Something about a Spring day stirs my imagination.
Living. Breathing. Stirring.
Life in all its glory.
Energy. Beauty. Fresh air.
It speaks to the soul.
I love Springtime in May in Minnesota.
Ode to Springtime
Category: Amy Zents
Better than Winter
It was a long-time coming, but it looks like Spring has finally sprung!
To celebrate the joys of warmer weather, I brought home a stunningly beautiful Hydrangea plant.
They say being here in Minnesota is like living 6 months in Eden, and 6 months on Mars!
Well then, hypothetically-speaking, it looks like being here in May through October will be better than Winter!
Pops of color, pops of joy!
Flowers give me such joy. I just love them so much!
The colors, the scents, the freshness and the beauty are as romantic today as it was when I was in New York City decades ago.
I saw an eager gentleman give his lady love two dozen beautiful red roses at Grand Central Station.
It was a sight to behold! It seemed straight out of the pages of a Harlequin romance!
Flowers not only say, “I love you,” they say, “I love me too!”
Buy yourself or your sweetie a flower or a bunch and make your world a happier place today!
Lift yourself up
There are many truisms all over the Internet. You can read them on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and lots of places online.
I love motivational and inspirational quotes.
This one really struck me when I was feeling blue and lonely.
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else!
Giving is living, and that’s the reality for all people!
Head-shot day
We change through the years.
Yes I quit school at 16. Mental depression and ADHD. I did not fit in.
On to University after getting my GED, I graduated and began teaching and performing.
I was in my forties by the time I graduated college. Being a non-traditional student was hard.
In the nineties, I was mistreated and rudely shunned by most of the other students. Some bullied me, and called me a “re-tread.”
The professors were a bit kinder.
Happily, I was a college radio broadcaster and wrote for the campus newspaper.
I lived off campus, and that helped.
Keeping busy kept me happy.
By 43, I started my own music teaching business. My college degree was in Music Education.
My music teaching business ran from 2004 until the pandemic in 2020.
Now I am just getting back to writing songs and stories and recovering from the fallout of the pandemic. My duo, Molly and Sonny Boy have some upcoming gigs, and more original songs to record
Enjoy this song we recorded before the pandemic.
I still work in radio and audio production. Each Sunday at 4:08pm Central on AM 860/97.3 FM and at http://KNUJ.net I produce and broadcast a show called, “Music from Germany.”
Music from Germany – May 1
Morning Potatoes
I own the popular Aroma steamer. I like to steam a big batch of chopped Golden Yukon potatoes and then fry them in a cast-iron pan with a medley of vegetables and soy bacon.
Homemade is hard, but it is the price you pay for tasty food that will most likely be eaten quickly! 😋
Musing over Muesli
Yesterday I found out that art helps us in our emotional growth.
I went to a pow wow of sorts at the local arts center regarding the direction of the Grand.
https://www.thegrandnewulm.com/
I found out that some people feel that art is not for them.
Yet throughout the ages, art has been significant in every culture.
I have seen all kinds of art.
To be honest some of it has downright puzzled me. “What’s that?” I sometimes wonder.
As a singer and a songwriter, I don’t always think of music as being an art per se. I think of it as musical storytelling. It’s fun and entertaining.
However music is a means of self-expression. It is an art.
My preference is towards the wordy arts.
I like songs and stories and film.
I like accessible art as well.
I like mainly realism and functional arts and crafts.
I like pops of color as well, for décor and inspiration.
So now, I will continue musing about art over my muesli this morning.
Less self-loathing
Yesterday I had to go to the doctor for my ankle.
I had a sprain a long time ago that never healed properly.
I had to get on the dreaded scale.
For most of my adult life I have been anxious about my weight.
There was a period when I was in college, when I was very slim and I never even thought twice about what I was eating and drinking.
I had enough movement and exercise in my life that my weight was not an issue.
I was a non-traditional student in my thirties and I had to park far, far away from my main college, the performing arts center.
After things settled down and I had some issues with car accidents and such, I put some pounds on.
From then it was terrible and I weighed too much, way more than I do now.
About six months ago, after a great amount of effort working on dropping 10 pounds, I decided to give it up.
I realized that although I wish I were tiny like before, unless I quit eating the way I do, I won’t be skinny.
I was plagued with guilt and self-disgust night and day.
Finally, I said to myself, I need a break from this emotional tumult.
So for the past 6 months I stayed away from the scale.
Yesterday I had to get on the scale at the clinic. It had been 6 months of freedom from worry about weight.
I really thought I’d gained too much weight and that I was way heavier than before.
To my surprise, that was not the case.
It seems all those years of anxiety were futile.
The conclusion I came to was this.
You can either get away with being fat and forget about it, or you can get on with losing weight.
Every day is a new choice and a new beginning.
Go ahead and be active and eat healthy, and try your best.
But let go of the guilt and suffering because it’s not worth it.
A Tantalizing World
Everywhere we look, people look for happiness.
They seek it online and in person. They are full of dissatisfaction.
They can’t get very much done because they are distracted.
Life is meant to be fun.
Life is meant to be enjoyed.
Here is a story I never heard of before, but it is the origin of the word tantalize.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantalus
If you ever feel like you are missing out on all the fun, you are not alone.
Most people feel that way and that’s why many seek temptations and escape from the drudge of work.
Nevertheless, if you want to be a better person, the key is to plan your work and work your plan. The joys are hidden behind and in between your efforts in the daily service of others.
Yet, you need to also take time for yourself and live with balance and gratitude.
Grand Arts Center Open House
On Sunday there was an open house at the Grand.
The Grand Center for the Arts is a delightful space in the downtown area of my town.
https://www.thegrandnewulm.com/
There have been many live performances in the building, as well as live music on the deck in the warmer months.
There is a bar, and during live performances they offer light fare as well to add to the conviviality for the guests.
One of the most unique features are the printing presses in the basement.
To adapt to the times, the Grand has made many changes in its administration and functions in the community.
To stay relevant, it encourages artists to express their talents in exhibits, gallery shows, and public displays. Poets, dancers, musicians, painters, and many more artists, have benefited from the benevolence of The Grand and its supporters.
Zents Music Studio 