Piano Notes

As a kid, I took piano lessons for a few years before deciding I didn’t like practicing and recitals seemed boring to me. Now, as an adult, I covet the impressive skills of piano players/singer-songwriters like Sara Bareilles who can so easily sing and play at the same time with such ease and emotion. I’ve

Home for the Holidays

This year has given me a lot of time and reason to contemplate the definition of ‘home’. This should be a simple thing to answer: where is home? But I’ve slept under a dozen different roofs this year, only one of which was my own. Initially intending to pass 2020 as a traveling nomad, my

Giving Tuesday

I am a list maker. It makes me feel organized and productive and it also gives me something to focus on. When I’m weighing a decision, my sister always tells me to make a pro’s/con’s list but I’m far better at making to-do lists. When my trip in Asia was curtailed by COVID, I made

Embrace the Wobbles

In yoga, my instructor often says “embrace the wobbles” when we are working on a challenging pose. In order to reach stability, you have to keep your muscles engaged and be patient with the process. To get comfortable, you first have to be uncomfortable. I went to my first Juneteenth celebration last month in Appomattox,

Juneteenth

I’m a history buff. Or rather, my parents are history buffs and therefore, it rubbed off on me. For my dad, history is his jam, with particular emphasis on the Civil War. We would take trips to obscure (and not so obscure) Civil War battlefields and watch documentaries on the big players of both the

Hope Springs Eternal

At this point, I barely know what day it is let alone how many days we’ve been in lockdown. Like all coronavirus stats, how you count the days varies on a number of factors: are you starting when there was mandated stay-at-home order? Or just suggested? Are you counting when you personally started? Or when

Let’s Play the Work Game!

Remember when you were a kid and you were mystified at what your parents did all day and then you would get to their office and play work? My brother and I would play ‘businessmen’ and have cookies for breakfast, pretending they were donuts (that did not fly with our parents). We would set up

Be A Lady

Recently, the video narrated by Cynthia Nixon entitled ‘Be a Lady They Said’ has been circulating amongst my friends. It highlights the contradictory messages we as women receive from society, the media, our partners, basically everyone. I had actually written this poem last month, feeling like throughout my life I’ve been told I’m too this

The Bonsai Tree

Even the bonsai With roots deep beneath the ground Needs support sometimes

Scenes from the Underground

Hum along to the tune of “My Favorite Things” from Sound of Music Door blockers, pole leaners, noisy rude talkersCoughers and sneazers who touch the pole afterDrunken football rev’llers singing with pride,These are the scenes of the Underground ride! Babies in buggies who scream ever louderGirls put on make-up to make themselves prouderBums and musicians