Conjuring my inner rusalka who appears to be a night owl like myself. In the opera she first appears when she disturbs her dad past her bedtime with dreams of human caresses…..

Now to continue my stress reducing bite size memorization assignments….

Making daily attainable mini tasks has helped me to continue saving 90 pages of Rusalka’s coming of age human journey to longterm cloud storage…..

Giddy up “a plna lásky”…..

#rusalka #dvorak #operasinger

Visiting and meals with family, Black Barts, Doc’s kintsu vase, Singing at church, Salmon, Lasagna, Peaches, Donuts, On Swift Horses, Lowell observatory, crystal creek, Zucchini bread, learning Rusalka & Czech, Williams AZ, El Tovar, Grand Canyon, bright angel trail, goats, mules, lizards, meteor shower, Yahtzee, moon rise, sun rise, Page Arizona, Wagner Fall Syllabus, antelope slot canyon tour, Guide Connie, In Horseshoe bend, In-N-Out Burgers, and streets of NY pizza….giddy up.

Visiting and meals with family, Black Barts, Doc’s kintsu vase, Singing at church, Salmon, Lasagna, Peaches, Donuts, On Swift Horses, Lowell observatory, crystal creek, Zucchini bread, learning Rusalka & Czech, Williams AZ, El Tovar, Grand Canyon, bright angel trail, goats, mules, lizards, meteor shower, Yahtzee, moon rise, sun rise, Page Arizona, Wagner Fall Syllabus, antelope slot canyon tour, Guide Connie, In Horseshoe bend, In-N-Out Burgers, and streets of NY pizza….giddy up.

END OF VACATION EXIT TICKET 

E. Perryman 8.15.2025

#akintsucrooner 

1. DAYS OF DIAGONAL FLY: New fashion trend for the young: diagonal zipper and fly. 

2. BANGS BABY: I’m seeing a lot more bangs circa 2008.

3. PAJAMA COUTURE: Forget heels and hose at the airport, folks are wearing straight up pajamas these days. 

4. LIVE FILTERING: I saw a lot more botox’ed people in AZ however it’s an odd phenomenon because even with anti-aging aides, you can still tell they are older people who have gotten work. 

5. SHAKE DOWN: Airlines luggage-gauging gate (esp with the average traveler) continues. It makes me think; is it really that much more to get first class considering it’s 90 dollars extra to take 2 bags on a flight? 

6. NEW FANGLED SECURITY CHECK: The Simon tsa machine doesn’t make you take out iPads at security. 

7. KAREN ON DECK: Not sure how but somehow the passenger behind me is able to kick their foot right in the center of my butt. They’ve stopped for now but my inner Karen is on deck, warming up.  

8. UNCHOSEN: My continuing FB gripe: it sucks when you wish someone happy birthday online but you are one of the unchosen ones ignored and left without any reaction.  Reminds me of the annoying top friend list on the myspace of the past…..

9. STEERAGE SKIES: United has different planes: I preferred the one on the way where we had our own movie screen, didn’t have to hold in a charging cord to keep the power going, had usb outlets, and were able to access non oppressive seatbelts for the horizontally challenged. 

10. FRONT SEAT DRIVER: The verdict is still out on Waymo for me. I am not sure how I feel about being driven by a non human machine. The future is here. 

11. WI-FAIL: With the prohibitive costs of flying anymore, I’m curious when the airlines are going to move in the 2010s with usable WiFi service on a flight. Especially for a trip across the country, the current United service is mid as the kids would say. Inquiring minds….

12. PSA: It’s easier to pull up your pants sideways in a plane bathroom; one is less likely to fall over. 

13. SHRINKFLATION has reached the plane pretzel bags. I had precisely 8 pretzels in my bag.  

14. FYI: If in fact you happen to be a fellow traveler in basic economy aka don’t want to pay half a grand to fly east to west but want a coach seat attached to the floor, United airlines will officially highlight your boarding pass as such allowing you carry only one personal item.  You will be asked to give your bank info at check in to make sure you don’t try to bring on a small roller bag.

TRIP TO ANTELOPE CANYON
E. Perryman 8.14.2025

MY SLOT CANYON ACROSTIC
Aerobic, Nuanced, Thorough, Exciting, Lively, Otherworldly, Priceless, Engaging

Captivating, Awe-filled, Nourishing, Yielding, Opalescent, Nurturing

TRAVELING AS A GEN X’R

1. I want everyone to listen to the guide and follow rules just like students are asked to do.
2. Unannounced bouncy mini bus rides on bumpy and sandy terrain makes Liz a sad girl.
3. Any new and intriguing place will be tested for acoustics and imagined as a theater set.
4. Hearing well can be a challenge anymore.
5. I am never without H20, fan, and advil.
6. I never pass up a bathroom offer.
7. I like participate in groups.
8. Wearing sneakers/socks is a must.
9. I will take a shortcut from hiking in the heat.
10. I marvel at the easy scampering and effortless navigation of children hikers.
11. It felt good (as one who can feels like an other) that our fabulous guide enjoyed the frivolity of Eliz and me. Our canyon opera duet really seemed to bring Connie/fellow travelers joy.

HISTORY OF WHAT WE SAW AT ANTELOPE CANYON COMPLIMENTS OF MY INNER NERD
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon — a long, narrow canyon — in Page, Arizona. Over the course of millions of years, the sandstone of this canyon has been eroded due to flash flooding and wind. According to Navajo beliefs, Antelope Canyon was formed not by erosion but by the Holy People. It’s believed that the spirit world and our world intersect at Antelope Canyon. The canyon symbolizes balance and a connection between spirit and nature. Upper Antelope Canyon (where we visited) is known as Tsé bighánílíní by the Navajo people which means ‘the place where water runs through rocks’. The mere act of entering Antelope Canyon is considered a ritual. Navajo people pause before entering the canyon to ensure that they’re entering with the right state of mind. In addition, a ceremony takes place every four years to thank the elements for creating such a beautiful masterpiece. In 1997, Antelope Canyon was officially recognized as a protected Navajo Tribal Park within the Navajo Nation. The first tours of Antelope Canyon were offered in 1983, when the Pearl Begay Navajo Family began operating tours. Due to the canyon’s spiritual importance, you can only visit it on a Navajo-led guided tour.

END OF SUMMER VACATION 2025 THOUGHTS
8.12.2025
By E Perryman

#akintsucrooner

1. Star bandaids/acne stickers seem to be popular.
2. No more shoe removal at tsa however they did forget my scissors in my school supply bag; myself included.
3. Crop tops are everywhere and tight fitting clothing is pretty popular.
4. Regardless of gender, I do not like being called diminutive names like sweety and honey esp by random people/clerks I don’t know. It seems to come from ages 40 and up. Feels intrusive and cringy.
5. Apparently Dr Pepper zero has no artificial sweeteners. It tastes good.
6. We saw mountains being mined on the way to the Grand Canyon; not sure what was being mined.
7. The quality of sound on podcasts is very important to me. Inaudible mumbling bothers me.
8. I have come to learn the importance of Makeup brushes
9. Plastic straws rule but I don’t miss plastic bags.
10. I’m finally ready to get rid of cable tv.
11. Life continues to change and go slowly simultaneously.
12. I continue to only need 3-4 weeks of vacation. Too much off is not good for me however a half a day teaching and 4 day weeks would be stellar.
13. In 2005, I could have never thought I’d have the opportunity to marry. In 2015, I could have never predicted all that has happened in the last decade.
14. In the past few months I have been able to eat less often and sit with hunger more. Last year my Fitbit health score was “poor to fair” and this it is “fair to average.” Climbing in and out of the canyon was not as hard this year without 15lb additional lbs. Good habits are settling.
15. Assumption and judgement continues to be a scourge on our mortality. I guess we can’t all get along.

#summervacation2025 #southwest #grandcanyon #thoughts

Grateful for Rebecca Cauthen & Flagstaff Federated Community Church for the service this morning. Feeling lifted up by the community, thankful to share in music ministry, and moved by the inspiring insights of Pastor Devereaux. #abidewithme

It is truly wild how randomly our paths may cross. I sang the mozart coronation Mass this summer with Masterwork Chorus and Matt Zabiegala. Benjamin Thomas Berman was the tenor in the quartet. He and I connected on the Czech opera Rusalka I am doing this fall. As luck would have it, Ben has studied czech extensively in Prague with Mirka Zemanová, language coach; Magdaléna Blahušiaková voice teacher, and Timothy Cheek, coach/pianist; (the author of the book that has helped me prepare rusalka these past months.)

Ben was very kind as steam came out of my ears today as this anglophone did her best on the R háček.

Grateful for his generous and nurturing help. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

I am also very grateful for my native speaker Cathedal choir colleague Klara Zikova-English who kindly recorded her speaking the excerpted text of my role for me so I can keep feeding my ear. Klara shared this amazing pictures of her with Gabriela Beňačková the most iconic Rusalka in my opinion.

Program:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14HUCizBaNIZeosEcbJkmzpUOvFwKMgLmfr9ltQ5iWG0/edit?usp=drivesdk

Recital video:

JOIN ELIZ, DAVID, GENYA, & ME TOMORROW NIGHT! 7:30PM First Congregational Church of Montclair

A RECITAL OF BROADWAY STORIES OF BEING IN LOVE, TIME TO DINE, & LOVE SCORNED 🎭

LIBERATING LOVE:
“Green Finch And Linnet Bird”
CHALLENGING LOVE: “So In Love”
UNSPOKEN LOVE: “If I Loved You”
UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE:
“My Funny Valentine”
FORBIDDEN LOVE: “I Have Dreamed”

SURPRISING FOOD “Ice Cream”
INSPIRING FOOD “Pure Imagination”
HELPFUL FOOD “A Spoonful of Sugar”

PAINTING THE TOWN “And All That Jazz”
BROKEN HEARTS CLUB
“Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”
LOVE ABANDONED “Last Midnight”
FRAGILE LOVE “When I Look at You”
FAILED LOVE “The Winner Takes It All”