In the first few weeks of quarantine, I did a lot of house cleaning, organizing, sorting. The next month or so I complained that my life was so disrupted, and mourned that shows were being cancelled. In the third month, I found myself mourning colleagues who had died of COVID-19 and offering comfort to friends and family who were sick. And then some real change [...]
I am easily distracted. And I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing. Some of the most distracted people I know are very productive. Instead of describing myself as "easily distracted," I prefer to think of myself as someone who enjoys letting the small things in. Concentration might very well be overrated. A bird's song might interrupt my piano practice, but in a good way----the bird's song ends [...]
Our minds remember the grand events--the life cycle events--births, deaths, wedding days, graduation days. But what about the magic that happens on a daily basis in life's smaller moments? What about the events of our every day lives that are amazing, life-affirming, tender...but maybe not so memorable, simply because they were not 'grand'? These are the moments that inspire me most to compose music. Something I know [...]
I saw a post by a friend of mine tonight on social media. She is a writer and had a book signing event/Q&A scheduled at a local library. Apparently no one showed up. So she went home after 20 minutes of waiting. This led to a whole series of questions in her mind I am sure--about her talents, her worthiness, her success. I posted my own words of encouragement [...]
Sometimes it feels like everything I am doing is a distraction from something else, but perhaps that is because I am plate spinner. Just this afternoon, I went outside to take the trash out, and noticed a few weeds in the garden bed. Before I knew it, I was donning my gardening gloves and pecking at those weeds until they were gone, gone, gone. But then I noticed some more in [...]
Our 13 year old cat Tilly is an "indoor cat," but occasionally enjoys a little saunter in the garden outside my office. In her own cat-like way, Tilly asked to go out. I opened the door and she stepped out into the world.Then she changed her mind. I understand how Tilly felt. I lived in Manhattan for nine years and sometimes fantasize about moving back. The restaurants, the theater, [...]
I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to return to the beautiful Mohonk Mountain House (pictured here) to perform a concert. Located upstate New York, this beautiful inn is surrounded by acres and acres of preservation land. There are gorgeous gardens to walk through, a maze to get lost in (or find yourself in), hikes to take, boats to row, rocks to climb, bike paths to ride on, [...]
"In the weeds" was cocktail waitress speak for pre-Broadway hour. Back in the 1980's, my shift began at 4pm with the lighting and distribution of candles on small round glass tables in the Broadway Lounge of the Marriott. The lounge sported a view of Times Square and it was moving. Literally. The room moved. It was one of those 360 rooms that slowly, ever so slowly rotated so that each [...]
