Tired, frazzled, and thoroughly exhausted, I boarded the bus from Manhattan to New Jersey, looking forward to 40 minutes with my eyes closed and listening to my iPod as I made my way back home from a long day in the city. My head was pounding, my feet were blistered, and my muscles ached from shivering non-stop for the last 8 hours. Thankfully, I was early enough in line to be assured a seat, which I decided that I would take, no matter who I saw being force to stand as the crowd gathered. I don't care , I thought. I was here early enough, and I deserve a seat! I vowed. When I finally sat down near the front of the bus, I breathed a deep sigh, took out my earphones, and put the Raising Sand album on repeat. I closed my eyes and rested my head on the back of the chair. One by one, the seats filled with people anxious to get home and inevitably, some were forced to stand in the aisle - a miserable ride I know from experience, dealing with jerks, bumps, sudden stops and accelerat...

Eddie and I are gradually crossing items off our “things to do in New York City” list. Although we’ve been to Lincoln Center before, we’d never attended a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House until a few nights ago when we saw  La Boheme . It was an early Christmas celebration, and one of those night-outs that have to be pre-budgeted. I was looking forward to the show for days. I picked out my dress, planned for a manicure, and dug out my red heels. Eddie brushed off his suit and made dinner reservations at The Grand Tier Restaurant. I was very excited as I got ready for our big night on the town, thinking the last time I got this dressed up was for a military dining out banquet in college. The evening didn’t disappoint. Everything was stunning from our dinner, to the artwork in the lobby, to the crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The show was unlike any beauty I’ve ever seen or heard. The stage sets alone were images taken from a movie screen, or painted work o...

Photo by Vincent Belford I’ll never forget my first trip into Manhattan from our new home in New Jersey. It was on a bus that went straight through the Lincoln Tunnel and right into the middle of Times Square. Those few minutes in that dark, narrow tunnel underneath the Hudson River, I kept wondering, “ What am I gonna see when we come out the other side? ” The answer was an awe-inspiring array of skyscrapers, traffic, people, and lights. Since then, the novelty and excitement from that first trip has worn off a bit. I’m still amazed and privileged to be here, doing what I do, but the city can be rough at times. After a 9-hour day of fighting crowds and constant shivering through the dirty streets and subways, I long for a quiet place to hear myself think, warm my hands, use a clean bathroom. A corner Starbucks just doesn’t cut it. After my last battle with the subway for the day, and my final fight with the Port Authority Bus Terminal, I once again long for that tunnel. Only this t...

There are a million things in life that we feel like we have to do, or should do. It is the people that have the ability to ignore that nagging voice, that potentially break barriers, create change, or have a great impact on others. There is a woman named Edith who lives in an upstairs apartment from the small, New York City theatre she has owned and run since 1972. She is 94 years old. I am currently playing the piano for a play in this theatre, Touch the musical, and attend rehearsals a few times a week. Yesterday, I arrived early to find that Edith and I had the place to ourselves. She was huddled near an automatic heater with a blanket over her. "Is that Elizabeth?" she asked. I smiled and greeted her, then sat down and waited for the others to arrive. We soon fell into easy conversation and as I began asking her questions, I became more and more enthralled with the life she's led. Her family has lived a life of music and show business and I was struck to lea...

Jenny (left) and I from a million years ago...I think we won a cake walk? I'm proud to say that I've been able to hold onto a few friendships for 20 plus years (I'm 27). One of those friends is Jenny. We've managed to stay in touch despite school changes as children, out of state moves as teenagers, marriages as adults, and major life decisions ever since.  I was thrilled to learn a few years ago, that she began creating the most charming headbands, inspired by her adorable young daughter, Haley. Soon her variety and unique style expanded to hats as well and she began a successful business selling them, Haley's Headbands . I often find myself browsing through photos of her creations, completely delighted and picking out my favorites. She takes her own photos for most of the advertisements as well, which I find equally beautiful: Today I came home to find a package on my doorstep. I tore it open with excitement when I saw the return address, Haley's Headbands...

"I'll meet you anytime you want in our Italian Restaurant." - Billy Joel On the city bus from Manhattan to my house in Northern New Jersey, I once distracted myself from the uncomfortable ride by counting every pizza or Italian restaurant we passed, not including national chains. I lost count at about 32, and it's a 30 minute ride. Directly across the street from our apartment alone are three small, privately owned Italian restaurants. As a Nebraska girl, good Italian to me was delivered to my front door by Pizza Hut in 30 minutes or less. But since I've lived here in Bergen County, I've discovered a whole new taste and selection of Italian food. Chicken parmigiana, eggplant rollatini, chicken scarpariello, and a plethora of fettuccine, tortellini, ravioli, and ziti, all covered with marinara, garlic, or alfredo sauce and sauteed to perfection. And I admit, I've become a pasta-holic. After an excruciatingly long day in the freezing cold city, suffer...

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt I have many fears. One of my worst fears, is that one day I will discover that I am not a talented musician. I don't possess the qualities necessary to become successful in this field, and all my hard work, commitment, time, and energy will have been wasted on a meaningless quest that never stood a chance in the first place. This is why I take it so very hard when I feel someone has insulted me in this area. I once received a youtube comment to the effect of, "That piece should be played a little faster." I took this to mean, "You suck, you have no talent." Irrational, untrue, ridiculous! I am terrified that this is true however, and I'm very conscious of people's words, reactions, even glances that may imply its validity.  I discovered this revelation by accident today and I related it to my other life phobias. In the Army, I was worried that I wouldn't be...