Let me begin by saying I have some ridiculously talented friends who leave me feeling extremely inadequate whenever I get to witness said talent. On Thursday night, my friend, Lindsey and I went to our friend, Dana’s Acappella concert. The all-girl group is called Loose Interpretations and let me just say, they were awesome and while I know I’m slightly biased, Dana was clearly the best. I found myself smiling like an idiot whenever Dana sang and also tearing up a bit (confession: I cry whenever I hear someone I know sing in front of an audience – I have NO idea why, but it’s happened my whole life, no matter how upbeat the song is).
I really love seeing shows like these – dance shows, Acappella shows. They make me feel so energized that I want to get up on stage and join in on the dance or song (even though that would seriously lessen the greatness of the piece. I cannot sing and I cannot dance (not that it ever stops me from doing it when I’m by myself). Props to Dana and the Loose Interpretations – you are far braver and more talented than I could ever wish to be.
As I’ve mentioned before, I commute to Manhattan for work. In the summer, when it’s not humid and sticky or raining, I walk from Penn Station to my office at 55th and Broadway. It’s a nice 30 minutes to myself when I can listen to my ipod and get a little exercise before I officially start my day. Anyone who’s ever been to New York City can vouch for this: you see some REALLY interesting people. One of my favorite things to do on my walk in (and also any time I’m in public) is to people watch.
At about the same spot each morning, I pass one woman who makes me smile every single day. She’s about 40 or 45, dressed professionally – usually in a skirt, and struts down the street. That’s right – STRUTS. I’ve never actually seen someone walk like this before in my life and I love it. She walks down Broadway, chin up, shoulders back, and struts. I love her. Seeing her always makes me think about my walk. It’s not anything special. It serves its purpose and gets me where I need to go. But this woman’s walk says something about herself. She’s so confident in herself and so happy (she always has a little smile on her face). It’s wonderful. I say today, we all tilt our chins up, pull our shoulders back, and strut for all the world to see.
Not on my nightstand:
I read this book months ago, but I have to mention it. Besides The Giver, this is my favorite book: The Book Thief. It’s about a foster girl in WWII era Germany. It is possibly the most beautiful book I have ever read. Markus Zusak is the author and his writing is so poetic and gorgeous, it draws you in from the very beginning. The narrator is Death - I think that is so clever – but his voice isn’t morbid or sad. In fact, it’s straightforward and even slightly humorous. There’s no foreshadowing in this story. Death tells you exactly what’s going to happen in the future. You feel such a connection to this little girl while you’re reading. You feel her fear during the bomb raids and her excitement as she learns how to read. I seriously cannot recommend this book enough. Please read it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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