My natural inclination is to plan. I like to decide what is next, next and next. Many times this comes in handy. For instance, this summer when my family accompanied me to my performance locations, before we left I would do an internet search and find the museums and parks. When the family dropped me…

In the minivan with my family–traveling toward a new place to explore– is one of my favorite HAPPY PLACES.  Vacations, however, can be expensive and exhausting and sometimes it’s impossible to get away from work and responsibilities for an entire week. Oftentimes vacations can be more trouble than they are worth. Knowing this to be…

Today we spent the day at a very cool aquarium gazing at bubble-like jelly fish, a crazily-playful otter, and ferociously-feeding sharks.  My 12-year-old boy–taller than I–wrapped his arms around me in this public place and said, “Thanks, mom. Thanks for bringing us here.” An hour later he repeated the same hug and the same appreciative…

“Mom, can I go pet that black and white cat on the other side of the fence?” “UUGH-GRRRR-PFFFFT” “What was that, Mom?” “UUGH-GRRRR-PFFFFT” <<giggle, giggle>> “I’ll take that as a ‘YES!'” and off she bounds to whisper private words of love and connection to the skittish-but-loving, too-skinny,  juvenile cat. I’m known around town as the…

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