Layers

For the fashion declined, like myself, there's this season's newest option... Wearing your hoodie backwards so the hood acts as a cowl at the front.
Awesome? Yes.
Comfortable? Yes.
The way I dressed this morning? Yes.

When I was young we looked at the thermometer outside the window to figure out what the day was going to be like... now I try to avoid the interwebs and the cries of fear "POLAR VORTEX" ... so much news information and fear. I can't stand it. That be said....  I'm afraid to go outside today.
It's so cold again.
And I know that I was talking about this last time it got cold... but... but..
There's a 42 degree difference between my backyard and my living room... That's like a 55 degree difference when you include the wind chill and my duvet.

I have a duvet.
Finally.
It's only taken me a gazillion years to get my own.

This weekend I headed "into the city" with some girl friends. We all needed a change of pace, and thanks to the wonders of hotel points, we had free rooms. We also had a gift certificate for the Keg. Throw in a trip to IKEA (where I caved and bought my duvet) a trip to the LCBO (complete with being carded)  and too many laughs... well, a trip to scarborough has never been so much fun.
Ha.
Who goes to Scarborough for a vacation?!

We did.

The mountains have deep valleys.

I have never been tossed about like this.

This weekend I returned to the weird and wonderful world of the conference formerly known as OCFF. The newly renamed FMO (Folk Music Ontario) is likely one of my favourite places to be. Each time you turn around there's people I haven't seen in a while, musicians I've long admired, sea shanties sung in stairwells, new contacts, new friends, new crushes, new loves, new thoughts, new music, new collaborations,  new discussions, old discussions and long running jokes.

This was likely my favourite conference so far. I knew my jobs well and was able to help them run efficiently. I'm more comfortable in my skin with each passing year and not afraid to speak up and engage people. I was part of a really well attended panel that was fun and informative and it felt awesome to be able to contribute back to the community. And I've developed friendships that are comfortable even if they only happen in real life once a year.

Things in my day to day life have been stressful on and off for quite some time. Nothing huge that stands alone, but cumulatively it's enough that I've been weighed down emotionally. And didn't really notice it...  Until I started to laugh this weekend.

Like really laugh.
Deep belly laughs that left me gasping
crying
coughing.
Multiple times.

When did I last laugh like that?
The fact that I had to stop and really ask myself that question hurt.

When I finally fell into bed each morning (there's no sleep at OCFF/FMO) I fell into deep sleeps- filled with dreams of joy. No nightmares, no stresses... I probably could have slept without my mouthgaurd. When I woke up, I was smiling.

That is the way to spend a weekend.
Shedding everything else.

And then I came home.
I sat on my couch and readied myself to go back to work.

And I fell over the cliff into the valley with a single phone call.

"are you at home? we lost the baby"

FAI2013 wrap up

Ok,
I've returned from Folk Alliance.
I'm beat... not in the way I've been beat on returning from OCFF in the past -I've learned that if I only have one or two drinks each night during showcases I'll a) not want to die the next morning from fatigue b) hear more music and c) have a better time!

I'm beat in that "my brain no longer functions in a way that allows me to form a sentence" way, and I'm just plain old "people'd out". I need to stare at a wall and sing loudly to myself or not hear ANYTHING for a few hours. Either approach should do the trick.

What did I see?
What did I love?
What did I learn?
Who did I meet?

I don't have answers for any of that right now.

Wait.. that's a lie.

I went to 8 showcases and an awards presentation Wednesday night, 1 thursday (I came in just in time to start my volunteer shift, then went to bed...) 3 workshops, 6 showcases, and 14 private showcases Friday, 8 showcases and ... um... 12? private showcases Saturday.... um... I think ... just doing the math quick in my head, that's close to 70 acts. Not counting the randoms playing in lobbies and stairwells and volunteer check-in... Some well loved favourites, and a bunch of new (to me) solos/groups...  

I heard some AMAZING stuff this week. Live music will always trump a recording...

My favourites tomorrow night....

lazy days

I've been reading Jonathan Byrd's travel blog the past couple of weeks.

If you haven't had the opportunity to, I recommend it. The link is to one of his entries at the end of the most recent trip. Chosen at random. I've cried through a number of the entries.. because that's who I am.

The guy can write. (not just music, though I don't know how often I sing his praises for that gift too)

Anyway, the other day he posted his entry about heading to the Folk Alliance conference. It's like OCFF, but bigger if you can picture that. Non-stop music. Beauty. Creativity.

OCFF this year was one of those special weekends. An escape.

I'm just about ready for another escape.

Monday morning I received my e-version of his travel-log. It's fantastic.