There were many lists used in the making of this decision - the one to come to Tanglewood, that is. And it didn't occur to me, until one of my friends pointed out that James Taylor, Garrison Keillor, Dawn Upshaw, and Lucy Shelton would be at Tanglewood, that a person's presence could be counted in the 'pro' column. Well the 'pro' column was working overtime this week. I'm still all euphoric so this blog will be short on prose - I have to get in line for the shower.
Things that made it into the 'pro' column this week:
1. singing for James Levine
2. having James Levine blow me kisses
3. shaking Dawn Upshaw's hand
4. coaching Messiaen with Dawn Upshaw
5. having Dawn Upshaw tell me that I have a glorious voice
6. seeing 'A Prairie Home Companion' live at the Shed
7. paying zero dollars for this experience
8. hanging around after the broadcast to sing songs with Garrison Keillor
9. hanging around after the hanging around to meet Garrison Keillor
10. talking about Messiaen with Garrison Keillor
11. singing for Phyllis Curtin twice a week and hearing her tell stories about Copland
12. sitting in on Lucy Shelton's lecture on techniques for learning contemporary music
13. being the designated TMC fellow for the ushers
14. having the ushers know who I am and give me really expensive concert seats for free
15. walking onto the Tanglewood grounds every day and seeing the mountains and the lake
16. staying on the grounds today to stealthily catch the James Taylor concert
17. catching a little bit of the sound check in the middle of the afternoon
18. getting a standing spot right on the edge of the lawn
19. total strangers offering the use of their extra lawn chairs
20. my friend Alan bringing a bottle of whiskey for the concert and sharing it
21. watching James Taylor sing about the Berkshires while actually being IN THE BERKSHIRES
22. paying zero dollars to watch James Taylor sing about the Berkshires
23. Sweet Baby James
Life doesn't get too much better than this my friends. My dear sweet husband has almost finished painting our house of many colors - I'm the most excited about our Tiffany Box-blue kitchen - and very soon, he will come visit me. But not in the dorm. No sir.
In the meantime, I'm still all warm and fuzzy from the incredible happiness of hearing James Taylor again. So many wonderful memories from my childhood, my youth, my turbulent adolescence, and my even more turbulent college years. But he always brings me back to that happy place, soaking wet at Jazzfest with the people who were most near and dear to me. Who still are near and dear to me.
I send my love to you.
