Five

Matt, presumably the only elected official in the world who reads my blog, has tagged me to confess five odd things about myself.

Only 5?

Ohkay, here we go.

1. Last night before going to bed, I read this book in the tub. (Expect some apocalyptic posts in the new year!) My cats Rocky and Starbuck like to sit on the rim of the tub and let their tails rest in the water while I am bathing. I can't lock them out; they'll scratch on the door and meow loudly until I let them in.

2. In my bathroom I have a clock which is basically a diorama of two squirrels in a pine tree.

3. I have lived in New York City for 13 years, but have never been to Madison Square Garden.

4. There were two seasons in a row at the Metropolitan Opera where I saw every single production, and even went back for significant cast changes, which necessitated about 1 trip to the opera per week every week from October - May. All in all, I have attended well over 200 performances at the Met. (I stopped keeping track a few years ago, unfortunately.)

5. In the spirit of five things, here are the five wackiest playlists on my iPod:

• Early Music: European music from about the 9th century (Gregorian chant) up to about 1600, everything from troubadour songs to early Flemish polyphony to Italian lute songs and renaissance dances.
  
• God: Standard stuff like Gregorian chant, the Mozart c-minor Mass, and The Messiah, but also Hindu, Buddhist and Sufi chant...and Madonna's "Like a Prayer." Seriously.
  
• Musical Monday: Named for the theme night at SBNY, all my Broadway music.
  
• Venice: 170 pieces all composed in Venice.
  
• Wake-Up: An assortment of all my favorite, up-tempo songs across all genres to get me going on those darker mornings, everything from Ghena Dimitrova singing Abigaille's cabaletta to Kelly Clarkson's "Since u been gone." (And of course, Barbra's "Don't Rain on my Parade.")