Seems I’m a savior of stuffed animals… a role I play with pride.

Let me introduce you to Carl (he’s the one in the photo). I met Carl in front of my house. He was in the gutter, wet and covered in mud. It had been raining pretty hard that morning, and I guess he didn’t have enough sense to come in from the rain. And from the looks of things, Carl had also been keeping questionable company, because lying next to him, dead drunk, was Wolverine…. a small, plastic miniturized version, but Wolverine all the same.

I picked them both up, carried them into the house, washed them in the sink (Carl’s ears were especially filthy) and let them both dry out in the sun. Now, Wolverine is guarding our kitchen sink (though he slips into the wine cabinet fairly often) and Carl, well, Carl is trying to decide where he wants to hang. Right now, he’s on my computer. But he may end up on my bed with Pookie and Melvin. We’ll see.

Either way, he’s made an entrance just in time to play a part my 29 Days of Being Silly. In fact, he could become the mascot for this project. He’s in the running, along with the squirrels outside my window who often inspire me to silliness.

By the way, I’ve been doing pretty well on the Silliness front. Writing silly poems with those refrigerator magnet poetry sets, trying to move a toothpick around in my mouth like a gangster, and just remembering to lighten up. Today, I’m going to visit some pygmy goats, who may or may not be silly. Perhaps the fact I’m driving all the way to New Paltz to see them is silly enough.

During my 31 Days of Experiencing New Things, I was hit with an idea.

Actually, it felt more like a firm kick in the ass from the Universe. Basically, the message was to lighten up, to stop taking life so seriously, to enjoy more and worry less.

And that’s when I knew what I wanted to focus on for the next 31 days: being silly.

Now, I have to say, that while I can be very, very serious, and it’s true, I’ve been feeling pretty heavy with seriousness lately, I’m also a very silly rabbit. I can turn on Silly pretty darn quick…when I feel like it. Or even when I least expect it. Sometimes a spell of Silliness just overtakes me, uncontrollably, much to the embarrassment of those around me.

And for this, I am grateful. I actually love being silly. It comes close to being a fool, and there is so much freedom when you’re no longer afraid to be a fool. Especially a fool for love.

But what I really love about this project is that I don’t need any props or toys. I don’t need “new” places or even any “new” ideas. Silliness is a state of being. And I plan to visit every day.

And in the Spirit of Silliness, I decided 27 Days of Silliness was far sillier than 31 Days.

So, here’s to day one of 27 Days of Silliness! Lighten up and come along!

Yesterday, August 1, was the last day of my 31 Days of Experiencing New Things, one of the many 31-day focuses championed by Staci Brice (who now refers to herself as Anastacia). Some days, it was a challenge to conjure up a new experience. Other days, they rolled up to my doorstep, surprising me. Sometimes, they were heartbreaking. Mostly, they were fun.

My original goal in taking on this project was to explore more of the Hudson Valley. But in the end, the real gift of this project was an augmented awareness of how every day does bring new experiences, whether you focus on them or not. And if you intentionally invite new, wonderful experiences into your day, there’s a very good chance they’ll show up.

On Day 29, my new experience was going to the weekly Friday Nite Jam Session at Stephen Crawford’s place in Olivebridge. My bon vivant Mark and I have been meaning to go for weeks and weeks, and we haven’t been able to make it for one reason or another. But not this Friday! We google-mapped the address and headed out to Olivebridge.

Stephen has a great stage set up in his spacious backyard. When we arrived, there was an eclectic mix of musicians already jamming. Mark set up his amp and guitar, grabbed a homemade brew (Stephen and Dona make their own beer) and joined the jam. In a matter of minutes, I was headed back to the car because I was getting devoured by mosquitos. They LOVE me, those obnoxious intruders of lovely summer nights. And when I get bit by one, the bite always swells up to the size of crimson baseball, so I had to take cover.

But I could still hear the music from the car, and it was so wonderful to hear Mark play, something I haven’t had the pleasure of for serveral months now.

We got totally lost on the way home (yet another new experience) mostly due to the fact that we were way out in the boonies and the roads in New York are so poorly marked. What’s with that? Is it really so hard to put up a street sign every once in a while so you know what road you’re on? Anyway, we did eventually make it home.

Saturday was Day 30, and it, too, was full of new experiences. Remember Gabe from Monkey Joe’s? He was part of my new experience on Day 16? Well, on Saturday morning, he and his longtime musical partner were playing at Monkey Joe’s in honor of the roasting company’s 10 year anniversary. They call their duo “The Morning Howlers.” After hearing some of Gabe’s original tunes on Day 16, I didn’t want to miss his performance. Here’s a clip of one of his originals:

Later that same day, my friends Peter Wetzler and Julie Hedrick were having a little open house featuring Julie’s new series of paintings, so Mark and I wandered over around 6:00 pm or so. Their home, which used to be the chapel and rectory of one of Kingston’s many churches (Kingston is a city of churches; I swear they must have more churches per capita than any other city in the world), was a’buzz with people, sipping wine, eating blue cheese and looking at Julie’s vibrant, stunning new paintings featuring the color red.

Peter, Julie’s husband, is a talented composer who mostly writes film scores now. A bit of a crazy kook, Peter  dressed up in a black kilt and red tie for the occassion. Here’s a photo of Peter with Mark Marshall, another talented composer. Doesn’t Peter have lovely legs? Why wouldn’t he show them off?

We’ve been to other gatherings and Peter and Julie’s, and every time, we meet some wonderful people. This evening was no exception. New people, new paintings, new experiences!

On Day 31, yesterday, I rested. A lot. Lazy morning, big bacon-and-eggs breakfast, the Sunday New York Times, a little nap. What was new? Well, around 1:00 or 2:00 pm, Mark and I opened a bottle of Schramsburg Sparkling Wine, and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon, watching an old movie, eating popcorn. Afternoon champagne was a definite first for us, and the perfect end to this 31-day project.

Simple, quiet days can still bring new experiences, and sometimes, they’re the best. Like afternoon movies with champagne. Or watching the squirrels eat the cashews we threw on the deck. Just noticing something you haven’t noticed before or seeing it from a totally new perspective.

It’s been a great 31-day project. So great, I’m starting a NEW one! Stay tuned.

Yesterday was Day 28 of this crazy 31 Day project of Experiencing New Things. And it was also gig day

Singing at Savona's

for me. The Boys and I performed at Savona’s Trattoria in Kingston, our regular monthly gig, and it was a great night for us. Lots of people showed up (which wasn’t the case last month) and the energy was high (as was the noise level) and the music flowed like Malbec wine.

What was the new experience of the evening? Well, two things. One was getting to meet Sari, another transplanted Californian who moved to Kingston just 90 days ago to be with her true love. Geez, when are we women going to learn to stop moving cross country for love? This is ridiculous!

I’d talked with Sari briefly by phone the evening before when my bon vivant Mark called me from the Kingston Digital Corridor Happier Hour at Keegan Ales and said, “You need to meet this woman! She just moved from Northern California and just like you, she misses all her friends!” Mark had just met Sari at Keegan’s, and after hearing a bit of her story and seeing the way she frowned and pouted out her lower lip when he mentioned the fact I loved New York but really missed my friends back in California, he called me on his cell and handed the phone to Sari. We talked a bit, in that awkward, I-don’t-really-know-you way for a few minutes, about California, about Whole Foods, about adjusting to a strange new place, and then I invited her to come to the gig the following night.

And she came! With her lover man, Brad. And it was such a joy to meet her in person! She’s as sunny as… California on a summer day. Beautiful, expressive, sensitive and full of life. We hit it off immediately, and now we have plans to become good friends!

My other new experience was eating Salmon Limoncello at Savona’s. I’d never tried it before, though it’s been on the menu forever. OH MY GOD! It was so delicious. Perfectly cooked, it melted in my mouth. And I ate the whole thing! Plus the pile of broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic. Very yummy, and the perfect end to a great evening.

On Day 27, the day before yesterday, I was reading a post by Rebecca Martin on the Kingston Citizens blog about the Mt. Zion African Burial Ground in Kingston. I quickly looked on a Google map to see where it was, thinking that if it were close enough, I could walk there. New adventure! But it was too far to go. But as I looked at the map, I noticed that Wiltwyck Cemetery was closer, and I’d never been there before. Ah, ha!

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I’d only heard their strange electronic buzzing in the movies. And read about them in books about the south.

I’m talking about cicadas, or as my bon vivant calls them, hot weather bugs. I’d never heard them “live” until I moved here and experienced what’s been a pretty darn hot summer. Because it’s when the weather gets hot that cicadas shake the trees with their loud, buzzy sound.

On Sunday, Day 24 of Experiencing New Things, I actually saw one! A big, slightly iridescent cicada, which had been lying on its back on our deck until Mark gently flipped him over. He rested a while, then sang his buzzy song and moved on. Yep, my Sunday new experience!

Yesterday, Day 25, I excused myself from work a little early and went to see the movie, “Inception,” which was incredible! Who in the heck thought this up? What a mind-boggling premise! Sci-fi blockbusters are not usually my cup of tea, but this one is so smart, so brilliantly thought out, and beautifully produced, that I was enthralled throughout all 148 minutes of it. A perfect summer movie.

The last week or so, it’s been more challenging to make good on my 31 Day commitment. I’ve been feeling physically worn out, which has made it hard to be inspired by anything except a long nap. But I’m heading into the finish now, only 6 more days to go! And I’m going to make ‘em count!

Yesterday, I decided to go to the 9:30 am yoga class at Mudita Yoga in Kingston. THIS would be my new experience for the day. I pulled my purple yoga mat out from the piles of stuff in the downstairs hallway, and sprinted off into the rainy, humid morning towards my new experience.

As I pulled up to Mudita Yoga, I saw a woman with a yoga mat starring at the door of the center, then walk away. Hmmm. Sure enough. According to the notice on the front door, class had been canceled. Here I had summoned up my willingness to be the clumsy “beginner” in a class situation, and I’d been spared by circumstances beyond my control.

Yet, I was disappointed. Shoot! My new experience plans had been thwarted!

So… I can’t say I did anything new yesterday. It just didn’t happen.

But today was a new day! And a very hot one, too! In 94-degree heat, I went to the Kingston Farmer’s Market, which felt oddly quiet and slow, most likely due to the oppressive, sticky heat. Then, I went to the Kingston Libary, something I’ve been wanting to do for a while.

It’s such a small libary! In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a library with such a small collection of books. It was kind of cute! And the librarian was so sweet. I found a couple of books to check out, then went through the process of getting my Kingston library card. Another first!

This afternoon, I’ve been reading one of the books I checked out, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, and resting, mostly. This has been an incredibly hard, taxing week, and to have this lazy Saturday to read and relax has been very healing.

By the way, libraries are so very cool. I forgot just how cool they are. In this time when so much of what we read is online, or can be ordered online from Amazon.com, I forgot how much you can get FOR FREE from your public library.

Go check it out.

When you invite new experiences into your life, you have to take the good with the bad.

And I had about three days of bad ones. Honestly, I’ve been up against some horrible, heartwrenching challenges over these past few days, unlike I’ve ever experienced before. They’ve taken me to a new edge… and threatened to push me over. But I’m holding on. By my fingernails.

But there were some sweet moments as well. Like watching squirrels napping in the tree outside my window. They were just lounging, one with his little body splayed out, the other looking down, as if in a trance. Basking in the summer heat, perfectly still, for almost an hour.

Yesterday, in an effort to lift myself up and out of a dark place, I took myself out for Indian food. I LOVE Indian food, and I haven’t had any really good Indian food since I moved here. So, I made an adventure out of it by choosing an Indian restaurant in Red Hook, since I’d never been to Red Hook and going there would pack two new experiences into one: new town, new restaurant.

Red Hook was cute, funky and small. Most of the town consists of one main intersection, so it was easy to walk and take it in. The Indian restaurant I went to was pretty disappointing, at least, what I ordered wasn’t that great. But, as I said, you take the bad with the good, and vice versa.

Today, which is Day 22 of this 31-day focus, I’m going to a yoga class. Now, I haven’t done yoga in years! And I certainly haven’t been to a class here in Kingston, so this will be yet another new experience.

There are new expiences you look forward to. They feel fun and adventurous. Others grab you by surprise. You couldn’t have planned them if you tried. And if you’re really lucky, you get a little of both in the same experience! That was Day 16, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

On Day 15 of Experiencing New Things, I was mired in the usual work day, spending most of it at my desk, meeting deadlines. I really thought I’d be without a new experience to report, but then, the skies grew dark, thunder boomed, and torrents of rain fell hard. It had been pretty toasty all day, and the sight of that thick sheet of rain called to me. I ran outside in my shorts and t-shirt, and let the rain just soak me through as I danced to the distant thunder and searched the skies for lightening.

Then, another new experience! The sudden downpour had created rivers of water in the street gutters, graceful, fast and

Me as Wet Rat in from the Rain

thick. So I jumped in! With both feet. And I almost gasped. While the rain was cool and refreshing, the water swirling around my feet was deliciously warm, warmer than bath water. Now, this may come as no surprise to other New Yorkers who are used to rain storms in the heat of summer, but for me, it took me a half-second to “get” it.

The hot streets, having broiled in the summer sun all day, had immediately cooked up the temperature of the rain water the second it hit the ground, and the more that water washed through the steets, the hotter it had become.

I came back into the house, happy and drenched to the bone, and in full appreciation for this 31 Daysof Experiencing New Things project. Because if I hadn’t been on the lookout for a new experience, I would have watched the thunderstorm from my window, then gone back to work. But when I saw that rain, I knew. Another  opportunity to experience something new had been delivered to my door.

On Saturday, Day 16, the act of buying coffee was transformed into yet another delightful, spontaneus, surprising event. On my way back from the Kingston Farmer’s Market, I stopped at Monkey Joe’s, one of Kingston’s famous coffee houses. My bon vivant likes a certain coffee there, so I thought I’d pick up a pound. Besides, it would give me a chance to put up a poster announcing my upcoming gig on July 29 at Savona’s.

The place was fairly empty (everyone at the Farmer’s’ Market, most likely). A good-looking gentleman in a Monkey Joe’s t-shirt was carrying large plastic dispensers of coffee beans from the back of the store to the display in front. I asked him, “Is it okay if I post this in your window,” handing him my poster. He looked at it, then at me, and asked, “Is that you?” pointing to the photo in the poster. A ligitimate question given the fact I was all diva-dolled up in the poster, while at that present moment, I looked like… well, me.

“Yep, that’s me!”

“Oh, yeah, okay, sure” he said. “Do you sing?” And that started a conversation about music. Seems he sings, too. AND writes songs. Lots of them. He even performs them from time to time with a guitar-playing buddy of his. Turns out I was talking to Gabe, who owns Monkey Joe’s. And to make a long story short, he ended up bringing out his guitar from the back room, sat at a table and sang 5-6 of his original songs. At one point, his adorable wife joined in to sing back-up. I was being treated to my very own Saturday morning concert!

And you know what? His songs are good! Great lyrics, — smart, snappy and full of story, and the songs were catchy, melodic, and diverse. Since serveral of his tunes could easily be rearranged as a jazz tune, I may get to cover 1-2 of his tunes at my September gig.

The rest of the day was full of new experiences as well. Before going to a concert — Art of the Duo with Maryanne deProphetis, vocals, and Frank Kimbrough, piano — at the New Music Salon at Beahive in Kingston, I had a glass of Pinot Grigio and a scallop appetizer at a new uptown Kingston restaurant, called Boiston’s. A small place with a good-sized bar and a partially open kitchen (which is always fun, to watch chefs cook) this restaurant has an upscale, classy feel without any attitude. It felt like walking into one of  San Francsico’s newer, trendier restaurants near the Castro or even downtown. I was right at home!

Jackie: singer, spitfire, eater of fried chicken

At the bar, I met a charming, ebullient 11-year old girl named Jackie who was sitting between her parents. She told me the fried chicken she was eating was the best she’d ever had. And I have to admit, it looked really good. Then, she told me she was a singer too, and, in fact she was going to music camp next week. She was adorable, so full joy and energy. I felt entertained and blessed to have met her… and her parents, who obviously had their hands full with such a spit-fire girl!

Yesterday, Day 17, I did something decadant, nourishing and healing. I got up, called the Emerson Resort and booked a massage. I knew about the Emerson because I used to try to sell advertising to them for New York House, and while I’d seen the resort, which is gorgeous, I’d never used their spa… which is also gorgeous. I had a wonderful massage from Jodi (ask for her if you go there! She’s great!), a bit of a steam, and then floated home. Even though it’s pricy there, when you book any service, like a massage or facial, you have full use of the spa facilities, like the steam room, sauna, hot tub, as well as the workout facilities. And the atmosphere is lovely. It’s worth taking a break and taking some time there.

Onward to yet more new experiences!

What I’m loving about this 31 Days of Experiencing New Things project is realizing just how often I DO experience new things… without even trying. Every day IS a new experience, right? In breaking out of the same old routine, I’ve noticed, gratefully, that I rarely live one day like another. There is always something new and often wonderful.

On Day 12 of this project, which was July 13, I grabbed my bon vivant and my camera and headed down to the marina in Kingston where we bought sandwiches at the Rondout Deli (yummy turkey & avocado wraps) and ate on the grass near Mariner’s restaurant. Afterwards, we wandered down to feed the ducks and geese, which I hadn’t done for so long, and I took some photos, like the one in this blog post.

On Day 13, I made Chicken with Lots of Garlic for dinner. This is a totally new recipe for me, one I snatched from Yummly.com. I’d been wanting to make this recipe for awhile, but it’s been too dang hot to cook lately. Our kitchen is the hottest room in the house, so an adventure in cooking hasn’t sounded appealing until last Wednesday. It was fun to try something new, and Mark loved the chicken. I, on the other hand, thought it was just okay. I’d make it again, just because it was so much fun and very garlicky, but next time, I’ll be careful not to heat the olive oil too much before browning the chicken. I think that’s where I went wrong.

Yesterday was Day 14, and I had a blast going to the Ulster County Musicians Network meetup at Skytop Steakhouse & Brewing Company. I met 3-4 people there whom I’ve met virtually, on Facebook or Twitter, but have never met face to face. Like Jude DeFalco, Stephen Crawford, and Neil Alexander. I also got to talk with Peter Aaron, a great bio writer and the musician whose gig I ended up NOT going to on that Comedy of Errors day, Day 8 of this project. Yes, he’s still talking to me.

So, what will my new experience be today? Hmmmm….

Some days are jampacked with new experiences, like last Friday. But this past Saturday and Sunday… not so much.

On Saturday, I bought kale, eggs and bacon at Kingston Natural Foods in the Rondout. Yes, this was a new experience in that I’d never bought any of those items at Kingston Natural Foods ever before. I know, I’m really stretching it here, but in all fairness, I had a slew of new experiences the night before so I think I deserve a little creative leeway.

On Sunday, July 11, I ate bacon that cost $9 a pound. To my knowledge, I’ve never eaten bacon that costs this much. It was from Gray Horse Farm, and while I believe in supporting local farmers and ranchers as much as any displaced Californian does, I wouldn’t buy this bacon again. It wasn’t spicey or smoked enough, it was too thick and tough, and the taste was reminiscent of pork rinds (an observation made by my bacon-sharing bon vivant).

But the eggs we had with that bacon were from Gray Horse Farm as well, and they were very tasty.

Okay, today was Day 11 of my 31 Days of Experiencing New Things experiment, and I was at a loss. What to do, what to do, what to do? I took the long way home after picking up my posters for my upcoming gig at Savona’s (Thursday, July 29, people!), but that didn’t feel “new” enough.

So, I did the oddest thing. I wrote a completely nonsensical poem. I picked a meter and rhyme sequence, then I just let myself write whatever words came. The result was, well, terrible. It stinks! But it was freeing, to just write words without worrying about meaning. Kind of like writing lyrics to a “Yes” song. I just may do it again!