Looking Back/Looking Forward

That's how January got it's name, right?  The god, Janus, looks forward and back at the same time.  He's the god of transitions, gates and passages.  He must then, also be the god of New Year's Eve, since we're given to looking back back and ahead tonight.

Here's what I'm grateful for at the end of this year:

• Continued good health and being very close to goal.
• My fantastic family.
• Enjoying the work I do and those with whom I work.
• Having time for volunteering in my community.
• My local friends and my friends around the country and beyond.
• Fun short trips for family, fun and friends.
• Days at the beach.
• Live music.  (So spoiled in that department.)
• My Girl Scout family.

I had only one resolution this year and I've come so close to it that I think I have to say I was successful.  Discounting the holiday weight gain that I know I can readily rid myself of within a week or so, I'm about 15 pounds away from my weight loss goal.  It's been a interesting journey of finding out why and how I make decisions about what to eat, when, where and how often.  Not every day went according to plan but I learned this year that all decisions I make I can own and that a day off the plan doesn't mean the plan is a failure or wrong or diminished.  It's just that day's decisions and I can return to the plan with the very next decision.  Food decisions.  They don't have to be my curse.

There are things I'm happy to say good-bye to this year as well but they are so few and, at the end of the day (or year), so inconsequential they don't bear listing.

Success make you feel bold.  I had one goal last year and since achieving it (pretty well) gave me some energy and impetus, there are more goals for next year:

• Continue on the healthy path and do some strength training.
• Spend more time in the garden.
• Spend some time at the piano.  (Must get it tuned and refurbished first, however.)
• Spend more time at the beach.
• Organize my personal stuff.
• Stick to the savings plan.

So there you go, Janus.  A little bit of looking back and ahead.  The gate to 2014 is open.

More Dancing

I never danced much.  I don't know why that is.  I'm a pretty self-conscious person and that's probably the major reason I suppose.

The first time I can recall dancing was in my friend Maureen's bedroom.  We were listening to the Beatles' She Loves You.  We were probably 6 years old.  Her room was really small.  I remember we kept bumping into the bed.  And we were holding our Beatles bubble gum cards.  She was a Paul; I was a John.  

I took a modern dance class when I was in eighth grade.  It made me more self-conscious than ever.  It definitely wasn't for me.

High school gym classes had us square dancing, doing the lindy and, oddly, "the bump." Now that I've completely dated myself (raise your hand if you even remember "the bump"), I should probably just stop.  I remember we had these fantastic '50's themed dances too.  And I loved dancing at my proms; they were fun--we had real bands, not DJ's.

I cannot recall any dancing in college although there might have been a frat party that I bought a gorgeous blue sparkly dress for.  There had to have been dancing there.

There was dancing at my wedding.  I have pictures of that. That was ill-fated dancing as it turned out.

After that, no more dancing.  Until Dancing With the Stars.  Until Gavin DeGraw on Dancing With the Stars.  That's when the music changed and hope, fun and spontaneity flooded back into my life.  In the last year and a half there has been dancing at home, in the office (after hours, when I'm alone--you can't go totally nuts when you're the principal's secretary), in the car and when I'm walking in the park.  And at concerts.  Especially at concerts.  (I'm a terrible dancer, by the way, but that's not the point anymore.)

In 22 hours it will be 2014.  A new year.  Like most people I have goals for the new year.  Lots of them.  My favorite is More Dancing.  As often as possible.  More Dancing.  Because if I can live my life dancing ... well, I believe a lot of good can come of it.

Let's dance.

Concert Diaries Chapter 20: Paramount 2013 (a Let's December It post)

Everything will change ...

After yesterday's adventure in the snow, I think Brenda and I were ready for anything.  We set off for Long Island around 11:00 but first had to make an all-important stop for me:  Best Buy.  Fangirl had to replace her camera before the evening.  iPhone pictures just don't cut it.

The roads were pretty good by the time we hit the highway.  Some slush on the road causing a filthy spray on the windshield was the worst we had to contend with.  We made good time and arrived in Huntington (central Long Island) around 1:30.  Plenty of time--"doors" wouldn't open until 7:00.  For this General Admission show, it was essential to be in the front of the line to assure that front row position.  We collected our tickets at the Will Call window and set off in search of food.

We found Portofino's, an Italian restaurant across the street from The Paramount that had been highly recommended and settled in for a leisurely lunch.  Just as we were enjoying dessert though, we saw a couple of people begin to line up.  It was only 3:00.  There was nothing else to do but get in line as well.  We met up with Courtney out on the street and together we joined the handful of people who comprised the front of the line. The long wait began.  It was below freezing but I was more prepared this year than last year even while still choosing a little black dress over jeans.

The time passed quickly with friends meeting us in line and chatting with other fans sharing the frigid yet friendly experience.  There's always a lot to talk about ... concerts we've been to, concerts lined up in the future, how we all became fans, favorite songs and more personal chat too.  Every meeting like this results in at least one person pointing out how many friendships have been formed because of this man and his music.

Someone from the venue came out to check ID's and give us wristbands.  I'm always amused at having my ID checked.   After all I've been legal to drink in NJ/NY since, well, forever.  The drinking age was 18 back then.  The guy really read it too.  I guess he could do the math since I got a bracelet.

Doors opened not long after that and the sprint for the front row began.  I lingered to make sure my new young friends knew how this venue worked:  stairs to the right and left, up and through the doors, run to the front.  They wound up stage left in front of the bass and drums.  Brenda, Courtney and I were smack in the center in front of the piano.  There was no railing between us and the stage this year. There often is--it makes an aisle for security, professional photographers and the artists should they choose to mingle a little.  This year we were pressed right up against the stage.  Pressed is the operative word--the room filled quickly and we couldn't have moved anywhere even if we'd wanted to.

The first opener was a pleasant young man named Jeff LeBlanc, rather young to be called a "former teacher" but he'd left teaching to pursue a music career.  He had a nice voice and was very appealing.  I'd like to hear him in a bar setting.  It was a little hard to hear him there as so many weren't paying attention to the opening acts.  I always feel sorry for the openers.  I know they understand they're paying their dues and probably even expect people to not pay complete attention but it must be hard when you have a lot riding on your performance.

The second opening act was Austin Lucas, a country singer who'd flown in in the wee hours of the morning from Chicago.  I found him somewhat hard to understand despite his standing right in front of me, literally.  I think he, also, would have benefitted from a smaller venue.

The crew stepped on stage to position the microphones, tune the guitars, place the piano in the exact right spot, sound check the drums.  When the band appears and the music swells, there is that reaction, a roaring that builds and exquisite anticipation that seems to go on for minutes when in reality, it's a matter of seconds.  We were in the perfect place.

This was my 15th Gavin DeGraw concert in 18 months.  I've seen him in bigger venues and smaller ones like The Paramount tonight.  Something felt different to me.  For one thing, there seemed to be a lot more clusters of really young fans--the kind who scream (picture a Justin Bieber concert).  Several of us caught Gavin exchanging looks with his guitar player.  The looks seemed to say "Wow.  This is insane." or "Whoa.  This is a little different."  There was really phenomenal energy in the room and he and the band seemed to take it in and turn it back out to us tenfold.

Since he didn't headline a tour this summer, this was the longest concert of the year for many of us.  Lots of older material and several from the new album, Make a Move, satisfied new and old fans.  I was a little surprised that the screaming group of girls (okay--I need to say it: they were by far the rudest people I've ever encountered at a concert) knew his older material as well as the new songs.  It was their only redeeming quality.  I was happy to hear Crush again--it's one of my favorites off the first album.  I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing In Love With a Girl, also from the first album.  Radiation, Sweeter, Run Every Time from the last album are some of my all-time favorites.  He sang Soldier which seems to continue to mean a great deal to him--with good reason.  The lyrics are pretty powerful.  Make A Move and, particularly, Everything Will Change from the new album have my heart.  Especially Everything Will Change--it describes the last 20 months of my life to perfection.  The first time I heard it (at Mixfest in September) I felt as though he'd written it for me.  "Take those boots off the shelf, Wipe that dust off yourself, Even if you've been through hell, you're back." I didn't exactly go through hell after my divorce (thanks to my family) but there were some hellacious days and I definitely had been living on a shelf ... for a lot of years.

This being a December concert, we were given a Christmas song.  I think he does one each year.  Last year it was Oh Holy Night.  This year he's been doing White Christmas.  He sat on a stool within arm's reach (check out the video that Brenda caught) and gave us his special rendition.

After White Christmas, the night became truly magical.  Gavin walked to the edge of stage right and got down low.  He was talking to a child in the crowd and we could hear bits of muffled conversation between them.  He asked him how long he'd been playing the piano and we could hear him say since he was a baby.  Gavin invited him on stage and disappeared behind the scrim to meet him.  When he was led onto the stage, it became apparent that this young man, Anthony, was visually impaired.  I've since read some posts that say he's also autistic.  I can't confirm what his disabilities are and truly, that's unimportant as I can confirm that he's a gifted and talented young person who stole all our hearts that night.  Gavin got him seated at the piano and he immediately captivated us with a classical piece.  No one was expecting a little prodigy!  Then he mashed it into That's Amore!  The looks on the faces of Gavin and the band were priceless.  Anthony then blew Gavin away with the opening chords of his huge hit, Not Over You.  Within seconds the entire room was singing with him.  To say it was a special moment would be an understatement.  I think on Twitter I said "Some kind of wonderfulness is happening right now at the @GavinDeGraw show at @TheParamountNY."  And it was some kind of wonderfulness.  Anthony took a bow with Gavin and then rejoined his folks.  It felt like a Christmas present--a lovely surprise that no one was expecting that made the already awesome night extra special. Since that night, I've had some interactions with Anthony's parents on Twitter and it's clear that this is an amazing family with a treasure in their midst.

And this is one of the reasons why this man is firmly lodged in the hearts of so very many of us.

Back to the set list, Gavin did his pre-Follow Through banter with the characteristic acting.  I've seen this so many times that I'm amazed I still find it amusing.  But I do.  It's part of his charm.  His heartfelt, Who's Going to Save Us blew me away again.  When it came to his closing trademark song, I Don't Want to Be, followed by the encore, Not Over You, I wished, as always, that he'd not stop there.  There are so many songs I'd love to hear him do live.  Songs from Free like Mountains to Move and Glass and I'd give anything to be in the room if he ever brings back Let It Go. In other words, I didn't want the night to end.  But you know what they say about all good things ...

We lingered for as long as we could.  I think everyone was hoping Gavin would come out and say hello.  He did last year.  But that was not to be.  I'm okay with that--I never expect those things to happen so I'm always surprised and grateful when they do.  There was no Cinderella party for us this year either.  Last year, we were lucky to attend the after party where Gavin and the band were on hand to talk to folks.  I call it the Cinderella party because that's how I felt that night, hanging out until the wee hours of the morning with my friends and chatting with his band all night.  Tonight Brenda and Courtney and I walked just a couple of doors down and had a drink at a pub (where Billy Joel used to hang out when he lived--for 20 years--in Huntington) with a bartender who told us some fun stories.

Courtney, from Pennsylvania, was staying over but Brenda and I had an hour and a half drive ahead of us so all too soon we said goodbye and got back on the road.  Two days, three states; two shows, unlimited happiness.

We talked on the way home about how different that show had felt to us.  I selfishly worried aloud if everything had changed--if the resurgence of success that appears to be coming would change things for our little fandom.  Terrible thoughts--I'm excited for his success and wish for bigger and better things to come his way.  But I'll miss the respectful crowds and the more intimate settings.  Tonight's pushing and screaming bothered me.  I wondered if I can stand in line longer than 4 hours if it comes to that.  We'll see.  One thing hasn't changed ... will never change:  the joy and energy that flows through me for days following a live Gavin DeGraw performance.  It's like a drug that went straight to the vein.*

*Make A Move

~~~~~

Brenda's video of Gavin and Anthony.  In the last couple of days since the concert, we've talked about this moment quite a lot on social media.  What a joy and privilege it was to be a part of it.

I love this picture of Billy.

Concert Diaries Chapter 19: Winter Wonderland (a Let's December It post)

My friend Brenda is here from Colorado and we have tickets to not one, but two Gavin DeGraw concerts.  Saturday night in Wallingford, Connecticut and Sunday night, out on Long Island.  Saturday's show also features Plain White T's, Sara Bareilles, Avril Lavigne, and The Backstreet Boys.  As it turned out, it also featured a huge snow storm.

The storm had been predicted.  All week.  The original plan was to drive to Connecticut and back and then to Long Island the next day.  As the storm predictions grew worse and worse I contemplated getting a room near Wallingford.  The morning of the show, I booked it.  The weather folks had me sufficiently scared.

We set off for the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford earlier than planned because we hoped to arrive before the worst of it.  And basically we did.  Except for the last 10 miles or so when it started to really come down totally obscuring the exit ramp, resulting in my missing it.  Thank goodness for GPS.  We checked in at the hotel but didn't stop there very long.  Even though we had seats for the performance, who knew how long it would take to get to the venue.  Under normal conditions we were about 15 minutes away.  In ice and snow?

Jarlsburg on my lap.

Big decisions needed to be made.  Stop for food or not?  We hadn't even had lunch.  We had, however, packed a nice Cabernet Sauvignon, Prosecco, a variety of cheese and crackers.  We decided that would do.  We arrived in the parking lot at 4:30.  Doors were not to open until 6:30.  And thus our first blizzard tailgate happy hour was born.  Gavin fans are good at waiting.  We arrive early; we stay late.  We have our fellow fans for company and no end to the great conversations.  Time passed quickly.  (And we highly recommend the Smoking Loon Cab.)

Tim Lopez of the Plain White T's

So our seats weren't the greatest.  We stayed put for Plain White T's who were really good.  I enjoyed the folky vibe to their music and the tight harmonies.  Hey There Delilah is such a pretty song but their new single, The Giving Tree (sort of based on the book) was really heartfelt.  I could never read that book to my kids without crying and the song gave me the same feeling.

Put up your hands and surrender to me (Make A Move)

Gavin was next.  As the lights went down, we moved to the front of our section.  The storm had kept a lot of people away so we improved our sight lines slightly in the vacant seats.  The sets are on the short side when there are so many acts taking the stage.  Only seven songs but he spent three of them in the audience, one of them very close to where we were.  He sang old standard favorites (In Love With a Girl, Chariot, I Don't Want to Be, Not Over You) and a couple of songs from the new album (Make a Move and Best I Ever Had).  I think I'd have been somewhat disappointed in the brevity of the set list had I not known the best was to come the following night during a solo concert.

During Gavin's set the unthinkable happened:  fangirl dropped her camera.  Yes, I broke the lens on my new camera.  I was leaning over the railing where I'd set it down and knocked it over the edge.  It was a stupid preventable accident and I was more than annoyed with myself.  This is the last picture I took that night.  We were too far away for good iPhone photos.  (That's one above.)

When Gavin goes into the audience at a seated show, he stands on seats or the arms of the seats.  He'll walk across them while singing and when he finds just the right spot, well, some people get really lucky.  We were those people in Yonkers.  Watching him sing while balancing on the arms of the chairs while people are clutching at him made me a nervous wreck Saturday night.

Avril Lavigne was up next.  I confess I am not familiar with her and wasn't sufficiently interested to look her up or give her a listen.  She was loud and I suppose she was good but I'm the furthest thing from an expert in rock music.  I thought all the songs sounded rather alike.

Next to last was Sara Bareilles.  I think after Gavin DeGraw, she might be my favorite singer.  She and Michael Franti.  She, also, played older favorites and numbers from her new album.  I was thrilled that she sang Manhattan.  It's probably my favorite song of any she's recorded.  She sings it so ethereally and it conveys a truthfulness about life after a relationship has ended that I think everyone could relate to.  I was hoping she'd sing her beautiful Christmas song too (Love Is Christmas) but sadly, for me, she did not.  She did sing December though; it's a beautiful song too.

Last up were the Backstreet Boys.  I know I'm going to take some heat for this but I just don't see the big deal.  The radio folks spent every introduction of every other artist emphasizing BSB and I thought that was kind of rude.  These other artists never took a break; they're not "getting back together." They've been working hard for a lot of years.

There was a lot of energy on the stage when they came out.  Their choreography was--okay, truthfully, I thought it was silly looking for guys their age. They're not a "boy band" anymore.  They're dads themselves.  Someone should tell them it's okay to just sing.  I also have this question:  if there's no band on the stage and no instruments in your hands, where are the sounds of guitars and drums coming from?  Is that recorded music they're singing to?  Is that how they've always performed?  So they give a partially live performance?  They did pause and do a few acoustic songs in the middle of their set.  They played and sang sitting on stools set in a semi circle on the stage.  That was nice.  But I will go on record as the only person who's fallen asleep during the Backstreet Boys live.  I'd been up until 3 AM the night before and had driven two hours in sub optimal conditions.  Those are my excuses.

Brenda, being from Colorado, drove us back to the hotel.  Thank goodness.  She is 'way more confidant in crappy road conditions than I am.  It was after midnight and we'd still not had a proper meal all day.  We drove around the "slip sliding" roads for a while in my "skate" which was her nickname for my little red Fiesta until we found a Burger King.  I ordered more food than we needed and let's be clear:  we still never had a proper meal that day.

Tyler Hilton (another favorite)
and fast food.  It will do in a pinch.

Post concert, there's lots of rehashing to do and we did it over burgers, onion rings and assorted other fried brown food.  At 1 AM.  Pretty unhealthy but it tasted good at the time.  The new Tyler Hilton Christmas movie was on television but the signal kept going out because of the storm so I settled for writing and outlining my impressions after Brenda fell asleep.  There is no going straight to bed after having heard Gavin DeGraw.  At least not for me ... I'm just completely wound.  So I saw 3 AM for the second night in a row.

But sleep would come and so would the morning.  The best was yet to come.

~~~~~

Sara Bareilles sang December at the Paramount earlier in the week.  We would be at The Paramount the next night for Gavin DeGraw.

Not Over You at the Oakdale Theater.





Gavin's set list.


                   Sara's set list.

Dear Young Ladies ... or, Katherine's First Ever (and hopefully last ever) Rant

Dear Young Ladies,

Hello concert-going girls, you young ones who were dropped off by parents who didn't care enough to come with you even if they hung out in the balcony, who trusted you to represent your families in the manner in which you had been raised, who didn't realize that you could be so rude and disrespectful.

Yes, I'm writing this to you.  You know who you are.

I'm thinking we might need to review the rules for General Admission shows:

1.  Pushing is never acceptable.  If you want to be in the front row, get there early.  Really early.  Slamming the people in front of you into the stage/barricades/speakers/whatever is kind of the same as assault.

2.  Breathing on someone's neck is just plain creepy.  And disgusting.

3.  Reading someone's cellphone over their shoulder is the same as stalking.  Stalking is illegal.

4.  Continually shoving your arms and phones/cameras into the faces of the people in front of you ruins their experience.  They stood in line just like you--but longer.  That's how they attained the front row.  Do you see how that works?

5.  Screeching is not the same as singing.  We all like to sing along.  We all do sing along.  But when you are simply yelling lyrics at the top of your lungs while barely attempting to find the tune or the rhythm, it ceases to become a musical experience and you are just making noise.  Make noise at a Bieber concert.

6.  How does screaming at the artist enhance your experience?  Did you not come to hear the artist sing?  Obviously you respect the artist enough to have bought a ticket so it appears as though you're interested in the music.  Oh wait, your parents bought your ticket so you have no actual investment in the experience.  My bad.  I'm sorry you missed much of what was truly great about the music while your deafening high pitched machinations to get the artist's attention went unnoticed by the artist as that person was engaged in doing what she or he does best.

7.  Dancing at a concert is fun.  Gyrating against the people in front of you is nasty.  And disgusting.

8. Having loud conversations during the opening acts, including unkind remarks, is mean-spirited.  Those folks are just starting out often; they're working hard to get your attention.  It wouldn't kill you to be a little more attentive.  You don't have to go and buy their records or download their songs if you don't want to.  But think about how discouraging it must be for them to watch you dissing them while they're trying their best.  Is that how you'd like to be treated?  If you'd rather talk than listen, take it to the lounge or the bar.

I sincerely hope you understand the rules better now.  Basically, we're talking about common courtesy here.  Both for your fellow concert-goers and the band that is performing.  It's really not too much to ask--that you enjoy what you came for while allowing others to do so too.  It's not a solo experience, you see.  You can have that with your iPod in your room at home.  Selfishly thinking that you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, isn't how society works best.  Considering what works best for the group that you find yourself in, makes life run a lot smoother.  When you can share experiences in common with other people, mutually enjoying the moment at hand, helping to enhance one another's good time--that's how awesome memories are made.  I feel sorry that you don't understand this.  You'll always have an incomplete experience until you do.

Sincerely,

One Who Wishes You'd Grow Up

(and I'm sure you will ... I'm positive you'll turn out to be awesome young adults who will look back on  your current behavior with embarrassment.  But it will be a life lesson learned ... one you can pass on to your own kids.)

~~~~~~~

Okay.  This is totally uncharacteristic for me.  But I decided to put it out there so I can let it go.  Off my soapbox now but totally cognizant of the fact that I'm bound to run in to these girls again or rather, girls just like them.  I wonder when "good of the order" and politeness went out the window.  

Or has it always been this way?  Am I just intolerant? Should I have to tolerate that behavior? I can recall those old newsreels of girls screaming when the Beatles landed in New York, how they played but no one could hear a note.  Even when I was a kid, I wondered about that.  Wouldn't you have wanted to actually hear them if you were lucky enough to have had that chance? 

Sending questions to the cosmos ... with no expectations.

Let's December It

My friend Brenda flew in from Colorado for the concerts this weekend.  That's right--concerts.  Plural.  Because there are two.  Saturday in Connecticut and Sunday out on Long Island.  We'll be in the car quite a lot over the next few days and that's okay.  Fangirls do what we have to do.  We go where we have to go.

More on the concerts later.

First, we hit Manhattan.  Well, that's not quite true.  The very first thing we did was watch Gavin DeGraw's performance Friday morning on the Queen Latifah show.  Singing his current single, Make A Move, he got our day off to a perfect start.  Then we hit Manhattan.

And there's no where quite like New York at Christmas.  The lights.  The smell of roasting chestnuts on every street corner.  Music is in the air everywhere.  Think Silver Bells:  "In the air there's a spirit of Christmas."  People are in the spirit and you can sense it.  I'm sure this is true everywhere but in New York, the impressions are exponentially bigger.  Manhattan is just unique in that it's huge yet compact.  Everything is jammed into a very small space and you can't escape from it--the scents, the views, the people.  Before you know it, you're completely caught up in it.  She gets under your skin, Manhattan does.  Watching masses of children looking at the store windows at Macy's or Saks Fifth Avenue is a good example.  Their joy and wonder is completely infectious.  The last couple of weeks before the holiday contain a lot of what they call "gridlock alert days"--days you're encouraged to leave cars at home and utilize mass transit.  We followed the advice and took the bus into Midtown. 

Macy's windows are always
pretty special.

We stuck pretty close to midtown all day.  Macy's, Harold Square, was the first stop.  The windows were beautiful, just what you'd expect. We actually saw actually two sets: animated ones on the Broadway side of the store and the story of Virginia (as in Yes, Virginia) on one of the other sides.  Brenda shopped a little.  I window shopped.

Lunch rinkside with our heatlamp
a bright sun filtering between
buildings.  Perfect setting.

After Macy's we headed up to the Winter Village at Bryant Park.  The park is filled with kiosks at this time every year with crafters, artisans and all sorts of other unique merchants selling all sorts of things out of their booths.  It's my absolutely favorite place in the City at Christmastime.  We were starving so we grabbed a table at Celsius, a pop up restaurant situated right next to the skating rink.  We had a table outside--yes, outside in December.  Each table came with a little heatlamp that provided the perfect amount of warmth.  The chairs were fashioned to look like ice.  Christmas music filled the air and we enjoyed the "warm winter salad" with roasted artichokes.  Hot chocolate too, of course.  I love Bryant Park in every season.  I love it's location behind the Library.  I love to people watch from the little green bistro tables and chairs that remind me so much of Venice.  After lunch we shopped for Christmas ornaments.  I'm still replacing all that were lost in the hurricane a couple of years ago.  A little yellow cab, an elfin skyline, and a representation of the Rockefeller Center tree now reside on my tree.

The tree was our next stop.  The tree had been our meeting place last year for our big gathering of Gavin DeGraw fans who'd all convened for a concert at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, the same venue we'll be hitting on Sunday.  It was crowded but not so much that we couldn't get some pictures.  It's the quintessential New-York-at-Christmas thing to do.  Our tickets for the Christmas show at Radio City were for 4 PM so there was not much time to linger.  We headed off in the direction of the theater, passing the most energetic pair of bell ringers I've ever seen.  They were blasting Mariah Carey's I Don't Want A Lot for Christmas and dancing for donations with an abandon you just don't see in the suburbs.

We had great seats for the show.  Stage right about six rows from the front, just under the organ on that side.  I hadn't been to the Christmas show since my kids were 3 and 6 so that's 20 years ago now.  It hadn't changed much.  Santa still figures largely in the loose story line.  The Rockettes still wear the reindeer costumes (although they looked updated), they're still doing the toy soldier routine and others.  There's still the world's smallest sheet of ice and a pair of figure skaters.  The nativity scene had fewer shepherds and bigger entourages for the magi than I recalled but, of course, it's as moving as ever.  What I loved was seeing it with Brenda, who'd never seen it and some tourists seated behind me who exclaimed over every detail.  It was fun to see it "through their eyes."  I guess I kind of take that spectacle for granted.  There was one woman behind me who couldn't get over the live camels on stage.  When you live in and near New York, you know the moment the camels hit town.  The arrival of the animals to Rockefeller Center is covered on the news, just as is the arrival of the tree.  So it's not quite the surprise for us that it is for people from out of town.  Seeing it all with "fresh eyes" was special.  I had to buy an ornament here too.

After the show we swung through Rockefeller Center again.  The tree after dark is a glorious site and it overwhelms you with its magnificent beauty.

We'd arranged to meet our friend Sheeza (not her real name) who lives in Manhattan for dinner.  She'd recommended PJ Clarke's, a wonderful place on the corner of 55th Street and 3rd Avenue.  It's good to have a real New Yorker in your life.  Sheeza has good ideas for food and music often.  It was a nice walk from Radio City to the restaurant, not terribly cold yet.  The cold is coming on Saturday.  More on that later as well.

You want this too.  I can tell.

Dinner was lovely and dessert was divine.  Bread pudding with a whiskey butter sauce.  Obviously, I'm not Weight Watchering this weekend and I'm surely going to be angry with myself next week.  I can already tell my Christmas Eve dress isn't fitting well.  After dinner we moved to the bar to continue talking about Gavin DeGraw, the amazing friends we've made through him, concerts past, present and future, men, men, men and more music.  We laughed, sang with the music they were playing, chatted with others at the bar, enjoyed the best bartender I've ever met and missed the 11:00 bus.  Missing the bus is becoming a common event for me.  Buses depart every half hour or so until 11:00.  After that, you have to wait until 1:00.  

More shenanigans.

So a 1 AM bus it was.  That left time for more shenanigans (if this was twitter that would be hashtag shenanigans).  More laughter, another drink, more friendship.  Let's december it ....

It was 2:30 when we arrived home, tired but happy.  I'd spent the day as a tourist in my own backyard and it was enormously fun.  I'm beyond grateful to have made so many friends through the music and am blessed beyond measure with the warmth and richness they bring to my life.

No time to stay up even later to relive the day.  In a few short hours, we would be off to Connecticut.  Music is just around the corner.  We will december it some more.

~~~~

Train has a really fun Christmas song on their album Save Me San Francisco called Shake Up Christmas.  One of the lines is "so let's December it."

Sara Bareilles sings a gorgeous song about Manhattan.  It just about takes my breath away every time I hear it.  I'm hoping to hear it live at Saturday's show.

Flash back to last year's Paramount concert on November 30 (2012).  Gavin DeGraw fans decembered it for an entire weekend.  Here's a portion of the group.

Walk Journal ~ November 25 Ramblings

Finally outside again and so glad! The sunset was spectacular.

Hello; my name is Katherine and it's been two weeks since my last walk.  

Two weeks.  That's the longest time between walks or workouts that I've experienced since getting back on the road to healthy.  Part of  becoming fit was the realization that as much as I'd like to, I'm not able to actually do everything I want to do.  There are simply not enough hours in the day or days in the week.  So when I started making better choices for myself in the food and exercise departments, I also started making better decisions for my after-work schedule.  I've tried hard not to overbook myself so that there is plenty of time to shop, prep dinners and lunches and walk, either outside or inside (with Leslie).  But I lost control of the calendar last week and the previous one as well and wound up having 8 evening obligations in 11 days.  Add in several long days into evenings at work and my life quickly became a flashback to drive-through dinners, sleepless nights with no decompressing time and no time to work out.

Despite the cold, it was a relief to get out.  I did my usual dusk/dark route--one with sidewalks and streetlights.  But it was still pretty light when I started out and made my way down to the river.  Knowing it would be dark by the time I reached my usual picture place at McCarter Park, I paused at the river's edge at the park several blocks from my house.  The empty, still swings said as much about the cold as the thermometer.  So did the ice on the very shallow water.  I'm grateful for the shallowness, though, as the 2 - 4 inches of rain predicted for this week could really do a lot of damage otherwise.

A couple of hundred feet more and I'm saddened to see yet another house is gone.  So strange to see these empty lots.  There is really nothing that says a home was once there except for the emergency fencing and a small bit of rubble.  It's almost as though a giant crane dipped out of the sky and plucked them up.  It's only about a dozen houses that will ultimately be razed in the wake of 2011's Irene.  A small number compared to the houses that were lost elsewhere in New Jersey last year during Sandy and the whole towns that were destroyed this month in the Philippines.  I can't help but think of how powerless people are in the face of these natural disasters and how strong the communities are that overcome them.  My mind wanders back to the days just after the hurricane (or tropical storm) and how amazing this town, my friends, colleagues and neighbors, and my family were in the days and weeks after it.

No time to look back though.  Knee is feeling not awful so I try running a little--emphasis on "a little."  But it's more running than I've done in months and shortly I'm enjoying a gorgeous sunset at the pond.  The purple aura of the setting sun isn't as vivid in this picture as it was while I paused to admire it.  It was pretty dramatic.  I headed off to the back of the park as the light quickly began to fade but then thought better of completing the circle around the pond.  The other side is wooded with rocky, rutted paths, hostile roots and wicked stray branches.  And I know the bears aren't all asleep yet--we've had a lot of evidence of their bulking up at school lately and had to order more "bear-proofing" on our dumpsters.  Probably not a good idea to wander alone in the dark in the woods.  The Girl Scout leader in me prevails.

It's about two miles to the pond from my house and another mile and a quarter to get back downtown.  No running on the way back.  It's weird but when I run I look ahead, watching for each little milestone and enduring the dialog in my head (go as far as the orphanage, run to the church, you can make it to the spring ....).  But on the darkened streets and sidewalks, I'm mostly looking down, trying not to trip on broken concrete or miss a curb.  The last thing I need to do is fall.

Turning onto Broadway, I walk along the river to the bridge and then turn for home.  The snowflakes are up on light poles and glitter and glow so warmly and our homespun candy canes line the sidewalks of the retail district.  This is such a special time of year in this town and this weekend coming up will be a lot of fun with a downtown open house and holiday parade.  These local traditions make living here such a sweet experience--they create a certain rhythm of promise and comfort and spell "home" to me.  

Oddly, as I took this last picture, my trusty walking companion (known as iPhone) powered down for no good reason that I could tell.  Forced to walk the last half mile without music, my thoughts seemed to grow louder in the silence.  Of course, there's always music in downtown Denville.  There are speakers all throughout downtown and by this weekend, there will be Christmas music all day, every day.  Tonight there are familiar old standards.  I don't know of any other town that does this (although I'm sure there must be some).  You just have to smile when you're here.  There's music in the air plus coffee on three corners.  And much, much more.   

So good to get back out.  I hereby promise myself not to sabotage my schedule, whether by accident or by my inability to say no.  Three nights out of five is the limit.  I can't afford for it not to be.

~~~

Soundtrack for a Monday night--members of Team Katherine, those who helped me so much last year.  Perfect for getting back on track.

Colbie Caillat's new single, Hold On
Andy Grammer's EP, Crazy Beautiful.  
Chris Wallace's record, Push Rewind.  Listen to Keep Me Crazy--fun song.
Tyler Hilton's record, Forget the Storm.  Loaded Gun: best running song.

Team Captain Gavin DeGraw was not on this walk (iPhone #fail) but his new album, Make A Move is in my head almost all the time.  

3.88 Charity Miles for Nothing But Nets.  Malaria still robs a child of his or her life every minute.

On Volunteering

 My twitter name is @GSKath.  I created my twitter account when I found out that both the national and my regional Girl Scout organizations were beginning to communicate important information in tweets.  I've since branched out and follow all sorts of interesting people and organizations but I'll always be @GSKath first and foremost.

I always knew I'd be a Girl Scout volunteer.  Well, actually when I was a girl, I thought I'd be a Girl Guide volunteer.  I was born in Canada and was a Girl Guide growing up, not a Girl Scout.  I had dedicated leaders who really made an impression on me.  We moved to "The States" when I was in 9th grade.  I did join a troop in my hometown in high school and volunteered with a Brownie troop but didn't last very long as these troops didn't do real camping. They did hotel camping.  I'm pretty old school.

My volunteer career began in grade school, continued in high school with student council, prom committee, the school consortium, and Sing Out Morris and then in college with dorm committees, music sorority events and helping out in an administrative office.  I was a Campus Girl Scout too.  In most of these efforts, there were adults at the helm who nurtured all of us young volunteers, helped to bring out the leader or teacher in each of us or helped us figure out our skill sets and passions.  Being able to give time and talent to groups and causes I believed in became a little addictive.

Although my time at church is more limited now,
maintaining the Godly Play worship space is one small
way I've found I can help.  I adore this room.

Fast forward quite a few years.  When my son was about a year old my priest called and asked if I would teach Church School.  It's so hard to say no to the priest, you know.  Thus began my volunteer career.  Teaching third graders on Sundays led to running the program which led to a part-time job, then a full-time job.  Volunteering led me to the most rewarding opportunities in the church.  If I hadn't started as a volunteer, I'd never have known the deep satisfaction of working for a community that has meant the world to me.

By the time my son was in school, I had picked up some other volunteer gigs.  I was the PTA "ice cream lady" for a lot of years at my kids' school, I typed in the school's publishing center (every child created an illustrated book every year), at some point I typed, edited and distributed the monthly newsletter for a couple of schools and I was an officer on the executive board for a little while.  When my daughter arrived in kindergarten, I added being a Girl Scout leader to my volunteer resume.

And that's when things really got going.

Seriously, these girls (all out of college now and
making their own way in the world) gave me so much
joy.  We began with 10, ended with 7 and in the 13 years
we spent together, about 20 young ladies floated in
and out of this group.

Watching my ten little 5-year-olds (including one with physical challenges) grow up that first year was a joy.  Each year brought new adventures and memories that were often touching, often hysterical and always rewarding.  Having been bitten by the bug, I couldn't just leave it at leading my troop.  Troops are organized into communities called Service Units (in my area, service units are most often your actual community too).  These "SU's" are run by volunteers trained in specific tasks by the local Girl Scout Council.  I started my career with the service unit as the troop organizer for my school, recruiting other leaders to start up new or take over existing troops and organizing the girls into these troops.  I ran or helped to run local events like our annual International Night.  Eventually I became a co-leader of the service unit which had, at the time, more than 50 troops of hundreds of girls.  Helping other leaders help girls find their passions and begin to realize their potential was tremendously satisfying.

My Girl Scout resume increased to include Trainer (my favorite thing to do), delegate to Council meetings, delegate to National Council Sessions and various and sundry other odd jobs that it has been my joy to do over the years--18 years I think.

What do I get out of all this time spent?  I'm privileged to watch some really cool young ladies grow up.  I'm there to see the kernels of their ideas become big successful projects and watch them realize they can tackle just about anything from planning a trip and budgeting to educating their peers on issues that are important to them.  I've met so many adults along the way who've inspired and taught me a thing or twenty.  Some of these folks I now count among my dearest friends.  I've been able to travel on behalf of my Council, something for which I'm very grateful.  I've become accustomed to public speaking (and I'm not terrible at it).  I get to exercise my creativity muscles and practice my outdoor skills.  I try to stay organized (never batting 1000 there).

Spending time with young people keeps me young.  I've learned to like a lot of what they like--things I'd never have given a chance without their enthusiastic chatter (like Taylor Swift and One Direction) and admit to not totally appreciating other things (the Twilight and Hunger Games series).  The small bits of time I give to my church these days feed my soul and renew my spirit.

I've learned that even when I've had a long day at work and it seems like going home and slipping into yoga pants and a hoodie feels right and driving somewhere for a meeting feels like a chore, there is much more satisfaction in making the drive, keeping the appointment and lending some help if I can.  Yes, I get grumpy sometimes--the last two weeks, for example, have been overloaded with obligations.  Years ago I learned that balance is key to preventing burn out and I try to limit the number of nights I spend in volunteer work.  Every so often, my schedule gets out of control (8 Girl Scout meetings of every variety in 10 days was a bit much even for me) but I just have to regroup, pay attention and look in the mirror and practice saying, "I'm terribly sorry but my schedule is already overcrowded this week."

I wish everyone could enjoy this feeling--it can be a real high knowing that you're making a difference in your community.  And the truth is--everyone can.  There are thousands of organizations that need our help and everyone has something to offer.  I promise:  you'll get way more out of than you'll realize at the time.  You are needed.

Soul Satisfying Sunday ~ Grateful List #2

1. Genuine help.
2. Good television.
3. Great music.

Coming to the finish line of a wonderful weekend.  I really wish it didn't have end.  Such a satisfying two+ days and there is much for which to be grateful.

Friday night was Parents' Night Out at my church.  When I worked there (during my second tour of duty as Christian Ed Director) we started having Parents' Night Out once a month.  For a couple of dollars parents could leave their kids with me and teenagers and go out.  We did it from 5:30 until 9:30 when I worked there so that folks could do dinner and a movie if they'd like.  After I "retired again", PNO carried on.  It's a bit shorter of an evening now but still very popular.  And now, after a couple of years off, I'm back, hanging out with our kids once a month on a Friday night.  It's an important thing to me.  I know how precious time is to moms and dads and it's hard to get away together or alone to decompress or have grown-up conversations sometimes.  I'm thankful for the teenagers in my parish who help with childcare for these evenings.  They genuinely like being with little children and are so helpful and kind.  They know just what to do for each one and truly enjoy one another's company on these evenings as well.  It's a joy to be there--a privilege really.  Really, really young ones and young almost-adults coming together and parents getting some well-deserved time to themselves.

I played "hooky" from church today.  Or as my neighbor puts it, I was a heathen today.  After all, I'd been there all night Friday night and then again yesterday morning for the celebration of the life of a woman who was filled with grace and an example of a life well lived for all.  I'm so grateful to have known her.

Instead of church I went to Super Soul Sunday.  That's Oprah's Sunday morning show that exposes all different types of spiritual living, spiritual authors, directors, people who have found a level of peace in their lives and have the ability to talk about it.  The first hour is a rebroadcast of the previous week's interview.  That happened to be Rob Bell today.  It was followed by an hour with Mark Nepo.  Rob Bell has been a favorite author of mine for several years.  I used his radical teaching videos, Noomas, in my work with teens, and sometimes adults, at church.  I love his way of thinking about God.  Read Love Wins.  It will change your life.  I've had a couple of Mark Nepo's books in my house for a few months now.  I've been reading the entries from The Book of Awakening, a daybook with the subtitle, Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have.  Here's a bit from today's reading:

...we shed our many ways of seeing the world, not that any are false, but that each serves its purpose for a time until we grow and they no longer serve us." 

Thoughts about continuing to grow, whatever your age and stage.  His latest book is called Reduced to Joy.  Can you imagine?  What if we were all reduced to joy.

This program, Super Soul Sunday, is amazing television.  Oprah and her guests live tweet during the broadcast.  It's like being in a discussion group at the same time and really enhances the experience of watching.  During the commercial breaks there is a lot to read and remark on.  I think this is what television and twitter were really created for--to gather groups of people together to learn and share with one another.

From the sublime to the fangirl.  The GACTV network produced a show that chronicled Garth Brooks' amazing 3-year run in concert in Las Vegas a few years' back.  Garth Brooks was my first adult singer-songwriter crush.  I've never seen him perform live because he hasn't really been performing since I came out from under the baggage pile.  This show, Garth Brooks:  Blame It All On My Roots brought me back to my twenties. He was the first singer-songwriter whose music made me cry.  And laugh.  And dance when no one was looking.  I'd have given a lot to have seen his Vegas act I think.  I hope there is film of it somewhere that eventually makes it to market.  During this solo, acoustic performance he took the audience through a list of the folks who influenced him from his mom and dad to "the Georges" (Jones and Strait) to James Taylor.  It was said there will be a boxed set of these covers and his songs.  I really hope so.  He's an incredible human being with so much love and talent to share.  I'm grateful to have stumbled on this show.

Original artwork by my twitter friends
@Lindsay_Gal and @CourtSusanne.
Lindsay (Lindsay Gal Designs) did the lyric
graphic and Courtney (Painting A Memory--look
for her on Etsy) did the portraits.  The top one is
autographed by the musician.  Two autographed
CD covers complete this fangirl corner.

While spending too much time with my television today, I straightened out a year's worth of piled up paperwork in my office and hung some pictures that mean a lot to me in "my room." It's the room where I listen to music, write, try to keep up with bill-paying (not overly successful with that) and do my girl scout thing.  It's the room that sort of makes a sort of statement about me.  The books, the girl scout stuff, the pictures, the CD's, my music box collection .. all here with comfy chairs, computers for working and keeping in touch and eight, count them, eight windows.  I love this space a lot.  Tonight I'm watching Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel (confessions about that in another post some day soon).  I'm grateful for the time spent nesting in here a bit today.  I'm grateful for this space.

I'll probably stay up too late in an effort to keep a little more of this weekend to myself.  There's a busy week ahead but for tonight I'm grateful for teens who genuinely care about helping, television that makes me think and music that moves me.

My cup runneth over.

Concert Diaries Chapter 18 ~ Leading Man

I'm rather impatiently waiting for December holiday concerts and acutely aware of how lucky I am because I have two concerts in December on top of the several times I've seen Gavin DeGraw already this year.  I have no business being impatient.  I should just enjoy this time of anticipation.

And there is much to enjoy while waiting for the next round of concerts.  There's been lots of promotion of the new album, Make A Move, so there've been glimpses of our Leading Man here and there and everywhere since the summer tour ended.

There have been some fun interviews like this one that was live on Cambio:  Room Temperature Cheese.  I love his recent observations about how supportive the mainstream music community has become and how there is less competition and more collaboration lately.  It was so evident during the Train tour this summer and at the WPLJ summer blastoff where Gavin and Ed Sheeran got together for the first time.  And I like cheese at room temperature best too.

The interviews from the brief trip to Europe were good.  It seemed like a different place every day and the performances and talks with radio and other media personnel made each day of that week a little special.  I liked this one:  I Failed Algebra.  "If it doesn't rhyme, it's not a song.  So  .... at the end of the day it's this version of sociology and psychology.  It sort of an uneducated version. And that's songwriting."

This interview with CBS where he talks more about the songwriting process sheds light on all the cowriting he decided to do for this album despite the weirdly worded questions from the interviewer--"Was it hard to relinquish the creative process?"  What artist relinquishes the creative process?  He's good though--he answers her with details about what it's like in the give and take of writing with another person.  He also explains, I think to those fans who were disappointed that this record wasn't in the vein of Chariot or Free, why an artist needs to grow and try new approaches.  

There have been lots of US television performances with more to come.  The day the record was released Gavin was on the Today Show.  I love how they played "We Belong Together" during the introduction.  Somebody on Kathie Lee and Hoda's staff is pretty familiar with his discography.  I'm kind of sorry I didn't go into the City and hang out that day.  I also loved the amount of camera time James Cruz had on this stop.

Then there was his ill-fated co-hosting appearance on The View when the hosts wouldn't let him get a word in.  Charming as ever, though, Gavin just rode with it and allowed those five women to cut him off and talk over him.  Frustrating for the rest of us who had thought this would be an hour-long opportunity for everyone else to get to know him.  The cooking segment with his friend Sheri Shepherd was funny though and he sang Best I Ever Had Again and kissed Barbara Walters.

Last week he appeared on the Rachel Ray Show, with an acoustic performance of Best I Ever Had.  His parents were in the audience that day.  Hearing him speak about his close knit family is one of my favorite topics of his.  I admire how he wears his heart on his sleeve where they are concerned.

I've decided that one thing that really irritates me is the rather fake way that TV hosts clap along to guest musicians.  It just looks odd.  Their "enthusiasm," I think, achieves the opposite of what they're intending.  Rather than appearing to be fans, they appear clueless.  They should just be more natural. That over-the-top flamboyant act is embarrassing.

With paralympic alpine skier Alana Nichols.

How about this...  Gavin performing in Times Square 100 days out in front of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.  There was literally no notice of this appearance or I'd definitely have take the day off and headed into New York.  His gorgeous anthem, Everything Will Change, has been selected as the US Olympic Team's song--a completely fitting choice.

Hey, before it gets too late,

Before the night is over, before the world's awake,

Everything will change.

Hey, I feel it coming on

Starting like a fire, tonight you lit the flame

Everything will change.

Last night there was this appearance on the Conan O'Brien Show.  I think this must have been the television debut of the new single Make A Move.  And by the time I hit the "publish" button on this post, he'll have reprised the performance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  Earlier tonight Direct TV broadcasted an episode of Guitar Center Sessions featuring Gavin and the band.  Beautiful direction and sound in this and I loved the Behind the Scenes interview.  And he's not terrible on the guitar.  He has to stop saying that.  He's really pretty good.

More to look forward to:  Riding on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  He's participated in the parade in the past.  2004, actually. A friend and I were chatting on twitter this week and concluded he must really hate lip syncing in these situations--he's such a consummate live performer.  Then in early December an appearance on the hysterical NBC game show, Hollywood Game Night, hosted by Jane Lynch.  It's a perfect show for him and I think he'll have a blast doing it.

So ... no concerts on the East Coast right now ... but lots to tide me and my fellow fangirls/guys over until we find our way to live events.  I feel my patience returning.

~~~

A fan made this video montage for Leading Man, the last song on the new album.

A few of weeks ago I had a fun twitter exchange with Jim Shearer, the host of the Saturday morning show VH1 Top 20.  The video for Best I Ever had been entering that chart at the time and our back and forth tweets resulted in this:  A little fun with Jim Shearer . Oh, and for the record, I did not "yell" at him like that ... Bottom line:  I've now had both my quasi radio and television debuts thanks to Gavin DeGraw.  Loosely speaking, of course.  Really loosely speaking.

Earlier this afternoon, I felt
the need to straighten out
the racks at Walmart.

Pretty happy when he shows
up in my living room.