May 22, 2018
The art of nonchalance- not an easy attitude for me to carry off in the best of times. But I am learning to take a deep breath in the face of pressure before moving ahead.
May 21, 2018
The anticipation of buds pushing past the green leaves toward the sun.
May 20, 2018
Gazing at a forest of ferns seems always to bring me a sense of peaceful calm. Perhaps touching a spot in my brain that holds the peace of sojourns on my island, or maybe the wild joy of childhood freedom whooping through nearby forests with my brothers and friends, building bridges over streams, away from a world of rules, where anything was possible.
May 19, 2018
Concert day– and everything goes really well. It’s kindof a miracle as there has been so little time to prep. We arrive early to run through the joint ensemble pieces, set up the hall, eat some pizza, and iit’s time. My ensemble plays first, and our set goes brilliantly– even the usually-worried members feel really great about how the music unfolds. Of course the concert turns out to be too long– combined programs nearly always are– but the audience stays engaged right through the last piece of the combined set. A happy evening of music– much needed in my post-Rio life without rodas, where music unfortunately is not the first item of every day. I take a silent pledge to play more on my own and with P. Music is a needed antidote to the deadening political reality that daily seems to plunge us ever deeper into a country whose policies I don’t recognize or condone.
May 18, 2018
I turn my attention to the logistics of my mandolin summer school today, arranging the content of concert programs, setting up the schedule, getting descriptions of classes from the other faculty. There is so much pre-work needed to ensure this much-anticipated week runs smoothly. But every effort now lessens the chance of stress or panic later, so I cheerfully get to work.
May 17, 2018
My wonderful tree is in full bloom and nearly too heavy with blossoms. My friend J. drives down for lunch, as he has some errands in the area, and we catch up cheerily on a lovely spring day.
