"These Things Shall Pass"

Truer words were never spoken, surely. Here, winter has passed, finally, and the return of spring has immediately put me in a better mood. I sang this song in my new and improved conversational style, doing my best to not sound like an opera diva. It's a whole new skill set to put together: singing like a folk singer, singing not so pretty, with more warmth. And how unfair, when I never had a great opera diva voice in the first place.

The important thing lately, has been to realize that music is really important to me. Music with others is even more so. And I've been doing it, gosh darn it. I'm leading a group of singers, we're singing more difficult stuff than ever. I'm still playing piano, still pushing that envelope. Still studying voice. I'm exploring bluegrass and folk with another friend, all on an on-going basis. But: My instrumental skills aren't what they should be. My vocal flexibility has a long way to go. I suspect that the journey is more than worth it, that this project will enrich the rest of my life in ways that I cannot yet fathom. Zoom, zoom, la la la.

Writing is also important. This winter was the most difficult one ever, for me. I can't afford to go to therapy, so I need to write somewhere. Here, in my journal, both. I need to organize my thoughts, to get them out somewhere. It doesn't matter if no one listens, the process is still helpful. Seeing what I'm thinking, outside of me, is helpful.

And I need to lose about fifteen pounds. This can't help with that. But the care for myself can.