16. My new job. Yes, for a musical journey blog, this should be higher on the list -- but I wanted to make sure my priorities were straight. While my life is all about music, my family and friends still come first. Now... I *adore* my new job as the choir director for Westside UU Church. I have received a very warm welcome and have already started picking out music for after the holidays. It's an amazing opportunity to work with a great community and I will definitely make the most of it. I spent my first choir rehearsal just observing and listening, so I'm looking forward to starting to work with everyone next week. I spent my first Sunday singing a solo (Josh Groban's "Thankful" -- which inspired the title of this post) and greeting the community. I'm looking forward to recruiting members into the choir and spending Sundays sharing choir pieces with the community.
17. Unexpected moments. As I was driving to a rehearsal the other day, the sun was setting over the mountains. It was a beautiful sight. I took a moment to just watch the horizon and breathe. Moments like that remind me to stop the frantic pace from time to time and just enjoy the view.
18. Music Ensembles. The groups that keep me going. Whether it's our church choir and band, Knoxville Choral Society or Chamber Chorale, or the Messiah Sing-a-long crew, singing with people makes me amazingly happy. I just kicked off the Christmas season with the Knoxville Chamber Chorale and the Knoxville Chamber Orchestra in a sold out show at the Bijou. Wow, how fun!
19. Mentors. Formal and informal. Folks I look up to in my day job, in my music ensembles, in my church, in my community. People who inspire me to work toward my passions. I hope I do you all proud.
20. NYC. A nice place to visit, but reminds me that I would never enjoy living in a big city again. It's the first family vacation we've taken in a while and it was really cool to share the sights and sounds of the city with the kids. Plus, Lion King on Broadway!
21. People working toward racial justice. You know who you are. ARE, SURJ, BLM, NAACP, and the recent Oak Ridge City Town Halls. I love you, support you, and can't wait to see the change we can make in this world.
22. Vacation days. I had a bunch of days off work this month, between the NYC trip and Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to even more coming up at the end of December.
23. Stevie Wonder. At 65 years old, he put on a FOUR HOUR concert, with one 20-minute intermission. I now have proof that I can keep this pace going for the next 30 years. Bonus thank you that his concert counted as one of my concert reports for my piano lessons this semester.
24. Shelter. From the rain. From the cold. There may be water in the garage and water stains on the ceiling in the living room, but our home is still doing its job.
25. Pie Five. For the many meals and free pizzas I have earned. Whole grain crusts, veggie toppings, and not a lot of guilt in my speedy lunch/dinner choices.
26. My phone. The electronic thing that keeps me organized and sane.
27. Body parts. Fingers to play piano, arms to wave to conduct, feet and legs to walk the dogs around the block, eyes to watch my children grow, ears to listen to music and the world around me, shoulders to carry my backpack, knees to get down eye-to-eye with the puppy, and a nose to sniff out the nearest pumpkin pie.
28. Christmas carols. Inspired music that helps me remember the best parts of the season.
29. Adele's "Hello" video. It gives me the feels.
30. Rain. Did you ever have something you were thankful for, but didn't particularly like? I don't like the rain. At all. But, I appreciate that it provides nourishment for the Earth. And, today, I appreciate that the puppy didn't want to go for a walk in it, so I finally found the time to catch up on this blog.
And there you have it - my update for November and my endless gratitude for the life I lead. While the storms of poverty, racism, hatred, and disrespect for our environment rage on around us, while the world needs so much more... there's so much to be thankful for. Taking the time to reflect fuels me for the work ahead.
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