Shameless Promotion #1:

Well, it’s been just over a week since we’ve declared a Best Thing Today! and not for lack of trying.  It’s just that hard to find something to celebrate while you’re busting tail on a paper.  Shocking as it may sound, life outside of the blog-o-sphere is a harsh and cruel mistress.  Much like the moon.  (+10 if you get the reference.)

Like it or love it, today’s Best Thing Today! award is going to be a shameless personal shout out. 

So, on Sunday afternoon I had a super free ticket to go see the Metropolitan Opera’s “Audition” at the movie theater.  There were many conflicting reports from acquaintances about what exactly I was going to see, but I had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the Met Council Auditions, and right I was. 

I have known a few different people that have auditioned at this particular competition, but as far as I know, only one person I know has made the semi-finals.  While I was aware of this person’s achievement when I went to see the movie, I was NOT aware that she was IN THE MOVIE. 

We’re sitting there in the movie theater and all of a sudden I have one of those audible fits I am subject to and I blurt out “Hey!  I know her!”     

Miss Cléona Torres made the semi-finals of the Metropolitan Council Auditions in 2007, and bless her heart, there she was on the screen!  If you know me personally, you can probably visualize me sitting there in the theater tearing up with happiness.  If you don’t know me, try.  I was so proud for her I almost popped right there.  And even though I already knew she didn’t make the finals, when I saw her not make the finals on that big screen I cried for her.  Nuts to all those other talented people.

So congratulations, Clé, you are Best Thing Today! and I mean that with all my heart.  You’re talented, you’re beautiful and your voice makes the angels jealous.  

On the side, does anyone know how I might go about calling Thomas Hampson?  In that broadcast he said something about young singers with a particularly unhealthy way of talking to themselves inside their own heads should call him and I fully mean to do this. 

I’ll let you know how this goes.