I do my best to be a silver lining spirit but sometimes life happens as it does for us all and the glass isn’t half full, it’s cracked. My human will human. My blessings are exponential and I am very grateful. I love creating with emerging musicians and performers. And I find that when my insides are grappling with difficult situations, students can somehow sense inner strife. One student randomly hugged me today and told me that I would be great as a friend. It meant a lot. I love these words below. I think of my father so often after 20 years of his passing and try to imagine how he would react to various modern day situations. The Apple didn’t fall far and I inherited his fire hose intensity for sure which doesn’t always work so well for me lol. Life is no dress rehearsal indeed. In other more humorous news, coffee seems to be on the minds of some of the young. Yesterday I witnessed a comical interaction with a mom and a 3 year old who was crying because she wouldn’t buy him Folgers. Today a student when asked today to choose her favorite food or beverage she asked for her “mommy’s coffee.”

One of my ambitious voice students (who loves offices supplies like I do,) has been preparing for her college auditions. She would like to go into music therapy. She has gotten a couple acceptances/scholarships so far and awaits other auditions. One of her colleges has asked her to play and sing their audition. Miraculously, yours truly is showing her the magic that is arpeggiated I IV V vi chords; something that has been the piano foundation for my music classroom management. As we prepare her vocally, we have been working on vowels, emotional connection, and overall body/breath release. She has a very left big brain that sometimes gets in the way. I’m just the person to help since that hasn’t been as much of an issue for me. 😂 When her closed vowels were less than happy on this cold January day, she said with her awesome sense of humor, “We shall not speak of that last exercise.” Love HS humor.

Today I’d like to give @noom a big hug. This lifelong emotional overeater has been giving their insights a gander. I noticed it was helping others and was curious. I am so appreciative of their insights. There’s no judgement. Imagine that. The info is “bite size” without being overwhelming. It’s not a financial hardship; no food I have to buy etc. There’s whole boatload of insightful logic that differentiates to accommodate different styles. Who knows where this will lead but its healing to feel seen. #noom #noomalicious

E. Perryman

It’s been one strange trip since our school nurse told us in a late Feb 2020 faculty meeting that the Corona was coming for us soon. I’ve been grateful to be able to see family since those first few scary months (when I decided for some reason to start binge watching the walking dead.) During the 2021 holiday season, Elizabeth and I were fortunate to be able to visit family. Chicago at Thanksgiving was similar to NJ with the modern Covid culture. Phoenix for Christmas 2021 has been an interesting exploration. We came on Christmas Day as omicron was asserting its presence all over NJ and NY. From Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, I heard of at least 10 cases of people I know from NJ contracting this new, highly contagious virus mutation. In Phoenix, it’s a whole different vibe. No east coast frenzy here; it’s a laid back mask wearing and almost a pre 2020 vibe. It will be whiplash I’m sure when we return east; hopefully continuing our healthy trend. Rapid testing has provided decent piece of mind during such tumultuous times.

So now to move on from the serious to superficial, I give you my top ten Phoenix 12.29.21 observations:

1. Mom jeans with bell bottom legs and Chuck Taylor kicks are everywhere.
2. There are lots of tall, thin, and beautiful folk dressed in spandex workout pants jaunting about; or so it seems to this donut challenged gal. I hope I’m not staring too much. 😉
3. Mallmageddon hasn’t seemed to take over here. The Scottsdale mall is popping with lots of action.
4. I don’t see empty stores like I see so often in NJ.
5. It’s wild; there are online brick and mortar stores here that I’ve never noticed elsewhere.
6. I kinda miss the gruff grunt of east coast retail folk. I’m not feeling the sincerity of folks here when they ask questions like “are you going to share your purchases?” Negative politeness for 200 please.
7. Phoenix has been getting atypical rain I guess but it’s lovely. Imo, it’s nothing too intense; just solid spraying that doesn’t last long and really cool clouds.
8. Thin and thick blood is no joke. A sunny 55 degree day is delightful weather for yours truly to eat breakfast outside.
9. They have stores here that I haven’t seen in awhile like Talbots, Dillards, and Crate & Barrel.
10. Midriff smidriff; this look is rampant these days. This apple-centric damsel does not approve.

#akintsucrooner

I was baptized by fire as a teacher when I subbed in Cicero, Illinois right after college graduation. My first year of teaching was a delight in comparison. I thought I’d never need a break the way I needed summer break in 1991. Until now. Good golly, Ms Molly, is this break well deserved for the teaching soldiers who have been deep in the ranks during the 21st century plague. Enjoy your time off ye mighty educators. We have earned it. See ya in 2022 (not too;-) #akintsucrooner

12.16.2021
E. Perryman

Man, things can be really tough.

And yet I know I am a very fortunate person and many have much greater crosses to bear than me.

But even so, days can be really hard, especially life in 2021.

As overwhelming as it all can be, I had a moment this week that tugged at my core.

As the cathedral choir recessed singing “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” through the cathedral full of people, I looked around at the faces in the pews.

One middle aged gentleman in particular gave me pause. He was looking up with an earnest but pained look on his face. I could only imagine what he might have been thinking about; loss, broken dreams, cherished past traditions…

Christmas is a wonderful time but also, so very complicated.

For me, the expectation of this advent season brings hope, beauty, joy, melancholy, emptiness, and regret.

As a child, I wanted to be a minister or a waitress. I guess I’ve achieved these vocations in a way as I often wait on my students.

And, I am privileged to be able to minister with my voice; hopefully bringing balm to those in need especially during such trying times.

#akintsucrooner

poetry #versedcanvas #akintsucrooner #12122021

Excuse my while I lift ye tuchus onto my soap box. And scene…..the amount of “straight” privilege I am hearing from past bachelor contestants on podcasts who are naysaying Colton’s coming out show is astounding. I came out in my 30s. And if I wasn’t culturally groomed to be straight and a generally complaint gal, I don’t believe I would have ever been “straight.” There is so much maintenance and overall editing that I have to do now even in a much more tolerant 2021 that I never experienced when I lived as a straight person. The idea that Colton’s breakdown was shown publicly has been easy for many to judge. But the desperation that many feel being atypical with all that can be affected from family to livelihood is not something I can articulate. I count myself as lucky as having a very supportive circle of family and friends. I believe there is envy behind some of these reality pundit’s negativity and it makes me sad; many of whom I respect like @higgins.ben and @nickviall. These are 2 cents from someone who experiences not being the normal daily. And thank God for progress. My catharsis has opened up my world in ways I never could have imagined. #coltonunderwood #straightprivilege #comingoutcolton

https://www.netflix.com/title/81405046

#viallfiles #almostfamous

I haven’t taken formal voice lessons since I worked with Ruth Falcon at Mannes. I have worked with wonderful coaches since then. I also learn from my own voice teaching. But as a singer it is important to continue steady voice work with trusted ears especially as we age. I began taking official voice lessons when I was 16. I continued until I was approx 35 after which I mostly coached. So this ain’t my first voice lesson rodeo. I can be very picky about voice teachers. Pedagogical knowledge is a given when I work with someone but so is adaptive style, use of vocabulary, and overall energy. Anymore, the emotional approach of a teacher is also very important to me. Singing is too near and dear to me. I’m not willing to bare it all when I don’t feel safe emotionally. So working with a voice teacher like Andrea Delgiudice as I sing various contrasting pieces as a part time singer has been a blessing. She has tilled the ground of my enduring understandings as a singer as we revisit concepts like breath and vowels. Today I actually felt the circular breath as it carried me through a legit legato phrase. What the. Grateful for the learning curve till the dirt nap….