I recall in my sleep how you changed my life on Magnolia Street...

I haven't written in a long time.  There's so much to tell you about, but I never find the time unless it's days like today, when I'm overwhelmed by something that seems so worthy of writing.  Someday, I'll tell you about my urban planning class (which I love), the stress of the semester and its new batch of kids (who break my heart), and the mess of trouble I can get myself into some days.

But today.  We just got home from seeing Catie Curtis at the Old Town School of Folk Music.  Catie Curtis is one of my faves -- Shannon predicted this, I think, when we were roommates senior year of college and she brought me her copy of Catie Curtis's self-titled album, which honestly didn't catch me right off the bat.  It took till grad school, when I found myself swimming in the sorrow of her song "Troubled Mind."
 

Honestly, I can't remember if this was the second or third time I've seen her play live.  I think it was the second -- it's at least the second time I've seen her play live since I've lived in Chicago.  She played two of the songs that just live in such a deep place for me; "Kiss That Counted" had me singing and smiling when she started her set with it, and I cried when she sang "Magnolia Street." There were, of course, other gems.

And then there's the Old Town School...  I can't really describe that place and how it makes me feel.  Overwhelmed, maybe.  Awestruck.  Intimidated, even.  If you know me, you know that music is so beautiful and personal to me, and you take a place like that where the rooms are filled with people taking lessons, making music.  Wow.  I'm humbled, and I'm saddened that I quit playing the piano and the guitar and haven't been able to overcome the emotional block I have on playing music myself.

with Catie Curtis
Originally uploaded by terynjay

Put together a musician I love in a place that's so amazing, and well, I didn't think I would be able to actually go talk to Catie Curtis when she was hanging around at the merch table after the show because I couldn't stop crying.  I get so fangirl-shy around musicians I love, but I actually thought of something to say to her about her "It Gets Better" video (with her partner Liz).  Annabelle was good enough to push me to get a picture, which I wouldn't have asked for myself, on account of the shy, fangirl thing I had going on.

I'm thinking that maybe I'll go tune the guitar. Maybe.