TGI my birthday weekend

Little Ms. Hardcore teases me that I always wind up with the "easy" shows. I'm never on the show with the crazy director who tries to fire me, or the insanely complicated set that requires stagehands in every rehearsal, or (ahem) the set piece that's so tall it takes off a sprinkler head in the theatre, pouring thousands of gallons of water onto the stage. Instead, I get the good-guy directors, the 2-hour running times (that's short in the world of opera, you know), and the early rehearsal endings.

Beatrice and Benedict is no exception, which is how I've hit the jackpot with two days off this weekend. It couldn't come at a more perfect time, since this is my birthday weekend! No rehearsal today, so I've been relaxing and cleaning. Tonight I'm being taken out to a nice dinner—I don't know where, just that I need to be ready at 7:45 wearing my new dress. I love surprises. I have rehearsal all day tomorrow (my actual birthday), but as soon as rehearsal's over at 10pm CameraMan and I are driving to my birthday present. I've guessed where we're going (and it's really really awesome), but I don't know for sure. The present will take most of the day Sunday, and then we'll drive back to Houston in time to throw a joint birthday party (CM's b-day is 10/17, in case you were wondering). I'm so excited for the whole weekend.

It's impossible for me not to compare this birthday to last year's. Although I had lots of fun with my friends at my party, everything is so much better this year. Last fall was such a difficult time for me, and the whole time I felt like I was struggling to stay afloat. Now, on the other hand, I am so happy. Happy at work, happy in my personal life, happy happy happy.

I think it's going to be a happy birthday.