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Showing posts from March, 2011

Magical Moment 420, "The Critter Awards"

I'm nearly 28 and I still love to go to the zoo - even with no nieces or nephews to use as an excuse. I went to the Turtle Back Zoo in NJ with Eddie today. It was cold and rainy, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to have fun snapping photos of my favorite critters. The Happiest Critter award goes to : Cassie the Sea Otter This is Cassie's first nomination as she is a new addition to the zoo. She thanks her parents for making her so cute, and the zoo keepers for feeding her and keeping her energy up to entertain the guests. The Most Hypnotizing Critter award goes to : The Sea Horse The Sea Horse was also nominated for Brightest Critter. The Brightest Critter award goes to : The Blue Fish The Blue Fish and the Sea Horse are considered rivals in many aspects, but personally maintain a good friendship. "We work together in our goal to inspire awe in our spectators," said the Blue Fish. The Best Dressed Critter award goes to : The Peacock The Peacock has won t

Magical Moment 419, "Make Noise, Joyfully"

I spent the day practicing the Weeping Willow Rag by Scott Joplin. Ragtime music is great for ballet tondu exercises and I'm trying to expand my repertoire for rehearsals. I printed out the sheet music and began the daunting task of sight-reading a new song. One line at a time, I played the right hand, then the left hand. Over and over, drilling the new patterns into my head.  I opened the window to feel the breeze as I practiced, and suddenly became too distracted to continue. The most obnoxious crow was squawking! Over and over! It was harsh, and loud, and repetitive. He just would not stop. So I tried to block him out and play louder. When I did, it seemed like he only squawked louder! Eventually Eddie poked his head in the music room and asked, "Uh, what are you playing?"  "It's the Weeping Willow Rag! Can't you tell? It takes a while to learn it well enough to sound recognizable!" That's when I thought, hmmm. That poor crow was probably sitti

Magical Moment 418, "Five Senses"

Choosing one positive moment a day to share is very easy some times. When I've seen an amazing sunset, been around my nieces and nephews, or experienced the kindness of a stranger, I know immediately what to write about. Other times, it can be more difficult. The days when I spent hours doing laundry, cleaning the bathroom, and putting in piano practice hours, it can feel sort of hum drum. On those days, I have to become a little more resourceful, depend on my 5 senses to heighten, and find me that one magical moment among the day to day activities of an un-extraordinary day. Touch As I play the cool, smooth ivory keys of my beautiful piano, I suddenly feel Joy's wet nose nudge my knee. It startles me at first. I thought she was  asleep at my feet . But she's awake now. And she wants to be touched too.  Taste My  husband  brought home a treat for me. Easter's coming. That means the stores are filled with...chocolate bunnies! Yum. I like their peanut butter ears best.

Magical Moment 417, "Last Minute Decision"

When my friends or family come to me for advice, I have two "go-to" replies. I decided I should get the sayings needle-pointed on a pillow some day.  When a question begins with the words, "Should I..." I usually reply with, "Follow your heart." When a question begins with the words, "How do I..." I usually reply with, "Google it." I mean think about it. Should I take this new job? Should I switch my major? Should I spend the day cleaning the house or taking the kids to the park? Should I get a new dog? Should I break up with this guy? Follow your heart. Your heart, your conscience, your voice inside your head, your cartoon cricket named Jiminy. Whatever it is inside you that tells you right and wrong, follow that. You can't go wrong! How do I get to your house? How do I make tuna noodle casserole? How do I re-cover my furniture? How do I learn Spanish? How do I fix my sink? Google it. Thank God for the internet. I google everythi

Magical Moment 416, "Light"

When I play piano for a show , often the only way for me to see the music in front of my face is from a little, clip-on book light. But you'd be amazed just how brightly the light reflects off the white pages in a pitch dark theatre. It reminds me of the lighthouses on Long Island we visited recently. Although we went during the day, I imagined how a relatively small building could illuminate a dark ocean well enough to guide the great ships. I got to thinking; a small, battery operated light bulb can allow me to play music for a theatre full of people. And an enormous lighthouse lamp can prevent disasters. The sunshine of spring will certainly do wondrous things. I'm feeling warmer already. (that teeny silhouette sticking up in the center is a lighthouse) "Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space.  It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe.  It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished."  ~Michael Strassfel

Magical Moment 415, "Long Lost Twins"

I love visiting old, cluttered antique shops. I love rummaging through the mess and spotting something that sparks an old memory. I think,  Oh I remember seeing something like that in my grandma's basement . And then for a minute, I can reminisce over that thought. Sometimes the feeling is so overwhelming, I just  have  to buy whatever it is I see. When we lived in North Carolina, I found this doll and I couldn't believe it! It was just like one that my mother had as a little girl. I remember because I played with her too. Her name was Hilda. I bought the doll, took pictures, and e-mailed them to my mom. A short time later, she sent me her doll Hilda because she thought they should be together. I know nothing about the two dolls except they are identical down to the hand stitched lace on their bonnets, and their hair is a different color. They now sit together on my shelf, thankful to have found each other again after all these years. Left: Hilda, Right: Hilda's twin O

Magical Moment 414, "Blind By My Mind"

I'm playing for a new musical one-man show by Nathan Lucrezio called " Unheard ."  It's a funny, artful, entertaining, toe-tapping, and heartfelt play that I'm proud to be a part of. At the emotional height of the show, Lucrezio describes his battle with cancer in this moving, intimate number. His sister, Elizabeth Lucrezio dances as he plays piano. At the end of the dance, I come and take over piano for him and he sings the beautiful ballad, "Blind by my Mind." I read another blog post today by  Dawn at Puzzle Pieces  and it meant SO much to me. Musicians are often the background. It's easy to blend in. For me, it's safe and comfortable. It's easy to be overlooked by others and when that happens often enough, you start to overlook yourself. The post beautifully illustrates that the "backdrop" has a very important job - to make the "scene" stand out. So I do not take my job lightly. And I hope I never do. Enjoy the video

Magical Moment 413, "Opening Night"

For a performer, there is no greater feeling of anticipation and excitement than in those moments before "show time." I am fortunate to be part of the debut show by Nathan Lucrezio, "Unheard." A short 2 weeks ago, I received a phone call out of the blue from someone I worked with a year and a half ago on my very f irst New York City gig . They needed a last minute replacement pianist for a new musical and there was no written sheet music - and only 2 weeks until opening night.  I spent the next several days transcribing music and chords from recordings and watching the hands of the musical's composer, Lucrezio, play the songs for me. In typical show business fashion, everything came together at the last minute, with our first and only complete run through finishing 2 hours before curtain. Opening night was a success. The audience was pleased. Eddie my dedicated fan and honest critic, had nothing negative to say and found himself tapping his foot along with the

Magical Moment 412, "Harry's Got the Right Idea"

To celebrate the new spring season, I thought about taking Joy for a good, long run today, but then I looked outside. Hello white snow flakes. Welcome back. Instead, I ran on the treadmill where it was warm. When I looked outside later, I realized Harry the squirrel (named by my neighbor) had a very similar idea. Spring, you deceptive little thing. " Forget it. I'm staying underneath the tree where it's still spring! " -Harry

Magical Moment 411, "The Entertainer"

Yet another video from the  Play Me, I'm Yours  project in New York City last summer. I am lucky enough to be involved with the planning of  this  year's 88 pianos throughout the 5 boroughs sponsored by the charity organization,  Sing for Hope . This video was taken at City Hall Park in Manhattan and was pretty early on in our exhausting hunt for all 69 pianos. Enjoy the video and take a moment to check out  Sing for Hope 's website! To see other videos from the project, click  here . Sing for Hope also does bedside performances at local hospitals: A Dose of Song A Message of Song

Magical Moment 410, "Come Spring"

An man once said in the frustration of the winter season, "I get so angry at the snow. It kills the plants and leaves my trees bare." His wife reminded him, "The trees are bare, but they haven't been  killed  by the snow. All the moisture is giving them the strength they need to bloom again come spring." And spring has come! Awake, thou wintry earth - Fling off thy sadness! Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth Your ancient gladness! ~Thomas Blackburn,  "An Easter Hymn"

Magical Moment 409, "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears"

The museum at Ellis Island is filled with photographs, stories, facts, and written interviews of the historic days when immigrants to the U.S passed through the "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears." I've been there a number of times now and am always struck by something new and fascinating. I can't get enough of the stories, some joyful, some heartbreaking. Thousands of people were sent back to their homelands after the excruciating voyage because they were deemed unfit for labor, a burden to society, or illegal in some way. There are stories of translators who hated to see immigrants deported, and so they would translate to the officials in a way that might keep them here. Over 300 babies were born on Ellis Island. Many people reunited with their families here after years, decades of separation.  However, this short paragraph, transcribed for a particular exhibit, remains my absolute favorite part of the entire museum. This time, I remembered to take a picture so I could s

Magical Moment 408, "Shadows"

Those of you with an over active imagination, take one step forward. It's a curse and a blessing, am I right? It can be fun, creative, inspiring, and productive. When I was a little girl, I don't often remember complaining that I was bored. I played queen and slave with my sister, and never minded one bit that I was always the slave. That made a better story line anyway. I never got bored in school because even though I wasn't listening a lick to the teacher, I had plenty of doodles to keep me occupied in my spiral notebook. And all that diligent note-taking in Sunday morning sermons? Well, I wrote some of my best break up songs during that preaching. On the other hand, my sister now feels guilty about forcing me to be the slave so many years ago. She thinks it affected my self esteem. My grades, I've always had to make an extra effort to stay focused in school. And church, well, I know what my priority  should  be there. It's like trying to control a beast. Some p

Magical Moment 407, "A Suitable Frame"

Everyone knows that the picture frame can make or break a photo you wish to display. We spent a day on Long Island. First at Theodore Roosevelt's home, then at the north shore, then down to Fire Island. I picked up a few decorating tips to share: Whether your taste is rugged or not, a plain wooden frame goes a long way. Sometimes simple is best. This ocean blue mat is all that's needed to frame this lovely swan. Day moons make beautiful pictures. You'll find that a forrest green colored frame offsets the blue nicely. Next time on Elizabeth's Home Decorating Tips: how to choose a wall color. :)

Magical Moment 406, "Orange Irishmen"

When I was in elementary school, a woman asked me if I was Irish. I remember thinking, "What gave it away? The green eyes, freckles, reddish brown hair, or that my last name is Daugherty?" (Maybe I was a bit of a smart aleck?). In truth, I'm a bit of a mixed breed. The two main ingredients though are Irish and  Mexican .  My dad always told us that our ancestors changed their last name at Ellis Island from O'Daugherty to Daugherty. Which is too bad, I'd love to have that  O  still around.  O  well. I've always been proud of my name (now maiden). He also used to tell us that we're  O range Irishmen. And after nearly 28 years of hearing that, I finally decided to google what on earth that even means. It means....drum roll please. That we're protestant Irish. Simple as that.  "May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go."  - an Irish blessing Happy St. Patty's Day! And a wee bit   o

Magical Moment 405, "Getting Flipped the Bird. Awesome."

Living near New York City definitely has it's perks, as well as it's draw backs. Perks: going to Broadway shows whenever you want, exposure to all different cultures, the finest art, the best music, and no shortage of interesting things to do. Draw backs: public transportation, cold winters, hot summers, rude people, dangerous traffic. It's a balancing act, but one that I've enjoyed for the year and a half we've lived here in northern New Jersey.  In that short amount of time, our family and friends have come to visit, and we've taken them all to the touristy, "must-see" spots such as Times Square, the Empire State Building, etc. Today, we took my mother-in-law to see the Lion King on Broadway. The show was mind-blowingly well-produced, with ingenious costumes, lighting, and set pieces. I don't want to give too much away because if you're ever in New York, you  must  see it. However, it is no secret that the show has managed to bring to life t

Magical Moment 404, "The Lighthouse"

We visited the charming, historic town of Sleepy Hollow, NY today with my mother-in-law who is visiting from Texas. We walked to this lovely little lighthouse near the Tappan Zee Bridge. Hours later, I realized that I had been humming the same tune all day long, one I hadn't thought of in years. Growing up very Baptist, I still have a special place in my heart for the old hymns . I recall hearing this particular one at week long revival meetings, belted out in four part harmony with a deep baritone voice bellowing the pick up notes. When I got home, I looked up the lyrics and began playing it. Soon the old song took on a new and personal meaning for me, and I wanted to share it with you all.  "The Lighthouse"  by Ronnie Hinson There's a lighthouse on a hillside That overlooks life's sea When I'm tossed, it sends out A light that I might see And the light that shines in darkness now Will safely lead us oer If it wasn't for The Lighthouse My ship would b

Magical Moment 403, "All 'er Nuthin'"

I told Eddie when we met, "I'm kind of an all or nothing girl." That's probably why we got engaged 2 months after we started dating. For some reason, maybe it's genetic, maybe it's a brain abnormality, maybe it's psychological. Either way, I can't seem to do anything half way. It can't be in between. It can't be now and then. No half and half of anything will do. I can't just be in the Army, I have to be paratrooper and an officer. I can't just apply to graduate school. It has to be law school. I can't just record my songs, I have to record them in New York City. Anything less to me, is substandard. It makes for some great experiences, some great personal goals, some great ambitions, but it really takes its toll in  pressure . How much can one person take upon themselves? How much is  too  much? When can I be satisfied with my choices? This struggle is nothing new for me if you've read much of this blog. For me, everything goe