Postcard from the edge

My piano teacher, Stephen, and his wife, Marta, are flying out this morning. And all I can say is, thank God!

I cannot go on like this!

See that picture up above? That is me!

I mean, I love him to death, but this partying! I have a book to do!

Yesterday I wrote about how we all went out after Stephen's concert. Meanwhile we have made plans to get together the next night and go to the Hyatt and hear Jackie Jocko. So yesterday morning, I'm at work, trying to get my eyes to open, sitting at my desk like this ...


... and there Stephen is on the cell phone. "What time are we all getting together tonight?"

Then Howard and I are late getting to the Hyatt and the cell phone goes off again. "We're at the bar. Where are you??"

These pianists! They will ruin your life!

We walk in to the Hyatt and they are the focus of attention and Jocko is singing about Marta. Honest, that was the first word I heard when I opened the door. Jocko is singing, "Marta!"

Then Marta who always looks gorgeous and impeccable starts complaining that she is underdressed. GIVE ME A BREAK.

Who can keep up with these people?

And here is another thing. Just in case my life was not enough of a zoo, I was on Performance Today. That is a PBS program that includes a segment called Piano Puzzler. I was a guest on Piano Puzzler and they aired it yesterday.

You can hear it here. Although I do not know if I recommend it! I have to admit, I have not been brave enough to listen to it yet. Maybe today I will.

The bad news was, I was not terribly fast at guessing the composer I was supposed to guess. (I do not want to give it away in case you want to listen to the podcast.) I did guess him eventually but son of a hash-slinging sea cook, not until I had guessed everyone else in the world who ever wrote a note of music.

It is hard to think under pressure!

On the bright side the show did afford me the opportunity to talk to a national audience about Leonard Pennario and you know me, I took that opportunity. And God rewarded me! I got a couple of notes about Pennario from people who heard the show, one of whom happens to be a major, major scholar. I will write about that one of these days.

Right now, I have to run.

I have to work sometime!