February 1, by the hours

12:30am - fall into bed after obsessively checking the weather all night long
5:00 - alarm goes off, promptly (accidentally) turn it off
5:45 - wake up from a dream of someone telling me to wake up
6:30 - catch a cab for La Guardia after confirming that my 8:00 flight to Chicago is still miraculously “on time”
7:00 - arrive at LGA, get through security, go to gate and see that flight is now scheduled to leave at 9:15
7:15 - get Automated Alert from United saying that my flight is delayed. Thanks. Eat first breakfast.
7:45 - announcement that flight is now due to leave at 11:00
8:30 - get rebooked on another airline for an 11:30 flight to Grand Rapids via Milwaukee, go back out to the main terminal, check in, put on some makeup
9:00 - eat second breakfast, then go back through security to my new gate
9:15 - get alert from United that my original flight from Chicago to Grand Rapids has been cancelled - good thing I changed routes!
9:30-11 - study Figaro at the gate, try not to stress
11:45 - up in the air! Onward to Milwaukee! Read Barber recits on the flight. Looks like I’ll be on time for my connection to Grand Rapids, and hence for my 3pm rehearsal. HA! Fool!
12:50pm (Central) - land, head to my gate, discover flight is delayed, set to leave at 2:30 instead of 1:20.
2:30 - discover that flight is now leaving at 3:15.
3:30 - walk out onto the snowy tarmac to board the tiniest shuttle plane I’ve ever seen, giggle nervously
4:30 - land in Grand Rapids, text my ride to say I’m on my way out
5:00 - arrive at rehearsal, and jump right in: staging the Act II dressing scene with Cherubino
6:00 - dinner at China Buffet, almost cry when I see that they have TOFU!! And veggie egg rolls!! I am revived.
7:00 - back to rehearsal: working the chorus into the Act I scene, then a run of Act I. Feel totally energized during rehearsal, wrapped up in loving the process. My voice was even fairly functional, considering the hours spent in recycled air.
10:00 - suddenly realize that I. Am. Beat. What a day!

I’m glad to be tucked back into my comfy bed in my TH (Temporary Home, a new acronym you’ll see a lot this year) after another high steam shower, set to get a full night’s sleep. Only six hours of rehearsal tomorrow with plans for a nice dinner afterwards, then Sunday off!! Of course, a “day off” these days means a study day, but I’ll also have time to sleep in and have folks over here to watch the Super Bowl.

More on rehearsals in a bit… sleep now…