tag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:/blogs/the-red-accordion-diaries?p=13The RED Accordion Diaries2019-01-26T01:51:20-05:00Brigid Kaelinfalsetag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/56069992019-01-22T10:00:00-05:002024-02-04T02:16:00-05:00How my mother's grief helped me move forward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXSSlZj0PNU/XEcvycJAdgI/AAAAAAAAG8o/PfsPQi91d2gfpzUWNf-h4zX7sj3TyJxzQCLcBGAs/s1600/Relight%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXSSlZj0PNU/XEcvycJAdgI/AAAAAAAAG8o/PfsPQi91d2gfpzUWNf-h4zX7sj3TyJxzQCLcBGAs/s320/Relight%2B2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>I don't remember my grandmother. I was 4 when she died, and all I have is a flash of dark hair, a yellow dress, some paper dolls and the smell of stale cigarettes. Going through my mom's house has given me a little glimpse here and there (my grandmother lived in the house for 25 years), but it also forces me to acknowledge that my kids won't remember my mother.<br><br>I remember the morning my grandmother died. It was Easter Sunday, April 3, 1983. I was in the dining room, hiding with my basket of chocolates when the phone rang and my mother answered. "Mom's not breathing," her brother informed her. We'd celebrated Evelyn's 63rd birthday earlier that week, and then she had not woken up that Sunday, the result of a massive heart attack in her sleep.<br><br>The funeral came. I caught chicken pox from my cousin Samantha. The sympathy cards rolled in for my mother. Most were stacked in a pile -- a pile I'm sure I'll find soon as I continue to clean out my my mother's house (she never threw out anything) -- but one, only one, my mom framed.<br><br>This was major because framing was a luxury we never really had. We had drawers and drawers and cardboard tubes full of thing she <i>intended</i> to frame, you know, someday when there was disposable income for that sort of thing. But she must have grabbed a cheap document frame from Woolworth's because I remember a single sheet of paper with a poem on it, written by their friend Glenn, whom we knew from such classy establishments such as the Zanzibar and Germantown Cafe:<br><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I'm sorry. Sounds trite, doesn't it?</i><i>If sugar cookies or balloons or a warm summer day </i><i>could make your smile, I'd give them to you. </i><i>Remember your daughter -- her laugh, </i><i>her zest for life. That's your mother's legacy.</i>
</blockquote>There were a few other lines in the middle, and I think I've invented the part about the "warm summer day," but I remember hiding in the dining room eating through the rest of my Easter basket and staring at this new framed artwork on the wall -- words only, and not even a card, just blank stationery and a ballpoint pen. I read that poem daily for many years and didn't understand much except that mom's friend wanted to bake her cookies (why hadn't he?), and I had something called "zest," which proved a really fun word to say but even the dictionary definition was confusing. And "legacy," was even more of a challenge for a four-year-old to comprehend.<br><br>I tried.<br><br>One day my mom took it down. I don't know why she did, and I don't know in which drawer the poem ended up, or whether it remains in a frame, replaced by a school photo or newspaper article.<br><br>Today my mom's ashes are in a beautiful sparkly urn in my dining room, surrounded by her keys (she loved her keys) and a Harry Potter Quidditch LEGO set, which she guards from baby brother fingers. I see the urn daily, and I think, "How weird, that she is there. Her body is burned, contained, but with us."<br><br>I'm not ready to let go, I like knowing she's with us for family dinners or when Graham destroys us in Monopoly. I like the boys to smile and wave to her. Every so often I put a framed photo of her next to the urn, and when I do that, I feel a lot worse. For some reason, the urn alone is okay, but the urn with the photo is too much. Then I put away the photo, but leave the urn. I wonder if my mom took away the poem for the same reason I put away Mom's photo.<br><br>Everyone has long said Graham is a miniature of David, but when I look at Graham now, I see the wide grin of my mother. Her smile is Graham's smile. I see a look of skepticism on his face, I see twinkle of mischief in his eyes, and I see a longing to be loved.<br><br>I don't need the photo. It reminds me of the past, of completion and of things that will never be. But I hear Graham's laugh, and I remember that poem, and I think I understand this zest for life and this legacy. I suddenly want sugar cookies, and I definitely want warm summer days. And I know they will come, and it will be okay.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55867042019-01-08T12:06:00-05:002024-02-04T02:17:09-05:00Systemic burnout and the indie artist<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGceZtYfEsA/XDTWCmemVpI/AAAAAAAAG8c/8hr4j3wifQ8DRzjlsmSUQ6rl9mgcoXhtACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_6084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGceZtYfEsA/XDTWCmemVpI/AAAAAAAAG8c/8hr4j3wifQ8DRzjlsmSUQ6rl9mgcoXhtACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_6084.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>I'm recording! Steve and I have set up shop and are focusing on finishing our duo record, which will be a delightful mix of Steve's originals, some old covers and some of my originals. Will you be able to tell which is which? Who knows?!<br><br>There is so much going on, and I'm realizing that I need a manager: someone to rail in my crazy ideas, to whittle down my whiteboard list, to help me focus, to create a deadline for me. I'm not asking you to be a manager, so don't fret, I'm just trying to hold myself accountable. I have a difficult time understanding how some people out there manage to homeschool six children, while simultaneously writing and publishing books, hosting popular podcasts and taking gorgeous instagram photos that receive thousands of likes. I can't even keep track of my kids' socks (and I have given up trying).<br><br>Have you read <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/millennials-burnout-generation-debt-work" target="_blank">that article about systemic burnout? </a>The thing about millennials not being able to go to the post office? I'm not a millennial, though I hate the phone and the post office and I've got 208 unheard voicemails that I just deleted on January 1 because, quite frankly, anyone who needs me knows to text me. Independent workers (like all artists) operate with that same mentality of the millennial who needs to always be available to work, however, because, well, if we aren't working, then we know someone else is, and <i>that person will get the gig</i>. Sigh. It's a battle to stay relevant, constantly have content, but also keep said content interesting and click-worthy. But also, like, pay the mortgage, which -- hang on -- I'm going to go do right now. Okay, all good on the house...<br><br>My <a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/product/299092" target="_blank">little printable from last week i</a>s helpful, however, in helping me to focus. I'll just keep referring to that!<br><br>In the mean time, who else has a way to be organized, accountable and productive? Point me to your printables or your apps. I'm very curious what actually <i>works</i> for people -- not just what apps you installed.<br><br><h2>Some dates of note:</h2><br><ul>
<li>Fun show on <b>Friday, January 25 at the Bard's Town in Louisville</b>. It's early (doors at 6:30, show at 7) and it's all-seated. It's also all advance ticket sales and is halfway sold-out in the first 24 hours of tickets, so please grab your tickets now: <a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/event/2539394/485479633/burns-night-with-brigid-kaelin-rannygazoo-friends">https://brigidkaelin.com/event/2539394/485479633/burns-night-with-brigid-kaelin-rannygazoo-friends</a> Please buy tickets, so I can stop fretting about ticket sales and start planning an AMAZING show.</li>
<li>
<b>Saturday, February 9 at the Holy Trinity Clifton Campus (The Clifton Center)</b> is a taping of <i>Kentucky Homefront</i>, the 30+ year old radio program that began on WFPK with host John Gage. They tape two shows that night, and I'm <i>not</i> one of the musical guests. Instead, I'm HOSTING one of the episodes! Guests to be announced soon, but you'll want to attend.</li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55778092019-01-02T11:22:00-05:002024-02-04T02:18:01-05:00Free PRINTABLE Weekly Planner<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iztMIinbroQ/XCzkvw5HWzI/AAAAAAAAG8I/kn3GRL6ccSgEQbO0px8Ww9yRerjYQ3buACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Weekly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iztMIinbroQ/XCzkvw5HWzI/AAAAAAAAG8I/kn3GRL6ccSgEQbO0px8Ww9yRerjYQ3buACK4BGAYYCw/s200/Weekly.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="133" /></a>Happy new year! Who is getting organized? I've been doing some version of bullet journaling my whole life -- with the little codes for tasks, events, etc. But then I started seeing bullet journal photos on Instagram, and I realized it's gotten out of hand, and people seem to be spending all their time using protractors and brush pens instead of completing said activities. Part of me desires very much to be a fancy hand lettering yoga Mom with a calm mind and beautiful list, but I'm forty, and I know myself better than that. I do love a nice pen, and I adore a list, however so ...<br><br>As part of my initiative to bring more to this blog than my breakups with yoga (which happened AGAIN this morning -- why do I keep going back??), I'm going to give you some fun free stuff that isn't music. Because, I mean, music is free anyway.<br><br><h3><a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/product/299092" target="_blank">Instead, here is a free printable for a weekly planner. </a></h3>I'm working on another one -- a daily one that I find useful -- but here is a link to today's FREE PDF PRINTABLE WEEKLY PLANNER. Whoo hoo!<br><br>Now I'm going to get off the blog and maybe actually <i>fill out this weekly planner</i> rather than just posting about it.<br><br>Happy January to you all!<br><br>ALSO: May my fine blog readers be the first to know about a <b>Burns Night show (it's a Scottish thing, you know how I'm obsessed!)</b> I'm putting on in Louisville on Friday January 25, 6:30-8:30pm. <a href="http://brigidkaelin.com/event/2539394/485479633/burns-night-show-with-brigid-kaelin-friends" target="_blank">Advance tickets only. This show will sell out. Only 50 tickets available.</a> All seated show.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55542362018-12-14T12:41:00-05:002024-02-04T02:18:53-05:00Lucid Dreaming with my Mother<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S8SL3hz3ud0/XBPq62H5knI/AAAAAAAAG7k/WNXi4-E-lKc-1G8GHGzMM0Q08S3pverRACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S8SL3hz3ud0/XBPq62H5knI/AAAAAAAAG7k/WNXi4-E-lKc-1G8GHGzMM0Q08S3pverRACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4409.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mommy and me, 1979.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I can lucid dream. For most of my life it's been a way to travel -- generally via magic carpet, though occasionally I'll travel via pod like on Singapore Airlines or whatever -- and also to eat whatever I want without fear of hurting my belly or my cholesterol. I can use this power to extract myself from nightmares and turn them into magic, sort of like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxQUK_V926A" target="_blank">turning a boggart into something comical</a>.<br><br>For the past three months, however, I have been using it to hang out with my mom. Last night I had a really fun time with her. We all went to Scotland, and after arriving via magic carpet, we traveled to the Isle of Mull in a rented Microlini (my newest strange vehicle obsession, see video below).<br><br><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-n-pzXefQW8" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Sometimes I ask her questions to things I forgot to ask her in real life -- like, "What was your mom's favorite color?" or I'll tell her all about the hilarious things her grandkids are doing.<br><br>I'm coping surprisingly well with the grief, but I'm wondering if it's because I still get to see her. I can't command her presence in my dreams, but when she shows up, I'm totally aware that it's a limited-time experience, but it still always involves a hug, a smile, and appreciation of the moment, even though the moment is in a trance. Hoping I can hold onto this part of grief for a little while longer -- pretending she's away on a long trip, or has left the family to go find herself in Paris. It's making life a little easier for now.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55474952018-12-10T09:20:00-05:002024-02-04T02:19:58-05:00Free Sheet Music - Hanukkah song<br><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZdYWyyj3h0/XA50KDOHnII/AAAAAAAAG68/BbrdRp6N7HgS7YOPxrzg9F2orZZPuW30ACLcBGAs/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-12-10%2Bat%2B9.11.47%2BAM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="159" /></div><br><h2>Did everyone have a delightful Hanukkah?! </h2>I didn't force this dandy Hanukkah tune in anyone's face this year, but here it is to spread joy if you need a giggle. Also, I made use of my classical training and created <a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/hanukkah-songs" target="_blank">a PDF of a lead sheet for the song, which is available free on my website (along with the mp3s of the songs).</a><br><br>It's free, though of course I won't stop you from donating to the cause of art: <br><form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"></form><br><input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick"><br><input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="B2NX2V9WBWD5E"><br><input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image"><br><img src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" width="1" /><br><br><br><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7fm-n83Z1pk" width="560"></iframe><br><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzKTwtqqu7g0I83wcaw4EpKpf2WJh6k4CqdbiK2jY0h8qXCGM-swuAl2Is3OnRp4GBM_Ii_Uw6L175WbRHq2Q" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0"></iframe><br>Louisville! Come to hear me and <a href="http://www.stevecooleybanjo.com/" target="_blank">Steve Cooley</a> pick some tunes on <b>Thursday, December 13, from 8-10 </b>at <b>Goodwood Brewing. </b>Goodwood is one of the only small venues in this town with a really good sound system, and that makes playing music and listening to music a DELIGHT.<br><br><br><h3>I'm not going to try to sell you anything this shopping/holiday season, but I would ask that you consider supporting ANY indie artist you know and love. Here are some things you can do that actually help, aside from buying merch:</h3><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BqoORJEXEYuA3wBFoQcnj" target="_blank">Follow us on Spotify -- add a song to a playlist if you really want to spread the love!</a><br><a href="http://www.facebook.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Like us on Facebook</a><br><a href="http://www.twitter.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Follow us on Twitter</a><br><a href="http://www.instagram.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Follow us on Instagram</a><br><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">I'm also @BrigidKaelin on Venmo or $BrigidKaelin on Cashme :)<br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55322782018-11-29T11:51:00-05:002024-02-04T02:23:09-05:00Hosting an Au Pair: how to & why & benefits <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRkFigAxdUA/XAAXLo1LNTI/AAAAAAAAG6U/JlH5N3-4fu0MUZyEDZy3LLFinLVvqM9SQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IjI-5Abf9gk/XAAaT17gfcI/AAAAAAAAG60/XR2yEtqZcl0yuWMvsHKuaxNtEIJiH1NjwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/pinterest.png" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IjI-5Abf9gk/XAAaT17gfcI/AAAAAAAAG60/XR2yEtqZcl0yuWMvsHKuaxNtEIJiH1NjwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/pinterest.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a><br>Our amazing au pair has started venturing out into the world a lot more lately, now that she's a lot more confident in her English and navigation skills. She's also encountered something fun out in the wild: other au pairs!<br><div><br></div><div>When we first decided to go the au pair route, the local agency coordinator (LCC for local childcare coordinator) told me that there were 11 au pairs in the Kentuckiana area, all but 2 of whom were out in Oldham County/extreme East End (read: rich people) areas. There was 1 in Southern Indiana and 1 in Old Louisville, but none in The Highlands. This kind of surprised me, considering The Highlands is the neighborhood with the independent coffeeshops and pedestrians and diners and exchange students. But au pairs weren't a thing here ... but apparently there are at least 3 who have moved into the neighborhood since spring, and I can't help but hope/wonder that you sneaky au pair family are reading my blog:) Let's meet up!</div><div><br></div><div>I've also received no fewer than 20 private messages asking about how the au pair program works, so I thought I'd enlighten you in as succinct a way as possible. Apologies for being verbose, thus far. </div><div><br></div><div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRkFigAxdUA/XAAXLo1LNTI/AAAAAAAAG6U/JlH5N3-4fu0MUZyEDZy3LLFinLVvqM9SQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRkFigAxdUA/XAAXLo1LNTI/AAAAAAAAG6U/JlH5N3-4fu0MUZyEDZy3LLFinLVvqM9SQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5270.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonus: sometimes I'm in the photos now because we have<br>another photographer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Why hire an au pair?</span>
</div><br><h4><b>FLEXIBILITY</b></h4>People have many reasons, but I think the most compelling reason for us is the <b>flexibility</b> it offers. Standard daycare/preschool hours do not work for my family because 1) David travels a lot and 2) my job is usually split shift -- I do admin/writing in the mornings, and then I gig in the evenings. I generally work a lot on weekends, and my schedule changes week to week.<br><h4>CULTURAL EXCHANGE</h4>My husband and I are raising two little white boys in a privileged part of the world. It's important to me that they understand the world is bigger than they are. We can't travel the world with them in the way I'd like to (I haven't hit Powerball yet), so we love the idea of them learning about exchange students, immigrants, other cultures, other languages, in a very hands-on way. <i><b>Our au pair is not an employee to us.</b></i> There are definitely some families out there who have more of an employee/boss relationship with their au pairs, but that is not what we entered the program wanting or expecting. She is not a nanny; she is a family member. In fact, "au pair," is French for "on par," meaning she is equal. We have beans and rice at least once a week, and we eat them the way she suggests ... beans on the bottom! (Though this is apparently as contentious a discussion as where the clotted cream should go on a Devon scone)<br><br><h4>LIVE-IN CARE</h4><div>I love having live-in care, not just because of the additional family member aspect, but because she really understands the kids' routines. Last night I scheduled her to work 7:30-10:30, so I could go out to a live music event. I didn't have to explain that Angus had had a crappy nap or that Graham was going to read <i>Harry Potter</i> with a nightlight. I <i>never</i> have to explain bedtime routine, and the kids are incredibly comfortable with her. I love having another adult around for when I've been solo parenting all week. She's amazing and when I lost my patience with wee Angus earlier this week, she swooped in, got him in his pajamas, and let me walk away to take a deep breath. This is above and beyond any sort of contract we have -- it's the mark of a good person who geuninely wants to be part of the family and help out. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><h3>How does this work???</h3><div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vOv_iPUORdk/XAAXOu6J51I/AAAAAAAAG6k/PWzjNV37mCseUDAo6Tv1pBTnPDPi_PzYACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vOv_iPUORdk/XAAXOu6J51I/AAAAAAAAG6k/PWzjNV37mCseUDAo6Tv1pBTnPDPi_PzYACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4928.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Au pair and baby snuggles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">You must use an agency to find an au pair. They are the only people who are able to sponsor the J1 visa required by the Secretary of State. There is a large agency fee, but we pay it on a credit card in installments.</a></li>
<li>You scroll through a zillion profiles, find au pairs who intrigue you, do Skype interviews and eventually match with an au pair. It felt weird at first -- sort of like looking for a mail-order bride. We got over that and found several delightful women (we limited it to women, though there are male au pairs. I think next time we will not limit our search, but at the time we felt weird about having another man living in the house. Too many boys already!!!)</li>
<li>The agency will come to your home to make sure you aren't crazy and that you have a proper room for the au pair. They just need a private bedroom, but nothing fancy. We have three small bedrooms on the 2nd floor of our house. Our au pair is in one; my husband and I in another; the boys in the third. We share a bathroom. It's fine!</li>
<li>Au pair arrives and the magic begins!</li>
</ol>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IPrxlJtDOVc/XAAXNrE-ChI/AAAAAAAAG6c/vl0XZbpbhzwPJND8jWmVvbW-9t-6pq2CwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IPrxlJtDOVc/XAAXNrE-ChI/AAAAAAAAG6c/vl0XZbpbhzwPJND8jWmVvbW-9t-6pq2CwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5320.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family movie date!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>What are the rules/limitations/hours, etc?</h3>
</div><div>The most asked question! I love these rules because they are established by the government, and they provide a good template for scheduling. </div><div>
<ul>
<li>They can work up to 45 hours a week</li>
<li>No more than 10 total hours a day</li>
<li>They must have 1.5 consecutive days off each week</li>
<li>One full weekend off per month</li>
</ul>
<div>I try not to schedule the entire 45 hours, though plenty of families do. Our au pair is lovely and pitches in when she can even if she's not technically on-the-clock, so I try to schedule her around 40 to make up for that. </div>
</div><div>
<ul>
<li>They are not a housekeeper. They are a family member! Ours is lovely and always pitches in to clean up after a meal, or cook dinner for all sometimes -- though that is not at all required. </li>
<li>You can't ask them to clean common areas as part of her job</li>
<li>You <i>can</i> ask them to clean anything related to the children</li>
<li>Yep, ours does the kids' laundry! It's totally amazing and has been a massive load off my back.</li>
<li>You can ask them to cook meals for the kids (but not for you!). Again, our au pair is a delightful human being who loves to cook (and she prefers her own cooking to ours ha ha!), so she'll absolutely whip up rice and beans for the family, just as I'll make dinner for everyone. Again: <i>au pair</i> = on par. </li>
<li>We do not require a driver, but most au pairs have licenses in their own countries. You can have them get a license here, but you have to add them to your insurance, etc. I make sure all our kids' activities are either walkable or on the bus route, so there is no need for a driver. </li>
</ul>
<div>She gets free housing and host families buy food. You aren't required to buy special foods, just make sure there is food to eat. We love our au pair so much that we provided her with a credit card (with a limit), so if I haven't been to the grocery that week, she can buy what she likes. </div>
</div><div><br></div><div>She also gets <b>$195.75/week</b> stipend (which, yes, she must pay taxes on later). We round up to $200 because I feel like a jerk typing $195.75 in Venmo, and also because she is incredible and worth the rounding-up. Note that this is in addition to the agency fee (which varies from $6000-9000ish), and though that is some sticker shock, it is still less than the cost of daycare for two children. </div><div><br></div><h3>Hosting an au pair is still definitely not for everyone. </h3>We are a family who loved to host Couchsurfers, who AirBnBs, and who hopes to host exchange students when the kids are older. We love having an additional family member, and it so happens that the flexible childcare benefits align with our needs as well. But I totally get that it it's not for everyone! I was a live-in nanny at one point in my life, and I have a wonderful relationship today with the kids I helped raise. I love them like my own, and I'm so thankful that my children will have a similar relationship.<br><br>I hope that answers all the questions I've received. I'll respond to comments if you have more questions! <a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">Here is a link to the agency we used, which has the largest pool of au pairs to choose from. Ours is from Brazil, but they have au pairs from all the world. </a> (If you've already signed up, then you can go back and list The Caldwell Family in Louisville as your referral if you want, but no pressure, I swear!)<br><br>***Our family does get a credit if you host an au pair and sign up through this link, so just full disclosure. We totally love having an au pair, and I suspect we'll host one for as long as we need the childcare. But if you don't relish the idea of having another housemate, then it's probably not for you. We love having a friend for life though!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55312172018-11-28T14:07:00-05:002024-02-04T02:24:05-05:00New Christmas EP!! Musical Saw Singing Saw Novelty album just for you<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4078069225/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; height: 307px; width: 400px;"></iframe><br><br>In all the craziness, I managed to throw together a little something for the holiday season. It has been TEN years since I released <i>Here Comes Santa Saws</i>, one of the world's worst puns, but a fun little album. I thought it time to record a few more Christmas songs on the musical saw, this time pairing them with some delightful banjo styling from Santa Claus himself ... I mean, from Steve Cooley. (But have you ever seen the two in the same room together? And they have the same initials? I mean ... who's to say?)<br><br>In punny news, I have titled this EP <i>I Saw Three Ships</i>, which isn't quite the same level of wit as <i>Here Comes Santa Saws, </i>but it also features a title track. I had two album cover choices, which I will share here. Drew Zipp reprised his role as cover art master for this album as well, though I wasn't able to use the Boston-inspired spaceship design because I didn't want to jump through the legal hoops that my digital distributor was requiring. I'm still going to post it here because it's HILARIOUS!<br><br><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBAYf_p48_Y/W_7mTgwt6KI/AAAAAAAAG6E/elo_qiaH_VoeJb2RH3yiLTEUZVImbQzlQCLcBGAs/s1600/isawthreeships.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBAYf_p48_Y/W_7mTgwt6KI/AAAAAAAAG6E/elo_qiaH_VoeJb2RH3yiLTEUZVImbQzlQCLcBGAs/s640/isawthreeships.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is hilarious and that Drew is super duper talented. But the cover art that won out is version 2 ... below!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The cover art we went with in the end is just a beautiful ... and with this fun widget, you can hear the tunes! They are available for free download (or donation if you like) at <a href="http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com/">brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com</a>. </h3><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55214802018-11-20T09:22:00-05:002022-03-23T17:01:09-04:00Home renovation - builders, plans, stairs, Elton John <style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px} </style> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lxNeMlTnKb4/W_QXWda14jI/AAAAAAAAG5k/xBlss7are9UKStnKLEuUgC1a-OLAYqVPwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5286.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lxNeMlTnKb4/W_QXWda14jI/AAAAAAAAG5k/xBlss7are9UKStnKLEuUgC1a-OLAYqVPwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5286.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, age 12, in the same living room -- same piano.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WNKfD8bZAUk/W_QXYIkXSwI/AAAAAAAAG5s/QoyVWqmFJD8wU1QDzSgKP776fr7cBMg5wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4411.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WNKfD8bZAUk/W_QXYIkXSwI/AAAAAAAAG5s/QoyVWqmFJD8wU1QDzSgKP776fr7cBMg5wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4411.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mother as a teenager in the living room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1">Having never done anything like this before, I feel a little out of my element, wanting to soak up the new knowledge, but also not wanting to be taken advantage of. We have an architect friend who has been helping us with designs and drawings, but we are at the time in the process where we are speaking with builders (or contractors? what's the proper nomenclature?!). It's been interesting to see what comments they have, as each of them has totally different concerns. </div><div class="p2"><br></div><div class="p1">One builder is really bothered by the current stairs (which are 100 years old, so only 32" wide or something) and wants to build a new bigger staircase in the addition,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>one thinks they are just fine the way they are and will be fine for our purposes, and another thinks they should be widened, but that it's no big deal to do that.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> I'm not sure what to think, as I have never lived in a place built after the 1920s. My homes in Louisville, Scotland, and New York, were all antiques, and I actually trip on the stairs in new constructions. I understand "code," or whatever, but I'm not bothered by a 100-year-old staircase.</span>
</div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1">One contractor says if we want it finished by Memorial Day, they wouldn't need to break ground until February; another says this will be an 8-month renovation minimum. One doesn't want David to do any part of the project himself, while others are totally ok with David jumping in to help with cabinets or flooring. (We have a tight budget, and we want to save money where we can.) We also want to respect the history of the home and respect what my mom would have wanted. More than one builder/architect has told us we'd save big money by knocking down the current structure and starting fresh. (The current house is fine structurally, but needs all new floors, walls, kitchen, electrical, sewer, etc.)</div><h4>It blows my mind that some people do these home projects for fun!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
</h4><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1">Anyway, we are awaiting bids from contractors, and awaiting pulling the trigger on a massive home loan that I'm not super excited about carrying. But we are very excited about being able to live together as a big family. Four adults and two growing boys requires more square footage and some accessibility planning -- not just for my dad, but for when I'm a thousand years old and need a pneumatic elevator to get the groceries inside.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
</div><div class="p2"><br></div><div class="p1">Back to Pinterest ...</div><div class="p1"><br></div><div class="p1">Also, I posted photos of the piano and the living room above partly because this John Lewis commercial has had me WEEPY for days. It's amazing:</div><div class="p1"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mNbSgMEZ_Tw" width="480"></iframe></div><br><br><i>*** This 100-year-old home has been in my family for 70 years because my mom bought it from her parents. My mom grew up in it, I grew up in it, and my kids will grow up in it.***</i><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55153152018-11-15T13:34:00-05:002023-12-10T13:29:51-05:00New project - DIY, totally un-music blog!Ever since Mom was given a terminal diagnosis in November of 2016, we knew we'd have to move into my parents' home in Louisville. It's only half a mile from our current home, but that half a mile is a chasm when you're talking about caring for a parent.<br><br>Dad is probably reading this now and shouting, "I'm not helpless, leave me alone!" I know he's not -- he's perfectly capable, drives, cooks, reads, babysits, etc, and we don't think he's incapable of living alone. But I do know that he raised me to be caring, and somehow I got it in my head that people can do more, be better, be more free, when they live communally. And I don't think it's a good idea to become a widower and have major surgery to remove your own cancer 4 days later, then go home to an empty house at the beginning of winter. Even doctors say that survival rates for single men diagnosed with cancer are lower than those who live with family.<br><h3>So after much discussion, we are creating the Kaelin Family Commune!</h3><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HfqnxvmmTpw/W-26UAJYCUI/AAAAAAAAG4c/wIkj7-g0TJ4H5ctbXj4vATEaIYza27n0gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HfqnxvmmTpw/W-26UAJYCUI/AAAAAAAAG4c/wIkj7-g0TJ4H5ctbXj4vATEaIYza27n0gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_4103.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="640" /></a>Here comes the fun part. It involves MAJOR renovation, new home design, construction, demolition, and a couple of pianos. Because who doesn't need two pianos?!<br><br>This blog, which has been everything from <i><a href="https://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2009/12/front-page-baby.html" target="_blank">omg it's my first day in Nashville, and I'm on the front page of The Tennessean with my accordion!</a> </i>to <i><a href="https://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2012/09/babies-and-rosebuds-and-taking-our-time.html" target="_blank">omg I just had a baby in Scotland</a> </i> to <i><a href="https://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2018/09/death-parties-and-stuff.html" target="_blank">omg my mom died and now my dad has cancer too</a>, </i>is now going to morph into a <i>DIY home renovation project</i>.<br><br>The cool part is that we are fixing, repairing, revamping the home to accommodate a lot of people, but specifically so that the 4th generation can move into the house. My grandparents bought the house in 1948. My parents bought it from them in 1974. Now the house belongs to my dad, but it's about to house all of us in ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY!<br><br>We're trying to give everyone a choice in something in the re-design. So far Graham has requested: "For there to be a tower, like a castle." Grandude wants a bachelor pad in the basement. I want two pianos and a music room and an AGA stove. David wants a shower that sprays you from, like, five different directions. Angus wants a room to put all his dinosaurs. We are clearly not each going to get our hearts' desires, but we are having fun with this design.<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBj-wxQAFkQ/W-276avobYI/AAAAAAAAG4o/XRoBxTP4Zjcv7o0qCXjlkbwU9el15NzhgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-11-15%2Bat%2B1.32.52%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBj-wxQAFkQ/W-276avobYI/AAAAAAAAG4o/XRoBxTP4Zjcv7o0qCXjlkbwU9el15NzhgCK4BGAYYCw/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-11-15%2Bat%2B1.32.52%2BPM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="133" width="200" /></a>So watch this space for commentary on <i>will the greige trend ever fade?</i> And also, <i>will Brigid get to install a fireman's pole to the basement? </i>It's going to be a fun ride!<br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/55033222018-11-07T11:27:00-05:002022-01-06T17:59:25-05:00Photos, weekend recap, etc.I played a thousand gigs last week, and here are some of the settings. From Churchill Downs, to Turtle Run Winery, to the Speed Art Museum, and various other private parties, it was a blast making music with many friends. I also sang too much without enough vocal ramp ups, so I'm hoarse this week. But, oh, what fun!!<br><br>Only 3 gigs this week, 3 next week, and then I'm taking some time to focus on lessons and recording so I have new product to TOUR in 2019!!<br><br>Are you in Scotland? England? Switzerland? Germany? France? The Netherlands? Could you help me think of cities to play? Even house concerts or pubs if you're connected like that? House concerts are a really easy event to put on, so if you're an ex-pat abroad and want to bring a bit of Kentucky music to your new town, send me an email. Let's talk. Maybe I'll come pick some tunes in your living room. It'll be big fun.<br><br>This SATURDAY I'm co-hosting<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/564428877321608/" target="_blank"> KENTUCKY HOMEFRONT.</a> That's a pretty big deal radio show that's been around almost as long as I have. Details here.<br><br>Other news? I'm making big plans to renovate my house. This is terrifying, but look for this blog to become DIY and before & after photos for a while. YIKES.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmEoTw5bKZ0/W-MQ4mejdDI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/Rip5faeP4K4OxY9RHzCX_n_Evd0_JBpkACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5052.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmEoTw5bKZ0/W-MQ4mejdDI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/Rip5faeP4K4OxY9RHzCX_n_Evd0_JBpkACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5052.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwH6uPxAftU/W-MQ51DqkHI/AAAAAAAAG3k/xtVYQiIW0Y8bqJ1SSRyNKpNNDAly7UqZQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5056.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwH6uPxAftU/W-MQ51DqkHI/AAAAAAAAG3k/xtVYQiIW0Y8bqJ1SSRyNKpNNDAly7UqZQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5056.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-umrcg9YnG1I/W-MQ7XnxLXI/AAAAAAAAG3s/hXl5oTaJmmcP6uB24_e-FP9x_Do7mqjowCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5061.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-umrcg9YnG1I/W-MQ7XnxLXI/AAAAAAAAG3s/hXl5oTaJmmcP6uB24_e-FP9x_Do7mqjowCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5061.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="145" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6W3caYZMTZg/W-MQ4X0lN6I/AAAAAAAAG3I/pmeBKRDU3g0WHIYEIl0rvX11NVxp4AQtQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5065.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6W3caYZMTZg/W-MQ4X0lN6I/AAAAAAAAG3I/pmeBKRDU3g0WHIYEIl0rvX11NVxp4AQtQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5065.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OaloNaBozw4/W-MQqOPR02I/AAAAAAAAG28/VdoaPf-8YhQXogLqlNkkkR7zfAqwFCK_QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5067.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OaloNaBozw4/W-MQqOPR02I/AAAAAAAAG28/VdoaPf-8YhQXogLqlNkkkR7zfAqwFCK_QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5067.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-22bI1-iZlNg/W-MQjk37QvI/AAAAAAAAG20/zBAH52wYwfI2NyJx_evN8sWi_uR-CAkxQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5077.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-22bI1-iZlNg/W-MQjk37QvI/AAAAAAAAG20/zBAH52wYwfI2NyJx_evN8sWi_uR-CAkxQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5077.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54943642018-10-31T16:06:00-04:002022-02-26T00:20:37-05:00Reflection and a thousand gigs<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U4nbRNjTnM8/W9oLFt3aVXI/AAAAAAAAG2o/PQGtG6Fs6nI9liVBDs8RClgXS0-rP2edgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U4nbRNjTnM8/W9oLFt3aVXI/AAAAAAAAG2o/PQGtG6Fs6nI9liVBDs8RClgXS0-rP2edgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5028.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="180" /></a>This is the week of THIRTEEN GIGS! Fall is a gloriously busy season for musicians like me in this area -- events galore and musicians like me just looooooove to sit in a corner and entertain (or sometimes even be the main attraction if that's your thing).<br><br>I've been a little distracted in my head lately, as you perhaps can imagine. Losing my mother is still pretty unreal, and I'm sure I'm in the denial phase of things. Last night I saw an adorable photo of my boys in Halloween costumes, and my first instinct was to text it to my mom. Things like that make me sad. My dad was over at our house to watch the boys get dressed, though, so that was sweet.<br><br>This weekend I'll be playing 5 private events and 3 public ones. The ones you could attend are:<br><br><ul>
<li><b>Friday morning at Churchill Downs from 10a-11</b></li>
<li><b>Saturday morning at Churchill Downs from 9a-10a</b></li>
<li><b>Saturday afternoon at Turtle Run Winery from 12p-4p</b></li>
</ul><br>It's highly possible that I'll be in the band at one of the swanky events you're attending this weekend, however, so pay attention to the musical entertainment. If you see me, say hello. If you don't see me, then smile at the band anyway because know that they loaded in a LOT of gear and arrived hours before the event and will be loading out hours after you leave. They work hard, those crazy musicians!<br><br>My goal for this blog over the coming weeks is to regale you with amazing photos from my Switzerland and Austria trip this summer. That trip was kind of overshadowed by my mother's death, so I haven't uploaded photos or told you the incredible story of visiting the home where my great-great-grandparents lived in rural Switzerland.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54701702018-10-15T09:26:00-04:002024-02-04T02:26:26-05:00Deep thoughts on Telluride conference<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HVlCU32bDzU/W8SUy1K_ssI/AAAAAAAAG1U/G9qlCr6VNHkrtSWkcnO3GEC4mlVMDk1rwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HVlCU32bDzU/W8SUy1K_ssI/AAAAAAAAG1U/G9qlCr6VNHkrtSWkcnO3GEC4mlVMDk1rwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4806.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>This blog has suffered because I've had life going on -- something I understand never goes away (well, until it goes away permanently). Living in the present hasn't been the best advice, somehow, because the present wasn't wonderful. Also, there's something odd about purposefully trying to savor the moment or make a memory because it then leaves that memory always slightly tainted, akin to the old psychology Hawthorne Effect, but about memories instead. Still, I have tried to embrace the positive. It just doesn't really change feelings in the way I was promised. I'm glad I snuggled my mommy until her last breath, but those moments were still absolutely awful.<br><br>Telluride was a nice escape, a chance to delve into a different part of my brain -- less emotional, and more intellectual. It was a chance to sit around with brilliant creatives, and each either had a fascinating story to tell or had such confidence that they believed their story to be important, thus making it so. That sounded wrong -- each story was important, but I suffer from Imposter Syndrome, thus often keeping quiet because I assume <i>everyone already knows </i>whatever it is I've discovered.<br><br>Anyway, I do wish I had the confidence of a white man, but so does every woman I know.<br><br>The <a href="http://www.originalthinkers.com/" target="_blank">Original Thinkers</a> festival/conference/magic was a beautiful weekend, not just in setting but in camaraderie. There were films, performances, talks, lunch meetings, cocktail hours, ping-pong parties, gondola rides, brunches, random conversations on 8-seater plans that made me swoon with the possibilities. It was the most diverse lineup I've ever attended, and it's obvious that the curators worked intentionally to not have white male panels. The women <i>made</i> the conference, taking the stage with power and PowerPoint to share stories of not just the underprivileged, but the completely disempowered -- people living in wartorn countries, campsites in Africa, downtrodden but not downhearted.<br><br>I particularly enjoyed meeting <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneFerguson5" target="_blank">Jane Ferguson</a>, <a href="https://vimeo.com/160003754" target="_blank">Yael Lavie</a>, and <a href="https://roopagogineni.com/" target="_blank">Roopa Gogineni</a> (whose<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/opinion/the-rebel-puppeteers-of-sudan.html" target="_blank"> new film</a> is playing in LA today if you are around the area), who are brilliant minds going into dangerous places to tell the stories of real people.<br><br><br>Also, HUGE kudos to the festival organizers, who absolutely nailed it. I've been to many a conference/festival, and this one was incredibly well-planned and executed -- from everything to swag bags to event times and, of course, event quality. Thank you for including me. It was a huge honor!<br><br>And now some random photos of the weekend:<br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RzZyY4sKnvY/W8SUywSKcpI/AAAAAAAAG1Q/DM46zV9gNzsgOBRHwqcGB7RpCrhONuWvwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4807.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RzZyY4sKnvY/W8SUywSKcpI/AAAAAAAAG1Q/DM46zV9gNzsgOBRHwqcGB7RpCrhONuWvwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4807.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcrUXBXWOyU/W8SUzTZaWsI/AAAAAAAAG1c/Cbz_JLRLn1gofyr9hpzpJgHwlfuL3kdzACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4809.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcrUXBXWOyU/W8SUzTZaWsI/AAAAAAAAG1c/Cbz_JLRLn1gofyr9hpzpJgHwlfuL3kdzACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4809.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7u5CJwC9tqM/W8SU3QfF4HI/AAAAAAAAG2A/3jMZpCn2DC4Le6w0iP8EWgIhANJaz4SVgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4777.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7u5CJwC9tqM/W8SU3QfF4HI/AAAAAAAAG2A/3jMZpCn2DC4Le6w0iP8EWgIhANJaz4SVgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4777.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8G2qray7MJs/W8SU3UHCm5I/AAAAAAAAG2E/fI9DAzTAd7s-JCA6giSCRVWVvcxMzDBCQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4782.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8G2qray7MJs/W8SU3UHCm5I/AAAAAAAAG2E/fI9DAzTAd7s-JCA6giSCRVWVvcxMzDBCQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4782.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft5NWE9rmg4/W8SU3ZbrmbI/AAAAAAAAG18/5esBhBamV9oKFpBIZ4TPHGqSEf8_7WACgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4785.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft5NWE9rmg4/W8SU3ZbrmbI/AAAAAAAAG18/5esBhBamV9oKFpBIZ4TPHGqSEf8_7WACgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4785.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7YQlBKnMOjA/W8SU0ua243I/AAAAAAAAG1s/7zp3agAytsMwqXLqUj3h9iV5DRHPkJqOQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4827.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7YQlBKnMOjA/W8SU0ua243I/AAAAAAAAG1s/7zp3agAytsMwqXLqUj3h9iV5DRHPkJqOQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4827.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m-o22IsslB8/W8SU0fLAi3I/AAAAAAAAG1k/3ovRqCoXbPI5POpXT4npZGPLe-6NgnzFgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4841.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m-o22IsslB8/W8SU0fLAi3I/AAAAAAAAG1k/3ovRqCoXbPI5POpXT4npZGPLe-6NgnzFgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4841.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54638862018-10-10T13:07:00-04:002022-08-25T15:40:52-04:00The Wee Boy's CommercialI don't normally advertise for other companies, but the folks at Republic Bank have always been kind and easy to work with and I love a local business. Also, look how adorable my wee boy is!<br><br>Love,<br><br>StageMom#48235<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BuxKbZ_zGDA" width="480"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54561042018-10-05T00:11:00-04:002018-10-05T02:15:16-04:00First visit to Telluride - Original Thinkers<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-fa2023d1-7fff-8e66-109e-eedb13aaad83" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greetings from Telluride, Colorado! Though I’ve been to many other mountain towns in this beautiful state, I’ve never been here before, though I’ve never visited Telluride. I’m here this weekend to be a part of and perform at the Original Thinkers Festival, the brainchild of David Holbrooke (formerly of MountainFilm). I’m beyond thrilled to be here, but the timing is particularly poignant for me, being less than a month after my mother died.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven’t grieved properly. I type that, and yet I know it’s wrong to say. There is no “normal” way to grieve, or rather, everything is normal, right? It comes in waves, it comes not at all, then it comes in a tidal wave of guilt because I hadn’t thought about it for a bit. I’ve got the rest of my life to grieve, however, so I’m trying to throw myself into my passions for the time being.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Travel is passion, and obviously so is music. So is meeting new people, talking big ideas, and trying to generally be a better person. Colorado seems to hold all of those things. No one looks at you strangely when you bring your own straw or bamboo cutlery set. The expectation is to walk rather than drive. Rather than get a plastic takeaway bag, you ask for a basket and promise you’ll bring it back. And you do. People use cloth napkins and they recycle — as a norm, not as the weirdo on the block. Electric bikes, scooters, and, yes, a Tesla or two because it is a fancy part of Colorado after all, are not there for bragging rights, but because it’s a way to do our part.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I like it here.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last night I flew into the wee Telluride airport on an 8-seater prop plane. I used the barf bag. I felt like hell. Then I walked out and was picked up and chauffeured to my housing in a brand new Tesla Model X (the kind with the Delorean doors!). I chugged a few glasses of water and continued to feel like death until my hosts force fed me a bowl of rice after which I perked up enough to get excited about punctuation. </span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I then followed orders to drink a few glasses of water and go to bed — and despite waking up thrice in the night to pee, I felt great when I woke up. Refreshed and ready to walk three dogs in the mountains.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m finishing up this blog after an evening at a hideaway fancy restaurant somewhere you can only access by either skis or the Knight Bus (I took the Knight Bus). There was a bluegrass band playing when I got off the shuttle, and several servers holding trays of wine. I immediately felt guilty that I wasn’t in the band — that I was instead part of the mysterious Beautiful People Whose Event Required Live Music. I clapped at awkward moments for the band, while over sharing to a new friend about my parents’ cancers. I met new people. I enjoyed the mountain sunset, and I talked to so many interesting people.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a matter of endorsement, might I also recommend a Woodford Reserve Manhattan at 10,400 ft? It’s more potent than you would imagine. On that note and on a delicious dinner (where vegetarians were not ignored), I sign off. I rode the gondola back to Telluride alone, soaking up the darkness, and walked from the gondola to my crash pad off the Main Street in Telluride. At the last moment, I thought maybe I should turn my phone light off to scare away the bears (there had been a bear sighting this morning). Just as I turned it on, the motion-detector light of the garage came on anyway.</span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodnight, friends. I see why you like the mountains now. </span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54340142018-09-18T14:41:00-04:002018-09-18T17:30:19-04:00Death parties and stuffMy mother died last week. That is maybe craziest sentence I've ever had to write, and I am still in that numb, weird part of grief. It's extra weird because the initial gut punch came with her diagnosis in November 2016. We knew it was a terminal sentence from day one, so I went through all the phases many times over. Now, along with the obvious relief that I have learned is common with these long, painful, drawn-out deaths, I am also wondering when I will re-live the grief. It comes in waves of sadness, but I'm also purposefully postponing the weeping when I can because there is so much else going on.<br><br>I'm writing this from University Hospital, where my dad is having surgery to remove his own cancer. He's been back about an hour, and I'm using this time to reflect and also catch up on business (hello, blog, how have you been?!).<br><br>To catch you all up on the beauty that was my mom's memorial celebration, have a look at these glorious photos. We had a block party, a stage, wonderful musician friends, and great food. It was so much fun that we're going to just have to make PatsyFest an annual event.<br><br>My mother's obituary is here: <a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/louisville/obituary.aspx?pid=190191762">https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/louisville/obituary.aspx?pid=190191762</a><br><br>Now to throw myself into my career and my music and my writing and my touring and my music and everything my mother wanted me to be.<br><br>Big love to all who've taken care of us along this icky road of pancreatic cancer.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPGvYazd3y0/W6FF4Xq6LoI/AAAAAAAAGyw/32wqsoFS9TMksQj7mM8A-pQrWZJic4wgACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0529.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPGvYazd3y0/W6FF4Xq6LoI/AAAAAAAAGyw/32wqsoFS9TMksQj7mM8A-pQrWZJic4wgACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0529.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LgzP_PaBLj0/W6FF1cGfQ5I/AAAAAAAAGyo/AzIcMzjdA38OaxqLDitlzB3LiWqHsXF7ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0523.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LgzP_PaBLj0/W6FF1cGfQ5I/AAAAAAAAGyo/AzIcMzjdA38OaxqLDitlzB3LiWqHsXF7ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0523.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TPi2WobOIy8/W6FFz9XXDzI/AAAAAAAAGyg/MyFUolnFHjYFZsyg2Mh8pBDqizbzzNV9ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0524.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TPi2WobOIy8/W6FFz9XXDzI/AAAAAAAAGyg/MyFUolnFHjYFZsyg2Mh8pBDqizbzzNV9ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0524.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54142942018-09-04T09:16:00-04:002022-03-30T06:16:52-04:00Painting your own house. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9bwQqiuMNk/W4p-XKqU5tI/AAAAAAAAGuo/omUYMb1Den8PJXKAp32REbXWVTyn4t8rACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4336.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9bwQqiuMNk/W4p-XKqU5tI/AAAAAAAAGuo/omUYMb1Den8PJXKAp32REbXWVTyn4t8rACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_4336.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="323" width="640" /></a><br><br>The photo above is of my parents' dining room, and it encompasses everything I adore about my mother. This was my normal. I never heard the concept "everything has a place," until spending time with David's family, who keeps a beautiful home, complete with a closet entirely for tablecloths, pressed and perfectly hung. As you can see, my mother's preference is, um, scattered, but she's always had the ability to tell you exactly where anything is. "Mom, where are the scissors?" "Bedside table, next to the purple earrings and underneath the stack of bracelets."<br><br>There were times in my life when I was embarrassed to have friends over, but that wasn't until sometime in middle school, when I realized my friends had a lot more money than I did. For a while, I didn't think that mattered. All the books and movies had taught me that money wasn't important. But one time a friend told me she was no longer allowed at my house because she'd told her mom there was a roach, and suddenly I was embarrassed about every little thing -- that my parents worked multiple jobs, that I never got Tretorns, that I had to color a little blue rectangle on the back of my generic white shoes to make it look like they were Keds, that I'd never been out of the country, that our house wasn't spotless. My head knew that was ridiculous, that love was more important than vacuuming, and that I had more love than any household I knew.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dOsflXROesY/W46BiqY208I/AAAAAAAAGv0/tLX5mXEGu5wGRjwl2mbGuJHsbTYqf3oTwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dOsflXROesY/W46BiqY208I/AAAAAAAAGv0/tLX5mXEGu5wGRjwl2mbGuJHsbTYqf3oTwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4411.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teenage Patsy in her perfect 1960s living room.<br>Note the furniture coverings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My parents have never kept a perfect home. My grandparents, I am told, did. When my mother purchased the Speevack family home in 1974 from her parents, who had lived there for 25 years, she made the home hers. The furniture from her parents remained, but the walls would take on new lives for the next 44 years. An obvious act of rebellion (she was only 22, after all), she literally wallpapered the living room with an Old Fitzgerald billboard. As the years rolled on, she stripped other wallpaper and painted the walls outrageous colors. My wonderful dad never commented, at least not out loud.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L3tB7KW0Qpc/W46BbDX9OgI/AAAAAAAAGvo/1HxfOTS0MukFEnJRv3vr2NJkiiPV6l_IQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L3tB7KW0Qpc/W46BbDX9OgI/AAAAAAAAGvo/1HxfOTS0MukFEnJRv3vr2NJkiiPV6l_IQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_4406.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same living room in the 1970s, owned by my parents.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-70PaZjSxrE0/W46BbNu4NqI/AAAAAAAAGvs/3-st-I1xS183Ej5v0ci887_a2xDcPaOTACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-70PaZjSxrE0/W46BbNu4NqI/AAAAAAAAGvs/3-st-I1xS183Ej5v0ci887_a2xDcPaOTACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4410.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My adorable daddy + Old Fitz billboard wallpaper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>The past couple of weeks I've slept in the dining room of my family home -- a home that was last on the market in 1948. That stone elephant I'm staring at? It's been in this room for 70 years.<br><br><br>We moved some furniture out to make room for a hospital bed, only to discover that when Mom painted the dining room about 3 years ago, she painted <i>around the furniture.</i> She also purposefully chose a 2-color theme for the dining room: a mint green and light sky blue. Rather than having different colors for below and above the chair-rail, Mom instead divided the room vertically -- and freehand with a paintbrush (i.e. crooked) at that.<br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v7NxxVFh8as/W45-Thq2VWI/AAAAAAAAGvM/Qcb10zBgygsFle9B4RYBWwA4B8wMdpzngCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v7NxxVFh8as/W45-Thq2VWI/AAAAAAAAGvM/Qcb10zBgygsFle9B4RYBWwA4B8wMdpzngCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4299.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patsy, Graham, Angus, Kenny, Brigid. Last week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>She was so proud of this brazen design choice, and I love her for it. Because, while I know nothing about interior design, I do know that your home should make you happy. A wall that is half mint green and have light blue has made my mother happy, and I love that she now opens her eyes to this design every day -- a reminder that she always did exactly what she wanted.<br><br>She wears socks with her Birkenstocks, and floral skirts with paisley shirts, and dangly earrings like a Spanish teacher, and her living room is purple, and her kitchen is turquoise, and the living room is half-blue, half-mint green, partially hunter green, partially beige, and her bedroom was coral and teal for 20 years, but recently went bright lavender, and the sunroom is bright red, there's a half-finished mural of flowers in the kitchen, which Mom won't paint over even though the plaster is falling down because I painted it when I was a teenager. The house is a realtor's nightmare, and I know my grandmother would be mortified, but it sure does make my mother happy.<br><br>My mother never turned down an invitation, was always the first to arrive at every party, knew every word to every song she heard (though she could never clap along on the beat), loved her family and friends fiercely, and didn't give a crap about dust on the fireplace or that her daughter was using her fancy NYU degree to sing pub songs. It is priorities well-placed, I believe.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wRavPksx9YA/W45-kx9wP7I/AAAAAAAAGvY/-GO3DNkTP7oEObMCQjA_7RAyjwqa-XMNgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wRavPksx9YA/W45-kx9wP7I/AAAAAAAAGvY/-GO3DNkTP7oEObMCQjA_7RAyjwqa-XMNgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4245.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm sitting in this blue, green, and beige dining room right now typing by my mom and noticing I'm using past tense, which makes me sad. She's still breathing. I'm one foot away from her right now, while she sleeps peacefully, out of the awful pain she's been in. I'm not so able to sit still because I look around and see so much to do. I've been throwing away a lot of things (old pens, not old photographs), and dusting and scrubbing and trying to distract myself from what is happening. I know, however, that I should stop cleaning and planning and just hold my mother's hand. I mean, if she taught me anything, it's that it you should slow down, hold hands, and paint your house whatever color <i>you</i> want to live with -- not what the realtor says is popular.<br><br><br>****<br><br>more boring cancer stuff at <a href="http://www.webothhavecancer.com/">www.webothhavecancer.com</a> (i'm trying not to be too dreary on the ol' Red Accordion Diaries)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/54142952018-09-04T08:33:00-04:002022-02-26T16:13:53-05:00A little preoccupied<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lfktdkzOmhg/W457pnjw9GI/AAAAAAAAGvA/EZrIoYcPvRE90VovxMJZBa4ne-p0ulTZACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lfktdkzOmhg/W457pnjw9GI/AAAAAAAAGvA/EZrIoYcPvRE90VovxMJZBa4ne-p0ulTZACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4334.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>I've tried to keep this blog from becoming a both-my-parents-have-cancer sobfest. I have jolly good vlogs and blogs from Bavaria to share! But my mind has been focused on my mother lately, so if you need updates and musings or know my Mom and want to know what's going on, head over to <a href="http://www.webothhavecancer.com/">www.WeBothHaveCancer.com</a> where I overshare deeply personal HIPAA information (with permission).<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53990232018-08-23T15:01:00-04:002022-02-03T03:29:28-05:0040th Birthday & Surprise France-in-Kentucky Trip!Oooooh, I'm BURSTING with blog posts to share now that <a href="http://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2018/08/writing-mortality-cancer-dancing-in.html" target="_blank">I unclogged the writing pipe a little.</a> First let's focus on a BIG CHANGE in my life that was overshadowed by significantly more important things: I turned 40!<br><br>Most of my friends have been 40 for a while, so this isn't, like, a huge surprise or feeling. I think I've been accidentally telling people I'm 40 for years now. But it's official, and the day went by without much excitement. My husband flew into town at 5:30pm on my actual birthday, and our family went to Sapporo for hibachi dinner. That felt festive, even though wee Angus was terrified of the onion volcano and clung to me for dear life when the flames shot to the range hood.<br><h4>The fun-for-the-blog part!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDl0AC832hs/W32gpUslrqI/AAAAAAAAGq8/EeJaPee5CTkLEpHsfI1JHaQ64ObuSpf2ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDl0AC832hs/W32gpUslrqI/AAAAAAAAGq8/EeJaPee5CTkLEpHsfI1JHaQ64ObuSpf2ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4228.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>Because I wasn't having a party or anything, my husband conspired with my dear friend Tyra to give me some sort of extravagant birthday day -- a time out from stress and a day of relaxation. He arranged 24 hours of childcare, and Tyra kidnapped me at 10am the day before my birthday. I knew to pack an overnight bag, but that my passport was not required (I had to ask because you never know with Tyra!). I said goodbye to the kids and ran to Tyra's car, not really caring if my 24-hour escape meant a sleeping bag at her house. She gave me this beautiful card, which hinted at Paris, but I had <i>definitely not brought my passport</i>. Minor panic, but then the inside said, "I wish I could fly you to Paris," etc etc etc.<br><br>Again, I didn't care, but we did hit I-64 east and got out somewhere in Lexington where we had brunch reservations at <a href="https://www.shakespeare-and-co.com/" target="_blank">Shakespeare & Co</a>, a Dubai-based chain that was like a Parisian cafe, but with much more space (no sharing tables with your neighbors!) and less dust. The menu was expansive and delightful, offering crepes, breakfast and lunches too. We had Bellinis and relaxed.<br> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5-fQ_dVEjc/W32h911og3I/AAAAAAAAGrI/LDTeHKqJl6wnPF9duPzGR3qEJGrjaqk5ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3125.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5-fQ_dVEjc/W32h911og3I/AAAAAAAAGrI/LDTeHKqJl6wnPF9duPzGR3qEJGrjaqk5ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3125.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Maiuwiu_7eg/W32iJmSsoYI/AAAAAAAAGrg/tST_52xfCBATd5UytnZP6siF1_zVfogRgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3129.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Maiuwiu_7eg/W32iJmSsoYI/AAAAAAAAGrg/tST_52xfCBATd5UytnZP6siF1_zVfogRgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3129.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ajm3Xh963c/W32iImyZkeI/AAAAAAAAGrQ/rUnrgx4w4tYhFzRUV8o690tjwk2XYVuVQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3137.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ajm3Xh963c/W32iImyZkeI/AAAAAAAAGrQ/rUnrgx4w4tYhFzRUV8o690tjwk2XYVuVQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3137.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2trb0JIIEU/W32iJp_6c8I/AAAAAAAAGrc/GBlqc0JlKHYfgrayv_MW0IfUaF3XfQ56wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3126.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2trb0JIIEU/W32iJp_6c8I/AAAAAAAAGrc/GBlqc0JlKHYfgrayv_MW0IfUaF3XfQ56wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3126.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>Then we headed for a fantastic MASSAGE!! No photos because I was naked.<br><br>But the biggest surprise of all ... which I sort of suspected once I was in on the Parisian theme was when we drove off to Versailles (that's pronounced Ver-SAYLES in Kentucky, y'all -- seriously. I mean it's not surprising considering we pronounce the "S" in Paris even though it's supposed to be Par-EE, but I digress) and pulled into THE KENTUCKY CASTLE!!<br><br>If you're not from around these parts, you likely don't know what I'm talking about. During child road trips to Lexington, my family would drive on Versailles Road and on top of a small hill sat this strange and abandoned castle. It was the first castle I ever saw, and you know how I <i>love</i> castles. The story was that a husband built it for his wife after a trip to Germany, but before it was finished, the couple divorced. This was sometime in the 1970s, and I guess it sat empty for years. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Castle" target="_blank">More on the Wiki page here.</a><br><br>Well, it turns out that the castle has been renovated and is now an operating 5-star-hotel called The Kentucky Castle, and Tyra had booked a room for us for the night, along with a reservation at the Murder Mystery dinner show that was happening at the Castle. She also hadn't booked just any room -- but literally the best room in the hotel, one of the corner turrets that is its own little villa.<br><br>The room was great. It had two stories and two Juliet balconies, a little kitchenette and great views. The garden was delightful, and there was a small pool. We tried to sit in the garden and drink wine, but the bar and kitchen and restaurant were closed because of some power outage issues they'd had the weekend before.<br><br>I'm not sure why no one had been to the grocery since the power returned, but they seemed mystified when we asked if we could have a glass of wine. "Yeah, there's a Kroger about 3 miles down the road. Annoyed, but not to be deterred, we drove to Kroger, bought cheese, crackers, wine, and margarita fixins for the Murder Mystery (we were warned the bar would be closed), returned to our villa and relaxed and relaxed and talked about everything from taxes to baby toes. It was a delightful distraction, I slept great, and only the sun woke me.<br><br>KENTUCKY CASTLE PHOTOS!<br><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8N6iwcTKk3E/W37gcIThpPI/AAAAAAAAGsE/AH6q26Rrzl4bHpgiRGyynP3vMcNWhxByQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3145.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8N6iwcTKk3E/W37gcIThpPI/AAAAAAAAGsE/AH6q26Rrzl4bHpgiRGyynP3vMcNWhxByQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3145.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SDY0-36qYr0/W37gcW4IG1I/AAAAAAAAGsM/qPlMxJ6NGjEQYOU-WHKXrCsZbSQgaiUxwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3146.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SDY0-36qYr0/W37gcW4IG1I/AAAAAAAAGsM/qPlMxJ6NGjEQYOU-WHKXrCsZbSQgaiUxwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3146.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d4QDjHgYfAg/W37geBl3mNI/AAAAAAAAGtA/NWiVMD9qFGQ5DBop0f9KY6MPK-mhkl01ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3153.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d4QDjHgYfAg/W37geBl3mNI/AAAAAAAAGtA/NWiVMD9qFGQ5DBop0f9KY6MPK-mhkl01ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3153.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4GiZfICv2Ts/W37gcrHYCTI/AAAAAAAAGsg/nGNvGwVhfekwn0bCa67GP5xjp2RghfxzgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3155.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4GiZfICv2Ts/W37gcrHYCTI/AAAAAAAAGsg/nGNvGwVhfekwn0bCa67GP5xjp2RghfxzgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3155.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flhO7OZdLBE/W37gdy5cnHI/AAAAAAAAGsw/pSfPwzU8xuIBpCaM96qiKdLqvmKZMCLBQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3158.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flhO7OZdLBE/W37gdy5cnHI/AAAAAAAAGsw/pSfPwzU8xuIBpCaM96qiKdLqvmKZMCLBQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3158.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fo4u_RyAp44/W37gd_mGsVI/AAAAAAAAGs4/xUt-f3T0QdsJ2AHnoV1KSzZGgil3K_pBwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3166.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fo4u_RyAp44/W37gd_mGsVI/AAAAAAAAGs4/xUt-f3T0QdsJ2AHnoV1KSzZGgil3K_pBwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3166.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsTb_h6Qi74/W37gcvUKjCI/AAAAAAAAGsk/ELUL9pvEONwWRH-zy5Yrc5tKog2QYZ_UwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3175.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsTb_h6Qi74/W37gcvUKjCI/AAAAAAAAGsk/ELUL9pvEONwWRH-zy5Yrc5tKog2QYZ_UwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3175.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEn-A6KStvs/W37geVCwFtI/AAAAAAAAGtE/fVx22Xx4-p88HflM7J0EaW0B_dUWAV9TwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3183.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEn-A6KStvs/W37geVCwFtI/AAAAAAAAGtE/fVx22Xx4-p88HflM7J0EaW0B_dUWAV9TwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3183.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="120" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynPGzFH-jzQ/W37gazOUPhI/AAAAAAAAGr8/_OWu9ZPLpxMnh7mPYlnWmsTmP1inQ-4xACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3186.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynPGzFH-jzQ/W37gazOUPhI/AAAAAAAAGr8/_OWu9ZPLpxMnh7mPYlnWmsTmP1inQ-4xACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3186.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s5rheIM0KNQ/W37gWhihkYI/AAAAAAAAGr0/R4hOpqTA6LcL7SpN-Cya14bXBzftthWMACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3189.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s5rheIM0KNQ/W37gWhihkYI/AAAAAAAAGr0/R4hOpqTA6LcL7SpN-Cya14bXBzftthWMACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3189.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7CWt6PJ4uMI/W37gcg6tzfI/AAAAAAAAGsc/e0i8st0y6RMU2pIa-cns9NayCci8j1GRwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3194.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7CWt6PJ4uMI/W37gcg6tzfI/AAAAAAAAGsc/e0i8st0y6RMU2pIa-cns9NayCci8j1GRwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3194.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53903322018-08-16T13:07:00-04:002022-04-20T03:04:09-04:00Writing, mortality, cancer & dancing in Salzburg.<style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style> <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fTZA_xapWo4/W3XB0NtjLNI/AAAAAAAAGpo/Rlph8yNY-Ysrv-FPSlHfXAEh_3muau8XQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0579.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fTZA_xapWo4/W3XB0NtjLNI/AAAAAAAAGpo/Rlph8yNY-Ysrv-FPSlHfXAEh_3muau8XQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0579.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I went back to yoga this morning. I'm trying to hang on to self-care because people keep telling me it's important -- the ol' "put your own oxygen mask on before you help others" scenario (which mystifies me every time I fly because I'll be damned if I'm not putting my kid's mask on first) -- but today I just felt guilty the entire yoga class because I felt I should have been with my parents. I pretty much spent the entire class either holding back tears or engulfed in them, then focusing on not being distracting to other yogis and also remembering that my mom asked me last week not to cry.</span></span><br><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;'><br></span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;'>You see, today I'm thinking about mortality ... and not my own: my parents'. Some say that dying parents affects us so much because it reminds is that we, too, will die one day. Today I reject that and say that, no, I'm affected and upset because I love my parents and want them to be around forever.</span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;'><br>One of the more challenging things for me as a writer is how to write what's on my mind -- how to share family stories, references, jokes, without compromising privacy. I have kept some of my better stories to myself, often to a fault or to the point that it wears on me and I feel like I'll implode if I don't get them out.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;'> Imagine a clogged pipe with a few untold stories preventing all the stories behind it from coming out. </span></span><br><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">You may know that my mother has pancreatic cancer, a diagnosis she's lived with for 22 months today.<br><br>I am guessing that part of what upsets my mom about her cancer is a sense of not being finished. Of incompleteness. Of not being able to finish <i>Ulysses </i>(she told me this week that my dad was reading <i>Ulysses</i> when she met him, which is completely unsurprising of my dad, but also could have been just a really great pick-up line). Of not being able to hear all of the songs I will write or not being able to read all of the blogs I will post. </span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Because one day, she will cease to be, but I will continue to write. </span></div><h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And I will hate -- I will <i>hate</i> to push "publish" even on the silliest of blogs. Even if it's a meaningless post of an latergram vacation photo, or a recipe that a relative with an AOL address forwarded me from <i>Southern Living </i>... at some point I will hit "publish" on the first thing I know my mother will never read.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h4><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This makes me sad because she <i>loves</i> to read. She even figured out (or more likely, had my dad set her phone) how to get notifications every time I <a href="http://www.twitter.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">tweet</a>. She looks at my website and gets my gig information from there and loves to complain to her friends that I never tell her anything and that she hears about my gigs from <a href="https://www.brigidkaelin.com/" target="_blank">my mailing list</a> too. Sometimes it's been a fun game -- purposefully not telling her of <a href="https://www.prairiehome.org/shows/56855.html" target="_blank">a cool gig (like this one)</a> because I know she'll see it for herself on my website, even though I always set aside tickets for her and my dad.</span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'>Speaking of my dad: he</span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'> has cancer too.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'>How *$%ing insane is that? How </span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'>*$%ing</span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'> wrong? I know -- I know it could be worse, and for someone living with anxiety, believe me, I've thought of <i>all</i> the cases in which it could, in fact, be worse.<br><br>That's part of why my blogs this summer have been so inconsistent. It's less about time spent in hospitals or chemo lounges and more about feeling like I need to get this particular update out of the clogged pipe so that other posts might flow. </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;'>Already I'm feeling guilty and wondering if I should even hit publish on this blog because, truthfully, it's my dad's news to share </span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;'>(Please don't flood his inbox!)</span><span style='font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;'>. He's a private person, and he deals with everything beautifully and rationally and without flare. His only Facebook posts remain reviews of tomes on GoodReads and check-ins to the Great Flood Brewery, where somehow, despite 5 weeks of daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy, he has managed to not give up his barstool. </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br></span></div><div class="p1">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WoQvqrFloMw/W3WtQHp-RCI/AAAAAAAAGpQ/sH8Y-ww7jAsDBC4KJcO-Ga-3iQneULMTACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WoQvqrFloMw/W3WtQHp-RCI/AAAAAAAAGpQ/sH8Y-ww7jAsDBC4KJcO-Ga-3iQneULMTACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4123.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Anyway, this year has been surreal and unfair, and it's not right that my dad should have to care for his ailing wife while he undergoes radical treatment. It's equally unfair that my mother should be overcome with guilt that she can't take him to every doctor appointment, as he did for her, both throughout this cancer and a previous cancer 18 years ago. It's unfair that they can't walk Graham to the bus stop for his first day of Kindergarten or pick him up after school and sneak him a cookie.</span>
</div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">So forgive my lack of posts. Forgive my inability to answer a "How are you" with a simple "Fine, thanks, and you." Forgive my prancing-about-Europe-to-distract-myself Facebook posts. Forgive any boastful-yoga-pose posts that may appear on Instagram if my anti-anxiety meds ever kick in. I'm just trying my best to remember my oxygen mask, though you'd better believe I'd give it to my parents first if I could. I'm also thinking of <i>their </i>oxygen masks and how they've been instructed on flights to take care of themselves first. That's now how they raised me, so we'll just continue to be the stubborn Kaelin clan taking care of each other. I mean, <i>that's </i>what families do, right?</span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br>Unrelated, here's a happy and distracted vertically-shot video from Salzburg that might cheer you up after a woeful blog: </span></div><div class="p1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz7fq17YMptT4jzVndVXqg4P2hwGiSMERhIadcePWjc7lornCwutTk4SV-0WdEpPjAWoX0w_gQTeq-uaArV_Q" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></div><br><style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px} </style><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53643422018-07-27T13:31:00-04:002018-07-27T13:45:24-04:00New band merch: re-usable straws!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ECIQLCQuw7U/W1tV2f315cI/AAAAAAAAGo4/f9A6RhwQo_0D_smGzAa7XaVmlhLJmzBPgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ECIQLCQuw7U/W1tV2f315cI/AAAAAAAAGo4/f9A6RhwQo_0D_smGzAa7XaVmlhLJmzBPgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3234.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>Confession: I don't own a CD player.<br><br>That said, I still buy CDs at live shows. I always support bands' PledgeMusic or Kickstarter campaigns, etc, but when that CD arrives, it goes into a box of mostly unopened CDs. I'm semi-ashamed of this, but not really. I mean, it's 2018. I'm all for technology and advancements and a wider ability to share art. I totally understand that some people are nostalgic for liner notes and jewel cases, but there are lots of things people are nostalgic for that society has moved away from. Change is -- overall -- good. (Seedless watermelons, however, <i>are bad.</i>)<br><br>BUT in light of 2018, etc, musicians have turned to the merch table as income generators for those who don't have Hollywood connections to music supervisors. <br><br>Here's an idea I'd been toying around with for months, but didn't try out until last night:<br><h2>Band Straws</h2><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Metal straws with the band name laser engraved on them! It's a great and inexpensive souvenir that provides extra dollars for the artist -- and constant advertising in an environmentally friendly way that doesn't take up closet space. I think every band should have them at the merch table, and every music fan starts a straw collection. You'll forever have a reminder of the great band show you saw, and you'll establish a nice collection of straws that are USEFUL and great conversation starters and good for the world too! I'm full of great ideas, and if I wanted to make a quick million, I'd start a company specifically set up to engrave band logos on metal straws. But, honestly, I can't spend my time doing that because I have songs to write and people to entertain. Someone else, feel free to start that company. I'll be out traveling the world trying to make people smile. </i></blockquote><div>Stainless steel reusable straws have been all the rage ever since <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw" target="_blank">that sea turtle video </a> appeared a couple of years ago. I admit that video did me in, and I immediately purchased silicon and stainless steel straws for the entire family -- both for our homes and our swim bags and purses. (I know, I know, we could just <i>not use a straw</i>, but I'm a clumsy drinker who always spills. Sometimes my teeth are sensitive, and a straw is really useful. Also, ever since I had Bells Palsy with my first pregnancy and lived with half my face paralyzed for a few weeks, I've just needed to use a straw.)<br><br><h3>I did a short-run print of laser-engraved straws to see if they would sell at shows, and guess what ... more than half of the attendees at last night's sold-out show purchased a straw! Time for me to order more...</h3>
<a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/store" target="_blank">Mine are $5/each</a>. Like I said -- it's a cheap and fantastic souvenir and a quick way to support a local artist. I haven't seen anyone else doing it yet on the google, but I sure do hope it catches on. Because I don't like drinking out of a straw with my name on it (sort of like wearing your own band t-shirt). It feels like I'm at camp and my mom had to write my name on everything. But I'd love for you to drink out of a Brigid Kaelin straw the next time you're at a live show!<br><br><h3>Next public shows:<br>Einsiedeln, Switzerland: August 3, Musik Festival<br>Louisville, KY: August 23, Wick's on Baxter</h3>
<br>Here's a photo I just adore of some one who purchased Brigid Kaelin straws for her grandkids at last night's show:<br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pr2QCTqVr68/W1tW0_weIpI/AAAAAAAAGpE/HVlSXgOYfQUvK9R-j0iTsAlvYPGeiX3YwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/imagejpeg_0.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pr2QCTqVr68/W1tW0_weIpI/AAAAAAAAGpE/HVlSXgOYfQUvK9R-j0iTsAlvYPGeiX3YwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/imagejpeg_0.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53553862018-07-20T11:50:00-04:002021-06-23T02:33:43-04:00Rejecting single stories and singing to the future.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uKKD6hvy5iw/W1IDKqC8cPI/AAAAAAAAGoU/w4dSLoa29tgqeY8Yj1gSUHvOAlAhijcZwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uKKD6hvy5iw/W1IDKqC8cPI/AAAAAAAAGoU/w4dSLoa29tgqeY8Yj1gSUHvOAlAhijcZwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3094.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>Ah, a theatre full of brilliant teenagers -- maybe my favorite kind audience! Last night I played at Northern Kentucky University to a full house in their Greaves Concert Hall. The crowd was the Governor's Scholars Program, and I was their last "Convocation" of the summer. A <i>convocation</i> is a few steps above being a <i>concert. </i><br><br>If you've ever seen me live, you know I like to talk. But being given a platform to speak about my trajectory, ups and downs, other careers, family and work balance, etc., as well as an audience that asks the smart questions, always makes the evening a bit more well-rounded. I could have just played a concert, but I feel like it's important to talk about choices and things that got me to where I am. Also, I mentioned breastfeeding, and, like, 90% of the boys in the crowd freaked out and groaned, and I totally called them out for being ridiculous.<br><br>It also made me wish I was finished with a theatre project that I've been working on for a few years because I would like to be traveling the countryside delivering songs and messages to audiences like that. Sidenote: I rented a car and drove solo, and it was <i>so nice to have alone time!</i><br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LvZ2HO2Y1E8/W1IDXelC0hI/AAAAAAAAGoc/PDyDMGw6WoMV6hl9r4THDAd7bO0nBOvQgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LvZ2HO2Y1E8/W1IDXelC0hI/AAAAAAAAGoc/PDyDMGw6WoMV6hl9r4THDAd7bO0nBOvQgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3093.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>Playing Greaves Hall was funny because I'd played the stage at least 5 times previously, but always as a sideman -- usually playing piano or guitar while other students sang in the summer program "Showcase" nights when I was a Governor's Scholar there in 1995. I was the perpetual sideman, and it was liberating to be front and center with something to say.<br><br>Also, the scholars asked the most brilliant questions, and we talked and talked about what it meant to be an artist and a businesswoman and a writer and to want to do more than one thing with your life.<br><br>The theme of their summer was Reject the Single Story, which fit right in with my talk ... so I'm leaving you with this Ted Talk:<br><br><div style="max-width: 854px;"><div style="height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/lang/en/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53483492018-07-16T15:02:00-04:002018-07-16T15:45:39-04:00Accordion Fun with Love Jones<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uo6FyV_WzQo/W0zo931LKcI/AAAAAAAAGnw/RIcF-SxNHd4i_M77MOhz97lODNHJ30x5ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uo6FyV_WzQo/W0zo931LKcI/AAAAAAAAGnw/RIcF-SxNHd4i_M77MOhz97lODNHJ30x5ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2896.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>I have 6 tickets left to my send-off show. <a href="https://redboots.ticketleap.com/brigidkaelin07262018/" target="_blank">Buy your tickets here!</a> It's early and will be over by 9pm, and you'll be able to order off the Bard's Town dinner menu, you'll have a seat, and you'll have a good time. Thurs 7/26. #therewillbebirthdaycake<br><h4>What else is happening?</h4>I have been boycotting shows that have all-male lineups because it's ABSURD to have no women on an entire bill in 2018. I realize that it all goes back to basic sexism from record labels and angel investors -- those people who throw money and publicists and booking agents at male artists. From there it means more male artists on the radio, more male artists at festivals, more male artists at live shows. It's not always the venue's fault either because often it's a promoter who puts on shows at music venues. It's always not always the fault of the particular band who is playing, but men-who-play-in-bands, I BEG OF YOU: <i>please point out to venues/promoters/whoever-was-in-charge when there is a deep inequity of the sexes</i>.<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf7gSvsjRyE/W0zo94kD-VI/AAAAAAAAGns/ENk9fqsZKQ4cD5uMTNEORPXmce5PeEIdgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf7gSvsjRyE/W0zo94kD-VI/AAAAAAAAGns/ENk9fqsZKQ4cD5uMTNEORPXmce5PeEIdgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2893.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br>You see, when I call that kind of thing out, people just assume it's sour grapes that I wasn't on the bill or something. It's me being the whiney feminist again, and it's infuriating. You need to step up and point out that the bill is 90% men. (Or let's face it: 100% men.)<br><br>I ran into a problem a few weeks ago when I was unexpectedly going to be in town, and a favorite band of mine that only plays Louisville once every 5 years or so, was playing. BUT THE LINEUP WAS ALL MEN! I am not sure if anyone noticed, other than the few band members I complained to, and I'm hoping I haven't ostracized myself from them because I absolutely adore every single member of this band as a human being and not just a band.<br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HtF_V5o5R20/W0zrbcx2xUI/AAAAAAAAGoI/MPvUgAkgGVgFiDYNOBXlENr5tsYkSFSlgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HtF_V5o5R20/W0zrbcx2xUI/AAAAAAAAGoI/MPvUgAkgGVgFiDYNOBXlENr5tsYkSFSlgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="302" /></a><br><h4>I wanted to go to the show... but my boycott!!</h4>I invented a loophole: <i>what if I asked to play accordion in the band?</i> I mean, to be fair, the band actually <b>did</b><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>ask me to sit in on accordion, but I declined because I was supposed to be out of town. So they were clearly trying to correct the gender problem by asking ...<br><br>Anyway, Love Jones is an amazing band full of the best energy and performers I've seen. Everyone should take notes on stage presence, banter and putting on a show. Thank you for letting me play accordion with you all -- can we do it again sometime, please? #bookmorewomen !<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbrigidkaelin%2Fvideos%2F1728414977254965%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53453692018-07-13T12:37:00-04:002018-07-13T17:30:41-04:00Road trip adventures & a send-off show!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ACUEV6V5KnQ/W0jUbW-RgKI/AAAAAAAAGms/8b6t7-uV6ToFcUgZV1r4zo1mdRLDdIVyACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ACUEV6V5KnQ/W0jUbW-RgKI/AAAAAAAAGms/8b6t7-uV6ToFcUgZV1r4zo1mdRLDdIVyACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2738.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>It's been 2 weeks! We've had some adventures in that time -- some amazingly fun and some not so fun (tell you about that another time). <b>Kansas City</b> called, and we enjoyed a few days in a very fancy hotel there -- mostly spent at the pool. The little guys and I drove and met David in KC, so we took our time and spent a night in<b> St. Louis </b>along the way. We rolled in just in time to go to the <b>City Museum</b>, a place I can't wait to take them back to when they're older. There was plenty to do for the littles, but WOW would they have a blast when they're old enough to explore without fear of getting lost.<br><br>The kids and David and our amazing au pair went on to Texas to spend some time with D's family in Lubbock, but I flew back to work and help out my parents with some things.<br><br>I'm also obsessing over our upcoming trip to <b>Switzerland</b> and the festival show I'll be playing while I'm there. We'll also be in Salzburg during the <b>Salzburg Festival</b>, which, if you'll recall, is the festival where the Von Trapp family sang "So Long, Farewell," and then missed their curtain call because they were running away from the Nazis!<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rojhGinNmA8/W0jTZE8Nh1I/AAAAAAAAGmA/We8Hd68CJ9s0k7hxn5y-eU3S__DZaeubQCLcBGAs/s1600/Brigid%2BKaelin%2Bsend-off%2Bto%2BSwitzerland%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rojhGinNmA8/W0jTZE8Nh1I/AAAAAAAAGmA/We8Hd68CJ9s0k7hxn5y-eU3S__DZaeubQCLcBGAs/s320/Brigid%2BKaelin%2Bsend-off%2Bto%2BSwitzerland%2521.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://redboots.ticketleap.com/brigidkaelin07262018/" target="_blank">Get tickets here!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Also, and I know in show business you're supposed to lie about your age, but I never have (so people probably think I'm older than I am because they assume I'm lying, hmmmmm) ... I turn <b>FORTY</b> just before the trip! Yee haw -- I can't wait.<br><br>I'm bringing a new trio (a guitarist + a harmony singer/percussionist + me!) to play the festival in Switzerland, and you've never seen this lineup before. <br><br><h4>We are doing a send-off show -- a dress rehearsal for the big festival, if you will -- on Thursday, July 26, at the Bard's Town. It's an early show, and it's almost sold-out. Please get tickets in advance! I suspect there will be birthday cake.</h4><br><a href="https://redboots.ticketleap.com/brigidkaelin07262018/" target="_blank">Tickets: https://redboots.ticketleap.com/brigidkaelin07262018/</a><br><br><br><br>CITY MUSEUM fun!<br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_3IyCfTmmE/W0jUUvrHxuI/AAAAAAAAGmk/Py-rihtLVsM2soBQu1OUvwqK7HLSLqgFgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2739%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_3IyCfTmmE/W0jUUvrHxuI/AAAAAAAAGmk/Py-rihtLVsM2soBQu1OUvwqK7HLSLqgFgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2739%2B2.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tUOl-l8hImk/W0jUUMLvWsI/AAAAAAAAGmU/buk1q8JrMsQRDJ_TTVVRRZ00JXGC-r-BACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2767%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tUOl-l8hImk/W0jUUMLvWsI/AAAAAAAAGmU/buk1q8JrMsQRDJ_TTVVRRZ00JXGC-r-BACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2767%2B2.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2GAhBLXOD1M/W0jUUnB1nJI/AAAAAAAAGmg/_RPlKr7PgdMGJ5ILS3LlOXUTsEgfYwETgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2758%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2GAhBLXOD1M/W0jUUnB1nJI/AAAAAAAAGmg/_RPlKr7PgdMGJ5ILS3LlOXUTsEgfYwETgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2758%2B2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5IH9itcW5yg/W0jUThj2ENI/AAAAAAAAGmM/hGUAT75qkYAvm6aDwuIXjnALd2SHnshQwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2748%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5IH9itcW5yg/W0jUThj2ENI/AAAAAAAAGmM/hGUAT75qkYAvm6aDwuIXjnALd2SHnshQwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2748%2B2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53162672018-06-25T07:33:00-04:002018-07-06T07:09:04-04:00Updates on life with an au pair.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gg-UJk-BKy4/WzDSCW_srnI/AAAAAAAAGl4/mGxq3TQBFgI8sOmv2wIG1c49tVRK0nNyACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gg-UJk-BKy4/WzDSCW_srnI/AAAAAAAAGl4/mGxq3TQBFgI8sOmv2wIG1c49tVRK0nNyACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2566.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Update on life with an au pair. It's fantastic, and after having joined a Facebook group for host families, I am now well-aware that there are terrible au pairs out there who make their families' lives more difficult. To be fair, I've also noticed there are terrible host families who are demanding and unappreciative and who clearly have a Hobbesian view of life, assuming that their au pair must "earn their trust" before being granted privileges, like, a curfew beyond 11pm or, say, not being watched on a nanny-cam the entire time.<br><br>Maybe I'm too trusting, but I think we just matched perfectly with a mature and wise woman who is full of love and common sense and just the right amount of anxiety to make me feel at east when she's got the kids. Like, I have started running upstairs to use the bathroom alone on occasion -- but she would never dare leave them unattended.<br><br>The biggest reason we went the au pair route is because regular childcare -- or even a full-time nanny -- would not work for my challenging and ever-changing work schedule. It's too unpredictable, and with David's travel schedule (he travels 80% of the week), it was no good and also a little lonely being the only adult in the house.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jI4TLRn2OZ8/WzDRMpxJUpI/AAAAAAAAGls/ByZhKNiqzmw2ZMAiXX-aNYoSr4Aq3_LsQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jI4TLRn2OZ8/WzDRMpxJUpI/AAAAAAAAGls/ByZhKNiqzmw2ZMAiXX-aNYoSr4Aq3_LsQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2701.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br>It's also great for last-minute surprises. This morning, for example, when he was at the airport at 6am and realized he forgot something, he called (and bless *<i>aupair</i> for answering her phone because I was zonked out and didn't hear mine) and I was able to run out to the airport without dragging the kids along with me.<br><br>Other bonuses to #aupairlife:<br><br><ul>
<li>My 2-year-old occasionally counts his Hot Wheels in Portuguese.</li>
<li>She loves to bake, so sometimes there is surprise cake!</li>
<li>We are looooooving rice and beans in a way we never did before.</li>
<li>David and I had date nights <i>twice </i>this weekend (we don't always schedule her on weekends, but D and I hadn't seen each other in ages because I've had so many weekend gigs), and we didn't have to explain bedtime routines or what the day had been like and why G was so tired. We just walked out of the house!</li>
<li>We've had incredible cultural exchange conversations that have led to smart and eye-opening chats about feminism and country differences. I <i>love</i> creating this normal for my kids.</li>
<li>There is always someone to hug.</li>
<li>There is always someone to remind me to relax and appreciate my amazing children.</li>
<li>There is always someone to remind me that I don't have to do everything.</li>
</ul><div>
<a href="https://ko-fi.com/T6T6F5XU" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="https://az743702.vo.msecnd.net/cdn/kofi2.png?v=0" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" height="36" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a><a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">Here's a link to our au pair agency.</a> (If you sign up and host, we both get a wee discount. If the registration fee isn't waived for you, <a href="mailto:brigid@brigidkaelin.com" target="_blank">email me</a>, and I'll send the code.)</div><br><br>I'm working on an entire blog to explain exactly what an au pair is and what she can and cannot do -- there are restrictions to keep both au pairs and families on the same page and both treated humanely. It's hard to explain, but I'm loving it!<br><br><br>*<i>I still haven't come up with a good code name for her, so I don't blow her google-ability privacy to the world. Oops. (She has said photos are okay.)</i><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53113752018-06-22T13:45:00-04:002018-06-22T14:15:32-04:00Mini House concert tour<a href="https://ko-fi.com/T6T6F5XU" target="_blank"><img src="https://az743702.vo.msecnd.net/cdn/kofi2.png?v=0" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" height="36" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ooJOLKGhFbE/Wy007ghNFCI/AAAAAAAAGko/fRZYbstnJuIe-6ambVuGGDpOL7spILR0ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ooJOLKGhFbE/Wy007ghNFCI/AAAAAAAAGko/fRZYbstnJuIe-6ambVuGGDpOL7spILR0ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2629.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>Clarification that it was a mini-<i>tour</i>, not a tour of mini-<i>houses!</i> Truly, the houses we played were just perfect fits for a house concert, even though they were all completely different settings -- just proving that there is not right or wrong setting to host a house concert. Sometimes people move the furniture out of a living room and pile in criss-cross-apple-sauce or bring in folding chairs. Sometimes the show is in a backyard, where everyone brings their own lawn chair. Sometimes people bring their own floats for a poolside show! Sometimes the show is in a "great room" where introverts can hide in the kitchen, and everyone else scatters about on furniture, folding chairs, and the floor.<br><br>Steve and I have had a blast doing these house concert tours, mostly because of the intimacy and the people we meet. There's always time for Q&A -- for us, that generally centers around the banjo and the saw, though I get the occasional accordion lesson in their too. One of our shows went from house concert to singalong, with the host bringing out his own guitar, campfire style!<br><br>It was a blast. Thank you to the brave hosts who had never hosted before, but who absolutely nailed it. Host more of them -- I'd come as a guest.<br><br><ul><li><a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert" target="_blank">How to host a house concert</a></li></ul><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X7wqUBROvGA" width="560"></iframe><br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6ntgHvifjw8/Wy008F2U34I/AAAAAAAAGk8/jjcFhe41N7EbvSb_pl5d43pZp8EuUwEBwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2630.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6ntgHvifjw8/Wy008F2U34I/AAAAAAAAGk8/jjcFhe41N7EbvSb_pl5d43pZp8EuUwEBwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2630.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uJFy3bbap2g/Wy008AE6EMI/AAAAAAAAGlE/whCZbYEoWqYy0Z3mBSGI5H_eq3sQzOKdgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uJFy3bbap2g/Wy008AE6EMI/AAAAAAAAGlE/whCZbYEoWqYy0Z3mBSGI5H_eq3sQzOKdgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2631.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RdnJJZNHnuA/Wy008Tzyw5I/AAAAAAAAGlU/SAJhlcxsn-MmbAAHu0D8V6Lxwly3KxjygCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2638.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RdnJJZNHnuA/Wy008Tzyw5I/AAAAAAAAGlU/SAJhlcxsn-MmbAAHu0D8V6Lxwly3KxjygCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2638.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7Ell6szoy4/Wy008ZhOORI/AAAAAAAAGlM/c_BHGJNYF38JZEvJ61m9WryFqZVtw0OrACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2639.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7Ell6szoy4/Wy008ZhOORI/AAAAAAAAGlM/c_BHGJNYF38JZEvJ61m9WryFqZVtw0OrACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2639.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd5vEhOGhek/Wy008TUHBQI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/xYoWWt_-HZ4v9ChW7DvDRBsVdTX1aEH4QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2641.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd5vEhOGhek/Wy008TUHBQI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/xYoWWt_-HZ4v9ChW7DvDRBsVdTX1aEH4QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2641.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53097472018-06-21T12:51:00-04:002018-06-21T19:01:17-04:00Writing prompts for kids.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z79zpHaJLrI/WyvUYPibiGI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/2kjo_kQe3yYOD3lVJHftygUv2KOyYp0_wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2694.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z79zpHaJLrI/WyvUYPibiGI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/2kjo_kQe3yYOD3lVJHftygUv2KOyYp0_wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2694.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br>Let me begin by saying that in no way do I wish <i>writing</i> as a career for my son. I'm stuck with the bug because I can't NOT do it, no matter how hard I try. When I'm not writing, I'm a crazy person. But we are also in a phase of childhood where he's capable of entertaining himself before 7am because I refuse to function before then.<br><br>When he wakes up early, he has instructions to read for 10 minutes and write in his journal before he is allowed to turn on the TV. Lately, however, I've found his journal a tad dull. I know, I know, I shouldn't judge a 5-year-old, but I want to teach him that writing can be creative and not just "what I did yesterday." (He did, after all, win the Creative Writing award in kindergarten for his Young Author's book!")<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NnilAwcO0yk/WyvUZaikQZI/AAAAAAAAGkY/it5GKm40Y_wqRbCT2yaWpAdeu221B3TIgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2695.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NnilAwcO0yk/WyvUZaikQZI/AAAAAAAAGkY/it5GKm40Y_wqRbCT2yaWpAdeu221B3TIgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2695.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><h3>We came up with an idea: </h3><br>an envelope full of writing prompts. He grabs one and then goes with it. Now I am stuck with the task of coming up with writing prompts. (Could someone do this for me???) Thankfully, the internet exists.<br><br>- a day at the beach<br>- if i was a unicorn<br>- my favorite animals<br>- blasting off to Mars<br>- if i hosted a dinner party, what would we do?<br><br>***<br><a href="https://ko-fi.com/T6T6F5XU" target="_blank"><img src="https://az743702.vo.msecnd.net/cdn/kofi2.png?v=0" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" height="36" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a><br>Speaking of writers, <a href="https://ko-fi.com/T6T6F5XU" target="_blank">here's a cool new platform </a>where you can easily, quickly, and cheaply support folks like me, who spend hours a day writing to entertain others. I drink coffee while I write. I also buy coffees for lots of other people because it feels nice, and I love their work.<br><br><h2>Louisville:<br><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I'm playing at Wick's on Baxter tonight. I'm pretty sure it's free. And it's 8-11. </span>
</h2><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/53047722018-06-19T12:27:00-04:002018-07-16T06:15:57-04:00Yoga booty call.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-if3OL1JpJ80/WyktfI3OeMI/AAAAAAAAGkA/P4U64iPm4bID-lg2WvKlIZSjHAqKFQ07ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-06-19%2Bat%2B12.20.56%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-if3OL1JpJ80/WyktfI3OeMI/AAAAAAAAGkA/P4U64iPm4bID-lg2WvKlIZSjHAqKFQ07ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-06-19%2Bat%2B12.20.56%2BPM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="212" width="320" /></a>Remember how I broke up with yoga a few weeks ago? Well, I went back. I still feel the same, but I also still need the sweat and the alone time. (I even tried jogging, and 4 jogs in, I developed the same old horrible knee injury -- please don't suggest running ever again!) It feels good to have burned a bunch of calories and stretched and relaxed, but now my head is running with all kinds of questions about <i>is this kind of yoga basically church, and that's why it get resistant and freaked out?</i> Etc etc etc. Post-yoga, I turned to instagram to try to sort out my thoughts:<br><br><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>Sweaty post-yoga pose. I went back to my favorite studio today, and, bless her, today’s teacher didn’t ask us to talk to any strangers. I do like seeing friends there, but I also sure love a space on my mat where I can do what I want. I’ve been thinking how my entire life I’ve worked my ass off, have been so hard on myself whether it was in school (that A-minus was a failure), work (played a crazy-impressive radio show? Well, I didn’t ride that momentum to even bigger things, so i suck!), motherhood (why do i not understand what every single cry means?), caretaking (not spending enough time with my sick mother, am horrible daughter), and marriage (be PERFECT because he sure is). So when yoga teachers tell me to “stay in it” and “step out of your comfort zone” and “you can do hard things,” I get really resistant and my internal monologue says: Brigid, you’ve been giving it a 110% your whole life, so maybe slow down a bit and step out of the pose you don’t want to hold and relax and don’t do that. Because this yoga is for *you* and you need something different than this style is designed for. But then my inner-perfectionist says “ugh, the teacher thinks you’re weak because she said ‘stay’ and you chose to chillax.” This is my challenge in yoga ... I need some place in my life where I don’t have to give 100% because I’m already back to the inner monologue of “get off Instagram, and either go visit your sick mother or finish those contracts or write more songs or book more tours and DO IT ALL!” Oh, I’m a mess, aren’t it?? ??? But seriously, can I do this kind of yoga without subscribing to the preachy parts?? I do adore the owner and everyone I’ve met up there. (Hi if you’re reading, I love you and your work and what you do for the village ????) </span><a class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/yoga/" style='background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #003569; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;'>#yoga</a><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </span><a class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/yogathoughts/" style='background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #003569; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;'>#yogathoughts</a><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'></span><a class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/yogaphilosophy/" style='background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #003569; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;'>#yogaphilosophy</a><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </span><a class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/yogaisgood/" style='background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #003569; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;'>#yogaisgood</a><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> I swear</span><br><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><br></span><span style='background-color: white; font-family: , , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><br></span><br><h2><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Where will Brigid be next?</i></span></h2><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Louisville: </b>Thursday June 21 at Wick's on Baxter 8-11pm No cover<br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/222164601915594/" target="_blank">FACEBOOK EVENT -- click "interested" on it, pretty please?</a>I haven't played a multi-hour club show like this in YEARS. But they asked me, and I'm in a yes-mode. Where else might you find me?</span><br><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span><br><br><h2>
<a href="https://ko-fi.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Buy me a coffee? </a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">I just bought a few coffees for some writers I like, and it set up this Ko-fi page for me automatically. Perhaps you would like to buy me a coffee, so that I might perfect and write more thoughtful and lengthy things than simply a whinging introspective blog. <a href="https://ko-fi.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Buy me a coffee!</a></span></span>
</h2><h2><span style="background-color: white;"><i>How can I support indie artists like you with minimal effort and no money?</i></span></h2><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Like me on Facebook</a></span><br><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BqoORJEXEYuA3wBFoQcnj" target="_blank">Follow me on Spotify</a></span><br><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BqoORJEXEYuA3wBFoQcnj" target="_blank">Add one of my songs to your Spotify playlist!</a></span><br><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Follow me on Twitter</a></span><br><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.instagram.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Follow me on Instagram</a></span><br><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Share a video from my YouTube channel</a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52980682018-06-15T11:58:00-04:002018-06-15T16:45:32-04:00Baseball and 7/26 show<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-odzzg8VSPCI/WyPgAaW82-I/AAAAAAAAGj0/7IS21y6XzxQ4rLM1e_hmd8wed7r__7CfACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2628.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-odzzg8VSPCI/WyPgAaW82-I/AAAAAAAAGj0/7IS21y6XzxQ4rLM1e_hmd8wed7r__7CfACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_2628.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br><span style="font-size: large;">Big fun playing at Louisville Slugger Field yesterday! It was so fun seeing all of you. My kids were able to come to both the concert and the game because of our amazing au pair, who had a great time at her first super-American event: baseball! She didn't catch a foul ball, but she did go home with a free t-shirt that the mascot tossed into the crowds. I had a hard time explaining why the Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders were making random dance appearances, but it was all smiles all night. Fun times for all!</span><br><span style="font-size: large;"><br></span><span style="font-size: large;">The rest of this weekend I'm playing house concerts in surrounding counties (<a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert" target="_blank">want to host a house concert?)</a>, and I'm daydreaming about Switzerland.</span><br><br><span style="font-size: large;"><br></span><span style="font-size: large;">Louisville, please <b>save the date July 26</b>, early evening, for a ticketed show -- a intimate send-off to Switzerland event! It'll be in the Highlands at a TBA location. Limited seating, but a guaranteed seat when you purchase a ticket in advance. It'll sell out, so check back here for pre-sale codes!</span><br><span style="font-size: large;"><br></span><span style="font-size: large;">Brigid</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52895622018-06-11T15:55:00-04:002018-06-11T17:30:28-04:00Bringing Kentucky music abroad ... Louisville's Switzerland connection!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fB_8j-Zd6Pc/Wx7S0YVc80I/AAAAAAAAGjk/6yP0_ygW_pk0Ls-WIla1vu6Joj8gLjG2ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/einsiedeln-2675971_960_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fB_8j-Zd6Pc/Wx7S0YVc80I/AAAAAAAAGjk/6yP0_ygW_pk0Ls-WIla1vu6Joj8gLjG2ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/einsiedeln-2675971_960_720.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a cemetery Einsiedeln where i will go ancestor-chasing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><h3>SWITZERLAND! Who has been there? I'm playing the Einsiedeln Musik Festival on August 3rd, which is crazy-cool and crazy-exciting for various historical and nerdy and travelicious reasons. </h3>Louisville, in particular, you should care about this because I have, for the past 10 years, been following my heart and mind and doing my very best to bring Kentucky music to other countries ... and Switzerland has a direct connection to Kentucky (and not just that we both tend to be neutral during wars).<br><br>My biggest passions in my career are: <b>Kentucky music</b> (OBVIOUSLY) and <b>Cultural Exchange</b>. If I had a zillion dollars, I would pay for Kentucky artists to travel and bring their music to every country on the planet (and I would go with them and be their backup band because TRAVEL is the other passion!). As it is, I just work my butt off to pay for my own travel and occasionally pay for other artists to accompany me as I bring my own brand of Kentucky music to the rest of the world.<br><br>Einsiedeln, Switzerland, is filled with people with last names such as Bisig, Zehnder, Ehrler, Fuchs, Guetig, Oeschli ..... and Kaelin. Starting in the 1800s, thousands of people from this small town emigrated to Louisville, Kentucky, and so many of them (as you may infer from the names) started companies, farms, and more, particularly in Louisville's Germantown neighborhood. Most of us -- the descendants of these immigrants -- have lost touch with that history. <a href="http://www.einsiedeln-anderswo.ch/en" target="_blank">An author from Einsiedeln (and me!!) wants to change that.</a><br><br>Bringing part of my band to this music festival is an absolute dream! I wish I could afford to fly Steve Cooley over as well (anyone out there have any extra points or $2000?), but hey ... maybe next year? My wheels are spinning with ideas, projects, and more ways to bridge this temporal and cultural gap and forge real connections to our past and our culture.<br><br>Ooooooooh I get chills when I think about it! The writer of the book knows a lot of about my ancestors and distant cousins ... and I get to go grave-chasing and cousin-meeting and already have plans to get together with venue-owners about working on more Kentucky music projects.<br><br><h3>In the mean time, who has Switzerland or Austria tips?!?! </h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">In honor of my anniversary and my 40th birthday, we are also making this trip a vacation ... and leaving the babies behind with au pairs and grandparents galore. We are definitely hitting Zurich, Einsiedeln, Salzburg, and Vienna. If you have tips (aside from telling me that it's expensive), please share! Or if you have amazing photos, please share those too. I'm one of those weirdos who loves food photos and travel photos more than cat videos. Except <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNycdfFEgBc" target="_blank">the cats and cucumbers one </a>-- that one is hilarious. </span></span></h3><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52791972018-06-06T11:51:00-04:002020-09-08T03:37:06-04:00Book reading by Silas House! So fun.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0lZuk_aj_U/WxgCy3jBrLI/AAAAAAAAGjU/X-8GPlo2Wts651KB6aybyZCBZvMjv808gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/51WJw-gBCSL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0lZuk_aj_U/WxgCy3jBrLI/AAAAAAAAGjU/X-8GPlo2Wts651KB6aybyZCBZvMjv808gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/51WJw-gBCSL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RzzChwHz-oI/WxgCI9p89II/AAAAAAAAGjE/SaHMjfia3mMHvGlxHq-W2Bxc135MKhe_ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RzzChwHz-oI/WxgCI9p89II/AAAAAAAAGjE/SaHMjfia3mMHvGlxHq-W2Bxc135MKhe_ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2533.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Book alert! I am a book-fanatic. I particularly love novels, and the amazing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Southernmost-Silas-House/dp/161620625X" target="_blank">Silas House has a new novel out called <i>Southernmost</i>.</a> You should buy it. He did a reading last night, featuring music by the wonderful singers Joan Shelley and Daniel Martin Moore. It was a perfect event -- short, sweet, inspiring, beautiful. I also loved the space, as I adore events held in unusual locations: the Crescent Hill Baptist church provided perfect acoustics and plenty of space. I'm hoping Silas is not still there signing books (the line was hundreds deep when I left!). Happy book tour to you!<br><br>Try to support your local bookstore if you have the opportunity. <a href="https://www.carmichaelsbookstore.com/" target="_blank">(Carmichael's in Louisville!)</a> But no matter what, support Silas! The artists are everything.<br><br>I loved hearing about the dogs, and the namesake of the dog mentioned in Chapter One (Roscoe) may or may my boys' God-Dog -- yes, that Roscoe and his owners get our boys if something ever happens to me and David. Our wee connection to literary history, my friends.<br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox84gabWdDI/WxgCI4-weHI/AAAAAAAAGjA/iUPJ8ITNw6UQjgzUlzm2TODuhLMLVKEaACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox84gabWdDI/WxgCI4-weHI/AAAAAAAAGjA/iUPJ8ITNw6UQjgzUlzm2TODuhLMLVKEaACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_2528.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photo being taken from the stage is on Silas's instragram page!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52750062018-06-04T13:22:00-04:002018-06-04T16:30:29-04:00Pool-side cubicle. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tjk7wvr-sY/WxV0CNJGT3I/AAAAAAAAGio/rKqqzXj77BgODXNgs3LUhiSb_ebOCYbZwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tjk7wvr-sY/WxV0CNJGT3I/AAAAAAAAGio/rKqqzXj77BgODXNgs3LUhiSb_ebOCYbZwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2511.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lakeside Swim Club, Louisville, KY</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">Today, I attempt relaxing. It's not my forte. 17+ years of being self-employed means I'm never off-work, even though I'm technically able to give myself a day off whenever I want. Today I'm trying to combine the best of both: I'm working from the pool.</div><div class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">Part of this is because today is our au pair's first time at the pool with the kids, and I'm a super anxious former-lifeguard of a parent who had too much coffee this morning and whose head won't stop with the "what ifs." So I'm hovering nearby, not to spy, but to be near in case our au pair needs backup. (I still need to come up with a pseudonym for her because I don't like to say "au pair," and "nanny" isn't appropriate -- some au pairs even find it offensive because it's more cultural-exchange than employee. Anyway, I'll ask her to invent a name for next time!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
</div><div class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">I'm also trying to take advantage of my freedom and write emails and create setlists by the pool when I can. I tried to be sneaky and grab a chair in the far corner of the pool, but it took about 5 minutes before Graham popped up next to me and said, "Hi, Mommy! Can I have nachos? I saw your polka-dot swimsuit and hat, and I just knew it was you, even though you're wearing a swimsuit I've never seen before. And actually that swimsuit appears to have flamingos on it! Can you believe from a distance I thought they were white polka dots?" (laughs hysterically while stealing a nacho).</div><div class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">Then Angus found me and we all had a good snuggle. They went back to play with <i>insert pseudonym</i>, and I ended up finding my own mother, who, in retrospect,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>perhaps was maybe also trying to snag a bit of alone time -- oops. Sorry, Mommy! She and I sat on the steps with our feet in the water saying nothing because, believe it or not, we are actually a very quiet family. We watched the boys get in the water with<i> Pseudonym</i> and watched them kick, splash, swim and laugh all the way across the lake together. Then Mom got on her scooter, went home, and I returned to emails and to my blog -- a place I haven't visited with regularity in years.</div><div class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">My cubicle view (my first time sporting a two-piece, which I only bought for the flamingo swim shirt that came with it -- but don't worry, dermatologist-friend, I only bared the tummy for about 90 seconds before throwing the swim shirt back on. My belly shall remain white as the day I was born.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
</div><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Thinking back on my thus-far 90 minutes at the pool: I have not yet relaxed. Will now attempt to put away my laptop, slather in sunscreen and maybe re-load Headspace on the phone for the first time in 3 years. Think it's possible? Probably not. But I'm grateful for the ability to try.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52550552018-05-24T09:37:00-04:002018-05-24T14:01:02-04:00Breaking up with yoga.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y9ueJ0BMaKA/Wwa_0900hoI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/GI6YExU_VtcQbPRhkIubq9Q-ELMH2Ka4QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/yoga%2Btoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y9ueJ0BMaKA/Wwa_0900hoI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/GI6YExU_VtcQbPRhkIubq9Q-ELMH2Ka4QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/yoga%2Btoes.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="213" width="320" /></a>I think I might be breaking up with yoga. We have had a long separation now. Yoga had been really good for me -- it got me in shape, and it controlled my irritability and anger issues for approximately 36 hours. It also involved 2 hours of my day, organizing a babysitter, an extra shower, and doubled the amount of laundry. I stopped going when I no longer had a babysitter working on trade (a babysitter + yoga tuition quickly creates a $35-50 yoga class, and, quite frankly, Xanax is cheaper).<br><br>I first started doing yoga with regularity because I was offered a role in a national touring Broadway show. (I never told you all that, did I? It was at a strange point in my life, and I was going to replace someone who wasn't sure if she was ready to quit ... my mom was starting chemo and didn't have a long life expectancy.) After remembering how badly I had sweat my way through the movement audition, I realized that if I were to dance 8 shows a week, I needed to get back in shape. It wasn't about being skinny. I don't care about that; I just want my trousers to fit and to not be out of breath at the top of the stairs. So I signed up for one of those 30 days for $30 things, and I went every single day, figuring it would be Broadway-boot camp.<br><br>I obviously didn't end up doing the tour, or you would have seen many glamorous posts from Iowa to Ireland -- but I did get in shape and enjoy it most of the time.<br><br>I went back to yoga last week for the first time in over six months. My body loved it -- the sweat and the stretches. Oh, was I sore for days.<br><br>But I forgot how much I really dislike group events. The vinyasas were great; the"turn to your neighbor and give them a high five" had me wanting to run out of that room because I had come for alone time. The "get up off your mat and introduce yourself to the people around you and create community" was utterly anxiety-inducing in the worst way. As I introduced myself to the person next to me -- who promptly said, "We went to high school together." I knew exactly who she was, as she had been the straight-up coolest girl in high school. I was shocked she even knew who I was, and I babbled nonsense and sounded like a maniac with my small talk before collapsing into child's pose.<br><br>The instructors would say, <i>that's what yoga is about. Doing hard things. Being part of something bigger than yourself</i>. etc etc<br><br>Here's what I realized: that's not what I want to get out of yoga. I want the meditation and the exercise, but I don't want the philosophy.<br><br>I do hard things every single day. I have always done hard things. I mean, I have owned my own business (AS AN ARTIST) for almost 20 years without a trust fund or family money. Art is all about being part of things bigger than yourself -- I bring entertainment and original art (aka my NAKE SOUL) to the stage sometimes in front of millions of people listening live on the radio. I am a social anxiety-ridden introvert, but I can absolutely suck it up and play the role of extrovert when I have to. I don't need to learn how to do that, as I have done that my entire career. I can network, schmooze, small talk with the best of them.<br><br>But on a Monday morning when I am seeking out sweat and stretch? No. Thank. You.<br><br>The time I carve out for yoga? I need solitude and ease and <i>not</i> challenging myself<i>. </i>Because I challenge myself enough by being my own demanding boss and solo parenting two small children and taking care of my sick mother and stressing myself out all the time. I can do hard things. I don't need anyone reminding me of that. All I need is peace, quiet, and no one grabbing my nipples. I want that solitary wood floor that my yoga friends post on Instagram.<br><br>I'm tortured because I do enjoy the yoga classes. This morning I was prepped to go to a class, but instead, maybe I'll go home, put in earplugs and roll through some sun salutations in my basement.<br><br>I mean, it's not you, yoga, it's clearly me. Everyone else loves you. I understand the reasoning behind the creating community. It's just not for me right now ... I prefer community at the coffeeshop or the music show. Or can we have a "Yoga for Introverts" class where no one is expected to even make eye contact?<br><br>And that's me, with my unpopular opinion that I had to get off my chest, so now I can move about my day and week and career a little lighter. Writing -- writing is my yoga! Hello, community.<br><br><h4>UPCOMING SHOWS:</h4><b>Monday, 5/28 in LOUISVILLE</b>: with Steve Cooley at <a href="http://do502.com/events/2018/5/28/brigid-kaelin-a-fundraiser-for-the-bloom-playground-project" target="_blank">TYLER PARK</a>. 4:00pm.<br><b>Wednesday, 5/30 in LOUISVILLE</b>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/616755731995692/" target="_blank">Kentucky Homefront at </a>Adath Jeshurun. 6:30pm (just the backing band -- I'm not singing)<br><b>Friday, 6/1 in LEXINGTON</b>: <a href="https://lexfun4kids.com/seton-country-fair-2018/" target="_blank">Seton Country Fair.</a> Brigid Kaelin BAND. 6p-7:30p<br><b>Sunday, 6/10 in LOUISVILLE:</b> <a href="http://www.lakesideswim.com/" target="_blank">Lakeside Swim Club</a>. Brigid Kaelin BAND. 6:30-8:30p. (for members and their guests)<br><b>Thursday, 6/14 in LOUISVILLE</b>: <a href="https://www.fevo.com/edp/Bellarmine-Alumni-Night-at-the-Bats-kDURtNT" target="_blank">Slugger Field</a>. Brigid Kaelin BAND. 5:30-6:30p<br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52534692018-05-23T11:46:00-04:002022-02-02T07:58:23-05:00Solution to missing socks & sorting socks & other things that waste my time.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vp6JmuyN9L0/WwSDzmzbV0I/AAAAAAAAGh4/JKED_veG_t0O3C5BI-Q5ofMmqCOhXFYswCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/shop%2Bnow%2B_.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vp6JmuyN9L0/WwSDzmzbV0I/AAAAAAAAGh4/JKED_veG_t0O3C5BI-Q5ofMmqCOhXFYswCK4BGAYYCw/s200/shop%2Bnow%2B_.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="133" /></a>Since our Brazilian au pair has arrived, I've encountered all kinds of fun cultural differences -- some funny stories, like "what is a dishwasher" and silly Americans driving 2 blocks to the grocery. My favorite is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saci_(Brazilian_folklore)" target="_blank">the tale of Saci</a>, who has now taken the place of "the troll" that lives in our house. You know the one -- the reason you can't find your keys or why the butter dish moved back into the refrigerator but no one admits they did it, or perhaps most importantly, <i>the answer to where the other sock went</i>. You see, Saci is a one-legged boy, so not only is he a sneaky trickster, but he only needs one sock at a time.<br><br>We have started blaming everything on Saci, and it's become hilarious.<br><br><br><br><br>One problem I've mostly solved, however, is THE SOCK PROBLEM (and also <i>the underwear problem</i> when you have 2 little boys who wear tiny underwear):<br><br><h3>Lingerie bags!</h3><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXzJ5bS1X-I/WwWMqJ7IT8I/AAAAAAAAGiE/hOyhN3H0m6YLMrm_jcteervKVJP_2gW4QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXzJ5bS1X-I/WwWMqJ7IT8I/AAAAAAAAGiE/hOyhN3H0m6YLMrm_jcteervKVJP_2gW4QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1526.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><br>Each member of our family now has <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KLM2KLI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">their own lingerie bag</a>, with a different color zipper so bags are never mixed up. When dirty socks come off, BOTH SOCKS GO ON THE LINGERIE BAG (and the boys put their underwear in their too). When it's time for washing, the entire bag goes in the machine, so Saci never has a chance to steal any socks.<br><br>I haven't lost a sock in months!<br><br>Not that I really care because <a href="http://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2012/08/two-beauty-secrets-shampoo-and-socks.html" target="_blank">matching socks are for time-wasters anyway</a>. For me the best part is knowing whose tiny little socks and underwear are whose -- and if someone else is putting the laundry away (which actually happens because our au pair is the best), she doesn't have to check the labels for size. If it's from the yellow zipper bag, it's the little guy, and if it's from the purple bag, it's the kindergartener.<br><br>Tips:<br><br><ul>
<li>buy 2 of each bag, so as soon as you toss one sock-filled lingerie bag in the machine, there is another bag eagerly awaiting socks. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C383WU6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Buy little hooks to hang the bag </a>on a doorknob or bookshelf or desk, or dresser hook, or whereever your dirty clothes hamper lies.</li>
<li>Don't try to force your husband to play along, and also do not do his laundry. (David doesn't play along with my little sock-solution.)</li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52333542018-05-14T10:06:00-04:002022-05-08T08:08:33-04:00House concerts: how to ask your guests to bring money for the musicians<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dYISvKqIICw/WvmVuBDPJoI/AAAAAAAAGg8/Ely9NJckvscBGUsAwht03B52CwytTvZnQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dYISvKqIICw/WvmVuBDPJoI/AAAAAAAAGg8/Ely9NJckvscBGUsAwht03B52CwytTvZnQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2279.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It took a musical saw trial to get a grin out of Steve!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Steve and I played a really fun house concert this weekend. I'm never quite sure how these events are going to go in America. They are more common in Europe (although for some reason Europeans seem to thing that House Concerts are more common in America; I assure you, they are not.), and most people here still find it a completely foreign concept. Saturday's concert was a new host and a great group of people, and I hope they continue to host other events for other artists -- it was a great time and we met great people. And we made enough dollars to continue to call ourselves professionals! Sometimes, however, things do not go so smoothly ...<br><br><b>I've learned through trial and error here that unless it is an established <i>house concert series</i> (and there are quite a few that have developed!), then playing a house concert can be hit or miss.</b> The events are always fun no matter what, but making it worth the musicians' time to come out and play such an event comes down to the awkward issue of money. So...<br><h3><i>How do you let your guests know they should bring money for the artists?</i></h3>I've seen two extremes of this.<br><br>1) The invitation that says, "This party costs $20 to attend." The party then almost always gets canceled because no one wants to pay $20 just to go to a party at your house. They don't understand, and they think you, the host, are being greedy or cheap. Despite the best intentions, the concept is misunderstood.<br><br>2) The invitation that says, "Concert at my house!" and there is <u>no mention of money in the invitation</u> at all. In this situation, you get one of two things:<br><br><ul>
<li>Lots of guests come, but no one brings cash (who carries cash these days?!). People (host included) are surprised when someone starts passing a hat or tip jar around. Musicians usually don't make enough money.</li>
<li>Lots of guests come, no one brings cash, and the musicians feel too awkward to ask for money, and the host feels too awkward to ask guests to donate. The musicians leave empty-handed.</li>
<li>Lots of guests come, no one brings cash, and the hosts feel guilty and gives the musicians a few hundred dollars to make up for it. The host then never wants to host a house concert again.</li>
</ul><div><b>So in all my trial and error, here's what I've found to be the best solution:</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Make the wording clear on your invitation! </i><br>Money conversations are super-awkward, and sometimes it's best to just acknowledge that up front. </div><div><br></div><div>Here's some wording from a great house concert series:</div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yp_d-5n3tyQ/WvmR15U7GUI/AAAAAAAAGgw/J4tz4lCFkkIAVmHDSLnOE6y2KcHwrJXygCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-17%2Bat%2B10.35.26%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yp_d-5n3tyQ/WvmR15U7GUI/AAAAAAAAGgw/J4tz4lCFkkIAVmHDSLnOE6y2KcHwrJXygCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-17%2Bat%2B10.35.26%2BAM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="158" width="400" /></a></div><div><br></div><div>I like that it's up-front: <i>Please bring some cash for the music. The amount is up to you, but we recommend $15-20 per person.</i>
</div><div><br></div><div>This wording gives a suggestion based on market price of concert tickets (and significantly less than the cost of a front-row seat to a concert venue!), but lets people know that it's a sliding scale.</div><div><br></div><div>Here are some other ways to word the money conversations, and feel free to copy and paste any one of these directly into your own events:</div><div>
<ul>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a7llMEbSFWI/WvmXyQmHbsI/AAAAAAAAGhI/Yxbc-BrgbMQ3VZ4TWc4dNyKyUsppkNPvACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a7llMEbSFWI/WvmXyQmHbsI/AAAAAAAAGhI/Yxbc-BrgbMQ3VZ4TWc4dNyKyUsppkNPvACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2030.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><li>House concerts feature professional musicians, and they get paid through your donations -- 100% of the money goes to the artists. Please bring some cash for them.</li>
<li>We will pass around a tip jar for the musicians. Suggested donation is a sliding scale of _____ per person. The artists will also have CDs and other merchandise available for purchase.</li>
<li>When you arrive, please don't forget to put some cash in the tip jar for the artists. House concerts are an intimate gathering, but the artists get paid from the guests' donations.<br><br><i>and here's the straight-up jumbled way that I usually say it when I host house concerts:</i>
</li>
<li>Money talk can be super-awkward! If you've not been to a house concert before, please understand that it's <u>not</u> just a party at my house with some background music. It's a concert, and the musicians get paid <i>entirely from the tip jar.</i> A suggested donation of $10-20/per person will be collected at the door when you arrive (or "will be collected when we pass the hat during the set break). Please bring some cash for the artists, so we don't have to have that awkward money conversation, and we can just enjoy ourselves and relax and know that the artists are taken care of.</li>
</ul>
<h4><a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert" target="_blank">Now: go forth and host your own house concert!!</a></h4>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52217732018-05-07T14:47:00-04:002022-05-26T03:31:26-04:00DIY Piano Bar - Upcycle an old piano into a BAR!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--RS8oumZzrE/WvCcLl0Ty-I/AAAAAAAAGfc/GHzHoF768qUaI9q__8_aS5voJSzUbpCnwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/shop%2Bnow%2B_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--RS8oumZzrE/WvCcLl0Ty-I/AAAAAAAAGfc/GHzHoF768qUaI9q__8_aS5voJSzUbpCnwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/shop%2Bnow%2B_.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a>Today I bring you a DIY project that began over 10 years ago. I used to have a problem taking in homeless pianos (I have since gotten over this mental health issue), and a student once talked me into accepting a beautiful baby grand from the 1920s. It had been her grandmother's piano, but it had not been tuned in far too long for it to be salvageable. Being the 20-something living with a house full of roommates, I decided to take it and and use it as a dining room table. I put barstools around it, used placemats so as not to hurt the gorgeous rosewood, and it sat in my dining room for at least five years. I played it sometimes, but it sounded terrible. My piano tuner said that re-furnishing the soundboard, etc, would cost thousands and it still wouldn't sound as good as my 1995 Yamaha studio piano (i LOVE this instrument).<br><br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BGU-QyemVrs/WvCajk152QI/AAAAAAAAGfQ/06QAS7-rK10eDvfduaCLjC4JSpyoIwbrwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_6932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BGU-QyemVrs/WvCajk152QI/AAAAAAAAGfQ/06QAS7-rK10eDvfduaCLjC4JSpyoIwbrwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_6932.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ignore large dogs and look at the piano that<br>functions as a dining room table. That's the<br>BEFORE photo that I can find right now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><br><br><br>I'd had the idea to turn it into a bar, but I lacked the tools and the time. Enter DAVID! He and Adam, our amazing piano tuner, used piano-tuner tools to de-tune and remove the hundreds of strings (you can't just cut them because you might accidentally decapitate yourself). David took the insanely heavy iron soundboard to a metal recycling place, cleaned out the inside, and we used it as a bar for the next several years -- lifting up the piano lid to reveal a hidden vault of single malts and glassware.<br><br>But then, we had babies. Keeping a baby grand full of liquor just took up too much space.<br><br><br><br><br>We then went full-on PROJECT, and David created the piano bar masterpiece that I'd always envisioned, taking apart the legs and going vertical:<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GumKQkTU7WE/WvCO6TwzvrI/AAAAAAAAGfA/CrenaSEijmkfnCAj9rQQMUS5ZQhbIiYpgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2102.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GumKQkTU7WE/WvCO6TwzvrI/AAAAAAAAGfA/CrenaSEijmkfnCAj9rQQMUS5ZQhbIiYpgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_2102.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><br><br>We only kept two of the legs (it is anchored to the wall), but they weren't tall enough for a comfortable height. David took some wood, stained it to match the rosewood, and raised the height of the bar:<br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ep9M7Xr_NVA/WvCc5QsekAI/AAAAAAAAGfo/RKvBIReb0tkdoy8l9_uG0vOefOX8z-SNgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2106.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ep9M7Xr_NVA/WvCc5QsekAI/AAAAAAAAGfo/RKvBIReb0tkdoy8l9_uG0vOefOX8z-SNgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_2106.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>We added a shelf and some glass holders to provide more function: <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1jV_7UVUc1Y/WvCdINt1X_I/AAAAAAAAGf4/jOvdMVDIviUWmMZzISWycf_uCmUCd_rWwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2104.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1jV_7UVUc1Y/WvCdINt1X_I/AAAAAAAAGf4/jOvdMVDIviUWmMZzISWycf_uCmUCd_rWwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_2104.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><br><br><div><br></div><div>Another shelf will be coming, but we've been, er, busy and not paying much attention to the bar!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4LG3RhOo7IQ/WvCdHIB9l7I/AAAAAAAAGfw/mAF7U0yW3xICjwzub3c84S0Gzd7ZAzYuwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2105.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4LG3RhOo7IQ/WvCdHIB9l7I/AAAAAAAAGfw/mAF7U0yW3xICjwzub3c84S0Gzd7ZAzYuwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2105.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="183" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old Kimball piano from the 1920s converted into a bar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LIq3eh1APUw/WvCdJPzpo8I/AAAAAAAAGgE/kjR9urbhEOQT8FN2w-B7hAwCfhhbpY2_gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2103.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LIq3eh1APUw/WvCdJPzpo8I/AAAAAAAAGgE/kjR9urbhEOQT8FN2w-B7hAwCfhhbpY2_gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_2103.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piano bar! DIY upcycling project. Also, we have a mighty Scotch collection for a couple of Kentuckians.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>
<br><br><br>As for the innards of the piano, well, they hang on our wall because we can't do *anything* with it. The keys are ebony and ivory, and with the weird rules around ivory, we can't really upcycle them. It's a fun interactive piece of art in the dining room though:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q451QeCn0bA/WvCfBP4SeAI/AAAAAAAAGgY/IwNc9XfRPBk6hEjqrY3u58hOz591-094wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2214.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q451QeCn0bA/WvCfBP4SeAI/AAAAAAAAGgY/IwNc9XfRPBk6hEjqrY3u58hOz591-094wCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_2214.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br><br>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/52014632018-04-25T09:59:00-04:002018-04-25T10:30:32-04:00A little Derby video magic and some reflecting<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cr-NFjvz1-0" width="560"></iframe><br>It's Derby season in Louisville! Here's your expected-and-necessary version of "My Old Kentucky Home," this time performed on the musical saw and the banjo. I love that Steve Cooley, who is always up for recording my antics.<br><br>Today's blog is about self-employed ROUTINE. I'm finding this difficult. I'm settling in to having childcare and not having to panic-call any babysitters for a business meeting or rehearsal. Still, I can't seem to find a good routine of balancing admin work with creative work. Has anyone out there managed it? Would you share your tips? Or guest-blog for me?<br><br>I'm hoping to spend some of today developing a regular schedule. I'm also trying to remember all the self-employed tips I've published in the past -- and referring <a href="http://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2015/10/11-time-management-tips-for-self.html" target="_blank">to my own blog posts for inspiration</a>. It reminds me that once upon a time, I was very good at this balance!<br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51802692018-04-13T12:34:00-04:002021-06-22T05:51:52-04:00Live-in childcare magic & practicing my business.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns9gSDBq7TY/WtDbZWq3uAI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/R2Du7_oRRiAXcawXVbuRXQEn5zbLeTyNACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1791.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns9gSDBq7TY/WtDbZWq3uAI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/R2Du7_oRRiAXcawXVbuRXQEn5zbLeTyNACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1791.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wee Graham proud of the apple tart he &<br>our amazing au pair made last week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A few weeks ago at the school fundraiser, I was talking to a parent who was struggling with childcare, and I said, "What you need to get is a Brazilian!" Then she looked at me in horror, and I realized that I was inadvertently sexually harassing her when really I just meant that we have a Brazilian au pair whom we absolutely adore.<br><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns9gSDBq7TY/WtDbZWq3uAI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/R2Du7_oRRiAXcawXVbuRXQEn5zbLeTyNACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1791.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a></div><div>Lots of you have been asking me "<a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">how the au pair thing is going,</a>" and I'm here to say that it's going really, really well! I am slowly, but steadily, coming up for air. The first day she was on duty, I sorted a ton of gigs and contracts, and now I'm actually making time for something I haven't had *any* time for in the past five years: practice. Playing notes has never been a problem for me, but I've noticed a slip in my soloing capabilities lately -- entirely because the only time I ever actually get to play music is when I'm gigging. It's frustrating when your head has the solo idea, but your fingers won't cooperate because arthritis, tendonitis, non-practicitis. </div><div><br></div><div>This week, I practiced scales and Hanon virtuosos piano exercises at least 30 minutes a day, which is not a huge number (I think it's a bare minimum for maintenance to be honest), but it's more than I've had in ages. </div><div><br></div><div>So, yes, "<a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">the au pair thing</a>," is going well. I love being able to take a phone call or have a rehearsal or do my bookkeeping at normal business hours rather than relying completely when the kids are not chewing on my feet. I love being able to play a gig on a Wednesday night and not scramble to find childcare. I love that the kids have another constant adult in their lives who is capable of doing bedtime when that is notoriously challenging for my children. She's the kindest person I've ever met, and she loves to cook and bake with the kids, and she even makes me coffee when she's the first one downstairs in the morning. It's like having an amazing and thoughtful roommate.</div><div><br></div><div>
<i>My</i> biggest challenge has been trying to ignore the haters -- and there have been a surprising number of them. Maybe you, my reader, are one of the haters too, rolling your eyes and thinking how bourgeois it is to have an au pair. If that <i>is</i> you, then I ask you if you also roll your eyes at yourself when you take your child to daycare so you can work? Or at your friends who work 9-5 jobs but have childcare? Because this "au pair thing" is so that I can work, not because I'm bored and wealthy (but even if that were the case, then MOVE ON, FOLKS!).</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, see? That's my challenge -- not justifying our childcare choices to people I meet, or trying to convince my "friends" that I do, in fact, work for a living. I'm lucky to have been able to make a living with music full-time for the past 17 years, but it's luck boosted by insanely hard work. (What do you think this blog is about? Pure laziness? Guess what: it's maintaining my brand, my name, and reminding you <a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/album/560746" target="_blank">that I have new music out</a>, please spread the word! Or that I am <a href="mailto:brigid@brigidkaelin.com" target="_blank">available to pick bluegrass tunes at your Sunday brunch! Or play your music festival in Denmark! Or play the musical saw at your wedding!)</a>
</div><div><br></div><div>Ok, enough justifying. And enough blogging. Back to songwriting. And tour booking. But not back to sorting childcare because, guess what? I got a Brazilian! </div><div><br></div><div>I've been digging through a notebook of half-written songs and thinking it's time to record them and move on. <a href="http://www.stevecooleybanjo.com/" target="_blank">Steve Cooley</a>, can we get started on that next record already???<br><br><i><a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">Interested in hiring an au pair? Here's a referral link to the agency we used.</a></i>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51740722018-04-10T09:12:00-04:002022-04-04T07:20:34-04:00ERs & IKEA retail therapy.<br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p07Ag0nzpZA/Wsy1XXMMz_I/AAAAAAAAGco/whzogn55vU0_IjGRgTxa1E0kCoWMWLGJQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p07Ag0nzpZA/Wsy1XXMMz_I/AAAAAAAAGco/whzogn55vU0_IjGRgTxa1E0kCoWMWLGJQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1831.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IKEA lingonberry juice and Swedish fish. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I posted this carefree blog last Monday, and then Tuesday was one of those real adulting days when I had to rush my 2-year-old to the ER via ambulance, with apparently no time to even transfer the carseat. He went from 100% fine to gasping from The Croup in about 5 minutes, and it was the Immediate Care Center that called EMS. Poor little guy was fine after a few breathing treatments and steroids, but not without scaring everyone. David drove straight home from Wisconsin after the paramedic told me to call him. It was no fun flying solo in the ER, but I abandoned our amazing au pair at home by herself (Graham was having a sleepover with my parents) because I was so focused on Angus I didn't want to worry about anyone else.<br><br>This weekend -- after the strange few days of monitoring Angus's every breath -- we escaped to IKEA land, aka West Chester, Ohio, for some <b>Retail Therapy</b>. It seemed like a weird, fun thing to our Brazilian au pair, who had not heard of IKEA, and it's been so cold she's been trapped in our house anyway. So we hit suburban Ohio (insert laughing hysterical emoji). We have been keeping a secret IKEA list for years, and it was time to splurge on a few things (a three-figure splurge, not a four-figure splurge) because I am almost 40 and I've only ever purchased one piece of new furniture. The main thing we went to get was OUT OF STOCK, even though I'd checked a few days prior and they had plenty. Maybe everyone in the vicinity went to buy their kids bunk beds over spring break??? We chose an alternative bunk because we'd already rented a truck, and we only go to IKEA once every 10 years. We didn't stray far from the list, which I think is pretty impressive.<br><br><h4>Things we bought that were not on the list:</h4><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iE2ossj94JI/Wsy27wksBJI/AAAAAAAAGdc/mX3kPcv4tWMNIk9_gnMywLuaqqOtXJLXgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/plastis-dish-brush-assorted-colors__0179593_PE331804_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iE2ossj94JI/Wsy27wksBJI/AAAAAAAAGdc/mX3kPcv4tWMNIk9_gnMywLuaqqOtXJLXgCK4BGAYYCw/s200/plastis-dish-brush-assorted-colors__0179593_PE331804_S4.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dish brush. $1.49</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dmm7jpasdgI/Wsy3VIRuZEI/AAAAAAAAGdo/ItVrYKiuPEgQWpd55hFEHLaSV9Og39ExACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/dokument-letter-tray__0095422_PE234074_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dmm7jpasdgI/Wsy3VIRuZEI/AAAAAAAAGdo/ItVrYKiuPEgQWpd55hFEHLaSV9Og39ExACK4BGAYYCw/s200/dokument-letter-tray__0095422_PE234074_S4.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Document tray. $8.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FW2TKLNW0rY/Wsy2cZutsVI/AAAAAAAAGdM/kVu4t8OA0YsbDT-TnDp1h0CxwAwZTVXaACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/duktig-piece-toy-baking-set__0086280_PE214920_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FW2TKLNW0rY/Wsy2cZutsVI/AAAAAAAAGdM/kVu4t8OA0YsbDT-TnDp1h0CxwAwZTVXaACK4BGAYYCw/s200/duktig-piece-toy-baking-set__0086280_PE214920_S4.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toy baking set. $9.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HjOI2WyQ_M/Wsy2kmBkeTI/AAAAAAAAGdU/xOfOLOoEd04QF6MWMP7F74HhFOPeC_sowCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/fejka-artificial-potted-plant__0130933_PE285358_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HjOI2WyQ_M/Wsy2kmBkeTI/AAAAAAAAGdU/xOfOLOoEd04QF6MWMP7F74HhFOPeC_sowCK4BGAYYCw/s200/fejka-artificial-potted-plant__0130933_PE285358_S4.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fake potted plant that Graham really wanted. $4.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUGUd54jvyY/Wsy3xevfSlI/AAAAAAAAGd0/t-JQXRSC_N4CWOT-HvNzYLLt5WTMjvccwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/mala-felt-tip-pen-assorted-colors__0526545_PE645053_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUGUd54jvyY/Wsy3xevfSlI/AAAAAAAAGd0/t-JQXRSC_N4CWOT-HvNzYLLt5WTMjvccwCK4BGAYYCw/s200/mala-felt-tip-pen-assorted-colors__0526545_PE645053_S4.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mala markets $1.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AHJqw1Pilh8/Wsy1Z8Mp7II/AAAAAAAAGcw/WCgpwNsCNoUhgf0GKrATiv_8iqXCwQizwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AHJqw1Pilh8/Wsy1Z8Mp7II/AAAAAAAAGcw/WCgpwNsCNoUhgf0GKrATiv_8iqXCwQizwCK4BGAYYCw/s200/IMG_1839.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BRIGID curtains!!! $9.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1_j3Rf5bh8/Wsy1a39u88I/AAAAAAAAGc4/y95LMpBGxdwRau9o7SAL0hOr5otyuL_GwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1_j3Rf5bh8/Wsy1a39u88I/AAAAAAAAGc4/y95LMpBGxdwRau9o7SAL0hOr5otyuL_GwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1837.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friend with a truck again!!! But just a rental.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51598162018-04-02T10:22:00-04:002022-03-15T01:01:42-04:00How to host a house concert<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CR_OvGOTXRM/WsI7nG0ck2I/AAAAAAAAGbw/yYs1kOM9DrYItn5-fYq3-5fa8V8KE56kgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/host%2Ba%2Bhouse%2Bconcert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CR_OvGOTXRM/WsI7nG0ck2I/AAAAAAAAGbw/yYs1kOM9DrYItn5-fYq3-5fa8V8KE56kgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/host%2Ba%2Bhouse%2Bconcert.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a>Today I want to talk about house concerts -- again. I've had a few people tell me they would love to host, but they don't think their house is large enough. I want to encourage you to re-think that! I live in a classic Highlands' house (if you know Louisville, you can picture the type -- Dutch Colonial, no closets, small kitchen, etc.) The whole house is maybe 1450 square feet, and it's never been "opened up," as they say on HGTV.<br><br>But if you move furniture out of the living room, it can easily fit 20-25 people and still have room for two musicians in a corner. Think four rows of 5-6 folding chairs? Or picnic-style on the floor? The whole point of house concerts is to create a cozy, intimate "venue" that is nothing like traditional venues -- it's a place where the artist is in-your-face and accessible.<br><br>Here's a link to my website that has this listed: <a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert">https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert</a><br><br>But here is a step-by-step How To/FAQs just in case:<br><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<u style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">How to Host a House Concert & FAQs </strong></u><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a contents="If you've already decided you're ready to host, click here for a shorter Step-by-Step!" data-link-label="House Concert Step-by-Step" data-link-type="page" href="https://brigidkaelin.com/house-concert-step-by-step" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration-line: none;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">If you've already decided you're ready to host, click here for a shorter Step-by-Step!</em></a><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">House Concerts are my favorite kind of performance, both as an artist and as an audience member. They can vary based on the host and space, so these are not hard-and-fast rules — just a general idea. </div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">House concerts usually: </strong></div><ul style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2.5em;'>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">feature solo musicians or small groups </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">are invitation-only </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">average 25-50 guests </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">are either completely acoustic or use a very small PA </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">are two sets of music (2x40ish, with a nice break in between for CDs and wine-glass re-filling and sometimes cookies) </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">feature a “suggested donation” by each attendee, generally between $10-20/person, which goes directly to the musician. </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">include some snacks, but are often potluck. </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">are most often BYOB, though some hosts choose to provide beer & wine. </li>
</ul><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Main requirements from the host: </strong></div><ul style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2.5em;'>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">a space to host it </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">guests to invite </li>
</ul><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Locations</strong>: </div><ul style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2.5em;'>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Your living room is generally the best location. Move out large furniture and bring in every chair in the house — or clear out all furniture and encourage people to cozy up on the floor. </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Outside/your deck is another great choice, but be sure to have a rain plan. </li>
</ul><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Typical night:</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Invitation says, “Doors at 7, music at 8.” </em><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">7:00 Guests begin to arrive. Mingle with host and artist. Cocktails and snacks are consumed — potluck events are nice, but some hosts like to provide their own munchies. <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">8:00 Host announces that the concert will begin soon, and people should find their way to the living room and make themselves comfortable. <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">8:10-8:50 First set of music <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">8:50-9:20 Break — dessert! <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">9:20-10:00 Second set of music <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">10:00-10:30 Everyone hangs out, artists sells some CDs, jolly good time had by all. <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">10:30-11:00 people trickle out and go home. </div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">What’s in it for the guests? </strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box;">A better experience than a traditional venue where you pay a cover charge, buy the pub’s overpriced beer, and watch a musician up on a big stage with bright lights. House concerts are unique. You’ll hear stories and be able to interact with the artist in ways you couldn’t at a venue. You’ll be able to request songs, ask questions about songs, and get up close and personal with the artists. </span>
</div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">How to get your guests to attend </strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box;">Since most hosts don’t want a bunch of strangers from the musician’s mailing list in their homes, it’s up to the host to invite people. Word of mouth is everything. </span>
</div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>Most people create a Facebook event, sharing music and videos to entice their friends. Get excited about the event, and let your friends know how fun, intimate and Instagram-worthy it will be. </div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>Most people have never been to a house concert, so share with them what to expect and how much you have enjoyed previous house concerts. The idea of interacting with a professional musician on a personal level — from shouting song requests to potentially jamming with them after — is intriguing. And, yes, I have given many a musical saw lesson after a house concert, and occasionally have even led a showtune singalong on a host’s piano long after the party was supposed to have ended. </div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">RSVP </strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box;">Keep track of RSVPs, and stay on people who have committed. There is generally a day-of cancellation rate of 20-30%, so you can do what airlines do and overbook — or at least send out more invitations if you are worried about turnout. </span>
</div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">How does the artist get paid? </strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box;">Make clear on your invitation that there is a donation at the door that goes entirely to the musicians. It is usually in the $10-20/person range, and wording it as a “suggested donation of $20 per person” gets the point across. Money conversations can be awkward, so be as straightforward as possible, letting guests know this isn’t a party where you hired entertainment, but a ‘house concert’ where the artist gets paid from donations. </span>
</div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>You can collect the donation up front at the door, or send around a hat at the break. Sometimes people get their kids to approach everyone for money. Sliding scales are always an option. </div><div style='background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: "Woodford Bourne PRO"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;'>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">THANK YOU </strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box;">Thank you for even considering hosting a house concert! Even if you don’t host one yourself, I encourage you to attend one should you be lucky enough to receive an invite. There is something magical about these events — opportunities to interact with artists, hear stories from the road, brand new songs, half-written songs, stories behind songs, etc. </span>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51564462018-03-30T10:16:00-04:002021-07-17T05:46:36-04:00A day in Edinburgh's OLD TOWN<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhU9zEHrJ28/Wr5EnWBVnkI/AAAAAAAAGbU/14rlniucXVYBbJVR89BF6Okzfcg5fElLwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/48%2Bhours%2Bin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhU9zEHrJ28/Wr5EnWBVnkI/AAAAAAAAGbU/14rlniucXVYBbJVR89BF6Okzfcg5fElLwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/48%2Bhours%2Bin.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></span></a><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Adventures in Old Town of Edinburgh</span></b></span>
</div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">For YEARS, I’ve had a blog in draft about what to do in Edinburgh. People are constantly asking. When I lived there I had my history walking tours down to a science, having read so many books and taken so many tours on my own, but, of course, some things have changed. I feel like I should write 10 different blogs for friends visiting Edinburgh, but for this one, I’ll just tell you what we did.</span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">We were staying behind the castle, on Lothian Road, so we went straight towards <b>Castle Terrace</b> on the west side of the castle (the steepest and most dramatic views that make you wonder why anyone every seriously considered attacking the castle) and hiked up some switchbacks that brought us around towards the South Castle Wynd steps. They are steep, but quick, and they’ll deposit you right at the castle. </span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">The paved area in front of the castle gates offers great views, and you can walk over the “moat” bit and through the gates before you have to pay. If you’re a budget traveler, go ahead and walk as far into the castle as you can (you can get to the shop and restrooms before you are required to have a ticket). I decided that, as Steve had never been to Edinburgh before, he needed to do the castle properly. It’s £17/person now, but you’ve got to see the castle. Take a guided tour — they are free. You can pay extra for audio guide if you don’t want to wait for a tour to start (the times can vary), but i always enjoy the live docents. </span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fpzJWos8ydg/Wr5Dt_hv7lI/AAAAAAAAGas/7trYkZ4AFTEupoDj6nm1k1SzR-Rv6cW5QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1134.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fpzJWos8ydg/Wr5Dt_hv7lI/AAAAAAAAGas/7trYkZ4AFTEupoDj6nm1k1SzR-Rv6cW5QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1134.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></span></a><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are planning on doing a bit of traveling outside of Edinburgh, then considering buying <b><a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/explorer-passes/" target="_blank">a Historic Scotland pass or a Tourist pass</a>,</b> which offers discounts to various other historic sites around the country — Stirling Castle is another great one that’s included, and it will save you money. </span></span>
</div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s a tea room and snack shop at the castle, so it’s possible to spend hours there if you want. We poked around for about an hour, and I spewed all kinds of factoids about Mary, Queen of Scots, that I’m not sure if Steve cared about, but I find riveting. The King’s Apartments were closed this visit, which made me sad because I love to stand in the tiny room where James VI/I was born (especially since I’ve now had a home birth!) and soak up the ancient birthy vibes.</span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">We wandered down<b> the Royal Mile</b>, where you might as well go ahead and buy souvenirs. The prices don’t change much from shop to shop, and I always find that you never get back to the place you think you’re going to (“Oh, this is nice, but i’ll keep looking and come back later.” — no, you won’t, just BUY NOW). </span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">I like to suggest you keep some pound coins handy for tipping street musicians because THAT’S JUST GOOD FOR THE WORLD.</span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDi3Tk55leU/Wr5DweQFfWI/AAAAAAAAGbE/qnT-34aonAAGvzez4uvisIE89DO8EtT8gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1153.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDi3Tk55leU/Wr5DweQFfWI/AAAAAAAAGbE/qnT-34aonAAGvzez4uvisIE89DO8EtT8gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1153.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vegetarian Haggis at the Baked Potato Shop in Edinburgh.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">Take a left on <b>Cockburn Street </b>for lunch at<b> the Baked Potato Shop</b>. A small potato is HUGE, so don’t order the medium or large unless you’re starving or sharing. I suggest the veggie haggis with cheese (the restaurant is all vegetarian). I also like the veggie chili, but it’s spicy. A random one i had once that remains an unsuspecting favorite is: curried corn & cottage cheese (I thought the tattie worker was pulling my leg — or “winding me up,” as they say in Scotland — but he was dead serious and it was dead delicious). There is only one small table, which you can share with a few other diners. If the weather is nice, get the tattie to go and eat it outside by The Tron. Or buy a coffee at the nearby <b>Starbucks</b> and eat on the second floor there with your fancy coffee drink. It's a pretty cool Starbucks, considering the building is hundreds of years old.</span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">I like to walk down Cockburn Street a little ways and pop in shops (<b>Diagon House </b>is awesome), but then immediately walk back up to the Royal Mile via a “close” or “alley” (<b>Fleshmarket Close </b>is cool) because they are magical fairy medieval Harry Potter streets that make me swoon.</span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzmrlOYBzDY/Wr5DwEELUgI/AAAAAAAAGa8/oXTCiPz8kLUBk-hJln2S_bx1hXFehcHKgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1148.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzmrlOYBzDY/Wr5DwEELUgI/AAAAAAAAGa8/oXTCiPz8kLUBk-hJln2S_bx1hXFehcHKgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1148.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></span></a><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Tron</b> is an old building near where the gallows once were, and in recent years it’s been converted into an indoor market where you can buy very reasonably-priced handmade local souvenirs. It’s worth a pop-in, especially if you want locally-made souvenirs.</span></span>
</div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">Walk back up the mile and stop in to<b> Deacon Brodie’s</b> for a pint or snack if you need a rest. If not, turn left on George IV Bridge and then turn right immediately for a saunter down <b>Victoria Street</b>. You can pick up Harry Potter souvenirs, elderberry tinctures, tweed suits, and antique books here. And all kinds of other stuff - this street was the inspiration for <b>Diagon Alley</b>, and it’s a great little shopping street. There’s also Victoria Terrace just above it, which is a pedestrian street that only makes sense if you understand the 3-dimensional nature of Edinburgh. </span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">You can then hang out in the <b>Grassmarket</b> (<b>White Hart Inn</b> is the oldest pub in Edinburgh, but there are LOADS there). Steve and I popped into <b>Armstrong’s</b>, which is a fabulous second-hand/vintage store where I always buy kilts for my gowing boys. This time I also got a tweed coat for Graham because I was feeling splurgy and because I was proud of myself for not spending an obscene amount of money and the absurdly cute tweed outfit that had caught my eye in a Victoria Street shop window.</span></span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCRnCN3Bwu0/Wr5Dso3Mo2I/AAAAAAAAGak/MHtnyQIfN5AewBiv-acXmPc7Cv5uEtXPwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1136.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCRnCN3Bwu0/Wr5Dso3Mo2I/AAAAAAAAGak/MHtnyQIfN5AewBiv-acXmPc7Cv5uEtXPwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1136.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></span></a><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">From Armstrong’s, you can pop along to <b>Greyfriar’s Kirkyard</b> and have a wander and see if you can find Tom Riddle’s gravestone (more Harry Potter references, sorry). If it’s raining, then you should pop into the<b> National Museum</b>, which has a delightful cafe and also has Dolly, the first cloned animal, who is stuffed and spins round and round for eternity in a glass enclosure. </span></span>
</div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrGYJ59xOoA/Wr5Dut4asvI/AAAAAAAAGa0/s8JcX3whRDk8EPdefrEKajtt44xdc6fPQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1135.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></a><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">While in Old Town, I also like to explore some buildings at the <b>University of Edinburgh</b>. Some of the best folk music clubs are in the area. <b>Sandy Bell’s </b>often has live music at any hour of the day. <b>The Royal Oak </b>has folk music every night and sometimes more specialized shows in the basement venue (I played there). It’s a small room, but a wonderful vibe. Look on the wall for a painted quote from the late<b> Nick Keir</b>. I also love nearby<b> Captain’s Bar</b>, which has a great staff and live music too.</span></span>
</div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><h4 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2">Other suggestions:</span></h4><ul>
<li>wander over to<span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> </span><b style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>The Meadows </b><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>a huge park in Old Town. </span>
</li>
<li>take a bus or Uber to<span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> </span><b style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>Duddingston</b><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> — a tiny town on the outskirts of the city, and have a pint or a meal at the</span><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> </span><b style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>Sheep Heid Inn</b><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>, a royal haunt of yore that has been in business since the 1300s. </span>
</li>
<li>
<b style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>Holyrood Palace</b><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> </span><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>is worth a visit</span>
</li>
<li>Climb<span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> </span><b style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>Arthur’s Seat</b><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'> </span><span style='-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue";'>for a great view (it’s a pretty easy hike, as far as hikes go)</span>
</li>
<li>Just walk around and get lost!</li>
</ul><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">Don’t be afraid of using the buses. There is a great app for the Lothian Buses, and Google Maps also offers real-time bus schedule info. The buses have wifi, so you can follow your location on a map — or just tell the bus driver where you are headed and ask for a heads-up for your stop. You can buy a day-ticket for around £4. Edinburgh also has Uber. </span></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrGYJ59xOoA/Wr5Dut4asvI/AAAAAAAAGa0/s8JcX3whRDk8EPdefrEKajtt44xdc6fPQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1135.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style='-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;'><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrGYJ59xOoA/Wr5Dut4asvI/AAAAAAAAGa0/s8JcX3whRDk8EPdefrEKajtt44xdc6fPQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1135.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span>
</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iK12l8K1vJs/Wr5Dr7M_0CI/AAAAAAAAGac/0KsQ6-HO-ysGmhelfYBxv99XNoUmv_fAQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1140.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iK12l8K1vJs/Wr5Dr7M_0CI/AAAAAAAAGac/0KsQ6-HO-ysGmhelfYBxv99XNoUmv_fAQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1140.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzmrlOYBzDY/Wr5DwEELUgI/AAAAAAAAGa8/oXTCiPz8kLUBk-hJln2S_bx1hXFehcHKgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1148.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDi3Tk55leU/Wr5DweQFfWI/AAAAAAAAGbE/qnT-34aonAAGvzez4uvisIE89DO8EtT8gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1153.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a> <style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} li.li1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none} ul.ul1 {list-style-type: none} </style> <br><div class="p1"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--43k5vzEy88/Wr5DxAjyqNI/AAAAAAAAGbM/X_-3_9Exf5QEZ4Vqgtp_-u_5kMczHq1swCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1204.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--43k5vzEy88/Wr5DxAjyqNI/AAAAAAAAGbM/X_-3_9Exf5QEZ4Vqgtp_-u_5kMczHq1swCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1204.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51524612018-03-28T08:52:00-04:002018-03-28T15:15:23-04:00Edinburgh - day 2 tour blug <style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style> <br><div class="p1">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cyyAm5MZeMc/WruPrqYzVbI/AAAAAAAAGZw/IV-hLCuXKG8bBm9Z9z0ERRod3Nn7xlIOgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0059.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cyyAm5MZeMc/WruPrqYzVbI/AAAAAAAAGZw/IV-hLCuXKG8bBm9Z9z0ERRod3Nn7xlIOgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0059.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I booked this gig at the Wee Folk Club ages ago, thinking it would be our last gig in Edinburgh and that we would then have 2 days off to relax and explore. Of course, I immediately over-committed to catching up with friends and doing some radio appearances — which I ended up having to cancel because I just couldn’t manage to travel to them without taking out a huge chunk of the day, and I’m still feeling guilty about that because </span></span>
</div><div class="p1"></div><ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"> I never cancel things and </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I missed catching up with those radio friends and </span></li>
<li>it was obviously a dumb business move to not do a radio and podcast, but, after 10 shows in 8 days I was more concerned about my mental health than my career.</li>
</ol><br> <div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-16gsuNzWHl8/WruPuN67ZBI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/VbA95Vlz5dYhrKhXtOM3WQ3OkQyJc9g0gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1147.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-16gsuNzWHl8/WruPuN67ZBI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/VbA95Vlz5dYhrKhXtOM3WQ3OkQyJc9g0gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1147.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="294" /></a><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Is that the struggle of everyone? Mental health v career? And then, of course, my family, whom I have been doing a very good job of ignoring since I flew out on January 27. I know we’ve been slammed with travel, but I have surprised myself with not actually needing to check in with the babies. They are in great hands, and I will see them soon. Mommy is on a work trip, and they need to understand that Mommy’s job is important. As is her mental health, lest she start talking in the third person on her blog …</span></span>
</div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">BACK TO EDINBURGH</span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s just delightful. We stayed with the magical Marianne and John in their guest rooms and slept wonderfully. Thick buttered and cheesed toast for breakfast gave us a boost and we departed Leith for an early check-in to our hotel.</span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">David (my perfect husband) is the kindest person ever and most thoughtful, and, knowing that after 11 days of traveling and non-stop shows and non-stop staying with hosts that we might want a bit of space and luxury, he used his travel points to get us a fancy room at the Sheraton Grand Hotel. </span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnElpIAT9bA/WruPwBgB5gI/AAAAAAAAGaA/XLUpdRsZ2OcrwmiRfa6mp0K_YpDa3l_CwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1205.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnElpIAT9bA/WruPwBgB5gI/AAAAAAAAGaA/XLUpdRsZ2OcrwmiRfa6mp0K_YpDa3l_CwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1205.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">And our room was THE BEST ROOM IN THE HOTEL: the CASTLE SUITE. Literally, it was on the top floor, the floor with the Club Lounge and on the door hung a sign that said, "Castle Suite," and i felt kind of sorry for the people staying in the room directly across from us who had to see that sign every time they left their mere “Room 730.” </span></span>
</div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks, David — that was a real treat. </span></span></div><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51501802018-03-27T10:00:00-04:002022-05-11T09:10:35-04:00EDINBURGH - 1-day walking tour! <style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre} </style> <br><div class="p1">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YfSf-Ldpx8I/WrpOZi-F7DI/AAAAAAAAGZU/G6yHuPMPhho5L7J6QcE5xapaLUsmy7vGQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/48%2Bhours%2Bin%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YfSf-Ldpx8I/WrpOZi-F7DI/AAAAAAAAGZU/G6yHuPMPhho5L7J6QcE5xapaLUsmy7vGQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/48%2Bhours%2Bin%2B%25281%2529.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a><br><i><br></i>
</div><i><span style="font-size: small;">Note: This was published after my trip. I am, unfortunately, not currently in Edinburgh! I am publishing my Edinburgh blogs this week because a friend booked a trip to Scotland after noting that my UK Tour poster said I would be playing there on 4/2. And silly me forgot to explain to Americans that in the UK the month comes first! OOPS!!! But really, that just means she will have better weather and will not be restrained by the times of my gig. So today's blog (and tomorrow's, and again the day after!) I give you EDINBURGH! This is a walking tour we did. ***Note: if, perchance I were starting from a hotel in Shandwick Place, I would do this walk on a Sunday and begin by making my way to Dean Village, then walk along the Water of Leith, popping up just after St. Bernard's Well to appear at the <b><a href="http://www.stockbridgemarket.com/stockbridge.html" target="_blank">Stockbridge Market</a>.</b></span></i><br><br> <div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot contain my joy at being in this most magical of cities. Steve hasn’t been here before, and our tagalong, Alan, only spent a couple of afternoons here as a child taking day trips from Paisley. We left North Berwick mid-morning and arrived in Leith around 11am, being immediately greeted with a strong cuppa from our hosts Marianne and John. They have a fantastic flat near the harbour, and they fed our tummies and hearts with food and stories. </span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">I immediately dragged Steve on a long walkabout, beginning by the <b><a href="http://www.stockbridgemarket.com/stockbridge.html" target="_blank">Stockbridge Market</a> (only open on Sundays!)</b>, where we meandered and inhaled the festive atmosphere and shared a vegetarian scotch egg. We walked to the <b>Stockbridge</b> <b>Colonies</b>, so I could show Steve our little cottage flat at 12 Hugh Miller Place, where we lived for the last year of our Scottish adventure. The Colonies were some of the first affordable housing built, but now they are very posh and rarely come up on the market. They are small, but adorable, and each flat has the cutest wee garden. If you go this way, you could easily walk to the <b><a href="http://www.rbge.org.uk/" target="_blank">Royal Botanical Gardens</a></b>, which are free and also have a cafe where you can buy lunch or tea. Back the other direction, however, is...</span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Lunch was soup and chips and a pint at <b>The Bailie Bar</b>, my favorite local pub, and then UP WE WALKED Up Circus Place, up Howe Street, up Frederick Street! It’s a big hill, then back down again, across "the mound," then up an even more serious hill and some steep steps (<b>Milne's Court</b>!), but the walk delivers you to <b>the heart of the Royal Mile</b>, where we easily (well, we may have huffed and puffed a little) sauntered up to <b>Edinburgh Castle</b> for a city view. (If you have a couple of hours and £17 then go ahead and visit the castle! If not, at least enter the gates and walk in as far as you can go with out a ticket. It's still pretty impressive.)</span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Then we popped down the steps to the <b>Grassmarket</b> and around <b>Candlemaker</b> <b>Row</b> to <b>Greyfriar’s Kirkyard</b> (try to find Tom Riddle's grave! and put a stick at the grave of Bobby the dog) and <b>The Elephant House </b>(where JK Rowling wrote much of Harry Potter in the early day) — all the while I was trying to find out which Hogwarts House Steve is in and make sure that the purchased appropriate souvenirs for his daughter. Steve was not amused, but he played nice. </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">We paused at a french cafe next to The Elephant House for a sweet treat (the line was too long at the Elephant House and this cafe had nicer desserts). If we had more time (or if the weather had been bad), I would have popped into the <b>National Museum,</b> always free, for either a treat from the cafe or just to see <b>Dolly the Sheep</b> -- yes, actually the real Dolly, the first cloned animal who is stuffed and forever spinning in a glass case, complete with fake poop on the straw floor. Then we meandered back over to <b>the Royal Mile</b> walking down to the very bottom by <b>Holyrood Palace</b> before hopping in a taxi back to Leith. </span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Pausing here to express deep gratitude and admiration for<a href="http://www.stevecooleybanjo.com/" target="_blank"><b> STEVE COOLEY</b></a>, this time not for his pickin’ skills, but for his general good attitude and willingness to walk miles and miles up and down while listening to me jabber on about Mary Queen of Scots and geology and how the Scots invented everything (truly, though, they did) and pub fiction and stories about that time I fainted while waiting for the Olympic torch to run by. Not only did Steve walk every mile without complaint, but I actually had to ask him to slow down his pace. He walks as fast as he picks, people. </span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">The gig at <b>the Royal Oak</b> was a completely packed house in the most adorable basement room. My pals <a href="http://www.adamholmesandtheembers.com/" target="_blank"><b>Alex Hunter and Adam Holmes</b></a> attended the gig, for which I am grateful (thank you, guys!). They are a bit of a big deal these days, so I wasn’t sure they’d make it out for l’il’ ol’ me, but yay for lasting friendships, right? I played and toured with Adam during my time in Edinburgh. He’s been doing quite well for himself the past few years, with significant credit due to Alex, his behind-the-scenes genius. (Would that the rest of us had an Alex!)</span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Also in the crowd was <b><a href="http://candythiefmusic.com/" target="_blank">CANDYTHIEF</a></b> aka Diana de Cabarrus, who has a wonderful new album finished and soon-to-be-released. She’s been getting some great radio play and reviews, and it was also wonderful to see her. And since I'm publishing this the week of her album launch, you could even go see her <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/282541448944020/" target="_blank">CD release party on Friday, March 30 at the Voodoo Rooms.</a></b></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Lots of faces, old and new, graced the Wee Folk Club, and I was thankful to be there — this gig was totally acoustic and good fun. Steve impressed all, and I think I sang pretty well.</span> </span></div><br><h4>More Edinburgh blogs to come this week, but this one was long overdue!</h4><br><div><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Xo49Lvdzj3r" target="_blank">Shareable link to this 4.3 mile walk through Edinburgh.</a></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m76!1m12!1m3!1d33186.70848871385!2d-3.2094471814795598!3d55.96088108385229!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m61!3e2!4m5!1s0x4887c788975e10a7%3A0x2b2679fe04214fce!2sDean+Village%2C+Edinburgh+EH4+3AY%2C+UK!3m2!1d55.9526915!2d-3.2194808999999998!4m5!1s0x4887c7be3a790dd1%3A0xcfb82cd3850afe47!2sStockbridge+Market!3m2!1d55.957525!2d-3.208512!4m5!1s0x4887c7c07082c763%3A0x346aa072f058ea29!2s12+Hugh+Miller+Place!3m2!1d55.961636999999996!2d-3.2106108!4m5!1s0x4887c7be2f412ff7%3A0x8a1760c40312f3bf!2sThe+Bailie+Bar!3m2!1d55.9575211!2d-3.207052!4m5!1s0x4887c79a2099c0f7%3A0x469a1eebe54c0a58!2sEdinburgh+Castle!3m2!1d55.9485947!2d-3.1999134999999996!4m5!1s0x4887c79afe0b73d5%3A0x4a0f00df18a6bc26!2sArmstrongs+Vintage!3m2!1d55.947520999999995!2d-3.194756!4m5!1s0x4887c784d2eda913%3A0x3dc2758380945787!2sGreyfriars+Bobby+Memorial+Statue!3m2!1d55.9469071!2d-3.1912727999999997!4m5!1s0x4887c79ad598e27d%3A0xd4b7b3be4039d241!2sThe+Elephant+House!3m2!1d55.947555599999994!2d-3.1917459!4m5!1s0x4887c784d1bae421%3A0x88cc2703f2beb5c3!2sNational+Museum+of+Scotland!3m2!1d55.9471904!2d-3.1891678999999997!4m5!1s0x4887b877164c6747%3A0x6e21c646665ebaa4!2sHolyrood+Palace%2C+Edinburgh%2C+UK!3m2!1d55.952715!2d-3.1722704!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1522158766670" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51427642018-03-22T11:16:00-04:002021-09-02T12:08:15-04:00Surprise Snow Day & Life with an Au Pair<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nQj0j8Hm93U/WrPEp8t0xjI/AAAAAAAAGQ8/xuxhtEgV7zoI2wXYciEVTTlYfgPiM5s-wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nQj0j8Hm93U/WrPEp8t0xjI/AAAAAAAAGQ8/xuxhtEgV7zoI2wXYciEVTTlYfgPiM5s-wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1672.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STICKY FINGERS - baking bread on a snow day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We had a completely unexpected (and unwelcome) snow day yesterday in Louisville. Our Brazilian au pair disapproved of the weather, as did I, but it did yield some pretty photos in my Instagram feed and some delicious food back home. I keep forgetting to as our au pair if I can use her name in my blog, so today I will keep saying <i>au pair, au pair, au pair</i>.<br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0APHC1avNiw/WrPErQR5mMI/AAAAAAAAGRM/8VQPW3CLBUgGx2ZO9EALykt-tJjItZT-ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0APHC1avNiw/WrPErQR5mMI/AAAAAAAAGRM/8VQPW3CLBUgGx2ZO9EALykt-tJjItZT-ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1668.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>I am practicing these words also because I keep feeling bourgeois guilt when I say it. Most people do not understand what an <i>au pair</i> actually is (just like most people do not understand that I actually work -- I shouldn't care, but it makes me insane when my friends think I am independently wealthy or don't put in the hours that they do for their jobs -- I WORK ALL THE TIME, just not the same hours that you do, people!) ... whew, sorry for the digression.<br><br>Anyway, an <i>au pair</i>, is french for "on par" or "equal to." It's a person who, first and foremost, lives with us and is part of our family. I feel like this only child (me) suddenly has a younger sister with a lot more energy than I have, but just as much love for my kids. We do not have a large house (here is our house, and yes, I'm aware that it's not super smart to put a photo of my house on the internet, but, honestly, I figure that if you're a creeper-stalker-type, then you already know where I live because property info is public record.), but we have 3 small bedrooms. The boys are in one, David and I are in another, and our wonderful au pair is practically on top of us in the third. We share a bathroom. We are family.<br><br>She helps with the kids, and wow, has she been a help. I mean, look at me, right now, sitting at a coffee shop, breathing deeply and writing a blog, knowing that my kiddos are getting one-on-one attention and love. It is amazing!<br><br>Mostly, my exhalation is because I have childcare <i>at all</i>. Angus has been at home with me for the past 2 years because paying for daycare for two children is insanely expensive. It's cost-prohibitive for me to work (yes, an au pair is less expensive than two in daycare!), and if I don't work, I am a terrible mother and general bad person to be around.<br><br>A snow day would normally have set me back into a depressive mode, but with our <i>au pair</i> around, I was still able to work. In fact, I was so productive that I was able to pause to come upstairs and play some games and eat lunch with and bake with the kiddos. Our au pair just whipped out a vegan bread recipe from her brain and two hours later, we were smothering hot, fresh bread with Kerry Gold (well, I was, but wee Angus and our au pair went dairy-free) and inhaling the whisky-smell (bread-baking smells like a distillery -- not the other way around).<br><br>Look out for more blogs and more cheerful blogs, friends. And haters out there, just stay away please. I need to throw a party for our wonderful Brazilian soon, so you all can meet our new family member!<br><br><a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">(if you're seriously interested in an au pair experience, here's a referral link to the agency we use: http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg</a> )<br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8HgCRLQbeFk/WrPEqutz9bI/AAAAAAAAGRE/mYPtqbavg6IechGLyvMQ3JIS1fBMBbfFQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8HgCRLQbeFk/WrPEqutz9bI/AAAAAAAAGRE/mYPtqbavg6IechGLyvMQ3JIS1fBMBbfFQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1663.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I suited up to shovel the snow, when I found cash<br>in a pocket, which I then gave to a neighbor kid<br>to shovel the sidewalk instead. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5kfY7bLSe78/WrPEsYyk2CI/AAAAAAAAGRU/czAbIaQKQfwwOyRr18SZ7M1TUCgofGqGgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5kfY7bLSe78/WrPEsYyk2CI/AAAAAAAAGRU/czAbIaQKQfwwOyRr18SZ7M1TUCgofGqGgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1673.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holly tree with snow, through the screen window in my kitchen. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W2Gp3_Nzty4/WrPEoPephSI/AAAAAAAAGQ0/CCrZ_0G7NQQo7LviwjyCsCLeJ3WO6TZXACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/29468580_817802465083597_4281792419395010560_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W2Gp3_Nzty4/WrPEoPephSI/AAAAAAAAGQ0/CCrZ_0G7NQQo7LviwjyCsCLeJ3WO6TZXACK4BGAYYCw/s320/29468580_817802465083597_4281792419395010560_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My house -- credit to Rebecca Renzi for the photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51378582018-03-20T09:45:00-04:002018-03-20T12:45:21-04:00Brigid gives you a tour of Beverley, EnglandBeautiful Beverley, England in East Yorkshire:<br><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8yAED5Nf09Y" width="560"></iframe><br>We played a perfect house concert at the lovely home of Denise, who stuffed us with fancy cheese and delicious crunchings and munchings. Before the sun went down, however, I ran through the High Street to properly inhale a bit of England.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51363172018-03-19T10:23:00-04:002018-08-28T05:21:17-04:00Top 5 Google translations from the past week #aupair <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8OFrPTxvhM/Wq_HH40xJ6I/AAAAAAAAGQY/qN6oXXlLadwGX5OX_xORcu94yS2HBe5kACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8OFrPTxvhM/Wq_HH40xJ6I/AAAAAAAAGQY/qN6oXXlLadwGX5OX_xORcu94yS2HBe5kACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1644.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad took wee Graham to see School of Rock!<br>This has nothing to do with the blog, but they are so cute.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>GOOD MORNING! I'm having coffee and alone time -- alone time, in which I answer old emails and pour through the 9494 unread messages in one of my inboxes (proof in the photo -- I clearly have a lot of work to do). This week, for the first time in years, I have 35 hours a week of dependable childcare. I might even return a phone call, people (ha, doubtful, because WHO USES THE PHONE???).<br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vLsSe7LQxaM/Wq_BlSEzWdI/AAAAAAAAGQI/vrIQ7RxUADIxOWGDVbtNtcrgv5aQWDP_gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_AB98EE3F6248-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vLsSe7LQxaM/Wq_BlSEzWdI/AAAAAAAAGQI/vrIQ7RxUADIxOWGDVbtNtcrgv5aQWDP_gCK4BGAYYCw/s200/IMG_AB98EE3F6248-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="141" /></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Anyway, our lovely au pair arrived last weekend, and we have slowly been integrating her into our crazy family. We love her already. The boys adore her. The language barrier has not been much of a barrier because she is really smart and a really fast learner. Also: google translate app. We try not to use it because she wants to learn English, but it is really helpful for getting the exact right word for various things. It also keeps a list of things I have recently translated, which I will share with you in today's blog.<br><br><h3>TOP FIVE favorite things we have had to translate to Portuguese:</h3><br><b>"butter controversy" (controvérsia sobre manteiga) </b> <i>Used to discuss why we leave the butter dish out and how it is not necessarily a thing that all Americans do. But we do because butter should be soft!</i><br><i><br></i><b>"background music" (música de fundo) --</b><i> to explain how my Friday evening gig was not exactly a reason to get very excited (Wednesday she heard me on the radio, and Thursday I played a fun gig in Nashville, but Friday's, while fun, was background music)</i><br><i><br></i><b>"because kids could choke on toy inside" (porque as crianças poderiam sufocar no brinquedo dentro) </b><i>to explain why proper KinderEggs are illegal in America.</i><br><i><br></i><b>"Graham can dress himself." (Graham pode se vestir.)</b><i> Because Graham now thinks he has a personal dresser, like he's on Downton Abbey or something, and may be taking slight advantage of his new roommate.</i><br><i><br></i><b><i>"</i>the vegan cupcakes are the reason to come here" (os cupcakes vegans são motivo para vir aqui) </b><i>To explain why we drove all the way to Whole Foods when it's crazy-expensive and we normally just walk to Kroger.</i><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51136762018-03-06T09:33:00-05:002018-03-06T09:45:32-05:00Our family is growing!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3p-AmM4qEM/Wp6ltwWHgcI/AAAAAAAAGPg/pLAOU8Sq7UMv5aEoC3oX4VbJo-HS2IIHQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/mary%2Bpoppins.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3p-AmM4qEM/Wp6ltwWHgcI/AAAAAAAAGPg/pLAOU8Sq7UMv5aEoC3oX4VbJo-HS2IIHQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/mary%2Bpoppins.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a>No, this is not a pregnancy, nor dog announcement: it's an au pair announcement! It sounds so continental to say, "We have an au pair," but I have come to realize it is the only sensible childcare option for our family.<br><br>With David's travel schedule and my gigging at night, we just couldn't manage having daycare and various babysitters for my evening rehearsals and gigs. It was also incredibly difficult to piecemeal childcare, particularly this past winter when everyone seemed to have the flu and was constantly canceling or unavailable.<br><br>The biggest reason I'm excited to host an au pair is because <i>we love hosting people from around the world</i>. I mean, we have used Couchsurfing since 2008 and you know how much we love travel. It also seems like something we can do to show the privileged boys we are raising that <i>the world is large</i>. The cultural exchange portion of having an au pair is so exciting to me.<br><br>Our new family member arrives on Friday. She's a 25-year-old from Brazil, and she is delightful. Our boys love her already. (Well, Graham does. Angus doesn't have any idea what is going on, but he is only 1.5, so he'll learn.) I can't wait to help her with her English -- and for the boys to have another friend -- and also to be able to schedule actual working hours for myself and not have to worry about finding someone at the last minute for a gig that comes up suddenly.<br><br>We used an au pair agency and did the whole matchmaking process and she's got a proper visa and all that jazz. <a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg" target="_blank">We went through Cultural Care</a>: <a href="http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg">http://culturalcare.com/ref?VVNYMjg4MTY3JnR5cGU9Mg</a> (fancy link there with my referral code!) and I couldn't recommend them more. They have been involved from the start and very helpful with all our questions and concerns and helped make the match.<br><br>Now I just need to finish the au pair's room -- I am wanting to make a sweet welcome basket and decorate her room beautifully, but I also don't want to mislead her into thinking I am a good housekeeper.<br><br>What should I put in her welcome basket???<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51054282018-03-01T09:05:00-05:002018-03-01T10:30:37-05:00Personal life updates & potty-training a 23-month-old <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9SwjMOG4UM/WpgGsi7qEZI/AAAAAAAAGOQ/QcduqIbYLqQ1KW-MVH-flxSfP9Dt8nqzACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1405.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9SwjMOG4UM/WpgGsi7qEZI/AAAAAAAAGOQ/QcduqIbYLqQ1KW-MVH-flxSfP9Dt8nqzACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1405.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that I am not a perfect parent.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Proud parent post: Angus has decided to wear underwear!!! I was afraid of potty-training because Graham pretty much trained himself. Angus had started showing signs recently -- like disappearing in a corner to poop or letting me know he was peeing -- and I decided to get out the little toddler potty. Then I just put him on it and he went. And now whenever you put him on the potty, he goes. So I just started putting him on all the time, and now he tells me. It's magical, and I ask no questions.<br><br>Now, remember, if you are a parent who is hating me right now, know that 1) that's not healthy and 2) I probably hated you (also not healthy) when you announced that your child sleeps through the night or when you complained that your kid was up twice last night, when I'm, like, <i>omg twice a night is the dream.</i><br><br>But enough hating -- that's not healthy, right?<br><br>Trying to focus on gratitude and positivity, and I am so grateful for this new phase of childhood. The weight off my shoulders that I didn't even know was there -- the freedom to not pack a diaper bag. The ability to give away all the cloth diapers that live on a table that can now display flowers instead of wipes ... gah!!!! I'm so excited, people.<br><br>Other life updates: Mom has started a new kind of chemotherapy, and she had her second round of treatment earlier this week. She's also going to be around for Angus's 2nd birthday, which is huge! I remember this time last year crossing our fingers that she would make it to his 1st.<br><br>Angus turns two in 2 weeks!<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx4n1kpipYqw2WrHd86dnBzYJwD4anYg0Y-fZ_KZ04fKBcjdOZHrky-k8oDIHgV1LPN6JfiHs9Q4Gf6EAQ57A" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>I, like a great mother, took a gig in Nashville on his actual birthday (judge away, people), so festivities will have to be delayed till the weekend. I guess I should maybe, like, plan a party or something.<br><br>Please enjoy this sweet video of big brother reading bedtime stories to little brother.<br><br>Also, today 3/1, at 2pm, I'll be on Kyle Meredith's radio who on <a href="http://www.wfpk.org/">www.wfpk.org</a>.<br>And Saturday 3/3, I'll be at Uncommon Ground in Chicago opening for John Whitaker, who has a new album out!<br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/51000462018-02-26T12:58:00-05:002018-02-26T16:45:24-05:00Love and links. I'm in the trenches of potty training wee Angus, who has shown all the signs of potty training. Totally glamorous life of a rock star, right? I've also been fired up about gun control and I honestly <i>do</i> want to take away all of your assault rifles because <i>what the hell do you need an assault rifle for?? </i>(Please don't answer that in my blog. You won't convince me. My dad once hid in a walk-in refrigerator for hours while a gunman shot up his workplace. I was sixteen and heard about it on the police radio scanner. This was pre cell phones. The man who gave me my first guitar was murdered that day. Don't talk to me about guns.)<br><br>ANYWAY -- clearly I'm fired up. I'm still sorting through travelogues, vlogs, and blogs of our amazing tour in the United Kingdom. But rather than post those today, I thought I'd share some links.<br><br><br><ul>
<li>
<b><a href="https://bethematch.org/" target="_blank">Be the Match - bone marrow registry</a></b>. Sign up. They send you a cheek swab kit in the mail, and you send it right back. It takes less than a minute, and someday, you may be able to literally save a life. A local hero, Emily McCay, whose cloth diaper service we used in the early days with wee Angus, is currently looking for a match after a relapse of leukemia. <a href="https://bethematch.org/">https://bethematch.org</a><br>
</li>
<li>Speaking of Emily, she's just started <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV4a_Y4Z2dXrS_KDMRs6vQ" target="_blank">a YouTube channel called The Patient Perspective</a>,</b> where she produces videos for patients undergoing extensive medical care. Current topics include "How to Survive a Long Hospital Stay" and "What to include in a care package for someone who is in-patient for chemotherapy." So many of us have loved ones going through cancers and other awful diseases, and this channel provides some new perspective and answers many questions.<br>
</li>
<li>My mom started a new chemotherapy regimen last week, and here is her <a href="http://caringbridge.org/visit/patsykaelin" target="_blank">CaringBridge website.</a><br>
</li>
<li>MORE CHEERFUL links!!! This cancer talk is bumming me out, so how about some stuff that has nothing to do with cancer. Like, my friend in England has this magical talent of starting businesses out of every hobby she picks up, from songwriting to cake design. Here's one of her companies, <a href="https://abodiansigns.com/" target="_blank">Abodian Signs</a>, a shop that makes beautiful signs for European homes. <br><br><a href="https://abodiansigns.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SkCzVH7CV0c/WpQ-0UG-0hI/AAAAAAAAGOA/Auxni0Ly0gokPO-oBkgt3DBxoPKcoN7-ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-26%2Bat%2B12.07.06%2BPM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="242" width="400" /></a><br>You can order one to America, but check your local ordinances to make sure the numbers are large enough (my city requires 4" numbers, which don't fit on a sign because my house has 4 digits).<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.npr.org/podcasts/496650990/five-things" target="_blank"><b>Tara Anderson's podcast, "Five Things,"</b></a> is fantastic. If you're in Louisville, you know about it already, but if you're not, there's a small chance you haven't heard of it yet.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b><a href="http://candythiefmusic.com/" target="_blank">Candythief, aka Diana de Cabarrus</a></b>, is releasing new music. I have the album already because I am a Kickstarter/crowdfunder backer. You can get it soon, and if you're in Edinburgh, you can attend the CD launch party on March 30.</li>
</ul><div><br></div><div>HUG YOUR FAMILY, PEOPLE! xoxo Brigid</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50874572018-02-19T10:25:00-05:002018-02-19T13:15:22-05:00Re-entry is hard. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5m2WFQ9aql4/WorsYrZ_sSI/AAAAAAAAGNg/XYcUyVk8wtQHzy_0rjQNZCTeNn9XeHvkgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5m2WFQ9aql4/WorsYrZ_sSI/AAAAAAAAGNg/XYcUyVk8wtQHzy_0rjQNZCTeNn9XeHvkgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1329.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>I'm so behind in tour blogs and videos! I have drafts of several to post, but felt like they deserved at least a little editing. I refuse to let them drift away into the dust and irrelevancy, like the hundreds of clips that are sitting on a FlipCam from 2008 from when Peter and I went to the UK for the first time. Here's a throwback to that trip, which was SO MUCH FUN:<br><br><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n3FQaeI2JrU" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Usually I'm pretty good about re-entry. It's the exit that proves difficult for me -- I'm constantly flitting about making sure I have every little adapter and merch and cable and instrument packed, while balancing a baby attached to my leg and a hungry 5-year-old whose goggles are missing. It's hard to just go out to a gig. Coming home is generally easier because the gig is over and MOMMY'S HOME!<br><br>This time, however, I was gone for two weeks. I played at least one show a day -- often two or a radio appearance -- and it was FANTASTIC. Steve and I had a blast. We didn't fight, and I'm pretty sure he only got annoyed with me when I told him he got too close to the parked cars or when I reminded him to look right first on a roundabout, which I suppose I did daily, but, hey, we are still alive, right?<br><br>Anyway, being gone for two weeks got me in this groove -- a groove I'd forgotten I had in me. It was wonderful. I barely thought about the kids for the first week (not supposed to admit that, I know, but hey, I'm nothing if not honest), and it was amazing to be sharing my art with the world.<br><br>Someone asked me early in my career what my goal was. It was always fairly straightforward: I want to travel the world, singing songs I wrote for people who care and provide them with a smile.<br><br>I got to do that for two straight weeks, and it was perfect.<br><br>Coming home was a challenge. I got in bed around midnight after flying all day, and David left the house to catch his plane at 5am. I was back into solo parenting straight away, and I was TIRED. I have three more weeks of this, however, until our <i>au pair</i> arrives!!<br><br>I cannot begin to explain how excited I am to have another member of the family -- an auntie for the boys, a co-parent for me, a friend, and a helping hand with the kiddos.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50773502018-02-13T10:46:00-05:002018-02-13T15:45:32-05:00Video from UK Tour - Cotswolds <iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RaMUhlfxw4s" width="560"></iframe><br>A little video of country roads, Roman villas, and pheasants that don't want to live.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50709482018-02-09T09:39:00-05:002018-02-09T10:30:36-05:00UK TOUR: Cambridge<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g1kg9amCS58/Wn2xsnt5jhI/AAAAAAAAGLU/tzMS03GewFQQhuf1gHq1jS2rw9Pqj_JwACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g1kg9amCS58/Wn2xsnt5jhI/AAAAAAAAGLU/tzMS03GewFQQhuf1gHq1jS2rw9Pqj_JwACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0953.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half-pint of Guinness makes the pub chips <br>look enormous.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We left the Cotswolds before the sun rose on Wednesday morning, as it was a 3-hour drive to Cambridge and we had to be at the BBC Radio station before noon. It’s only 150 miles or something, but traffic is always bad, particularly around Oxford, so we got an early start. </span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">We’d been up since 1am in Cirencester having a great chat with The Black Feathers, so it wasn’t pleasant waking at 6:30a for a drive. Tis life on the road, however, and it’s still significantly better than touring in America. A 3-hr drive here is considered a long travel day, while on American tours, it’s typical to drive 8-12 hours to the next gig. I like to leave time to explore the towns, pull off for historical markers, and enjoy a cuppa.</span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">After playing 3 songs and doing an interview on the BBC Cambridgeshire with Jeremy Sallis (who is absolutely delightful, as is his cohort, Glenn!), we arrived at the Six Bells pub, run by Eileen and absolutely wonderful woman. She was reading a novel in her pub and popped across the street to show us our rooms. </span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I spent the afternoon meandering medieval bits of Cambridge and getting lost among markets and cobblestones, entering the imposing King’s College Cathedral, seeing the dark oak wood carvings of Henry VIII (I particularly liked the H+A carvings, like Henry + Anne = LOVE 4EVA UNTIL I CUT OFF YOUR HEAD!). The stained glass was amazing, and I still don’t understand how any of those massive buildings actually got built, even though I’ve read <i>Pillars of the Earth. </i></span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Later, I enjoyed some great conversation with Eileen and then met up with an internet friend, whom I know from a UK Mums Facebook group. She’s American, but has been in the British Isles since 2002. Also, she’s a redhead with two kids and she’s a crunchy-type momma too (and a brilliant urban planner), and it was great fun meeting her in person. </span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style> <br><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The Six Bells is a small pub and we packed it to the gills. Steve and I played semi-acoustic, with just a vocal mic, so I wouldn’t have to scream over the banjo. The large crowd went silent as we played, as the uber-polite English audiences do, and we just had a blast playing a long set of original tunes. We mingled and made friends and then played a shorter set with some singalongs and requests. It was a grand evening, distracted only by the fact that my phone was blowing up with some stressful stuff back home (we have a house on the market, and of course, everything happens when I don't have a minute to deal). </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PRZVwwwuMH8/Wn2xTM7kzAI/AAAAAAAAGKw/imR9tI4Ap_sO_lcZk7xlJGRCQoXcpOBogCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PRZVwwwuMH8/Wn2xTM7kzAI/AAAAAAAAGKw/imR9tI4Ap_sO_lcZk7xlJGRCQoXcpOBogCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0012.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's College Chapel in Cambridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6xUBSxxiHcU/Wn2xTXClC1I/AAAAAAAAGK0/Eg7bpus68hUU45QhxcMGYADW_bUo7t98ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cambridge!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3p-n2dpUTQU/Wn2xrjvqUII/AAAAAAAAGK8/LG2jZE52o4stXwEIQsNlkp5HnXepov3IwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3p-n2dpUTQU/Wn2xrjvqUII/AAAAAAAAGK8/LG2jZE52o4stXwEIQsNlkp5HnXepov3IwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0924.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBC Radio in Cambridge with Jeremy Sallis.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sp7mOpVjwus/Wn2xsez8vwI/AAAAAAAAGLE/w8sFNhHdfFAmkmLANNUylNesVFXY_M8MwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sp7mOpVjwus/Wn2xsez8vwI/AAAAAAAAGLE/w8sFNhHdfFAmkmLANNUylNesVFXY_M8MwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0937.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They still have phone booths!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM3uqbn77aA/Wn2xtUXYJ9I/AAAAAAAAGL0/HMPUeOrhK-wVIsbocIAZNzMKsFhPlsmngCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM3uqbn77aA/Wn2xtUXYJ9I/AAAAAAAAGL0/HMPUeOrhK-wVIsbocIAZNzMKsFhPlsmngCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0944.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's College Chapel stained glass.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Kjr0InhHaQ/Wn2xsvikLzI/AAAAAAAAGLM/CNjlZ7VxgSIXKiaajBGTdO0IIuvJqc6BQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Kjr0InhHaQ/Wn2xsvikLzI/AAAAAAAAGLM/CNjlZ7VxgSIXKiaajBGTdO0IIuvJqc6BQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0949.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved this. So OLDE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mn7eIJM_5bM/Wn2xtOoAtqI/AAAAAAAAGLo/Kr3mPRjccrInq7_BSe9GEqaSAy7PTvTfgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mn7eIJM_5bM/Wn2xtOoAtqI/AAAAAAAAGLo/Kr3mPRjccrInq7_BSe9GEqaSAy7PTvTfgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0933.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Market in Cambridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-INfXexibfVc/Wn2xs610YtI/AAAAAAAAGLg/WstrWGsUnuYLk7nirfoLFn9qH_SO8PP-wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-INfXexibfVc/Wn2xs610YtI/AAAAAAAAGLg/WstrWGsUnuYLk7nirfoLFn9qH_SO8PP-wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0956.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Six Bells pub in Cambridge -- delightful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TMAfkfyo0Y/Wn2xtMHaPHI/AAAAAAAAGLw/vwPICEv048I-ZDdRodXtwiYwUyz9tK02wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TMAfkfyo0Y/Wn2xtMHaPHI/AAAAAAAAGLw/vwPICEv048I-ZDdRodXtwiYwUyz9tK02wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0960.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A room in the Six Bells pub!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6xUBSxxiHcU/Wn2xTXClC1I/AAAAAAAAGK0/Eg7bpus68hUU45QhxcMGYADW_bUo7t98ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><br></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50691732018-02-08T10:57:00-05:002018-02-08T14:15:30-05:00UK TOUR: Cotswolds, Cirencester <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yeWBlGOWcFI/WnxybrWWjoI/AAAAAAAAGJM/r5siw1cLT2ItNkUhIS7-GHI7pGACjeg5wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yeWBlGOWcFI/WnxybrWWjoI/AAAAAAAAGJM/r5siw1cLT2ItNkUhIS7-GHI7pGACjeg5wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0908.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brigid Kaelin, Steve Cooley & THE BLACK FEATHERS</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tFlFS8XvOwA/Wnxyc1HstuI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/HE4fBzB3XLU6xmlgmznxeSXk4bXNEnINgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tFlFS8XvOwA/Wnxyc1HstuI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/HE4fBzB3XLU6xmlgmznxeSXk4bXNEnINgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">There’s a mystery series I love called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Raisin" target="_blank">Agatha Raisin</a> by MC Beaton. They are quick reads with nothing terribly scary, and they are set in a fictional village in the Cotswolds. As Steve and I played in a played in Cirencester (a Cotswolds town - well, city, not village), I liked to pretend I’m a private detective. It was particularly fun driving through these village towns and trying to imagine which one is most like the fictional village of Carsley (I’m thinking it’s Barnsley). </span>
</div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1">Cirencester seems off the beaten track to many English folk we encounter, but I first went there in 2008 when I met a friend on Couchsurfing (remember Couchsurfing?!). He’s continued to be a friend, though he has since moved to Bristol (it’s Neil, from my first tour blog!) and I continue to go to Cirencester, about an hour from Bristol, whenever I can.</span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1">After an attempt at visiting the ruins of a Roman villa (it was CLOSED for winter when we arrived and the caretaker said, “don’t tell me — you looked on Google and it said we were open” — um YES?! If this happens all the time, perhaps you should change your hours on Google?), we headed for the venue.</span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1">We played in a pub called the Golden Farm, which has a perfect music venue attached to it. The building is 15th century, with a “new" addition built in the 17th or 18th century. The Vaults is the music venue, and WOW, what a room. The sound was fantastic, and our hosts for the evening were delightful — as they always are. </span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1">The Black Feathers, whom some of you have actually MET when I hosted a house concert for them in Louisville last fall, are Ray and Sían and they are just the nicest and smartest and most talented people you could ever come across. They live above the pub, and we stayed with them. I was in the attic/music studio and stared at rafters from the 1400s as I drifted off to sleep.</span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1">In the afternoon, Ray and Sían took me for a quick tour around town to see winding cobblestone streets, old churches, and the tallest hedge yews in Europe.</span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1"><br></span></div><div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span class="s1">Our friends, The Layers, opened the show for us at the Vaults, and we got to hear some rocking’ 3-part acoustic harmonies and excellent original tunes. Thank you for sharing your gifts, The Layers, and thank you to all in Cirencester who ventured out on a Tuesday evening to hear live Kentucky music.</span></div><div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wydos-YgVuY/Wnxycy_trlI/AAAAAAAAGKA/pL-5tA5Ejcsbw47O7_WZCC90nV4xPhIaACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wydos-YgVuY/Wnxycy_trlI/AAAAAAAAGKA/pL-5tA5Ejcsbw47O7_WZCC90nV4xPhIaACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0789.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LEGO recreation inside St. John's in Cirencester.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uqWVwRJ-kLY/WnxycP0ecNI/AAAAAAAAGJU/oC22gSJ_EUEn_LKieuSWKN8dipCHp2INwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uqWVwRJ-kLY/WnxycP0ecNI/AAAAAAAAGJU/oC22gSJ_EUEn_LKieuSWKN8dipCHp2INwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0793.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TOUR DOGGIE!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07jKkwYbozk/Wnxyc66Td9I/AAAAAAAAGKE/T0uwzBQfEHAQH0c3fFSwjiidjQSqLzUxACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07jKkwYbozk/Wnxyc66Td9I/AAAAAAAAGKE/T0uwzBQfEHAQH0c3fFSwjiidjQSqLzUxACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0794.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious feast prepared by Sían during soundcheck.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3Tp-LRPdiQ/WnxycpSfNNI/AAAAAAAAGJs/4Gemug7qj4kA_RTpbz1VvxN0doRjncDDQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3Tp-LRPdiQ/WnxycpSfNNI/AAAAAAAAGJs/4Gemug7qj4kA_RTpbz1VvxN0doRjncDDQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0897.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aneil! He came all the way from Wolverhampton.<br>Thank you, Aneil!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcwvpgtBDKo/Wnxycdm3cLI/AAAAAAAAGJc/9ZDjCOqusxs_qkGz9nOEGI4KEcs1GdV7wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcwvpgtBDKo/Wnxycdm3cLI/AAAAAAAAGJc/9ZDjCOqusxs_qkGz9nOEGI4KEcs1GdV7wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0796.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Layers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vxl8ggvyFU/Wnxyc3waP4I/AAAAAAAAGJw/M74mPm9H7tk_Yp1A9hkcilCVhh652BpdgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vxl8ggvyFU/Wnxyc3waP4I/AAAAAAAAGJw/M74mPm9H7tk_Yp1A9hkcilCVhh652BpdgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0776.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable street in Cirencester</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tFlFS8XvOwA/Wnxyc1HstuI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/HE4fBzB3XLU6xmlgmznxeSXk4bXNEnINgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tFlFS8XvOwA/Wnxyc1HstuI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/HE4fBzB3XLU6xmlgmznxeSXk4bXNEnINgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0769.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Cotswolds, they have hares (like<br>Kentucky has horses and Chicago cows).</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1"><br></div><style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50536912018-01-31T06:05:00-05:002022-05-31T07:34:44-04:00UK TOUR - Bristol wrapup days 1/2<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDGjH6ihAXU/WnGjS2dWizI/AAAAAAAAGGM/Z124m72A5III9e4ZeeqrOAr7CLLhvIDQwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0711-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDGjH6ihAXU/WnGjS2dWizI/AAAAAAAAGGM/Z124m72A5III9e4ZeeqrOAr7CLLhvIDQwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0711-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><div class="p1"><span class="s1">OUR UPDATES! Lots of TMI here, per usual.</span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Most important thing to note: I SLEPT 9 hours straight last night and woke up on my own. I'm pretty sure I woke up in the exact same position in which I first closed my eyes. IT WAS AMAZING. This morning I brushed my teeth without anyone tugging at my ankles or grabbing my breasts. Speaking of breasts, OUCH! I spent 3 days away from Angus in late December, and I only had to hand express once. But this time -- only a month later -- I was rock-hard-engorged-leaking-through-my-sweater by the time we landed in Bristol, a mere 18 hours after I'd last nursed the wee one. I knew he was growth-spurting before I left, but OMG, ouch ouch ouch. Poor Steve Cooley knows more about my breast ducts than he cares too. It's been sad watching the liquid gold go down the drain, but I haven't had time to grab any cabbage leaves yet down it goes. Oddly, I'm not worried about drying up completely because breastfeeding remains the one thing about motherhood that apparently is natural and easy for me. Everything else is a crapshoot, but I'm good at making milk.</span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">ANYWAY - last night's show was fun because it was hosted by a good friend (whom I met on Couchsurfing 10 years ago, of all places!) and we had a blast playing at Grounded in Horfield. Neil sung 4 beautiful songs, and I loved listening to him. I bragged on Steve enough to embarrass him, and he was jet-lagged enough to tell some grand stories about his previous UK tours.</span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">We left Atlanta at 6pm for Amsterdam, and arrived in Bristol at 10am Bristol time (5am Louisville time), but i was able to sleep about 4 hours on the flight, which is pretty much what I sleep at home on average. While Steve got a nap, I had Neil drag me ALL over city centre Bristol. We walked about 5-6 miles through beautiful city and showed me the sights and we climbed Cabot Tower (109 steps according to Wikipedia, but I counted more...) and saw all the way to the Welsh Mountains and it was just a blast. Speaking of Wales, Pip's Real Hot Chocolate Co was at my show last night!!! He's a friend I met in Crumlin a zillion years ago, and it was DELICIOUS (literally, thank you for the chocolate!) to see him.</span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Also, Alan George Downie appeared at our gig last night, which surprised me more than any surprise visitor ever has (and i've had an odd amount of surprise visitors in my life!!). This was crazy because I last saw Alan on Thursday when he sat in the front row at SOLD OUT!! Brigid Kaelin - Send-off to Scotland! -- and though he is actually FROM Scotland, he's lived in Louisville since the 1960s. I know him from my dad's days working at AIR DEVIL'S INN, and it was Alan who booked me my first gig in Louisville at ADI. AND HE'S HERE IN ENGLAND!</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">So crazy.</span></div><div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Anyway, I'm perky as can be on 9 hours of sleep and one cuppa. Off to buy a guitar now (long story, but we didn't bring one from home), and we'll catch up later!</span></div><div class="p2">
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<span class="s1">Tonight's show is at Mr. Wolf's Bristol : SongSmith Brigid Kaelin/Where The Night Falls/Howard Silverman is the event page. We'll be appearing on Bradley Stoke Radio Studio in the 6:00 hour GMT.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cwRmkVsK89M/WnGjdXKIKbI/AAAAAAAAGGU/KVD2oFTaK9kEgAl46ailH64WKnxlxqKaQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0712-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cwRmkVsK89M/WnGjdXKIKbI/AAAAAAAAGGU/KVD2oFTaK9kEgAl46ailH64WKnxlxqKaQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0712-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KvRU4hXsyoo/WnGjevhEk6I/AAAAAAAAGGc/cRFrKlilhwEQPxDFR9cuj-KmFxB74n6pwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0717-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KvRU4hXsyoo/WnGjevhEk6I/AAAAAAAAGGc/cRFrKlilhwEQPxDFR9cuj-KmFxB74n6pwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0717-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dCKIutsDyk8/WnGjgeB9s0I/AAAAAAAAGGk/NnsQ7wAKOoITKuwNG-slFQB4s4h8HSJRQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0720-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dCKIutsDyk8/WnGjgeB9s0I/AAAAAAAAGGk/NnsQ7wAKOoITKuwNG-slFQB4s4h8HSJRQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0720-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lFEuNiUWXVU/WnGjggee1pI/AAAAAAAAGGs/Bfr_XW3YQ1EZv8HQuQQa3sf4aHkC4c8IgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0730-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lFEuNiUWXVU/WnGjggee1pI/AAAAAAAAGGs/Bfr_XW3YQ1EZv8HQuQQa3sf4aHkC4c8IgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0730-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></span>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50477682018-01-27T15:52:00-05:002018-07-30T02:19:44-04:00UK Tour - airplanes and club lounges!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbEXGk5ss_M/WmzmUOn9nsI/AAAAAAAAGEw/Qhjm-CJFz7obVbOJaP0jpjgSdE_aoL0lQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbEXGk5ss_M/WmzmUOn9nsI/AAAAAAAAGEw/Qhjm-CJFz7obVbOJaP0jpjgSdE_aoL0lQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0694.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Greetings from the Atlanta airport Delta Sky Club in Terminal E! We have a 3-hour layover before our flight to Amsterdam, and we are spending those 3 hours watching people load baggage onto an enormous plane. They are in the cold rain, while we are sipping cappuccinos and refilling soup bowls and hitting the cookie bar. We are not even partaking in the complimentary beverages because I honestly just don't feel like drinking. Angus nursed all night, and I'm pretty sure a sip of alcohol would put me right to sleep at this point. I'm tired, and I've got a Transatlantic flight ahead of me -- and I'm flying COACH!<br><br>I know, I know. Most people fly coach. I've been fortunate to land some pretty sweet upgrades in my past, but tonight's flight is full, alas, so not even The Secret will help me this time.<br><br>Here's a funny thing, though: I'm really, really looking forward to tonight's sleep because I suspect it will be better than the last month's sleep with the teething toddler. Who looks forward to an overnight flight in coach? MOTHERS!!!<br><br>Saying goodbye was not tearful today, and for that, I am grateful. Steve and I took an Uber from my house to avoid any tearful moments at TSA. Graham had his fair share of, "Mommy, please don't go" moments, but Angus wasn't sure what was happening. He was pretty happy in his daddy's arms, so that was good.<br><br>I have downloaded Lonely Planet England and spent the flight to Atlanta informing Steve of various and interesting facts about the southern England ("Look, did you know Banksy is from Bristol?!"). He was less than impressed about all facts shared, but that is just how Steve is. I love that about him. I'm plotting which castles and henges we will be able to visit while still maintaining radio appearances and gig punctuality.<br><br>It should be a fun time. I hope I have the energy to maintain good social media and blogging fun on my way.<br><br>Thanks for a wonderful send-off show to the awesome people who bought advance tickets to the concert at the Bard's Town. It was a blast, and we'll do it again sometime.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50287012018-01-17T13:31:00-05:002018-01-17T17:00:55-05:00Interrupt a man. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NHdcjL431ks/Wl-WSePwBRI/AAAAAAAAGEU/vfJ7cbAFiaYP-_lc373PwnJR-IvfLCQyACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NHdcjL431ks/Wl-WSePwBRI/AAAAAAAAGEU/vfJ7cbAFiaYP-_lc373PwnJR-IvfLCQyACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0541.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">My sweet little privileged boys playing in the show!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Every woman I know is on fire lately. Whether that means finally seeking out therapy or finally calling out nonsense and bad behavior when you see it, it means a change is not just a'coming; it is a'here. And I LOVE IT. It's empowering and it's a weight off my shoulders I never realized was there.<br><br>When my second-born was revealed to have a penis, I was incredibly relieved. I knew, right then, that his life would be significantly better than if he'd been born with a vagina. I knew that I'd have an easier job as a parent, not having to explain every nuance of dressing, catcalling, expressing yourself, being careful, being smart in class, but not raising your hand <i>all the time</i> -- all those things that women have dealt with and all the burdens we have shouldered. In that same moment of relief, I also felt massive responsibility to try to make these fortunate middle-class white males I would raise to try to understand just a fraction of what women go through on a day to day basis.<br><br>My #metoo anger comes out in frustration sometimes. My 5-year-old will behave like a typical impatient 5-year-old and interrupt me. When I'm feeling ragey, I'll respond, "NEVER INTERRUPT A WOMAN." I know that "never interrupt" would be good enough, but I add those two words because I feel some need to over-correct thousands of years of systemic sexism. My sweet boy is told not to refer to game pieces as "guys" or animals at the zoo as "him," because I want him to learn that "male" is not the default. I also want him to be a strong leader, but to recognize his own privilege -- and that he must offer helping hands to those not beginning life on a pedestal. When his friends in his preschool get upset that I make all the monkeys jumping on the bed GIRLS ("she fell off and bumped her head"), I feel a little smile of "now you know what it's like!" before obviously remembering that the 3-year-olds are not, in fact, the enemy.<br><br>But their parents are! Even if it's me.<br><br>Today I ask you to interrupt a man -- or at the very least call them out. Speak up for us. I've seen too many men out there going on and on about things they clearly don't understand, assuming that our powers are balanced from the get-go. They are not. If you're an artist on a bill with almost entirely men, SAY SOMETHING. Promoters seem to think that if they throw a few women on a festival line-up that they are being woke and making sure there is representation. That's not good enough! Don't make us compete with each other for a few token spots, while a bunch of white guys get to play the same three chords with the same beards and same flannel shirts and have the arts scene be okay with that. Don't make us sound ungrateful when we *are* the token woman: SAY SOMETHING. Don't sit back and agree with me on Facebook without doing anything about it: SAY SOMETHING.<br><br>And of course -- same goes for race. I'm not perfect, but I'm trying to get better. Know better, do better. If you didn't know before, now you do. It's okay to improve yourself. That's what we're all out to do, right?<br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50251232018-01-15T16:35:00-05:002022-02-17T06:00:37-05:00Inspector Gadget coats and packing skillz<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SshmrGp_fUk/Wl0eZlZPesI/AAAAAAAAGEE/ZN_RPjuOXMQrbn1f_BZeL7xP-OFRoEUIgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/26677696_1391603720962647_164437268406297361_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SshmrGp_fUk/Wl0eZlZPesI/AAAAAAAAGEE/ZN_RPjuOXMQrbn1f_BZeL7xP-OFRoEUIgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/26677696_1391603720962647_164437268406297361_o.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo has NOTHING to do with the blog, <br>but look how cute my boys are. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>You guys, I'm the queen of packing, and I'm starting to get verrrrrrrry excited about packing for my upcoming tour. I don't like to check a bag, and I also like to make sure I bring an accordion and plenty of CDs. That doesn't leave much room for clothes, and this is a winter tour, requiring more than a couple of layers. But I once packed for myself and a toddler for a month in Europe with just one carry-on, so I've got this, people. I've got it.<br><br>Part of my excitement is that I got that awesome Baubax bomber jacket that has, like, 15 pockets for various devices, which eliminates the need for a carry-on on a flight. I'm pretty excited to model it for you all because it's, like, this jacket that I invented in my head ages ago on some RyanAir flight where I had to buy a seat for my accordion because it was cheaper than paying for it as a carry-on , but I didn't have to put in any effort to make it happen. Instead someone else is getting rich, but at least I get my Inspector Gadget jacket.<br><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/world-s-best-travel-jacket-with-15-features-baubax-fashion-clothing--3/embedded" width="222px"></iframe><br><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50185452018-01-11T09:42:00-05:002018-01-11T12:15:24-05:00Yoga and Broadway daydreams.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TFPRW3ekHB4/Wld3xMFtqiI/AAAAAAAAGDo/owIj_GHYdTkiyWgdCXv6ZRWDALXpxVlEACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TFPRW3ekHB4/Wld3xMFtqiI/AAAAAAAAGDo/owIj_GHYdTkiyWgdCXv6ZRWDALXpxVlEACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0441.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No babysitter means Angus comes with me<br>to fix a leaky pipe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I stopped going to yoga because it was too expensive to both hire a babysitter *and* pay for yoga. Not going to yoga means I get zero alone time, which makes me a bad person and worse mother. It also meant I stopped writing in my journal, which means the kooky thoughts are stuck swirling around in my brain/blog instead of safely released into the wilds of a Moleskine. It also means I'M NOT AS STRONG AS I WAS THIS SUMMER.<br><br>I never told you the actual reason I started going to yoga. Remember <a href="http://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2016/09/secrets-of-my-big-nyc-audition.html" target="_blank">that time when I auditioned for the national tour of a Broadway show back when I was 5 months postpartum?</a> Well, I never shared the end of that story, which was that they called back a few weeks later and asked me if I was available to jump on the tour. I initially declined it for personal reasons (I wouldn't trade even a starring role in The Sound of Music in the West End of London for time spent with my mom!), but then discussed potentially jumping on the tour for a few weeks (obviously that didn't happen).<br><br>But the demands of doing 8 Broadway shows a week meant that I needed to get in shape: quickly. I needed to be able to dance for 2 hours a night. And so I started power yoga, which ended up being something I absolutely loved.<br><br>And now I've been off the yoga for several months, and all I can think is, "There's no way I could do a Broadway show if London calls!"<br><br>On that note, we are interviewing au pairs because I need live-in help with my schedule and weekly solo parenting. How else will I get in shape to tap dance???<br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50150062018-01-09T09:27:00-05:002018-01-09T15:00:52-05:00Time management tips for working from home<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uH4FrD8qZp4/WlTRIWLixhI/AAAAAAAAGDU/pNG-ue3XdlAXR1xEjrAkjL2yopI_8-EzgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/9%2Btime%2Bmanagement%2Btips.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uH4FrD8qZp4/WlTRIWLixhI/AAAAAAAAGDU/pNG-ue3XdlAXR1xEjrAkjL2yopI_8-EzgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/9%2Btime%2Bmanagement%2Btips.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a>You're in luck -- my January 25th send-off show at the Bard's Town is SOLD OUT, so you don't have to listen to me ask you to come to the show. And when my head isn't stressed out with MusicianAnxiety (also known as HostAnxiety aka <i>will anyone come tonight will anyone show up will it be a totally empty room after all my hard work</i>), I can instead focus on delightful little blogs like this one.<br><br>In recent years, we've seen more and more people work remotely or become self-employed, whether it's a CTO working from home on a snow day or a LulaRoe rep tweeting from the toilet (and you can easily reverse those situations -- we've all done it, right?), but I somehow STILL find it difficult. I had finally figured out good time management, and then I went and had kids: FOILED!<br><br>I'm not someone who thrives under structure, in general, but I am someone who NEEDS structure in my life currently. Today I'm re-examining ideas of how to provide structure to my work-from-home days.<br><br>Also, if anyone is procrastinating on your work by reading this, why don't you just come over and plug in your laptop in my dining room and be my office-mate for the morning? There is a toddler tickling my toes at the moment, but I will probably give into screen time soon, or letting him put a thousand crayons down the heat register.<br><br>My favorite work-from-home tips that I am writing today mostly to REMIND MYSELF:<br><br><br><ol>
<li><b>Set a timer for small tasks. </b></li>
<li><b>Don't use a power cord on your laptop -- you won't have time to get distracted.</b></li>
<li>If you have some real goals for the day, then <b>don't check email </b>until you've conquered at least 2 of them.</li>
<li>If the house is dirty, then <b>go to a coffeeshop.</b> Otherwise you'll just get frustrated and spend all morning doing dishes. Alternatively, create an actual home office and shut yourself <i>away from laundry</i>.</li>
<li>
<b>Schedule lunch.</b> (This does not work for me because I am always hungry and the REFRIGERATOR IS ALWAYS THERE, but I'm working on it.)</li>
<li>
<b>Make your ToDo list at the end of the workday.</b> If you do it the night before (and you are me), you'll lie awake fretting about all you have to do. If you make it in the morning, you'll waste valuable time organizing and categorizing your list instead of actually doing things.</li>
<li>
<b>Separate your To Do List by category,</b> and choose 1-2 items from each category according to priority. If you finish those, then go back.</li>
<li>
<b>Schedule your social media posts.</b> This means you won't get sucked into a Twitter discussion or Facebook war, and you can plan your posts for the most effective time of day.</li>
<li>
<b>Schedule a break or exercise or a walk. </b>Also something I struggle with, mostly because I don't have reliable childcare, but also because when I'm good at guilt-tripping myself into working longer hours.</li>
</ol><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50054172018-01-03T15:54:00-05:002022-04-09T11:25:07-04:00It's Just a Thing.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aEU156seJ6g/Wk1CuTX1gQI/AAAAAAAAGDA/xVD0F0Lj0bQOH-iWVvI7Qx-SW2Dq9Ia6ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aEU156seJ6g/Wk1CuTX1gQI/AAAAAAAAGDA/xVD0F0Lj0bQOH-iWVvI7Qx-SW2Dq9Ia6ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0286.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that you in the soldout Headliners crowd??</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BUP7nBpsOc0/Wk1Cs_xDV0I/AAAAAAAAGCk/1MUTOSf4OdQMwr15InQWnQbwFsrmbxH6ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BUP7nBpsOc0/Wk1Cs_xDV0I/AAAAAAAAGCk/1MUTOSf4OdQMwr15InQWnQbwFsrmbxH6ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0285.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me and Kimmet Cantwell!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>That has been my mantra lately. Repeat to self: <i>it's just a thing</i>.<br><br>A lot of <i>things</i> have been malfunctioning lately -- furnaces, tires, car batteries, toilets, pipes that burst even though I did the whole leave-the-water-dripping thing because it's JUST SO COLD!<br><br>But <i>it's just a thing</i>. Right?<br><br>We are all safe and alive and enjoying every minute despite the chaos.<br><br>Christmas was an adventure. We rented a minivan and drove 1100 miles to Lubbock, Texas, with the whole crew: me, David, Graham, Angus, my mom and dad. David's family lives in Lubbock and hosted us all in their big ol' house, which was full of bourbon, fun, laughs, naps, plastic balls (Angus got a lot of balls for Christmas), and collectible Santas. We had a blast.<br><br>I flew back early because I had several holiday gigs, including the sold-out night at Headliners starring Back 2 Mac, the Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band that I was in in 2010-2011, before moving to Scotland, when Natalie Bajandas took over the Christine McVie parts. Her vacation was my gain, as I got to sub for her! It was magically fun, and though I would never try to take over her role in the band -- that's not cool, -- I do hope I get a chance to sub again sometime!<br><br>I'd forgotten how great a little external validation can feel, even though I know I shouldn't depend on that for happiness. But the thunderous applause, cheers, and being surrounded by people telling me how awesome I was, was, well, pretty nice. Even the guy who mysteriously told me, "Everyone wanted you to fail! I mean, EVERYONE! But you nailed it, Brigid, you absolutely slayed!" I genuinely think he meant it as a compliment, but I had to question whether anyone actually gave a crap about how I was going to perform. I mean, I wasn't nervous about it -- should I have been? Nah, I know I can sing and play those parts. C-Mac's vocal range is spot on with mine, and you can't go wrong with those songs. They are just too good!<br><br>Joe Mays took video, so I'm hoping to share some fun video from the show.<br><br>Anyway, the days off from parenting were soul-refreshing, and it was incredibly feel-goody to be more than just a mother again. Now my kids are back, and adorable and loving, albeit mischievous and slightly annoying. But really -- that's the good stuff, right? Everything else: it's just a thing.<br><br>*****<br>Put January 25 on your calendar for a special, intimate, ticketed event in the Highlands. It's a send-off show for my United Kingdom tour, with a Burns Night theme featuring some somewhat-local scotch ... how is that even possible?!?!?! You'll see.<br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hRnPPsa_LRw/Wk1CuTOUkCI/AAAAAAAAGC8/b9_G5-zlOkUp3jK3c4IDJasrgbuKUi2KgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hRnPPsa_LRw/Wk1CuTOUkCI/AAAAAAAAGC8/b9_G5-zlOkUp3jK3c4IDJasrgbuKUi2KgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0291.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2Uam91dITg/Wk1CuGZQSuI/AAAAAAAAGCs/Su7OIGZibCwWpgZXQXnvxGTCinrmNPO_ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2Uam91dITg/Wk1CuGZQSuI/AAAAAAAAGCs/Su7OIGZibCwWpgZXQXnvxGTCinrmNPO_ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ray Rizzo & Kimmett Cantwell</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/50011362017-12-31T13:31:00-05:002020-06-29T11:18:05-04:00Don't Let a Day Go By.2017! What a crazy year. Can I tell you how I'd mentally prepared for this to be the absolute worst year? And it's not like it was amazing, but MY MOM IS STILL ALIVE! (Hi, Mom, this must be weird for you to be reading. Sorry. But I'm glad you're here!)<br><br>We spent this year how people should spend every year -- savoring every minute and always telling people you love them.<br><br>Here's one of my favorite Peter Searcy songs -- and #funfact: he and I recorded this in the same studio in LA where Michael Jackson made THRILLER. It's just acoustic guitar and piano, with classic Searcy vocals and classic Kaelin harmonies.<br><br>LOVE TO YOU ALL.<br><br><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Atrack%3A6J3VSu1Ca30p9nx3uZ87YU" width="300"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49883222017-12-21T13:42:00-05:002017-12-21T15:30:31-05:00UK TOUR DATES announced!!CAFFEINE!! Hi, y'all. I'VE GOT MY UK TOUR DATES SET!!<br>Come see us? We are a fun duo. Video below to learn a bit more about the new album and who we are...<br><br>I've got a proper press release for UK media, but if you're reading this abroad and you have a friend in the media, newspapers, blog, podcast, radio show, music promoter, music fan, or anyone else who might enjoy a fun show that's smart and sassy and a little bluegrassy, then please connect us! Indie artists like me can't afford the fancy publicists and management that other Europe-touring musicians I know have -- they've just got access to resources that we don't, and it makes a big difference in their reach. I happen to know that we are just as talented (and honestly, Steve Cooley is more talented than anyone put together). Even just a friend with a blog who posts a wee bit about our show is a huge help to getting bums in the seats. SEE YOU SOON!!!<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoi5GXTAujw/Wjv_VXkB22I/AAAAAAAAGCQ/0aYNry6ifRoO3Ru_q1EOWfQquYsG6mTnACLcBGAs/s1600/FB%2BPost%2BUK%2B2018%2Btour%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoi5GXTAujw/Wjv_VXkB22I/AAAAAAAAGCQ/0aYNry6ifRoO3Ru_q1EOWfQquYsG6mTnACLcBGAs/s640/FB%2BPost%2BUK%2B2018%2Btour%2B%25281%2529.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oDSRKaytO-k" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49561802017-11-30T10:20:00-05:002017-12-11T10:01:27-05:00Earth-obsessed + Brigid's Gift Ideas #1<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBHNp2DUzlE/WiAgzoKQe7I/AAAAAAAAGBY/scsyFYMAkSs2KOjbExmsxQTok82NjS9mACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Photo%2Bon%2B11-30-17%2Bat%2B10.16%2BAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBHNp2DUzlE/WiAgzoKQe7I/AAAAAAAAGBY/scsyFYMAkSs2KOjbExmsxQTok82NjS9mACK4BGAYYCw/s200/Photo%2Bon%2B11-30-17%2Bat%2B10.16%2BAM.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="133" width="200" /></a><br>Did y'all see that video of the turtle with a straw up its nose? It made its way around Facebook about a year ago, and it has haunted me ever since. I can get a little obsessive about trying to save the world (re: taking PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN LOUISVILLE -- something that is just <i>not</i> done), using cloth diapers most of the time, not eating meat, recycling (duh, don't even climate-change-deniers recycle by now?), feeling guilty about oil miles when I buy bananas, and even having a home birth (though truthfully I wouldn't have had kids at all if I wanted to be really helpful to the planet). Anyway, you see how I can be obsessive?<br><br><br><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4wH878t78bw" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Our family's latest thing is carrying around <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Travel-Utensils-Go-Carrying/dp/B00FQXUIRG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1512055030&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=bamboo+travel+utensils&psc=1&smid=A1B7M9EQGNCLQA" target="_blank">a set of bamboo utensils</a> with us at all times and making sure we also have <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/SipWell-Stainless-Drinking-Cleaning-Included/dp/B00KGIANQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512055055&sr=8-1&keywords=aluminum+straws" target="_blank">an aluminum straw</a></b>. Remembering to use them has been a challenge, but I imagine I'll get used to it. Friends in Europe or California are probably not at all surprised or weirded out by this because y'all figured that out, like, 15 years ago. But Americans are slow adopters at things that are good for the world.<br><br><br><br>Anyway, aside from remembering to use the straw, it'll also be a challenge to NOT LOSE IT. Like, if I'm at Twig and Leaf and we all extract our reusable straws, then will we actually remember to return it to the diaper bag? So far, so good. Just think of all the turtles I've saved!<br><br>So that's my gift idea for you. If anyone knows of a local shop that sells them, let me know, and I'll edit this post to include it. (#oilmiles)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49543522017-11-29T10:36:00-05:002023-03-31T10:35:07-04:00Selling my house and EATING YUMMY FOOD!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pYYC2WZj0I4/Wh7Q0MPBIqI/AAAAAAAAGAg/4B_KA04p-i0owW86OxqY3j_UlRpziegRwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/932%2Bash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pYYC2WZj0I4/Wh7Q0MPBIqI/AAAAAAAAGAg/4B_KA04p-i0owW86OxqY3j_UlRpziegRwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/932%2Bash.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>House for sale! We finished fixing up and remodeling the house I bought when I was 24, you know, back when you get get a mortgage just for breathing and didn't have to show much more than a driver's license to prove you were good for it. Anyway, it's a great home with excellent bones and shiny new floors, appliances, fences, shingles, paint, driveway, and more. Its location can't be beat either -- on a quiet street in the heart of Schnitzelburg, but steps from Eiderdown, Finn's Southern Kitchen, Hauck's, The Post, Lydia House, Bean, and even a new cupcake shop!<br><br>Here's the listing with all the beautiful photos:<br><a href="https://www.kyselectproperties.com/property/932-ash-st-louisville-ky-40217/pid-11046731/">https://www.kyselectproperties.com/property/932-ash-st-louisville-ky-40217/pid-11046731/</a><br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wrd-M4r3U1E/Wh7SyUYiQwI/AAAAAAAAGA8/WKItygz3APgU6IY6yzn5VvQSHuKzDar8wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/26B32B84-9254-4929-AE1A-D7D3F6EDF3B9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wrd-M4r3U1E/Wh7SyUYiQwI/AAAAAAAAGA8/WKItygz3APgU6IY6yzn5VvQSHuKzDar8wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/26B32B84-9254-4929-AE1A-D7D3F6EDF3B9.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="180" /></a>Now we wait for someone to buy it.<br><br>In the mean time, David and I celebrated our first date night in months and the end of this project with a vegetarian tasting menu at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fatlamblouisville/" target="_blank">the Fat Lamb</a> (like them on Facebook, friends!). I won a meal in an internet contest (seriously!!!) and we slurped up every morsel of deliciousness at this fabulous restaurant. It's the only place in town that I know of where you can just show up and get a multi-course gourmet vegetarian meal without calling ahead and special ordering or without being made to feel like a weirdo. The Fat Lamb has plenty of meat on its menu, but the chef's wife is a vegetarian. So you know veggies are considered people too.<br><br>Photos below. I would have more, but my phone was stolen by a big meanie yesterday, and my iCloud doesn't have all the photos I actually took.<br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blBPGD99r8k/Wh7SxFTTOxI/AAAAAAAAGA0/K7nnpvw7mn4sahQda_uvtu1P6aGl8jjrACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2107.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blBPGD99r8k/Wh7SxFTTOxI/AAAAAAAAGA0/K7nnpvw7mn4sahQda_uvtu1P6aGl8jjrACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_2107.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="480" /></a><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B72JLJZgQOM/Wh7S9p7QAxI/AAAAAAAAGBE/eraJEwHKFR8_DEL2KOw_tFnrOzHzSMU_QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2108.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B72JLJZgQOM/Wh7S9p7QAxI/AAAAAAAAGBE/eraJEwHKFR8_DEL2KOw_tFnrOzHzSMU_QCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_2108.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49358212017-11-16T12:55:00-05:002017-11-16T19:15:28-05:00Oversharing, overasking, and Benyaro music.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n9cLrvvIlWk/Wg3QswkAv6I/AAAAAAAAF-g/KjBe9LkxYBcCX2I6EFbwagVjHmkyUPBrwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n9cLrvvIlWk/Wg3QswkAv6I/AAAAAAAAF-g/KjBe9LkxYBcCX2I6EFbwagVjHmkyUPBrwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a>This house-renovation thing has been all-emcompassing, and boredom has set in. I've been using miter saws, measuring baseboards, estimating angles (correctly!), and all the while sitting there thinking about blogs and essays and songs I'd like to be writing rather than caulking. So here's a quick update of something I managed to do in between installing backsplashes and quarter-round.<br><br><h4>I went to a house concert on Tuesday! </h4><br>It required a babysitter and a lot of energy. It was at the most beautiful home I've seen in ages (mid-century-modern or 'MCM' as the kids say) and with the most spectacular art collection I've ever seen in a personal home. I was nervous because I didn't know the hosts very well, and I was going alone -- not knowing a single other person there. But I went, and I had a blast, even though I overshared and asked far too many questions of the musicians. At one point when I asked, "So when you get home from this 3-month-tour and you walk in the door, is your wife just going to hand you the baby and run?" and then a lovely and kind woman looked at me and asked, "Are you okay?"<br><br>Yikes. I assured her later that, yes, I am okay. But dammit, this solo parenting thing is hard, both for the spouse who travels and the one who stays home.<br><br>BUT THE MUSIC! The music was grand. The company was grand. The evening was grand. Only one of my kids was awake when I got home at 10.<br><br>The music was provided by <a href="https://benyaro.com/" target="_blank">Benyaro</a> -- a duo from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They were delightful company and great music.<br><br>If you've never been to a house concert, YOU SHOULD GO! They are my absolute favorite place to hear music, whether it's a solo artist I've never heard of or a band I superfan for. It's so relaxed, that even people with anxiety can enjoy themselves.<br><br><h4>I'm playing a house concert on Friday, November 17, in Scottsburg, Indiana, and I think there are a few seats still available for it. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/507758216263885/" target="_blank">RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/507758216263885/</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/507758216263885/" target="_blank"><br></a>
</h4><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49263542017-11-09T11:49:00-05:002021-10-20T07:07:08-04:0048 hours in Austin, Texas<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9QrdDF1mxY/WgSHGNb1vyI/AAAAAAAAF8w/vLiI7cAykc8uQJlmjSe36TvqQy7iCy5iQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9QrdDF1mxY/WgSHGNb1vyI/AAAAAAAAF8w/vLiI7cAykc8uQJlmjSe36TvqQy7iCy5iQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1746.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>Last week I took a quick trip to Austin to surprise my BFF on her 40th birthday. It was a well-executed gift plotted by her husband, and it meant we got to spend 48 hours together hanging out and playing with each other's kids. She hadn't met Angus yet, and I hadn't seen her or her kids in 3 years.<br><br>It also meant: VACATION FOOD!<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyP6emDyezg/WgSGgqIjpoI/AAAAAAAAF78/WMgmDo5sCEQUNiDQipqPm9Mn4FQdHqnXwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyP6emDyezg/WgSGgqIjpoI/AAAAAAAAF78/WMgmDo5sCEQUNiDQipqPm9Mn4FQdHqnXwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1817.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast tacos!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>There was an organized swanky birthday cocktail hour and dinner at Truluck's in downtown Austin, which had a tasty vegetarian entree. It was really just a brick of tofu on a bed of wild rice, but it was done surprisingly well. Also, the desserts were family-style wedges of cheesecake, chocolate cake, and carrot cake, and a pile of blackberries that wee Angus devoured pretty much singlehandedly.<br><br><br><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">Lyzz's birthday cake was Tres Leches with amazing frosting and shaped like a unicorn. It was perfection.<br><br><br>Also, BREAKFAST TACOS. I don't know why they haven't made their way to Louisville (don't try to convince me otherwise -- your $10 breakfast "tacos" are not done right and cost 5x what they should).<br><br>My superhero power of having perfect travel weather continued, as it was 70-80 degrees each day and perfectly pleasant. We played in Zilker Park, rode the train and visited the brand new Central library.<br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mxap_LbZINY/WgSHFadAnII/AAAAAAAAF8o/scb2cda6-Ks57e0JCiMrPP2mEuoT6K3WgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1747.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mxap_LbZINY/WgSHFadAnII/AAAAAAAAF8o/scb2cda6-Ks57e0JCiMrPP2mEuoT6K3WgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1747.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSJVJYHImfY/WgSHHk4Kv-I/AAAAAAAAF84/9vIPg0DXAlUQY4ZQM7AXaFZdJvuZbY8dACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1736.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSJVJYHImfY/WgSHHk4Kv-I/AAAAAAAAF84/9vIPg0DXAlUQY4ZQM7AXaFZdJvuZbY8dACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1736.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqK1MMEnyk8/WgSHDaxz2SI/AAAAAAAAF8Y/jiTNTdToOlo-d1o-nZtCEppKi-jZTaQ3ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1755.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqK1MMEnyk8/WgSHDaxz2SI/AAAAAAAAF8Y/jiTNTdToOlo-d1o-nZtCEppKi-jZTaQ3ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1755.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLcoukM2MCo/WgSHEhSjEOI/AAAAAAAAF8g/mTHI2AakuBAlOA1_JbAz6KPrb4b3EjIIwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1751.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLcoukM2MCo/WgSHEhSjEOI/AAAAAAAAF8g/mTHI2AakuBAlOA1_JbAz6KPrb4b3EjIIwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1751.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FO_tvKc-GgA/WgSG94zRs8I/AAAAAAAAF8M/qLGhUHmEFSIunrcnj5qKo1ei8nk9IuBPgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1786.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FO_tvKc-GgA/WgSG94zRs8I/AAAAAAAAF8M/qLGhUHmEFSIunrcnj5qKo1ei8nk9IuBPgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1786.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>Photos!<br><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qjMBXUwrpto/WgSGwJ3QmNI/AAAAAAAAF8E/cFuMs6A9UcwVXYaz_J9--C1QjWWSznYHgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qjMBXUwrpto/WgSGwJ3QmNI/AAAAAAAAF8E/cFuMs6A9UcwVXYaz_J9--C1QjWWSznYHgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1794.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New library in Austin. Elephant chairs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49227552017-11-07T08:47:00-05:002017-11-07T13:30:22-05:00Matching doorknobs or macarons? No competition...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VccglO17jS4/WgG3NI4UzGI/AAAAAAAAF58/bCo9gWW9ei8ExT8hHWxpKC6k9XAvrO_kgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/elevator%2Bbar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VccglO17jS4/WgG3NI4UzGI/AAAAAAAAF58/bCo9gWW9ei8ExT8hHWxpKC6k9XAvrO_kgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/elevator%2Bbar.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freight Elevator turned into a bar!<br>photo by Daniel Stephen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You guys, I'm so far behind in everything because I've been working non-stop on this silly house because apparently people care about switch-plates matching closet doorknobs, which I think is completely absurd and, like, didn't you guys ever read any fables? I mean, <i>material things don't matter</i>, right? Anyway, material things <i>do</i> seem to matter, and so I've been sanding and painting and gardening and power washing and staining and doing all sorts of things that make my knuckles ache and my fingers shake.<br><br>Things I have also been doing, however: gigging like crazy.<br><br>Last weekend I played possibly the coolest event I've ever been to. It was a Bacchanal party at The Speed Art Museum here in Louisville, where I played a 90-minute set with the fabulous Laura Ellis (and equally fabulous Dennis Ledford and Scott Lankford) for beautiful people dressed in ancient-themed attire. The freight elevator had been turned into a red-carpeted bar, complete with muses handing out pomegranate cocktails in silver goblets.<br><br>One day I want to go to an event like this and not be working, though I admit it's kind of a fabulous job to mix and mingle with beautiful people, even if I'm just hanging around because it's too crowded to load out my gear.<br><br>Here are some photos of the fancy evening! Now I'm off to the paint store as soon as the babysitter arrives. I'm sure that I owe you an email or a phone call. First, I have to sand the kitchen and put up a backsplash because I'm told people care about that sort of thing. Me, I prefer macarons...<br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sr1NcpxgCm4/WgG44WpbKvI/AAAAAAAAF6w/2tNP6Z0xSiYJsCaBu2oarw4qzjgsoIKQwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1863.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sr1NcpxgCm4/WgG44WpbKvI/AAAAAAAAF6w/2tNP6Z0xSiYJsCaBu2oarw4qzjgsoIKQwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1863.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uBu3liPMQ1g/WgG44kT9nFI/AAAAAAAAF7E/CQq8vh4m_PgZO_iALjTtT-D6PuMxKq14gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1864.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uBu3liPMQ1g/WgG44kT9nFI/AAAAAAAAF7E/CQq8vh4m_PgZO_iALjTtT-D6PuMxKq14gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1864.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cnvltsp8Jew/WgG424EhxfI/AAAAAAAAF6I/9-GQPF4f6GcRciu7gpaeUdaWXfJvUzvMQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1866.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cnvltsp8Jew/WgG424EhxfI/AAAAAAAAF6I/9-GQPF4f6GcRciu7gpaeUdaWXfJvUzvMQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1866.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RGPY7Cykk3w/WgG44uSXeII/AAAAAAAAF7I/Qg624fAX4YAtl5VC5AZshNxkAzSTv0bZgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1872.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RGPY7Cykk3w/WgG44uSXeII/AAAAAAAAF7I/Qg624fAX4YAtl5VC5AZshNxkAzSTv0bZgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1872.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7DUxs2y3XwU/WgG44tK7WgI/AAAAAAAAF7M/tDQrrn6bTaIlxlCjPlr-AJQilvR-jADXQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1874.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7DUxs2y3XwU/WgG44tK7WgI/AAAAAAAAF7M/tDQrrn6bTaIlxlCjPlr-AJQilvR-jADXQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1874.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QD0l_adJq54/WgG44-lR5uI/AAAAAAAAF7Q/Bwg82Yv3D4065DLFNeoJL1vQ0Q0vogAUQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1891.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QD0l_adJq54/WgG44-lR5uI/AAAAAAAAF7Q/Bwg82Yv3D4065DLFNeoJL1vQ0Q0vogAUQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1891.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4w6-O25bsxQ/WgG44TTFhsI/AAAAAAAAF6s/oTYViB_e_aUdSjMjU2haVTImMiWg2fwmgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1893.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4w6-O25bsxQ/WgG44TTFhsI/AAAAAAAAF6s/oTYViB_e_aUdSjMjU2haVTImMiWg2fwmgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1893.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-72StZH7gcNA/WgG423MkUTI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/EgFwjRopf24dseOjvoL1AcO9lbkw9q8OACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1895.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-72StZH7gcNA/WgG423MkUTI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/EgFwjRopf24dseOjvoL1AcO9lbkw9q8OACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1895.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ep91FwoP4mg/WgG43IH5QiI/AAAAAAAAF6g/cn6P9kpCXWkY2Mj62wuWUzYHkZpkCACBQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1896.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ep91FwoP4mg/WgG43IH5QiI/AAAAAAAAF6g/cn6P9kpCXWkY2Mj62wuWUzYHkZpkCACBQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1896.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--81tktiIsYs/WgG424ZWxtI/AAAAAAAAF6Y/X6X6Ur-9G0Qr3HIJ4-7N084QuuVpYHktwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1897.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--81tktiIsYs/WgG424ZWxtI/AAAAAAAAF6Y/X6X6Ur-9G0Qr3HIJ4-7N084QuuVpYHktwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1897.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49124642017-10-30T15:44:00-04:002021-08-10T04:34:28-04:00Crockpot chili, house concerts, and 18th century dress!I hosted a house concert last night, and it was just the most fun, pleasant little experience. My house isn't very big, so I didn't invite many people and ultimately had to decline a few people's interest for the sake of everyone having enough personal space in my living room. Still, it's amazing how much room you can find when you move the furniture out of the way and bring in a few folding chairs. We had a nice group of around 20 adults and 5 kids. It was plenty -- any more would have been uncomfortable -- but it was the perfect mix of neighbors and friends and family.<br><br>And The Black Feathers were just brilliant! I say "brilliant" partly because they live in England, and that's a very British word. Mostly, however, it's because they are really, really good. Tight harmonies, great picking, and just really pleasant to listen to.<br><br>It makes me want to build an addition onto my house purely for the sake of hosting house concerts. Or at least knock down that pesky living room wall.<br><br>I did make a crockpot chili that was popular -- though I think I used too much cinnamon.<br><br>Fabulous photos here:<br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x4KuSXIluhs/Wfd_OX6h-FI/AAAAAAAAF4k/eBLRlMLIO4wdbvvZniHrpmjRyGM4gGp7ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x4KuSXIluhs/Wfd_OX6h-FI/AAAAAAAAF4k/eBLRlMLIO4wdbvvZniHrpmjRyGM4gGp7ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1551.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crockpot chili!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzYwhwGsMsp9FMlGV638g29ffJmsF3G4dUWsXIMYDUsqAHcJDhSqhbPm4LuU8x6SV8VHPvHzP71ma6xIiwLpw" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Also- I had 7 gigs last week, and one of them was a fantastically fun show with an 18th Century band that required Fancy Dress! My neighbor sews beautifully accurate historical clothing, so she dressed me. Then my Wee Angus promptly messed up my laces and undid my scarf, which made someone dressed like a RedCoat walk past and shout "Madam!" while covering his eyes. Oops. I'm an 18th century tart! But playing the musical saw and the mandolin was fun.<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdiIqg-2rZw/Wfd_NyNEUpI/AAAAAAAAF4c/p2I16CKcHqUlGcUbdB29aB_1eRURx4XRgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1542-1.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdiIqg-2rZw/Wfd_NyNEUpI/AAAAAAAAF4c/p2I16CKcHqUlGcUbdB29aB_1eRURx4XRgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1542-1.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dhBz9j7LtP4/Wfd_OmOANtI/AAAAAAAAF4s/l7khVPCW7qoqMts-1mRENNv_TRvLNgdoACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1544.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dhBz9j7LtP4/Wfd_OmOANtI/AAAAAAAAF4s/l7khVPCW7qoqMts-1mRENNv_TRvLNgdoACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1544.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GajG7Lx86r0/Wfd_N7G0kiI/AAAAAAAAF4Y/Ir5Yrhd3t1AiugS0ndl4NDsqkkXW_-FhwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GajG7Lx86r0/Wfd_N7G0kiI/AAAAAAAAF4Y/Ir5Yrhd3t1AiugS0ndl4NDsqkkXW_-FhwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1545.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/49030032017-10-23T13:18:00-04:002017-10-23T13:45:21-04:00UK Tour dates... almost ready to announce... <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JOo8ll67f8Y/We4kSeOCypI/AAAAAAAAF2k/8hDGiOMS2OsfWmrFGKg_UK_pfGwGdPXwQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-10-23%2Bat%2B1.16.55%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JOo8ll67f8Y/We4kSeOCypI/AAAAAAAAF2k/8hDGiOMS2OsfWmrFGKg_UK_pfGwGdPXwQCK4BGAYYCw/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-10-23%2Bat%2B1.16.55%2BPM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="197" width="200" /></a>I'm currently trying to fill in dates on this United Kingdom tour that I've booked for February. Some of the dates have been really easy to fill, but I'm now trying my best not to have any days off. Days off when you're on tour just mean you have to 1) pay for a hotel room and 2) not make any money. I've been staring at a Google doc I made, and my eyes are spinning now.<br><br>Here's what I'm looking to fill:<br><br><b>Sunday 28 January & Monday January 29 </b>in Dorset or Somerset or South Wales<br><b>Saturday Feb 3 </b>in Northumberland or the Scottish Borders or even Glasgow would be great<br><br>Anyone have any leads or ideas on pubs/venues/folk clubs or maybe even interest in hosting a house concert? House concerts can be as small as 10 people ... you don't need a huge place :)<br><br>In other news, I am hosting a House Concert at my place on Sunday, Oct 29. It's the Black Feathers, from Gloucestershire, England, and they are just wonderful. Message me if you're interested in attending ... it's looking like it'll have to be an indoor event because of weather, so I'll have to cap the RSVPs at 30.<br><br>Here's some of their music:<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FiF1vMt3DG4" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48985002017-10-19T10:48:00-04:002017-10-19T14:01:17-04:00Fixing things and gardening. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2grxzb3my6c/Wei6pM4ws-I/AAAAAAAAF10/5wbQbbzH-CwJEZOfpBLopUwOF5UyE_aLQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2grxzb3my6c/Wei6pM4ws-I/AAAAAAAAF10/5wbQbbzH-CwJEZOfpBLopUwOF5UyE_aLQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wee Angus running through Dages Paint!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Have y'all ever flipped a house before? I am sort of doing that, except that it's a rental I've had for 14 years. And it's only ever <i>cost</i> me money because something major breaks and because pretty much every tenant -- no matter how nice a person -- has left the house damaged in some incredibly expensive way. (I swear, I've never been much of a Hobbesian, but being a landlord has given me reason to lean that way.) So really, I suppose, it's the opposite of flipping ...<br><br>Anyway, we are getting rid of this house, and we're fixing everything <i>properly</i>, unlike the people I bought the house from, who just sort of polished some things up and sold it to a sucker like me.<br><br>Fixing things up properly, it turns out, takes a lot of time and money and energy.<br><br>But I'm happy to see this lovely house shining again. I love old homes -- their history, their details, even their dirt. Schnitzelburg was a dairy farm back in the day, so the dirt there now is basically a massive compost bin (that doesn't smell). Gardening in Germantown made me feel like I had an exceptionally green thumb before a neighbor pointed out the amazingly lush history of the dirt.<br><br>Stressors abound lately, and throwing in selling a house just makes it laughable.<br><br>I know, however, that my life is pretty great. It's great to have a home to unload. It's great to be able to use that money to fix up my parents' home. It's great to be able to buy local for fixer-upper supplies (Dages paint got <i>all</i> my money, yesterday!) It's great to be married to David, who knows how to fix <i>everything. (</i>Also, he's really hot.)<br><br><i>Update on my mom here: <a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patsykaelin">https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patsykaelin</a></i><br><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Ways to support indie musicians:</i><br><br><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/brigidkaelin" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">"Like" me on Facebook. </a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.brigidkaelin.com/store" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Buy a physical CD or a t-shirt</a> </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/music" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Download an album - free or pay-what-you-wish</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BqoORJEXEYuA3wBFoQcnj" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Follow me on Spotify.</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/those-who-drift-away/id1256046500" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Or buy on iTunes</a>.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Host a house concert.</a> </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">SHARE THE MUSIC.</li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48934582017-10-16T09:38:00-04:002022-01-28T03:58:58-05:00Blogging from the chemo lab.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjFl5Mwk84o/WeS0bfEL9DI/AAAAAAAAF1Y/TBS9NNbscXAlVnpCj-ErNKLDeyfQjc20gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjFl5Mwk84o/WeS0bfEL9DI/AAAAAAAAF1Y/TBS9NNbscXAlVnpCj-ErNKLDeyfQjc20gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender%2B25.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Gooooood Monday morning, y'all! I'm writing from the Norton Cancer Institute where, for the first time in months, I'm able to accompany my mom to her doctor's appointment. I lost my nanny in August, and it's been a struggle to piecemeal childcare. My in-laws are visiting this week, however, so they're snuggling wee Angus, so I can snuggle my mommy.<br><br>Things I'm observing: it's been 3 months since she's been able to have treatment because her blood counts have been off, making it dangerous to have chemo. Good news/bad news, of course, because no treatment gives the tumors time to grow. Good news is her hair is growing back.<br><br>She'd been dying her hair red for about the last 10 years because she had this redhead daughter and had just always wanted red hair. Because of the dye jobs, none of us ever noticed if her hair was graying or not.<br><br>It's grown back, is about an inch or too long, and I'm here to tell you that at 66 years old, her hair is 98% brown. She has a super cut tiny white patch on her upper right forehead -- and that's it.<br><br>She's also been having some fun with her faux-hawk for the past month and dying it various bright colors that fade after a couple of days. Today she's sitting in a hospital chair, hooked up to a bag of fluids, scrolling through Facebook, with a burgundy stripe in her hair.<br><br>No word on whether there's treatment or not today -- I hope she can have it -- but in the mean time, I'm making good use of a rolling desk and hammering out emails and blogs this morning to catch up with work.<br><br>Super fun weekend of playing music with friends! Belknap Festival was brilliant. Photo below.<br><br><i>Ways to support indie musicians:</i><br><br><ul>
<li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">"Like" me on Facebook. </a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.brigidkaelin.com/store" target="_blank">Buy a physical CD or a t-shirt</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/music" target="_blank">Download an album - free or pay-what-you-wish</a></li>
<li>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BqoORJEXEYuA3wBFoQcnj" target="_blank">Follow me on Spotify.</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/those-who-drift-away/id1256046500" target="_blank">Or buy on iTunes</a>.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert" target="_blank">Host a house concert.</a> </li>
<li>SHARE THE MUSIC.</li>
</ul><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-apTgx0_H9rE/WeS1VISy3qI/AAAAAAAAF1k/Q73BrKxpIegGS8sEF8KDRhXLErUnZMWzQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/belknap%2B2017%2Bby%2Brobert%2Bpieroni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-apTgx0_H9rE/WeS1VISy3qI/AAAAAAAAF1k/Q73BrKxpIegGS8sEF8KDRhXLErUnZMWzQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/belknap%2B2017%2Bby%2Brobert%2Bpieroni.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Robert Pieroni</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48876742017-10-11T13:31:00-04:002017-10-11T19:45:33-04:00Mommy-tracked in the Music Biz. EYE ROLL. <a href="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjJ-_O5rP2eViELYixEfAM_l9ozpcMaWE-BkjkKLyqI58DYRt4dcrgjPtUYCR9DyRBMPyqtsdt-jko-uK0ko8KHOrw/messages/@.id==AGOq1QoAAC40Wd5TQgPQkCXvSCg/content/parts/@.id==2.3/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin&pid=2.3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjJ-_O5rP2eViELYixEfAM_l9ozpcMaWE-BkjkKLyqI58DYRt4dcrgjPtUYCR9DyRBMPyqtsdt-jko-uK0ko8KHOrw/messages/@.id==AGOq1QoAAC40Wd5TQgPQkCXvSCg/content/parts/@.id==2.3/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin&pid=2.3" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" id="yiv9653899306493C8B49-7111-4E63-8D25-822D957FB873" width="320" /></a>A music business friend I hadn't seen in ages asked me what I've been up to lately. "Oh, just gigging, doing self-employed work, hustling, playing lots" -- all of which is true.<br><br>His response? "Oh, I didn't think you'd been playing much since you had kids."<br><br>It's making me CRAZY, y'all. I didn't realize it was possible to get Mommy-tracked in the independent musician business, but argh, it is, and it's irritating as can be. Longer essay on that to follow, but this is just my blog, you know.<br><br>Anyway, I don't always tell <i>you</i>, dear readers, about every single gig I play -- and that's mostly because I play a ton of private events and that just seems mean to tell you about. Like, hey, y'all, I'm playing this amazing house concert this weekend, and the homeowner is making 3 kinds of chili and an entire buffet of desserts and YOU CAN'T COME NANNY-NANNY-BOO-BOO!<br><br>Just for fun, here are some photos of one of these house concerts. Maybe they'll inspire you to host your own event because aren't party-leftovers the best? And bringing live music to your living room is something you'll talk about for years on end.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjJ-_O5rP2eViELYixEfAM_l9ozpcMaWE-BkjkKLyqI58DYRt4dcrgjPtUYCR9DyRBMPyqtsdt-jko-uK0ko8KHOrw/messages/@.id==AGOq1QoAAC40Wd5TQgPQkCXvSCg/content/parts/@.id==2.7/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin&pid=2.7" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjJ-_O5rP2eViELYixEfAM_l9ozpcMaWE-BkjkKLyqI58DYRt4dcrgjPtUYCR9DyRBMPyqtsdt-jko-uK0ko8KHOrw/messages/@.id==AGOq1QoAAC40Wd5TQgPQkCXvSCg/content/parts/@.id==2.7/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin&pid=2.7" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" id="yiv96538993069459DEBE-6D2E-4859-98B6-66C29FB8E03D" width="224" /></a></div><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjJ-_O5rP2eViELYixEfAM_l9ozpcMaWE-BkjkKLyqI58DYRt4dcrgjPtUYCR9DyRBMPyqtsdt-jko-uK0ko8KHOrw/messages/@.id==AGOq1QoAAC40Wd5TQgPQkCXvSCg/content/parts/@.id==2.5/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin&pid=2.5" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" id="yiv9653899306D7929535-C187-43F7-882A-27E104C46A7B" width="320" /><br><a href="http://www.brigidkaelin.com/store" target="_blank">BUY MY NEW ALBUM PLEASE OR AT LEAST BUY A T-SHIRT!</a><br><h4>United Kingdom I've got dates available:</h4><br><ul>
<li>
<b>Monday, January 29</b> in Somerset or Dorset or South Wales or Bath/Bristol?</li>
<li>
<b>Saturday, February 3</b> ideally somewhere between Yorkshire and Edinburgh, but, hey, I'm not about backtracking. </li>
</ul><div>I'm all about work these days, y'all. Work work work work work work work.</div><div><br></div><div>Also, I'm selling my house in Schnitzelburg. Anyone want it? 1350 sq ft? 2/1? You know it's hott there right now.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48775192017-10-04T13:24:00-04:002023-12-10T13:36:04-05:00Sukkot celebrations and tricks.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZzZafSOt0E/WdUZJrzDOkI/AAAAAAAAF0w/lXufbFAM55Q4FWF6DQ2NtfXanvnxnIICgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/photo%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZzZafSOt0E/WdUZJrzDOkI/AAAAAAAAF0w/lXufbFAM55Q4FWF6DQ2NtfXanvnxnIICgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/photo%252815%2529.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graham as a pumpkin in 2013. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>We spent last weekend building a shed, or as I like to think of it, <i>preparing for Sukkot</i>. Y'all, I think I'm going to start getting *really* into Sukkot. I grew up more Jewish than Catholic (interfaith parents), but I still didn't know what Sukkot was until I learned my kid's preschool canceled school for two days because of it. Further research revealed that Sukkot is probably the holiday behind Thanksgiving -- not necessarily a cultural appropriation, but more, like WHAT A GREAT IDEA FOR A HOLIDAY, LET'S ALL DO IT.<br><br>This year Sukkot happens to coincide with some houseguests who are not Jewish, but always very inquisitive about Jewish traditions. I'm tempted to play the most wonderful tricks on them and make sure they are get a chance to craft a proper "Sukkot hat" and attend the "Traditional Sukkot Seance" while making sure <i>everyone at the table</i> is wearing the "Orange Sukkot Scarf." But not everyone things my jokes are funny, and I don't want anyone to think I'm being mean, rather than playful.<br><br>Instead, I think I'll just, as stated above, get <i>really into Sukkot</i>, and we can all have Thanksgiving in October. Because, really, Thanksgiving is just the best holiday, so why not have two? Or, more accurately, I suppose we'll have Sukkot, and then we'll have Sukkot again the fourth Thursday in November.<br><br><a href="http://www.brigidkaelin.com/store" target="_blank">BUY MY CD PLEASE. Or download it for free, whatever, but maybe buy a t-shirt?</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48737462017-10-02T12:16:00-04:002022-03-16T15:14:41-04:00Laundry and marriage and folding boards.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XmjSlI3p4q0/WdJk3HatkGI/AAAAAAAAF0I/9hdsMsi5bakCu4SUw_OUYiKVUmeNnb9bQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XmjSlI3p4q0/WdJk3HatkGI/AAAAAAAAF0I/9hdsMsi5bakCu4SUw_OUYiKVUmeNnb9bQCK4BGAYYCw/s200/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, why does it matter how you<br>fold DIAPERS when they are just<br>gonna get POOPED on anyway?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><h4>How do you all sort out laundry with your partners? </h4>For years, we each just did our own laundry. But three years into David traveling all the time, and his laundry piling up because I didn't want him spending our family time doing laundry on the weekends, I decided to take over laundry completely.<br><br><br>I honestly don't mind. It's not like I love laundry, but I <i>do</i> work out of my home office, which happens to be right next to the laundry room. So when a student is late while I'm teaching, I'll switch a load, or while I'm creating invoices or answering emails, I'll switch another load. I generally do 6-8 loads of laundry on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and it's finished.<br><br>I thought it was working quite well.<br><br>UNTIL ...<br><h4>I apparently do not fold his clothes properly.</h4>This is not surprising, and it should in no way be construed as a "man has wife who does his laundry, but is critical of her folding techniques," even though I suppose that would be a factual headline. I am the one insisting on doing the laundry, however, because I am tired of the massive piles of dirty clothes on the floor and doing everyone's laundry helps keep me on a schedule.<br><br>A few weeks ago, he said he would rather me not fold it at all than to fold it incorrectly.<br><br>So I stopped folding his clothes. Sometimes I carry up a wad of clean clothes in a laundry basket. Sometimes I just lay everything flat in a big pile and put it in his office to deal with. I'm not sure I love this, however, because now there is just a big pile of <i>clean</i> clothes rather than a big pile of dirty clothes, so how is this solving a problem?<br><br>He asked me, "Would you like me to show you how to fold them?" I promptly replied that if he enjoyed being married to me, he would absolutely <i>not</i> <i>teach me how to fold his underwear</i>. But since it seems important to him, I would watch a YouTube video that shows me the way he likes them folded and adjust accordingly.<br><br>He has yet to send me such a video, so the wads of clean clothes continue. I suggested that he maybe create his own YouTube video, but then I thought that might make him a huge enemy to all women -- a video of a man teaching his wife how to fold his old fraternity dance t-shirts probably does not endear him to the world.<br><br>And, my friends, he is very endearing. He just cares a little more about right angles and matching socks than I do.<br><br>I asked a friend about this, but she was no help because she uses a FOLDING BOARD. Someone point me in a more civil direction?<br><br>Gratuitous photo of adorable children just because:<br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ocwh6-6npb8/WdJmKQ09Q0I/AAAAAAAAF0c/y-ScuJ-41lIYVdw8sOJ6hUXUrC14NNgHQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ocwh6-6npb8/WdJmKQ09Q0I/AAAAAAAAF0c/y-ScuJ-41lIYVdw8sOJ6hUXUrC14NNgHQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_1075.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brothers holding hands on the sidewalk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48690142017-09-28T11:16:00-04:002017-09-28T13:45:23-04:00Mental health checkup & irish fest photos.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bh-DaWyeudI/Wc0Rw3oOe4I/AAAAAAAAFzg/aAkY4Icm2zwoEmB53YX4M3-uSF8FAjLUQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1083.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bh-DaWyeudI/Wc0Rw3oOe4I/AAAAAAAAFzg/aAkY4Icm2zwoEmB53YX4M3-uSF8FAjLUQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1083.PNG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband's snapchat, ha ha!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hey friends! I think my antidepressants are working. How's that for straight-talk about mental health? I've been a bit of a mess since my live-in nanny went on vacation 2 months ago. I can't decide if it's because I haven't been able to work or because I haven't been able to go to yoga, but I need to find some sort of regular childcare so I can do both. Today, however, I have a babysitter, and I've escaped to a coffeeshop to answer a bunch of emails, build invoices, and book tours. Tonight I am playing a 3-hour gig with the best bluegrass band in the state, and that is something to look forward to. I still have 105 unheard voicemails, but it feels good to want to get out there again.<br><br>Also, there are $484 flights to Paris from Cincinnati, so don't be surprised if you see me checking in to the Eiffel Tower at some point. I need a break, and Angus needs a passport stamp.<br><br>Irish Fest was good fun, and here are some highlights:<br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yqJMuEJo0pE/Wc0SKyNPZWI/AAAAAAAAFz4/rSgclxDl-zorRfKAO6BHoYjMmu9SGhp-QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yqJMuEJo0pE/Wc0SKyNPZWI/AAAAAAAAFz4/rSgclxDl-zorRfKAO6BHoYjMmu9SGhp-QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1084.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cargo bike loaded with my guitar, saw, accordion, merch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-arT1nGSNfGY/Wc0RzH1irqI/AAAAAAAAFzo/YscgrhAekHk5qlg1shGpe71owzND1kdDwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-arT1nGSNfGY/Wc0RzH1irqI/AAAAAAAAFzo/YscgrhAekHk5qlg1shGpe71owzND1kdDwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1082.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess hair!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2teGZGTRMg/Wc0RzaIwRVI/AAAAAAAAFzw/LaItbjzDmcUuTo2Fn_a01wgyU3LmPEAcgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_1102.JPG.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="228" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from soundcheck. Steve Cooley and Mike Schroeder.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2teGZGTRMg/Wc0RzaIwRVI/AAAAAAAAFzw/LaItbjzDmcUuTo2Fn_a01wgyU3LmPEAcgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"></a><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2teGZGTRMg/Wc0RzaIwRVI/AAAAAAAAFzw/LaItbjzDmcUuTo2Fn_a01wgyU3LmPEAcgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48578502017-09-20T09:58:00-04:002022-01-17T06:01:32-05:00Louisville, Kentucky t-shirts for Those Who Drift Away.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bmsVVXzdY28/WcJzeQKlbHI/AAAAAAAAFzI/1Ev525zOuB0SjQSwQ6nn56vKR_IvytgZACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bmsVVXzdY28/WcJzeQKlbHI/AAAAAAAAFzI/1Ev525zOuB0SjQSwQ6nn56vKR_IvytgZACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1065.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><br>MY SECOND RUN OF T-SHIRTS HAS ARRIVED! If you ordered one at my CD release show, I'll get it to you ASAP. Wayne & April, I haven't gotten any sans fleur-de-lis yet, but I'm working on it. The rest of you, I'll send you an email, or message me.<br><br>Shirts are $20 no matter your size, and I would LOVE to sell one to you. I mean, no one buys CDs anymore, so if you're just streaming my new album because you like everything digital, then how about buying a shirt? It's grey, so it works well with your minimal wardrobe. And my name is on the back, so mostly you can have a cool shirt with Kentucky on it. And don't we all need one of those???<br><br><a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/store">https://brigidkaelin.com/store</a><br><br>Fall has consistently been my busiest gigging season, and this year is no different. I'm doing a zillion private events, from Rosh Hashanah celebrations to fancy soirees, but in between I've got a couple of public gigs.<br><br>This weekend: IRISH FEST!<br>Bellarmine University. I'm emceeing the event, so I'll be there both days all day. It's all ages, and you get a dollar off if you're a Zoo member.<br>I'm also playing two sets of Celtic-inspired songs with Steve Cooley on banjo and Mike Schroeder on mandolin. It'll be a fun event, and if you're vegetarian like me, you have an excuse to eat french fries all weekend.<br>Saturday 9/23 on the Main Stage at 2:40<br>Sunday 9/24 at the Cralle Theatre at 12:15<br><br>Also:<br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48550952017-09-18T09:58:00-04:002017-09-18T14:15:23-04:00Nashville wrap-up and Monday Morning music.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYUMnX0PK3Q/Wb_QYDn_WKI/AAAAAAAAFyI/4SwKM9ugB4M4UC2fIU2P4XZq2Mrlm28KgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYUMnX0PK3Q/Wb_QYDn_WKI/AAAAAAAAFyI/4SwKM9ugB4M4UC2fIU2P4XZq2Mrlm28KgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy morning bed-head <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">princess hair.</span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Monday morning, y'all. Entirely because of the title, here's a video of Adam Holmes with me on accordion and backup vocals before he released his first album. We're doing a live thing on the BBC, recorded on the Hebredian Isle of Lewis, just before we played HebCelt Music Festival.<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RyZOx0RKfdQ" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Monday is particularly difficult this week, as I'm just returned from a week in Nashville. The AmericanaFest is one of my favorite weeks of the year, a time when I get to catch up with industry friends from around the globe and see music. This year I didn't get to see as much music because I had my babies with me. Not ideal, but I brought a babysitter with me to manage times when I was at panels or lunches or interviews. She was wonderful and made the conference possible, but I still wish I could have gone solo to the event -- it's really hard for me to clock out of parenting and into music-ing. Re-entry is easier because I'm happy to see the boys, but <i>leaving</i> them without anxiety and list-managing? SO HARD.<br><br>Anyhoo, I'm off to edit a little interview that Michael Young did with Joan Osborne that I got some video off. Will share in a bit! She's a hometown hero, and wow, is she smart.<br>Photos from Nashville:<br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XW7z8WXrgcI/Wb_Pig4rzYI/AAAAAAAAFx8/bettKurieP8ZXEQCqZmRQMNq7mUkDzyowCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XW7z8WXrgcI/Wb_Pig4rzYI/AAAAAAAAFx8/bettKurieP8ZXEQCqZmRQMNq7mUkDzyowCK4BGAYYCw/s400/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM THE WESTIN!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dazNXetEPpM/Wb_PfCSs18I/AAAAAAAAFx0/4Il4Ji9qK74rQaED_vqTHZ7B1hHn8EhPACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5687.JPG-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dazNXetEPpM/Wb_PfCSs18I/AAAAAAAAFx0/4Il4Ji9qK74rQaED_vqTHZ7B1hHn8EhPACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5687.JPG-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0xx0iok5F1s/Wb_QnPevfaI/AAAAAAAAFyw/iS_zWqTwItkglAnj6aEdHN82G-omCVcTACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0903.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0xx0iok5F1s/Wb_QnPevfaI/AAAAAAAAFyw/iS_zWqTwItkglAnj6aEdHN82G-omCVcTACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0903.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BWptsTc3xx0/Wb_QnNmmncI/AAAAAAAAFyU/3jIhOztQ0ZcVBzlw-84XxPxs6aAt-vfgACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0928.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BWptsTc3xx0/Wb_QnNmmncI/AAAAAAAAFyU/3jIhOztQ0ZcVBzlw-84XxPxs6aAt-vfgACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0928.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yYNN1lzo3H4/Wb_QnFJ1GEI/AAAAAAAAFyY/mrLB6BzufnkQGTRswlcX2BR15DYrSVL2wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0930%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yYNN1lzo3H4/Wb_QnFJ1GEI/AAAAAAAAFyY/mrLB6BzufnkQGTRswlcX2BR15DYrSVL2wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0930%2B2.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g70LXeZXONM/Wb_QnEHjp_I/AAAAAAAAFyo/oxCH9NB-Cy8vfMTltGzac-cKJ7jWrHZQwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g70LXeZXONM/Wb_QnEHjp_I/AAAAAAAAFyo/oxCH9NB-Cy8vfMTltGzac-cKJ7jWrHZQwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0940.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N39PlBcWs-s/Wb_QnAug5RI/AAAAAAAAFyk/1YZqjY4bxUYWx0RDpgjUAVmiuQaZF99wgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N39PlBcWs-s/Wb_QnAug5RI/AAAAAAAAFyk/1YZqjY4bxUYWx0RDpgjUAVmiuQaZF99wgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0955.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-MjkqiwNbo/Wb_QnkV6IqI/AAAAAAAAFy4/sb6R5ahI6Bg_0iksvy0ykCKFFZoxjrHowCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0978.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-MjkqiwNbo/Wb_QnkV6IqI/AAAAAAAAFy4/sb6R5ahI6Bg_0iksvy0ykCKFFZoxjrHowCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0978.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48484302017-09-13T10:37:00-04:002017-09-13T11:45:22-04:00AmericanaFest Day 1. Nashville, y'all!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x4ntnuv4aUA/WblCKF4a8cI/AAAAAAAAFw4/NN-bYQ6FrD4Y5XRc_8fPoD9iD0ADFuJ1QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x4ntnuv4aUA/WblCKF4a8cI/AAAAAAAAFw4/NN-bYQ6FrD4Y5XRc_8fPoD9iD0ADFuJ1QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0865.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Good morning from AmericanaFest! I'm in Nashville (MY HOUSE IS GUARDED BY THREE BIG STRONG HOUSESITTERS/HOUSEGUESTS, SO STAY AWAY STALKERS!), and I'm a nervous mess because I have to be social. The stage is just so much safer.<br><br>Here are some thoughts as I stare out at the Nashville skyline from a swanky hotel couch. My coffee table is made of a tree trunk spray painted gold because it's Westin-hip I guess.<br><br><br><div class="p1"><span class="s1">In Nashville for the week for work — catching up with industry friends and trying to figure out how this business has changed since I squeezed out my babies. The music business is not kind to mothers, as I found out last night attempting to go to a free show in the penthouse at 8pm when I was told it was 21 and up, despite a sleeping baby on my back and a well-behaved almost-5-year-old at my side. Sigh. Good thing I was tired anyway.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br></span></div><div class="p1">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T2WfZO4yow4/WblCjxQEtcI/AAAAAAAAFxI/5xuK8gJetJMfjNlIeCa9x2mCK3pr_RUywCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T2WfZO4yow4/WblCjxQEtcI/AAAAAAAAFxI/5xuK8gJetJMfjNlIeCa9x2mCK3pr_RUywCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0864.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span>
</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">This morning I left the kids in my hotel room with a babysitter and a pile of puzzles and have camped out in the Westin Club Lounge to try to sort out my day and the hours i need childcare depending on which panels and shows I’m attending. I sat down with a cup of coffee, put my red boots on the window sill, and stared out at the ever-changing skyline of Nashville.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br></span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The first building to catch my eye is the old train station at 10th & Broadway. It’s in the middle of Nashville, a busy area right next to an Art museum. Oddly, there is a matching building at 10th & Broadway in Louisville because, I believe it was the buildings that connected the L&N railroad line.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br></span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The second building I’m staring down at is this wide red building directing below the hotel. It was my first stop in Nashville for my first real trip down here — back in 2006 for the semi-finals of a TV show on the USA Network called <i>Nashville Star. </i>It was in this building where I had my production interviews and band rehearsals for the show taping. This area of town sure has changed in 10 years, as have I. What a weird business I’m in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">It’s funny, but all I really care about is traveling and performing for people. I hate recording. I love writing songs and sharing them with people. I love making people smile and making people think and forging connections that are real-world instead of Twitter-world and reminding people that we are all in it together, even though it seems like maybe we’re all on some weird reality show.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style> <br><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Deep breaths and music, I guess.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48408382017-09-07T11:57:00-04:002017-09-07T14:45:23-04:00Sid Griffin show on Sunday Sept 10.<div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Louisville! I am playing a public show on Sunday, September 10 at Monnik (in Germantown at the old Zeppelin aka the old Heitzman Bakery). I am just the opener an am playing a 45-minute set as a solo — but it’s likely that Dennis Ledford will be playing some guitar with me. No full band because I don’t want to upstage the main act in terms of band members … and the main act is <b><a href="http://www.sidgriffin.com/" target="_blank">Sid Griffin.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></a></b></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">I first met Sid maybe 15 years ago, when I was first starting out in the Louisville music scene, and he came to town an played the Rudyard Kipling every couple of years. It’s now turned into TEN years since he’s played here because he has lived in London for ages.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bq6U2W4rfUg/WbFscj8dq3I/AAAAAAAAFwo/Z29_wgPn8j4qli5n43VouOwF1_cKd2BbQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/sid%2Bposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bq6U2W4rfUg/WbFscj8dq3I/AAAAAAAAFwo/Z29_wgPn8j4qli5n43VouOwF1_cKd2BbQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/sid%2Bposter.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="224" /></a><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">You know I have a problem with attachment to the United Kingdom. I can’t really explain why, but somehow the country is in my DNA, and I just get that magic feeling every time I touchdown on the island. On my last few England/Scotland tours, I’ve seen Sid’s name but never managed to connect — his current band, The Coal Porters, played Edinburgh the week before I was there, or he had a London gig the same night I did. Something always prevented our catching up on anything besides The Twitter.</span></span>
</div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">But he’s an Americana legend — full of stories, songs, brushes with celebrity, and more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m looking forward to to this show because<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div><div style="height: 0px;"></div><ul>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m playing mostly solo, so I can try out new stuff. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Monnik has re-done the upstairs venue, and I can’t wait to see what it’s like. Louisville could really use a nice 100-person room.</span></span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">I get to hear Sid play, and that’s a guaranteed good concert. He’s also got Danny Kiely on bass and Allison Summers on violin, and I’ll be sitting in on accordion on some tunes as well.</span></span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">IT’S AN EARLY SHOW! Doors at 6:30. I play 7:00-7:45.</span></span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Advance tickets are $12. They are $15 at the door. Or if you’re British, it’s $15 “on the door.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></li>
</ul><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br></span></div><br><br> <style type="text/css">p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} li.li1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 12.0px Helvetica} ol.ol1 {list-style-type: decimal} </style> <br><div class="p2">
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48333882017-08-31T11:21:00-04:002022-03-11T06:27:45-05:00Video of CD Release party with DAN CANON! He's such a star.One of my favorite people in the world made a surprise guest appearance at my CD release show last month. He's also RUNNING FOR CONGRESS! When I met him, he was a high school dropout, who happened to be incredible at any instrument with strings, well-traveled, and spoke several languages. In the past 17 years since we met, he went to university, then law school, then opened his own law practice specializing in Civil Rights, then took a landmark case to the SUPREME COURT and gained marriage equality for the United States of America. I have no doubt that our children will write papers about him. Law students probably already are.<br><br>Politics aside, he is a <i>good person</i>, who really, truly, wants what is best for humanity. And here he is playing guitar with l'il' ol' ME! Swoon.<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSL70UmHoxQ" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48314312017-08-30T08:55:00-04:002017-08-30T09:00:52-04:00Nanny-daydreams, Career thoughts, and What I'm into now.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-viqQR-PFTWQ/WaayX63WHiI/AAAAAAAAFvw/UGb1hNXg02E4GdVrqaRp-9mkKfjRHsBsACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Photo%2Bon%2B8-30-17%2Bat%2B8.39%2BAM.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-viqQR-PFTWQ/WaayX63WHiI/AAAAAAAAFvw/UGb1hNXg02E4GdVrqaRp-9mkKfjRHsBsACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Photo%2Bon%2B8-30-17%2Bat%2B8.39%2BAM.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="213" width="320" /></a> Good morning from Heine Brothers! No babysitter/nanny/co-parent today, so I'm doing the best I can with what I've got. Anyone out there want to trade babysitting for piano lessons? Or guitar lessons? Or background music at your Christmas party? We had an quasi au pair for a while, but it didn't work out because our schedules never quite meshed. A professional au pair is a bit out of our reach, but someday ... someday.<br><br>I do have these visions of hitting the road with my babies and bringing along a nanny -- someone who is up for adventures at the drop of a credit card and who keeps a valid passport at all times. Maybe someone who wants to be an artist herself, but who could use the boost of free rent and flexible hours. I know, I know, I could ask at nearby universities, but I'm sort of hoping this situation comes about organically, much like it did for me when I was a live-in part-time nanny for a magical family in NYC. We were perfect for each other, and I was even able to maintain a full-time job at CBS News simultaneously.<br><br>In the mean time, I desperately need to find some sort of structure and routine to my wacky self-employed career, so I can properly balance it with parenting and coordinating babysitters. I'm very good at making lists, but I'm not so great at implementation these days.<br><br>Yesterday, however, I started a weekly video series in order to hold myself accountable to playing music for the public (all I do are private parties lately because THEY PAY WELL!):<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aT37lIaHi-s" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Currently reading:<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Distant-View-Everything-Isabel-Dalhousie/dp/0307908941" target="_blank"> <i>A Distant View of Everything </i></a>by Alexander McCall Smith<br>Currently watching: Reign, Season 3.<br>Current mood: melancholy, like this song:<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C84_sQ3pJFM" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48259292017-08-25T09:41:00-04:002019-10-30T02:30:53-04:00Weekend jaunt to NYC - here's what we ate.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMCeU_eIIjY/WaAmoYypfLI/AAAAAAAAFtA/2vlJnstHQdU9rsFFHce7oIutjn6jB0mDQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMCeU_eIIjY/WaAmoYypfLI/AAAAAAAAFtA/2vlJnstHQdU9rsFFHce7oIutjn6jB0mDQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender%2B24.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My kids only sleep on airplanes. I'll take it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My mom's chemo has been postponed several weeks in a row now because of low blood counts, so I decided to take her on a last-minute trip to NYC this past weekend. If you know me at all, you know that I love spontaneous travel -- even when it involves a sick mother and a needy toddler. I bought cheap flights out of Cincinnati, packed the three of us in one carry-on bag, and off we went.<br><br>Having lived in NYC on less-than-a-student budget for 5 years, I am pretty good about budget traveling in NYC. Mom was a trooper and didn't flinch at taking the bus and subway from the airport. We bought unlimited MetroCards and were at our hotel in less than an hour.<br><br>We stayed at the Sheraton TriBeCa (for free on points!), which was great. The Club Lounge offered a rooftop view of the Empire State Building, and we saved a lot of money by snacking there. They even had free wine in the evenings.<br><br>Leaving both the wheelchair and the stroller at home was a good idea, as there are too many curbs and stairs to navigate in NYC. Angus traveled in the Tula all weekend, and Mom brought a cane for stability.<br><br>The subway system is horrible for anyone with mobility issues, so we opted to take the bus more than the train. It was slower (and on Sundays ran less often), but it is a GREAT way to watch the city roll by. When you take the subway, you see rats and darkness. When you take the M3 down 5th Avenue from Central Park East, you see The Plaza, Tiffany's, Trump Tower, the New York Public Library, the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building, and the Washington Square Park Arch. It was like those Hop-On-Hop-Off tours, but quicker and without tourists.<br><br>We did take about 3 taxis for short distances when a bus wouldn't drop us close enough (Mom's a trooper, but she does have stage 4 cancer, and I didn't want to wear her out), but we definitely got our money's worth on those unlimited metrocards.<br><br>Drumroll, please, though, as we know the most important part of any vacation is the FOOD!!<br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zc2dzui2efk/WaAmpCEPyiI/AAAAAAAAFtQ/gx2BkVFbD9o0x2vakMuSIHMUqQsJIizLgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zc2dzui2efk/WaAmpCEPyiI/AAAAAAAAFtQ/gx2BkVFbD9o0x2vakMuSIHMUqQsJIizLgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0488.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooftop Club Lounge at the Sheraton TriBeCa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWnwF2w0ymM/WaAmuR8kBJI/AAAAAAAAFuo/LZ3JGA3GuoULrV2xHgAX3vS95VYIoBeZACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWnwF2w0ymM/WaAmuR8kBJI/AAAAAAAAFuo/LZ3JGA3GuoULrV2xHgAX3vS95VYIoBeZACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0496.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Italy dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vO_ARttdx-Y/WaAmsrgqTJI/AAAAAAAAFt0/0apgBTcB8pw0uaCBXq85eQ5sNKLBmkZdgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vO_ARttdx-Y/WaAmsrgqTJI/AAAAAAAAFt0/0apgBTcB8pw0uaCBXq85eQ5sNKLBmkZdgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Primavera in Little Italy. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UllRm8M8VNU/WaAmuY5A5FI/AAAAAAAAFus/ADJCeW7Ks-0E1ZfDPM4y1p9Tzv42gaF4ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UllRm8M8VNU/WaAmuY5A5FI/AAAAAAAAFus/ADJCeW7Ks-0E1ZfDPM4y1p9Tzv42gaF4ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0502.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something with seafood in Little Italy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_EoLx8VMbeg/WaAmtZGfc5I/AAAAAAAAFuA/kjEh1XVLCU0_83cfPGjSUDEnlfQ2UavTwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_EoLx8VMbeg/WaAmtZGfc5I/AAAAAAAAFuA/kjEh1XVLCU0_83cfPGjSUDEnlfQ2UavTwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0505.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing my primavera with Angus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V1MwfO_hPtM/WaAmuaB7f8I/AAAAAAAAFvI/R5_SPtpvYQs9cjCDxBO7swVVcfh0AxcHwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V1MwfO_hPtM/WaAmuaB7f8I/AAAAAAAAFvI/R5_SPtpvYQs9cjCDxBO7swVVcfh0AxcHwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0513.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lounging in the Club Lounge rooftop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8bvfZuiuBY8/WaAmunsGtcI/AAAAAAAAFvg/f53Xa0lcUfkP46Y20Se_8PX9fHkJKkF5gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8bvfZuiuBY8/WaAmunsGtcI/AAAAAAAAFvg/f53Xa0lcUfkP46Y20Se_8PX9fHkJKkF5gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0557.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopped by for a photo op, but no beer for us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3Wa7R_PAu8/WaAmuU0T3EI/AAAAAAAAFvY/_epDC2zW31we0OU6hGfqvXlbmwIF9JK-gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3Wa7R_PAu8/WaAmuU0T3EI/AAAAAAAAFvY/_epDC2zW31we0OU6hGfqvXlbmwIF9JK-gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0555.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proper pickles and pastrami at 2nd Ave Deli.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cD7FnpgBDtY/WaAmso4AqpI/AAAAAAAAFto/2lcD_vhK21cn6TWm5CDUkB2HE8LL0fUnwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cD7FnpgBDtY/WaAmso4AqpI/AAAAAAAAFto/2lcD_vhK21cn6TWm5CDUkB2HE8LL0fUnwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0562.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting an old friend, Lorcan Otway, at his pub,<br>The William Barnacle, 80 St. Mark's Place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vv3UHR62Rdw/WaAmuW7fSaI/AAAAAAAAFu8/bAsC3Ed_7vsoILpwdxuZF-UH_LB9NpuOQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vv3UHR62Rdw/WaAmuW7fSaI/AAAAAAAAFu8/bAsC3Ed_7vsoILpwdxuZF-UH_LB9NpuOQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0567.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angus at Tompkins Sq Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71r0tjTjNHc/WaAmsqs7O5I/AAAAAAAAFtg/NyUOF1xMmVADhVtd3jGnUvSidT6ld1G8QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71r0tjTjNHc/WaAmsqs7O5I/AAAAAAAAFtg/NyUOF1xMmVADhVtd3jGnUvSidT6ld1G8QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0579.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too tired for dinner on day 2, so Seamless it was!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca_UMyRzWCA/WaAmt93bI2I/AAAAAAAAFuQ/ULnf5qq4NpAn4IUAeoWahrISEDB8Z9SEgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca_UMyRzWCA/WaAmt93bI2I/AAAAAAAAFuQ/ULnf5qq4NpAn4IUAeoWahrISEDB8Z9SEgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0580.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoteling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTBRqkC4CR8/WaAmssyv45I/AAAAAAAAFt4/ZMpRRcPOXKcXpHkHMH1UHrD40JAsMIPBwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTBRqkC4CR8/WaAmssyv45I/AAAAAAAAFt4/ZMpRRcPOXKcXpHkHMH1UHrD40JAsMIPBwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0592.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A proper schmear! Waverly Diner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pa7yGKjgroA/WaAmuSLUnXI/AAAAAAAAFu4/8nNZTSCvyCU84u7bG5R6ahmtvqQ_huZ_ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pa7yGKjgroA/WaAmuSLUnXI/AAAAAAAAFu4/8nNZTSCvyCU84u7bG5R6ahmtvqQ_huZ_ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0591.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waverly Diner</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9f3qneg0MI/WaAmtk4wsbI/AAAAAAAAFuI/UV8-NGFO_zQb9ulNUEUCix0WBUTXp_uswCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9f3qneg0MI/WaAmtk4wsbI/AAAAAAAAFuI/UV8-NGFO_zQb9ulNUEUCix0WBUTXp_uswCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0593.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Challah french toast.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FCekzTW9k-4/WaAmonaoaYI/AAAAAAAAFtI/-rwkbHYtMDUavL_qjikOd30vkrenHMgnwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FCekzTW9k-4/WaAmonaoaYI/AAAAAAAAFtI/-rwkbHYtMDUavL_qjikOd30vkrenHMgnwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0601.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington Square Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWFXyUk_b_w/WaAmpTBhdlI/AAAAAAAAFtY/nei9CV6NAaQbgDKS8AkuCqpwNp_BNn8KQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWFXyUk_b_w/WaAmpTBhdlI/AAAAAAAAFtY/nei9CV6NAaQbgDKS8AkuCqpwNp_BNn8KQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0629.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eclipse-viewing by The Plaza.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtHlIrvi1Mo/WaAmuTIdzHI/AAAAAAAAFvM/XxbOto2Qa2AJ8heYY5Jkf7DbNvlOTS27ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtHlIrvi1Mo/WaAmuTIdzHI/AAAAAAAAFvM/XxbOto2Qa2AJ8heYY5Jkf7DbNvlOTS27ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0637.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing on the William Tecumseh Sherman statue during the eclipse.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CTUu4QGcU20/WaAmuWA2yQI/AAAAAAAAFvU/NsDDoJMVIBM7sjgQvGIPKS-tJp9iO3qUgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CTUu4QGcU20/WaAmuWA2yQI/AAAAAAAAFvU/NsDDoJMVIBM7sjgQvGIPKS-tJp9iO3qUgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0639.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eclipse in NYC. We made lots of friends because<br>we had extra glasses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvYbpkH_GWw/WaAmt_U2yAI/AAAAAAAAFuY/9oUVHtgmWuIiSpdW79EOXs057fbnF41nwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvYbpkH_GWw/WaAmt_U2yAI/AAAAAAAAFuY/9oUVHtgmWuIiSpdW79EOXs057fbnF41nwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0659.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subway to the airport!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSBiObeS8nQ/WaAlxOXz58I/AAAAAAAAFs0/Yv_iMjSJ_Ls4PctrKnPvNKm0Xzzi1fOrwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSBiObeS8nQ/WaAlxOXz58I/AAAAAAAAFs0/Yv_iMjSJ_Ls4PctrKnPvNKm0Xzzi1fOrwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our splurge of the trip: Tea at the Plaza. #bucketlist</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dwowp6M71do/WaAlqpBG1VI/AAAAAAAAFsk/3l9OBw3v1gEsrSMbmJ6MDo9G3kg0z9sYQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dwowp6M71do/WaAlqpBG1VI/AAAAAAAAFsk/3l9OBw3v1gEsrSMbmJ6MDo9G3kg0z9sYQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_0008.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wcz4MY6YTVE/WaAloncKz5I/AAAAAAAAFsc/XmtwikCrdm4Qp1cWlSpriZWbQ1C6uWmnQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wcz4MY6YTVE/WaAloncKz5I/AAAAAAAAFsc/XmtwikCrdm4Qp1cWlSpriZWbQ1C6uWmnQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_0009.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48227792017-08-23T11:13:00-04:002017-08-23T11:45:23-04:00Laundry is saving my sanity.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7kUc1NUS7Lc/WZ2bioA3jCI/AAAAAAAAFsE/p8KFtda2UqgqWf7-MpbsFS7q3JPgPmT2QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7kUc1NUS7Lc/WZ2bioA3jCI/AAAAAAAAFsE/p8KFtda2UqgqWf7-MpbsFS7q3JPgPmT2QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0362.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family pic that has nothing to do with laundry, <br>but aren't they all just delicious?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Laundry. I'm going a little bonkers after weeks of solo parenting and a (very-part-time) nanny who clocked out on August 1, but my savior, oddly, is <b>laundry</b>.<br><br>You see, for a few months we had someone living in the basement. She babysat several hours a week in exchange for room and board and I was able to, like, finish my record and take the occasional mental health break. But it also meant that my access to the basement -- aka the Laundry Room -- was limited.<br><br>This turned out to be a most excellent problem because it forced ROUTINE on my household duties. We agreed that I would only do laundry on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.<br><br><span style="font-size: large;">It turns out that when you do laundry every 7 days, you suddenly: </span><br><br>1) don't have a gigantic pile of clothes all over your floor/crib/treadmill/guest bed/dog crate/bathroom closet.<br><br>2) have all your clothes clean at once<br><br>3) realize you own WAY more clothes than you need because you keep going back to those same cute underwear with the vintage bicycle print<br><br>4) realize you aren't nearly as minimalist as you though<br><br>5) can purge your closet and dresser<br><br>6) can purge your children's closets and dressers (because they don't need 30 t-shirts either!!!)<br><br>7) suddenly have WAY more room and WAY less clutter.<br><br>I used to be in favor of owning enough underwear to avoid laundry as long as possible. Now, I'm all about 14 pairs of underwear TOPS -- and only because you might go out of town or, as every woman knows, you have to have some icky period underwear just in case.<br><br>Anyway, hot tip, people: Laundry. Once a week. That's it. And get rid of most of your clothes. Except the cute bicycle underwear.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48189112017-08-18T15:04:00-04:002022-05-23T02:58:36-04:00Kindergarten and Cargo Bikes!My wee boy started KINDERGARTEN this week! It's great to have him back on a schedule because he loves routine and structure and rules and art projects, and home-schooling is just <i>not</i> my game, (unless I have a Maria-von-Trapp governess on the payroll because I've won Powerball, then I am <i>100%</i> homeschooling). Anyhoo, here are the boys on the porch:<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DINvZknaJ1s/WZc40fPSIxI/AAAAAAAAFrs/80YIbc7XMjEEfK6EhgZ8V3LtI7GCVFGtACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0450.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DINvZknaJ1s/WZc40fPSIxI/AAAAAAAAFrs/80YIbc7XMjEEfK6EhgZ8V3LtI7GCVFGtACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0450.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_pZ9yipz2w/WZc41W7-xKI/AAAAAAAAFr0/bJL2nVuHUeM8VrlZ1EE0cWpWpBm5qxQKgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0453.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_pZ9yipz2w/WZc41W7-xKI/AAAAAAAAFr0/bJL2nVuHUeM8VrlZ1EE0cWpWpBm5qxQKgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0453.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><br>They are both sweet as can be, and I remind myself how lucky I am -- particularly at 1am when Angus is waking up for the third time, and I'm just a ball of sleep deprived mess.<br><br>I also have failed to alert my faithful blog readers that we got a new family vehicle!! It's amazing. I've been on the road with it for about 3 weeks now, and I love it more every day.<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y_d0z320knk" width="560"></iframe><br><br>It's a Taga 2.0, and we bought it on Kickstarter over a year before it was delivered. As we have been car-free for the past six years, this is a game-changer. I swear, it feels almost like I'm cheating when I zip around toting the kids or the groceries. Part of that guilt is because it's got an electric pedal-assist, so I can conquer the hills of my neighborhood (aptly called "The Highlands") without breaking a sweat. It's fantastic, and I now want to electrify every bicycle we own.<br><br>In business news, <a href="http://www.brigidkaelin.com/store" target="_blank">BUY MY NEW CD, PLEASE??!?!? </a><br><br>Also, I'm booking a house concert tour for the end of October and early-November, and I'd love to play in your living room. Curious about hosting a house concert? <a href="https://brigidkaelin.com/how-to-host-a-house-concert" target="_blank">I wrote an FAQs page here. Check it out.</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48105432017-08-10T16:06:00-04:002021-06-26T14:47:48-04:00Vegetarian Tasting Menu in LOUISVILLE!! <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I was 22 the first time I had a proper meal. It was Paris. A lunch. It was a friend of my parents, who had taken us all out to lunch at a classic <span style="background-color: white;">brasserie -- red awning, sparkling wine, tables too close to your dining neighbors, and only one vegetarian item on the menu: a plate of green beans drowned in a stick of butter. It was the most delicious meal I'd ever had, and entirely because of the company, the atmosphere, the wine, and the fact that it took three hours.</span></span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Since then, my ultimate #treatyoself or vacation goal has been: a long and delicious dining experience, coursed out over a couple of hours.</span></span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">It's a rare experience for me and David, however, because we are vegetarians. When we travel, we seek out the nice restaurants that offer a vegetarian tasting menu -- not just one with a chef willing to tolerate or "create something" for us. Not having to make a special request is <i>everything</i>, and I relish the chefs who recognize that most food, <i>actually</i>, is not made of animals. </span></span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Some of my favorite meals of yore:</span></span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>New Orleans. </b><a href="http://www.restaurantaugust.com/" target="_blank">Restaurant August.</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Edinburgh, Scotland</b>. <a href="https://thekitchin.com/" target="_blank">The Kitchin.</a></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>New York City.</b> <a href="https://www.cafeboulud.com/nyc/" target="_blank">Cafe Boulud</a>.</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Edinburgh, Scotland. </b><a href="http://www.davidbann.com/" target="_blank">David Bann.</a> </span></span><br><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I was just lost in a fantasy remembering other delicious meals (Yellow Bar in Florence, Italy. That conveyor belt sushi place we found in Paris. A breakfast sandwich from Pick a Bagel in Manhattan.), but today my focus is VEGETARIAN TASTING MENUS.</span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I am excited because a LOUISVILLE restaurant (</span><a href="https://www.fatlamblouisville.com/" style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;' target="_blank">The Fat Lamb</a>)<span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'> is smart enough to offer up an entire Vegetarian Tasting Menu event this month, and I CANNOT WAIT. </span><br><br><a href="https://www.fatlamblouisville.com/" style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;' target="_blank">The Fat Lamb</a><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'> </span><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'>is already my favorite new restaurant in this town, and this acknowledgment that vegetarians, too, might like a swanky night out, well, it just cements that honor. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">August 20, with two seatings: 5:30 and 7:30.</span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Wine pairings optional.</span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/ca6348_f0f85f7f53e44360b2de17cd30669327.pdf" target="_blank">Menu available here</a>.</span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1921052921486436" target="_blank">Facebook event here.</a></span><br><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'>I'll be at the 5:30 seating because I have babies, so I can't be eating at 7:30 like a normal person. </span><br><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'><br></span><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'>Here are some photos from when David and I created our own vegetarian tasting menu experience back in January. I meant to blog about it then, but I meant to do a lot of things last winter. </span><br><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'><br></span><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9PuACQFw8kQ/WYy8SrQWkxI/AAAAAAAAFp8/_mLpBhOaScIl-TzzAxaA8acr3ij5pz--ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_7436.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9PuACQFw8kQ/WYy8SrQWkxI/AAAAAAAAFp8/_mLpBhOaScIl-TzzAxaA8acr3ij5pz--ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_7436.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lLuO_QnEzqg/WYy8ZiDKphI/AAAAAAAAFqU/_5b8QOMGAD08-QXcz-LJJw7qq72rnqE2QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_7438.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lLuO_QnEzqg/WYy8ZiDKphI/AAAAAAAAFqU/_5b8QOMGAD08-QXcz-LJJw7qq72rnqE2QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_7438.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></span><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7aXbV0UJ7OU/WYy8cmYVoWI/AAAAAAAAFqc/c49qF36a1FgpaRvCBaz4nGToXGYHBjyoACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_7435.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7aXbV0UJ7OU/WYy8cmYVoWI/AAAAAAAAFqc/c49qF36a1FgpaRvCBaz4nGToXGYHBjyoACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_7435.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Uoeg43QZKg/WYy8fEUv5iI/AAAAAAAAFqk/3rtFhlwoaVwoiTkFLccTfNH7bhfQ5HE8QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_7434.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Uoeg43QZKg/WYy8fEUv5iI/AAAAAAAAFqk/3rtFhlwoaVwoiTkFLccTfNH7bhfQ5HE8QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_7434.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'><br></span><span style='font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'><br></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/48003422017-08-02T11:33:00-04:002017-08-02T15:07:59-04:00CD Release Party Wrap-up!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nC_vg3L3QE/WYHv549N6iI/AAAAAAAAFms/T8VrHO9RqGIw1Xo1DEtO9hMhXdlFGdyCwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nC_vg3L3QE/WYHv549N6iI/AAAAAAAAFms/T8VrHO9RqGIw1Xo1DEtO9hMhXdlFGdyCwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0204.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="256" /></a><br><h4>MY CD RELEASE SHOW WAS AMAZING! If you weren't there (the place was packed, but I still missed many of your smiling face!), then you missed a spectacular display of support for live independent music. But goodness knows I understand other responsibilities and the difficulty of getting out to hear local music. </h4><br><br><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/hearalexwright" target="_blank">Alex Wright</a> </b>is one amazing guy, and he was great fun to work with on this show. He's as good at the business end as the music end, and (unfortunately) that is just as important, if not more so. I think it was a good partnership. Go "like" his Facebook page. (And like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">mine</a>, while you're at it, please! It seems minor, but it's oddly a really good way to help indie artists.)<br><br><a href="http://twistedevents.net/" target="_blank"><b>Twisted Events</b> </a>hosted a special VIP section at Headliners, with heavy appetizers and a beautiful cupcake display for my birthday. <a href="mailto:tyra@twistedevents.net" target="_blank"><b>Tyra</b></a> is the owner of <a href="http://twistedevents.net/" target="_blank"><b>Twisted Events,</b></a> and she's got incredible vision and implementation.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79M5HEAvIGY/WYHvzlr5eTI/AAAAAAAAFmk/F6VVKzUqu3Q768g8S6fr-xuVQmwGcHE_ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79M5HEAvIGY/WYHvzlr5eTI/AAAAAAAAFmk/F6VVKzUqu3Q768g8S6fr-xuVQmwGcHE_ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0202.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><br>Joe Mays of <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlienTwilightPhotography/" target="_blank">Alien Twilight Photography</a></b> took some video of the night, and I don't even know where to begin to post it. But it's good to FINALLY have some professional footage of a full band show. Thank you, Joe! Will be posting soon.<br><b><br></b><h3>
<b>Catch my band LIVE for FREE on Thursday August 3 at Metro Hall in Downtown Louisville.</b> I'm playing the Mayor's Music & Art Series at noon. It's a full-band show. If the weather holds, it'll be outside. </h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N3UsNpHirCA/WYHwGq_iUII/AAAAAAAAFm0/SaXh8FpbJE0PjQVTVW25k-bQx0AGzM_9wCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_0209.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of the night hanger-outers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L9PKmkbkslM/WYHwIhU5JfI/AAAAAAAAFm8/puFjXyOCh-kVnyHSxNXmpG1szGGOeSTkACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L9PKmkbkslM/WYHwIhU5JfI/AAAAAAAAFm8/puFjXyOCh-kVnyHSxNXmpG1szGGOeSTkACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_0206.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The MERCH BOX!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aLVJpEKqRdw/WYHwMoBvd1I/AAAAAAAAFnE/qx9BeICyttgSlghzdILWr5Go1LDWDjTTQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aLVJpEKqRdw/WYHwMoBvd1I/AAAAAAAAFnE/qx9BeICyttgSlghzdILWr5Go1LDWDjTTQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_0191.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T-SHIRTS! Pre-order one today!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N3UsNpHirCA/WYHwGq_iUII/AAAAAAAAFm0/SaXh8FpbJE0PjQVTVW25k-bQx0AGzM_9wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0209.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47946692017-07-27T15:51:00-04:002022-01-05T11:28:26-05:00My Birthday Menu.I had a birthday this week! And here's what I did for it. I ate a lot. I love eating my favorite foods on my birthday -- a tradition that began in Edinburgh when I was pregnant with Graham. We snacked on our favorites all day long. This year, I enjoyed the company of my parents for breakfast, my band for lunch, and my kids and parents for dinner.<br><br><b>Breakfast: North End Cafe</b><br>Vegetarian Omelet, Home fries, Biscuit. Decaf Coffee.<br><br><b><br></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P79bjeaUk2c/WXpDhwp1jbI/AAAAAAAAFkM/Ec4oF73r1Vkpdh4mX_ygCjp_YRUeKTMnwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P79bjeaUk2c/WXpDhwp1jbI/AAAAAAAAFkM/Ec4oF73r1Vkpdh4mX_ygCjp_YRUeKTMnwCK4BGAYYCw/s200/IMG_0129.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></div><b><br></b><b><br></b><b><br></b><b>Treatyoself: Starbucks Free Birthday Drink!</b><br>Venti Half-Caff Iced Soy Mocha. I'm sure I wrote that all in the wrong order.<br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BxV0ZwNxSq0/WXpDp_oaL0I/AAAAAAAAFkU/Jk3csuVNH7sZ3xK9t4FMBBuulzEIGvENQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0131.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BxV0ZwNxSq0/WXpDp_oaL0I/AAAAAAAAFkU/Jk3csuVNH7sZ3xK9t4FMBBuulzEIGvENQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0131.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><br>Then I had a band rehearsal at Scott's house, followed by lunch with the band.<br><br><b>Lunch: Ramsi's Cafe on the World</b><br>Prosecco, Chips 'n' Queso, Fried Brie, Spinach Salad<br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y2OBG5-4OGU/WXpD74T1cwI/AAAAAAAAFk0/R1WfYRqTcnsvxznsdXvsDus2GbCt7DFXwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0135.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y2OBG5-4OGU/WXpD74T1cwI/AAAAAAAAFk0/R1WfYRqTcnsvxznsdXvsDus2GbCt7DFXwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0135.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><br><br><b>Treatyouself: Graeter's Ice Cream</b><br>Graham took me out for a treat. We shared a Brownie Sundae made with Cookie Dough ice cream.<br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zP0R1mnGoNs/WXpD-A0TSQI/AAAAAAAAFk8/6c3CqVB8OfECUAu76b_eL1r33jK-v4s1gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0138.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zP0R1mnGoNs/WXpD-A0TSQI/AAAAAAAAFk8/6c3CqVB8OfECUAu76b_eL1r33jK-v4s1gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0138.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><br><b>Dinner: Simply Thai</b><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-bmi7TUjEI/WXpEAe2VRWI/AAAAAAAAFlE/72HFjdGxZOkyI_4W8eq140QgW9NGTqG-ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-bmi7TUjEI/WXpEAe2VRWI/AAAAAAAAFlE/72HFjdGxZOkyI_4W8eq140QgW9NGTqG-ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0161.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>Pad Thai Tofu, add vegetables, Spice Level Zero.</div><br><br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AhC4AROyZcI/WXpEG4Q4LZI/AAAAAAAAFlM/vBSxFUPs2MAxHJOVW1suJ5m9gHy68mYAgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0163.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AhC4AROyZcI/WXpEG4Q4LZI/AAAAAAAAFlM/vBSxFUPs2MAxHJOVW1suJ5m9gHy68mYAgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0163.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rLoSKUt80rw/WXpENtU261I/AAAAAAAAFlc/d6695iYy97sDafeDYNysleKcPqvmr3vugCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0164.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rLoSKUt80rw/WXpENtU261I/AAAAAAAAFlc/d6695iYy97sDafeDYNysleKcPqvmr3vugCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0164.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br>Then I went to Aaron Bibelhauser's house for another rehearsal and a wee dram of Woodford Reserve. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yatef-M1THI/WXpELfqJoaI/AAAAAAAAFlU/CZsEDNOhFiAfgSGCyJ7BZmQu3ntDa0mFQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_0166.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yatef-M1THI/WXpELfqJoaI/AAAAAAAAFlU/CZsEDNOhFiAfgSGCyJ7BZmQu3ntDa0mFQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_0166.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><br><br>It was a good day!!!<br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47906132017-07-24T13:16:00-04:002017-07-24T17:08:26-04:00An apparently simple career boost.I've spent the last few years feeling largely irrelevant and unloved in the local music community -- not at all a cry for help, just a feeling -- and what do you know, all it took was a new photo of me with Elvis Costello to get 5 gig offers, 3 media requests about my new record, and 1 super-cool radio opportunity all within 3 hours of me posting a photo of Elvis grinning next to me on the ol' Facebook. I'm not saying it's <i>all because of Elvis</i>, but it can't just be coincidence, right?<br><br>I don't know, maybe if I post another photo of me with someone super-cool, more exciting career-related things will open up. Anyone really good at Photoshop? I kid, I kid.<br><br>I'm so excited about MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW and also my CD RELEASE PARTY!! It's Friday in Louisville at Headliners, and I'm so, so, so ready to play this music out with my band. We are also doing Live Lunch on Friday -- sharing the bill with Alex Wright, so should be good fun.<br><br>Also, I found this on my dad's car when it was parked outside my house for a few days. Very interest-specific religious targeting, wouldn't you say? I mean, a Scotland flag and a horse riding to freedom???<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5F72DhuzLg/WXYqJZvDHYI/AAAAAAAAFjc/w-yOXwUskv0sVkuUbTZiiX0qauAbVkOzACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5F72DhuzLg/WXYqJZvDHYI/AAAAAAAAFjc/w-yOXwUskv0sVkuUbTZiiX0qauAbVkOzACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0087.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47850472017-07-19T10:40:00-04:002022-01-17T05:18:43-05:00The Return of Elvis Costello [in my life]<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2SlfSn7QokU/WW9q2RwnWqI/AAAAAAAAFh0/zOBhf-19P3YqyQVqfBXAn_APuOLiCaljACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2SlfSn7QokU/WW9q2RwnWqI/AAAAAAAAFh0/zOBhf-19P3YqyQVqfBXAn_APuOLiCaljACK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>I just LOVE a good rock and roll show, especially a band that knows how to integrate a real piano player. That Steve Nieve is magical, and I got a verrrrrrrrrrrry close-up seat to watch him play last night in Kettering, Ohio, at the Fraze Pavilion. It was such a good night -- well worth the awful traffic in Cincinnati.<br><br>I try to be cool about this and not go on about it, especially because I value Elvis Costello as an artist and mentor -- particularly his wisdom when it comes to balancing musician-life with motherhood. He was the first person to tell me (aside from my husband) there was absolutely nothing wrong with hiring a babysitter just so I could play the piano -- that even though at that moment it meant the babysitter earns more than I do, that it feeds my creative soul, which is more valuable than any career I'd have. <br><br>We caught up on his tour bus yesterday for about 45 minutes. He'd graciously left backstage passes for me and my guitarist/bassist/friend Dennis and his lovely wife Nancy after I let him know that we had tickets to the show. <b>He made me a cup of tea </b>-- I still can't believe I accepted because he was at work and had a show to do, but he offered multiple times and a cuppa did sound relaxing. We talked about our mums, our kids, our travels. He gave me an LP, signed it "Congratulations" after I told him that I had another baby since I last saw him -- and he spelled my name correctly without even having to ask. Why isn't everyone in the music business so genuine?<br><br>Also, I gave him my new record (and signed it, ha!), and I told him that track 4 "The Jester" was inspired by Steve Nieve, which then made me really nervous and I am hoping that Steve likes the song even just a little. It's been a while since I wrote it, so I'm not sure how it comes across -- but it's meant in love and is about meeting my keyboard hero.<br><br>So if you're reading this, Steve, please let me buy you a glass of wine in Paris someday. Also, I loved that shirt you wore and your shoe game is on-point. But you already know that.<br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1422904487770402/" target="_blank">Please come to my Headliners CD Release party!! Friday, July 28. Doors at 7. Opener at 8. I play at 9 or 9:15. Full band. $10. </a>Email me if you want to venmo/paypal/square me money to pre-order your tickets and maybe can even save you a seat. We are planning on having lots more chairs than usual, so don't let your old idea of the venue scare you away -- i like to sit at Headliners, myself :) If you can't come, could you please share the event??? I'm starting to freak out and have those nightmares that the room will be empty. Eek.<br><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TWF3hoY1quo/WW9s7pQGhBI/AAAAAAAAFiE/FdN18ysx7y0TzBtNsnV1IPiEH7p0HLcXwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TWF3hoY1quo/WW9s7pQGhBI/AAAAAAAAFiE/FdN18ysx7y0TzBtNsnV1IPiEH7p0HLcXwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="227" /></a></div> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ge9S6Kp--sc/WW9q4MDXgbI/AAAAAAAAFh8/OXCsaUt6PbU724ui6SbUQczJLO-uzy5MQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ge9S6Kp--sc/WW9q4MDXgbI/AAAAAAAAFh8/OXCsaUt6PbU724ui6SbUQczJLO-uzy5MQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPXFXmZRsgM/WW9s8TtEe2I/AAAAAAAAFiM/u9L7wD7BxRsVYF-xmRRWhJh1uSqNv9QegCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPXFXmZRsgM/WW9s8TtEe2I/AAAAAAAAFiM/u9L7wD7BxRsVYF-xmRRWhJh1uSqNv9QegCK4BGAYYCw/s400/FullSizeRender-4.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47755582017-07-11T15:58:00-04:002018-02-25T23:42:25-05:003 Things I'm Digging this week. Last time I did 5 things I was loving, but I'm not that creative today. Also, 5 Things is the name of a really great podcast that is, get this, going to be on of my 3 Things today, so let's try not to get confused.<br><br><h4>1. <a href="http://www.npr.org/podcasts/496650990/five-things" target="_blank">Five Things. </a>
</h4><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k9pvFJibJyw/WWUk5aSt4xI/AAAAAAAAFg4/EqqhVXBVyjs572uqK83LCj9wPfiHvbpOQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/5things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k9pvFJibJyw/WWUk5aSt4xI/AAAAAAAAFg4/EqqhVXBVyjs572uqK83LCj9wPfiHvbpOQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/5things.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a>It's a podcast! It's from Louisville! It's from TARA. Tara is a wonderful person and a wonderful interviewer, and I've been digging her podcast. She interviews all kinds of people for this, but I've got to plug <a href="http://wfpl.org/five-things-musician-dennis-ledford-and-his-vintage-life/" target="_blank">the one with Dennis Ledford.</a> He has been playing guitar and bass for me for a few years now, but he's been around the Louisville music scene for a loooooooong time. He's the real deal -- killer musician and great human being. He's got a story for everything, and I enjoyed his interview tremendously.<br><br><h4>2. Amazon Echo.</h4><div>We have had our Echo for about two years now, I think? My dad got one first, and we referred to it as his robot. Now my kids are growing up with it -- we have an Echo and 3 dots around the house. They function as everything from a white noise machine ("Alexa, play 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' on repeat.") to a joke-teller. Graham's stand-up routine consists of Alexa jokes. I like to ask it about the weather because that means I don't have to look at my phone and then be distracted by phone-nonsense.</div><div><br></div><div>3. <a href="https://www.kroger.com/topic/clicklist---select-your-store" target="_blank"><b>Kroger Clicklist</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">. </i></a>
</div><div><br></div><div>fMy Kroger finally got this, and it comes with same-day timeslots, meaning I think I'm over the Instacart. Instacart was good, but their substitutions were a little pricey or wrong. Anyway, you can finally order groceries online, go pick them up and have someone deliver them straight into your vehicle. (I am excited to pull up into my Kroger with the wagon or my cargo bike!) Has anyone out there successfully gotten them to use paper or reusable bags? The amount of plastic is absurd, and I still like a good stroll through the market. But <a href="http://www.thefresh20.com/" target="_blank">www.thefresh20.com</a> + <a href="https://www.kroger.com/topic/clicklist---select-your-store" target="_blank">Clicklist</a> is NICE and saves so much brainspace.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47734112017-07-10T08:18:00-04:002021-06-17T02:54:12-04:00Backstage at my business! <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yM7wuIVYSvw/WWNwP3o2o_I/AAAAAAAAFgY/tO9q52YTj4o5fBCaTYQfbXBlAgXyEMLbgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_9817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yM7wuIVYSvw/WWNwP3o2o_I/AAAAAAAAFgY/tO9q52YTj4o5fBCaTYQfbXBlAgXyEMLbgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_9817.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Running a business while being primary caregiver for two small children is HARD. I knew that prior to my album release (um, HELLO, why else did it take so long to finish???), but, goodness, all the stuff that goes into actually promoting and getting this thing out the door in any sort of smart, business-like manner, is nigh-on impossible without help. Last week in a mental breakdown as I had printed shipping labels, return address labels (that's a thing in America), ordered envelopes, and packaged CDs, signed CDs for those who ordered signed CDs, and agonized over customs forms, well, then I had a wee breakdown over how exactly I would actually get to the Post Office to spend an hour while I had the babies attached to me. A neighbor came over to play with the kids, my amazing husband took a box of sealed envelopes out of my hands and over to the post office, while I hand-delivered CDs to people in my neighborhood.<br><br>What I've learned (and had somehow forgotten since the last time I did this) is that the wee little shipping & handling fee in NO WAY actually covers the materials and postage -- particularly not once you include time.<br><br>But I don't care because I've shipped out the first round of orders for people who ordered the actual CD.<br><br>If you ordered a handwritten lyrics, I have not yet done those for you ... email me which song you'd like? Or if you'd like me to calligraphy "Don't Stop Believin'" instead, that's cool too, I guess. I'm going to the art supply shop to buy some nice paper and fancy pens because I do love beautiful writing supplies.<br><br>If you ordered a cover-song recorded on the musical saw (yes, that was an option, and I cannot WAIT to get going on those orders because they are amazing), that's not finished yet, but my plan is to tackle those in August.<br><br>For now, I'm focused on <b>Headliners on July 28</b>. There will be seating available -- so many of you have told me you don't love Headliners because you don't want to stand around all night. You shouldn't have to, as we are requesting additional chairs be put out. If you like to mill about, like I do, you'll still be welcome to. I'm getting nervous about filling that room, so would you all please please please consider coming to the show? Doors at 7, music at 8, and I play second. I'm working on an exact time because I know you don't want the babysitter to get any more money than necessary.<br><br>This Headliners show is a BIG DEAL though. I'm rehearsing the band, having a few special guests (#Bibelhauser), and Alex Wright is also releasing his new album that night. Basically, we are really, really, really hoping to fill that room -- like 250-people worth of room-fill. Could you help us get there??? I often tell people about shows, but I rarely beg. So today, I'm asking you: please come to that show! I'll have my new album there, as well as some cool merch I'm working on. I've got some pre-sale tickets available at my house ... cash or venmo or paypal or check or card or whatever you like :)<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cAW7tmPMr8/WWNwHhz4lLI/AAAAAAAAFgQ/gEvwgEyW_OgPmjcTecIKg8Guo97NlQcTgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_9828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cAW7tmPMr8/WWNwHhz4lLI/AAAAAAAAFgQ/gEvwgEyW_OgPmjcTecIKg8Guo97NlQcTgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_9828.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>I'm also doing a giveaway. If you got this far along in the blog, you're eligible for a pair of tickets! I'll pick a random winner from anyone who comments on either on my blog or on my Facebook music page -- you can comment anything. An emoji. A Pirate joke. The book you're reading. The next vacation you're planning. A link to your "<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/brigidkaelin/things-that-make-me-happy/" target="_blank">Things that Make me Happy" Pinterest page (mine really does make me happy</a>). A picture of your puppy. The name of your favorite castle. Whatever, I really don't care -- just hashtag it #headliners728 and i'll know you're interested in a pair of free tickets!<br><br>I'll choose the winner at random on Friday, July 14.<br><br>xoxo<br>Brigid<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47600852017-06-28T10:17:00-04:002022-02-07T07:06:09-05:005 Things I'm digging right now.1.<b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_2?fst=p90x%3A1%2Cas%3Aoff&rh=n%3A283155%2Cn%3A10132%2Ck%3Aparis&keywords=paris&ie=UTF8&qid=1498659110&rnid=1000" target="_blank">Any book with the word "Paris" in the title.</a> </b>Seriously, it should be its own genre. I'd like to write in that genre. One year I'm going to "summer in France" (I have always wanted to use the word "summer" as a verb), and I'm going to write one of these light-hearted rom-com novels. I once read that if the book you want to read doesn't exist, you should write it. I'm pretty sure I've exhausted this particular genre, so maybe time to write some more.<br><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-THBSNXB-d2w/WVO2Sm86j3I/AAAAAAAAFfM/ReblJLsdvPwt6bPThetAM07sG_gVrj7owCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/dryer%2Bballs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-THBSNXB-d2w/WVO2Sm86j3I/AAAAAAAAFfM/ReblJLsdvPwt6bPThetAM07sG_gVrj7owCK4BGAYYCw/s200/dryer%2Bballs.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a>2. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Miracle-Permanent-Softener-Naturally/dp/B013J5BFUQ/ref=pd_sim_201_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B013J5BFUQ&pd_rd_r=FDZBTBHR4EG1KX0ZWBK3&pd_rd_w=2Oiht&pd_rd_wg=mBBpo&psc=1&refRID=FDZBTBHR4EG1KX0ZWBK3" target="_blank"><b>Dryer balls</b>.</a> It took me a zillion years to jump on this wagon, even though I stopped using fabric softener ages ago. As a compromise to the rest of my household, who prefer the fabric softener sheets, I ordered these little balls. They just live in the dryer, and they somehow make it seem like I've used one of those little sheets of carcinogens, except it's non-toxic.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-esb-X5J806U/WVO6njrXbYI/AAAAAAAAFfk/Ufp8HKXicvgPrkgW3mAPhCL8KIKq6_lXACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-28%2Bat%2B10.17.25%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-esb-X5J806U/WVO6njrXbYI/AAAAAAAAFfk/Ufp8HKXicvgPrkgW3mAPhCL8KIKq6_lXACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-28%2Bat%2B10.17.25%2BAM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="162" width="320" /></a>3. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/betterwithoutbooze/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Better Without Booze.</a> It's an instagram page, with a website to follow, created by my friend and favorite blogger, Joy Manning. I have not quit drinking, but ever since my first pregnancy, I've asked bartenders to "make me something fun, but non-alcoholic." They've always enjoyed the task, and it's nice to see a whole feed devoted to beautiful mocktails. I still love a good whisky or G&T or glass of prosecco (bubbly has been my thing in recent years), but I rarely drink these days. I don't get enough sleep as it is with these babies, and we all know how alcohol keeps you up at night.<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9IfkogmcuMA/WVO5EyyQx5I/AAAAAAAAFfY/CNnrZtKoeMgkX4WiwiSXgMPVgrb5CYwnACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9IfkogmcuMA/WVO5EyyQx5I/AAAAAAAAFfY/CNnrZtKoeMgkX4WiwiSXgMPVgrb5CYwnACK4BGAYYCw/s200/FullSizeRender-6.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="150" /></a>4. <b><a href="https://plannerpads.com/" target="_blank">Planner Pad</a>.</b> I like this day-planner as a good way to make sense of the variety of projects I've got on my To Do list. It categorizes your tasks and funnels it through a priority list, beginning with everything for the week, to everything for the day, to specific times, which is extremely helpful for a visual-oriented self-employed person who gets overwhelmed easily and who also has, like, zero time.<br><br>5. <b><a href="https://www.thedrybar.com/locations/louisville/" target="_blank">DryBar</a></b>. I've only been once, but I foresee this being the new TreatYoSelf of choice. I don't like to straighten my hair because I want to encourage the natural curls (you know how angry I get when Anne Hathaway gets a blowout in The Princess Diaries to signify that she is now a refined princess because natural curls do NOT EQUATE TO INSANITY), but I still like playing dress-up from time to time. And, though I may not like the back story, I do feel like a movie star after a blowout, apparently. Or a princess. Can you imagine that Kate Middleton probably has an in-house blowout person?? (Or is it in-palace?)<br><br><br>Also : I'm mostly funded on my pre-order campaign -- 99%. <a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin">www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin</a> if you want to order my new album on CD or just as a download or buy something else from my cooooooool store.<br>Louisville, I'm playing an acoustic show July 7 at Goodwood Brewery with Steve Cooley. And I'm also playing <b>July 28 at Headliners</b> with a full band and lots of special guests! I have some tickets in hand and you can paypal or venmo or whatever $$ to me to buy them without the extra ticket fee that buying them online will charge you. They are $10 each.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47576552017-06-26T10:58:00-04:002017-06-26T13:17:01-04:00Me on not-decaf and some yoga thoughts.HEY IT'S MONDAY, AND THAT DEFINITELY WASN'T DECAF!! Also, I went to yoga this morning, and did about 75% of what the teacher requested we do. I can't do 100% because of my weird back-issues ever since my first pregnancy, and also because I am stubborn and even in yoga, YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! No, but seriously, it was a lovely yoga class.<br><br>The only part I can't stand is when you get off your mat in the beginning and go introduce yourself to a stranger. That gives me insane anxiety. For some reason it's only when I'm in the studio, mat rolled out and getting in the zone. Introductions before or after, small-talk while putting my shoes in a cubby or rolling up my mat -- that's fine, and I actually like the community aspect of the yoga studio. I've made lots of new friends. But I really dislike making a new friend while I'm trying to get in the no-one-is-touching-me-for-75-minutes mood. Because that's my favorite thing about yoga: being <i>alone</i> for an hour. No one is grabbing my nipples or telling me they are hungry. It's pretty much magic.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X8PfmzYNKXE/WVEgp21XZvI/AAAAAAAAFe4/jBcB1XOZIuAvQwgwOTL2U-l-IOsUvqeFgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/19424405_1339079349521865_1826381005591528630_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X8PfmzYNKXE/WVEgp21XZvI/AAAAAAAAFe4/jBcB1XOZIuAvQwgwOTL2U-l-IOsUvqeFgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/19424405_1339079349521865_1826381005591528630_n.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></div><br><a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">My PledgeMusic campaign</a> is going really well. I'm planning on closing the project in a few days and mailing out all the pre-orders next week (assuming I hit my 100% goal!), so if you'd like to receive your copy of my new CD this week instead of having to wait until Headliners on July 28, then <a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">please get your pledge in today.</a> Seriously -- it's a huge relief to get the production-funding out of the way, particularly on an indie-artist who does EVERYTHING herself. The other benefit to pledging -- even if it's just a download because you sold your CD collection to Better Days last summer -- is that you get to see behind-the-scenes updates on how an indie-artist like me does it. This morning I posted a behind-the-scenes video of me packing and going to radio interview.<br><br>Last week's alone time was a visit to the DryBar Louisville, where my friend Carrie talked me into getting a blowout on a random rainy Friday afternoon. We sipped champagne (BYOB), niblled croissants, and again -- no one grabbed our nipples or asked for a snack. It was fab.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47551992017-06-23T12:35:00-04:002017-06-23T14:46:59-04:00Some gratitudes and a sneak preview of 8-year-old me video.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ho-Yd0JvyzY/WUgJLKSWiyI/AAAAAAAAFdY/UAcW1r5AeNUUsqNh-cBhV7kfmi-J32W4gCPcBGAYYCw/s640/TWITTER%2Bbanner%2BPre-order%2BtheNEW%2Balbum%2Batpledgemusic.com%25252Fbrigidkaelin.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="211" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>Shocker, but now that I have a new album finished and shrink-wrapped, I am feeling better all-round. It's solstice week, which always cheers me up, even when I have to put myself to bed at 7pm because wee Angus has been whimpering every 30 minutes from (I think) a tooth that just won't poke through.<br><br>More things I'm thankful for:<br><br>1) My sister-in-law, who is in the basement. Her presence both gives me another adult to talk to while David is traveling, but also is teaching me what it's like to have a sibling. I know how to share, but conflict-resolution has never been my strong game. Also, I tend to assume that one disagreement means we hate each other forever. I'm learning that siblings don't operate that way -- that it's possible to have a spat and then play Lego ten minutes later like nothing happened.<br><br>2) <a href="https://inst.cr/t/P7oj7ghGD" target="_blank">Instacart</a>. You guys -- I get my groceries delivered. It's not quite as simple as the perfect Waitrose delivery service we had in Scotland, but it saved me mental anguish and trip to the store with two kiddos. Combining Instacart with Fresh20 is keeping me sane. I also had a promo code HELLOLOU that did something, but I'm not sure what.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvfM6xrzOpQ/WU1BzoZBr6I/AAAAAAAAFd8/Wq_PuoEKkU0ObZaO68C2JiZmhvpK4YwgwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvfM6xrzOpQ/WU1BzoZBr6I/AAAAAAAAFd8/Wq_PuoEKkU0ObZaO68C2JiZmhvpK4YwgwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="180" /></a>3) Health, happy babies. My kids, you all. They don't sleep. They wake up with the sun. But oh my goodness, are they wonderful, smart, and empathetic. Wee Angus got shots today (you see, it's possible to have a home birth, but still like vaccinations), and Graham held his hands and snuggled him the whole time. Siblings -- who knew??<br><br>Also, I dug out a hilariously awful home video of me doing a gymnastics competition when I was 7 or 8. I am SO BAD. I put it on the internet, but it's an unsearchable private link that I will only release to PledgeMusic pledgers when I reach 75%. Pre-order the album, please? I'm at 72%, so I'm hoping to hit my goal by early next week and then stop trying to sell you things. Here's a sneak peak:<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-scoCEotRsXM/WU1DFXV9vMI/AAAAAAAAFeE/PkOLLtL8xTYCBTEQ8dzzDa40TvzbwEynACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-23%2Bat%2B12.33.58%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-scoCEotRsXM/WU1DFXV9vMI/AAAAAAAAFeE/PkOLLtL8xTYCBTEQ8dzzDa40TvzbwEynACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-23%2Bat%2B12.33.58%2BPM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47500452017-06-19T13:31:00-04:002017-06-19T16:47:23-04:00New CD available for PRE-ORDER!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ho-Yd0JvyzY/WUgJLKSWiyI/AAAAAAAAFdU/gvu-CLQunBgNS7OD2NgSdZR9_1U6BgvsQCLcBGAs/s640/TWITTER%2Bbanner%2BPre-order%2BtheNEW%2Balbum%2Batpledgemusic.com%25252Fbrigidkaelin.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="211" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br></span><span style="font-size: large;">MY NEW CD IS AVAILABLE FOR <a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin">PRE-ORDER</a>!</span> I've got several boxes of nicely shrink-wrapped 12-song albums in my living room, but I can't mail out a single one until I reach my PledgeMusic goal.<br><br>Won't you please support an independent musician, a woman-business-owner, a working mother, and someone who generally tries to spread love and smiles in the community? The minute I hit my goal, I'll mail these CDs. So those of you who pre-order it will be the absolute first to get a copy. Thank you so much! And if you can't pledge, please spread the word, or get in touch about hosting a house concert for my summer tour.<br><br>Click here: <a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin">http://www.pledgemusic.com/brigidkaelin</a><br><br>And don't forget to watch the video for some hilarious outtakes that show how nearly-impossible it is to be a work-at-home-parent. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/brigidkaelin">Please also consider "liking" my Facebook page </a>because, believe it or not, those numbers actually help make me look good to venues and media outlets. It's also a wonderful and easy way to spread the word.<br><br>Here's the album cover, shot in Amsterdam, and designed by Al Moreschi:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V0g8dAu6NlY/WUgKWexHxOI/AAAAAAAAFdc/idowfgSIwIgdTzpPbM31N8yei9tuyNEAgCLcBGAs/s1600/Brigid-Kaelin-Those-Who-Drift-Away.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V0g8dAu6NlY/WUgKWexHxOI/AAAAAAAAFdc/idowfgSIwIgdTzpPbM31N8yei9tuyNEAgCLcBGAs/s320/Brigid-Kaelin-Those-Who-Drift-Away.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><br><br><br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47446542017-06-14T11:01:00-04:002017-06-14T13:47:18-04:00Yoga shorts for the win.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-395K2Uhrxhw/WUFOePyjvgI/AAAAAAAAFck/_b7S_hk34iYy-4g61y4tr73ALTpYrSFRgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_9483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-395K2Uhrxhw/WUFOePyjvgI/AAAAAAAAFck/_b7S_hk34iYy-4g61y4tr73ALTpYrSFRgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_9483.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>I was absent from yoga for much of May, and my mental health has suffered for it. It wasn't for lack of effort on my part -- it was for lack of childcare. My nanny-type-person (she's not an actual nanny, but we have a good barter thing going on) was gone for a month, and it just is not in the budget to go to a yoga class AND pay a babysitter.<br><br>Anyway, my childcare is back, and I went to yoga this morning! And get this -- I went to yoga in YOGA SHORTS, which are now my new favorite thing in the world. It's basically like doing yoga in your underwear, and that's awesome and freeing and sweaty and feels good. I'm over the yoga pants, y'all.<br><br>Also, I didn't realize that it was an internet-viral-worthy thing to reveal that you haven't shaved your legs in years, like that fitness blogger who made headlines a few weeks ago. Like, is that how I should have been marketing myself??? Typical me -- timing just always SLIGHTLY off. Can someone out there help me craft a blog or press release that'll go viral that says "musician uses album cover image where she's not wearing any makeup" ?? You know, it'll say have a clickbait article that's, like, "This indie musician is raising eyebrows with her scandalous album cover image" and then the whole thing is SHE'S NOT WEARING MAKEUP OMG OMG OMG HOW CRAZY IS THAT? Any publicists out there want to take that and run with it? I'll even delete this blog if you think it's ruining the effect.<br><br>Anyhoo ... check back for an announcement about how to pre-order my new album! It's a fun one.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47426132017-06-12T16:27:00-04:002017-06-12T20:47:19-04:00BIG NEWS! And cover artwork photos.I've finished my album! YESSSSSSSS! Completely. Artwork, production, shrink-wrap -- it's finished. I'm working my tail off on some fun ways to roll out the release, and I'll have something fun to announce later this week. I know, I know, the slow-release is all the rage these days with albums. You're "supposed" to have product in hand a good six months before you release the thing. I'm supposed to be teasing you with videos and telling you you can't buy product for months and months. But I'm not doing things by the book because I'm Brigid Kaelin, and carpe diem, etc.<br><br>Have a look at a bunch of the images that were up for cover artwork, along with the standard promotional photos:<br><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9tu316so6WE/WT743ZMsbkI/AAAAAAAAFcQ/woYJmxlvacQR1KUia6M7jbGQF5NFo2WMgCK4B/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-12%2Bat%2B4.25.34%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9tu316so6WE/WT743ZMsbkI/AAAAAAAAFcQ/woYJmxlvacQR1KUia6M7jbGQF5NFo2WMgCK4B/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-12%2Bat%2B4.25.34%2BPM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47339012017-06-05T11:01:00-04:002017-06-05T13:16:55-04:00EPCOT Sparkling Dessert Party Review <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKAtoDWwcx0/WTVx5T3J00I/AAAAAAAAFb4/mjRe21N4ZdMdjgGYh4CjKpOodPKSOElAwCLcB/s1600/EPCOT%2Bdessert%2Bparty%2Breview.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKAtoDWwcx0/WTVx5T3J00I/AAAAAAAAFb4/mjRe21N4ZdMdjgGYh4CjKpOodPKSOElAwCLcB/s320/EPCOT%2Bdessert%2Bparty%2Breview.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>EPCOT is my favorite part of DisneyWorld. Specifically, the World Showcase is wonderful because it lightly satiates my wanderlust <i>and</i> in time with my attention disorder. I can walk from Mexico to Italy leisurely in ten minutes. We didn't get to spend enough time at the various countries because we were tired and also a ride broke down on us, wasting an hour of our day.<br><br>Rather than buying souvenirs for ourselves on this trip, David and I opted to buy an experience. We splurged and bought 2 tickets to the Sparkling Dessert Party. It's normally sold out, but people often give up their reservations the day before rather than pay a change fee. While sitting on the Boardwalk watching the IllumiNations show, I found two tickets to the Dessert Party and bought them (#buyitnow!). They were $49 each, BUT ...<br><br>It was an Open Bar of CHAMPAGNE, which has been my go-to drink for the past couple of years (besides gin & tonics -- I know, I know, I have really backed away from the whisky lately) <i>and </i>it was an All You Can Eat Dessert Buffet, made up of one dessert from each of the EPCOT countries. And it was GOOD. I'm sure lots of people did not get their money's worth, but David and I had both been 1) not really drinking much this year and 2) avoiding sweets for a while. We decided to go to town on both (within reason on the alcohol, but <i>not</i> within reason on the dessert). Then we sat there, stuffed, and had a front row place to watch the fireworks.<br><br>Angus came along, strapped on David's back and chowing on watermelon because he doesn't yet know that Strawberry Shortcake exists.<br><br>It was fantastic, and considering we each had a few glasses of champagne (with various syrup flavors they provided to make 'em extra fancy), which was great for relaxing after a stressful day at Disney, and we used up probably 10 plates worth of desserts. Seriously.<br><br>The Strawberry Shortcake from the US was David's favorite.<br>I liked the little ganache torts from France.<br>And the chocolate fudge thing that came with vanilla bean ice cream that I think was from the UK.<br>And the Pretzels and Fondue that we had to pretend we were eating dinner too...<br>And the cannolis from Italy ... mmmmmmmm.<br>And it was all-vegetarian, except for the rice-krispie treats.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzggIBF7ps0/WTVxYq5dmJI/AAAAAAAAFa8/abIKTib6R4smla4QPinaANqybSCux4hIwCK4B/s1600/IMG_9123.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzggIBF7ps0/WTVxYq5dmJI/AAAAAAAAFa8/abIKTib6R4smla4QPinaANqybSCux4hIwCK4B/s400/IMG_9123.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VNTwdpTMeEQ/WTVxZJ5F6DI/AAAAAAAAFbE/XwlUPtxhXZYlKX6FCFM_gG6GT-7EzkRIQCK4B/s1600/IMG_9127.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VNTwdpTMeEQ/WTVxZJ5F6DI/AAAAAAAAFbE/XwlUPtxhXZYlKX6FCFM_gG6GT-7EzkRIQCK4B/s400/IMG_9127.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jhZa2hMgEsA/WTVxaD1YwfI/AAAAAAAAFbM/17QpKx2QXfYrKCVpfigh-mnBgZAj3iGcACK4B/s1600/IMG_9122.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jhZa2hMgEsA/WTVxaD1YwfI/AAAAAAAAFbM/17QpKx2QXfYrKCVpfigh-mnBgZAj3iGcACK4B/s400/IMG_9122.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpPzOLPaPHI/WTVxa2C5YwI/AAAAAAAAFbU/kzQ3QXl3DCY1FWim3zeQZlPrY89KBe5FACK4B/s1600/IMG_9121.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpPzOLPaPHI/WTVxa2C5YwI/AAAAAAAAFbU/kzQ3QXl3DCY1FWim3zeQZlPrY89KBe5FACK4B/s400/IMG_9121.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="400" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yV4QEn84zRg/WTVxb8zm69I/AAAAAAAAFbc/mlVnB3335ngatiqotSmACC5QNofordj7QCK4B/s1600/IMG_9119.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yV4QEn84zRg/WTVxb8zm69I/AAAAAAAAFbc/mlVnB3335ngatiqotSmACC5QNofordj7QCK4B/s640/IMG_9119.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="594" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YioAwsRfpPA/WTVxcWyzGBI/AAAAAAAAFbk/7XLCXljfLso0zO7W4pJlem4EmCbqJDB2QCK4B/s1600/IMG_9113.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YioAwsRfpPA/WTVxcWyzGBI/AAAAAAAAFbk/7XLCXljfLso0zO7W4pJlem4EmCbqJDB2QCK4B/s400/IMG_9113.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="397" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJh-KZUTr4I/WTVxc7s0hSI/AAAAAAAAFbs/iSJ5nISxhhAJF0H5nlKlGKxbBDbHQ2dUwCK4B/s1600/IMG_9111.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJh-KZUTr4I/WTVxc7s0hSI/AAAAAAAAFbs/iSJ5nISxhhAJF0H5nlKlGKxbBDbHQ2dUwCK4B/s400/IMG_9111.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rksjrzPsIdw/WTVxc9XCGYI/AAAAAAAAFb0/A4TJ4xoVvEsQrGqQds8dtrS_0hvid-_9QCK4B/s1600/IMG_9110.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rksjrzPsIdw/WTVxc9XCGYI/AAAAAAAAFb0/A4TJ4xoVvEsQrGqQds8dtrS_0hvid-_9QCK4B/s640/IMG_9110.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="480" /></a><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47192682017-05-23T11:23:00-04:002023-12-10T11:32:42-05:00The cutest thing you've ever seen. So much to report! I have a date for my CD Release party. More about that later, but mark down July 28 in Louisville. I unplugged for an entire week -- deleted social media off my phone and didn't Instagram a single adorable image from our trip to DisneyWorld last week. I'm slowly creeping back in and have many thoughts on my internet cleanse and its effects (both good and bad). I'm solo parenting hard, and I'm fighting sleep depravation and a need to WORK. But before I write the myriad of Disney blogs I have to share, I feel the need to stop everything and tell you that today is: PRESCHOOL PROM.<br><br>Graham's older cousin was in our wedding, and we have the size 4T tuxedo he wore for it. Thus, today, I give you Grahaminatux or THE CUTEST THING EVER:<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7UJ8jWJXhw/WSRTzCyoMWI/AAAAAAAAFP0/L9ivrLP7w6ILVJyeLBGjNSDHlKs0QbDYACK4B/s1600/IMG_9210.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7UJ8jWJXhw/WSRTzCyoMWI/AAAAAAAAFP0/L9ivrLP7w6ILVJyeLBGjNSDHlKs0QbDYACK4B/s320/IMG_9210.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18kFHWSvqJU/WSRTz7lSPHI/AAAAAAAAFP8/E5-4ONj37Sw4Qq7C6wXgl0ZycX8kfO4GQCK4B/s1600/IMG_9227.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18kFHWSvqJU/WSRTz7lSPHI/AAAAAAAAFP8/E5-4ONj37Sw4Qq7C6wXgl0ZycX8kfO4GQCK4B/s320/IMG_9227.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47047862017-05-11T09:03:00-04:002017-05-11T10:47:18-04:00Family talk in business situations and gender.I was asked to fill in last night and play a 3-song spot at a bar for a songwriter event. The gig was easy and fun, and though the crowd had no idea who any of us were, it was a good time. I saw some 2am-friends I hadn't seen in years and got some nice hugs from them. I heard music that made me smile, and I wish I'd been able to stay later in the evening to hear more music from other writers. The baby needed my breasts eventually, so I was beckoned home.<br><br>Here's something funny I noticed: I have this problem with radical honesty. I can very rarely answer "How are you?" with a "Fine, thanks, you?" I offer TMI and can see people's shock or disengagement right away. And that's in a normal coffeehouse interaction and makes me laugh at myself more than want to change.<br><br>Throw that attitude into a business situation -- and though this stage was not The Palace, it was still a stage -- and you get, I think, a bad businesswoman.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-beJrhACFtGQ/WRRfWNq33uI/AAAAAAAAFJQ/fM026NxLRsEFTVFm9ny1X7gmJCWhk4XAQCK4B/s1600/IMG_8688-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-beJrhACFtGQ/WRRfWNq33uI/AAAAAAAAFJQ/fM026NxLRsEFTVFm9ny1X7gmJCWhk4XAQCK4B/s320/IMG_8688-1.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While I went out to gig last night, these two<br>snuggled ... for a short while.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Because I talked about my kids.</b> I realized after answering the question, "What have you been up to?" that I <i>should</i> have said, "Oh, I've been working a lot with Steve Cooley, who's producing a new album for me that's due out in July. I've also been trying to focus on writing and getting new material, as well as planning some upcoming European tours."<br><br>See? Not so hard. All of that is true.<br><br>What I said instead, however, is, "Oh, I've been playing a lot of private parties because there aren't many venues left in town that pay. Also, my kids don't sleep, so I get in bed at 7:30. The postpartum depression is fading, though, and I see the light now that my youngest is one. My mom's got Stage 4 cancer, so that takes up a lot of headspace, and it's hard to focus. But overall, I'm feeling okay. Been trying to focus on self-care and music, and I'm glad to be playing out tonight."<br><br>Then I was mad at myself for not properly doing business.<br><br>Then I was mad at the situation because why can't a woman honestly talk about her family in a a business setting? I hear men do it all the time, but it comes across differently.<br><br>Dear blog readers, I <i>am</i> finishing a record. I'm setting a hard deadline, and I don't really care if there's not a horn part on it or if the mix isn't perfect. This record is coming out because I need to release it and move on. I've got several more albums I need to finish, and I'm artistically constipated at the moment. It hurts my heart rather than my bowels, but it's just as painful.<br><br>See?? TMI again!!!<br><br>Still, I suppose my own TMI shouldn't really be dismissed when last night the bartenders were talking about anal waxing to the group next to me. (Seriously, people: your bodies are fine the way they are. Stop torturing yourselves unless you like that sort of thing.)<br><br>The lovely and sweet and talented and smart Heidijoy Stenson took this photo last night. Her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeidiJoy11/videos/801317123671/?pnref=story.unseen-section" target="_blank">instagram page has some video of my playing.</a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJMPu7qDPgI/WRRgb2EHnLI/AAAAAAAAFJc/0U4q4sHA6k08C3d2zu1rw5oxtcjg0uvugCK4B/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-05-11%2Bat%2B8.59.39%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJMPu7qDPgI/WRRgb2EHnLI/AAAAAAAAFJc/0U4q4sHA6k08C3d2zu1rw5oxtcjg0uvugCK4B/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-05-11%2Bat%2B8.59.39%2BAM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="233" /></a><br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/47006592017-05-08T11:32:00-04:002017-05-08T12:33:01-04:00Derby wrapup and links<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFz4Luywmh8/WRCPZO70xhI/AAAAAAAAFIU/Kqb_O2_9_gMdcg3OGCfUEcCu6DygbLpMQCK4B/s1600/IMG_8659.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFz4Luywmh8/WRCPZO70xhI/AAAAAAAAFIU/Kqb_O2_9_gMdcg3OGCfUEcCu6DygbLpMQCK4B/s320/IMG_8659.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Amazing Derby week and weekend! Hope everyone had as much fun as I did. I did a brief radio appearance on WFPK's Roots N Boots last night after an insane Derby weekend (15 hours with of gigs in 36 hours!), got a migraine after the 2nd song and drove home straight to bed. I woke up recovered and am ready to rock the new week, new season, approaching summer, and all that comes with it.<br><br>My life has been occupied with family things lately, which is part of why I've slacked on this blog. If you're a family friend or otherwise interested, I've been posting updates on my mom's health on a <a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patsykaelin" target="_blank">CaringBridge</a> page.<br><br> It's here: <a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patsykaelin">https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patsykaelin</a><br><br>She is such a fighter and has been feeling better the previous two rounds of chemotherapy. She's taking off next week to go make some amazing memories with her grandsons, and we are all looking forward to it. Thanks to those of you who have helped make this magic happen. You know who you are.<br><br>Disney photos promised!<br><br><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46967312017-05-04T11:01:00-04:002017-05-04T14:47:09-04:00Derby photos and gigs and day drinking and naps.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Enxck_FqQ1Y/WQtBcM5284I/AAAAAAAAFIA/-KW0CbEw7egt9AsVF4YRodAH8YriCJSIQCK4B/s1600/IMG_8510.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Enxck_FqQ1Y/WQtBcM5284I/AAAAAAAAFIA/-KW0CbEw7egt9AsVF4YRodAH8YriCJSIQCK4B/s320/IMG_8510.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>It's Derby!! I'm slammed with gigs -- all private parties, so I can't bore you with PLEASE COME TO MY SHOW blogs, tweets, instagrams, etc. I've played a ton of private events over the past week, all in the most beautiful people with the most beautiful backyards. Here are some of them:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n1xLTfsrvg8/WQtAWXqP4MI/AAAAAAAAFG0/H-IvGmhgiXcNqtmlR-CdncsqY7Uml59lQCK4B/s1600/IMG_8458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n1xLTfsrvg8/WQtAWXqP4MI/AAAAAAAAFG0/H-IvGmhgiXcNqtmlR-CdncsqY7Uml59lQCK4B/s640/IMG_8458.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="286" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aBqIeXbAoes/WQtAvEnlHJI/AAAAAAAAFG8/zrxHKS4gBSE5UiyCfGMVaS3DUPGjlqY3QCK4B/s1600/IMG_8513.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aBqIeXbAoes/WQtAvEnlHJI/AAAAAAAAFG8/zrxHKS4gBSE5UiyCfGMVaS3DUPGjlqY3QCK4B/s320/IMG_8513.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gvyA44EgJAI/WQtAwTadbJI/AAAAAAAAFHM/HJRDRbxJOtAACain4Z-o4kJJE73s8nhLwCK4B/s1600/IMG_8512.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gvyA44EgJAI/WQtAwTadbJI/AAAAAAAAFHM/HJRDRbxJOtAACain4Z-o4kJJE73s8nhLwCK4B/s320/IMG_8512.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><br><br>This weekend I'm playing three events with three different bands: a traditional bluegrass instrumental, a 4-piece country band, and a 3-piece jazz trio.<br><br>Here are some more pics from our fun Derby weeks:<br><br>We went to the backside of Churchill Downs on Monday morning and<a href="http://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/article147872519.html" target="_blank"> ended up on the front page of Kentucky.com</a>: <a href="http://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/article147872519.html">http://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/article147872519.html</a> has some cute video of Graham meeting a thoroughbred named More the Wild or More Than Wild. I am not sure which.<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1HwWxZU2_7U/WQtBUBW3T9I/AAAAAAAAFHY/Iea6_ua0bOs6FeEQbb6EapgKi69ts1UYwCK4B/s1600/IMG_8484.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1HwWxZU2_7U/WQtBUBW3T9I/AAAAAAAAFHY/Iea6_ua0bOs6FeEQbb6EapgKi69ts1UYwCK4B/s320/IMG_8484.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBnS1KYpLV8/WQtBYT4KtdI/AAAAAAAAFH4/7vhmu3j3LW8H0sbFut36TcWG8WGThiM0gCK4B/s1600/IMG_8510.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBnS1KYpLV8/WQtBYT4KtdI/AAAAAAAAFH4/7vhmu3j3LW8H0sbFut36TcWG8WGThiM0gCK4B/s320/IMG_8510.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hztqPruphZQ/WQtBWDGvAOI/AAAAAAAAFHw/4NaoDz_C01UOyX0u4PWu45WAIiHftZr9QCK4B/s1600/IMG_8583.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hztqPruphZQ/WQtBWDGvAOI/AAAAAAAAFHw/4NaoDz_C01UOyX0u4PWu45WAIiHftZr9QCK4B/s320/IMG_8583.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yaysaMS6QWo/WQtBVSaR1PI/AAAAAAAAFHo/N2pt8lEgEN0gfjrBqg5Ht0RUi4I0IX8owCK4B/s1600/IMG_8525.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yaysaMS6QWo/WQtBVSaR1PI/AAAAAAAAFHo/N2pt8lEgEN0gfjrBqg5Ht0RUi4I0IX8owCK4B/s320/IMG_8525.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJoXov_IcKA/WQtBVHtzDII/AAAAAAAAFHg/yJZU54Tl3e07-EC5FH_aMezTs-PAX2-cgCK4B/s1600/IMG_8550.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJoXov_IcKA/WQtBVHtzDII/AAAAAAAAFHg/yJZU54Tl3e07-EC5FH_aMezTs-PAX2-cgCK4B/s320/IMG_8550.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46805732017-04-21T11:28:00-04:002017-04-21T16:47:30-04:00Last-minute Disney Trip: crazy or genius?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cu4uxgr_4yk/WPoiJ73Md6I/AAAAAAAAFFg/HdF1vPS2_bUMEQNHWv-wKCMtdtPTUKnXQCK4B/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-04-21%2Bat%2B11.15.25%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cu4uxgr_4yk/WPoiJ73Md6I/AAAAAAAAFFg/HdF1vPS2_bUMEQNHWv-wKCMtdtPTUKnXQCK4B/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-04-21%2Bat%2B11.15.25%2BAM.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="148" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Pinterest has gotten a bit, um, specific.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You guys, DISNEYWORLD!! I always said that when I took my kid to Disney for the first time, it would be to <a href="http://brigidkaelin.blogspot.com/2011/02/really-big-secret-revealed.html" target="_blank">Parc Disneyland in Paris</a> because, I mean, DUH!! But you can't drive to Paris from Louisville, and we don't have enough Delta miles to get the whole family across the ocean. Orlando it is.<br><br>But we're GOING! For REAL!<br><br>This is super exciting because we've been intent on making as many happy memories as possible, and taking the grandkids to DisneyWorld is something my sweet, sweet mother wants to do. We're planning a trip for mid-May, during a week when she should be mostly recovered from her 7th round of chemotherapy. And it's all possible because of the <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/patsykaelin" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a>: thank you.<br><h4>This, of course, means that I'm suddenly a Mom who is planning a trip to DisneyWorld. </h4>I <i>love</i> travel planning. I don't, however, love spreadsheets and itineraries and things that seem to require learning an entire language (FastPass, ADR, MagicBand, WTH?) just to do a simple Google search. There are families that spend 18 months planning these trips! Are we nuts to do it in 4 weeks? I'm actually thinking that's maybe perfect timing because I'm already a tad stressed over it. But at least it'll be over in a month. I can't imagine stressing about it for a year and a half. We planned our wedding in a few months, so surely we can do Disney in a few weeks, right?<br><br>We've got 3-day park tickets, and we've got hotel reservations (the bonus of having a husband who travels for work: free hotel!). Of course, all the restaurants where everyone said to eat at Disney have been booked up for 6 months. I'm going to count on some last-minute cancellations and will check again a few days before, I guess. Or is it even worth going to Be Our Guest if you're a vegetarian?<br><br>Anyway, throw me your Disney tips? Particularly anything for vegetarians traveling with a wheelchair/scooter.<br><br>p.s. I'm playing at Goodwood Brewing on Main Street in Louisville tonight from 8-10. It's 21+ and free.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46767422017-04-19T10:38:00-04:002017-04-19T12:17:08-04:00Voicemails, anti-depressants, Target and a gig.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-58aWxSTyo/WPd17N8kchI/AAAAAAAAFE4/ZeJdYiFQHMg-PAoqgQVnHPSt2CAgEa9OQCK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-58aWxSTyo/WPd17N8kchI/AAAAAAAAFE4/ZeJdYiFQHMg-PAoqgQVnHPSt2CAgEa9OQCK4B/s320/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Good news! My anti-depressants seem to be working. I can tell because I answered the phone twice this morning. I still have 78 voicemail notifications, but don't worry, I'll just delete them all soon and find out how to disable voicemail completely. It's bad business (for a certain generation), but I seriously cannot stand the phone. Email me or meet me for coffee, but don't expect me to even noticed that I missed your call. Apparently, I'm <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/culturebox/2011/10/generation_catalano_the_generation_stuck_between_gen_x_and_the_m.html" target="_blank">Generation Jordan Catalano</a>, but with Millennial tendencies.<br><br>But what I was getting on this ol' blog to write about? <br><br>I'm busy.<br><br><b>Friday, April 21</b><br><b>8:00p-10:00p</b><br><b><a href="http://goodwood.beer/" target="_blank">Goodwood Brewery</a></b><br><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">636 E Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 </span></b></span><br>I'm playing music with <b>Dennis Ledford.</b><br><b>Alanna Fugate</b> has been booking bands at Goodwood, and that means there's lots of good live music. I'm happy to be playing a public show, as lately I've been slammed with corporate parties (I love those, but y'all can't attend them!).<br><br>My parents' <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/patsykaelin" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a> has been a rousing and insane success, and I'm so grateful. We are also renting our house out for Derb, and I'm gigging like crazy that weekend to fund some more home-modification projects and Bucket List items for my mom.<br><br>We went to Target yesterday, where Mom practiced riding one of those scooter things because she'll need one for her magical trip to DisneyWorld in a few weeks. While we were there, the boys rode in a double-cart, and it was the cutest thing I've ever seen. I'm putting a picture of it here because I forgot what I actually came on here to write about. Maybe those anti-depressants aren't working quite as well as I thought. OR maybe that's just the sleep deprivation working.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46714952017-04-14T10:01:00-04:002017-04-14T15:33:34-04:00Deli dreams and Family Photos.You know what is lame? That my mom has cancer again. I have been through all the stages of grief and keep cycling back through it, and she's still around and fighting. I'm so thankful for that. Pancreatic cancer is fierce, and I can't believe Mom has continued with chemotherapy after it's kept her mostly bedridden since December. She has some good days, but I just feel so bad for her. I know she wants to be swimming with her grandbabies and taking them to the park and cooking matzoh ball soup for her friends instead of them her.<br><br>This week I'm completely overwhelmed by the love and support of family and friends. We began accepting help in the way of meal deliveries and help rolling the recycling bin down to the curb and random flower deliveries during Mom's first chemo and subsequent hospital stays. Since then it's been really hard to manage meal trains, as her appetite is unpredictable. Still, people have wondered how they could help. After stressing over my laundry list (often a <i>literal</i> laundry list) of To Dos at my parents' house, I finally hit publish on the G<a href="http://www.gofundme.com/patsykaelin" target="_blank">oFundMe</a> I started for my parents ages ago. Because meal deliveries are great, but being able to get down the stairs safely is also great.<br><br>I also wanted to share two incredible gifts we received from two families we are so lucky to have in our lives.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu_w1TwAwOk/WPDVpsFtigI/AAAAAAAAFEc/RSsOOo8MEoMQ_V9nH6n39jgcn2JPdlaFgCK4B/s1600/IMG_8248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu_w1TwAwOk/WPDVpsFtigI/AAAAAAAAFEc/RSsOOo8MEoMQ_V9nH6n39jgcn2JPdlaFgCK4B/s320/IMG_8248.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>Yesterday, my mom received an overnight delivery from Katz's Deli on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. My mom's uncle owned a Jewish deli on Bardstown Road in Louisville in the mid-1900s, so Mom grew up knowing how proper deli food should taste. There are no more real delis in Louisville, so New York City is her favorite place to taste the comfort foods of her youth. The magical Tyra shipped a 3-course deli meal to her this week! Mom's appetite was down yesterday, but she's drooling in anticipation of digging into the pickles already:<br><br><br><br>One of our friends from the Highlands mama community and also the Wee Boy's preschool gifted us a family photo session with their favorite photographer. We'd tried to gather some family photos before, but timing was always bad.<br><br>Jessica from J Grace Photography <a href="http://www.jgrace.net/" target="_blank">http://www.jgrace.net/ </a> came to our home and took some gorgeous photos of my family that I've been meaning to share for a month now:<br>Images by J Grace Photography http://www.jgrace.net/<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vh4XsWl2qWQ/WPDTGYxGabI/AAAAAAAAFEI/EZSVzi_xHpoUwXtA3KTkbphnGVqVydekQCLcB/s1600/IMG_5235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vh4XsWl2qWQ/WPDTGYxGabI/AAAAAAAAFEI/EZSVzi_xHpoUwXtA3KTkbphnGVqVydekQCLcB/s400/IMG_5235.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPz3aCvxZlM/WPDTDsA-GZI/AAAAAAAAFEE/rozQsNJTB9YmgFVoy-ixHwFTYj-ZhUrhACLcB/s1600/IMG_5255-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPz3aCvxZlM/WPDTDsA-GZI/AAAAAAAAFEE/rozQsNJTB9YmgFVoy-ixHwFTYj-ZhUrhACLcB/s400/IMG_5255-2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WKMY3_enmgw/WPDTDZKBjKI/AAAAAAAAFEA/NJgm0x83W2EM4A-1KIx5hsMYhhNHJTPSACLcB/s1600/IMG_5363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WKMY3_enmgw/WPDTDZKBjKI/AAAAAAAAFEA/NJgm0x83W2EM4A-1KIx5hsMYhhNHJTPSACLcB/s400/IMG_5363.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PI4LPWP5DEU/WPDTpKIS5sI/AAAAAAAAFEM/QxC2hJYEHQ8un7vaLTNVzemIPk-I2R0HwCLcB/s1600/IMG_5451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PI4LPWP5DEU/WPDTpKIS5sI/AAAAAAAAFEM/QxC2hJYEHQ8un7vaLTNVzemIPk-I2R0HwCLcB/s400/IMG_5451.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xQE4jFsk9Ms/WPDTtlYTHSI/AAAAAAAAFEU/upbJfyyjlJoXyIw4qFbxYNBwza-2YGdLQCLcB/s1600/IMG_5482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xQE4jFsk9Ms/WPDTtlYTHSI/AAAAAAAAFEU/upbJfyyjlJoXyIw4qFbxYNBwza-2YGdLQCLcB/s400/IMG_5482.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GPOv86SceEE/WPDTsv8l4eI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/65DUjTQR5XMvxRrnB4CcHdGh3sTwGxu8QCLcB/s1600/IMG_5622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GPOv86SceEE/WPDTsv8l4eI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/65DUjTQR5XMvxRrnB4CcHdGh3sTwGxu8QCLcB/s400/IMG_5622.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46665492017-04-11T11:17:00-04:002022-08-04T05:16:06-04:00Jesus Christ Superstar, American Pours, Weights & Measures & Kombucha.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nhfnNPleloE/WOzzD4hMBFI/AAAAAAAAFDs/QHkoKLpfqiUn4ee5CaigBrkWZD7-8gNHwCK4B/s1600/IMG_8218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nhfnNPleloE/WOzzD4hMBFI/AAAAAAAAFDs/QHkoKLpfqiUn4ee5CaigBrkWZD7-8gNHwCK4B/s320/IMG_8218.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheyenne singing from the balcony. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's almost Easter! I know this because we just did <i>Jesus Christ Superstar</i> at Headliners, which is one of my favorite gigs. This year I sang "I Don't Know How to Love Him," which was kind of a super fun magical moment because there are so many instruments playing and there was some sweet sweet harmony with the beautiful and talented Cheyenne Mize and I just love that song and the whole score and magic and if church made me feel like that, I would go every day. Music is love.<br><br>The next morning, however, I woke up with a HEADACHE. Friends, I had TWO drinks. TWO. And over the course of four hours. Is this what life is like in my late thirties?<br><br>It also made me long for the United Kingdom, where the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weights_and_Measures_Acts_(UK)" target="_blank">Weights and Measures Acts</a> protect the consumer by ensuring that each pour of alcohol is exactly 25ml or 35ml depending on your order. Americans who frequent dive bars would probably be outraged by this. Having been out of practice, I compeltely forgot that a pour from a bartender in a good bar in Louisville, particularly one you've know for 20+ years, would most likely be the equivalent of <i>more than one drink</i>. But in the UK, even a good friend would still be required to pour you precisely 25ml. It's the law!<br><br>It makes me wonder if there are few hangovers in the UK? Because it would cost you more to buy the equivalent in alcohol, so maybe people just stop drinking sooner?<br><br>Deep thoughts for the day.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TmoQ8Ub9klw/WOzzEQRtL2I/AAAAAAAAFD0/RKQqspeJz1giZ1tOsddE_URCdQPWDeGxwCK4B/s1600/IMG_8216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TmoQ8Ub9klw/WOzzEQRtL2I/AAAAAAAAFD0/RKQqspeJz1giZ1tOsddE_URCdQPWDeGxwCK4B/s320/IMG_8216.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheyenne Mize making Scott Anthony sparkle pre-show.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anyway, I hadn't really been drinking this year. We did Dry January, and then it just sort of stuck. I sleep better when I don't have that glass of wine. I'm too stressed out to risk a bad night of sleep. I'm still nursing. I'm tired. Mom has cancer on her liver, which makes me a little more thoughtful of how I treat my own liver. And two drinks made me feel awful. I think I'm back on the Dry April. It's just not worth it.<br><br>David's been getting super into Kombucha, which I only like when it's strawberry-flavored and served to me in a champagne flute. I'll let you know how his first batch turns out when it's ready. <br><br>Also, I try not to post too much about Mom's treatments over here, but there is a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/patsykaelin" target="_blank">CaringBridge site</a> for that if you're interested.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46486172017-03-28T09:06:00-04:002017-03-28T12:06:04-04:00List of good things. It is a known fact that positive thoughts are better than negative thoughts. I understand this, but it's very hard to live it. Things that are GOOD in my present:<br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehfl0PlU1Dk/WNpgRJu3UrI/AAAAAAAAFDM/lT6wm4KgblEq6MaIhFvM0F3nMJHnU0eaQCK4B/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehfl0PlU1Dk/WNpgRJu3UrI/AAAAAAAAFDM/lT6wm4KgblEq6MaIhFvM0F3nMJHnU0eaQCK4B/s320/IMG_2622.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fam!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>1) My 4.5-year-old mowed 1/3 of my lawn yesterday. Sure, I sort of Tom-Sawyered him in a "Oh, this is so fun!" kind of way. But he's genuinely curious and very strong. We have one of those old-fashioned reel mowers, and this kid is SUCH a rule-follower that he wouldn't dare step over a chalk-line if I told him not to. Seriously, my friends clench their teeth when they watch him speed off in his scooter, only to then relax when he stops at every driveway, alley and stop sign. I told him not to go anywhere near the blade, and he mowed like a pro. I don't have a photo because, for once, I left my phone inside to enjoy the sweet moments with my children. He asked for 25cents for each time he mows the lawn, though, so we'll probably do it again on Friday.<br><br>2) My mom went to swim practice on Sunday and swam laps for 40 minutes. Most likely, that is more than you could swim. She took 2 weeks off scheduled chemo, so has been feeling better for it. I hate that it's the chemo, not the cancer, that is bringing her down.<br><br>3) Graham's passport is expiring, so I'm renewing it. This has me daydreaming and pinteresting all kinds of castles and adventures.<br><br>4) I'm still going to yoga, but have been trying to be honest with myself and do work when necessary. Yesterday, I had a babysitter for yoga, but it occurred to me that I had a zillion contracts to work on and websites to re-build and taxes to do, so I took that 90 minutes and worked on Brigid Kaelin LLC stuff instead.<br><br>5) I still journal in the 15 minutes before yoga, and apparently my fellow yogis don't think I'm a jerk for it. Instead, someone told me they "love your practice of journaling before class and try to respect your space." Yoga people, man -- aren't they great?<br><br>6) I went to a THERAPIST yesterday. Are you all breathing a huge sigh of relief for me? I swear, some of you read me like you read Jenny Lawson, just waiting for a breakdown, right? I'm doing okay, but I'm aware that my support system is either dying or has moved abroad or travels a lot or lives many states away. Apparently I need to reach out for help more and also to think about whom I could call at 3am if I needed. I know a zillion people, but I don't know anyone I could call at 3am. This is not a cry for help; it's an acknowledgment that maybe that is a negative about being an only child. Hmmmmmmm. (Insert rubbing chin emoji) I still feel that the $135 spent on therapy could perhaps have been better spent on several flights of champagne with Tara Anderson (she's really smart and good company), so maybe I'll see if I could charge a trip to Louvino to my HSA.<br><br>7) My piano is in tune, and I have been playing it more often. Funny how that works, eh? Seriously, though, I played Rhapsody in Blue in its entirely (though several sections slower than I used to be able to play them) this weekend while David got the kids ready for bed. It was so satisfying. I do love me some Gershwin.<br><br><h4>UPCOMING GIGS:</h4><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33i_Eog6HWI/WNpf-kyjS-I/AAAAAAAAFC8/6OHMJ8STRVcmnftsI5LtEWE7XaupUlwdgCK4B/s1600/JCSS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33i_Eog6HWI/WNpf-kyjS-I/AAAAAAAAFC8/6OHMJ8STRVcmnftsI5LtEWE7XaupUlwdgCK4B/s320/JCSS.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="207" /></a>April 2, 2017<br><b>WFPK's KENTUCKY HOMEFRONT</b><br>at Adath Jeshurun Synagoge on Woodbourne Avenue<br><a href="http://adathjeshurun.com/radio">adathjeshurun.com/radio</a><br>6:30-9:00<br>Tribute to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen<br>I'm singing "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" and "Famous Blue Raincoat"<br><br>April 9, 2017<br><b>JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR</b><br>at Headliners Music Hall, Louisville<br><a href="http://headlinerslouisville.com/event/the-music-of-jesus-christ-superstar-2/">http://headlinerslouisville.com/event/the-music-of-jesus-christ-superstar-2/</a><br>(and April 14 & 15 in Berea, KY and Madison, IN)<br><br>I'm also playing 3 private events on Derby weekend, but have room for more... HIRE ME!<br><br>xoxo<br>Brigid<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46470942017-03-21T11:47:00-04:002021-12-19T06:24:21-05:008 Self-Care Things That Are Keeping Me Sane.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OkqhObjXgYU/WNFMLcFReaI/AAAAAAAAFCE/eZS07MbBvBwAEfj7NSp9w4pxawf4Lc9CwCK4B/s1600/IMG_7687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OkqhObjXgYU/WNFMLcFReaI/AAAAAAAAFCE/eZS07MbBvBwAEfj7NSp9w4pxawf4Lc9CwCK4B/s320/IMG_7687.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not in the photo much -- but here I am!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm going a little stir-crazy not having a record to tour and promote -- it's still one bass part away from finished, but time is conspiring against me. In the mean time, I've been doing ALL I can to promote my own self-care. Life is tough now, and there are a few things that have kept me sane:<br><div><br></div><div>1. <b><a href="http://www.502poweryoga.com/" target="_blank">Yoga</a></b>. I'm not sure if it's the endorphins of exercise, the mindfulness of breathing, or the simple fact that with yoga I get an hour without anyone grabbing my nipples, but I leave feeling better. When I find I've gone a few days without going to the studio (simply doing a podcast at home does not have the same effect, as you might conclude from watching the time-lapse video of my toddler grabbing me while I'm bending), I am irritable and not a great parent -- not a great person, honestly. I'm moody, negative, and can throw a tantrum over a crushed Cheerio on the floor or a 4-year-old who decides it's Naked Time. </div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3YGM0vnMEeI" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br></div><div>2. <b><a href="http://www.thefresh20.com/" target="_blank">The Fresh 20</a>. </b>I've been using this meal planning site for going on two years now. Whenever I stray from planning, the family suffers. We spend more than we should at the grocery, or we order takeout because there's nothing to eat. We also eat less nutritious meals, or we end up just grazing all week. Or it's breakfast for <i>every meal</i>. I tried out multiple meal planning websites, and TheFresh20.com is the only one I remotely enjoyed. It's probably an 80-90% success rate on the "Would I order this at a restaurant?" scale by which we judge recipes. I've only had one meal the whole time that I straight up did not like. We subscribe to the Vegetarian annual plan. I don't put ANY thought into dinner now, and I know that I have the ingredients on hand to cook a well-balanced meal every night. It helps that my kids are not picky eaters. The shopping list also means I can send someone else to the store for me. I haven't used Kroger ClickList yet, but I've got a good friend who combines TheFresh20 with the Kroger ClickList and declared it a life-changer. </div><div><br></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HpC8qFGy2is/WNFJsTmzD_I/AAAAAAAAFBs/qUe4fHAtx_cjxt4OcOQaag6A340sgZ8kACK4B/s1600/IMG_8018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HpC8qFGy2is/WNFJsTmzD_I/AAAAAAAAFBs/qUe4fHAtx_cjxt4OcOQaag6A340sgZ8kACK4B/s320/IMG_8018.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy quinoa vegetable bowl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>3. <b>Journaling</b>. Writing has always been the single-most important thing to my sanity. Since having a baby, I simply have not had a good routine and haven't been able to journal. I like doing morning pages -- something I got from <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Spiritual-Higher-Creativity/dp/1585421464" target="_blank">The Artist's Way</a></i> many years ago -- but my kids get up too early for me to do anything in the morning. I've taken to arriving at yoga 15 minutes early and bringing my journal. I sit there, ignore everyone, and just write -- mostly nonsense, occasionally lyrics. I am sure that I look like a jerk with my pen and my notebook in my corner, but it helps immensely. I am actually able to empty my mind a little during the poses because I got a lot of the To Do list out in my morning pages. Also, if I don't go to yoga, I don't write. Then I really am a jerk.</div><div><br></div><div>4. <b>Antidepressants. </b>I should have led with this because if we are being completely honest, it's the Prozac that got me enough willpower to sign up for yoga and then <i>leave the house</i> in the first place. I've never had a problem being honest, so I probably should have made this my #1. But I just thought about it, and I don't feel like re-ordering my list. Because it's a blog, and I'm not going to edit if I'm not getting paid.</div><div><br></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ioz_KUixrQ/WNFKbuSCN3I/AAAAAAAAFB4/xrLQbzIykE8PmRa00qNmYXGuceXVnztdgCK4B/s1600/IMG_7633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ioz_KUixrQ/WNFKbuSCN3I/AAAAAAAAFB4/xrLQbzIykE8PmRa00qNmYXGuceXVnztdgCK4B/s320/IMG_7633.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, playing a German polka gig.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>5. <b>Work</b>. I'm gigging a lot. Not as much as I would like. But my work is my passion, and I am renewed when I do it. Music is probably the only thing that allows me to zone out and be in the moment.</div><div><br></div><div>6. <b>Pinterest</b>. I can check all the other social media apps on my phone, but when I open Pinterest, I actually feel my heart rate slowing and myself relaxing. I think it's like opening a trashy magazine on an airplane. I just look at things -- pretty things, good ideas, lists made by other people. I have no false dreams of crafting tiny hats that look like vegetables, but it makes me happy to see photos of other people's good ideas. Talk about distraction.</div><div><br></div><div>7. <b>Novels</b>. Whether it's an audiobook or a late-night Kindle purchase, I am a novel fiend. When I'm not doing great mentally, I like to read really easy books. Now that I'm a mom, I somehow like mysteries -- total #mombooks. I also really enjoy British chick-lit, though I wish there was a better name for it. What else ... Maisie Dobbs and Agatha Raisin books have been perfect distractions over the past 4.5 years since the first wee boy was born. </div><div><br></div><div>8. <b>A cuppa. </b>Tea. Oh, how I love tea. </div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46470952017-03-20T14:10:00-04:002022-03-09T01:36:20-05:00Henna art and Irish Butter.This weekend I hired a henna artist -- the amazing <a href="http://www.bohemianmonkey.com/" target="_blank">Rose Flowers of Bohemian Monkey</a> (aren't all of those words absolutely delightful??) to decorate my mom's beautiful bald cancer head. I scrolled through Pinterest looking at pretty chemo crowns, and now my entire Pinterest feed is stunning hairless paintings. It's the definition of bittersweet.<br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8yYDwVirAI0/WNAahX_smzI/AAAAAAAAFBc/q6K7q8t3USw0cdHAEo0lNOf1batcyIjcgCK4B/s1600/DSCF0224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8yYDwVirAI0/WNAahX_smzI/AAAAAAAAFBc/q6K7q8t3USw0cdHAEo0lNOf1batcyIjcgCK4B/s320/DSCF0224.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmers' Market in Bruges. Roseberries. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anyway, it was a perfect continental spread, though for just 3 adults and 2 kids, I definitely over-bought. My inspiration for brunches is forever the Best Western in Bruges. Best Western sounds like it would be tacky, but can I tell you it was the absolutely most spectacular breakfast spread I've ever encountered -- hotel or otherwise. From sliced Muenster to an entire wheel of Brie, from hard boiled eggs to sliced watermelon, from yogurt to fresh muesli, and miles of croissants... oh, my goodness it was everything. We honeymooned in Bruges, and I am forever trying to re-create that breakfast buffet, even if it's just for a henna-decorating morning. I apparently didn't take any photos of that breakfast, so it lives entirely in my mind, but here are some grand photos of Bruges anyway. I haven't used my passport in a while, so I'm living in my iPhotos.<br> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--RAQx8_AKd8/WNAagp7TznI/AAAAAAAAFBM/DCFGXbPD2Y4xogQku1UO2qEblYCJpSibgCK4B/s1600/DSCF0157.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--RAQx8_AKd8/WNAagp7TznI/AAAAAAAAFBM/DCFGXbPD2Y4xogQku1UO2qEblYCJpSibgCK4B/s320/DSCF0157.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bOurWGgqI9M/WNAag6vaczI/AAAAAAAAFBU/zi1j73UeR8cSHl5G-VAFeAvlJSMDKbm3gCK4B/s1600/DSCF0233.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bOurWGgqI9M/WNAag6vaczI/AAAAAAAAFBU/zi1j73UeR8cSHl5G-VAFeAvlJSMDKbm3gCK4B/s320/DSCF0233.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="212" /></a><br><br>Also, I've raised a butter snob. When asked by our hostess, "What would you like on your bagel, Graham?" my 4-year-old responded, "Do you have Kerry Gold?"<br><br>Thankfully, our host is British, so she knows her butter.<br><br>"I most certainly do," she grinned, basically confirming why we are friends -- and also that Graham's expectations are sky-high.<br><br>Enjoy the beautiful henna tiara. I think next time, she'll go full-on cap:<br><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oTxWGbrcvys/WNAYG8C4JMI/AAAAAAAAFBA/ua8aKirqjCcEj7hRRvxICyy1pliN2sT1wCK4B/s1600/IMG_7999.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oTxWGbrcvys/WNAYG8C4JMI/AAAAAAAAFBA/ua8aKirqjCcEj7hRRvxICyy1pliN2sT1wCK4B/s320/IMG_7999.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46470962017-03-10T14:40:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:57-04:00Cars are the worst. And RIP George. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU93h0u7nXI/WMMAv9Qw_uI/AAAAAAAAFAg/_5NoBBUUWOs23kOxoeO4B72S_DlJId0sQCK4B/s1600/puppy%2Bgeorge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU93h0u7nXI/WMMAv9Qw_uI/AAAAAAAAFAg/_5NoBBUUWOs23kOxoeO4B72S_DlJId0sQCK4B/s400/puppy%2Bgeorge.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George, as a puppy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This has not been a very good week. To quote my four-year-old: <i>First the Volvo died. Then George died. Then the Honda died.</i><br><i><br></i>To be fair, the Volvo is my dad's car. The George is my parents' dog. The Honda is my sister-in-law's car. And two of the three can be revived. But we have had the Volvo since my mom's first chemo treatment in December. George has been part of the family for 14 years, and the Honda lives at our house now that my sister-in-law lives here.<br><br>Also, David had to go to the ER on Sunday for a ruptured eardrum (that ruptured a couple of hours after my gig at the Monkey Wrench, which makes me think maybe we were too loud ... oops). The dog cost about as much to euthanize as the cars do to fix, but none of those three compare to the cost of an ER visit in America. It's been easily a $3000+ week in our family, and it's only Friday.<br><br>But accentuate the positive, right? The people we love are still alive, and we get to see each other. I made it back to yoga twice, despite having thrown my back and SI joint out earlier in the week. It was a glorious 75*F yesterday. I had an alfresco prosecco with two kids in tow (we took the bus), and I even remembered to reapply sunscreen to everyone. Hashtag winning.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wyl5NrBYcIE/WMMBGFaxHBI/AAAAAAAAFAo/oCoTmksSGTUY_j6jalH2U0kBdn_HvRmKgCK4B/s1600/george%2Bwith%2Bballs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wyl5NrBYcIE/WMMBGFaxHBI/AAAAAAAAFAo/oCoTmksSGTUY_j6jalH2U0kBdn_HvRmKgCK4B/s320/george%2Bwith%2Bballs.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George with 3 balls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The car troubles this week have reminded us that we sold our cars <i>six years ago</i>. That means we haven't had to deal with auto nonsense, tow trucks, absurd pricetags, oil changes, etc, in six years. Having driven my parents' car since December has made me realize how much I can't stand having a car -- not just because they always break and cost too much, but because it means a change in my lifestyle.<br><br>Much like the rise of cell phones mean you don't have to make concrete plans with your friends ("Just text me when you're close, and I'll find you" instead of "3:15 at the corner of 10th & Broadway"), owning a car means you don't have to plan your errands. I like not having to make precise plans with my friends, but being able to just pop over to the grocery at a minute's notice means, get this, that I don't actually ever get to the grocery. Then I either eat cupboard crap or I order takeout.<br><br>I prefer life when I live deliberately. Yesterday, we took the bus to Ramsi's from Graham's haircut place, walked to the library, then took the bus home. It was a full day. My kids got to see other people and make conversation. We got some things done and had a good time.<br><br>Maybe we'll just leave the Honda in the shop.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46470972017-03-06T11:58:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:58-04:00Confessions and giving up and me being crazy and stuff.I'm giving up on 40Days to a Personal Revolution. I clearly am much better at accountability when I'm doing things at my own pace. Does that even make sense?<br><br>The funny thing is that I was already doing daily yoga and eating mostly vegan and gluten-free before the program. So when it started and the program was only restricting things mildly or more about 'paying attention' to your diet, I figured I'd take that opportunity to have some Reese's Eggs because they weren't off-the-program until week three or four or whatever (it made sense in my head). So then I sabotaged myself and started eating bagels with Kerry Gold and having a glass of wine (I'd done Dry January easily and had only had a slightly damp February), and then I started getting headaches and pulled a muscle around an old hip/back injury because, duh, when you don't eat well, you don't feel well. Now I just give up.<br><br>I do better when I set my own rules. My rules were pretty effective prior to this program.<br><br>Also, I actually journaled <i>more</i> before the program gave me diary prompts.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Z9u8-kDal0/WL2U4-PIWEI/AAAAAAAAFAM/6QOj4M14c4o8-c-zF-h_-96pDI9x_MqogCK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Z9u8-kDal0/WL2U4-PIWEI/AAAAAAAAFAM/6QOj4M14c4o8-c-zF-h_-96pDI9x_MqogCK4B/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-gig. My favorite kilt. <br>My chaotic living room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Clearly, I'm one big mess, but I suppose that's to be expected.<br><br>Actually, maybe the program has been successful after all. All I'd really wanted was to start being able to allow myself ease. I've got a lot going on now. I need to take care of myself. And forgiving myself my freakouts and my imperfections is coming more easily.<br><br>You know what makes me feel best?<br><br>My work.<br><br>It turns out that writing music and playing music is the best therapy for me. Who knew? Well, apparently my mom did. She knows everything. I just don't like to admit that.<br><br>In exciting musical news, Steve finally got that stand-up bass he's been on about for a year now. Yessssss!<br><br>Last weekend's Monkey Wrench show was good fun. Also, I don't have any more shows on the books (except for a couple of standing private Derby events), which is completely absurd. Where are the venues, and where are the booking agents, and why can't I just play house concerts for the rest of my life?<br><br>xo<br>Brigid<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46470982017-02-22T14:31:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:58-04:0040 Days to Personal Revolution Week Two thoughts I missed my 40Days meeting yesterday because I had FOUR MILLION things to do. I've been thinking a lot about the 40 Days program, and I've realized that my main goal is to <i>not actually do the program</i>. My goal is to: go easier on myself.<br><br>I don't think I need the accountability that the program provides for most participants. I'm pretty good at creating unattainable goals for myself, and I don't need a book to lay those out for me. But what I'm not so good at is forgiving myself when I fail. Or rather, when I don't attain all my goals. Even calling it a "fail" is too harsh. I'm committed to relaxing and giving in -- to grabbing a nap if it's a possibility; to ordering takeout; to not blogging daily; to letting my child watch a TV show and not feeling like a terrible parent for giving him screen time.<br><br>Week Two involved getting out of your comfort zone. What did I do as a challenge? I said something aloud at the group meeting. I also invited someone I don't know well at all to go to the swimming pool with me one afternoon. I feel like I talked to much about absurd things, like female pirates of yore and the mechanical difficulties of semi-permanent structures. But I am large, I contain multitudes. And I forgive myself my eccentricities.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tD9WVBSGsWY/WK3mu6uZswI/AAAAAAAAE_k/z8Gddunz0CwScc8OYktpCnRIMcW7y1mKgCK4B/s1600/IMG_4095.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tD9WVBSGsWY/WK3mu6uZswI/AAAAAAAAE_k/z8Gddunz0CwScc8OYktpCnRIMcW7y1mKgCK4B/s320/IMG_4095.JPG.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugs and tears with an old friend on a school night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm practicing going out in public.<br><br>Last night I went to an open mic and sang and played accordion with the disgustingly talented Shannon Lawson. His voice continually blows my mind, and it was most fun to harmonize with him. I forgot how harmony makes me smile all over and how good it is for my soul.<br><br>I went to sleep at 1am and woke for the day at 5:30am (babies), having been wakened multiple times in the night. Somehow I managed a babysitter and a 9am yoga class. I was exhausted, and I forgave myself my inability to hold poses. I was easy on myself. It felt good. I felt energized after.<br><br>I suppose forgiveness is creating more opportunities for vitality. Maybe this program is what I needed after all.<br><br>Also: March 4, Monkey Wrench. Come hear me play with some friends! 8pm start.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46470992017-02-09T10:35:00-05:002023-12-10T13:04:32-05:00Foray into 40 Days to Personal Revolution: Week One<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uk_xDlqOnu8/WJyLk5yw5II/AAAAAAAAE-s/K49Q4bLzwhET1-4P4aJDiHeU5ofRzJnTQCK4B/s1600/40days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uk_xDlqOnu8/WJyLk5yw5II/AAAAAAAAE-s/K49Q4bLzwhET1-4P4aJDiHeU5ofRzJnTQCK4B/s200/40days.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="160" /></a>Pretty much every day since I started going to yoga, the teachers have been gently pushing a "40 Days to Personal Revolution" program. It's based on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Days-Personal-Revolution-Baron-Baptiste/dp/0743227832" target="_blank">a book by Baron Baptiste</a>, who developed the type of Power Yoga I've apparently been practicing. The 40 day program is a combination of "yoga, nutrition, meditation and inquiry work," as I heard teachers explain after every class.<br><br>It started this week, and I waited until the very last minute to sign up because I really, really can't stand small-group-work. The idea of sitting around in a circle, saying my name and something that I'm feeling ... it nauseates me. Friendly teachers suggested the program may be exactly what I need to conquer that fear. I would smile back nervously at them and scurry out of the studio before I got roped in.<br><br>Part of my reluctance to sign up -- aside from the group therapy-type situation that sets off my anxiety -- was that I know I'm going to fail. Why sign up for something that I can't possibly do?<br><br>I know, I know, never say "can't" and all that. But, honestly, as the program builds up to <i>60 minutes of meditation and 90 minutes of yoga a day, </i>well, WHO HAS TIME FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF SELF-CARE A DAY?<br><br>Then I look at the lovely and care-free 22-year-olds practicing yoga beside me, and I think <i>they have time. Why didn't I practice hours of self-care when I was their age? Sigh.</i><br><br>Somehow I decided to sign up for the program anyway, knowing full well that I will <i>not</i> be able to get up at 5am to meditate because I'm already up at 5 am changing diapers and breastfeeding. Knowing that if I actually block out 2 hours a day to go to yoga (as I did in January), my business will start to fail (as it has as a result -- I mean, WHERE IS MY ALBUM???).<br><br>I went to my first group meeting on Tuesday, but I won't tell you anything about it because I committed confidentiality to the group. That also means they can't talk about any crazy stuff I talk about in the group. But don't worry because I already told all of them that small groups make me nervous, so I will probably be quiet most of the time. Also, I am very good about oversharing here, so perhaps I'll just make my blog my therapy.<br><br>Here's why I think I signed up:<br><br><b>Therapy:</b> Actual therapy costs a lot of money, and I've always been pretty good at sorting out my own crap -- provided I held myself accountable. This is a significantly less expensive accountability program. When I journal on my own and exercise regularly, I tend to feel better about things. Depression has made doing all of that unattainable. Maybe blogging about it will help.<br><br><b>Distraction</b>: My mom is sick. We may be under nuclear attack at any moment. My family may be forced to hide in someone's attack because the government is now run by Nazis. Can you tell my anxiety runs high? I want to be on the streets protesting, but my anxiety won't let me focus. Maybe I can get a handle on my time management enough to figure out how to do my parents' laundry <i>and</i> join the revolution.<br><br><b>Control</b>: I have control over nothing. I know that. I hate that. Perhaps I'll have control over the next 40 days. (Am I missing the point already? Is the point to <i>let go?</i>)<br><br><b>Presence:</b> This is the theme of Week One. If anything, I need follow-through on my own self-imposed rules. I need to ignore my phone and <i>not feel guilty about not responding right away</i>. I have a no-phones-at-the-dinner-table rule that I only acknowledge when my husband is breaking it. Time to follow through. Being self-employed means always being working. That means I have a flexible schedule and can spend time with my kids during the day. It also means that my work emails, phone calls and texts are always happening. I would like to separate one from the other, so I can be <b><u><i>present</i></u></b> <b><i><u>for both.</u></i></b><br><b><i><u><br></u></i></b>I'm finding the 40 Days book a little too Jesus-y for my tastes, but I think it's possible to benefit from the introspective bits without bothering with the religious aspect. Open mind, open heart, right? Does it work in reverse?<br><b><i><u><br></u></i></b>On that note, I'm skipping yoga today because I have WORK TO DO. The blog counts.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a49ZFcyxpmc/WJyK-jVEE2I/AAAAAAAAE-k/kG4H2Tqp9SwZiuYzKFazrPB7vcfE5FuogCK4B/s1600/Brigid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a49ZFcyxpmc/WJyK-jVEE2I/AAAAAAAAE-k/kG4H2Tqp9SwZiuYzKFazrPB7vcfE5FuogCK4B/s400/Brigid.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>Part of that work: I'm playing a show on<b> Saturday, February 11. </b>Peter Searcy is joining me. He doesn't spend much time in Louisville these days, so this is a rare chance to catch him playing rare acoustic music. I hope he brings his cello to play on some of my songs. We are playing 9-11, but you can get to the lounge early. Reserve a table to make it easier. There is no cover charge.<br>Butchertown Grocery's upstairs lounge, now called Lola.<br><a href="https://www.gotolola.com/#reservations">https://www.gotolola.com/#reservations</a><br><br><br>Also, here is a cute photo of my sleeping baby.<br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1N7nLVqQSfs/WJyMHIjbuFI/AAAAAAAAE-4/UvWz0JKM6jEEHQwBXZgbCv37NpLUeVfoACK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1N7nLVqQSfs/WJyMHIjbuFI/AAAAAAAAE-4/UvWz0JKM6jEEHQwBXZgbCv37NpLUeVfoACK4B/s640/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471002017-01-30T15:44:00-05:002024-02-04T02:26:26-05:006 Benefits from 21 Days of Yoga<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WB-L6cB2THg/WI9eLOSN3GI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/FarC2ptCezUq87I1jAKQtxbSNoqxj_jNQCLcB/s1600/benefits%2Bfrom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WB-L6cB2THg/WI9eLOSN3GI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/FarC2ptCezUq87I1jAKQtxbSNoqxj_jNQCLcB/s320/benefits%2Bfrom.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="213" /></a>They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Well, I've been taking a yoga class 6-7x a week since January 4, and guess what ... I feel better.<br><br>I'm also annoyed because it's not like this is a huge revelation. I'm stubborn, and I don't like it when other people tell me what to do. So hearing, "You should do yoga," would deter me for like, another year. I'd try it out on occasion, but would never commit.<br><br>The good news to come out of Mom's cancer diagnosis (I haven't talked about it much on here, but if you <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=what+cancer+has+the+lowest+survival+rate" target="_blank">Google "what cancer has the lowest survival rate"</a> or "what is the worst cancer to get" you'll see what she has!) is that it has forced a lot of self-care. I'm an only child, and pretty much the ONLY downsize to being an only child is the whole being the caregiver when parents fall ill. Fortunately, I've got a huge support team of friends, and if they warned me of anything, it is to take care of myself. I am trying.<br><br>The <i>only</i> change I've made so far is going to yoga every day. It's a huge luxury because it requires basically a 2-hour chunk of time where I need someone to watch the baby (the 4-year-old is in preschool). My sister-in-law has been watching the new wee boy. There is no way I could have otherwise afforded to pay for both a yoga class <i>and</i> a babysitter every day. Believe me, I recognize this privilege. Remember that I have been used to solo parenting 200+ days a year, and my sister-in-law only came to live with us in December. It's been HUGE for my ability to practice self-care.<br><br>I've not managed to increase my time spent with music or writing, but here are the benefits I've seen so far, 21 days in to a regular yoga practice:<br><br><br><ol>
<li>
<b>I feel stronger. </b>I'm not quite as hesitant to carry my baby down the stairs or lift him out of the bath now. </li>
<li>
<b>My posture is better. </b>I still like to cross my legs and relax, but I find my spine is a little longer. I honestly feel a little taller. </li>
<li>
<b>I am not as tired. </b>My kids are not sleepers. The baby nurses several times a night and wakes up with teething pain or belly issues or a diaper need or just wants to party for a bit. I took my FitBit off with rage months ago because knowing that I had "374 minutes awake" was not helpful. I am not sleeping any <i>more</i> now than I was pre-yoga, but I don't feel as tired. This seems crazy because I sweat and pant during yoga class. But again, like they've been telling me for years ... endorphins make you feel better. </li>
<li>
<b>I feel less stressed.</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>Much like however many times you explain physics to me, I will never understand how an airplane stays in the sky, however many times you explain exercise in terms of neuroscience, I will never understand why it helps improve my mood. Life is intense right now, but my mind is more calm than it was. I think a huge part of it is that yoga is providing me more than just exercise: it provides that sacred <i><b>alone time.</b></i>
</li>
<li>
<b>I am more social</b>. No secret that I have massive social anxiety. Going to a new yoga studio that first day was terrifying, and I still get butterflies when I don't recognize the person behind the front desk. But there is a yoga community up there, and even though I am nervous to find new community, it is good for me. I am forced to utter a few sentences every day to someone who is older than four. I'm getting there.</li>
<li>
<b>I'm sleeping better.</b> Notice I said I'm sleeping "better," not I'm sleeping "more." My kids still wake up at least 4x a night, and I'm nursing the baby multiple times. But most of the time I am able to fall back asleep relatively easily, which is new to me. </li>
</ol><br><br><br><div>Okay. I don't want to be a yoga evangelist, but I do want to admit when I am wrong. And for many years, I suppose, I should have been doing yoga. Oops. No time like the present, right? Now if I could just find a way to play music and write for an hour a day, I might dig my way up to zero.</div><ol></ol><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471012017-01-23T15:21:00-05:002021-12-19T06:27:44-05:00Weekend review: The Sound of Music & a saw gig!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uorlg9Gyt9c/WIZlabB5Z-I/AAAAAAAAE-A/cfeDq8nbkzQBWA78pOgM-37Yd-iswhevwCK4B/s1600/IMG_7369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uorlg9Gyt9c/WIZlabB5Z-I/AAAAAAAAE-A/cfeDq8nbkzQBWA78pOgM-37Yd-iswhevwCK4B/s320/IMG_7369.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>Wee Angus has been a really great baby (except for the sleep thing, but honestly, I had very low expectations there), but I've really been feeling sad about missing out on time with my first Wee Boy. He is at the most fun age, and he is just so happy and good and such a fun person to be with. But I'm tethered to the baby, and it's hard to even enjoy a game of poker when the little guy is trying to eat the cards. I know "they" say that love doesn't divide; it multiplies. But <i>time</i> divides, and it is very hard to divide quality time equally.<br><br>This weekend, however, I got a one-on-one date with my 4-year-old! It was the best. We went downtown to see <i>The Sound of Music</i> at the Kentucky Center. Our seats were high in the balcony, but a very kind woman offered us her extra box seats when she saw us heading towards the nosebleed section. It was so sweet of her and such a perfect way to introduce Graham to big musicals.<br><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ut70Y8eqUfQ/WIZlZXy0xvI/AAAAAAAAE9w/Be-vaEoSHFUXugvKfHjJz3FVKTl4nZaIACK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ut70Y8eqUfQ/WIZlZXy0xvI/AAAAAAAAE9w/Be-vaEoSHFUXugvKfHjJz3FVKTl4nZaIACK4B/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>Though I've had a lot of negativity in my head lately (I'm SAD, people!), I'm trying hard to focus on the positive. A huge positive is having a 4-year-old with the state-of-mind to sit through a 3-hour Broadway show, with curiosity and comprehension and appreciation and wide eyes. It was so fun to see him light up when they sang "Edelweiss" and "Do-Re-Mi" and to welcome him onto my lap for some snuggles during the wedding scene where he wanted to lean in and kiss me.<br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnXknGDWKts/WIZlZ7_3oII/AAAAAAAAE94/I_-mCc_gNMM7MxNX64Tz9lp-2K_r4Kl3QCK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnXknGDWKts/WIZlZ7_3oII/AAAAAAAAE94/I_-mCc_gNMM7MxNX64Tz9lp-2K_r4Kl3QCK4B/s320/FullSizeRender-4.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a>Oh, he is just the best.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Also, Louisville people, the new restaurant at the Kentucky Center was delicious! There is a kids' menu, but the Wee Boy and I shared some of the regular tapas -- even though we got <span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">fettuccini</span>, which is basically a grownup version of butter noodles. We also shared a tasty salad and some truffle fries.<br><br>It was so much fun. The only sad part is that the tickets were my mom's, but she has been knocked down from last week's chemotherapy and couldn't make it. I'm hoping she's feeling well enough to take him to <i>The Little Mermaid</i> next month though.<br><br>**<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-NHGxeG3B8/WIZlLH80YRI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/r-nRBHLa3jQtSFbHIAxDiG3L3AyA0ZYIACK4B/s1600/IMG_7366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-NHGxeG3B8/WIZlLH80YRI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/r-nRBHLa3jQtSFbHIAxDiG3L3AyA0ZYIACK4B/s320/IMG_7366.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>This weekend I also played a very cool event at the Kentucky Science Center. Mostly I played musical saw, but also taught a couple of quick saw lessons and made some spontaneous music with the women who put together a cool musical interactive exhibit in the stairwell. Also, I ate a <i>lot</i> of treats. The caterer had made the entire solar system out of cakes! Here's Earth; it was delicious:<br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-NHGxeG3B8/WIZlLH80YRI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/r-nRBHLa3jQtSFbHIAxDiG3L3AyA0ZYIACK4B/s1600/IMG_7366.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y2Y2nCu7oXw/WIZlP103PDI/AAAAAAAAE9g/7ATW2CcUvnIYdtidf09kKJ11HpI_83zFQCK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender-5.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y2Y2nCu7oXw/WIZlP103PDI/AAAAAAAAE9g/7ATW2CcUvnIYdtidf09kKJ11HpI_83zFQCK4B/s320/FullSizeRender-5.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>Here's me all dressed up in real clothes, ready for a gig.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471022017-01-19T11:38:00-05:002022-05-27T07:51:00-04:00Me, doing yoga.All that boasting about my newfound daily yoga practice yesterday, and I skipped this morning! But I was helping my mom take a 3-hr test that required breathing into a tube every 20 minutes, and yoga just didn't fit in that schedule. I did drag my mat out of her car and move around a few rugs in order to stretch a bit in her living room. Then I took a yogie selfie of myself doing Downward-Facing-Dog because I was impressed that I could get my legs straight and my heels down.<br><br>Check me out, friends:<br><br><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enu1ukuLXcE/WIDqu-6H80I/AAAAAAAAE9I/gKgPTxJb4HEeHp_F5KrigktTpTymH9nWACK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enu1ukuLXcE/WIDqu-6H80I/AAAAAAAAE9I/gKgPTxJb4HEeHp_F5KrigktTpTymH9nWACK4B/s400/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a><br><br>I put it on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brigidkaelin/" target="_blank">my Instagram (@brigidkaelin)</a>, you know, like you're supposed to do when you do yoga, but I'm feeling a little proud of myself which means I'm completely missing the point, I know. I'm less proud of being flexible and more proud that I have actually done something so many days in a row. Follow-through has not been my forte lately, especially in a time where it is impossible to plan more than a day in advance because of medical appointments, etc.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471032017-01-18T11:05:00-05:002021-04-12T07:55:46-04:00Wednesday confessional: I've been doing yoga.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QViIfdfDkns/WH-O2_5RCyI/AAAAAAAAE8g/hX6qJLBMO5chXCC-eLT323Jmukn2g6UmgCK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QViIfdfDkns/WH-O2_5RCyI/AAAAAAAAE8g/hX6qJLBMO5chXCC-eLT323Jmukn2g6UmgCK4B/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="197" /></a>I've gotten a bit out of shape in the past two months. Oddly, lots of people seem to think I've lost weight (and I have lost the baby weight, but I lost that before anyone started commenting on it), but mostly I've been a lazy bum. <br><br>Confession: Since my mom began chemotherapy in December,<b> I have had her car</b> -- you know, lest I need to run errands for her or take her to the hospital at 3 am. It also means I've been driving the 0.3 mile to the grocery and 0.5 mile to preschool and the 0.5 mile to her house. It's ridiculous.<br><br>In light of that, I have another confession:<b> I have been going to yoga.</b><br><br>You might be thinking: this is an artist who is also a vegetarian, who doesn't own a car, who had a <i>home birth ... </i>of COURSE she does yoga, right?<br><br>Well, I've done a few yoga videos and podcasts here and there, specifically prenatal ones to prepare for birth, but I've only ever been to a handful of classes over the past 10 years. I have not actually ever <i>enjoyed</i> a yoga class.<br><br>Truthfully, I don't like group things -- except bands. My social anxiety kicks in, and even though I know yoga isn't about the other people, I still feel like there is always <i>someone</i> there who is either super loud about how healthy he is or who is doing handstands <i>at </i>me ... "as a warmup." I'm trying to not care anymore, even though I do wish I could wear an invisibility cloak to class.<br><br><h4>But in the past 14 days, I have been to 12 yoga classes. </h4><br>I'm not going to lie and say that I love them -- yet. But I love that I have gone to them. I love being a little bit sore. I love being able to touch my toes again. These are much more fun than any previous classes I've attended, and I look forward to them. The front desk crew knows me by name now (and offered a bit of therapy after class today), and I've even brought my mom to a couple of the more gentle classes.<br><br>But, secretly, I think I really like the ones that make me sweat. <br><br>I skipped a day last Friday, and that afternoon I was an irritable, complaining and generally horrible person. (I know, I know, I'm too hard on myself.) I'm not sure if it's the exercise, the meditation or perhaps simply the alone time, but something about having done yoga makes my head a lot lighter -- what a revelation, right?<br><br>I have questioned whether blocking out a 2-hour chunk of my day to use a babysitter and <i>not focusing on my career</i> is the smart thing to do. But I'm sticking with it a few more weeks -- at least until I can go up the stairs without panting.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aEzDeItEsYo/WH-SHlhO5nI/AAAAAAAAE84/e-0GVZRrDJYO00WXKynW_RBsYYkuhXg_wCK4B/s1600/IMG_7299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aEzDeItEsYo/WH-SHlhO5nI/AAAAAAAAE84/e-0GVZRrDJYO00WXKynW_RBsYYkuhXg_wCK4B/s320/IMG_7299.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Today I went to a morning yoga class and the babysitter offered<br>to stay extra so I could get some writing done and work<br>on my taxes. WINNER. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shout out to my brilliant sister-in-law who has been watching the baby, so I can go get sweaty. Folks, it's amazing what having another adult around the house has already done for my well-being.<br><br>Thanks for the nice folks at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/502poweryoga/" target="_blank">502 Power Yoga </a>for opening shop within walking-distance of my house -- although, who am I kidding? I've driven my parents' car to every class so far. (Face-smack)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471042017-01-10T13:07:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:59-04:002017: New Beginnings & Planning a Routine.You have noticed that I haven't blogged as often as I would have liked to lately. Partly that is because of depression -- something I don't hide, but also don't flaunt. Partly that is because I don't have time; I solo parent 200+ days a year. Partly that is because I've got a lot of stressful things going on. Like, big stuff.<br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6bCxa_qm4S4/WHUXUn59oqI/AAAAAAAAE8E/Xc2BRZqnFggKcE965DPpfLq__d-hrmbdACLcB/s1600/IMG_7100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6bCxa_qm4S4/WHUXUn59oqI/AAAAAAAAE8E/Xc2BRZqnFggKcE965DPpfLq__d-hrmbdACLcB/s320/IMG_7100.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Family photo! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>My mom is sick again -- cancer sick -- and it's got the whole family doing a lot of thinking and over-thinking. Life, death, taxes, deeds, mobility ramps, adventures ... things that we would have like to continue putting off thinking about for many years, but that have suddenly been forced to the forefront.<br><br>Something that has improved life immensely: David's oldest sister has come to live with us for a while.<br><br>If you know me well, you know that David's job for the past 3.5 years has been 80-100% travel. I didn't advertise that on my social media pages because I didn't want the world to know that I was the only adult in the house most of the week. That silence also meant I couldn't properly vent. It meant I couldn't properly explain why my musical and writing career has suffered or why I haven't seen your band play yet.<br><br>David's sister being here means that there is now another adult in the house. You would-be burglars can't touch us now, and I get to (I hope) get back in the groove of writing, meditating, yoga-ing. <i>Okay, so I've only really ever done writing regularly, but I'm hoping to add the others into my life for some sort of mental stability and physical release. </i>At the very least, it allows me to take more showers during the week and maybe even to leave the house once the kids are asleep.<br><i><br></i>I have often said I need to blog more often. I say it again today as a recognition that this blog is my first outreach post. It's a line-item that is easy to check off. It reaches people in a different way than a simple Facebook post. It is somewhat more personal than a tweet (though <a href="http://www%2Ctwitter.com/brigidkaelin" target="_blank">Twitter has been my most-used media in recent years</a>), and it's not forced in your face in the way a Facebook post so often is. It requires a click-through, and for that, I thank and acknowledge you. Right now, that's my only connection.<br><br>I'm working on it. Routine will be my friend this year.<br><br>Talk to me about your routine -- what works for you and how you maintain it. (And don't tell me you get up at 5:30am 'before your kids wake' because my kids wake at 5:30, so #notgonnahappen.)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471052016-12-01T10:18:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:59-04:00Small group anxiety, Mega Mocha and Alone Time<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gGNgWsqjOvs/WEA-idB4UWI/AAAAAAAAE7c/Pw3ypVFJIUwO0ME-oLN37woUCj50ayfzQCK4B/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gGNgWsqjOvs/WEA-idB4UWI/AAAAAAAAE7c/Pw3ypVFJIUwO0ME-oLN37woUCj50ayfzQCK4B/s320/FullSizeRender%2B23.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>This morning I was on my way to a La Leche League meeting -- a feat because a) I actually remembered and b) I had transportation and c) did not have to work -- when I had a bout of small group anxiety and instead pulled over to sit at my favorite coffee shop and write anonymously while the baby took a nap.<br><br>How weird is it that I can sing and chat in front of thousands of people (and that one time knowing that literally millions of others were listening in radioland) without a single stitch in my tummy, but the thought of sitting in a small circle with a handful of other women <i>absolutely terrifies me to the point that I can't go?</i><br><i><br></i>A few months ago I managed to arranged childcare and attend a Book Club meeting. I've been on the email group of this Book Club for years. It's full of smart women, several of whom I know already, but most of whom I only know from Twitter or other internet-y things.<br><br>I tried to snag a seat in a corner against a wall as everyone was moving from the cocktail portion of the evening to the sit-around-and-talk bit. The circle kept changing, and I kept having to move, until suddenly I was almost front and center. I tried to laugh off my anxiety, which seemed to annoy the hostess and only made me want to crawl into an even deeper corner.<br><br>We went around the circle and had to introduce ourselves and say "one interesting thing about ourselves" and I completely froze and the lovely Tara had to nudge me and whisper, "Tell them you play the saw," and I stuttered and forgot how to conjugate verbs and my face flushed and heart sped and then after introductions and only one or two comments into the actual book discussion, I walked home.<br><br>I somehow tought I might be okay at the LLL meeting. I don't actually have any breastfeeding questions. Dr. Google has been pretty helpful on that front. But I felt like I needed to attempt some socialization and perhaps some small group therapy.<br><br>Instead I'm in a corner writing and enjoying a breakfast crepe with a small mocha because that is basically the mental equivalent of a spa day. I swear, I really used to be so well-adjusted.<br><br>Baby is up from his regularly scheduled 28-minute nap, so there goes my crepe,<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471062016-11-15T08:51:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:59-04:00A place for art in dark times.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4eqNhFeo3lY/WCsSXtZNq-I/AAAAAAAAE3Q/FOEwgnJHdDk0z-8kRrim8kiw8neCULshQCLcB/s1600/IMG_6467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4eqNhFeo3lY/WCsSXtZNq-I/AAAAAAAAE3Q/FOEwgnJHdDk0z-8kRrim8kiw8neCULshQCLcB/s320/IMG_6467.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were both so so so excited on election day at 9am.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What a depressing week last week was. I'm still in denial. Followed by massive amounts of guilt knowing that I'll <i>probably</i> be fine -- as long as I don't flaunt the Jewish background thing, and maybe I should pull my kid out of the Jewish preschool because Anti-Semites are going to run the government ... hmmm ... okay, maybe I legitimately <i>am</i> worried for my family... <br><br>Anyway, the guilt comes from knowing that my family isn't outwardly too different, but plenty of others I know are and -- yikes, what year are we living in? How is this seriously our current challenge? Also, the ice caps are melting and what if a tidal wave attacks my oceanfront Louisville property in five years? Do I start buying an extra canned good at every grocery trip and insulating the attic with creamed corn?<br><br>I also keep thinking how can there possibly be a place for my career now? I'm a musician, not a revolutionary.<br><br>But also, don't people need art more than ever these days?<br><br>And is there room for, shall we call it, "distracting" art? Lighthearted songs to make you smile and take you away from the terrifying world? Or are those the artists who should give up and forget it because we should be focused on revolutionary songwriting? Are those types of songs more dangerous than ever because <i>we should not distract ourselves and ignore what it happening?</i><br><i><br></i>I have often wrestled with the whatisthepoint question of my career, but in light of the election results (and a postpartum fog and heading into the early sunsets and dark, cold days) I have even more mindwasps.<br><br>Am I being too hard on myself?<br><br>Can someone convince Bob Dylan to finally speak out? To tell artists what it was like to be the revolutionary performer in revolutionary times? Did he even know he was doing it? Was it a career-advancing accident that he had protest songs? Were they even intended as protest songs or were they interpreted that way because of the times he was writing in? How long did it take for them to spread in a world 50 years before Twitter?<br><br>In the mean time, I'm trying to finish up a record, and I'm really not sure why it feels so pressing.<br><br> I think my 4-year-old has the right idea:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMgT9vdvuiY/WCsSXjUzhgI/AAAAAAAAE3M/KGj3L6DTHTYsshdN4NSsD7DGBf2ed_O4QCLcB/s1600/IMG_6482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMgT9vdvuiY/WCsSXjUzhgI/AAAAAAAAE3M/KGj3L6DTHTYsshdN4NSsD7DGBf2ed_O4QCLcB/s320/IMG_6482.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At least there's this, right? :</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SpgFdfap9lU/WCsSXI-mncI/AAAAAAAAE3I/tx_WkB3SFP0MtyQRsxEKRwI_INVr48TkgCLcB/s1600/IMG_6670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SpgFdfap9lU/WCsSXI-mncI/AAAAAAAAE3I/tx_WkB3SFP0MtyQRsxEKRwI_INVr48TkgCLcB/s320/IMG_6670.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471072016-11-10T12:06:00-05:002020-08-26T00:28:21-04:00Anniversary of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.Today is the anniversary of the sinking of the <i>SS Edmund Fitzgerald</i>. If you are of the <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/culturebox/2011/10/generation_catalano_the_generation_stuck_between_gen_x_and_the_m.html" target="_blank">Jordan Catalano Generation</a> or younger, and if you have even heard of the Gordon Lightfoot song, then you probably are imagining a mighty old-time pirate-ship-looking vessel that sunk, oh, I don't know, maybe a hundred or two hundred years ago. Until last November, I was there with you. It sunk in 1975!<br><br>I heard "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" on WFPK on November 10, 2015, started listening a little more intently because I'd forgotten how electric the guitars were and how those 70s bass drums come pounding in a few verses in. For many musicians I know, that song has become a bit of a joke (I think the song is a complete masterpiece, beautiful haunting and perfect example of a good ballad) -- not the lyrics and melody, but the idea that it goes on and on for almost seven minutes without any chorus. It's jokingly been used <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z60VU2Nov_0" target="_blank">as a way to get people to leave a club at 2a</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z60VU2Nov_0" target="_blank"> (click here to see NRBQ version)</a>: just play a never-ending version of this song.<br><br>A few months ago, I was trying to get the baby to calm down and for some reason I put on "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." And the boy calmed down. I laughed, and then tried it again the next time he was in a baby-freakout. And it worked again. In fact to this day, it has a 95% success rate on getting him to relax -- like, you can feel his muscles breathe more deeply as soon as that lilting guitar emerges. It's become his Bedtime Song (replacing "Edelweiss") and will usually put him to sleep by the time the ol' cook comes on deck saying fellas it's too rough to feed ya.<br><br>Here is a time he was asleep before the first words:<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T9X8Z7jdKSs" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Insane, right?<br><br>Our whole family, particularly our 4-year-old, has become obsessed with not just the song, but the shipwreck itself. In Detroit last month we saw the Old Mariner's Church, aka "the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral" from the last verse. We went to a maritime museum for the sole purpose of seeing an anchor from the <i>Fitzgerald. </i><br><i><br></i><i><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxfs5crQqNk/WCSnWa_ArDI/AAAAAAAAE28/uQWYsTqtDJw6YW3j5WO9tLu4B7BnGuWPgCK4B/s1600/IMG_6210.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxfs5crQqNk/WCSnWa_ArDI/AAAAAAAAE28/uQWYsTqtDJw6YW3j5WO9tLu4B7BnGuWPgCK4B/s320/IMG_6210.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PRX6viETjkA/WCSnV5Mxc7I/AAAAAAAAE20/SvO4Aw5uJwM1C_JowyRcv-f4gjZYs2iswCK4B/s1600/IMG_6236.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PRX6viETjkA/WCSnV5Mxc7I/AAAAAAAAE20/SvO4Aw5uJwM1C_JowyRcv-f4gjZYs2iswCK4B/s320/IMG_6236.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></i><br><br>Last week the wee boy's barber asked him what kind of music he liked.<br><br><blockquote class="tr_bq">Wee Boy: The Edmund Fitzgerald.<br>Barber: Ella Fitzgerald?<br>Wee Boy: <i>The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald!</i>
</blockquote><br><b>We LOVE this song. </b><br><br>Today we are listening to it a zillion more times, but we are even more-than-usual thinking of the 29 men who sunk with the ship to the bottom of Lake Superior. As we learned from the museum, people still don't know for sure how/why it sunk. Great shipwrecks only 41 years ago -- oh, the mystery! It has somewhat ruined the Wee Boy for boating, but he knows all the words.<br><br>Look at<a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/85568639/The-Cruelest-Month-Edmund-Fitzgerald-Newsweek-November-24-1975" target="_blank"> this article from <i>Newsweek</i></a> that ran 2 weeks after the ship sank. Lightfoot used it for inspiration, as you can tell from the first paragraph: Accordion to a legend of the Chippewa tribe, the lake they once called "Gitche Gumee" never gives up her dead.<br><br>I mean, that's basically the first lyric in its entirety.<br><br>Another strange thing: he wrote that song 2-4 weeks after the ship sank. And it was a number one hit the next year. For y'all alive then ... did it feel too soon???<br><br>Anyway, I could go on and on about all the things I've learned about the ship. But for today: it's November 10, so today we are thinking about <i>The Fitz</i> and<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471082016-11-08T12:02:00-05:002017-03-27T12:58:59-04:00Electoral thoughts and a word jumble.We voted today. I studied American Politics (and even have a fancy <i>summa cum laude</i> degree in politics, lah dee dah) at NYU, where multiple professors argued that there is absolutely no compelling reason to vote in the USA. It takes effort to get to the polls, and the chance that your single vote will make a difference is, like, <i>n</i> to the negative 38th power or some statistic that I can't remember even though I swear I used to be really good at math. So why does anyone bother? X factor - guilt, civic duty, hope, whatever you call it ... I'm less skeptical than I used to be, and I got very excited about voting today. The wee boy and I walked the polling place early, then we took a bus to his preschool. It was a very civic morning. I cried a little.<br><br>Now I just sit around and bite my fingernails and eat Halloween candy because it's just me and the kiddos while the polls come in. I'm fielding texts from all my friends from other countries who are just as nervous and are apparently hoping beyond hope that America does not "do something stupid." Maybe we should just all go to sleep until tomorrow. Or hop on a transatlantic flight so I'll have to turn my phone to airplane mode until the morning.<br><br>Today I leave you with a word jumble, composed by the Wee Boy:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aNscUe2_71s/WCIE1KjmAvI/AAAAAAAAE2c/-uAL0isaopkLmZZuPFk4pOUBku9IojGyACLcB/s1600/IMG_6096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aNscUe2_71s/WCIE1KjmAvI/AAAAAAAAE2c/-uAL0isaopkLmZZuPFk4pOUBku9IojGyACLcB/s640/IMG_6096.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471092016-11-03T10:31:00-04:002021-02-08T00:52:11-05:00Detroit on a budget with kids.Business first!<br><br><a href="http://facebook.com/thesingingbirdies" target="_blank">The Birdies</a> are playing an event at The Aero Club on <b>Friday evening</b>.<br><br><b>On Sunday afternoon</b>, I am playing a benefit show for Alan Downie, aka the Scottish bartender at Air Devil's Inn. Because America is a bad place to be ill, fundraisers are what we do here to take care of those we love. I play at 4:00. There are many others on the lineup.<br><br>After that I am unemployed (aside from teaching lessons) because, while I was slammed with 3-4 gigs a week for the past 3 months, I apparently forgot to book any new ones. Thinking of spending December in Scotland instead because why not?<br><br>***<br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCKHtkGm7jc/WBtFzPau9KI/AAAAAAAAE1M/669KM3_VWDoP2LZNG2JrmHqBMJOt5VzZACK4B/s1600/IMG_6102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br></a>Speaking of travel, we did something a little out-of-character for me a couple of weeks ago, and we took a non-glamorous trip. We went to Detroit. I've got at least one friend who swears that Detroit is an amazing vacation destination, and, while I wouldn't go that far, I would say that I was surprised how many cosmopolitan attractions there are.<br><br>My only complaints were that 1) there weren't very many people out and about on the streets like I like to see in a City 2) we needed to rent a car to get around and 3) it seemed like restaurants and venues were always closed when we wanted to go. Like, more than four times we had that happen to us, even when we checked websites first. I would suggest calling ahead -- even for a breakfast restaurant that you'd think would be open at 9:30am. It might not be.<br><br>We were car-free for the first 3 days, which was fine because it was just me and the kids hanging about while David worked. We ate lunch and rode the People Mover, which was fun, but only practical if you were staying very downtown. We went to the Renaissance Center and saw the USS Detroit, which is not usually docked there, but happened to be that week. We stayed at the Westin because David was there for work, so he stays in fancy hotels, which had a swimming pool and Disney Jr. The 4-year-old was pretty please.<br><br>For the weekend we moved to an AirBnB in Midtown, where we decided it was time to rent a car. There is a bus system there, but it wasn't practical enough for our needs -- i.e. it took significantly longer to go where we needed and didn't run as often. It would have taken over an hour, plus a 20-minute walk to get to the Henry Ford Museum. We considered just Ubering, as we did a couple of times earlier in the week, but a rental was going to be cheaper and give us more options.<br><br><b><span style="font-size: large;">Favorite things:</span><br><i>I tried to include lots of free things, though we did obviously pay for several. Note that we have a 4-year-old, a 7-month-old, and we are all vegetarians. All these factors inform our tastes.</i></b><br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T67Pua_fq3E/WBtJr-Y-DvI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/JlWlEw6lHJohStJ9nCa4GkQ-_W5GQPR-QCK4B/s1600/IMG_6107%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T67Pua_fq3E/WBtJr-Y-DvI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/JlWlEw6lHJohStJ9nCa4GkQ-_W5GQPR-QCK4B/s320/IMG_6107%2Bcopy.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRlf-OlUUmI/WBtF1aM9xMI/AAAAAAAAE1k/ztjP3zMSD0Uvw9rbPSqRdXUCxUCLVyeLQCK4B/s1600/IMG_6107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><b><a href="http://www.mi-sci.org/" target="_blank">Michigan Science Center</a>.</b> $18+ each, but free with our Louisville Science Center membership, so that saved us $60. There's a planetarium there. The food is gross, though, so eat elsewhere.<br><br><br><b><a href="http://www.thepeoplemover.com/map.html" target="_blank">People Mover</a></b>. 75 cents for a token and you can ride it in circles all day long if you want! Bring the smallest bill you need because if you put a $5 bill in the machine, it'll give you 6 tokens plus 50 cents change. Go around the entire thing (15-20 minutes) at least once because the ride along the river is the best part. It looks like you're flying above the water! Also, there are approximately four zillion Pokestops you will pass along your ride. It's a prime time to use a Lucky Egg.<br><br><a href="http://macncheez.com/locations" target="_blank"><b>Mac n Cheez</b>.</a> There is a Michigan-based fast food place that serves up macaroni and cheese with all kinds of mix-ins. It's amazing.<br><br><b><u><a href="http://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/" target="_blank">Mariner's Church</a></u>. </b>Next to the Renaissance Center. This is the "Maritime Sailor's Cathedral" of which Gordon Lightfoot sang in "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." My family is obsessed with this song because we randomly discovered that its lilting guitar and melody puts the baby to sleep. <i>The church bell chimed, it rang twenty-nine times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.</i><br><b><br></b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pl8FWLXAkQ/WBtF2isd-lI/AAAAAAAAE10/akUNvEYit9Qf9T2Onao9MZ3cnadwpzv6gCK4B/s1600/IMG_6210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pl8FWLXAkQ/WBtF2isd-lI/AAAAAAAAE10/akUNvEYit9Qf9T2Onao9MZ3cnadwpzv6gCK4B/s320/IMG_6210.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><b><a href="http://detroithistorical.org/dossin-great-lakes-museum/plan-your-visit/general-information" target="_blank">Dossin Museum</a></b>. Free. We went here because they have a real, actual anchor from the <i>SS Edmund Fitzgerald</i>. It turned out to be a VERY cool maritime musem. It's kid-friendly, interactive and small enough to see the whole thing without getting tired. There is also a little room dedicated to the <i>Edmund Fitzgerald</i>, so my 4-year-old LOVED it. It's on <b>Belle Isle</b>, which is a strange, but peaceful island where nobody lives. Great for bike rides, as there's a road that circumnavigates the island. Be mindful of your mobile phone, as it might switch to Canadian service and charge you a zillion dollars. I had to turn my phone off.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-juS7-QNBr-k/WBtF4s-o-TI/AAAAAAAAE2E/J6KB-fCDZn89yuZ3JBjrFqnnvYygH55IwCK4B/s1600/IMG_6161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-juS7-QNBr-k/WBtF4s-o-TI/AAAAAAAAE2E/J6KB-fCDZn89yuZ3JBjrFqnnvYygH55IwCK4B/s320/IMG_6161.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle Tavern at Greenfield Village - YUM!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><a href="https://www.thehenryford.org/" target="_blank">Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village.</a> </b>Allow all day for these, and get there early. Also, it's crazy expensive, and you're going to be there for at least one full meal. Buy your tickets online for a small discount, and always look for other specials they might be running. We spent a small fortune there. We had a really great time and enjoyed learning lots and seeing lots, but <i>whoah, </i>was it pricey.<br><br><u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Center" target="_blank">Renaissance Center</a></u>. Free. Tours at noon and 2p daily. This is the headquarters of GM, but it's also just a HUGE set of shiny buildings on the riverfront that is basically a tiny little city. I kept wanting to see flying cars zooming around the tops. It's a great place to practice escalator etiquette and skills. Really, it's a good place to tire out the kids, and you're never too far from a cup of coffee. The food court is pretty great. It's also insane for Pokemon, but beware that your phone might think you're in Canada. There's a People Mover stop connected. Leave breadcrumbs -- it's a maze. Beware trying to find a table at lunchtime near the Riverfront 1st floor area. I found people who work there to be incredibly rude, each one of them sitting alone but when I asked if we could sit for a minute to eat a cookie, they claimed to be holding the table for their friends, even though I had a tired 4-year-old and a fidgety baby on my back who needed to sit down and be cuddled. Like, everyone actually told me <i>no, I couldn't sit there. </i>Maybe it's the Southern in me, but I was pretty shocked by that and eventually just sat down anyway and said we'd only be a minute.<br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNfV7-eOilA/WBtF4Z-xF0I/AAAAAAAAE18/lrmqn7dpFfYqpZgnW_CoxXSUNAIGP0MMACK4B/s1600/IMG_6143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNfV7-eOilA/WBtF4Z-xF0I/AAAAAAAAE18/lrmqn7dpFfYqpZgnW_CoxXSUNAIGP0MMACK4B/s320/IMG_6143.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kennedy Car at Henry Ford Museum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite restaurants (vegetarian-friendly):</b></span><br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WL87cFHIdk/WBtF0wl_SjI/AAAAAAAAE1c/aUXua3JJjZMtXA_PQKvfabk9SB-zA-hCwCK4B/s1600/IMG_6085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WL87cFHIdk/WBtF0wl_SjI/AAAAAAAAE1c/aUXua3JJjZMtXA_PQKvfabk9SB-zA-hCwCK4B/s320/IMG_6085.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Dime Store - photo by my 4-year-old.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.eatdimestore.com/" target="_blank">Dime Store</a></u>. This place was PACKED when we went for lunch the first day -- just me, the 4-year-old, and the baby. It was all adults, but I didn't get a stink-eye for bringing the kids. They had a high chair and we were served quickly. I'm a sucker for breakfast all day. Also, they gave the wee boy a free chocolate chip cookie. It was so delicious that we went back the next 2 days in a row -- once for takeout and once just to buy more cookies.<br><br><u style="font-weight: bold;">Hudson Cafe</u>. Another great breakfast place. Good for the kids. A lot more spacious than Dime Store, and there were lots of families there.<br><br><u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.jollypumpkin.com/jp/detroit-jolly-pumpkin-brewery" target="_blank">The Jolly Pumpkin</a></u>. We met up with David's co-workers for dinner one weeknight. It's got long tables with benches, so is relaxed. I liked their menu, mostly pizzas, but some yummy salads. We also happened to be there on Tuesday Trivia night, which was good fun. My 4-year-old answered a question for us about Charlie Brown, so he felt particularly included.<br><br><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCKHtkGm7jc/WBtFzPau9KI/AAAAAAAAE1M/669KM3_VWDoP2LZNG2JrmHqBMJOt5VzZACK4B/s1600/IMG_6102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCKHtkGm7jc/WBtFzPau9KI/AAAAAAAAE1M/669KM3_VWDoP2LZNG2JrmHqBMJOt5VzZACK4B/s200/IMG_6102.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a><u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.thetwistedapron.com/restaurant/" target="_blank">The Twisted Apron.</a></u> This might not count because it's in Windsor, Canada, so you'll need your passport and a car. But it was possibly my favorite brunch of the week. Fried pickles, poutine -- all kinds of crazy options. You can even use your chip-and-pin card as it was intended, provided of course you remember your PIN, which most Americans probably don't because we don't actually ever have to enter our PIN when we use the card. Also, leave your phone at home, or turn it to airplane mode, so you don't pay international roaming charges.<br><br><br><br><br>We had a good time. What are your favorite kid-friendly things to do in Detroit?<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471102016-11-02T11:47:00-04:002023-12-10T14:27:09-05:00Bananas, To Do Lists and Brain FogI read an article this morning about how <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/sleep-studies_n_5629717.html" target="_blank">getting only six hours of sleep gives you the cognitive equivalence of being drunk</a>. I was, like, "Six hours of sleep?! Whoah -- luxury." And then, I was, like, "I wonder what <i>my</i> cognitive abilitie r rite now bc i haznt sleeped that minny hrs in loooooooooong thyme." I have rubbed coconut oil on my forehead, but my brain doesn't work any better.<br><br>I was assured by most of you out there that my second baby would be a sleeper, so I said, "Sure, let's do this." And while he's kind of the best baby in every single other way imaginable, he sure wakes up a lot.<br><br>I'm thinking of getting a Keurig, even though I've been environmentally opposed to them since their invention (though I sure do get a kick out of using them at <i>your</i> house, dear reader ... #hyprocrite ) , and putting it on my bedside table. You see, I'm having trouble getting out of bed in the morning. <i>Lots </i>of trouble. My angel of a four-year-old -- seriously, the best kid in the history of the world -- sings me awake and snuggles me and tells me what a beautiful day it is and -- I kid you not -- last weekend disappeared, ran to the kitchen, brought back a tea towel and said, "Here Mommy, take a deep breath, and use this to wipe your tears." But I am a Grumposaurus Rex until I've had ten minutes of alone time and a cup of coffee.<br><br>Thank goodness for this insanely warm weather. I come to you today from my back deck, where I'm sitting next to a naked baby who is screaming for another banana. I don't have video handy, but he looks pretty much exactly like his brother did at this age when he ate bananas, and here's a video of that:<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Za4dV6VJ588" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Anyhoo... the weather has me wanting to make To Do Lists, so that's a start.<br><br>Since I seem to be completely unable to finish this album -- it's to the part of the process where I've done all I can, and now it's up to the engineer to mix and master and do all those crazy details that I'm technically ignorant of -- I need to find an outlet. I'm thinking of finding a babysitter who takes credit cards and will come over to my house for 90 minutes a day so I can, get this, BLOG.<br><br>I know, it seems so dumb. But I need to get back out there, and blogging seems to be the easiest and quickest way to reach a thousand people. People tell me they like my blogs, though I'm not sure why. I do know that it's going to be a long winter in front of my SAD lamp if I don't find some sort of writing routine. Even if that means Recipe Monday, Cat Video Tuesday, WhatMyKidSaid Wednesday, AwkwardFacebookLive Thursday and TravelPhoto Friday.<br><br>Hmmmm maybe that's my new framework.<br><br>Anyway, could someone out there please hold me accountable? And also, can you babysit?<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471112016-10-10T14:04:00-04:002021-07-20T19:42:44-04:00Babywearing and guitar playing not so simple...I should re-title this blog "Twice a Month Whinges about Motherhood and Art" because that's pretty much where my head is. Also, my Red Accordion was essentially stolen a few years ago, and my adventures have not involved a passport recently.<br><br>I'm going insane that my new album isn't finished yet. My baby won't sleep and more importantly won't nap, ergo I can't work. I'm getting a little sensitive about people who tell me it must be nice <i>not to work </i>because <i>I do work and I want to work more</i>. I've been completely slammed with current gigs, but I've failed to do the important admin stuff of booking NEW gigs. I missed another important deadline this morning, and so as of November 4, I am unemployed.<br><br>My grandfather, a professional trumpeter, warned me about being a self-employed musician. He said, <b>"Remember, after every gig, you are unemployed."</b><br><br>It's not been a bother before, but with children, it's just <i>insert-The-Scream-emoji-seven-times.</i><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTO1XcHtF1I/V_vVtt0zgoI/AAAAAAAAEzw/GuWFFPdNU1gLVM_w71b3fKcvqo4WQT4rACK4B/s1600/Photo%2Bon%2B10-10-16%2Bat%2B1.18%2BPM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTO1XcHtF1I/V_vVtt0zgoI/AAAAAAAAEzw/GuWFFPdNU1gLVM_w71b3fKcvqo4WQT4rACK4B/s320/Photo%2Bon%2B10-10-16%2Bat%2B1.18%2BPM.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="213" width="320" /></a>Okay. Whinge over. Today I attempted to do the babywearing thing, which I am, in general, in favor of (though I don't quite understand how it is a new thing, as it seems like mothers have been strapping babies to themselves for much of history), but it is just kind of HARD when<br><br>1) you have to type at a computer<br>or<br>2) you have to play the guitar.<br>or<br>3) you have to sing (his wee ears are RIGHT by my throat!)<br><br>All of which are the things I need to do. Maybe when he gets more comfortable with the back carry, this will be easier? I managed a little musical work this morning, but my wrists hurt from playing the guitar at the wrong angle.<br><br>In the mean time, I'm thinking about doing Facebook live concerts every day this week with the wee boy strapped on.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOG_video_class" id="BLOG_video-e08d344eee96d107" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/get_player">
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http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471122016-09-29T11:45:00-04:002017-03-27T12:59:00-04:00Video from Bakersfield on the Ohio<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/63CofO-zS6U" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Just a snippet from last month's festival ... sometimes it's fun to sing without playing an instrument and also to pretend that I am an alto.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471132016-09-28T09:58:00-04:002021-12-19T23:53:13-05:00Babies and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.<span style="font-family: inherit;">I made this Facebook post the other day: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only thing keeping Angus quiet this morning is "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" on repeat, so that's how my morning is going. </span></i></span></span><br><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></i></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">It was good for some laughs and some likes, but what I showed a few houseguests a few days later is that <b>it is true!</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>My boys are not quiet creatures. Most of the time they are happy. The "quiet" of which I speak is not the absence of whines, but the absence of chatter. </span></span><br><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">We had some friends over recently, however, and Angus was whining. It wasn't loud or heartbreaking, but it was persistent. It took me about 30 minutes before I pulled out my last resort: <i>Alexa, play 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.'</i></span></span><br><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br></i></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;">That mournful electric guitar wailed in three quarter time, and Angus closed his mouth, stared pensively out the window and quieted down.</span></span><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w_c68v45TC8/V-vIPE1EDTI/AAAAAAAAEzY/tfVwe0xi54YGRIG-o6vvnzTQXW921fKewCLcB/s1600/DSCF0876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w_c68v45TC8/V-vIPE1EDTI/AAAAAAAAEzY/tfVwe0xi54YGRIG-o6vvnzTQXW921fKewCLcB/s400/DSCF0876.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;">Not surprisingly, that song has been in my head for weeks now, as it is my go-to pacifier.</span></span><br><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;">In related news, we are going to Detroit in a few weeks. David has been working in Detroit, and the boys and I are headed up there to <strike>make his hotel room less peaceful</strike> enjoy room service and see some sights. </span></span><br><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white;">What's going through my head? </span></span><br><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="background-color: white;">"<span style='font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;'>In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style='font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;'><br></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style='font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;'>In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style='font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;'>The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style='font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;'>For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald."</span></span></i></blockquote>So my new question is: what do we know about Edmund Fitzgerald tourism? I absolutely want to go to the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral.<br><br>Do you think in, like, 400 years they will dig up the remains of the <i>Edmund Fitzgerald</i> (point of information: names of specific ships are italicized)? Will they haul it to shore and build a museum around it like they did in Stockholm at the Vasa Museum?<br><br>Cue fun photos from when David and I went to Sweden to see My Morning Jacket five years ago:<br><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rtQmbWTf48w/V-vIPALE4BI/AAAAAAAAEzc/teU3exRxeGkm0oqYRSRzGm1tZSv_Q4sqQCLcB/s1600/DSCF0877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rtQmbWTf48w/V-vIPALE4BI/AAAAAAAAEzc/teU3exRxeGkm0oqYRSRzGm1tZSv_Q4sqQCLcB/s640/DSCF0877.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at us, pre-baby, in Sweden!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471142016-09-23T10:54:00-04:002017-03-27T12:59:00-04:00Dixie Chicks and the lack of role models.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ocz8942UQk/V-VB9DWuWTI/AAAAAAAAEzI/rZ41AgIf6oUS2Oa-57O3rPAnfoBFYSqUQCK4B/s1600/IMG_5564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ocz8942UQk/V-VB9DWuWTI/AAAAAAAAEzI/rZ41AgIf6oUS2Oa-57O3rPAnfoBFYSqUQCK4B/s320/IMG_5564.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a>I got a babysitter last night and went to the Dixie Chicks concert, just like every woman over 35 in this city. And it was SO MUCH FUN! And I am SO TIRED. But my sitter did a magical job of getting both boys to sleep, and I got to hear live music. It was kind of crazy loud, but I had great seats and, <i>wow</i>, do their voices still sound amazing and tight and powerful.<br><br>It got me thinking how frustrating it was as a young musician with two X chromosomes to have so few role models. There are plenty of women singers out there, but I grew up watching frontwomen backed by male band members -- even the few famous women artists who were good at playing their own instrument had bands full of men (and even my band is all men! though I can take a solo too... it's hard to take one when you could make Steve Cooley pick one instead).<br><br>To get even more specific, there were (and still are) so few women who play more than just average strums on an a guitar. Now, I'm not at all knocking acoustic guitars. I strum one in my own band about half the time. But being able to play leads or even just play above average is surprisingly uncommon in the music industry for women.<br><br>(Let's not get caught up in saying things like, <i>but what about Joni Mitchell? Tori Amos? etc etc... </i>Exceptions are not the rule.)<br><br>So watching the Dixie Chicks belt out tight harmonies AND play multiple instruments <i>well </i>was just brilliant (as in... Emily actually picks the banjo, not just strums it like a guitar. I mean strumming it like a guitar sounds cool in lots of songs and bands, but any guitar player can memorize a few banjo chords and jump up and down. To pick it properly and in tempo and fast is a challenge!).<br><br>I have a lot of young (female) guitar and piano students. I teach them all how to read music and understand chord theory. I've got 8-year-olds who can transpose chord progressions. Like any woman in business, I often explain to them how to be taken seriously by their male co-workers/band members, you need to know your stuff in and out. (How many times has a male band member or sound engineer explained to me how me how my keyboard should be set up? Ugh.) I just wish there were more role models out there for my wee students -- that I could say, "Here are a hundred amazing examples of bluegrass guitar solos, each by a different important female picker."<br><br>Anyway, thanks, Dixie Chicks for being not just amazing entertainers, but for being amazing musicians.<br><br><b><i>Louisville, I'll be emceeing the IrishFest all weekend long. Come say hi! It's at Bellarmine.</i></b><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471152016-09-20T14:11:00-04:002017-03-27T12:59:00-04:00I'm emceeing a festival! One of my craziest appearances was when I was maybe 4 months postpartum with my firstborn and did my first public appearance in the United States since he'd been born on a LIVE RADIO program, <i>Kentucky Homefront</i>. I remember being mid-song, playing on zero sleep, feeling that wacky no-sleep high, and thinking <i>who thought it was a good idea to give me a microphone bwahahahahahaha? </i><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Narv8ekglQs/V-F7uBkSQII/AAAAAAAAEyo/9Ch4f5Bs5fou_b8fz4qYlCifGUa0rWYeACLcB/s1600/band_2016_Dallahan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Narv8ekglQs/V-F7uBkSQII/AAAAAAAAEyo/9Ch4f5Bs5fou_b8fz4qYlCifGUa0rWYeACLcB/s320/band_2016_Dallahan.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="122" width="320" /></a></i></div><br><i><br></i>I could sing song lyrics without a second thought, but the chit-chat between? The intro? The talking on live radio? I could barely string words together, and I hadn't spoken to another adult in what felt like a century.<br><i><br></i>Somehow that is happening again! Except it's not a live radio thing. Instead, some silly people have asked me to emcee an entire festival. Hahahah! The joke's on them!<br><br>Come out to the Louisville IrishFest this weekend, and watch me emcee and introduce all the bands, run betwixt stages, and talk into a microphone without having had adult conversation in a looooooong time.<br><br>It's like watching a trapeze artist without a net. The tension is the art, people! Come watch me do the art.<br><br>Crazy news: the headliner is a band from Scotland that I KNOW BECAUSE I PLAYED IN ANOTHER BAND WITH THE FIDDLE PLAYER WHEN I LIVED IN EDINBURGH AND THEY WERE BOOKED FOR IRISHFEST WITHOUT THE BOOKERS EVEN KNOWING WE KNEW EACH OTHER HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!?<br><br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1774330036142782/">September 24 @ 11am all day & 25 @ noon until 5p at Bellarmine University.</a><br><br><br><a href="http://louisvilleirishfest.com/">http://louisvilleirishfest.com/</a><br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/louisvilleirishfest/">https://www.facebook.com/louisvilleirishfest/ </a><br><br><h2>PRICES copied from website:</h2><br><h1 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px 0px 10px;">Prices (per day)</h1><table style="background-color: white; border-color: rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); border-spacing: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; table-layout: fixed; text-align: center; width: 785px;"><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;">
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<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" width='"50%'><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">Adults</h4></th>
<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" width="20%"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">$8</h4></th>
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<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">Children (ages 6-12)</h4></th>
<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">$5</h4></th>
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<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">Children (Under 6)</h4></th>
<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">FREE</h4></th>
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<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">Seniors (65+)</h4></th>
<th align="left" style="border: 1px solid rgba(51, 51, 51, 0.0980392); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">$5</h4></th>
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</tbody></table><h1 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px 0px 10px;">Discount Coupons</h1><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; text-align: justify;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">$1.00 discount coupons will be available at the following locations:</em></div><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Molly Malone’s (both Locations)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">O’Shea’s (all Locations)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Flanagans</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Shenanigans</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">O’Connell’s</li>
</ul><h1 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px 0px 10px;">Organization Discounts</h1><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Scada-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Active Military</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">FREE admission with ID Card (Immediate family also free)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Louisville Zoo Members</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">Receive a $1 off discount by showing your Zoo membership card. (This discount applies to all family members.)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">College Students & Faculty</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">Any University/College Student, Faculty, or Staff gets a $1.00 off (must present school I.D.)</li>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Current Bellarmine University Students and Faculty </strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">FREE admission with valid identification.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Dare to Care</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bring in a canned goods item to donate to Dare to Care Louisville and receive $1.00 off an admission ticket. (One can per ticket.)</li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471162016-09-16T10:01:00-04:002017-03-27T12:59:01-04:00Happy Birthday, Wee Boy! You are completely amazing.<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DY9PqdGnc54/V9v6zQN9amI/AAAAAAAAEyQ/mlyX7ZqsidIh4Rn34HtKNE0Nd0dSW1grACLcB/s1600/IMG_4079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DY9PqdGnc54/V9v6zQN9amI/AAAAAAAAEyQ/mlyX7ZqsidIh4Rn34HtKNE0Nd0dSW1grACLcB/s200/IMG_4079.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a>Four years ago today I had the Wee Boy in a beautiful Birthing Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, and can I tell you the honest answer to the question? <i>Yes, I absolutely believe it has been four years! </i>I have enjoyed the last two and a half immensely, but wow are those first 18 months tough. I was just writing in my journal about how much I adore Graham, and I decided to share it with the world because, people, he is <i>the best kid</i>.<br><br>No, he still doesn't sleep. That has been the thing about him that causes the most stress. If not-sleeping would guarantee that my Newest Boy would be <i>exactly the same as Graham</i> then I would happily never have him sleep through the night. Because Graham is just <u>so good.</u><br><br><span style="font-size: large;">Ode to Graham today?</span> Yes. No holds barred, here, either.<br><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NKJ38K2utCA/V9v6zVbxcZI/AAAAAAAAEyM/W0M8c0ip-A0lwKbOuPeS18GucUB7qVJzgCLcB/s1600/IMG_4648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NKJ38K2utCA/V9v6zVbxcZI/AAAAAAAAEyM/W0M8c0ip-A0lwKbOuPeS18GucUB7qVJzgCLcB/s320/IMG_4648.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xtTw8cZINU/V9v6y74wbfI/AAAAAAAAEyI/TLgtSdDsn0IYQnndTI_ZPvOzLuUhBmZigCLcB/s1600/IMG_4619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br></a>
</div><br><br>I keep most of my parenting triumphs to myself because I feel guilty about them. I have watched friends with similarly-aged children have a year full of "threenager" behavior: tantrums, illogical arguments, huge emotions, mood swings and general hard emotional times. Today I can say that, though this is all completely normal, I have not seen such behavior in Graham. He has thrown a tantrum, but it has never lasted more than 45 seconds. Seriously. It is bizarre, abnormal and completely wonderful.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oQHZ3HiDm5k/V9v6z_gk0TI/AAAAAAAAEyU/2iqRQ5sJXZY-m83lepF60aWKRaYqMlGHwCLcB/s1600/IMG_4767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oQHZ3HiDm5k/V9v6z_gk0TI/AAAAAAAAEyU/2iqRQ5sJXZY-m83lepF60aWKRaYqMlGHwCLcB/s200/IMG_4767.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a></div><br>He's a thousand times more emotionally intelligent than I am -- something I credit more to David's genes than my parenting. Honestly, none of the credit should go to my parenting. I don't do anything or know anything differently than my friends do. I just got crazy lucky with a child who takes deep breaths and talks about his feelings. It blows my mind daily, and I <i>never</i> take it for granted. While I'm in the kitchen throwing a spoon in frustration, Graham will come in and give me a hug and tell me, "I'm so sorry you're feeling sad. Will a snuggle make you feel better?" And I <i>melt</i>, people, <i>I melt. </i><br><i><br></i>People think I solo parent a lot. I'm pretty sure it's Graham doing the parenting.<br><br>Anyway ... his year as a 3-year-old has been amazing. He is a master on that scooter. You've seen him racing down the sidewalks in his unicorn helmet, seemingly without a parent (I'm just behind him a few driveways, trying to keep up), but always stopping at long driveways and alleys and streets to wait for me, me never having to remind him.<br><br>He goes off the diving boards and swims to the side by himself.<br><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBY-OKH51pI/V9v6fbiIazI/AAAAAAAAEyE/Yyj7YKhHLrI88H1FMbbAri9fikwQmh_NQCLcB/s1600/IMG_5208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBY-OKH51pI/V9v6fbiIazI/AAAAAAAAEyE/Yyj7YKhHLrI88H1FMbbAri9fikwQmh_NQCLcB/s320/IMG_5208.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venonat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>He's a surprisingly good little artist. Lately he's taken to drawing Pokemon (or is it Pokemons?) freehand, and they are really good! Even for a 4-year-old.<br><br>He loves working crosswords -- either a kid crossword book or just writing in the letters that my mom tells him to in the newspaper puzzle.<br><br>He can even read! Seriously. I mean, it's not <i>David Copperfield</i> (thanks for that visual, Erin), but he can read the BOB books and sounds out words in other books all the time. I've caught him reading to his little brother, and I thought I would explode from warm fuzzies right then and there.<br><br>Ugh, I know. I'm so annoying. I'm just so stinkin' proud of that sweet little boy, who always holds the door open for me and who loves so deeply and occasionally actually cries adorable little tears of joy. I am so excited to see what magic age 4 brings.<br><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xtTw8cZINU/V9v6y74wbfI/AAAAAAAAEyI/TLgtSdDsn0IYQnndTI_ZPvOzLuUhBmZigCLcB/s1600/IMG_4619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xtTw8cZINU/V9v6y74wbfI/AAAAAAAAEyI/TLgtSdDsn0IYQnndTI_ZPvOzLuUhBmZigCLcB/s320/IMG_4619.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471172016-09-14T12:01:00-04:002017-03-27T12:59:01-04:00Secrets of my big NYC audition!Y'all, I was at a callback for a BROADWAY SHOW! My secret dream has always been to be in musical theatre, but two things:<br><br><ol>
<li>I was pressured into the orchestra pit my junior year of high school, not because I wasn't talented enough to land a role, but because they supposedly couldn't afford to do the show if they didn't have a free keyboard player to be the orchestra. That was a huge blow to my confidence as an actress, even though I'd had multiple leading roles prior to that. (It did mean I got to play 364 pages of Stephen Sondheim piano parts, however, so that was fun!) </li>
<li>At NYU the musical theatre people were NUTS. Also, I had no fewer than 10 roommates/suitemates who were theatre majors, and I saw the drama firsthand. Oh, wow, was there drama! (Lyzz, remember that time when B****** made up a date, and we saw her at the movies by herself, and then she came home and told us all about how he bought her popcorn and put his arm around her...)</li>
</ol><div>I've done a lot of work with theatre regionally, but it's been mostly musical -- as in behind-the-scenes, like musical directing the Apprentice Show at Actor's Theatre one year or acting as accordion coach for ATL during the Humana Festival. Or helping them with sound effects, recording accordion or musical saw parts. I took an actual role onstage in <i>Cowgirls</i> about 10 years ago, doing a role that seemed to be written for me: a classical pianist, turned honky-tonker/ accordionist, guitarist, yodeler. It was so much fun, but it was also the same time my first record was blowing up and I took a different performance route.</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, it wasn't <i>completely</i> ridiculous for me to send in a video audition when Adam Brodsky texted me a link that ONCE the Musical was looking for an accordionista. I love that show and love that there is no orchestra pit. The actors play multiple instruments onstage and are like a roving band. It's the perfect combination of all my loves. I threw together a clip and a resume and sent it along. No one looked at it, but it felt good to have accomplished something interesting, new and work-related. I moved on.</div><div><br></div><div>A few days later, just before I went to bed, I get an email via my website from a casting agent in New York who is looking for female accordionist singer/actors asking <i>would I be interested in submitting a video audition for ONCE the Musical? And, oh, by the way, it needs to be in tomorrow morning. </i>Apparently no one had seen the other video (still 0 views on Youtube; it's a private link; you can't find it), but I got a babysitter the next morning and read the monologue and played the accordion part and sang 16 bars of a song and played the piano parts. Honestly, I thought the music was easy and was amazed they couldn't find anyone in NYC to do the role.</div><div><br></div><div>A few hours after I sent in the video, the casting agency asked me to come to NYC for a callback!</div><div><br></div><div>I wasn't 100% sure about going, but David said, "OF COURSE YOU WILL GO." </div><div><br></div><div>The thing is, it was for the National Tour of <i>ONCE the Musical</i>, which opens in, like, 3 weeks in Tulsa, and rehearsals start this week, and I have four million gigs this fall and I am surely the only actor they are considering who has kids, and definitely the only one with a baby young enough that he subsists entirely on breastmilk.</div><div><br></div><div>But in acting, you can't tell them things like, "Oh, I have kids." Because no producer wants to deal with the ramifications that an actor-with-kids means. Calling in sick because your kid is sick is a little different when it's a sold-out show.</div><div><br></div><div>But I went! </div><div><br></div><div>And man, did I feel like superwoman. </div><div><br></div><div>They asked me at the last minute if I happened to play the cello, which I did play in middle school and again for a Days of the New tour. I can read the music and play the notes, but I hadn't touched one in years. A cello is fretless, so it's not something I can just pick up and be perfectly in tune the whole time. The music didn't look complicated, however. I was completely honest and said I used to play, hadn't in years, but would be happy to give it a try.</div><div><br></div><div>You know the rest, about how I flew up BY MYSELF, enjoyed a night in a hotel BY MYSELF, ate several meals BY MYSELF and generally had a merry old time. </div><div><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bwx7UTFlnvs/V9ljQWbwkfI/AAAAAAAAExM/d8iukZKUQg0ca-0kjOXRnt1giByzo7K_gCLcB/s1600/IMG_5389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bwx7UTFlnvs/V9ljQWbwkfI/AAAAAAAAExM/d8iukZKUQg0ca-0kjOXRnt1giByzo7K_gCLcB/s320/IMG_5389.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">What I left out was the audition!</span></div><div>
<br>It was so crazy -- like the movies. Actors lined the hallway in a studio full of various productions rehearsing. NYU students had movement class in one room. <i>MAMMA MIA!</i> was rehearsing in another. <i>Phantom of the Opera</i> had reserved the room we were using right after us. </div><div><br></div><div>Everyone had fancy headshots and some people were clearly trying to psych out others with their vast knowledge and serious experience. I also felt so old and so carefree because they all cared so much about everything. I was just there to have fun. </div><div><br></div><div>Several people went in and came out a few minutes later echoed by a <i>thankyouforyourtimeNEXT!</i> kind of vibe. I was pretty much expecting that to happen for me, the last audition of the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>But, friends, they asked me to stay! Even after I played a crazy attempt at the cello, apparently my piano skills and accordion skills were worthy (duh- I'm awesome at those!), and my acting wasn't terrible, even with the Czech accent I was asked to attempt, because they asked if I'd stay for the movement audition. (Also, they were super nice and really easy to talk to, and I kind of wanted to go grab a beer with them after the long week I'd had. But business, you know...)</div><div><br></div><div>This part was funny because, though I actually love dancing and am also not terrible at it, I am<i> five months postpartum. </i>I have a <i>lot</i> of pelvic pain from PGP and misaligned hips and so much lower back pain and an incredibly weak core from a touch of diastisis recti (abdominal split). My healing has been so slow, and I can still barely turn over in bed at night. And pretty much the entire routine was core and lower body -- no arms, but not in a <i>Riverdance</i> kind of way, more of a <i>you'llhaveaninstrumentinyourarmswhenyoudothisforreal</i> kind of way. The first move was a deep lunge that caused lower back spasms, and I can't believe I made it through the routine without grimacing or falling over. </div><div><br></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv94WBP1y4o/V9ly3uNBFpI/AAAAAAAAExc/vmOuG2l4Nz0c091QztZ8mGxCezYI21ajQCLcB/s1600/IMG_5394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv94WBP1y4o/V9ly3uNBFpI/AAAAAAAAExc/vmOuG2l4Nz0c091QztZ8mGxCezYI21ajQCLcB/s320/IMG_5394.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facetiming with the Wee-est boy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>At one point I sort of just laughed to myself and said, "Oh well, it's been fun. I'll just do the best I can." I probably should have attempted some facial expressions, but I was focused on not crying out in pain because, you know, I couldn't mention the whole <i>five months postpartum</i> thing without basically eliminating myself from the competition. </div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, in the end, there were five of us left -- two men, one woman up for an entirely different role, and one woman up for the same role as I was. So basically: 50/50 shot at a ROLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW!</span></div><div><br></div><div>How crazy is that, y'all?!<br><br>They had to send the videos of auditions to the director to make a choice. People, the director is JOHN TIFFANY, currently in London directing <i>THE CURSED CHILD! </i>
</div><div><br></div><div>Also ... it's a six month tour, and I would have to bring the kids. They are young and portable, so it's not impossible. And David's company would fly him to a different city to meet us every week because he travels for work weekly anyway. But I'd have to hire a travel nanny. I'd have to buy a car. I'd have to put off finishing my new record and touring my new record. But then, in theory, it would be easier to book tours as a Broadway star than as a singer-songwriter. But oh, how exhausting! And Graham's birthday is this week, and I would miss it ... and I missed his birthday last year because of a work thing in Nashville. And the guilt the guilt!</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, I spent the last several days in limbo wondering what life would present. I would have to say yes if they offered it to me because it would be amazingly fun and what an opportunity! And I would be great in that role -- it was written for someone like me.</div><div><br></div><div>They said they'd make offers on Monday, and I hadn't heard anything by Tuesday morning. I sent a quick note asking about travel reimbursement when they replied that the role hadn't been cast yet. Yikes! Back to limbo ...</div><div><br></div><div>Ultimately I found out last night that the other woman got the role. She was really nice and I had been angry at myself for rushing out to catch the elevator and my flight before I was able to get her contact info. She had more theater experience, was younger and didn't have kids, and I'm pretty sure was a better dancer (I was too busy trying to remember the steps on not enough sleep and didn't look at the others dancing. I also failed to list a bunch of my own theater experience on my resume because it was so long ago!) <i>(Producers, if you're reading this because something happened and you're considering casting me, IGNORE all my wondering-if-I-can-pull-it-off: I totally can. Because remember, moms can do it ALL. Your mother would agree.)</i>
</div><div><br></div><div> But can I explain to you the sigh of relief that I didn't have to make a difficult choice? </div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Moral of the story: I made it to the final two choices of a real actual BROADWAY SHOW when I was five months postpartum and in the worst shape of my life, both physically and mentally. So take that, haters (myself, included!). I am basically superwoman.</span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now - let's book that Europe tour full of house concerts and festivals and folk clubs next year. Who's in??</span><br></span></div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
http://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com for free downloads and more:)</div>Brigid Kaelintag:brigidkaelin.com,2005:Post/46471182016-09-13T11:36:00-04:002017-03-27T12:59:01-04:0024 Hours in NYCI did something pretty crazy last week, and I'll tell you about it in a few days. I'm still processing and waiting on some news. But no matter the outcome, possibly the best thing of all was: 32 hours BY MYSELF.<br><br>David travels for work a lot. I don't envy the time on the airplanes (I have had terrible plane anxiety ever since flying into New York the morning of 9/11), but I do envy the alone time. Once you get to an airport, you are completely anonymous -- especially if you have TSA Pre-check like he does, which means you never have to get intimate with an official.<br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--tP8DFGwpoM/V9gcTb6uqAI/AAAAAAAAEwU/lC7bsEh0i7QzmBspdLvZEWAw7GxU_bM2ACLcB/s1600/IMG_5378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--tP8DFGwpoM/V9gcTb6uqAI/AAAAAAAAEwU/lC7bsEh0i7QzmBspdLvZEWAw7GxU_bM2ACLcB/s320/IMG_5378.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ALL TO MYSELF!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>David was actually arriving on <i>literally</i> the same plane that I was flying out on, so I got to greet him at the gate like it was 1998. There was a big airport hug and a smooch and then we high-fived and he went home to relieve the babysitter and take over solo parenting duties.<br><br>And then ... I was off. Sailing through the sky with my phone in airplane mode. I wrote a little in my journal. I listened to the new Philippa Gregory novel about Henry VIII's sister. I exhaled somewhat.<br><br>When I landed at LaGuardia it was already dark. I treated myself to a taxi because, again, <i>expense account</i>. Also, I'm 38, and there's still no subway directly from that airport.<br><br>David had gotten me a fancy hotel room on his travel points at the Sheraton in Times Square. I got to my room and immediately sprawled on that king size bed on the 48th floor and just exhaled. It was soooooooooo nice to be by myself, even though it meant pumping breastmilk every 2-3 hours.<br><br>Unfortunately the restaurants I wanted to go to were either too far or closed, so I grabbed some pre-made sushi from a swanky grocery on 7th Avenue, waved goodbye to the lights of Times Square and retreated to the hotel room.<br><br>And I slept!! My boobs kept waking me because they were super full, but I managed to go back to sleep. So despite the multiple wakings, they were (mostly) on my terms and it felt sooooo good.<br><br>What did I do? It was music-related, and it was really fun. I met some nice people and had a good time. Got to dance and sing and play the piano and chat and laugh. I'd do it again!<br><br>I took the subway and bus combination back to the airport because Brigid Kaelin LLC's per diem isn't <i>that </i>fancy. Dinner was a delicious kale salad with a glass of Savvy B, none of which required speaking to a human to order. Ipads at every seat for the win. Even more anonymity!<br><br>I'm a bit off my writing game from lack of practice, but I'm gonna get better.<br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DoZonQyrUk/V9gcVhlf1MI/AAAAAAAAEwY/lnU7chH86mQP4jSvciYSUr1aorXLXVq8ACLcB/s1600/IMG_5379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DoZonQyrUk/V9gcVhlf1MI/AAAAAAAAEwY/lnU7chH86mQP4jSvciYSUr1aorXLXVq8ACLcB/s320/IMG_5379.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ALL TO MYSELF!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N1wgdtxK86A/V9gcWSKWEKI/AAAAAAAAEwc/kSA3GfK_yj03bchzJ279_rPWEg9T1F6HwCLcB/s1600/IMG_5381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N1wgdtxK86A/V9gcWSKWEKI/AAAAAAAAEwc/kSA3GfK_yj03bchzJ279_rPWEg9T1F6HwCLcB/s320/IMG_5381.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all this Pokemon action in NYC!<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast at Lindy's.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Times Square.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at Beyond Sushi. All vegetarian.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at the airport, surprisingly good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">Wanna buy a Brigid Kaelin CD?
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