Been Soo Long

Saturday May 17, 2014

Wow, I can’t believe it has been 8 months since my last blog post, so let me bring you up to speed – I promise not to bore you.

My many faces over the past several months

September 2013 I sat in a rehearsal with The Women’s Chorus Dallas and WOW these women have angelic sounding voices and most have not been singing that long with the chorus.  I will audition in October.

9/2013 The Fam!

Our family had a mini family reunion with my immediate family, unfortunately everyone was unable to attend but we had fun and paid homage to those who were absent.  My brother flew in from California and my niece flew in from Tennessee (My first time meeting her #NewBFF). They surprised my mom for her birthday.  That weekend we celebrated 4 birthdays, the matriarch, my 2 brothers and my nephew.  We partied and like it was 1999.

9/11/2013 the BIG Chop!

I had a life altering moment. My aunt and a dear co-worker of mine announced they have breast cancer; so being the rebel that I am, I cut my hair to support them.  I felt like ALL OF MY SUPERPOWERS went away.  It really made me see who I really was and to understand that my hair or my clothes did not define me – my character defines me. 

10/2013 My grandson was sitting at that
door.

10/2013October 2013 my grandson and I were in a car accident however, we survived the accident my car was a total loss.  A young pre-teen was driving his ill mother through the neighborhood – ran a stop sign and BAM!  T-boned my car.  All of the GREAT memories I had with WhyteGurl or WG came flooding back and I began to tear up.  I never loved and inanimate object like I Loved My Station-wagon.  That may have been the reason God totaled the vehicle - I put so much love in manmade object.  I had therapy for 8 weeks; not 100% but less pain.

10/2013 They were able to drive home

10/2013 Random DART folks
Halloween

Another low point…I missed an opportunity to audition with The Women’s Chorus Dallas because I did not have a car and public transportation was not very reliable near the rehearsal facility.  Went to therapy 3 times a week for 2 months that was a bummer.  Riding #Dart made me think about lots of things

1.  Being grateful for the little things in life,

2. Never judge people who ride the bus,

3.  Be thankful for everything.

11/2013 @UnkleJef

Red River

Me at the Red River

November 2013 my grandson is doing great, I am still not 100% but I am back rolling.  I rode the bus even though I had a brand new car.  Many people could not understand why I rode the bus.  I call it #BeingGreen. Our company stresses ways to reduce emissions and our carbon foot print – Riding the bus was great for me.  I give thanks for everything I have and just kept on being me. I took a road trip to see my brother who is incarcerated; it was soo great to see him after 2 years.  I had been through numerous trials and being able to see each other made both of us feel better.  I drove to the #Casino, I drove to the #RedRiver, that red dirt it is really red. 

12/2013 HH bday/anniversary
party

December 2013 I spent time with some coworkers (not in my immediate department) they told me I was #Boojee because I didn't come to #HH with them after they have invited me on numerous occasions.  So I went and I have not stopped going.  They are a fun group, they don’t mind cussing, sweating or wearing cowboy boots – My kind of people.  December at work was short I took off a week and a half to re-group and re-set my brain for 2014.

I am still searching for my Amanda Huginkiss (get it A MAN TO HUG AND KISS) for New Year’s Eve, the only male that was close was my grandson.  Happy New Year 

January 2014 2013 was a complete blur, it departed as quickly as it arrived my grandma’s call that #CreekRising.  When you become mature the days seem to fly by more swiftly than they did as a child.

1/2014 Excited about being accepted in
The Women's Chorus Dallas

Late January, I auditioned for The Women’s Chorus Dallas, the group was larger than it was in September 2013 yet the sound was more enhanced than before.  I took my place in the Soprano 2 section (I didn't know where to go) and just stood and listened in amazement. Between songs, I was chatted up by a few ladies (it was the process of getting to know the potential new member) I thought, “Wow, someday soon, I will sound like these amazing ladies.”  Midway through practice, the Newbies were told about the mission of the chorus, outreach programs yada-yada.

Then it was time to audition for the music director.  I thought I was pretty good - WRONG, I kept apologizing for being off key, she said, “Just Sing!”  The music director never smiled, she kept peering at me from above her glasses, asked lots of questions and abruptly said “Thank you for coming, don’t call us, we will call you.”  Gave me her card and showed me the door I was like, “Heifer…WTF = why the face?”  I understand that this is a serious business and auditions are open to invitation only, even if I wasn't accepted, I was honored to audition and sing briefly amongst that group of ladies. #CreamOfTheCrop belonged there…I received an e-mail a few days later, I was accepted YAY!!  Now I REALLY had something to do at least one night a week. 

2/2014 V-Day my mum and Aunt

February 2014 I learned quickly that the music director is musical instructor at a local community college and I think she is some type of musical savant or something.  I didn't want to call her out of her name that would be wrong.  Keep in mind, I just started with this group in late January and we had to memorize a song in 5 Hebrew songs and other foreign languages and several in English.  I can say one thing about this super musical savant director – she knows her shit and has confidence in this group of ladies will stay on top of their shit.  We have a concert the first weekend in March. I am Nervous as hell.   Still no Valentine for 2014.

March 2014 Well in a few days, I will experience my first chorus event and man, I am nervous, I still don’t know these songs but the melodies have been ingrained in my brain, I will just roll with it.  On the evening of the performance the conductor was late, I was like WTF = why the face…She explained she had a medical condition – epilepsy and it caused her some issues earlier in the day which made her tardy – I was cool with that and I said a prayer for her and the group before we began our concert. 

Midway through the first song our tragedy befell us; our conductor had a seizure I WAS IN SHOCK!  The chorus, as professionals do, kept singing and our pianist kept playing without missing a beat.  I was like a deer in the headlight, frozen, head spinning, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience.  I sang and side-eyed the ladies that were in front of me.  I stood and watched her empty podium throughout the first half of the concert.  I was like crying soo deeply on the inside. I needed a drank!

3/2014 Cathedral of Hope - Dallas

At our intermission, we re-grouped, found out she was fine and was taken home to rest, luckily the following week was spring break and she got some well-deserved time off to rest her brain.  I can’t remember a thing about the facility we sang - #TooTraumatized  Because I have wandering eyes (as she terms it), my eyes became affixed where the conductor stood and where her baton lay – still weeping on the inside.

A few days prior to the group resuming practice, she reached out to us to say she wasn't 100% but much better than the night of the concert.  I wrote back and wept as I responded because I didn't know her personally, like some of the others, but I knew her from working with the group over the past few months – like weeknight family.  I felt relieved but in the back if my mind I was like, “What if it happens again?”, she has someone there to assist, I am thankful for that.

When she returned, she was back to her old self and we had a new set of songs to learn and sing to be ready by Mother’s Day…WTFK = why that face Katina?? 

April 2014 God has certainly given her a gift because as much as we mess up, talk over her and mess up (yeah I said that a second time), I would have cussed someone (everyone) out or told all them heifers to pack they shit and go home.  Her resilience and willpower keeps me returning each weeknight to practice – she is my hero because all I want to do is sing.

4/2014 Riding my bike on my secret
trail...Clearing my mind

Learning 4 foreign language songs and 4 English songs in 8 weeks..Huh?  I really wasn't feeling one specific song, Las Amarillas but it grew on me.  I really liked the Iraqi Peace Song, I even had the man from work tutor me in Arabic for 3 weeks before auditions to help me sing the song.  I wanted to audition but at the last minute when she asked, “Who was auditioning?” I choked, like throwing a basketball at the goal and it doesn't come close.  I could not bring myself to stand in front of her again.  The Soprano 2/Alto 2 ladies were telling me to audition, or I might regret it.  I kept remembering the first audition with this musical savant, she was like, “NO, No, no!” and I was like, “Nah.”  I knew I could sing the song but chickened out.  It wasn't my time yet.  I said next season 2014-2015, I will audition for every song available no Shit!  I am glad I have cycling to calm me down.

Follow ME

Twitter:      KatinaSBrooks or UnkleJef
FaceBook: Katina S. Brooks
Instagram:  Priceless012

Please comment.