FIX YOUR FACE

I noticed that carefully chosen words will force an individual to adjust his or her demeanor...even for a little while...even if they don't want to..."son of a barkeep"...See? Let someone say something complimentary that you didn't know that they knew. You'll forget what you were all balled-up about, relax, and act like a human being...for a little while...
Don't let other people make YOU the poster child for THEIR beef. Why engage in throwing shade? I thought about a Barney Fife line. "You still sore, Ange? Your jaw muscles are workin'".

Have a mind of your own. You don't have to agree with everything, but don't be so hateful and poised to disagree that you hear nothing. Just because THEY'RE mad, YOU don't have to be. Don't forfeit potentially good relationships because you're trying to "support" someone else in the drama and unpleasantness that THEY started. 
Unclench your jaw. Fix your face. Be authentic. Smile, agree, and clap if you want to. 
Be free...: )

MONDAY THOUGHTS: BELIEVE YOUR EARS

I followed the Grammy Awards in a haphazard way. Sure. I had my favorites. I love good music. I appreciate great singers whose live performances either match or eclipse their recorded offerings.

It's nice when people you actually know, have worked with, or have met are honored by a nomination or a win. Still, I wonder if the world has turned into a place where people seek to look at music as opposed to listening to it. I was happy to hear the name of Maestro Christoph Eschenbach, especially so soon after my participation in The Kennedy Center's recent production  "Beyond the Score: Dvorák's Symphony No. 9 - Whose World?".

During an interview on the Today Show, novelist, Joyce Maynard referred to "people with some miles on them". That explains it, I guess--and reassures me. No need to feel old or un-hip. I'm so grateful for having been exposed, by my parents and teachers, to all kinds of music. My musical tastes are just fine... my hearing IS intact...There IS a different between what assaults my ears and what is pleasing to them...and the meanings of adjectives like "great", "awesome", "outstanding", "best" and "amazing" DO still mean the same thing they used to.

Knowledge of the criteria is key in the world of musical competition, I suppose. Considering the motives and identities of the decision makers WILL help you to better understand the decisions they make. Unfortunately, what sounds good, apparently, isn't always the principal thing, and some will be committed to making good music whether it is ever awarded or not. 
Still, I'm reminded of the words of actor Frank Langella: “As you get older, you learn what you can endure”. 

what if you went flat...so what if you missed a note. Risk it." 

That's the difference between the people on TV and the rest of us, I imagine--the bravery to risk it all to do something that they enjoy.

BEST DAYS

We need segments of time. They keeps us organized, aid our memories, and mark occasions. For God? Not so much. He already knows how things are going to play out, no matter how emphatic, optimistic, or promising our plans and declarations are. 

That thing you said you were/weren't going to do; that person you said was the love of your life/planted firmly in your past; that place you said was calling your name/off limits? God knows whether our resolve needs strengthening--and so do we. I wonder if He's laughing and shaking His holy head at us sometimes, and saying "Poor things. They talk such a good game." Was the first day of January the beginning of something, the continuation of something, the ending of something or just...well...another Wednesday? Whatever the case, be happy. Have the best days--on purpose.

FIRST SNOW

I was so grateful for shelter as I watched people hurrying on foot to get to their destinations as the snow fell.  It was beautiful the way the snow lit up the night. It began falling yesterday afternoon and continued into the wee hours of the morning. From every window, I admired it until I decided, this afternoon, to encounter it directly. It was an entirely different experience. From the warmth of the indoors, it looked like fluffy, white frosting. The droplets of ice sparkled like diamonds on the branches of the trees, and the sun amplified it all.  Once outside, however, it crunched under my feet and held on for dear life to the roof, windshield, and trunk of the car. Armed with an umbrella, I thought I could just brush it off. Frankly, the umbrella served as a decent scraper. (Where's the scraper?) I'll see how the umbrella really felt about it the next time it rains.
I noticed several things as I ventured out. The air seemed awfully clean, but a reminder of my bout with the flu discouraged me from breathing it in any longer than I had to. The streets were clean, too, and traffic was light.
As cold as it was today, the scenery really was stunning. I'm glad I wasn't too stunned to notice the needle on the gas gauge. Running out of gas in any weather isn't fun, and today was not the day to be stuck outside or stranded. DC is no Minnesota or Wisconsin, weather-wise, but it's COLD!