Love of Fame or Love of the Game


Andrea Senior Pictures 001

Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg.

Andrea, my high school senior, also struggles philosophically with balancing the fame of success with the independence of obscurity. In her quiet, independent, way she has racked up a bit of applause.

When school reopens in January she will play the part of Malcolm in MacBeth. Why not? In the 1600s all of Shakespeare’s female leads were male; turn about is fair play.
All of my offspring are stage (or at least performance) struck. Is it any wonder? Their maternal grandmother was a High School Thespian and has continued to direct church plays and solo acts right through her retirement years. The paternal grandmother of my oldest is a best selling author, speaker, and personality. The paternal grandmother of my younger two children once participated in Colorado Opera and had her sites on the stage.

Andrea’s other stellar performances include:
• State Championship Color Guard performance with marching band.
• 2006, CCU production of Carousel: Carnival gymnast and swordsman, daughter of Enoch snow, dancer, and chorus member.
• Lettered in gymnastics, 2004
• Chorus and Dancer, Once Upon a Mattress community production
• MVF (Most Valuable Freshman) award in gymnastics, 2003
She is a budding writer, loves to cook, designs and constructs her own costumes for theatrical play. Andrea is also an artist (primarily 3-D at the moment) and musician, playing piano when the mood hits and drums with the fledgling rock band that meets in our basement. At present, her plans for the future include a Spanish major and teaching – preferably in a foreign country.

Perhaps the delicate balancing act boils down to “love of the game, not, love of the fame!”

Fame is the Pitts, but it can be a bit Jolie

So, how does one achieve the precise amount of notoriety to keep all the jolly and avoid the pits?

I have been musing on this dilemma much lately; not only as I construct this Blog, but also as I search for the optimum job, make efforts to get my books published and marketed, and balance conflicting desires:  Stage and Studio verses Cave and Quiet; Retirement and Leisure verses Aspiration and Acquirement; Security verses Adventure.  I am too conscientious to throw care to the wind and be a free spirit; too responsible to retire and leave things undone; too fearful and conservative to take unnecessary risks. In the end, as always, the final word is survival; and hierarchy of need triumphs.

Yet; one must remember the intent of Carpe Diem. One must be reminded of Emerson’s fine admonition:  “Sail into port grandly, or be content to sail with God the seas!”

The Cabin under 5 feet


The Cabin under 5 feet
Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg.Hi Everybody! Wish you were here! Or is that, Wish you were here???? We would really get cabin fever with more than 4 sharing our 960 square feet.

We thought of sending a postcard, but the mail won’t go anywhere until we dig out the mailbox and the snowplow comes by.

Tired of snow yet? Click on this photo to view the entire series taken after the blizzard of 2003.

Christmas past Carolling as a family 2000


Christmas past Carolling as a family 2000

Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg.

Christmas Past. I have not always been the shortest member of the family. Here we are, six or seven years ago, performing as a family. How youthful we appear! We performed as a family most recently in April of 2006 in the CCU production of Carousel. Although we age and grow taller; some things do not change. I am still going about the business of raising young musicians and getting people where they need to go.

China Trip 2005


DSCN0677_0138
Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg.Since my major love in life is raising young musicians; it follows that my children are very important to me. (Or is that; since my children are very important to me: I love raising young musicians?) My youngest, Philip, spent 4 years in the nationally acclaimed Colorado Children’s Chorale, before aging out at 14 years, 5 months – at the end of eighth grade. The crowning finale of his year’s in National Tour Choir was the China tour.

“This is my family, they are a part of me, they make me smile…” so go the lyrics to a moving song arranged for, and sung by, the chorale. Philip is family, he is a very real part of me. Opportunities (like chorale) for my family are why I work. They bring joy to me.

New Year’s Project

Hello everybody (me, myself, and I); and Merry Christmas!  I have finally begun a blog, 12 months after first intending to do so.  My Blog inspiration comes from DIL, Sarah (Sermon on the Mount of Laundry), and my son Kev, who first put me on to Sarah’s Blog.  I am now going to hibernate with the computer for the next week, consider me “Under Construction.”

Putting One Foot in Front of the Other, Hiking for Life!