Turk-slime-e'stan

I am looking outside at the veritable blizzard that has happened upon my little town. How funny. The papers said that this winter was the warmest since 1880, and that, because it has been so unseasonably mild, the amount of allergens in the air are much, much more than normal. I can attest to that; I am on about 5 different drugs, trying to thin the mucous out and to not let any lodged gunk me really sick. This happens to be, oh my great luck, a weak of about 5 Anatevkas in which I sing a little aria full of full-blown, honking high notes. I just hope that the mucous ball now surrounding my larynx dissipates and I can mumble a few words before this morning's rehearsal. If that happens, then I know all will be well.

The word for mucous in German is schleim (pronounced shlime.) I always thought that was kind of strangely funny.


Chris' boss that got him this great job that he has is moving on in the Fall. Jörn also happens to be Chris' best friend, which makes it, I can imagine, really nice to work together. They do really love to collaborate on projects. Jörn doesn't know whether he is going to go to Istanbul to take over the management of the decoration department of a large, flagship store like the one he heads up now in Stuttgart, or if he will go to the opera house in Zürich to become a costume designer there. Hey, both jobs sound great to me.

Yesterday, though, Jörn, as an aside, admittedly, but, nonetheless worth note, asked Chris if he would like to join him in Istanbul if he were to go there. Chris, of course, is excited about such a thing as that, which I can understand. Of course, there is nothing in Istanbul for me, and as a young Heldentenor, specializing in Wagner, to leave das Vaterland would be akin to some kind of mild career suicide, I would think. Istanbul could just as easily be Timbuktu if one were to compare their relevance in the operatic world. So, needless to say, I would stay here if he were to go.

I want Chris to progress as an artist, and if that means going to Istanbul for a while, I am all for it. Our relationship will survive; this I know. If he decides to go, I am sure we can find a way to make it happen. It just seems so random as far as opportunities go. Istanbul is supposed to be great, but, you know, that's pretty close to where all the terrorists live.