Songs of grace and change at lunchtime

PHOENIX: Songs of Grace, Change and Acceptance, by Annie Moscow
Herberger Theater’s The Kax Stage
Jan. 24, noon lunchtime series

I went to this show as part of a class about the humanities. It was close to work and I thought, "What the heck, it's better than a lecture on methodological frameworks, right?"

Well, this turned out to be a wonderful event and a peaceful way to spend an hour in the middle of a workday ... but I wasn’t so sure about it as I approached the Herberger.

The theater looked dark. Nobody was around, yet there was a handmade sign on the box office door directing me around back to The Kax Stage.

• A team of gray-haired ladies greeted me at the door.
• “Did you book tickets online?” “Did you order a lunch?”
• Nope, nope. Just stopped by.
• I paid my $6, took their handful of leaflets promoting the rest of the lunchtime season and headed into the theater.

It was packed. Everybody seemed to know each other. Clumps of senior citizens sat together. And there was a large group of teens who’d come with their chaperones on a yellow bus parked outside.

People were eating from brown bag lunches and chatting away. It was kind of your typical small stage – heavy black curtains; the walls, floor, chairs were all black. Lights were kind of low, but chatter brought in some light. It was a little like we were at a picnic in a jazz club.

Then, lunches were finished. Trash tossed out. Brakes were set on the walkers and wheelchairs. Judy Rollings, Arts Education & Outreach Director for the Herberger welcomed us and told us about a lot of other activities coming up.

Then Judy introduced Annie Moscow who stepped through the curtains, smiled at us and sat down at a baby grand piano to play a song. I thought, “Oh, no. Isn’t she going to interact with us?” Well, she did and it was great.

Annie Moscow is a musical storyteller. And she tells stories and sings songs about Phoenix. And the story of Phoenix right now is about heartache, unemployment, foreclosures and loneliness. But Moscow also sang about people needing each other and how we’re all in this together. And she was funny.


This was a great use of the small theater at Herberger. The crowd was fed and prepped and welcomed. And Moscow’s message was universal. She was kind of a female Harry Chapin, entertaining us with songs, stories, a wink of an eye.

Even though the audience seemed a little disjointed with its senior citizens, teens and the odd office worker off the street, Moscow pulled us all together. This was a fine display of the Humanities. Moscow cared enough to open herself up before us. And we cared enough to create a safe space for her to do so.

We didn’t have to understand her show, we could just feel it. The hour went by quickly. And Moscow sent us on our way with a song called “Hey Jo” that included these lyrics:

 “You can drive a little
Let me close my eyes a little
‘Cause I’ve been runnin’ like a champion
And I’m tired to the bone
Oh won’t you drive a little while
Just for the
Next 50 miles
Won’t you take us in your steady hands
And get us safely home”


This was a nice way to spend a workday lunchtime. I may go again.

Robin, Tempe

Totally Perfect Moment Weekend

The purpose of this blog was to point out Perfect Moment's as we work through our days. But this time I wanted to talk about my Perfect Moment weekend, a weekend full of moments that made me smile, made me outright laugh, made me "feel the inner light" made me envious and made me cheer out loud. Lets just say it was one amazing weekend!

It all began on Friday when I heard this giggle as I was walking through the mall. It was an indoor carousel. You always see those pictures in movies when a kid and their parents are riding on them and having the time of their lives. I can't say as I ever remember riding on a carousel, but I am always intrigued, and they always make me stop and watch. But this time it was the sound of this little boy that drew my attention.

He was all alone on this carousel with his mother, the only ones on the ride. And he held on to that horse and to his mom so tight and was just laughing and laughing. I couldn't help but wish I was on the horse next to him! His infectious laughter made me feel like a kid again, made me remember how much fun it was to enjoy something for the first time, that sheer wonder! I thought to myself, what an amazing way to start my weekend! I walked out of the mall with a big smile on my face!

Saturday I had my perfect day and just lounged around in my pajamas with the person I love watching bad movies. It was fantastic!

This joyful bounty of perfect moments continued on Sunday morning when I went to this yoga class. It was a class where we were concentrating on the heart. As I laid down on the mat, and listened to the instructor tell me to "invite the light" into my heart, I have to admit it gave me an amazing feeling.

I don't know what the heck was going on! You can read anything into it that you want, but what I can say is that I smiled, a big old smile! I couldn't fight this smile that started in my heart and then spread out to my toes and the top of my head. It was quite amazing! And then the class ended with us breathing, and my favorite song playing, Haleluhah! One heck of a Karma moment!

So, then I got in my car and was headed home and stopped at a light, and I was still smiling about my class, when I looked to my left and saw this ... a truck literally covered in mud. At this point I just broke out laughing! What the heck had this truck been doing all weekend that it was literally covered from top to bottom in mud??? All I could think about was it must have been a Perfect Moment for the two kids driving the truck! I wanted to play in the mud as well!

Then, it was time for the icing on my Perfect Moment Weekend... The Giants versus the San Francisco 49'ers.

Now, for those of you who don't know it, I am a huge football fan, especially love the Giants. So, today I did my "smack talking" as my dad would say.

I lived and died many deaths throughout the four-hour game which went into overtime, but lost it when the Giants made that field goal, and are now headed to the Super Bowl! I love this weekend, and wanted you all to share in it with me!

Sue, Tempe

Feeding my cold

Not sure really what that old chestnut is ... feed a cold, starve a fever? Starve a cold, feed a fever?

Feed a cold, originally uploaded by RobinJP.
Thanks, Judy. This is delicious.

Doesn't really matter. I'm feeding my cold this weekend. I figure since I've launched a 4-day MLK Jr. Day weekend with a blasted head cold, then I'm going to treat myself well... at least during those periods when I'm awake.

In between naps and snacks, I've been watching weather reports from friends on Facebook. Seattle is experiencing a wild snowstorm and friends there are coooold.

And that reminds me that my friend Judy (who lives in Seattle) gave me this tin of Seattle Special Recipe Cafe for Christmas.

I'm enjoying it while I watch her snowy photos. Hope she bought one for herself.

Robin, Tempe

Holiday travel: Now that's tired!

Holiday travel: Now that's tired!, originally uploaded by RobinJP.

Holiday travel: Now that's tired!
Thank goodness the holidays are over. This group was seen waiting out a flight delay in Denver.
I think this is a scene we can all relate to.
.
Robin, Denver International Airport

Knowing every day we never know

I went for a very long walk today ... Day 1 in 2012 .... and listened to about four songs.

That's four songs in 4.6 miles, walking. I must have listened to "Like You'll Never See Me Again" by Alicia Keys about a gazillion times.

Yes, it's about having limited time here and together and it's about appreciating what you may lose.

But it is really about appreciating what you've got. And about living life to its fullest. Enjoying your perfect moments and knowing that "every day we never know."

"I don't want to forget the present is a gift 
And I don't want to take for granted 
The time you may have here with me 
'Cause Lord only knows another day here's not really guaranteed 


 So every time you hold me 
Hold me like this is the last time 
Every time you kiss me 
Kiss me like you'll never see me again"

So, my long walk on Day 1, which was to set my intent for the year, helped me set my intent for several things. Two of them:

• Taking long walks and 
• Never forgetting the present is a gift. 

Happy New Year, everyone. 


Robin, Tempe, Arizona

Our little drummer girl

My mom was in a drum and bugle corps in high school and when I was young, she played around with drum sticks and a wooden block practice pad.

My friend Holly heard this story a few years ago and suggested I take my mom to Girls Rock Camp, an annual band camp for women and girl musicians in Atlanta.

That would have been a great idea a few years ago, but I don't think my mom would make that sort of trip now.

Soooo... I decided to bring Girls Rock to mom this Christmas. I gave her drumsticks and a modern version of her old wooden block practice pad.

If you haven't already, watch the video. Just like riding a bike.

I'm looking forward to mom picking up the drums again.

This was truly a perfect moment.  

Robin, Tempe

Music made Thanksgiving special this year

I always ask guests what makes Thanksgiving Thanksgiving to them. I mean food and usually get answers like turkey, pumpkin pie, mamma's stuffing.

Sometimes people say, "Family." Well, of course, they are always right.

We had family at our house this year. We had Sue's mom and a sister, Debbie, who brought two of her kids. And we had a fun time Skyping in a chat with Debbie's two-year-old grandson.

Kyle, 13, who said apple pie makes Thanksgiving Thanksgiving for him brought his flute, some sheet music and a music stand. He didn't have one slice of pie, but he did practice a couple of songs.

On Friday, when we were looking to get out of the house, we decided to check out the Musical Instrument Museum in north Phoenix. We took along a young friend, Niles.  In the photo above, you'll see Kyle (left) and Niles (and a couple of young girls) playing on wooden xylophone-like instruments in the "Experience" gallery.

The museum was great. It is a series of displays about music (and often dancing) from around the world. Visitors wear headsets and wireless hotspots transmit streamed music.  Walking from display to display is a little like walking past open doors leading to great, noisy parties.

But that "Experience" gallery was no party, at least not for the adults who went in. It was wild and loud and exactly what was meant when someone came up with the word cacophony.  It was sustained cacophony.

And the boys stayed in there f-o-r-e-v-e-r.   According to Kyle, it was perfect.


Robin, Tempe 

See something, say something. Think of someone, reach out

In post-9/11 New York City, the slogan "If you see something, say something" has become a simple message to remind people that we should all take responsibility for each other and that we should turn concerns into action.
I was reminded this week ... yet again .. of how important it is to also remember:

If you think of someone, let them know. 

I have a new friend who I met this fall at a gathering of women journalists: JAWS. She is one of several people I met there who I am sure would be an In Real Life friend, if we all lived in the same town.  Sharon has launched a huge, new project in the last few weeks and has shared that with all of us via email.   

This week, I was thinking about how hard it is in the first months of a new publication.  Getting the first edition of a new paper out or launching a website takes a lot of time and humungous amounts of effort.  But the second edition and the second week of a new project is often the killer.  The buzz of the launch has receded and you've got a much shorter time to turn things around and keep publishing.  

And I started thinking about how Sharon must be going through that tough time.  

But I didn't stop there. I wrote her a quick email telling her what I was thinking and wishing her well.  I didn't really think more about it until I opened a note from her the next day. It began:

"Thank you so much for your email. You don't know how much I needed it just then." 

This is not a big, big deal, but it is a great reminder to me that if I think of someone, let them know. We all do this every day ... think of a friend or family member or former colleague and then move on.  I'm so glad that this week I turned those thoughts into action. 

And, oh, Sharon's doing great.  Insanely busy, but great. 

Robin J. Phillips, Tempe

After the rain

After the rain, originally uploaded by RobinJP.

The air is so clean following a good rain in Arizona.

 It's so rare in the desert that we just must get out and roam around ... sometimes we're out and about even before the rain stops.

I took a long walk on Sunday after an overnight rain drenched the ground and temporarily helped us forget the dust all around us.

These bougainvillea caught my attention. They looked like they were stretching and growing right before my eyes.

Robin, Tempe 

Santa: Calm before the storm

Santa: Calm before the storm, originally uploaded by RobinJP.

Yes. Veteran's Day may be a little early to draw the crowds.

This Santa may be having one of his final quiet moments for the 2011 holiday season.
Enjoy, St. Nick.

Robin, Tempe

Damn hippy

Damn hippy, originally uploaded by RobinJP.

Damn hippies occupied Trader Joe's parking lot today.

I always love looking at other people's vanity plates. This one gave me a smile.

Robin, Tempe

Power Angel to the rescue

 Luis Gutierrez' story (above) pretty much tells it all.

The artist's Power Angel caught my eye in a building on the ASU campus. I love the blue background, the powerful fist thrust into the air, the wings.   It wasn't until I'd read Luis's story about feeling a little lost in Germany that I noticed the Power Angel walks with a cane.

I love how the wings helped Luis reframe how he felt in Berlin.  His imagined angel wings gave him purpose and confidence.

And the Power Angel he painted after he came home stands strong in this busy building in Phoenix, offering others a way to tell themselves and others they are there for a higher purpose.

Robin, Phoenix