Hobbies

Get thee behind me summer! In the U.S. we’ve been bombarded by political conventions, extreme heat, and lots of big, fat books. It’s 93° in Chicago as of this writing, but I’m off to the Inside Passage on Thursday for my first visit to Alaska. Rain and 50° are promised…

Claude Monet is perhaps the most widely known of the Impressionist painters, and it was one of his paintings, which a critic disparagingly called only ‘an impression’ of a painting, which gave the group their name. He completed almost 250 water lily paintings of the pond in his beloved flower garden in Giverny, and they […]

As women in our 60s, we have much to reflect back upon in our lives, while still most likely enjoying the company of a few elderly relatives. Suddenly, unique to this time in my life, I realized the accessibility and the incredible power of linking the past, the present, and the future…

Book clubs – both online and in person – offer camaraderie, thought-provoking discussions, and introductions to authors and books we might not otherwise discover. My online book group came together during the pandemic…

‘Learn a musical instrument’ is a piece of glib advice that’s often wheeled out to older people. But instruments are not all born equal, and choosing wisely will give you a head start in achieving your music-making desires. Would you like to while away hours…

This week we come to the end of our Sixty and Me Piano Lessons, as we play the final page of our Upper Hands Piano, BOOK 1. Congratulations on your determination! Learning how to play the piano is difficult, and if you persevered through our lessons…

So you want to be a writer? Well, after having written for over 20 years, I can say it is the best job in the world. There is nothing more thrilling than not only seeing your words in print, but hearing from people who have read them. It is one of the most humbling…

Browsing a bookshop not long ago, a bookseller raved about a newly released novel. She could not say enough good things about the book. So, I bought it. Well, despite her high praise and the hundreds of stellar reviews online, it was not the book for me…

As we near the end of our Sixty and Me lessons, I want you to think about maintaining a repertoire of songs and pieces to have ready to play for friends and family. (You can pronounce it as “RE-PER-TOIRE” or RE-PE-TWA”.) Trust me, people love to hear their loved ones play music….

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…