Singing Along the Journey

Travel

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More

Breakfast

I just had breakfast in a lovely courtyard, next to a running fountain, with a cool breeze blowing, here at my hotel in Seville, the Vincci la Rabida.  Breakfast is my favorite part of vacation, in so many ways. And my favorite meal in general. I don’t know about you, but I can still here my mother’s voice saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But things that we accept as nutritional and scientific givens are, like so many other things, also cultural in nature.  For you see, in Spain, as in Italy, they do not eat breakfast as we know it.  Breakfast is coffee and a…
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

The Day Ahead….Day 19

Today is the first day of a long holiday weekend.  This particular weekend, that of the 4th of July, is a particular challenge for those of us who call Capitol Hill in the Nation's Capital our home all year long. I learned long ago that it is best to provision up and stay in the neighborhood.  Stay off the roads. Stay off the metro.  Avoid the major avenues, even on foot.   For you see, we have been invaded--invaded by people from all over the world that have come here to our 310 acre national front yard, the National Mall, to celebrate. Living here, you do forget, eventually, that you live…
Read More

Sacred, sacral, secular…transcendant: Day 16

Back to more serious topics...music as mission and just what music to sing, at least, for me to sing. When I was in Berlin in 2008, I happened to be there for the 70th remembrance (anniversary seems just not the rightword here) of Kristellnacht.  The city was full of concerts, prayer services, and politicians, all scrambling to be appropriately reverant in their remembrance.  What I remember most is that if there was one performance of Mozart's Requiem, there were 20.  I still find it so interesting that it was the Mozart Requiem that was the music of choice, when there are so many beautiful requiems to perform.  But Mozart was…
Read More

On the road again…almost…Day 15

One of the most interesting things that I have learned from Pastor Amy's 30 Day Blogging Challenge is that, well you just can't really plan ahead. You see, I thought that I would get up this morning and write a cheery little piece about all the planning and bustle about my upcoming trip to Spain.  But, as I was drafting in my head while I did the dishes this morning, that isn't exactly the direction my thoughts turned. Last night (after spending a couple of hours comparing Hyundais, Mazdas, and Nissans), I returned to my task of finalizing my hotel reservations.  I had thought that the concert organization I was working…
Read More

Me gusta cantar…

I have a project...well, I have several projects but two are at the top of my list right now -- learning to speak Spanish and learning to sing classical Spanish music. It all really started with the idea that I might like to take a trip to Spain this summer for my personal "summer camp" experience.  I've gone to adult "summer camp" often to further my singing skills.  As part of my process of listening to the call, however, I didn't go last year -- I was trying to break a very important cycle.  And that worked. But this year, after watching a series of documentaries on some cable channel,…
Read More

Yes, I’m going to Germany…to buy socks

I just booked the ticket for a few days at the German Christmas Markets between the end of my holiday concert season and the actual holidays and I'm really quite excited...I get to buy new socks. I won't waste your time listing the virtues of German-made socks (a very long list, mind you),  or enter into a discussion about why the people in a country where many are happy to sun bathe nude in public parks make the very finest socks.   Let it suffice to say that, for the past several weeks, it's not Carolina that's on my mind....its Germany. There are a variety of reasons that I am suffering…
Read More