information!<br /><br />Saturday<br />Half day today! Boheme all morning then a run through of Herring with Kelvin. Boheme setting complicated beyond belief, lol. Finally broached with WIlliam that I am missing for next four days. Reacted quite well all things considered! Am really enjoying working for William, converse to all expectations. He's seriously properly good. Sat down to watch bit of Boheme today; cast really good although tenor getting massively on my tits - sort of chap who leaps out of cupboards and sings a top C at you to get your attention. Normal people say Hello. Baritone apparently hunky although does nothing for me. MD very good indeed and less intimidating than scary Nick. And laughs at my jokes, for which I am always eternally grateful. Off to Buxton for Hell Conducting Experience tomorrow....help. Hail, Sullivan, those about to die salute thee.....<br /><br /><br /><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:57304justpolina @ 2009-08-12T00:22:002009-08-12T00:03:01Z2009-08-31T00:23:46Z<p><br />Well, two days later and I am waiting to stop grinning. And it hasn't quite happened yet.....<br /><br /> </p><a name="cutid1"></a><p>What have I been up to? I'll try and keep it short. Well, about three weeks ago I got an email from a chap who looks after Griff's house down in Wales (the farmhouse he restored, if you watched that series....which I heartily recommend btw!) telling me about an open house weekend that was on down there and suggesting I might like to go and have a squizz at it. Hum, I thought, and looked at the link he had sent me. What the hell, I thought, and emailed the man with the tickets. With, admittedly, no very real expectation of getting anything. <br /><br />Well anyway, the ticket chap (who turned out to be a delightful, somewhat stoned but naetheless very perceptive - also very mischievous - gallery owner) turned up trumps, and got us both (I should explain that I went along with the lovely</p><span class='ljuser ljuser-name_alternatellama' lj:user='alternatellama' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://alternatellama.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://alternatellama.livejournal.com/'><b>alternatellama</b></a></span> who kindly offered to ensure I actually got home at the end....) added to the guest list. So far so good....<p> </p><p>About two days before I got a chronic attack of The Fear about whether I ought to be going, and hereby apologise for all the Arrrrrrgh!! that went on. Sorry about that. I have a mortal horror of being a stalker and turning up as some kind of unwelcome plague on his time out - feeble I know, but he's been so good and so trusting with us and I don't want to make him regret it!<br /><br />Sooo - Friday afternoon we trundled off down the length of the M4 and arrived a touch late in Fishguard, just in time to throw a change of clothes on and punt along to the party that started things off, a rather bijou little gathering of about 30 bods at an art gallery. Tom Hollander (one of the guests of honour...) turned up - my goodness he's short, also rather cute, but I forgot about him after a couple of minutes as my lovely rocked up in all his glory. We poddled around a bit trying to be inconspicuous and not get in the way, and I was rather pleased when as he walked past us he gave a little smile of recognition on his way out to the bigwigs in the garden. <br /><br />And then he reappeared again, looked at us, grinned as though he'd realised he did know us and we didn't just look familiar, and then headed off again. And then came back AGAIN, having finally placed us...... He was, and I don't think I'm being deluded here, so very pleased and amazed that we had come so far to see him, grinning all over his face and looking as if we'd just given him a present. We had a lovely chat with him (although I have no clear memory what about, as he was squeezing my arm while he was talking, so all intelligent thought was suspended for a bit..... ) and then he was collared for photographs and we snuck off so as not to get under his feet. And then we headed across for part two of our jolly evening - showing of In the Loop and a Q&A with Tom Hollander - who is lovely, shy and rather awkward out of character - hosted by my honey. FIlm excellent, Q&A have no idea really as I decided to enjoy the fact that I could sit and stare lovingly at honey from the safety of a nice dark cinema, so I just worshipped from afar and let my brain glaze over. We bumped into NBF afterwards - who was jawdroppingly amazed (in a good way, I hasten to add!) at our presence - and at the end as we were leaving Honey came pottering across to see how we'd enjoyed it and was generally lovely and still looking frightfully pleased with himself! <br /><br />Next day was the Open day at Trehilyn (which is GORGEOUS, btw) and we had a wonderful time wandering about, buying jam (in great and unnecessary quantity) and exploring the place. The weather was lovely, Honey was looking absolutely gorgeous and being very busy, so we decided to not overstay out welcome and keep out of the way....which didn't really work, as when I went to buy a copy of his new book (deciding his local charity should get the dosh, not Waterstones), the book lady recognised me as "Griff's Fan!" and he came bounding across out of nowhere (I didn't even know he was in the room!) and signed my book for me, with a nice little inscription too..... and still grinning and looking highly pleased with himself. NBF said he'd been preening<br />about his fangirls coming along for half the night! <br /><br />So, eventually we decided we'd better head off, and I was reluctantly extracted from Trehilyn......not before NBF tried to persuade us to stay, but we really couldn't. Sigh. <br /><br />And now I want to go back........bless him for being such a sweetheart. And making such a nice house!</p><p><br /><br /> </p>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:56935justpolina @ 2009-08-10T23:43:002009-08-10T22:45:54Z2009-08-10T22:45:54Z<p>Pol is now back from fangirl heaven. <br /><br />Normal service will be resumed when she can speak. </p>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:55879justpolina @ 2009-05-08T18:13:002009-05-08T18:43:44Z2009-05-08T18:43:44ZWell, so, a thousand years ago I decided to make use of the fact that my lovely was away for two months by putting in place a Really Organised List of Stuff to get done before he got back. Not that wherever he is makes the blindest bit of difference to my daily life, I stress, but it was just an excuse to Get My Shit Together. <br /><br />So today I reveiwed all the relevant projects and have come to the following conclusions....<br /><br />1. Getting to bed earlier so I don't look like a panda. Progress - sod all. <br />2. Organising house so it does not look like A Shithole and I feel justified in spending time on line: sod all<br />3. Growing fingernails. A Bit of progress! I sort of have some. Still not exactly worth a manicure though....<br />4. Eating a bit less madly so do not turn into moose. Hmm. Jury still out on this one. <br />5. Having hair restyled and generally improving appearance. Sod all. I look like the bloody dulux dog. <br /><br />Dear me. Not going unmixedly well then! <br /><br />Apologies to everyonje I have ignored, not responded to/commented upon on so forth - I have been truly rubbish at staying on top of things. It will get better. It's got to really, before I disappear into the morass.....urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:55570justpolina @ 2009-04-26T22:10:002009-04-26T21:13:13Z2009-04-26T21:13:13ZEntire world has gone mad and i have Much Shit to do. Bah. And Mr P has got rancid cold and is being Blokily Ill. Also Bah.<br /><br />Have just watched Restoration Revisited. May need to be scraped off floor at some future juncture. Crikey.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:55530Randomness2009-04-22T23:35:30Z2009-04-22T23:35:30ZA few disjointed thoughts...<br /><br />I don't seem to have any time at all any more. Where'd it go??<br /><br />Speaking of such things, Where did <span class='ljuser ljuser-name_navbar' lj:user='navbar' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://navbar.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://navbar.livejournal.com/'><b>navbar</b></a></span> go? I am most sad. <br /><br />The concert I'm supposed to be conducting seems to be going a touch tits up. Thank god I'm just waving my arms about and not trying to administrate it. Boo. <br /><br />I've been paid some real money! Hurrah for that. <br /><br />One of my most well-loved friends is really very unpleasantly and seriously ill. How much I want to help is not possible to put down; sadly I suspect so will be my inability to do anything actually useful. <br /><br />Restoration Revisited was excellent in every possible possible way, except that it made me very honey-sick and he is a long way away. Might be a new prog in May though. Hurrah. <br /><br />Must go to bed. Tomorrow is looking shambolic. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:55097justpolina @ 2009-04-01T22:49:002009-04-01T21:50:36Z2009-04-01T21:50:36ZHappy Birthday, <span class='ljuser ljuser-name_rhosyndu' lj:user='rhosyndu' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://rhosyndu.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://rhosyndu.livejournal.com/'><b>rhosyndu</b></a></span> <br /><br />I am crap, I forgot! Hope you had a good one....<br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:54488gnuh and so on2009-03-24T22:57:14Z2009-03-24T22:57:14ZMost of my days being at present taken up with malfunctioning bodies (either mine or the small folks) has meant there's not much to post about. <br /><br />But my lovely's doodle wot I bought in a mad moment on ebay has arrived and is cheering me up much. It's like having a little bit of him here to keep me company. While I'm barfed on.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:54064justpolina @ 2009-03-22T16:20:002009-03-22T17:18:49Z2009-03-22T17:18:49ZIn contrast to the heady and rapturous joy of my previous posts, today I bring the tone crashing back to earth with a bump, or probably a splat. Because my two beloved offspring have lived up to their names and filled the happy home with noxiousness, not through strife and misery but the much more direct weapon of the Screaming Yellow Zonkers in its most virulent form. <br /><br />They are now recovering happily and are bouncing about in the garden. <br /><br />While I sit here in misery WAITING as I have detected the preliminary symptoms in myself, and now wait for misery doom and destruction to descend on my digestive system. I wish it would just get on with it frankly. Preferably before Mr Polina decides I'm fine and pisses off for work before waiting for the answer to How are you this morning?? (this is the man who came solicitiously to our room when I was pregnant, flu ridden and running an epic fever and said Are you up to looking after the baby now, I want to go to work!) <br /><br />Ah well, I have whiled away the hours waiting for my intestines to explode by reading the entire back catalogue of my darling's witterings for the Daily Telegraph, and transferring them to the website, as I am suffering from withdrawal from my lovely's presence after, oo, two days. This does not bode well for the next two months! <br /><br />*sits doomfully waiting* urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:53769Oh, and....2009-03-20T17:52:44Z2009-03-20T17:52:44Z....Listen to the show! <br /><br />Clive Anderson's Chat Room, 1pm tomorrow (Sat 21st), Radio 2. Griff being fabulous, Lucy Porter being quiet, Carole someone (wasn't concentrating) being ...something, and Michael Gove (MP) being extraordinarily japed up!urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:53298justpolina @ 2009-03-20T10:52:002009-03-20T10:52:50Z2009-03-20T10:52:50ZAM in fangirl heaven. Will post when have retrieved brain.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:53205Curate's-eggness2009-03-13T23:43:34Z2009-03-13T23:43:34ZOn the good side:<br /><br />1. My gig went really , really well last night. Mumbles were also made about Real Work with Salary, so we shall see.<br /><br />2. I'm going to see my honey record at the CLive Anderson show on Thursday. Much smileyness. Particularly as for every possible reason it so nearly didn't happen. <br /><br /><br />On the bad side:<br /><br />1. Sutekh Destroyer of Worlds has gone down with the most horrendous case of the upchucks I've seen. Catch it in time for Thursday much? If I can't go and say goodbye to my lovely because I've got the heaves there will Be No Words for how upset I will be. Meh. <br /><br />Must go and deal with upchuckiness now. Back at Some Unspecified Time.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:52792justpolina @ 2009-03-07T21:54:002009-03-07T23:45:30Z2009-03-07T23:45:30ZEesh. <br /><br />First of all I'M SORRY I AM A BOTTLE OF SHITE at keeping in touch at the moment. Combinations of operas, illnesses and so forth have kept me running about and basically I haven't got my arse in gear. Bah. So, I'm not ignoring everyone whom I have catastrophically failed with memes etc etc etc and will be back on the case. <br /><br />Flute was fab. What a total joy to be with a cast of people who were (a) all good, (b) all jolly and (c) completely devoid of bloody annoying egotistical temperament. I'm lucky; this is about the fourth show in a row I've done where everyone has conspicuously NOT got on my tits. And they've been some of the best work I've done. (with the exception of course of the first night of Flute, when I had no voice; however I seem vaguely to have got away with it, thus adding weight to my theory that the more breast you reveal on stage the less likely anyone is going to be listening. Hmmm. Years of practice clearly unnecessary). <br /><br />What else has been happening. Ah yes. Mr P has had manflu. Or, to be fair, he has had a proper fluey cold (NOT FLU) and been jolly ill, and taken to his bed for two days. But then when he gave it to ME he said he'd taken enough time off work so I had four days of feeling like a pile of shit and having to look after and entertain the small people. Totally reasonable, but Grrrrrrrr.<br /><br />Oh. And my lovely is off for TWO MONTHS. Woe woe woe, what am I going to do with myself? Apart from watch the resultant programmes with a great deal of enthusiasm of course, but two months??? Boo! And I probably won't get to see him before he goes. Amusement required until mid-May, please....urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:52730National Doodle Day2009-03-01T19:12:33Z2009-03-01T19:12:33ZI fear that putting this up will cost me money BUT as it's in a good cause....<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nationaldoodleday.org.uk/">http://www.nationaldoodleday.org.uk/</a><br /><br />I can't think why I thought that the inclusion of people such as Ian Hislop, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and David Baddiel (and of course my lovely) would interest anyone on my flist but......<br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:52448justpolina @ 2009-02-23T23:31:002009-02-23T23:32:23Z2009-02-23T23:32:23ZI have a show this week. <br /><br />Thanks entirely to my husband I also have a cold. <br /><br />ARSEBISCUITS.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:52044Getting better, Doreen2009-02-20T00:09:37Z2009-02-20T00:09:37Z(which is a quote from my favourite episode of the Magic Roundabout as any fule kno) <br /><br />Well, tonight's rehearsal was an epic improvement on Sunday's, insofar as we might have a good show by next week....much better all round and everyone was on good form and Remembering Their Words. The Really Annoying Extra Rehearsal that made me miss my lovely was in fact thoroughly worth it. So that's all right then *makes slightly unconvincing Happy Face). <br /><br />Oh, and I accidentally grabbed the tenor in the crotch when he was supposed to be unconscious which didn't work too well, not least because we all corpsed. <br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a>The tenor in this is seriously good. He's not done much opera but is really getting stuck into this, and has a Real Proper Voice and is yay musical. Like everyone else in this show he's also a nice colleague; it's such a joy when the cast is full of singers and not Singers, and we all have fun rather than try and upstage everyone else by singing louder/higher/whatever, which is my total pet hate. I've only been in a couple of shows when things have got to that stage, and have wrestled with a burning desire to knock heads together after a couple of nights! Of course it's not the same as being ebullient; there is a chasm of difference between having such a good time and/or being so charismatic or cast in such a brilliant role that you end up the focus of a scene or even a show and trying to shove your arse just that fraction further towards centre stage than anyone else. I've done a nice run of shows where we haven't had any divas, and it's been a joy. Hurrah for nice singers. <br /> <br />Anyway, to bed. I'm going to cuddle up with a mug of cocoa and my lovely's book, which one day I will stay awake long enough to read properly and not just get snug and then fall asleep. Still, things could be worse. If I chose the other bedside book I'd wake up with Jeremy Clarkson pressed to my nose. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:justpolina:51885Yay and Meh2009-02-18T23:42:19Z2009-02-18T23:42:19ZMeh first of all....I can't go to see my lovely one tomorrow, which is most annoying. Partly because (more Meh) poor Mr P has taken to his bed with Manflu, but also because rehearsals for Magic Flute are just too tight in terms of time for me to toddle up to London for five minutes (if that) of watching him do his stuff. It suddenly seems a long time since I've set eyes on him, even though so much has happened in the last few months. <br /><br />But Yay for my frock for Magic Flute - borrowed from the RSC, and rather fine. Black brocade with some bizarre magic giving me a small waist and, er, Much Cleavage. I could lose the tenor down there and not even notice. It's so nice not to be being made up as Generic Old Trout and have a glamourous dress. Of course this could necessitate even MORE time in makeup to make me look attractive.....<br /><br />Ah well. Off to have germs breathed all over me by Mr P. The joys of matrimony.