Diary of an Opera Singer: Nuts and bolts

Rhoslyn Jones

November 14, 2022

I used to hide my diary in the ceiling light panel of my childhood bedroom. Above the opaque acrylic plexiglass and just out of reach enough that it was invisible to anyone looking for the deepest, darkest secrets of a teenage girl. How embarrassing would it be for anyone to find out that I thought Peabo Bryson was super cute? Or that I thought the entirety of “I’m All Out of Love” by Air Supply was actually totally about my life? Horrifying.

One night I woke up to the sound of tiny scampering feet above my head. A frantic digging and scratching sound that obviously meant that someone was trying to gain access to my sacred texts. I nervously and silently climbed on a stool, carefully slid the light panel aside only to be greeted by a family of beady-eyed fluffy squirrels.

Squawking and startled, I snatched my diary from their furry paws and hid under the covers. They were nuts (squirrel pun) if they thought they were going to disclose to the world that I had recently seen a license plate with the initials of a boy I liked sending a clear sign we were meant to be. Nut on my watch (another squirrel pun).

Thirty years later, everything and everyone’s life is online. Visible, immediate, and consumable for all to devour. For the most part, I’ve preferred to keep my life and experiences to myself and trusted loved ones. However, I’ve recently felt compelled to share in a more personal way in hopes of providing a space for others to seek comfort, find guidance, and have a laugh or two.

I’m an opera singer, voice teacher, arts advocate, writer, woman, wife, stepmom, aunty, dog mom, sister, daughter, friend and a million other things. This is where I will share some of the core experiences and lessons that shaped who I am. The real Roz. The essence of who I am. The nuts and bolts of it all (last squirrel pun). This is the Diary of an Opera Singer.

Photo by Helenna Santos