All of you progressive, ultra-liberal or radical people out there must read Tom Tomorrow's blog. A link is on the right hand side of this page. Even if you aren't in any of those categories, he makes some important political statements. and don't forget to read his comic!

i have this pain in the middle of my back, right between my shoulder blades. i can't reach it myself so i think i'll have to get the massager and see if i can work it out. i have never had back pain in this part of my back. i usually get pain in my lower back and tailbone if i have back pain. this is a sharp pain, too.

choir practice was good tonight. i had been noticing something somewhat disturbing when i first started choir last year. i had trouble hearing my part and reading the music. i started playing handbells back in September. playing handbells (or any other instrument) is much more about reading music and counting the rhythm than singing is. don't get me wrong, you have to do that with singing too. however, the director can go over it several times and you don't have to just get it yourself. with an instrument, especially handbells, you have to count like mad. i think that since i've been playing, my old sight reading skills have come back. i sang with a somewhat elite group in college, and then i didn't sing for 2 almost 3 years while in graduate school. i even took voice lessons for 2 years in college and was getting pretty good at solo singing (you must be much more brave to sing solo than in a chorus). so anyway, i think i'm getting back into the groove. it's taken me over a year and a half to get there. i always end up sitting next to this one woman, and it is difficult because her voice is so powerful. she can read pretty well, but she thinks she is right all of the time, so she sings louder than anyone else. i don't know how much she listens. i do know that listening is important for blending in a chorus. so i often get 'led astray' by her, when i think i could do a better job on my own. i find it hard to make my voice blend with her powerful tone too. ah well, that is my dissertation on the church choir. i am really very lucky to have found a CHURCH choir that is so advanced. they are really extremely talented all around. one of the best i have ever heard or been a part of.

i wonder if this back problem has anything to do with sitting at the computer? i guess i'll go read or watch tv or something.