Well, of sorts. Since leaving Madrigals in high school, I've thought that my vocal range has been incredibly limited. I list myself as a bass on my acting resume, even though the last "musical" I was in was The American Clock, which had 22 cast members singing simultaneously, and not in harmony, so it didn't matter too much.

Still, I've strained to hit any sort of high note without going into falsetto forever, which has kept me from singing along with many of my favorite albums.

One of those albums is the Broadway cast recording of Chess, which features only one male part that I could sing without straining myself (Molokov). The rest, I had to take down at least an octave in order to get through their songs.

Today, I found myself singing along with Anatoly, and I didn't pop into falsetto at all. In fact, I wasn't straining to hit any of the high notes. I remembered the lessons that Miss Babikian taught me in our weekly one-on-one classes, and it suddenly came back to me.

I have no idea if this'll last or if it was some fluke thing, but I had a hell of a time on the way home. Now, if I can manage to sing Freddy's songs (One Night in Bangkok being the most famous one from the show) I'll be really impressed.

I still have no vibrato, though. I don't think I ever did. I'd never be considered for a musical, and I don't like most musicals anyway, so it's no big loss.

I finally go around to asking for more work from Jan today, and she said that she was gearing up to do just that. I have a number of projects I'll be working on, which makes me happy. Sitting in my office with so little to do has been a bit frustrating.

In order to manage some of the new duties I'll be undertaking, Jan basically gave me the same access she has. Which is to say, access to everything. It's a little bit overwhelming.

Needless to say, that means my job has suddenly become about a hundred times more confidential than it was before (I can complain about issues with PowerPoint and deadlines, but the stuff I'll be doing now is really touching on the inner workings of the company), so I'm going to have to cut out pretty much anything but lunch break conversations from the journal.

It's probably for the best. Now that I'm paranoid about saying something I'm not supposed to, I'll have to look elsewhere for material.

This weekend is going to be all theater, all the time. Tomorrow night, The Fabulous Robert and I are going to see Three Days of Rain, which is being directed by my sort-of-aunt.

I tried to direct that show at another theater, but the selection committee didn't like it. I can understand, since it's not the happiest or most accessible of plays. I didn't care for it too much when I first read it, but after a second reading, I fell in love with it.

I wonder what this interpretation will look like. I'm very anxious to see how the love triangle in the first act plays itself out, and whether the actors pull off the character switches necessary to play Act 2 well. (The same three actors play a different set of characters in Act 2 than they did in Act 1.)

Saturday, I was asked to do house for the theater that's doing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged. Again, I want to see how the director approaches it. It's very wacky and madcap, and I'm sure it'll be done well, though I was a little disappointed when he directed Greater Tuna, because it didn't move fast enough. This show also requires lightning-fast cues, entrances and exits (though the costume changes aren't as demanding as in Tuna), so I'll be watching for that.

I've sent an invitation to John (my "blind date" from the Duran Duran concert) and his boyfriend (who he wants me to meet), who'll be in town for a little while. It's a good play to go to if you don't know people really well, because it's just plain silliness.

As is my show, which, if you're interested and in the Boston area (or plan to be in May) opens on May 6. Let me know if you want the details.

And finally, if you live in Philadelphia, please go and see my friend Eric's one-man show The Wedding Consultant, playing Upstairs at Plays & Players, 1714 Delancey St, Mon. May 2, 8PM (Cash bar) 215-735-0630 and at Allens Lane Theater, Allens Lane & McCallum Sts, Mount Airy, Tues. May 10, 8PM (BYOB) 215-248-0546.

I hope to see him perform during tech when he comes to Boston to perform the same show for Independent Submarine Productions’ 1X1 Festival of Solo Performance in Boston on May 14. (I don't have the contact info for the theater handy, but if you're in Boston, you may want to check it out.)

Good gods, I'm dull as dirt tonight. Here's a Mom story.

Mom finally realized that the reading glasses she has been buying at Walgreen's for the past ten years are so weren't cutting it anymore. In addition to reading, she needs some help seeing things far away. She went to the eye doctor last week, and her new bifocals (though they don't call them that anymore) were ready today.

She showed me the new glasses at dinner, and said that it was hard getting used to them. I told her that's always the way with me when I have a new prescription and that it'll take some time.

Later, she was watching TV and said, "These glasses don't do anything at all! I paid $400 for useless glasses!" I said that maybe she was just having a hard time adjusting. She tossed the glasses down on the living room table in disgust. Mom doesn't have money to throw around, so this pissed her off mightily.

A few minutes later, she came back from the kitchen with a bowl of Rice Crispies, some toast, and a pair of glasses on her face.

"I was wearing the wrong glasses," she said. "The ones on the coffee table are from Walgreen's."

She sat down on the couch, looked at the TV, and said, "Oh! That's much better."

She's not a Cleary by blood, but she's definitely a Cleary.