I'll Fix Your Wagon

You know I never thought about it, but the word Wagon is sure a fun and interesting word...and I love all the phrases that go with it, i.e. "I'll fix your wagon" or "on the wagon" or "off the wagon" or "joining the bandwagon". In fact, I really loved my little red wagon when I was a child, so to me, wagons are a good thing. We like wagons...especially if they're keeping us on track.

The word origins of jump on the bandwagon and on the wagon are two more commonly used phrases. To be "on the wagon" means someone has given up drinking alcohol. Before paved roads were created, water wagons went around spraying the roads in order to prevent dust clouds from forming from the passing traffic. The only drink other than alcohol in those days was water. Therefore, if someone was to be drinking large amounts of water rather than alcohol, that person "climbed aboard the water wagon," which was shortened to "on the wagon."

Unfortunately I fell off the wagon last night. I didn't stick to my eating plan and ended up having some majorly unauthorized carbs. Note: 1 glass red wine (not too bad, but not allowed until Phase III), cheese & crackers (mmm...bree, absolutely terrible, high in fat and the crackers are full of empty carbs) and finally little puffed pastries w/spinach and assorted meat stuffing (Really awful...not only empty carbs, but lots of lard hiding in those flaky layers). I didn't over do it in quantity however, and I still lost a pound according to this morning's weigh-in. Back on today and you know what cheating means?...that's right...2 more weeks of Phase I. I did it to myself! So, now I have to count today as Day 1 for the next 2 weeks...OK, discipline and perseverance will get me through. I can totally do this. And heck, it could have been worse...

I did have a great time last night. The event was fun, NYC children were helped, and Jennifer Holliday was amazing! Yes, she did sing "And I'm telling you" as the final selection of the night and it was everything you could want...absolutely fantastic. And coming from an opera singer, that's a big complement. I took a fellow opera singer friend of mine and he too thought it was a fun night and a great treat to see Ms. Holliday belt it out as only she can.

Luckily I had good train-karma and got home within 20 minutes from the event and still managed to get 8 hours of sleep, so I'm ready for tonight's FIRST rehearsal of The Impresario. I feel good and as prepared as I can be going into an unknown rewritten show...yet I know it'll all work out fine, it always does...that's the magic of the theatre.