Category Archives: Music and Musings

My family of origin was pretty small: I have one brother, a niece and nephew, a few cousins, and used to have a scattering of aunts and uncles who weren’t close. Both my mother’s parents died before she was twenty-five. My dad lost two brothers: one to tuberculosis and one to polio. In many ways,Continue reading “We All Belong”

For twenty-eight years in a row, I owned two large dogs at a time. Then after a three year break, in a sentimental moment, I took the plunge again, with my husband in mind. Stan was hankering after at least one dog. Sleepless on a Saturday night, I found one year old Buddy, the exquisiteContinue reading “Dog in Charge”

One spring day I decided it would do me some good to take a solo walk in a local mountain park. I had a focused hope and prayer that I would see some “sign” on this walk that might help with my confusion about myself and how to redefine my purposes, after mostly retiring fromContinue reading “The Bird/Bug as Teacher”

Tonight I had a rehearsal for a concert that I’m giving next Saturday night, May 10th, 2014. For me, being an enthusiastic but non-professional musician, it takes a little time to settle into confidence, full expression, and into a bodily experience of the music. I first brush through cobwebs of stiffness, and habits that I’dContinue reading “Finding Your Groove”

Last Saturday night at an open mic, I saw a man who had flapped his way into flying musically. A couple of years ago, he had hidden his handsome face under a cowboy hat, stared down at his guitar, mumbled his words, and hidden his light. Now, he stood upright, wore no hat, stood atContinue reading “Keep Flapping Your Wings”

I think it’s easier for us to notice or guess at other people’s mixed motives than to look squarely and honestly at our own. Most of us like to have a decent opinion of ourselves. And what a constructive challenge, to retain that decent opinion, even when we catch ourselves in attitudes and behaviors thatContinue reading “The Inner Troll and Repair Work”

Answer: as many musicians as want to provide light. The lightbulb changes all the time. Music can light up the world. Just think of Pete Seeger. He died not too long ago, was famous and politically active for most of his life, and used music as a great shining beacon to point towards change inContinue reading “How Many Musicians Does It Take to Change a Lightbulb?”

I started to write a blog last night, but anything I thought of was either too goody goody or simply had no authentic energy. What I began to write was just garbage. Well, maybe not quite garbage, but it was more like offering a half eaten piece of fruit to someone you don’t know. AndContinue reading “Sometime Things Just Suck, Even If You Pretend Otherwise”

Cracked and Broken by Diana Jones Until relatively recently, I had a lifetime of trying too hard at singing. It squishes your vocal chords, makes you lose your breath, and the message in the song sounds strained and fake. Plus, I used to have a death grip on my guitar. Finally I stopped taking myselfContinue reading “Cracked and Broken”

What makes a song live? What makes the listener care about the characters or about you, for that matter, if it’s written in the first person? Melody matters. Rhythm matters. But for me, lyrics are also crucial. Lots of contemporary songs are “mixed” in recording studios in such a way that the vocals are buriedContinue reading “Stones and Kisses”