So here we are, moving onto the 4^th week of laryngitis.  Yes, you read right! Laryngitis – week 4!  Sadly, I’ve had to cancel my music gigs for the summer.  I’ve been to the doctor at least once every 2 weeks but there’s nothing she can do.  So I went to the acupuncturist for the first time in my life and you know what?  I really feel the healing process happening.  Some say that losing my voice “is a sign”; others say “you’ve pushed it too far”.  One way or another, I am writing new material for the next CD…a full CD with 12 or 13 songs.  There are already 3 songs ready but all it needs is my voice.  So in the meantime, I write more songs and wait, and hope, and pray, and go out to the Fringe Festival to check out some plays (actually, about 25 plays in 2 weeks as I was honored when asked to be part of Centaur Theatre's Jury - we decide which plays should be invited to join Centaur's Wildside Festival in January)...oh, and sometimes I do stop to smell the roses.

On the theatre round, our production of Death and the Maiden got mixed reviews from the critics but we actually made profit from this production.  We got those “bums in the seats” and happily, it wasn’t the theatre community.  The one thing I do appreciate is when the general public takes the time to come out to see an independent production.  Don’t bite me but as much as I am thankful for my theatre colleagues’ support, I work/produce/perform for the general public, not the inside crowd.  As a matter of fact, I am still getting emails from the general public expressing their gratitude and asking about the next production.  There aren’t enough words to describe how thankful I am for those emails.

The same folks who came to see Death and the Maiden also inquired when the next singing gigs will be.  A few actually came out to the Bourbon Street West gig that I couldn’t perform in because of the laryngitis.  Although they were disappointed that I wasn’t able to perform, they did understand the situation and was pleased that I came out to shake their hands and bought them a round of drinks.

Well, it’s no secret now; the next production is Bent by Martin Sherman in November.  The cast has been chosen; I have a brand new crew and am looking forward to directing the play. I’ve also started pre-prod on a Children’s show in 2010.  It’s a slight deviation from Altera Vitae’s normal programming but hey…it’s going to be interesting.  I can’t say much about it now except that auditions are currently underway.

I just got news that 2 of the films I worked on will be shown in this year's Fantasia!  Pretty neat!

As for singing…well, I doubt that I will be able to speak normally and sing properly in July. If I do get my voice back by then, I will have to warm it up and “re-educate” myself to sing and speak properly again…that will take some time. I tried acupuncture for the first time and it seems to be working. I am crossing my fingers that I get my voice back in time for August or September. 

In the meantime,  please send me your good vibes and continue your requests for my songs on Radio Rock Café where my song “Indigo Heat” is lingering on the top 5 requested songs, 97.7FM CHOM’s Black Cat Alley – Randy Renaud seems to like it too, 91.9 FM Planete Jazz likes “Trumpet Man Blues” and anything goes on Mohawk-Radio…or even better, get your own copy - CDs and downloads are still available on CD Baby and at Archambault Musique on Ste. Catherine/Berri, in the blues section under "F" for Carolyn Fe.

Ohhhhh, how I miss singing!