My marathon week is finished so now I have time to stop and wish you a very Merry Christmas and holiday season! Last night’s most excellent performance of “Mystery of the Manger” (Celeste Clydesdale) by my children’s music and drama team at church wrapped up my Christmas performance season nicely. The night before I directed a Core Knowledge concert and Mythical Musical (script mine) at the academy at which I teach. Monday was Philip’s 17th birthday. Sunday morning the church team did their first performance in the Gym of the church (last night was in the sanctuary which seats 2,000; state of the art sound, lights, and stage). Sunday afternoon I spent 10 and a half hours with Philip and his band (UPC) for Battle of the Bands. Saturday was the dress rehearsal for the church music and drama team. Saturday afternoon I treated myself to a ladies tea. This afternoon Andrea arrives from college. The tree is up on the deck. The snowmen are arranged on the dining room table. Today I am off to school to give and receive my final Secret Santa gift. Let the holidays begin!
Category Archives: Goals and Dreams
Life Right Now
Life right now is:Teaching K through Sixth Grade Music
Teaching private piano lessons at home
Rehearsing the children’s music and drama team at church for a Christmas production
Rewriting the Mythical Musical for the 6th grade at school so that everyone who wants to speak can have a part
Encouraging and challenging a talented 16, almost 17, year old
Getting the Cabin ready to show and sell
Feeling hopelessly weighed down with debt, bills, and splintered relationships
Knowing that I have changed and that some around me may never
Loving the fact that another young adult has launched and is a successful college freshman
Struggling to light a woodstove after 6 years of practice and success
Searching for kindling in the snow
Sweeping up the mess of sawdust and chips after lighting a fire
Trying to keep sinks clean when the men are working dirty jobs
Going outside and down stairs to the composting toilet because the septic holding tank is full
Putting my boots on and lacing them just to walk to the car or the downstairs
Actively trying to find and build relationships with other women while knowing I may move soon
Wanting to give my best to those close to me and knowing I am empty emotionally, and bankrupt financially.
Remembering to make my walk and sunshine time a priority as a spiritual, emotional, and physical health prescription
Why do the essential things always get crowded out in the clamor of the urgent?
Dancing the Night Away
We did it! After 53 years of living with a great sense of toe tapping rhythm, but not knowing which foot to put where. After years of childhood in which I felt condemned if I danced and knew I would pop if I didn’t get the rhythm out somewhere. After learning the drills for marching band and the choreography for stage productions; after sending my kids to Cotillion to learn social grace and ballroom etiquette and joyfully experiencing Colorado Children’s Chorale performances where-in my son eclipsed my wildest dreams by singing and dancing internationally; we finally did it.
Doug and I took ballroom dance lessons for three months and then, early in November, we bought tickets to the Jazz Dinner Dance at the high school. Sure, it was a fund –raiser for the instrumental music department where our kids have enjoyed a combined five years of music experience, and just as sure that we could have enjoyed hearing the music for free by signing up to set up, serve, and clean-up. I have done that a couple of times before and each time I got very itchy feet, had no partner, and surely didn’t know which foot came first. This year was my year. We dressed up. We went to the dinner. We ate. We danced to all the Jazz band standards. We were uninhibited enough to cut up the dance floor; laugh at our faux pass, hazard some turns and twirls and work up a healthy glow.
Done. One more thing crossed off my “to do before I die,” list.
By the way; I highly recommend ballroom dance lessons for married couples! It can be a great “reframe” at the end of a tense day. It is good to learn something together. It is great exercise.
I Don’t Baby-sit. I Raise Future Presidents
I teach music; in a Core Knowledge Charter School. From time to time I am accosted or confronted by angry parents who think I am picking on their child, or just too plain strict in general.I have heard parents say such things as, “Why should the kids have to be quiet in the halls? That’s only for the teacher’s convenience.” “Why should the kids have to keep their eyes on the director?” “Music should be fun. Why are there any rules at all?”
I don’t baby-sit. I raise future presidents.
I don’t GIVE students a grade. The student EARNS a grade.
If the ability to sing is a natural, genetic gift; then I would be wholly in error to GIVE a grade based on singing ability.
The ability to perform music correctly is a learned behavior; therefore any one can earn a good grade through giving one’s best effort.
About those rules: I raise future presidents! Eight years ago I was saying, “Of course the students have to stand up straight. I raise future presidents, no one is ever going to call one of my former students, ‘slouch Bush,’ when (s)he is debating for the presidency.
Today I am saying, “Of course they have to assume the correct stance when singing the National Anthem, of course they must learn to sing The Star Spangled Banner.” Just last week I reminded the fourth grade that one’s hand goes over the heart; we don’t salute unless in full / authentic military uniform. Obama is a fine young man. I should have been his music teacher.
Pursuit, Protection, Provision
Think about it for a moment. These three things are present in one way or another in love relationships. When any one of them is missing; the relationship limps and becomes deformed. Pursuit, Protection, and Provision may manifest in many forms; but, always they exist and must be reciprocated for relationship to continue in health.
At the philosophical or spiritual level: God pursues (initiates), protects and provides.
In the realm of traditional courtship the man pursues, protects and provides. The woman reciprocates with Proverbs 31 characteristics. 1) He pursues; she responds with equal warmth and encouragement.2) He protects physically (war or shelter); She protects his reputation3) He provides the income; she provides nourishment through her stewardship of that incomeHe provides home; she provides hearthHe pursues with zeal; she pursues with nurtureHe protects physically, she protects influentially
In a changing world of equality and role reversal; financial reversal or illness she may be the one who earns income and he may be Mr. Mom or a househusband. It may fall her lot to war and shelter and his to nurture, encourage, and steward; but, always there must be reciprocal pursuit, protection and provision.
Today I Became a Queen
Yes as a symbol of my advancing (ahem) years and maturity, and in an effort to gather like minded friends about me for walks, book discussions, writing inspiration, and general yakking and philosophizing, I founded my own Red Hat Society Chapter, “Purple Mountain Majesty’s Little Red Writing “Hood.” My title, of course, is Her Purple Mountain Majesty I, and I look forward to adding Majesties II, III, IV and up to my list of walking, talking, reading, and writing buddies. Our ‘Hood will meet as often as possible to hike and write and read what we have written and talk about what we have read and wear what we have red (and purple).
I consider myself a writer
I Write and I consider myself a writer; but apparently publishers do not consider one a writer unless one has been published. This is very much like trying to get a job with no job experience. So, I have been published. My writing has even been in print for pay via the local newspaper. Yet the agents and publishers are looking for, “established writers.” Last fall I followed my heart. I self-published, in galley or draft form, a children’s book I began working on 10 years ago. I sent copies to my mentors, close friends, and key family members. The response was over-whelming! My daughter and my husband loved the book; and I even sold two additional copies! I have moved closer to yet another item on my “Ten Things I Want to Do Before I Die” list. Although, The Pancake Cat, is chock full true experiences and cultural fact; writing books for children was never my goal. My aim is to write relational fiction for adults; good, interesting, page-turning, novels where the reader can get inside the character’s head, heart, and culture, and experience personal epiphany through the life of the fictional character. My conviction is that well written fiction is much more life changing than non-fiction or how to books. The August issue of “O” magazine carried a most inspirational feature on writers and writing. I have followed the advice of Walter Mosley in his article, “This Year You Write Your Novel.” I have begun a daily practice of rising early and going straight to my computer, rereading and hammering out a chapter or two on my current work in progress, “The Bed; or, Things an Anthology of my Life. At my current pace, I just might finish in two years!
Labor Day
Andrea 2Originally uploaded by sarahgrace
Labor Day
Happy 19th Birthday, Andrea! You were born on Labor Day in more ways than one.
Unlike your older brother’s narrative which begins, “Mama played the organ at church on the night I was born….” Yours begins with a family Labor Day picnic and two goals regarding your birth: 1) We would make it to the hospital; 2) Your father would be present; both to drive us to the hospital and to attend your birth. Our goals for your impending arrival were made challenging by the fact that we lived 20 minutes from the hospital. “Not to worry,” said the OB, “I am 5 minutes away and I will meet you here.” “Famous last words,” retorted the expectant mother, “I was only five minutes away when Kev was born and the OB was 5 minutes the other direction. Neither of us made it to the hospital.” Goal number two was also challenging. At the beginning of the fiscal year the office manager at the radio station where your father was employed issued an ultimatum, “No days off without two weeks prior notice!” Properly cowed, we sat down and figured as near as possible your arrival date. Let’s see, older brother was three weeks early. Maternal tradition says girl babies are earlier than boy babies. We don’t know whether this baby is a girl or boy. Bingo, we will begin vacation one month prior to due date. Uh, its only a two week vacation, what if the baby is over-due? The radio station staff laughed us to scorn (but made no flexible changes in policy). Radio personalities must be on the air regardless of holiday, but your father’s vacation began that Monday. So, that is how it came about that your dad and I got to attend Labor Day picnic together with my extended family. It was a wonderful outdoor affair with fried chicken and the traditional water fight (sans the pregnant lady) and I did plenty of joking with aunts and family members about how apropos it would be to give birth on labor day. After dusk we picked up the trash, packed up our left over salads and returned to our respective homes. As I climbed into bed around 9:00 PM my water broke. We were on our feet and in the car instantly. Walking in the emergency room door I confronted the receptionist and said, “My water broke, the contractions started in the car and I have babies fast, please admit me immediately.” You were born at 11:05 PM.
Oh, yes, the radio station announced it to the whole listening world the next morning around 6:00 AM. Love you bunches! Always have and always will.
Bitter Sweet and Long Goodbyes
It is on the list of ten things I want to do before I die; this launching of successful, well balanced young adults. Let’s have a moment of applause and a family pat on the back all around as we pack the Subaru to the gills and head off to college. The first semester, tuition and fees, is in the bag; thanks to Andrea’s grade point average, abject need, and 2006 income tax refunds.
Andrea is beside herself with anticipation and also the melancholy of leaving “the band.” I am constantly torn between the euphoria of seeing her do exactly what I have dreamed and scrimped and saved for her to do and losing my daughter who has become my very dear friend and hiking companion over the past year. She is among the last of area college bound freshmen to leave. After a month’s hiatus from June graduation parties; August has seen round after round of long good-byes and going away parties.
The band that meets in my basement has had thoughtful conversations and meditations about breaking up. Rather than keep to a twice weekly practice schedule, they meet and rehearse every available day and feverishly write and arrange new songs. This year’s incoming high school juniors and seniors caught the bus or tried out a parking pass as local schools began yesterday. Philip acted as bus mentor to the neighbor boy who entered middle school (I remember him best as 4 years old). Last year’s seniors have peeled off at a rate of several per week toward Ft. Collins, Greeley, Boulder, Wyoming, and New Mexico. On Friday, Andrea will rise early and depart for Gunnison.
A couple of Sundays ago a male friend popped in to show his pictures from a graduation tour of England. “Let’s see your room, Andrea,” said he. “I wonder if it looks as bad as mine?” Microwaves, small refrigerators, Rubbermaid storage tubs, and boxes of essential supplies are stacked in towers in the domicile of every college bound 18 year old of my acquaintance. Said friend is now hitting the books in New Mexico and by this time next week Andrea’s room will be neat as a pin and ready to serve as guest room – whenever she can catch a ride home.
Bon Voyage, young adults, your independence and responsibility is just beginning!
Climb Every Mountain
Climb Every mountain ford every stream, follow every (highway, byway, pathway, rainbow) till you find your dream. A lofty endeavor, to say the least, but still worthy of contemplation and action. One of my efforts for the summer was to get plenty of sunshine and exercise for the purpose of wholesome health. In our area three expansive open spaces have been set aside and dedicated by previous owners so that some mountain space will remain forever open; not available for commercial or residential construction. The trails and loops on these open spaces range from 3 to 5 miles in length and may take up to 3 hours to hike depending on the rise in elevation and the terrain. One open space may be accessed a mere 300 yards from my cabin, so I am quite familiar with it. Last week Andrea and I hiked to the very top of Meyer Ranch Open Space on a trail marked, “Old Ski Run.” From the rocky crown we could see miles in every direction. On Thursday we prevailed on Philip to leave his website construction and join us. Bypassing Beaver Ranch Open Space (because they were setting up for Mountain Music Festival) and focusing on Reynolds Park, we persisted in choosing ascending trails until we reached a plateau named Eagle’s Crest. The view to the West (toward the continental divide) was absolutely stunning. We returned home simultaneously refreshed and fatigued.
I’m so glad I did that! On Friday I was offered a new ½ time job as music specialist at an area Core Knowledge School. Meetings and work began in earnest this last Monday, so I am glad I had experienced one last Colorado Rocky Mountain High before summer activities came to an abrupt close.