...the best laid plans...

I'm not able to go into great detail at the moment, but I spent the day planning for a big event, only to have those plans turned completely upside down by evening.

I have to laugh. I am fully aware of the futility in getting angry or frustrated in moments like this. I don't even bother to think that the whole day has been a waste. Each day, I'm reminded of how we need to hold our plans with open hands, because we never know what the next moment might hold. This is all part of the adventure.

Are your knuckles white with determination? What would happen if you loosened your grip? What will happen if you don't?

...quiet days...

Thankfully, I had cleaned the house before leaving for vacation, so I spent today getting myself in order.

I combed through emails, deleting, responding, and archiving until the whole thing was down to a more manageable size. I danced in the living room. I prepped for upcoming events, adventures I'd be taking this week and in the coming month. I finished a book. I planned lessons. I made meals. I wrote thank you notes. And I tried to catch up on a TV show.

It was a (mostly) quiet day. A day to reinvigorate myself for the coming week. Sometimes, I'm so desperate to live in a world of adventure, that I forget the importance, the necessity, of quiet days.

Have you prepared yourself for the start of a new week? Mondays don't have to be terrible if you're prepared. I hope it's a great one!

...a night at the symphony...

A generous family gave me two tickets to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra this evening, in the nicest seats I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying at Powell Hall. Unfortunately, Andy had to work the night shift, so I invited a colleague to join me.

Marsha Medley, a piano teacher and composer, is always fun to be around. At times cantankerous, but always hilarious, she is an outspoken social activist, who doesn't sit back quietly when she witnesses wrongdoing. She is one of the few people I know who regularly stands up in defense of others. At 5'1”, her small frame belies her big heart. She is also a church music director, organist and composer. You can hear some of Marsha's music here on her YouTube Channel.

Tonight, the SLSO played Ingram Marshall's Bright Kingdoms, Korngold's Violin Concerto in D and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.” Bright Kingdoms was different, modern, a bit eerie, with pre-recorded children's voices that, at times, made it feel like we were in a horror movie. I wasn't disappointed when it was over.

Always a fan of the New World Symphony, and familiar with the majority of it, my body kept time with the beat, rising and falling with the swells in sound, allowing the music to wash over me. But the highlight for me was Korngold's Violin Concerto in D Major. While the music was beautiful, sweeping and altogether romantic, it was the artist, Gil Shaham, who brought the piece to life.

Obviously a joyful man, Mr. Shaham's face regularly reflected different emotions throughout the piece, the most notable, and most frequent, of which was joy! It was almost as if there was a dance happening between the conductor, Maestro David Robertson, and Mr. Shaham. Brothers by marriage, there was a tangible delight and energy between the two that infected the orchestra and the audience. You couldn't help but be pulled into their light-hearted dance. It was delightful to watch them interact, both with each other, the players and the audience.

A simple waltz was chosen as the encore, and at the end of the piece, Maestro Robertson reached out and plucked the last note on Mr. Shaham's violin, garnering a chuckle from the audience, and cementing to the outsider the strength of their relationship.

I love seeing the orchestra conducted by David Robertson. Marsha commented on how Maestro Robertson always brings a level of fun and joy to each concert, and she couldn't be more correct. If you ever have the opportunity to see him, allow me to encourage you to go.

For more information about the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the second-oldest symphony in the United States, and for a list of their upcoming performances, click here.

...eyes up...

(Friday, March 21)

Home again, home again...

It's hard to believe that spring break is over and we will both be heading back to work tomorrow. We have returned deliriously spent.

Andy is a huge Seinfeld fan, so we took the subway to Tom's Restaurant for breakfast. Afterwards, we walked around Central Park, before catching a cab back to lower east side for some shopping. We ducked into a few stores before arriving at Tiffany and Co.

As promised, Andy bought me something extra special so as to remember our trip. It is utterly dainty, exactly my style, and I feel just as delicate when I wear it. While this was certainly an indulgence, perhaps there are times for indulgence? I'm thankful that Andy can sense in which moments to be extravagant and which moments should remain simple.

We learned a lot on this trip.

Andy learned how to hail a cab. After a discouraging start, he began to watch New Yorkers to see how it was done and then began to imitate them until he was successful. Isn't that life? Stepping out into the din and raising up your hand for what you want, what you need, instead of waiting for it to fall into your lap? Undeterred by how you might look or how you think you might look or how others react or how you think they might react?

It was a challenge to stand back and watch him fail, watch him get frustrated, cross his arms and refuse to do anything. Too often we step in on someone before they have the chance to build up the courage. In the end, he successfully did exactly what I knew he could do all along – two times! My hero!

One lesson that we both had to learn: to look up. We had become dependent on a cell phone GPS to guide us to our destinations, but it was only able to get us so far.

In searching for a subway station outside of Bryant Park, the dear GPS kept insisting, “You have arrived. You have arrived.” but there was no subway station in sight. Agitated and annoyed, I stomped up onto some steps and surveyed our surroundings. In that exact moment, the hoards of people cluttering the streets parted like the red sea and, pasted on a distant wall, I could see the colored circles indicating the presence of a subway station.

In life, we can miss important, sometimes imperative, details if our eyes are constantly looking down. Where is your gaze fixed?

...today in pictures...

(Thursday, March 20)

Breakfast at Penelope. Little hole in the wall Andy discovered.

A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

The original soup man. It was good soup!

pie face per brenda's suggestion - um, yum!

St. Paul's Chapel, City Hall and the subway - which we quickly figured out

Loved Wicked so much, we camped out in the tkts line for tix to another show.

New York City under the moon from the Empire State Building.  Picture taken by my amazing husband.

We walked back to our hotel at 1am and crashed.  It was an amazing day!  We would recommend all of these activities to anyone headed to New York City.

...today in pictures...

(Wednesday, March 19)

Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center) looking out at the Empire State Building.

30 Rock!  Taxis!

Love this pic of him - so carefree!

My happy place!

Peanut butter cups as big as my face!

Wicked was amazing! The new Elphaba was phenomenal, I wept!

Mom and I at Ellen's Stardust Diner with the singing waitstaff!

While I didn't get a picture of our singing waiter, I did take a video. You can (and should) watch it here. Perhaps someday we'll be coming to Broadway to see Stephen! (Sorry for the poor video quality in the middle. I had a coat and purse wrapped around my legs.)

When we got back to our hotel, they informed us that they didn't have any of the rooms that we had booked, so they upgraded us to suite! A suite! It's pretty awesome! We celebrated by going to bed. We were so tired.

Thanks for coming on our adventure with us! I hope you're having a wonderful week!

...last days...

(Tuesday, March 18)

Making memories is exhausting.

Andy and I have made it a priority to spend as much time with my family as possible, each day a little time spent here and there, in conversation or playing games.

We taught my grandparents how to play Qwirkle.

My nieces and nephew taught us this new version of cups (without cups.)

We took my parents to see The Monuments Men at the movie theater.

We taught my sister and mother how to play Qwirkle.

My nieces and nephew taught us the Game of Knowledge (a trivia game where I know some of the answers!) and Blokus (our new favorite game!!)

We sat with my grandparents and talked about past and present events and future hopes.

We watched The Good Wife with my parents.

When I type it all up it doesn't seem like a lot, but we're tired. Still, I wouldn't trade these memories for any amount of sleep. I'm still smiling.

I'm hopeful that you have plans to make great memories with the ones you love this week.