Tuesday and tonight is the final, celebratory night of the Forum. I've asked the girls and a few friends to come for the "graduation". Didn't ask friends that I know it would be a burden for (too far, health, etc). Should be interesting and intense!
And the talk with ma mere went very well yesterday. Not an Oprah over the top, crying, over-emotional talk - it was quiet and thoughtful and grateful. Nice. Good. Today I feel like I've expelled a weighty boulder from my gut. She has to be really happy today, having gotten me back, finally.
So what to talk about today? I'm not going to beat the Landmark drum, don't think I'll talk about it much at all because it really doesn't lend itself all that well to words on paper and unless you go through it, you'll weary of the discussion. So, no more talk about it - just actions that arise from the insights that I will share as they unfold, if they are interesting to write about.
Last week I decided on the final theme of my Cabaret show - Songs of Burt and Barbra. Do you love that as much as I do, or should I explain? I've been on a Burt Bacharach kick for a while now, learning and performing some of his great songs like, Walk on By, Alfie, A House is Not a Home, The Look of Love, Aways Something There to Remind Me, I Say a Little Prayer, Promises, Promises, Do You Know the Way to San Jose, What Do You Get When You Fall in Love?, etc. And NOOO! I'm not going to sing Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head - that is an insipid song! He wrote so many songs that I could, in truth, do a full show of just his tunes. New friend and fabulous singer, Trish (she is a MUCH better singer than me) has agreed to do the show with me. Her strong suit is dramatic songs with long sustained notes, and she does an especially good job with Barbra Streisand tunes. What's cool about combining the two is that they are contemporaries - Barbra has sung a bunch of Bacharach, there is wonderful alliteration in the title, Burt and Barbra - both simple names starting with "B" and having an "R" - kind of rolls off your tongue. Finally, the songs are very different - they will juxtapose well in the same show - the Bacharach songs bouncy and upbeat (even when they're sad) and the Barbra songs dramatic and sweeping with long legato phrasing. And!!!!! - our voices blend gorgeously together so the duets should give you goosebumps.
And here's the deal. I'll give you the date as soon as I have it and, if you are my friend, you need to put it on your calendar with in inviolable circle around it. You are NOT to schedule your European vacation at that time, let your kids pick that date for their wedding, close on a new house on that date. Unless you are out of the country at the reading of your rich Malaysian uncle's will, or in the hospital for non-elective surgery, NO EXCUSES for not coming! I'm putting a line in the sand here! Making my need known LOUD AND CLEAR! If I'm going to do this, I need your support. Deal?
And if I seem a bit hyper today, it could be because I'm on steroids - Day #1 yesterday - took six of them and today five, and then one less every day over the next four days. It's the bad knee that has a miniscus tear, osteo arthritis and that I just fell on when I tumbled down the front stairs (it just can't get a break - wait that's an unfortunate expression in this case - I was lucky it didn't get a break!!). Anyway, I think I was working out too hard over the spring and it caused a massive flare up that all but crippled me - I haven't been able to do the 10,000 steps for a few months now. Doctor injected it with cortisone which helped a little but I was still not able to resume my normal level of activity. He wants to inject it with something high tech called Synvisc but the insurance company insists on a three month period of a more conservative (less expensive) treatment, hence the steroids followed by physical therapy. Then, if in three months I still need it, they may approve the Synvisc. I'm headed for knee replacements at some point in my future.
Just broke a Sarah rule - never talk about the weather or your health, especially as you get older. Have you noticed that is all older people talk about and it's so damn boring!!! I know the health stuff looms as you age and that there is commiseration among the elderly but having health issues doesn't preclude living a vital life and having interesting things to discuss. Knee problems and weather are NOT interesting topics - think even Robin Williams would groan if he had to improv on those two topics.
Keeping it short today so I can get stuff done. Challenge is whatever you want to make it today - who am I to suggest?
Peace,
Sarah
Regarding your comment on health, talking about it as we age: I had a weird moment last week. While waiting in line for a prescription at the drug store, I realized the woman in front of me was a friend I had not seen in months. After she settled her bill, we sat down near the blood pressure machine and talked like we were at a Starbucks. Then, a friend of a friend got in line for her prescriptions and we called her over, laughing that the Will Call at the Pharmacy is the new "in" place to meet for women of a certain age. She then speed dialed our mutual friend who lives out of state and put her on speaker phone, so we could all catch up with one another.
ReplyDeleteI am beginnging to think that we talk about our health because we just can't believe it is changing--and not usually for the better. Things are starting to wear out--is that really possible?
I hope your knee heals and becomes strong and pain-free.