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Showing posts from November, 2010

Magical moment 299, "Welcome, Gabby"

Eddie and I are the proud Aunt and Uncle of a new baby niece! This is what our 4 year old nephew said of his new baby sis... Admiration and wonder filled the air. All gathered round the new baby with care. Brand new were her feet, fingers, and toes. Delicate and small were her eyes, mouth, and nose. “She looks like an angel,” cried mom with delight. “A beautiful doll, so perfect and right.” “She looks like her daddy,” another one said. “The spitting image, from her feet to her head.” Big brother looked at the bundle of pink, And somebody asked him, “What do you think?” He crinkled his nose and thought for a bit. Being an honest young boy, he had to admit, He knew she would change once she got big, But right now he said, “She’s pink, like a pig!”

Magical Moment 298, "Hiking with Style"

Sarah (left) and I We spent Thanksgiving with family in the mountains of North Carolina, just a stone’s throw away from the Great Smoky Mountains. In this small town, rare is the occasion (other than church) for dressing up. This comes much to the dismay of my 20 year old cousin-in-law, Sarah , who like me has an interest for trying the latest fashions and feels more at home in a nice pare of heeled, leather boots than in old, worn tennis shoes. So whenever we’re together, we make an effort to dress up and find something in town to do. We got dolled up, did our hair, put on our nice jeans, new boots, and best coat with the intention of going shopping in the nearest “big” town. On the way, Sarah’s mother suggested a slight change of plans. “I’ve always wanted to visit Crowder’s Mountain, which is only a few miles further.” Shrugging our shoulders, we agreed to the idea and soon found ourselves at Crowder’s Mountain State Park, a scenic landscape with a wildlife exhibit and an endless

Magical Moment 297, "A Beautiful Picture"

I've written this blog 297 days consecutively. It has become a part of my daily routine and a source of thoughtfulness, reflection, and pride when I craft a thought into words and relay it in a way that is meaningful to myself and others. I feel uplifted and fulfilled when it hits me suddenly and spontaneously, a joyful moment in my day when I think, "That's going to be my blog today." The holidays are exciting and happy as well as stressful. Eddie and I drove 10 1/2 hours to our nearest family in the mountains of North Carolina for Thanksgiving. I knew we would be busy with the trip and festivities so I pre-planned some of my blogs. However, on our trip back home (that turned into 12 hours with holiday traffic), I grew restless in the car as the sun dipped below the hills of the country side. I needed to post my blog by midnight, and I hadn't pre-planned this one. In the beautiful, vast landscape of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania (our route), one

Magical Moment 296, "Hound Dog"

This video was taken at Rufus King Park in Queens, NY. I was shooting for "Hound Dog," boogie-woogie style. We were so tired from piano hunting at this point. I think this was number 54ish, and I was reaching into the dark corners of my mind to play another song by memory. What a great experience this was though - 60 pianos, throughout the 5 boroughs of NYC, in about 6 days. Whew! Enjoy. To see photos from the Play Me, I'm Yours project , click here . To see more videos, click here .

Magical Moment 295, "My Picky Eater"

Don't let the title of this blog fool you, it's not about a toddler or small child. My husband is one of the most low-key people that I know in all but one aspect, food. I was astonished after we were married when I realized how picky of an eater he truly was. And since he finds the title "picky eater" offensive and inaccurate (eye roll), we now lovingly say he has a "sensitive pallet." I wonder just how many lugies I've eaten at restaurants after he's given specific instructions about the food to the waiter, or sent the food back when it didn't meet the standard. He despises leftovers and if he has to eat them, they have to be heated in the oven, not the microwave. He has a Monk -like compulsion about his food touching each other, and it's not unusual to see him carry 3 or more plates of his separated dinner so that the tastes aren't intermingled. He likes 2 ice cubes in his milk. Two percent. Needless to say, it's quite different

Magical Moment 294, "Delicious Target"

Hello, little turkey. Thank you for giving your life in honor of our celebration. You are a beautiful and noble creature. Delicious too. A few years ago, back in the Army, I was in charge of running a firing range. We did our marksmanship training on outdoor shooting ranges in the wide-open spaces of Fort Bragg, NC. Part of this duty included arriving at the range before the other Soldiers, to prepare everything. I’ll never forget pulling up to that empty range, in the early, North Carolina haze. For there in the morning twilight, walking along the firing line, were 8 wild turkeys. My driver and I stayed aloof in our HMMWV for fear of scaring them off. They must have found something to eat, because they stayed for a long time. What a humorous and ironic picture that left in my mind. Eight hunted birds known for their tastiness, calmly walking across a live-fire range with brightly painted targets just over their heads. “X” marks the spot. But now that I think about it, it was proba

Magical Moment 293, "Baking Day Comes but Once a Year"

And on the 328 th day, she did bake. And it was good. It’s that time of year when we excitedly anticipate special things that are just around the corner, then suddenly in one short day, they're over. For me, it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and I’m baking. I never understood it, even as a child. The women make a turkey, gravy, stuffing, dessert, set the table, decorate the house, and serve a grand meal while the men eat it. I never fell into the traditional role of domestic tasks such as this. My aversion to cooking came as a young girl when I tried to make pancakes for my family and instead, started a fire. I never really had the patience to follow a recipe, create from scratch, and make a huge mess in the process, when I could go to the store, buy the same thing, and keep the kitchen spic and span. However, I do concede to the tradition for Thanksgiving and do my best to contribute to the feast. I bake 2 things: banana bread and apple pie (I suppose I haven't graduated

Magical Moment 292, "My Sweet Little Duch"

This Thanksgiving season marks the one-year passing of one of my oldest friends in the world, my dog Duchess. We got her as a puppy when I was 12 years old. She came with me when I moved out of the house for college, and stayed with me throughout 3 state-to-state moves. When she passed, I had her for over half of my life. Duchess started out as a family pet, but she became my dog. I couldn’t walk from one room to the next without her following at my heels. When her arthritis kept her from climbing stairs, she would follow me to the bottom step, lay down, and wait patiently for my descent. She went on 4-mile runs with me until she was 12 years old. When she began losing her hearing, I only needed to stretch my hand out to her and she knew that meant, “come.” I’ll never forget as she grew older, dreading the day I knew would inevitably come. If I thought about it too much, I would even begin to cry. She would just stare at me, then come over and lick my hand. I could sense that it

Magical Moment 291, "One Expected the Unexpected"

I surprised everyone by moving here to be near New York City with the intent of becoming a professional musician, performer, and songwriter. I look back now and I understand their shock. Leaving the financial security of our dual military income, a beautiful house, and comfortable life for the uncertainty of unemployment, a career change, and life in the big city must have seemed crazy to most people. After all, we had no family here, no friends, no prospects, and no idea what we were doing. Friends and family's first response was generally something like, "Do you know how much rent is there?!" or "It's so crowded!" As if we weren't aware of this already. But we did our best to explain our reasoning and I learned to appreciate my husband Eddie even more for helping me follow my crazy dreams. We considered several cities that had good music reputations from Austin, to Nashville, to Atlanta, even LA. But New York was always the ultimate to me, and set

Magical Moment 290, "Waiting for Snow"

It’s nearly Thanksgiving and I’m still waiting for snow. I’m a Nebraska girl and have always felt right at home with snow at my feet. Before my husband and I moved outside New York City a year ago to try out this crazy music business thing, we lived in North Carolina for 3 ½ years, where snow is a rarity. Stationed at the Army base of Fort Bragg, we decided that we didn’t want to live in the military town of Fayetteville, and instead bought a house in the next town over, Raeford. One of the best things about living in Raeford was the drive to and from work. Yes, we were forced to wake up earlier and it took longer to get home at the end of a long day, but the driving route was through some amazing scenery. Fort Bragg is geographically the largest Army post in the US because of the massive area of firing ranges and parachute drop zones. Our route to the Fort Bragg gate entrance took us right through these wide-open spaces. And while driving in the morning at sunrise, and the evening a

Magical Moment 289, "Murphy's Law Applies to Mustangs"

I had a harrowing experience the other day. It was a dramatic episode of continuous chaos and stress, in which I was left to my own devices to conquer. With no other choice but to use adrenaline-fueled presence of mind and unrelenting focus, I soon learned just what a true battle this would be. The task? I had to drive my husband’s stick shift to the Airport during rush hour. You laugh, you snicker, but it is no easy thing. First of all, I am no wuss, okay? I’ve jumped from a military aircraft with 90 pounds of combat equipment in the dead of night. I’ve rucked 12 miles at a time with 40 pounds on my back. I’ve gone without sleep for 36 hours and still executed my duties with thoroughness and alertness. But if I’m ever asked to drive a 5-speed mustang through northern New Jersey traffic again, I’ll go AWOL. In the Army, you can expect Murphy’s Law, which allows you to take it in stride when everything falls apart, but I was not prepared for this nightmare ride. I had to pick Eddie

Magical Moment 288, "A Gift of Song"

I’ve never been a huge fan of opera music. I’ve seen 2 operas in my entire life, O Pioneers (based off the book by Nebraskan author Willa Cather) on a 6 th grade field trip, and Phantom of the Opera , the movie (does that count?). But something happened recently that made me want to give it another chance and reminded me that music of any genre can be one of the most cherished and powerful gifts.  It was on a hospital visit with a charity called Sing for Hope , where I and two other volunteers prepared music to serenade the patients. One of the performers was an operatic soprano. The evening was filled with poignant and sentimental moments , as music often brings out emotion in the most unsuspecting people. And in a hospital setting, a place most dread to be, it was amazing to see the smiles and appreciation on the faces of those we sang to. We entered a room of two older ladies who had been placed together as roommates. From the very start, we could tell they would be characters.

Magical Moment 287, "A Grown Up's Lesson from a Children's Book"

I’m currently recording an album of original songs with Modern Vintage Recordings in New York City. Every step of the professional recording process in the studio is absolutely foreign to me, since the most state of the art equipment I’ve used before is Garage Band that came with my Mac. We’ve done the foundation instruments, drums , bass , guitar, even some strings . And we have much more to accomplish before I take my place behind the fiber glass wall and sing into a fancy, breakable-looking microphone to lay down the final vocals. This is something I dread. I’ve been wondering just how badly my pain-staking self-critique and neurotic perfectionism will hinder the process and drive me and everyone else totally crazy. Well, today I got a preview. We bought a recordable Christmas book for my nephews (sh, don’t tell them). You know, the one where you record your voice reading the story and it automatically plays when you turn the pages. We thought that would be a great way to stay

Magical Moment 286, "The Decision to Stay"

My Great-Grandma (top right) and 9 of her 10 children “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man [or woman] stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, [s]he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” -Robert Francis Kennedy I watched a single rain droplet slide off an orange leaf, and into a giant puddle that formed on the sidewalk. The puddle flowed into a crevice in the pavement and created a stream of rainwater that made its way down a muddy hill and trickled into a creek below. I watched the waves and ripples spread like an outstretched hand until I lost track of which one came from where. I wonder if that first drop knew what it would become a part of. My maternal grandmother is the most patriotic person I’ve ever known. She is the human embodiment of yellow ribbons, American flags, military parades, and Ray Charles singing “America the Beautiful.” Though

Magical Moment 285, "Live Like Royalty"

I awoke to the gentle song of birds outside my window, like a cartoon Disney princess. After I laced up my tennis shoes and went outside, I found that golden leaves had been laid out at my feet, like a royal carpet lining my running route. At work, I found that the 5-year old ballet class had come to entertain me, like court jesters, and I smiled at their silliness all through class. And when I arrived back at home, I found that a grand meal had been prepared in my honor. What a majestic life I lead! 

Magical Moment 284, "My Anthem"

This is a video taken at Riverside State Park in New York City's West Side. I always liked the song " Lodi " by CCR, but when I moved to northern NJ to be a struggling musician in NYC, it took on a brand new meaning. I now refer to it as my anthem. "If I only had a dollar for every song I sung. Every time I had to play while people sat there drunk!" The whole song applies to my life here so far but I sing the words with pride. The hard work is a badge of honor, and someday it will all pay off! Enjoy the video! To see more videos from the Play Me, I'm Yours project, click here .

Magical Moment 283, "Joy's Flock"

Our dog, Joy, is a Shetland sheep dog, which means she can’t possibly run or chase enough. She attempts to herd anything that moves, which includes squirrels, blowing leaves, and our cat. I always joke that one day, we’re gonna get some sheep so that our dog can finally do the job she was bred to do. When we got her a year ago, the neighbor children were nearly as thrilled with her as we were, and became her pseudo family and best playmates. Often when I walk with Joy by the neighbor’s window, I hear a tiny, little voice yell with delight from her second floor bedroom, “JO-EE!” (she has trouble with the “oy” sound and has taken to calling the dog “Joey” instead). This is generally followed, thirty seconds later, by a storm of children racing out of the house and oodling over Joy while she lays on the ground, basking in the love fest. Once, the five children begged me to take her to the back yard and let her run and play without the leash on, which I obliged. They squealed as they ra

Magical Moment 282, "A Dose of Song"

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at the orthopedic wing of a New York City hospital. I volunteered, with an organization called Sing for Hope , to spend about 2 hours going from hospital room to hospital room, serenading patients. Two other girls volunteered as well, and we took turns choosing a song to sing to an audience of one. We were told that the average age for the orthopedic wing was about 65 or older…my specialty as it happens, from years of playing for retirement communities and nursing homes. I brought my guitar so I wouldn’t have to drag a keyboard around and found that most patients were extremely pleased with the impromptu concert. Some clapped along, some dozed off, but most simply smiled with sincere appreciation and delight. I prepared titles such as “Pennies from Heaven,” “Tennessee Waltz,” and “Walkin After Midnight.” But I saved the best song until I found that one person who would appreciate and love it the most. And soon I found her. She was an older

Magical Moment 281, "The Double Bass!"

We recorded something double special for a few songs on my album with Modern Vintage Recordings . Not just an electric bass, but the double bass. That acoustically wonderful instrument was just what we needed for about 5 of my tracks. Good double bass players are hard to come by, but we got lucky with musician, Chris Morrison and his expertise. He played each song without ever having heard them before and managed to read through my scribbled, unorganized lead sheets with style. From the first pluck of those thick, deep strings, I knew we had the right sound. I was thrilled at the end of the session and still can't believe how well everything is coming together. Here is a short video of the session. Disclaimer....pay no attention to the voice singing or piano playing, as those sessions are still far ahead! But please enjoy the video! " Dimples and Brown Eyes " and " Mary's Lullaby " written by Elizabeth Grimes, Copyright 2009 Here are my blogs in

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

Magical Moment 279, "Où Sont les Bananes?"

They say the best way to learn a new language is to be completely submerged in the culture. Be forced to hear and speak only that language. And before you know it, you'll be asking where the bananas are in that foreign tongue! I was shocked to learn this is true for the world of ballet as well. After almost 2 months of playing for ballet rehearsals , I'm finally catching on to what in the world they're talking about. As an accompanist, I have to pay very close attention to the words (mostly French) and demonstrations of the instructor in order to choose an appropriate song to play for the combination. There have been several times when I've played an introduction and the instructor stopped me, "Nope, wrong kind of rhythm for  tendu ..." Yesterday, I walked down the hall to my living room and suddenly had the urge jump up onto one tip-toe with my arms rounded in front of me and finger tips touching. Eddie looked up from the computer, puzzled at the abrupt mot

Magical Moment 278, "That's All"

I love to write. I love to creatively put together words that tell a story or describe a vivid moment in time. Today as I practiced guitar (something I rarely do), I came across this old song and it made me so happy I wanted to share it. There are no words for me to come up with or type, only music. That's All. Written by Bob Haymes and Alan E. Brandt

Magical Moment 277, "Play it by Ear"

There is a small theatre in lower Manhattan with all the charm and character of a dying breed of New York City theatres. The 13 th Street Repertory Company was founded 38 years ago by Edith O’Hara and has remained a firm off-off Broadway venue through its constantly changing and updating surroundings. These small, underfunded theatres are where future Broadway plays are born. Now 94 years old, Edith O’Hara proudly continues to run plays and musicals in her theatre. I’m proud to be a pianist in a new, old musical called “ Touch .” It ran years ago under the same director and is making its second debut in January. The director explained to me that there is no sheet music, no lead sheets, just an old recording of the 14 songs. I would have to come up with all the music 100% by ear. I play by ear, but the internet has made me lazy. It’s too easy to google chord charts and lead sheets for nearly every song fathomable, saving time and work. However, that’s impossible with this musical.