I'm unemployed

Well I did it. I quit my job to sit at home and write all summer. It seems weird to be unemployed by choice, but I think this is probably the best thing I've ever done for myself. Last week was a tough week for me. It felt like I spent the whole week saying goodbye - saying goodbye to clients (1 year and 10 months of weekly therapy was the longest-term client I said farewell to) and saying goodbye to my colleagues and friends. I know that I will keep in touch with many of those people but it just won't be the same. During my last week I received many lovely cards, gifts (including a Matt & Nat bag!), flowers and was taken out to lunch at a great Thai restaurant. It was a very nice ending. Here's a pic of the flowers on my kitchen counter 4 days later. I think they still look great!

I was able to balance my emotionally draining work-week with fun outings! On Wednesday night my bestest friend in the world came up and we headed out to dinner and then saw Dirty Dancing, which was playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. I love going to the theatre (and seeing musicals in particular) and I loved Dirty Dancing the movie but I have to confess that I only liked this show. Aside from one great dancer and one amazing singer I wasn't swept off my feet by the production or the performers. Also, as a musical you expect that all or most of the lines will be sung (well, most of the story is usually worked into musical numbers) but in this show most of the lines were spoken and then songs were played and danced to. A few songs were sung by one male and one female singer in particular as they stood on the edge or back of the stage. The main characters didn't sing, which I wasn't expecting. Still it was a fun night out.

On Thursday night after a very long last day of work I hit another theatre, but this time it was to see Opera Atelier's Idomeneo (by Mozart), which was playing at the Elgin Theatre. It was confusing (even with subtitles) but fantastic! During intermission I had a chance to go through the program and read a synopsis of the setting of the story and of act one and two and things made much, much more sense. I was properly prepared for act three, and it was great (and not confusing at all!).

Measha Brueggergosman (who I had just read about in the May edition of Toronto Life) was one of the sopranos and lived up to her reputation. She played Elettra, a woman scorned, for those who are familiar with the story. There was also a male soprano in the cast, very unusual. Most impressive was the tenor, Kresimir Spicer from Croatia. He was absolutely amazing!

I didn't take any pictures at the theatres but here's a shot of the programs.

The weekend entailed sleeping in, doing chores around the house and socializing with my sibs. My brother came by to show off his new wheels (a new Toyota FJ) and I drove to Oshawa to visit my sister and drop off the cool bracelet I got her in Paris. While in town I had a super-quick visit with my younger brother (thanks for the movies Jay) and then drove through a wicked rainstorm back home.

I'm feeling recharged and ready to take on my research. The first draft of my dissertation is due in my advisor's office by the end of day on May 12th. Wish me luck!