Adventures on the West Coast

There's no place like home. No truer words were ever spoken.

I'm home after an awesome week in California. The best part? It didn't seem to fly by like most of my vacations. It felt like it hit just the right note.
(Don't you just love it when that happens?☺)
We were busy, yet relaxed. We did a lot of fun stuff but also found time to just chill.

My Music - From the Kinks to Mumford and Sons

Those who know me know how much I love music. All kinds. But mostly Rock, Pop, Country. Been going to see live shows since I was around 10 years old...way way way long time ago. Talked my older brother into bringing me to my first big-girl show when I was 12. The Kinks. They performed at what was once called "The Providence Civic Center" (now known as "The Dunk"). Poco and Henry Gross played that night, too. Good times. Ah, how I loved the Kinks. Still do. And thankfully they're still making music, although they do so as solo artists now.

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Since then, I've seen many big acts: Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Cher, Queen, Aerosmith, Shania Twain, J. Geils, Pat Benatar, Toby Keith, Sammy Hagar (w/the Waboritas, Van Halen and Chickenfoot), Heart, Blake Shelton. I've seen many before they were household names: Kiss, Journey, Zac Brown Band.

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These days, while I still like the famous artists, I usually like to listen to the mostly unknown. The indie band. The singer-songwriter. The music is more raw. Shows more intimate and personal. I'm really not that enamored with the 60,000 seat arenas where I spend more time looking at the band on a big screen than straining to see the little human specks on a stage a hundred yards away. And don't get me started on the astronomical ticket prices, process and handling fees, etc.

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I put out the word recently to my friends. I need some new music. I feel like my iPod is getting a bit stagnant. I need new blood. Here's a list of some new (to me, anyway) acts I'm listening and grooving to.

• Lumineers
• Crystal Bowersox
• Steve Everett
• Alabama Shakes
• Mumford and Sons

How about you? What are you listening to? Care to share some good recommendations?

School After 50 - What Am I Doing Here?

Head is spinning. Hands are clammy. Heart speeding a mile a minute. Oh please don't let me start hyperventilating. Please!!

Breathe....breathe....you can do this. Don't let them see you sweat. How embarassing will that be?

I'm sitting in a chair. In a computer lab. Of a noted university. Surrounded by students young enough to be my children. Students who seem to be very confident. And most importantly, know what they're doing. Me? Not so much.

First clue I will not do so well: the computers are Apples. I'm a PC.

The course is only 6 weeks long. How the heck am I going to concentrate on learning the curriculum when I don't even know how to use the darn computer?

Why am I doing this to myself? Why did I think I could take college courses at my age? What was I thinking?

Not sure how this will end up. Will I have all my hair at the end of all this? Will my family be visiting me in the local mental health facility? Or god willing, will I be glad that I took the plunge and took a chance at being a middle-aged college student?

Stay tuned....I'll let you know how it all works out in 6 weeks.........

My Backyard - Waterfire; Providence, RI

Friday night. Date night with hubby. Nice to be out, just enjoying ourselves and not worrying or agonizing over our unemployment situation. The road of romance led to Providence. The downtown Providence Place Mall to be exact. We arrived thankfully before the evening onslaught of holiday shoppers.

First stop: Macy's. Always reliable store to purchase gifts for the family party yankee swap this weekend. Hubby and I found 2 perfect gifts in our price point and moved on. Next up: Bed Bath and Beyond. We've gone back and forth about trading in our old dependable Tassimo for the popular Keurig coffee maker. (I've been inconsolable ever since Starbucks jumped ship and joined forces with the K-cup.) We hemmed and hawed and finally gave in. Luckily, I had some of those pretty blue 20% off coupons and handed them to the cashier to save some $. Our Christmas gift to each other this year was now in hand.

My Backyard: RI School of Design - Museum of Art

"Summer" by Frank W. Benson. 1909.

Photo Credit: Christopher Gosselin (Flickr)

 

I enjoy visiting museums. Unfortunately, my little state doesn’t have many. The one I wanted to see but had never been to is at the RI School of Design in Providence. The RISD Museum of Art began in the late 19th century and is housed in 6 buildings. It has thousands of pieces of art dating from ancient times to present: Asian, ancient artifacts, textiles/costumes, photography, contemporary art, sculpture, prints, and paintings. There's artwork by household names like Cezanne, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Stuart, Homer and O’Keeffe, and even a replica of a Federal-style home. The Museum definitely rivals art museums found in larger metropolitan cities. 

 

First off, let’s be clear. I’m not artistic in any way. I can't draw, paint or sculpt. (I gladly leave that to my 3 very artistic sons.) However, I appreciate the exceptional artistry, creativity and talent behind the art. So I had to finally find the time, and go!