Good Things Whenever: the Catch-All Edition
I start too many entries this way nowadays, but nevertheless: I'm doing well, and life is good. I've been quite busy over the last few weeks, first with the end of the semester and then with the mad catch-up and readjustment that the first few weeks post-semester end bring with them, but it's a good and productive kind of busy, and I am very happy. :D
Realizing that there is no way I'd be able to assemble a coherent narrative that details all my exploits of the past few weeks, I'm going to settle for giving you the highlights Over the last several weeks, the following good things happened:
*Yesterday, my dad was hit by a car while he was out taking an evening bike ride. The old woman who was driving wasn't looking at all and backed right into him without warning.
It might seem odd to start a Good Things list with this, but believe me, there's a lot to be thankful for here, starting with the fact that Dad is not only alive but amazingly free from anything more serious than a few scrapes, bruises, and a sprained wrist. I saw him last night to verify this for myself (because really, the phone call that starts with "I got hit by a car" is never not upsetting), and he really is doing well. Sore, but well, and feeling that shaky sort of dodged-a-bullet giddiness. And really? That is a good, good, good thing, and I am grateful for it. ~whew~ I swear, he's giving me more white hairs than I ever gave him. That hardly seems fair, and yet I can't bring myself to complain.
Everything else on this list is going to seem hopelessly shallow after that, but such is life.
*A few weeks ago, I scored tickets to the Michigan Opera Theater's production of Rigoletto! There are times when counting musicians and creative types among your friends pays off very well, and this was one of them. ;-) I got dressed to my sparkly best (yes, I wore the Mirrorball Top, and it was lovely even under the lights of the parking garage), and I thoroughly enjoyed the production--well-staged, impressive sets, lush costumes, beautiful music, high drama. I came into the evening having heard nothing but praise from the musicians for Sarah Joy Miller's performance as Gilda, and they were right: she was a revelation, which was all the more difficult with a part that typically has all the depth and complexity of a plaster saint. But she absolutely glowed, and so did her voice. It was magical. &hearts (Honorable mention must go, however, to Rigoletto's acting and the Duke's very fine abs, which were displayed at every convenient opportunity.)
The opera house was also gorgeous. I met the most amazing elevator operator inside, a man who is clearly a character in search of a novel. (I'll remember him and write about him some day, I'm sure. I want to know his story.) The night was balmy. The neighborhood was buzzing with cafes and music. Even getting stuck in the parking garage for 45 minutes had its wonders, as I amused myself by watching the reflections thrown by the Mirrorball Top under the lights, like a swarm of fireflies. It was, overall, an amazing evening downtown, and I was filled with appreciation for the neighborhood once again, particularly in light of how far it's come since I was a kid. No, Detroit isn't perfect. I love it anyway, and I always will.
*There have been a lot of parties and get-togethers, and I'm not going to recount them all here, but one of the standouts was definitely the brunch I had a few weeks ago at Cafe Habana, in Royal Oak. The day was scorchingly hot and sunny, which made it an especially good day to while away at the cafe with good conversation and ice-cold drinks, and I wound up with the window seat, which was especially perfect for people-watching and flirting. Because I was with a group, we got to try a large variety of dishes, from the ropa vieja and tostones to the arepas (corn cakes) layered with goat cheese, fresh avocado, grilled pineapple salsa, and mojo-marinated pork. Drinks were also particularly good, and again, a large number of people meant that I got to try a bit of everything. The mojitos,from-scratch limeade, daquiris, sangria pitchers, and caipirinhas were all excellent.
It was like a little slice of heaven. I can't wait to go back!
*A few weeks ago, while shopping for something else (at Hallmark, of all places, what on earth), I happened upon a pink scarf that isn't quite a dead ringer for The Pink Scarf of Amazingness... but it is very close. So of course I bought it, and it is lovely, and I adore it. To be honest, I think I like it even a bit better than the original Pink Scarf of Amazingness, only because mine is shot through with sparkling silver threads as well, and I like to think that, given the choice, Noel would have wanted the glittery version, too. ;-)
Best of all, it's lightweight and easy to wear in the summer heat. Given that we've vaulted straight from late winter to sweltering summer, that is a definite plus. Also, as I discovered today, it makes a very fine headscarf to keep your hair in place when you're driving down the sunny highway, wearing glittery sunglasses and blasting David Bowie. So I'm pretty pleased with that as well.
*Things are going well for Younger Brother. To my continual amazement, he is an actual musician now. His stint in the pit orchestra for The Scarlet Pimpernel was a huge success, and he just finished recording some Indian percussion for a local group that's putting out their debut album. (They've also asked him to play with them live at the release party!) But I think the crowning glory for him thus far came last weekend when he was assisting at a world percussion clinic and did an extended/improvised conga solo for the group jam they had going. One of the special guests took Younger Brother aside afterward to tell him how impressed she was with his playing, and how much potential she thought he had.
That special guest? Regina Carter. Yes, that Regina Carter. The one with the Genius Grant. The one who plays one of Paganini's violins. The one who performed a piece commissioned for her with the DSO last year.
I think it's safe to say that my brother was more than a little flattered. So, so proud of that kid--er, man! I can't believe he was once my aimless, irritating little brother. :D (To be fair, he is still sometimes irritating, but he can't be accused of aimlessness any longer. *g*)
*Writing is going very well. Not only did I manage that one-shot ficlet the other day (which was quite a joyful experience), but I'm doing well with other projects, too... very creatively fertile right now, and in a place where I trust my words. I know they'll be there when I reach for them, and that they'll paint the pictures I'm envisioning. This is wonderful for the confidence. It means that I don't need to overthink anything, that I can just let it flow and not wibble over every word choice. I absolutely love it when that happens, though I don't think I've been in as good a writing space since I wrote "Let Nothing You Dismay." So I am planning to make the most of this.
*My garden is blooming! May was one of the soggiest, most rain-soaked months ever on record for this area, so virtually all the gardens--and gardeners--are well behind, including me. There just hasn't been any opportunity to work out there, much less get anything in the ground. However, the wet times seem to be more or less behind us, and the one definitely good thing I can say for all the moisture is that my lilies and tulips are absolutely thriving, to an almost tropical degree. Now that I've had a chance to poke around out there and get things more or less groomed, I'm really looking forward to the blooming season to come.
*Last but not least, a shippy discovery in the garden that put a smile on my face. In the aforementioned poking around in the garden, I discovered that a new, sweet, runty little clematis vine had sprung up behind a big, shaggy boxwood bush. It's been hiding behind (and clinging very tenaciously to) that big, shaggy bush, winding tendrils all around it and using it like a living trellis. The big shaggy bush has given the vine all the support and protection it needed to grow big and strong, but it was time to separate them a bit for their own good, since the vine can stand on its own now and will shortly have some spectacular purple flowers to show off. They're still right next to each other, though, because they're clearly meant to be together, and every few days, I have to gently discourage the vine from clinging, because it keeps reaching out for that beloved shaggy bush.
I've decided to name them Vince and Howard. :D I'm fairly certain you can guess which is which.
I'm sure they'll keep Remus and Severus the Gay Holly Bushes in very good company, too.
Pic spam post will be forthcoming, illustrating some of the things mentioned here, and... that's pretty much it for now. Nothing more terribly exciting to mention, except that I got a haircut today, and now my barnet is delightfully bouncy, but nobody really cares about that, do they?
In any case: squishes and smooches to all, especially those in need. &hearts you, flist.
Realizing that there is no way I'd be able to assemble a coherent narrative that details all my exploits of the past few weeks, I'm going to settle for giving you the highlights Over the last several weeks, the following good things happened:
*Yesterday, my dad was hit by a car while he was out taking an evening bike ride. The old woman who was driving wasn't looking at all and backed right into him without warning.
It might seem odd to start a Good Things list with this, but believe me, there's a lot to be thankful for here, starting with the fact that Dad is not only alive but amazingly free from anything more serious than a few scrapes, bruises, and a sprained wrist. I saw him last night to verify this for myself (because really, the phone call that starts with "I got hit by a car" is never not upsetting), and he really is doing well. Sore, but well, and feeling that shaky sort of dodged-a-bullet giddiness. And really? That is a good, good, good thing, and I am grateful for it. ~whew~ I swear, he's giving me more white hairs than I ever gave him. That hardly seems fair, and yet I can't bring myself to complain.
Everything else on this list is going to seem hopelessly shallow after that, but such is life.
*A few weeks ago, I scored tickets to the Michigan Opera Theater's production of Rigoletto! There are times when counting musicians and creative types among your friends pays off very well, and this was one of them. ;-) I got dressed to my sparkly best (yes, I wore the Mirrorball Top, and it was lovely even under the lights of the parking garage), and I thoroughly enjoyed the production--well-staged, impressive sets, lush costumes, beautiful music, high drama. I came into the evening having heard nothing but praise from the musicians for Sarah Joy Miller's performance as Gilda, and they were right: she was a revelation, which was all the more difficult with a part that typically has all the depth and complexity of a plaster saint. But she absolutely glowed, and so did her voice. It was magical. &hearts (Honorable mention must go, however, to Rigoletto's acting and the Duke's very fine abs, which were displayed at every convenient opportunity.)
The opera house was also gorgeous. I met the most amazing elevator operator inside, a man who is clearly a character in search of a novel. (I'll remember him and write about him some day, I'm sure. I want to know his story.) The night was balmy. The neighborhood was buzzing with cafes and music. Even getting stuck in the parking garage for 45 minutes had its wonders, as I amused myself by watching the reflections thrown by the Mirrorball Top under the lights, like a swarm of fireflies. It was, overall, an amazing evening downtown, and I was filled with appreciation for the neighborhood once again, particularly in light of how far it's come since I was a kid. No, Detroit isn't perfect. I love it anyway, and I always will.
*There have been a lot of parties and get-togethers, and I'm not going to recount them all here, but one of the standouts was definitely the brunch I had a few weeks ago at Cafe Habana, in Royal Oak. The day was scorchingly hot and sunny, which made it an especially good day to while away at the cafe with good conversation and ice-cold drinks, and I wound up with the window seat, which was especially perfect for people-watching and flirting. Because I was with a group, we got to try a large variety of dishes, from the ropa vieja and tostones to the arepas (corn cakes) layered with goat cheese, fresh avocado, grilled pineapple salsa, and mojo-marinated pork. Drinks were also particularly good, and again, a large number of people meant that I got to try a bit of everything. The mojitos,from-scratch limeade, daquiris, sangria pitchers, and caipirinhas were all excellent.
It was like a little slice of heaven. I can't wait to go back!
*A few weeks ago, while shopping for something else (at Hallmark, of all places, what on earth), I happened upon a pink scarf that isn't quite a dead ringer for The Pink Scarf of Amazingness... but it is very close. So of course I bought it, and it is lovely, and I adore it. To be honest, I think I like it even a bit better than the original Pink Scarf of Amazingness, only because mine is shot through with sparkling silver threads as well, and I like to think that, given the choice, Noel would have wanted the glittery version, too. ;-)
Best of all, it's lightweight and easy to wear in the summer heat. Given that we've vaulted straight from late winter to sweltering summer, that is a definite plus. Also, as I discovered today, it makes a very fine headscarf to keep your hair in place when you're driving down the sunny highway, wearing glittery sunglasses and blasting David Bowie. So I'm pretty pleased with that as well.
*Things are going well for Younger Brother. To my continual amazement, he is an actual musician now. His stint in the pit orchestra for The Scarlet Pimpernel was a huge success, and he just finished recording some Indian percussion for a local group that's putting out their debut album. (They've also asked him to play with them live at the release party!) But I think the crowning glory for him thus far came last weekend when he was assisting at a world percussion clinic and did an extended/improvised conga solo for the group jam they had going. One of the special guests took Younger Brother aside afterward to tell him how impressed she was with his playing, and how much potential she thought he had.
That special guest? Regina Carter. Yes, that Regina Carter. The one with the Genius Grant. The one who plays one of Paganini's violins. The one who performed a piece commissioned for her with the DSO last year.
I think it's safe to say that my brother was more than a little flattered. So, so proud of that kid--er, man! I can't believe he was once my aimless, irritating little brother. :D (To be fair, he is still sometimes irritating, but he can't be accused of aimlessness any longer. *g*)
*Writing is going very well. Not only did I manage that one-shot ficlet the other day (which was quite a joyful experience), but I'm doing well with other projects, too... very creatively fertile right now, and in a place where I trust my words. I know they'll be there when I reach for them, and that they'll paint the pictures I'm envisioning. This is wonderful for the confidence. It means that I don't need to overthink anything, that I can just let it flow and not wibble over every word choice. I absolutely love it when that happens, though I don't think I've been in as good a writing space since I wrote "Let Nothing You Dismay." So I am planning to make the most of this.
*My garden is blooming! May was one of the soggiest, most rain-soaked months ever on record for this area, so virtually all the gardens--and gardeners--are well behind, including me. There just hasn't been any opportunity to work out there, much less get anything in the ground. However, the wet times seem to be more or less behind us, and the one definitely good thing I can say for all the moisture is that my lilies and tulips are absolutely thriving, to an almost tropical degree. Now that I've had a chance to poke around out there and get things more or less groomed, I'm really looking forward to the blooming season to come.
*Last but not least, a shippy discovery in the garden that put a smile on my face. In the aforementioned poking around in the garden, I discovered that a new, sweet, runty little clematis vine had sprung up behind a big, shaggy boxwood bush. It's been hiding behind (and clinging very tenaciously to) that big, shaggy bush, winding tendrils all around it and using it like a living trellis. The big shaggy bush has given the vine all the support and protection it needed to grow big and strong, but it was time to separate them a bit for their own good, since the vine can stand on its own now and will shortly have some spectacular purple flowers to show off. They're still right next to each other, though, because they're clearly meant to be together, and every few days, I have to gently discourage the vine from clinging, because it keeps reaching out for that beloved shaggy bush.
I've decided to name them Vince and Howard. :D I'm fairly certain you can guess which is which.
I'm sure they'll keep Remus and Severus the Gay Holly Bushes in very good company, too.
Pic spam post will be forthcoming, illustrating some of the things mentioned here, and... that's pretty much it for now. Nothing more terribly exciting to mention, except that I got a haircut today, and now my barnet is delightfully bouncy, but nobody really cares about that, do they?
In any case: squishes and smooches to all, especially those in need. &hearts you, flist.