(1) I had the intriguing experience of having an MRI for the first time in my fairly long life. It lasted 35 minutes and was fascinating. They had given me an anti-anxiety medication which helped, and also some injections, the combination of which had me batty for the rest of the day. Grateful I not only made it through but actually enjoyed the experience.

(2) After the MRI, I shook hands with the radiologist and told him I was very impressed with their expertise. I mentioned I’m a guy who hasn’t really hung out in doctor’s offices or hospitals, so this is all very new to me. He said he found that amusing since they all see me sitting at the same table in the hospital’s Courtyard Cafe every day, and have all enjoyed hearing me play the piano as a hospital volunteer. (Incidentally, they keep the piano in the radiology room and wheel it out for me to play in the lobby.)

(3) About that table in the Courtyard, it’s tucked into a nice corner where I have a lot of privacy between 10 and 11:30, when neither breakfast nor lunch is being served. They serve unlimited free coffee, and I’ve actually taken to giving my singing lessons to my student Tessa on Zoom there. The lessons have gone better there than either at my apartment or at the church. It must just be a good karma table.

(4) About Tessa, this has got to be one of the most thrilling reconnections of all. She was my award-winning voice student for years in the early 2000’s, and her singing has only matured with age. You ought to hear her sing “Midnight Screams” someday. She’s so good it made me rewrite the lousy lyrics in the third verse. It’s a joy to be working with Tessa once again.

(5) About singing, Keva and I are officially meeting at 10am this Saturday to record the three tunes “Love for Sale,” “Now That There’s You,” and “Mean Ol’ Moon.” I’m grateful for the aura of professionalism and mutual respect that pervades our sessions. To be honest, I’m grateful for music in general, especially now. In many ways, music is seeing me through one of the most stressful times of my life.

“Music is indeed the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.”
— Ludwig van Beethoven