Favorite Part of 50

Well I can honestly say I'm not sure what my most favorite part of turning 50 was.  This past week I flipped over my speedometer to just over half a century! Holy moly! So I guess it was fitting on my actual birthdate I had a gig at the Museum!  Which begins with one of my favorite things! I had a wonderful evening of performing with my gals at the Melodies of the Museum in St Marys and this year the weather cooperated and we played our show outside on the lawn of the museum.  Dustin did sound for us as I have made a commitment to making my life more stress free and sound is much easier given to an outside party!  My morning was met with my usual 6am Tims coffee by my hubby and a birthday wish, followed by my wonderful friends (not following my no gifts policy and hunting me down to drop off flowers and chocolates and books ... I mean how well do they know me?! Working with a few people that day with lessons with my awesome students and a fruitful songwriting session with young Delaney who I was just watching our songs unfold thinking of how music is just a part of some people's makeup and how it just comes so easy it seems magical! Which reminds me of the night before my birthday I had a magical night with my Improv group from last winter and well, it was more fun and more friends, and it too was just a magical night of friendships and summer!  I know for sure as I "join the club" that so many welcomed me into, not only am I in great company there are many rewards!  50 feels to me young, I feel "well" and I my time clock just did a "*beep* or get off the pot" setting.  I don't believe in waiting for retirement as both of my parents didn't make it even to 62.  To me losing people early is not a reason to be upset, although it can be a sad time, but yet it is a reminder to cease every day and to do things you love and to tell people how much you think of  them and appreciate them! I have believed for a long time, a eulogy is just a tad to late to tell people, and really we all only have this moment,

so don't squander it.   Find something to do that makes you feel good and for me it is Music with my friends and my family.  I do love my work and teaching but music just for fun is a whole other event. Which leads me to my next fun birthday event, which I decided to have a birthday party jam session, of course I invited key people from all parts of my life which creates an eclectic group!  A simple jam session with munchies and music and my fav people! My band(s), my boys, my family. And my friends.  And just after I set up the jam room Dustin arrived with his gear, I inquired how much we actually need? And he assured me a good light show was everything and well you can never have too much gear.  Well I felt like I never left the stage, maybe enough to serve some cake but what a fun night!! I jammed with friends and family and band(s) old bands merged with new, my kids jammed out and it was just perfect! (I do think my most fav merge was when my two gal bands, some of my new and old, merged) It was en evening of musical and magical moments which I think comes from this interesting age of no expectations and appreciation for those "real" things.  Things money can't buy, although I am not opposed to money... "cause it could buy me a boat"  (sorry I just broke out in a country song) and at the end of the evening it was down to me and a couple friends and Max took the stage, conveniently after everyone had left. And I must say his hidden talent (well not hidden to mom) we could hear from the other side of the yard, was just the perfect topper to the night!  When

he decides to share it with the public, it will be a delightful thing!  He has an amazing voice, which I always knew he had! This show was then followed by the question, sooooo can I have a party to use up the cool jam space and munchies? So the night ended with me back in mom roll and unsure as to how to answer him as the next leg of my "turning 50 plan" takes place early Tuesday morn as we leave for the airport to head west for a few weeks.  Me and two of my kids.  Randomly picked out of a hat... just kidding! A spontaneous trip was booked months back in the winter as my "I'm getting old and I need a vacation" moment was in place and well it just kind of transpired!  Going to visit one of my very first best friends in BC, it is always like back to our youth when we are together and we rang in her birthday in Toronto in February so it's only fitting I should go to her side of the country (which is one of my favorite places to be) so next time I write it will be from the mountains and with my west coast connections!  It is for almost 2 weeks to make up for all the years I haven't taken any time off for me!  So needless to say I am really excited to ring in my next half century with so many gifts, so many wonderful people, so much music and some travel and new exciting fall projects! Life is truly what you make it, as they say loss and heartache are inevitable, suffering is optional. In the words of Gord Downie, this is not a dress rehearsal, so don't just and forget all about what makes you "sing inside" it that is painting rocks on a beach with algae, then do it! If it is

running, then run, if it is jumping out of a plane, then do it, just as long as you have your parachute! And don't wait, start today, even if that means just looking it up on line or even just trying to think of what it is that would be fun!  Even that can be fun!! And you're never too old, or too young to start!!  Age is truly just a number, on the inside, and happiness give a youthful glow at any age!