My first New York show reminded me of a picture I took last winter. I had wanted to photograph the snowy trees outside my window, but I captured the window screen instead. I was reminded that what I focus on is what I see. My New York experience felt a lot like that.
The venue had two performance spaces, and it was loud! Imagine two kinds of music that you don’t like, played at top volume, at the same time. It was that kind of loud!
During our show, there was incessant noise coming from the room below us. It was disappointing and impossible to ignore, but I came to see it as an opportunity. It allowed me to see that I am solid enough in my performance skills to play through distractions. The folks at our show were attentive, warm and engaged, and their faces acted like the screen in that snowy picture.
I watched artist Jane Kunzman draw sketch after sketch throughout the show, rarely looking at her paper. She was listening to us, hearing the music from downstairs, and drawing! She inspired my focus. She also gave me two of her pictures!
There were other gifts in the day as well: I heard fabulous songs by other writers, including wonderful brand new ones from Emily Duff. I strengthened my New York mailing list, met my dear cyber friend Christina Gaudet, and made friends with a dog by sharing my carrots. Two friends accompanied me, and they made the coming and going far more enjoyable.
I left the city happy to have come, happy to have played, happy to have met new people, and proud of myself for showing up. I am glad to be home again, and I look forward to the next time…
(sketches by Jane Kunzman)
The venue had two performance spaces, and it was loud! Imagine two kinds of music that you don’t like, played at top volume, at the same time. It was that kind of loud!
During our show, there was incessant noise coming from the room below us. It was disappointing and impossible to ignore, but I came to see it as an opportunity. It allowed me to see that I am solid enough in my performance skills to play through distractions. The folks at our show were attentive, warm and engaged, and their faces acted like the screen in that snowy picture.
I watched artist Jane Kunzman draw sketch after sketch throughout the show, rarely looking at her paper. She was listening to us, hearing the music from downstairs, and drawing! She inspired my focus. She also gave me two of her pictures!
There were other gifts in the day as well: I heard fabulous songs by other writers, including wonderful brand new ones from Emily Duff. I strengthened my New York mailing list, met my dear cyber friend Christina Gaudet, and made friends with a dog by sharing my carrots. Two friends accompanied me, and they made the coming and going far more enjoyable.
I left the city happy to have come, happy to have played, happy to have met new people, and proud of myself for showing up. I am glad to be home again, and I look forward to the next time…
(sketches by Jane Kunzman)
