At the dinner after the funeral yesterday, one lady told me I sounded very nice on Amazing Grace. "I heard you start singing," she told me, "and I almost turned around." I was at the back of the room, with a mic, which I didn't really think I needed. ""But then I said to myself, 'I don't have to look. That's Nina.' That was really nice ( Read more... )

I don’t always. I’m afraid there are more, “I really should practice today” days than “Can’t wait to get into it!” days ( Read more... )

I was talking with Dean, the tuba player, about the Prokofiev, the cool stuff in it, how my friend who plays tuba claimed some tuba master called it a double concerto for violin and tuba. He said the part really was easy, and so gratifying, because there weren’t any trombones playing it as well. Usually, he said, he more or less considers himself a ( Read more... )

I tried to mention something on Facebook every day in November, something for which I was/am thankful.  I keep reading how thankful people are happier!  So I thought that exercise might help turn my thoughts to things to be happy about.

I didn’t make it all the way through the month. But maybe I made some progress, anyway.

The other day, when I was ( Read more... )

We saw Mark Twain Saturday night! And man, did he have some harsh things to say about the state of journalism and politics these days! Oh, he was funny from time to time - got the audience laughing from time to time, but just as often we were so stunned by the raw truth of what he had to say that we were struck dumb. Silent, I mean - though he ( Read more... )

I was thinking that today I would practice bassoon for 1 1/2 hours. I've got three new reeds I'm breaking in, so I had to cut back some on time, because the new reeds take a whole lot more lip strength than old ones, and I have to build up to it.

I checked the calendar, and discovered that today is the Park Band Anniversary Concert at the Kroc ( Read more... )

Is it appropriate to wear blue jeans to the youth service on Sunday morning?  Does this show a certain spirit of comraderie? Or is it an insult, because I don't usually wear blue jeans to worship? Does it show that I don't consider it a "real" worship service ( Read more... )

Christmas on a Sunday is such an awkward thing for my church! So many people who faithfully attend every Sunday feel that Christmas is supposed to be spent AT HOME! A funny attitude, I think, for people who claim their first allegiance is to Christ, and who insist that Christmas is about Jesus' birth. I long for a high church service every ( Read more... )

I picked up GF (Good Friend) only a little later than I'd said I would, blaming the holdup on the line at McDonald's.  Somehow half of the day had already evaporated, and I hadn't had any lunch ( Read more... )

It doesn't inspire confidence in the medical staff when every visit to my nurse practitioner includes the question, "Have you had a colonoscopy?"  My medical records are right in front of them when they ask the question.  Do they really think I sneaked off somewhere and had one, and didn't tell them ( Read more... )