Iglue?

Finally, a viable band name. We're still trying to decide the spelling, but it'll probably be either Iglue or Iglu with an umlaut (the two little dots, over the u). Igloo already exists and they're pretty good- check them out!

We're getting geared up to actually record an album. I'm excited- the potential for making something really interesting is intriguing. Mikel (hubby and baritone guitarist in the band) is a genius when it comes to anything musically technological and he'll be piloting the recording. We'll have the freedom to try some new ideas and play around with them on our own without worrying about paying an engineer by the minute or having a producer wig things out the "wrong" way. Of course, there's always the potential for disagreements here, but luckily we're all old and not as feisty as we were in our 20's- so I think we'll just have fun.

Just found another long lost friend, a brilliant writer who I've been missing for many years. Shinichi Suzuki (who changed the music world with his ideas on teaching children) was heavily influenced by his friendships with Einstein and various other folks who had great minds and big hearts. He suggested that we all try to surround ourselves with those who inspire us to reach for great heights. Andrew is one of those people, someone I just want to hang out with because I'm a better person around him. Actually, thinking about it, I could say that about pretty much everyone I spend time with! Cool! Anyway, I'm overjoyed to have reconnected with Andrew, as we met when he was working on a book that has since gone on to establish him as an important voice of my generation. That sounds hyperbolic, but it's true- he's won numerous literary prizes and heaps of critical acclaim for his work, and having read it I can also say it's a masterpiece. So it was nice to finally be able to congratulate him for the fruits of all of his incredibly hard work.

Read it: Catfish and Mandala, by Andrew X. Pham.
His new book is coming out in June.