Well, right at this moment I am watching the NPR Tiny Desk Concert with the current Broadway cast of Ragtime, the Musical on YouTube (go ahead and watch – I’ll be here with tissues for you). I don’t have cable now – I always pause YouTubeTV for the summer, since there is enough to watch and limited time to do so – but it’s hard to watch live events without cable. So no Tony Awards live for me tonight. Instead I am getting a fix through the interviews and promotions about the nominated shows and people.

And I LOVE RAGTIME. Long ago Deadra and I read the book by E. L. Doctorow and then we saw the traveling company as they came to Minneapolis in 1998. I just looked up the year and learned that the run made headlines because the production shut down abruptly at the end of the Minneapolis engagement due to the “financial collapse of the producer.” A sad ending to a beautiful show. I have seen so many shows in my life (I have a list somewhere!). Ragtime remains a favorite, unquestionably. The songs are beautifully written and always bring me to tears. Every. Time. The lyrics are powerful and the music is moving. The show is set at the start of the 20th century but is timeless.

You get the picture. I love it. The revival is nominated for a Tony tonight, as are many of the cast, so there are clips everywhere. Look for them on YouTube. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Other things I’m loving…

I’m listening to Kathryn Stockett’s The Calamity Club and loving it… she does a great job creating characters and atmosphere. I chuckle and I am moved. It’s a big book so it’s a solid 28 hours on audio.. I’m about 30% finished.

I’m reading another book at bedtime, which is such a treat! I love getting two books done at the same time. They are different enough that it doesn’t confuse.

I love shopping on The Natural Life – I bought some pretty things to add to our camping supplies for when I get out there with Chris.

What are you loving these days?

It’s been a while.

I keep telling myself I’ll write more, and then I don’t. Life gets full — work, walks, audiobooks, grandkids, playlists. Instagram is easier. But easier isn’t always better, and I miss this space.

I posted my 2025 books list, which felt like a good first step. Baby steps count.

I didn’t have a theme word this year, and that bothered me more than it should have. I love the ritual of choosing one — CORE felt so right in 2024, LISTEN was perfect for 2025 — but this year the word wouldn’t come. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe some years are just about finding your footing again.

So here I am, finding my footing.

I want to write about books, obviously. But also about small things I’m grateful for. About music and walks and the people I love. About what I’m reading and why it matters and what it made me feel. I’ve been doing all of those things — I just haven’t been writing them down here.

That changes now. Or at least, I’m going to try.

Thanks for still being here, if you are