And a new life phase ushers in…

My daughter and new son-in-law moved out today.  I had worked all night on a large music project which ended around 1 pm when they had already moved out most of their heavy items, so I missed out on snapping move-out-day photos.  Now it’s evening and they’re gone, off to their new marriage and new life and first home together.  I so vividly recall that incredible feeling of freedom when I moved out from my parents’ home.  It’s different being on the “parent” end.  I’ve now, just now, joined the ranks of the “empty nesters.”  Somehow that connotation of the “empty nest” seems so final, so sad, so… empty.

But yet, being a parent whose kids have grown and moved on, there are elements of freedom and excitement in addition to the sadness of a closing era.

Looking over my life, I have adored being a mother to my daughters; it’s one of my most favorite things in life:  parenthood.  And I’m still their Mom, always will be; that hasn’t changed.  I’ll still have the worries and concerns and joys and laughter with them – but it’s different when they don’t live here anymore.

I’ve got a wonderful husband, a good marriage (one that’s long enough that we can now laugh at all the things that used to make us so angry; definitely a good place to be in..), and I’ve got a continually blossoming career.  And I’ve got lots of friends and family who I rarely see, as I’m usually so busy with the career or with my kids, who I now plan to visit ….  And there’s this & that I can do, and who I can do it with, and we’re planning changes to the house as now we’ve got 2 newly empty bedrooms, and…and…and

So, I’m awake this evening when I should be sleeping, awake because of the stillness of the house, the hush where the kids’ presence used to be.  I’m getting a sense of freedom, that same freedom that I felt when I moved from my mother’s home – that freedom of adventures waiting to be journeyed, that freedom of “life is what you make it,” that freedom of, well, I’m still here, I’m okay, and how shall I now shape my tomorrow?

An era has come to a close, and a new one begins.  And I’m excited…..

Music and Passion

Music has been a near-constant passion in my life since I was very little.  I grew up in a musical household, listening to my parents sing.  They’d have friends over – and one would play the piano and the others would gather ’round – and everyone would sing and harmonize.  I was enthralled!  It was magical!

I think that’s where my enchantment with music began, as a little girl standing among these very tall grownups as they sang and sang.  I didn’t particularly like my voice … but the piano, THAT I could learn and play!  So I did….

And decades later, I’m still in love with the piano, and in love with music.  Not to say there aren’t times when I take a “break” and don’t play for days, perhaps weeks … but I always return to music, to playing, to marveling at the moods and worlds and emotions that the sounds conjure up for me and for others.

I’ve recently come through another “break” or “vacation,” where I didn’t play often – or at all.  It lasted about 2 months.  And now I’m refreshed, in awe of the aural palette, and having such fun creating new pieces, practicing with my guitarist husband for a gig tomorrow night and planning many more, excited with the future of it all.

Passion.  Passion and music.  I felt it as a toddler, and I feel it still.  It’s like falling in love again, but with an art instead of a man or woman.  But passion nonetheless.  It makes living in this very difficult world tolerable, even joyous, and gives me hope that tomorrow will indeed be better.  My life burdens are not removed, my problems are not solved, yet I am able to better face them, to confront them and deal with them.  The burdens are lighter, my outlook is uplifted, and my spirit soars.

Music.  Passion.

May each of you find such passion.  I wish this for you.

Contagious Engagements

My house has Engagement Fever.  Enter at your own risk, or luck….

My younger daughter is getting married in April, and my older daughter just became engaged yesterday.

Wonderful.  New life.  Love.  Happiness abounds.  Rosy futures.  Hope.  Smiling faces.

What a joy this holiday season is.

All of this is gushing over into creative urges.  Think I’ll write a few new pieces…..

Making a life…

Some food for thought:  Here’s a quote from Maya Angelou – “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’”

Such resounding words, especially now at the end of a year, at Holiday time, at the end of a decade.  So quickly it seems that this decade is ending – but yet another is beginning.

Have I been making a “life” or simply making a “living”?

Am I treading water or actually swimming?

Do I run through each day, racing to complete deadlines, or do I take (or make) the time to actually enjoy the racing, the people, the weather, the plants & sky, the big and the little things?

Am I only focused on the journey’s end, or on the journey?

Ah, life.  What an incredible, unfolding voyage.  May we all learn to better create it, savor it, laugh at it, laugh with it, and embrace it.

Happy End of the Decade.  Or shall I say, Happy Beginning of the Next….

Randy Newman and “The Princess and the Frog”

Randy Newman’s a bloody genius.  His songs and musical score to “The Princess and the Frog” are pure magic.  They’re perfect for this new Disney animation, which is wonderfully hand-animated.  (Didn’t know I missed hand animation until I saw this film…)  Set in New Orleans, there’s plenty of musical variety (jazz, Cajun, dixieland),  and Randy’s music incorporates them all.  Randy, take a bow!  Kudos!!

Also, kudos to all the cast and artists who contributed to this new classic film.  I could see it over and over again (and I don’t say that often).  It lifted my spirits (and they needed it today), made me laugh out loud many, many times, totally engaged me in the film, and showered me with gorgeous voices (especially that of Anika Noni Rose) and Randy’s lively and spot-on music.  The theatre audience was totally captivated too, with people calling out or laughing, really vocally expressing themselves.

You can’t talk about New Orleans without talking about music … or food.  And the film featured the food as well, as the main character, Tiana, is a gifted cook who dreams of opening her own restaurant (something both my daughters also dream of doing).  Some years ago, I was married into a Creole family – and I can tell you, the gumbo parties we had – um um um… so this film got my mouth watering and wanting some good ol’ Southern cooking!

Good music and good food.  Good art and good story.  Good fun and lots of laughs.  Can’t beat that.

Best Disney film in many a year.

Hello world!

Hi World!  This is my first blog here on Word Press.  I’m a musician and composer, so much of this blog will be about things, people, music, situations, gigs, concerts and such that I encounter in my musical life.  I’m sure other subjects will slip into the blog as my life is very full in all aspects, but I’ll mainly focus on music and related subjects.

Really looking forward to blogging and your comments.  Love the Net!