The other day I needed to go to the DMV because I need a real ID and my license is expiring soon. Errands are tough these days, right? I gathered all my documents and more (piece of advice for the DMV, always bring 2 to 3 more documents than you think because they won’t like a few of them and then you can try again). This errand took about 45 minutes, and then I realized I had some time and could check off some more errands. I haven’t done a good errand running morning since BEFORE, because of things being closed, or too crowded, or worries about getting sick, or all of those things.  So I went to get passport photos at a place, but it wasn’t open yet (too early in the morning) and then I drove around the block and saw that I could quickly get an oil change…it was a very productive morning and the only thing I have left to do with all of that now is mail in my passport, which means I should go to the Post Office to send it priority.

It’s funny how NORMAL I felt driving around doing things. It made me feel alive and hopeful that someday soon we can truly be back to normal, where if you need something at a shop you just head out and get it, or you make a list of 3-5 errands to run in a morning and get started, without worrying, do they have proper distancing procedures, will they even be open, will millions of people already be there?

There is hope! And light at the end of the tunnel, and all of the analogies one can make.

I had been putting off some other plans as well, waiting to decide what to do for my studio’s May Recital. And then it hit me: rent a pavilion at Tower Grove Park. I thought, oh they might already all be booked, what a great place to hang out in these times. But I was able to get one for the day I wanted (hopefully a day that will work for students) and I think it’ll be really fun. We’ll do an outdoor recital, we’ll hope for good enough weather, and the students will get to have interaction with the other students. I’ll figure out the mask rules later, and whether we can do a reception, and other details, but it’s long enough away that for now I just sent out a “Save the date” and I hope that most families will feel comfortable attending. I think many of the parents will be vaccinated by then so it should be a relatively safe, and in my opinion, very “worth it” activity.

So it’s been a productive week for me, and it feels good. It might be the typical spring feeling, of the weather warming up and wanting to come out of hibernation, but it might also be the feeling of hope and feeling like yes, we are going to make it, we just have to stick it out for another month or two and then we can live our lives again.

I’ve figured out my plans for how to do this whole career thing too, to keep teaching a bunch but not take every gig. I will take some though, but just more thoughtfully. It’s tempting to want to fill every blank space on the calendar, but I’ve definitely learned that blank space is good.

There you have it. Happy Friday to you all, can you believe it is another Friday already?