I like to eat

I was at brunch with a very very dear friend, who happens to be an amazing, badass, smack-your-momma-he's-that-good baritone. He's also incredibly multifaceted, loves baseball, food, and New Orleans almost as much as I do. One of the things I love about talking with him is his very realistic attitude toward what we do. I was telling him about covering in this production and how I get up every day, run out some of my crazy on the treadmill, warm up, go through the tricky bits of my arias, and then move on to other repertoire before I check in with my day job emails. And he said, "you'll do fine then." There is no live-or-die drama about whether or not I know how to do my job, because I've got this. There is no need for high hysteria about whether or not I'll get called in, because I've got this. And what's really strange - somewhere along the way, when the switch flipped from the "Vissi d'arte" way of life (as I like to call it) to the "I am who I am, but I am not my job" way of life, I became more secure in what I do, not less.
So we're yapping about what he's up to, how he's learning this new role and he's all fretsome because he says male menopause has hit and he just can't focus like he used to, but he's gonna finish learning Act 1 this week and start on Act 2 next week until he's got it all learned, with the hopes of having it memorized by the time he arrives in Berlin, and he knows that houses are cutting performances and fees aren't what they used to be, so he'll have to start looking for that job that takes him into retirement because opera does NOT treat singers past their prime with kindness. So I ask him the question - "Do you like to teach?" And he says, without missing a beat, "I like to eat."

This is it. I love my husband. I love my dog. I love my family. None of that will ever go away.
When you start to try to feed yourself by your art, it becomes a business deal. Keep your eye on your health, your sanity, and your appetite, and you'll do fine.

I also like to eat :)