My favourite things...this week.

Usually I write this post on a Friday, but after hours of work, driving to the airport in Sydney to return to Melbourne and then actually arriving home, I did not feel like sitting down to write.  So I didn't.   Having just finished my Business Activity Statement and a couple of other pieces of work for a client, I just want to step away from the desk, but I'll write this first.

One of my favourite things this week was an early text message on Saturday morning from my dear friend S. who now lives interstate.  She was in town and wondered if I would be free for coffee.  Would I?!  We had a delightful morning catching up on the news and just enjoying each other's company for a couple of hours before I headed off to my jazz vocal class and her 8 month old son became a bit cantankerous.  It reminds me that with good friends, no matter how much time has passed, each meeting takes place as though the last one happened only yesterday.

A particularly challenging project I've been managing for a client all came together this week.  We're producing mental health scenarios working with simulated patients and clinicians which are filmed in Melbourne and sent over the internet via web conference to NSW.  The technology has been touchy and the team wasn't very tech-savvy to begin with.  It's been a painful birth, but this week EVERYTHING worked.  I knew this moment would come, but I don't think my team did.  We really needed this moment!

I had a moment of observation where I consciously noticed myself embrace fear and leap in anyway.  I selected my first song (one of two) for the jazz vocal workshop.  I'd never heard it before and I loved it the moment I heard the lyrical melody.  When the words were revealed I couldn't resist.  As I took the stage to explore further, Bob Sedergreen told me this was a really challenging song with a lot of key changes.  "It's really difficult.  Are you sure?"  My response was, "Excellent!" For that I received a round of applause.  

My next favourite thing comes from that class too.  While I'm all open to experience whatever happens, I've noticed that that is not the mindset of the entire class.  There are a couple of people who are very worried about everything they don't know.  They want information NOW about things that will be revealed in due course.  Instead of relaxing and just being where we are, they become anxious.  Initially, I could feel myself pursing my lips and a little voice of judgement was seeping in: "They need to relax and just BE!"  Then I realised that this applied to me too.  We're all in different places and one of my lessons is to be cool with where other people are.

My fabulous day in Sydney on ANZAC Day was a highlight of the week.

Lastly, travelling home on the train yesterday afternoon I noticed a young man with the piano score for Percy Grainger's "Gumsuckers March" spread before him on his lap.  He was playing "air piano" so intently I could almost hear the music.

© divacultura 2013

What were your favourite things this week?