Those of you who know me, know that I am somewhat incapable of striking balance in my life and sticking with it. There's usually something going on, I am at the center of it, and (just ask my husband) usually stressed out about all of it. It's taken me a year and a half, but I feel now in Japan as if I am working full time, co-directing a musical, and preparing for NYSSMA and hosting an All-County simultaneously. I seem to recall somewhere in the not so distant past that I was looking forward to my time in Japan as a respite from a too-busy life. One which was burning me out, fraying my edges, putting me on anti-depressants.
What is my current reality?
Right at the moment, I am preparing about 20 (give or take) accompaniments for a benefit concert for the Tokyo International Players. They are trying to raise funds to afford the rights to "Little Shop of Horrors" for the fall. So they are hosting a dinner, and performance at a restaurant and have invited TIP people to sing "duets" after dinner. I put duets in quotes because some people are turning regular tunes into duets simply by singing them with another person. That is on the 25th. I have been scheduling times to rehearse with all these music theater people, plus scheduling run-throughs and deciding when to move my keyboard to the venue. It's really interesting to get emails from people who say, "Hi Alice. I would like to come at blah blah blah." Not, "Hi Alice, do you have time available at such and such a time?...blah blah blah." I am a student of human behavior and find all this fascinating. (Albeit a little annoying) Of course, it will remain fascinating until I crack, realizing that I am practicing for hours and hours for free, and am being treated rudely to boot. All this will push me over the edge and I will finally get that hockey stick I've been fantasizing about.
Don't get me wrong. I am relishing being a performer for a change. I enjoy the practice time. In the last several years, I began to doubt I was actually a musician, since I didn't really perform myself. My mother used to quote, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Those who can't teach, teach teachers to teach." I can get 250 kids to do the very same thing at the very same moment, but that's not quite the same thing. That's just animation and charisma. I have forever been envious of my friend Russ, because he's such a great performer and a teacher.
The musical, Oliver! has been cast. We auditioned 2 weekends ago and put together what I think will be a strong cast. I look forward to working with a lot of nice and interesting people. I am a little concerned about the chorus for the show, however. There are a lot of non music readers, and a lot of folks who "sing with a band." That means a lot of soloists who have little or no experience singing in an ensemble. (Me:"If you are the only person you can hear, it's not because you are more awesome than everyone else, it's because YOU'RE TOO LOUD!") Blend and balance? New concepts. I hope I will enjoy the challenge. I hope it's not like hiking up hill with rocks in my back pack or going to the dentist to get my teeth drilled. Rehearsals will begin in earnest after the benefit. (Give me a 6th grader who is eager to have fun in my class any day.)
Matt and his 4 friends are arriving on Friday the 13th. I hope that is not some sort of omen. I can't wait to see them. Nice boys all and I am planning some fun things to do with them. Robin and I have been stocking up on food. I have baked brownies and muffins. 5 teen boys can EAT. I will attempt to balance hosting and fun and personal piano practice time. Good thing my keyboard has a head phone jack.
Tokyo Here and Now is a 3-day seminar for newly planted expats. I am co-hosting with one of my best friends over here, Beth Dalton. I wish you could all meet her. You would love her. That seminar is happening in the first week in March. It will be 3 days of speakers, hosting, being on the mic and being large and in charge. Pulling it all together. There are a lot of great women working on this project and I am so pleased to know them. Right now we are hoping to get enough people to sign up so we don't have to cancel it. Tough economic times, as you all know, and fewer people are now relocating in Tokyo. As a matter of fact, lots of people are being sent home by their companies. So the next 2 weeks we will be watching sign ups closely.
I will be playing Taiko and also in a marimba ensemble mid April at the Taiko Gathering Day, masterminded by my sensei, Moko. This is very cool. Taiko class is always a great mental and spiritual high, but playing marimba after all these years is just like opening a present. I took a summer of marimba lessons in high school and loved it. That's as far as I got, but I played mallets in marching band for 3 years and loved that too. My time practicing with Moko is pure gold. Japanese musicians are such perfectionists. It's awe-inspiring.
So between hosting boys, practicing for the benefit, teaching private lessons, preparing for Oliver rehearsals, memorizing Taiko and marimba music and co-chairing the Tokyo Here and Now 3 day seminar, it's no wonder I am a little tied up in knots. I am trying to be very Zen in my approach of each day. Live in the moment. The thing that pulls at my heart is the fact that I have definitely found a niche here, and I will again be re-potting myself in June. There is a richness to my life here that I will definitely miss.
This blog entry was really theraputic for me. Please forgive my self-indulgence. I wanted people to understand that being an expat "trailing spouse" does not necessarily mean being idle. Life is what you make of it. Bloom where you are planted.
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