Farewell to 73

So the last day of 73 years old (technically the end of my 74^th year) arrives and naturally, I feel a need to mark the occasion. I’ll celebrate with laundry, brunch and perhaps a walk on the beach. And with a look backwards to recall some of the highlights of what certainly was a marvelous and memorable year. Here are my personal highlights:

 

WORKSHOPS/ COURSES: The great privilege and pleasure of teaching in Carmel Valley, China (Beijing and Shanghai), Washington DC, Rochester, Little Rock, Brazil (Sao Paolo, Tatui, Brasilia, Rio), Hong Kong (9 different schools) Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City), England (London), Austria (Vienna, Salzburg, Linz), Ghana (Dzodze), Memphis and again Carmel Valley. Five continents and a big carbon footprint, somewhat offset from 50 years as a (mostly) vegetarian. Also sub teaching at The San Francisco School and the Children’s Day School. 

 

WRITING: Gave readings of my Jazz, Joy & Justice  book at Green Apple Bookstore, Bird and Beckett Bookstore, The Pingry School (I’m an alum).  The Audible book version came out and I wrote a first and second draft of my new book hopefully released in November, The Humanitarian Musician. Continued the 14^th year of this Blog and passed the million-page-views mark. 

 

PERFORMANCE: Jazz trio at Flower Piano, Bird and Beckett Bookstore, told a story at The Moth. Ongoing piano playing at the Jewish Home for the Aged (17 years!), also the Redwoods and Sequioas. 

 

FAMILY: Vacations/ visits with my wife, two children and two grandchildren in Michigan, Palm Springs, Portland, San Francisco. Bike trip in France with my wife and friends. Talia celebrated a year and a half anniversary with her soulmate Matt, Kerala got officially divorced from Ronnie. 

 

LOSS: School parents Joe Sam, Eli Noyes, Dee Canaveral, Naomi Weinstein, Pauline Peele, Orff friends Mary Goetze, Wolfgang Stange, Grace Butler, Sarah Wilner, college friend Glenn Pape, travel agent Connie Dahlstet, Jewish Home resident Steve Heffner.

 

WORLD: Disaster left, right and center. Alongside growing resistance.

 

VOWS: To renew my determination to spread the good news of Orff Schulwerk, heart-opening music, caring humanitarianism, fun-loving play and child-like wonder and curiosity, courageous resistance, speaking out and keeping silence when wisdom suggests it, good food slowly savored and lovingly cooked, exercise combined with connection to the natural world (not the gym) with hiking, biking, walking, stop avoiding the Bach Prelude and Fugues in keys with 5 or 6 sharps, find occasions to reunite on the stage with the Pentatonics Jazz group, choose one of the three books waiting in line that are already written in first-draft form—• Around the World and Back Again: Travel with a Point of View; •  Zen, Jazz and Orff: A Life in Three Worlds  • Music From Five Continents.  Also get good sleep, continue zazen, keep reading, assist my wife’s neighborhood clean-up and continue to feel and express gratitude for waking up each day to the next possibility. 

And it all begins today with the laundry.