You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio (Joni Mitchell)

Such a lovely birthday yesterday... starting with our UU church service on the theme of Faith - I then drove down to Miami to be on Michael Stock's Folk and Acoustic Show to promote our upcoming Labyrinth Cafe concert series, for which I do the booking.

I had a blast chatting with Michael and sharing stories of the upcoming performers, as well as playing their CDs - what I had presumed to be a 30-minute slot of airtime stretched into an hour. At the very end I had asked Michael if, after we wrapped up Labyrinth conversation, I could play two songs - I told him it was my 53rd birthday and couldn't think of anyplace I'd rather spend it than sharing my music passion. He then spun Susan's House, a most delightful song my friend Laurie wrote for my birthday last year... and then You're Aging Well, my personal anthem - I found out later my daughter Sarah had been listening in and cried her way through both (very validating to think it helped her understand my endeavors a bit more... :-)

Came home to nap and then out to dinner with the rest of the family, as a combined celebration with Eric, whose friend Ryan also joined us - we went to a Chinese buffett and, 3/4 of the way through the meal, my husband, who's allergic to shellfish, began having a reaction. Fortunately we had taken two cars so Sarah drove him home to load up on Benadryl while the boys finished eating - we stopped at Publix to get a cake (since we were planning to savor the desserts at the restaurant) and opened cards and presents in the comforts of home (and medication!). It was my turn to cry at the sweet messages from my family - we then sang Happy Birthday (I inadvertently used trick candles... :-) and I was in the bed by 10:30 p.m... definitely not my modus operandi but, after the full weekend and last week's Falcon Ridge trip, I had hit the proverbial wall...

Great day past, great year ahead - nothing like crossroads and milestones to keep a journey fresh and anticipatory...

SONG: You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio by Joni Mitchell

BOOK: Public Radio: Behind the Voices by Lisa A. Phillips

POEM: by William Stafford ~ When I Met My Muse
I glanced at her and took my glasses
off - they were still singing. They buzzed
like a locust on the coffee table and then
ceased. Her voice belled forth, and the
sunlight bent. I felt the ceiling arch, and
knew that nails up there took a new grip
on whatever they touched. "I am your own
way of looking at things," she said. "When
you allow me to live with you, every
glance at the world around you will be
a sort of salvation." And I took her hand.

QUOTE: "If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music." ~ Albert Einstein