Act 1 - Finale

I'm sitting in my little room listening to a band concert over at the amp. It's a
typical Chautauqua Sunday. But I'm getting ready to move out. I'm blogging in the afternoon so that I can take my computer up to the car. Hopefully, this means I can get up and grab one small bag and walk to the car early tomorrow morning. If I have to go, I best get going.

Even though I'm devouring cough drops to get through the choir anthems (2 pieces of music this morning that went well, about 8 for tonight), I'm glad I waited these two extra days to return.

One of the reasons I'm glad is that I once again got to observe one of most inspiring men I've ever seen in the front row of church this morning. I observed this same man last year, and I'm not sure how many weeks he comes, so I'm glad I got to see him. I'm going to take a leap and predict that the other younger man who sits with him in a wheel chair is his middle aged son. I'm going to take a further leap by saying that the son seems to be afflicted with cerebral palsy, or some other physically handicapping condition. He doesn't seem to have the ability to speak, but often grunts loudly if he feels strongly about something. His father uses a type of sign language with him. This caregiver man, the father, is the most patient, loving man I have ever seen. He has to tend to his son constantly to keep him occupied and quiet for the duration of the service. There is not a moment in the service where the man is not stroking the arm or leg of his son, or providing him with a magazine (I could see the title DOG on the cover) which he leafs through over and over again. I have seen so much affection and love go back and forth between these two. And today sitting in the choir and seeing him again a year later, I realized that while I was traveling blissfully back and forth to choir during the year, or going to book club, or riding my tractor around my fields, or working out at my gym, this man has been caring for his loved one (again. . . a leap, but I bet it's true.). Neither my father nor my children's father ever showed much patience for hanging out with their normal, high-functioning kids for any long period of time. And yet, here is this man, watching his own life pass by, and still managing to deal with his son with kindness, and laughter and love. WOW!!!!!!

I just got my "bill" at the place I'm staying for 10 days stay (I had already paid the first week). . . . .the total was $200!!!!! The price of a nun's cell and shared kitchen seems to be exactly the same amount as boarding Chester at camp per day!!! This is why the leap to a condo for next season is such a stretch for me!!! But with careful planning I can swing the condo, and I will leave these cute little rooms and these lovely people for others who may not be able to come here any other way.

Sacred Song Service tonight. . .we have eight songs to sing. One is a gospel version of the Hallelujah Chorus which could go fine or tank big time. At least I'm leaving town shortly thereafter.

Next week the theme is: From Asia to the Middle East: Energy, Capital and Conflict. While that is certainly a mouthful, I hate to be missing it. The Pakistani Ambassador, among others will speak. I think the plan is also to have women from various middle eastern countries speak about their lives.

Also, it's been National Public Radio week here. And there is a film crew from Buffalo who spent 22 days on the grounds last summer and have created a program: Chautauqua: An American Narrative, that is expected to premiere on PBS stations in early 2011. I can't wait to see that, and it would give anyone interested in this place a chance to really see what I'm talking about.

OK - I expect I'll blog when I get back up here on or about August 6. Provided I survive my cold. . ..which it seems that I will. Thanks for asking. . . . . :)

Phase 3

I have moved again. After all, it's Saturday. To celebrate, I went and signed the contract and paid the downpayment on my 9-week condo for next year where I will only have to move in once and then stay put!

The landlady is so nice. She asked: "Will you want a television?" Answer: "NO!"
"Will you want a phone?" Answer: "No!"
"Well if you think of anything you'd like to have here, just let us know."

HMMMMMM. . . .maybe a case of Rosemont Shiraz????? (Of course that thought went unspoken.)

I'm on the mend, but the cold has now migrated to my throat in that I'm periodically hacking up all the phlegm. Not a pretty picture I know, but significant in that I only stayed the extra two days in order to sing in the two services tomorrow. I hope I'm actually able to do that without creating a distraction. My voice is holding out for the most part. Many thanks for all the messages of concern for my first illness in 15 years. . . .oh wait, I didn't get any messages of concern. Hey. . ..I had a COLD here! Where's the love?

Started the morning making two trips out to the car (about a mile round trip each time) to take stuff. Then I moved the bare necessities back into the building I started in, and into my room from last year. I love this little room ("little" being defined as twice as big as the room I was in last week). I wish I was staying for the whole week!

I spent a couple of spectacular hours watching the orchestra rehearsal for tonight's concert. A Beethoven piano concerto, and then Beethoven's 5th Symphony. I know it's a war horse, but I love it, especially the 2nd and 3rd movements.

Choir practice tonight. . .I tried to keep my hacking to a minimum. The weather has cooled off and is bright and sunny. Very very Chautauqua-esque!

After choir I went to the one upscale restaurant to see if I could go in and just order a glass of wine (that's good for a cough, right?). Apparently there is a policy at Chautauqua that if you order wine, you have to order an appetizer. This is probably to encourage people not to be publicly drunk, probably caused by not soaking up the alcohol with something solid. So I just went without wine. Next year in the condo, all that is going to change!

About half through with That Old Cape Magic, by Richard Russo. Loving it. Stand by, Joan, I'm sending it to you when I'm done due largely to the fact that it has settings in Indiana and Cape Cod!!!!

Okay. . . hitting the hay. I need my rest!!!

The end of an era. . . .

I guess I have to admit that I'm officially "sick." Although, I didn't let it keep me away from what I really wanted to do. Sniffles, sore throat, achy legs. . . . .Blahh! I skipped this morning's lecture and drove to Mayville to get paper plates for the choir picnic on Sunday.

Got home and took a nap and laid low for an hour or so. It finally was raining, and much cooler. I hope that officially breaks this heat wave!

Went to the indoor location to hear the 2:00 lecture via camera. Hadn't planned to go, but it was excellent. . .the end of the Ethics of Leadership series, this time with a Rabbi speaking. He was terrific. Immediately after that was the presentation I really wanted to see. . .a woman portraying Eleanor Roosevelt. . . .one of my heroes. ER appeared at Chautauqua for 10 years straight between 1927 and 1937 on a variety of topics. The only year she missed in that 10 year span was the year FDR came and gave his famous I HATE WAR speech. The presentation was great. I actually knew more than the presenter because people asked questions that she could not answer. I kept my mouth shut (shocker) but all the ravenous reading I did about her years ago paid off!

Choir tonight. Needed to go to sing on Sunday, but it was hard since I didn't feel great. The program tonight is Tim Conway and Friends, and I went to see about a half hour of it. It is hilarious, but I've come home to go to bed. I have to switch rooms. . back into the first building again tomorrow for the last two days.

Also, I finished The Red Thread, which I loved. I bought and have started That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo. I have to read The Girl Who Played With Fire when I get home, but the book store was sold out of that one!

Hopefully, after a good night's sleep, I'll be on the mend tomorrow.

And the Heat Goes On!

Well, after bragging for years that I never get sick (15 years plus and counting), I believe I have a summer cold! I wouldn't consider this "sick" but a scratchy throat and drippy nose have taken over! My theory is that I caught something from the "community kitchen" which has been over run this week by families with lots of kids. Some of those kids are responsible for washing the dishes in their families, and I suspect not getting it entirely right! So I'm eating healthy, taking my vitamins, getting rest, and drinking lots of water. I fully expect this to be on the way out in the morning!

The lecture this morning was really an interview between two highly accomplished and remarkable people: interviewer Nancy Gibbs, executive editor of Time Magazine (and author of over 100 cover stories, more than anyone else) and interview-ee David Westin, president of ABC News. Loved hearing these two discuss the state of media today and its role in transferring information to the public. Particularly given the weekly topic of Ethical Leadership.

Heard a talk by Lawrence Hill, author of Someone Knows My Name which I read earlier this week. One of my favorite things is hearing an author discuss a book I have loved.

Choir tonight to prepare for the Sunday services. The music will be fun and challenging this week. . . .a gospel setting of The Hallelujah Chorus is one of the highlights (and one of the challenges).

Skipped the orchestra concert tonight to see yet another movie. . . .City Island which I really loved. I recommend this movie highly! Andy Garcia and Juliana Margulies star about a disfunctional family who finally find their way back to each other. Funny and touching.

I'm hitting the hay to stay in front of this cold. Rain and storms predicted tomorrow after 4-5 days of high heat and humidity. We've certainly had the wide spectrum of weather in the past two weeks. Got a picture forwarded to me from my friend Sandy. It shows her and her "adopted" African daughter, Tabu, deep in conversation in Uganda. Can't wait to hear her stories when she gets back. Over and Out.

Wednesday

"No problem of human destiny is beyond human solutions." JFK

I can't believe it's already Wednesday of week 2! Time really flies up here.

Another hot hot day. Last Wednesday night I was in my heavier jacket!

The lecture today was given by a very impressive woman, Cheryl Dorsy. Her specialty is social entrepreneuership. She is president of Echoing Green, a company that gives grants to people who have ideas about how to benefit groups of peoples lives and to help assist them in becoming self-sufficient. Great stuff.

At noon was the weekly organ recital on the Massey Organ in the AMP. Today he played two Chorales by Cesar Franck, one of which I played for my junior recital in college, many years ago. It was a thrill to hear that piece again and to remember a time when I could play it.

Two o'clock lecture was Otis Moss III, the preacher who I was so crazy about that I chose my weeks the last two years so that I could be here when he was here. He is the pastor of the church in Chicago that is attended by Barack Obama when he is in town. Otis is always dynamic. . . he used jazz music as a metaphor for how the US needs to work. . . that is. . . an ensemble of different instruments from different cultures, who, while playing together, allow each instrument in turn to be the solo and to not interrupt.

At 3:00 I headed for the gym at the beach, and worked out for about 40 minutes. Even as cold as they keep the gym, I could really work up a sweat in this humidity.

Showered and had an early dinner so I could get to Classic Movie Night at the theater. Tonight's movie: Foreign Correspondent by Alfred Hitchcock. I love Classic Movie Night!

And so another day draws to a close with families on porches, people sharing ice cream, people taking their dogs on the evening walk. It's Norman Rockwell Land.

Was able to get a room back in the the first building for my last two nights here as I extend past checkout day so that I can sing the Sunday Evening service before departing on Monday morning. I know, I know. . .hideous sentence, but I'm too tired to fix it!

I'm hitting the hay after doing some reading on The Red Thread! Gotta start The Girl Who Played With Fire for book club back at home in a couple of weeks! Til tomorrow!

Rich and Full Squared!

"We are living in a transformational time and we need to know it. " David Boren


Thus spake the lecturer for today. Today's lecture was designated "The Chautauqua Lecture" for 2010. . . only one lecture gets that designation per year. And it was worth it. David Boren is a centrist Democrat who used to be Governor of Oklahoma, Senator from Oklahoma and is currently serving as the President of the University of Oklahoma. What an extraordinary man with good sound insights and ideas for the problems the country faces today.

I went into this week not caring much one way or the other about the topic, and I'm being inspired and challenged every single day, multiple times a day. Mr. Boren made too many on target points to include in a blog. But an example of his message included the observation that special interest money is coming into politics and destroying the system. He believes that only a constitutional amendment would serve to fix things in that respect. I wonder how you pass a consitutional amendment about that with congressional members who are backed by special interest money? He said that when he was first a senator, all the new senators of both parties would have weekly potluck dinners where they all got together and got to know each other. Now, he says, they have party caucuses where the topic is always "how to make the other party look bad." He said he attended these and was asked for a suggestion a topic for the following meeting. He said, "How about the 'national interest?'"

I attended another brown bag lunch event today. There are many of these each day with various groups sponsoring topics and presentations. The one I attended today was presented by the Gay/Lesbian Alliance. There is a member of the choir who is just the nicest guy ever. He and his partner have adopted two brothers who are 11 and 5. They were presenting their story of the adoption and challenges for their situation. It was a great story and the boys were there. These two men are so devoted to these two boys.

The two o'clock lecture was given by Daisy Khan who is a Muslim woman heavily involved in organizations educating the world about Muslim views. She is in a group called WISE (Women in Islam Seeking Equality). She was very interesting and made the point that Muslim extremists are the greatest threat to the Muslim community. I am so humbled listening to all these great activists and thinkers describe their work.

After this lecture I was walking by the AMP and the orchestra was rehearsing for tonight's program. The guest conductor was a Chinese woman, Mei-Ann Chen. She was phenominal. I settled into the choir loft so that I could just watch her work with the orchestra. I have sung with some of the most famous conductors in the world, but never for a woman. The difference in approach was so stark. While her conducting and style are very strong, her manner with the orchestra was very warm and personal. During a break, I saw her go up to the tympani player and begin by saying, "I love the way you play tympani!" She then went on to make a suggestion about one phrase, and sit with him while he tried it, and then she told him that what he played was "now perfect!" I saw her communicate on a personal level with several of the players, all during the breaks. I LOVED watching her work and listening to the concert in this rehearsal mode.

We had choir practice tonight, and then I went to the movies again! Saw Young Victoria which I loved.

I finished Someone Knows My Name, and started reading The Red Thread by Ann Hood and am already enjoying that.

And most exciting of all is that I stopped by the lovely quintessential Chautauqua condo that I was looking at, and signed up for next season. The landlady is from Australia and lives upstairs all season. I've already met the other two women who will be my neighbors for the season, so I so look forward already to next year when I can settle in for the entire time, have plenty of kitchen space to make all my regular foods, enjoy the clawfoot bathtub, utilize the front porch to enjoy a glass of wine with my friends at the end of the day. . . . . . YIKES!!!!!!

Yes indeedy. . . .this has been a RICH AND FULL day for sure.

Week 2, The Ethics of Leadership

"Actually, I really think that President Obama is the person I'd most trust with the presidency right now." David Brooks, CONSERVATIVE (!) op-ed columnist for the NY Times, and moderator of PBS News Hour.

Well, now, that is a pretty surprising statement, all things considered. But let's not for a moment think that Mr. Brooks is in complete agreement with the policies of the current president. But all in all, that was a surprising and generous statement. But I guess when you consider the liberal leanings of the Chautauqua crowd, we can say he knows his audience.

So, a heavier topic for this week. Roger Rosenblatt and his friends have departed. I come to Chautauqua to sing and soak in anything that is put out there. I don't choose the topics. But this one promises to be interesting, and David Brooks, our first morning lecturer did not disappoint. He was funny, and relaxed and reasonable. It was nice hearing a conservative mindset that I could somewhat relate to. I feel the same way when I hear commentary by Ben Stein on CBS Sunday Morning.

This was a day for going from one sitting event to another. My advancing years have resulted in the fact that if I sit for a long time, my hips stiffen up! YIKES! I feel like I'm still 25 on the inside. What has happened to my body???

I am reading the book of the week: Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill. In Canada the title of the book is The Book of Negroes. What a great read! I started it two days ago and I'm practically done. The author himself will be here Thursday to discuss the book. But today, my friend Susan Laubach gave the book review presentation on the porch of Alumni Hall. That was terrific. Then my friend, Penny, from Charlottesville and I sat on the porch and discussed this morning's lecture. After that. . . the 2:00 lecture by Thomas Beech of the Fetzer Institute in Michigan. The mission of the Fetzer Institute is philanthropic with an emphasis on promoting love, forgiveness and compassion in a world that sorely needs more of all three.

After all that sitting I knew I needed to go to the gym. However I really didn't want to. It's in the high 80's again, and very humid. But I rallied and got to the gym anyway and worked out for about 40 minutes. After a shower I went to the movies and saw Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell, and it was actually pretty cute and funny. There was a youth orchestra concert at 8:15, but I left after the Mozart. Too much sitting for one day. . . .my butt hurt!

Tomorrow I seal the deal on my condo for next year. I picked the cute expensive one. I'll figure out the money all in good time. Talked to both my sons on the phone. They and their girlfriends spent the 4th in Pensacola with their dad, and that is always the stuff of great stories! My book is calling me back. You should read this one. . . .seriously.