Last night Jake & Kristie came down. We ate at the Mayan Restaurant before we watched Harry Potter 7(Part 1) in the IMAX theater. The Mayan is a unique place in that it is set up like a rain forest(and I swear it's just as humid!). There are trees, vines, straw huts, waterfalls, etc...even thunder and lightning(with sound of rain) while you eat. But what it is really known for is the entertainment. From the waterfalls, Mayan clad employees dive into the water below. Also they have a trapeze acrobat showing off their skills. Lastly there was fire twirling. And eve
n with all this extra special atmosphere, the prices are all reasonable. Most atmosphere-y restaurants make you
pay for the atmosphere but not here!
I attended our neighborhood Messiah Sing-In last night. They provided the orchestra & soloists and the congregation provided the choir parts(we didn't do the whole score, just an hour and a half worth). So you have a score of the music with you and it's like crazy to follow(especially for someone like me who can't keep count of notes). I tried to keep to my alto part but I sang all the differe
nt parts (I was used to singing with the record when I was younger, so many times I just sang those parts that were embedded in my mind). Growing up, my parents had the Messiah album and as it neared Christmas, it would be played on the record player every Sunday(My dad still listens to the CD every Sunday during December). And during the Hallelujah Chorus there was a part that the needle always got stuck so it literally played "forever & ever Hallelujah" forever & ever. By the time CD's came out and I listened to it without the 'scratch', I found it odd to hear the song perfectly played. My mind still heard the 'scratch repeat'. Anyway the Sing-In was worth attending to feel the Lord's Spirit and get me focused on the true meaning of Christmas! Plus it's fun to try singing the chorus parts like professionals! 
