I hear there is freezing rain outside. I’m warm inside, doing laundry, but really just drinking coffee and debating how bad my lower back feels/icy sidewalks/should I go for a run today or postpone until tomorrow.

Oh, and violin practice. I miss playing the violin! That is, classically. I didn’t bring it with me last week to Philly (taking running shoes I didn’t use wasted enough space) so it’s been quite awhile since I played other than the band stuff on Saturday, which isn’t quite the same (and isn’t as challenging as anything else I’m working on.) Louie’s dad (also a musician) was asking me Friday if I’d be practicing when I got home (I think Louie gives him the idea that I am a serious musician)…I guess Monday is close enough, right?

Oh, and there isn’t a way to “drive on ice” unless you mean slowly and allowing a ton of time to slow down. I saw somebody posting on facebook how nobody knows how to drive on ice. I don’t want to have to get on a soap box here, but during the many years I lived in Cleveland I learned the best way to drive in inclement weather is slowly and allowing room between you and the next car so that when you inevitably hit a patch of ice, maybe you won’t hit them. But here it seems people get upset if traffic slows down for bad weather, so I’m totally confused, and I’m sure that folks here know better 😉 I’m also sure that mostly what one reads on facebook is simply the opinion of the loudest people, not the majority opinion. I have to assume that at least.

Let’s see. No post is complete without a cat picture…or at least I get angry comments when I leave them out. And in my last post, yes, I meant I hadn’t seen the movie Rocky.

Yesterday was the first snow of the season, unless you count flurries…the band was in Marion, Illinois doing our first show and luckily the drive home was easy enough. I want some pictures or video of the show to share with you, but I don’t have anything good right now. Suffice it to say that I rocked out.

Other than this fabulous shot of us messing around in the dressing room pre-show.

Oh, and this selfie from sound check. Yes, we as a band have to set up all the lights and everything. The advantages of playing acoustic instruments and not having lighting to distract the audience abound in untold ways!

And nothing says rock like a floral sweater. You’re welcome 🙂

Today the Illumine Ensemble had our second (last for now) show of Fractured Fairy Tales. Here’s a link to a video clip—Friday’s show was great fun and today’s was nice though the crowd was small. We could blame the snow but I think we didn’t have enough marketing either. It’s a tough show to market, because it’s sort of geared towards kids, but then aspects of it might be better for adults…but it was a fun show and I think with some tweaking we can really make it one way or the other. (Tweaking, not twerking. Please don’t get confused.)

Tonight we are checking out a new Mexican Restaurant and seeing a movie at a film festival. I know, it’s cold and snowy and really I should hibernate, but it’ll be nice to have an evening to NOT work. Though an evening hibernating on the couch would be lovely too, but I’m determined to not become a potato.  Unless it’s a sweet potato, and then I’ll consider it.

Stay warm my friends! Sweaters, boots, snow, hot drinks…winter is here!