'Tis Winter Now

It's getting to be that time of year again. Snow fell while I was at work today.

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Last night was the first concert of Oran's season. It also happened to be the first concert of mine with the group. It was a Silent Auction fundraiser held in the Winspear lobby.

Have I mentioned how much I love singing with Oran? Because I do. There's some seriously awesome music choices, and it's one of those choirs where you know that everyone's there because they want to sing.

Now I'll admit, there were some songs I don't think I was ready to have memorized. I was given a burnt CD of the selections we were doing, and that helped with quite a few of them. However, there was one Latin song (Tristis something something Anima Me - this pretty much tells you how well I know the words) whose lyrics just eluded me. The CD's version just doesn't have the lyrics taking center stage. I was fine with the bass part musically, but when it came to the dress rehearsal, I was faking the words like there was no tomorrow.

How can you fake Latin? Meh, it's just a matter of getting the vowels synched, really. In any case, Katy let us use music for that one, thank god.

Kokopelli, the sister choir of Oran, did an amazing job as well. There were a few magic songs I could hear from our position on the Winspear's third lobby balcony, and it was just beautiful how well they sang.

Oran really pulled it out as well. I've been having this disc in the car on rides to work nonstop for three weeks, and it really helped me out, I guess.

My highlight of the night was "There Will Be Rest." We spread out among the first few rows of audience in staggered formation, and it's one of those songs that really filled the space. There was one woman who kept on turning back to look at me on certain notes. And I wasn't singing them wrong, so that seems to be a good thing. Especially once she smiled at me after we finished the song.

Afterwards, a few of us went to Joey Tomato's for dinner. The coolest thing about dinner (other than how good it was) was Karla paying with her Visa (no, I pitched in, but she just used the Visa to cover the amount). The total came out to about $63, and she evened out the total to $70. When she was figuring out exactly what that would make the tip, we found out she gave the waitress a tip of $6.66.

IT'S THE TIP OF THE BEAST, I TELL YOU!

Cory was fretting. "Honey, please just add another cent on there or something. Don't leave it like that."

* * *

On Sunday, I go to my new store of West Edmonton Mall. As the assistant manager again. I enjoyed my month stint as a manager, I guess. Aside from the stress of taking over a store that had loss prevention problems and an old staff who had no clue what they were doing.

And from my end, I know what I have to work on as a manager, and it's being more of an ass when need calls for it, and being a lot cleaner. (Yeah, this is a recurring theme...)

But I think I'll enjoy my time at WEM. It's a big store, sales-wise, and they've got pretty experienced staff. And a very good manager.

* * *

The lyrics to a song we performed last night, and one I find pretty apt after the first noticeable snowfall of the season:

'Tis winter now: the fallen snow has left the heavens all coldly clear;
Through leafless boughs the sharp winds blow, And all the earth lies dead and drear.

And yet God's love is not withdrawn; His life within the keen air breathes;
His beauty paints crimson dawn, And clothes the boughs with glittering wreathes.

And though broad the sharp winds blow, And skies are chill, and frosts are keen,
Home closer draws her circle now, And warmer glows her light within.

O God! Who givest the winter's cold. As well summers joyous rays,
Us warmly in thy love enfold, And keep us on life's wintry days.

-Samuel Longfellow