On Thursday evening I started my ECDL at the local Community Education Centre. Our tutor seems lovely, very helpful but I was disappointed to see that we appear to be using an older version of Word (the 2004 one) not the most recent - we have 2007 at home. This is a Council run facility and I think this is a shame. ECDL is a course taken by people who want to improve or enhance their job prospects and it seems barmy to train them on software that is at the end of its life, rather than more current versions. I am tempted to say that this is typical of local government - it almost seems too easy to point this out. Here we are in a recession, with Cardiff hugely dependent on jobs in finance, offices, call centres etc - all of which require good IT skills. And what does the city do? Provide training in out of date software. You couldn't make it up. Anyway, I want to get the qualification, but am disappointed I won't be learning more along the way.

Last night we went down to the Millennium Centre for WNO's new production of La Traviata. This was the first opera Andrew and I saw together, when WNO were touring it in Plymouth, and so it is always special for us as a couple. The new production was very good, with the chorus and orchestra well up to their usual high standards, and excellent production design. Monochrome Belle Epoque sets with huge taffeta drapes, and glorious costumes with lots of Moulin Rouge style frills, bloomers, corsets, bustles and heaving bosoms. For anyone with a breast obsession, the evening would be well spent. Most of the principal singers were good rather than spectacular and worked well together. Unfortunately I couldn't get on at all with the soprano singing the title role - she was screechy and harsh in her upper register and when she turned up the volume. She was also unfortunate in being very slender and having to wear costumes that really didn't flatter her figure - instead of curves there were hollows. Arguably of course, this is more realistic in that the title character is dying of consumption but we are also supposed to believe she is a leading courtesan of great beauty. I think the costume fitting could have been a bit more rigorous.

Once again, I always enjoy an evening spent in the Centre and simply enjoying the building and the theatre - it works so well. Also, no matter how many times I go to the opera there are few feelings in life so utterly shivery as when you have taken your seat and are waiting for the show to start. The lights dim and the orchesta starts the overture. It literally brings me out in goosepimples of excitement and anticipation - hearing those first few notes of music and knowing that everyone in the theatre is going together on a journey through the production. Wonderful.

I was disappointed to see that there were quite a few empty seats in the theatre and several of the bars/coffee shops within the centre were closed, whereas normally during a performance there are a plethora to choose from. I have written before about the building's magical ability to swallow large numbers of people and deal with them, but with the smaller numbers, and closed bars, there was a spooky air during the intervals of being in a vast ship with no passengers. Quite strange.

While we were there, we picked up our tickets for two forthcoming events, the opera gala with Bryn Terfel singing Wagner (it doesn't get much better than that in my book) and a performance by No Fit State Circus. These are a wonderful circus - no animals, just amazing, sexy people doing very clever, scary things on trapezes over your head. There are no seats for your performance - you all stand and are likely to have someone firebreathing or juggling in front of you or doing acrobatics above your head. Can't wait.