My blog hits are once again low. I made the potato kugel recipe this morning.

I finished reading Becoming Madison by Michael Signer yesterday morning. Now I need to type up my reading notes written on stickies throughout the book.

I know that librarians sometimes say this is hard on books, but it’s easiest way for me to take notes while reading a library book.

I emailed the chair of the Dance Department. He replied apologizing that he had not contacted me yet. Then he offered me two classes, both of which occur outside of the time parameter I originally specified last year (8:30 AM and 1:30 PM). I gave myself 24 hours to think about this. After talking with Eileen and giving it some thought I have decided to decline these classes, even though I could conceivably make the times.

I have found NOT having an 8:30 class gives me my morning which I treasure.

And the 1:30 time cuts into my weekly meeting time with Jen. Plus I think that not having to deal with the dance department will significantly lower the stress and extra effort it takes to do this.

I’m also currently doing some composing. The composing energy comes from the same place in my being as the improvising. I put my heart and soul into improvising as I do my composing.

I am gradually moving to a different place in my way of being. I notice that much of what I do goes unrecognized. This is probably inevitable since I have shirked so many normal paths of living out my art and life. I wouldn’t want to do it any differently. I feel very lucky to have daily contact with great art and literature.  And actually I am experiencing a new resolve to simply pursue those activities that are most myself like composing, studying and learning music for its own sake and learning music to perform at church or wherever.

Maybe it’s as simple as losing some burnout and acquiring new resolve. I hope so.

Speaking of being lucky, I had a box of music arrive in the mail yesterday. I’m quite excited about it. It contained several choral anthems by Nico Muhly as well as an organ piece and marimba/organ duet by him.

Also organ music by James Woodman and the Canadian composer, Rachel Laurin.

AND a lovely Schott edition of the complete works of Georg Böhm.

This latter volume begins with a piece I learned studying with Ray Ferguson.

Eileen helped me stuff choral music into folders yesterday. We are planning a little surprise Epiphany refreshments tonight for the choir. I’m feeling good about this season, even though I only have anthems chosen through the end of Feb (Lent III?).

Do I even need to say it?

My life is good.