Hobbies

As a long-time performer and vocal coach, I have heard these words spoken many times, especially after one of my concerts or talks. These days, during concerts, which have taken on a more conversational tone, I often mention the great pleasures that singing…

As I approach my 60th birthday, I find myself feeling a bit clueless after retiring from teaching elementary school for more than 30 years. I look at young people with a mix of fright and disdain, wondering how they can be so confident in their youth…

Do you doodle while you’re waiting on the phone or making lists? That’s good news because scribbling, coloring with crayons, or drawing random designs, it turns out, can boost your overall health and keep you sharper mentally. What might have seemed a luxury…

I married a bona fide farm boy/nature lover. When I met Dave, he was a grad student in the biology department, and he was teaching Botany. He has always planted things. I love that he has planted trees anywhere we have lived and especially that he is…

I take French lessons remotely with a French teacher. Sometimes when I am practicing my French, I start to hear voices in my mind saying, “I’m never going to get this, why am I even trying?” Perhaps you have had a similar experience while learning your music…

When you have a song or piece that requires some jumping around, for example moving from the D chord to the A chord, or the B chord to E chord in Careless Love on p.91, you can practice by closing your eyes before jumping to the 2nd chord…

Scales. You’re supposed to play them, right? Maybe you feel guilty because you don’t practice them enough – or at all. Or maybe you practice them excessively as an unconscious way to avoid tougher creative challenges. But what’s an appropriate…

Imagine yourself at a casual social gathering, where you find the courage to share a life event that deeply affected you. This simple act becomes an icebreaker, and soon, you’re bombarded with comments like, “You should write a book!”

June 1st marks the beginning of meteorological summer, a prelude to the solstice and a promise of endless hours of sunshine ahead. In this season of growth and green, there is no better time to recommit to our creativity. Here are five steps…

Many of us read; some have eclectic tastes. If you’re always open to exploring less-known titles, here’s a list to peruse. Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart My husband and I listened to Shteyngart’s best seller Super Sad True Love Story. He loved it. Me, not so much. That’s how I felt about Our Country […]