True + Love
It is already March with its fickle weather -- rain, sun, then snow, and a great, big wind directly out of the South. Enormous damage around this area: trees uprooted, lines down, power out -- for me, 3 days dark. But I can pretty much go off the grid here, and I know from my childhood how too do this, how to live without electricity. I do not panic at the sudden quiet, the enveloping darkness. It's a good lesson in preparedness -- candles, batteries for the radio, lamp oil, firewood...
You go to bed earlier, like a chicken, and stay snuggled up in the morning wince it's only 40 degrees inside the house!
One thing for sure, it's a far cry from where I was one year ago. Laura Nyro said it best: "Time and Love, everybody...nothing cures like Time and Love..." It's true...Time works wonders and we wonder at the time. I turned 55 mid-February, and my girl threw me an actual Surprise Party -- you know, the one where you walk in and there is a room full of friends who turn their upturned faces towards you and scream, "Surprise!" ... and here's the miracle of it all: I really was surprised!!! I've never had a party thrown for me...not a real one, and never a surprise party. (I want to say that Judy outdid herself, but a perfect party is one of the benefits of marrying an event planner!) For four and 1/2 hours we took over the red room in our fave restaurant. Tiny plastic horses were corralled all over the table. It's the Year of the Horse after all. Who was there? Teresa Trull, superhorsewoman, super singer/producer, superfriends Karlene Faith and Joan Lowe, supersongwriter Danny O'Keefe and his partner, Laurie, supercomic Suzanne Westenhoefer and her wonderful partner Annie , supertheater lads, Bill and Michael from NYC, Judy's beautiful son Jason, good pal and entrepreneur Risa (of Girlie Press) and my faithful student Claire and partner Carone -- what a frolic! I fell backwards when they shouted out, and fell asleep that night, blissed to the bone.
Soon, I'll be back upon the Road. These first gigs are here in the West: Denver, by myself, then Missoula, Portland and Eugene with Holly Near. In Missoula, just days after they filed a suit against U. of MT to gain partnership rights, and arsonist broke into the home of Adrianne Neff, Carla Grayson and their infant son, and set it afire with intent to kill. This hate crime underscores the ongoing need for honest, even policies on the part of universities, and the need for communities to include within their embrace those whose lifestyles are different. In Portland, Holly and I hope to raise awareness and money for the Hambleton Project which addresses cancer among lesbians, then on to the beautiful Hult Center for a Sunday evening concert in Eugene.
In Seattle, on March 15, I will be involved and Experience Music Project's filming of oral history, this time as part of Women's History Month. If you haven't visited EMP, please do next visit to Seattle, or check them out on line at emplive.com. It's truly an amazing museum, and to their credit, they noticed "our" absence and are rolling the history into the museum. Hopefully, this is just the beginning. I'll crack the door open for others. So, here's to a great tour! Come and find me out there, please. Love to all of you...Cris