A Fab meme/interview, and Three Word Wednesday...couldn't think of any original stuff.

First, an utterly "Mr. Fab" type meme...basically, I had to submit a request for interview questions from Mr. Fab, and then he sent the questions and I answered them. Simple enough, no?

Here are his questions and MY answers...

1. You have to give up either your writing or your music. Which do you choose and why?
I guess...hmm...Damn you, Mr. Fab! You're making me choose? AAAAHHHH! Seriously, though...I'd probably give up the writing. Music is just too engrained at this point for me to give up. I tried with the mindset that it would "make me a better wife". It just made me more depressed. So yeah...writing would have to take a hike first. I know that my singing skills will change the older I get, so I want to enjoy them for as long as possible.

2. You work for the government. What is really out at Area 51?
Well, obviously not fish...as that is what my department is in charge of. You didn't know fish could use computers, didja?

3. Why do you blog?
Well, I would say it's because I wanna be like Mr. Fab, but beyond that, it's just an outlet of mine. My three year blogiversary is in July, and it's the journal I've kept the longest. I guess it's my puny way of "making my mark".

4. If you could be any cartoon character, which one would you be?
I'd be Jessica Rabbit, because she sings (like I do), she's a redhead (like me), but unlike me she's built like a brick s**thouse. Va Va Voom. I'd get more gigs if I looked like her, I guarantee it.

5. Clue us in to what you consider to be your ultimate “guilty pleasure”.
Staying home all day in my jammies, watching cartoons and eating Chubby Hubby Ice Cream straight from the carton. Of course, I've already taken one nap, and after watching an hour of TV and eating the ice cream, I'll take another nap. And then maybe a couple more.

So, fellow readers...if you wanna be part of this meme, here's what you do:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Next...Three Word Wednesday...courtesy of Carlos...

The object of this is (first), to click on this button:



Once you've done that, you should be magically whisked away to the website responsible for this meme. The website lists three words that you need to work into your Wednesday entry (hence the clever name).

The words for this week are: pitch, exit, and low.

So here it goes...my attempt at Three Word Wednesday.

I know yesterday's entry seemed like a down point in my life, but I'm coming out of it quite well, thank you. And thank you to all those who have been encouraging and leaving messages for me. I appreciate it much...it's nice to know that people care that haven't even seen my ugly mug before. Go figure...

Anyway, I should also talk about the rest of my weekend. I had to sing at a funeral on Saturday morning. The deceased was a 27-year old man who was struggling with depression and wound up killing himself on Easter Sunday. He left behind a beautiful wife and three children, and his mother is a member of the church I go to. Our pastor sent an e-mail to the congregation asking for volunteers to help, and I volunteered to sing.

The funeral was PACKED...I found out the church we're sharing with another congregation holds 207 people. We ran out of programs twice. It was a sea of faces...and I didn't know very many of them at all. I sang "Ave Maria" (the Schubert arrangement) and "The Lord's Prayer" (Albert Hay Malotte). You know, it was probably one of the best things I could have done in the midst of all this stress...it helped me get out of my own head for a while, even if I did worry about my pitch.

I got one of the best compliments, however...the wife of the deceased came up to me afterwards and said, "I normally don't like that opera stuff, but girl, you can WAIL!" For her to say that amidst her pain really humbled me.

However, I did have a "happy gig" in the evening - the Laurel Historical Society's annual dinner dance/pat yourself on the back/silent auction thing. I admit, I was feeling kind of low after the funeral gig, plus I didn't get my "diva nap" as usual, so I wasn't sure how things would go.

I did bring my friend DD with me, and I must admit he cleans up really well. (Rowr...)

The gig was held at the Laurel Racetrack (that DD didn't even know existed), and it was a double header (meaning both small group and big band). It was interesting just trying to persuade DD to wear a TIE. He doesn't LIKE ties. However, he made this sacrifice so he could blend into the crowd and save his own hide from my wrath.

I think he was surprised at many things through the course of the evening, such as:

• The fact that your beloved SUDIEGIRL can actually wear pantyhose without catching on fire her own bad self. I didn't say I liked pantyhose...I just said I could do it.
• Sudiegirl at a gig is not quite the same Sudiegirl that answers the phones in the office. Nope...partially, it's because of the pantyhose thing, but I think beyond that, it's the fact that I'm doing something I truly LOVE to do, and the guys in the small group are the closest I have to family.
  
• I have the unfortunate habit of leading when I dance with a partner. I'll blame my mother on that one.

I was surprised at many things myself, such as the fact that I finally have a dance partner that kind of UNDERSTANDS how to dance. Most of the men I've dated/been married to didn't have a clue about dancing or even LIKE it. DD really moved seamlessly through the crowd and got along well with many of the band members. It was kind of cool to see, you know?

One interesting aside...our band's bari sax player is also a doctor (urologist). He asked me, "Sue Ellen...I gotta know something. I noticed that you're singing a lot better since your friend is here. Is there some sort of physiological connection with all that?"

I knew exactly where he was going, so I headed him off at the pass and said, "Why, Dr. Fred...are you asking me if you can give me a breast exam?" I thought his head was about to fall off, he was laughing so hard.

So anyway, DD and I made our exit when everything was over, and I must say it was one of the best gigs this year for me.

Maybe I should sing at funerals in the morning more often...