What kind of fuss do you love? What's your favorite mess? I think these are great and revealing questions because they point to what you REALLY love rather than to what seems like a good idea to love. All important endeavors involve mess and fuss - the physical mess of paints or sugar or potting [...]
Here's all the gear that I hauled through the rain to the car about a week ago, then into the Groton Public Library, then back to my car, then back into the house at the end of the night. (And that's Mish sharpening his claws on the amp). The performing life is a heady mix [...]
Today I want to share with you one of the most useful things I ever learned. It came from the wise woman on the right in the photograph, my dear friend Miss Helen Finn. Near the end of her life, I visited and asked her if she was ready for a small surgery that was [...]
So far, the sweetest, warmest, and brightest moments of this holiday season have taken place at the piano. Helping a student play a carol he or she loves and witnessing the moment of connection - when the music comes into the hands and heart and mind - is delicious fun, and a great privilege. All [...]
Today I walked deep into the woods to a swampy clearing where lilies grow and beavers build dams. It's muddy and ringed with poison ivy, and it's one of my favorite places on Earth. You could hardly stand in a more breath-taking spot when the wind blows. A hawk mewed in the pine tops, [...]
Believe me, I thought long and hard about how to price my ebook on Amazon. There are books three and four times as long as mine selling for half the price or less. Before I hit the button to set the price at $9.99, the usual questions and worries swarmed in my mind: But [...]
OK, so my title is indeed facetious, but this is an offer I've received many, many times. Of course, it does not come phrased in these words. Usually, it sounds more like this: "Would you like to perform at our festival/event/fair/market? Our audience is quite large, and you can sell your CDs." When you [...]
I heard someone on the radio yesterday who sounded a lot like Bob Dylan.* I don't know if this singer consciously intended to sound like him or if it is just one of those accidents of nature, so I'm not casting aspersions. All the same, it got me thinking about imitation and so-called "sure-bet [...]
When it comes to clothes, I must admit I have a flair for the dramatic. I like cloaks and capes and shawls. I like swirling skirts and long hems, embroidery and abalone buttons. I like hats and tall boots. I like lace, velvet, faux fur, silk, leather, and well-sewn linen, and there could never [...]
Dramatic, yes? Perhaps a little bit, at least in the way I've expressed it. But true? Definitely. As soon as there is a whiff of obligation about pretty much any relationship, what happens? The death of freedom, excitement, engagement, and JOY. Think of friendships, family relationships, and work relationships. As soon as one person [...]
