Home Story: Happy Ostara!

I written about my babies and now I've decided to write a little about me. Don't worry, I'm not going to embarrass myself and everyone else with personal details!

Well today is the Spring Equinox, as most of you probably know. It is one of two days per year when the day and night are equal in length (equal = equinox). In all of the religions (major and "minor") in the world, it is a time of rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings. They don't all celebrate on this day but fairly close (within the month). This is one of my favorite times of year. I get to start my gardens (yes, plural) and I get time off from work (a whole week of Spring Break is coming to a close). Three years ago, I started something new and wonderful (well, wonderful most of time!): Jeff and I began dating during the last week of March. This is year I've started something new that's solely for myself.

As some of you know, I am a music therapist. I work with children with disabilities in the schools. I have been a musician all my life; played piano when I was young, learned flute in junior high and majored on it in college. When I went to grad school for music therapy I got to do something I had always wanted to do but was too shy to, I learned guitar and began writing my own music. I've been playing and singing for several years now, though most of the time I sing for children. Trust me, you could have the most terrible voice but if you sing "ABCs" and "Twinkle Twinkle," children will treat you like a rock star. Obviously, this is no indication of whether or not my voice is good enough to be on stage. But for a long time, that's what I've wanted to do. Yeah, I know it's a cliche: chick folk singer with her guitar. We're a dime a dozen but I don't care about trying to make it. I simply want to get on stage every once in awhile and sing to a crowd that appreciates good music and have someone tell me, "Hey, that was really good!" I've sang a few times during intermission at one of Jeff's bands' shows and I sang a couple times at parties. I've always gotten pretty good reception but I wanted something different. I wanted something that was outside of what Jeff does. Yesterday I finally got up the nerve to do it. I went to open mic night at a little place called the Banter in here in Denton. I was supposed to go with a friend but he had an emergency and couldn't come. This actually made me less nervous. I wanted to sing for strangers. They probably won't ever see you again to look nervous and embarrassed for you if you screwed up real bad. So I got on that stage, did my ten minutes, and for a brief moment I felt like a rock star! It's not much, but it's a new beginning. Happy Spring.