Happy New Year to all my family, friends and colleagues. Jan 1, 2023 May you continue to be curious, to learn and to respond with clarity to the pressing challenges of our time. My Holiday Gift to you is a quote from Kurt Vonnegut which was given to me and one that I’ve embraced for myself: “Go into the arts. I'm not kidding...They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will receive an enormous reward. You will have created something.” Now, here's my annual report. CONTINUING ACTIVITIES: I still perform with Sarasota Earlye Musicke Consort on various recorders, performing courtly, baroque & jazz music. It's all so much fun! I also perform with The Venice Chorale, singing classical and pop music as a tenor. Our new Artistic Director is awesome; he makes us love music so much, encourages us to study it in depth, and creates delightful surprises for our audience. I'm still growing orchids and enjoy taking photos at our Venice Area Orchid Society -- plants which are awarded monthly by our membership. Of course, I must play with my Star and when she barks, we start fetch and catch. However, she won't return the rubber bone to me -- so onto the next one in my pocket. I hike with dear friends in Pineland Park several times a week and continue to kayak with my kayak girl friends -- around the mangrove isles in the Intercoastal Waterway. We take hundreds of photos of nesting birds -- Roseate Spoonbills, Pelicans, etc. When their juveniles exercise their wings I can make some delightful shots. My SonyRX10m4 camera with the 600 mm lens inside continues to delight, taking 24 shots per second. I can take surprising photos that the eye misses! Some are even artful and I post many on Facebook. NEW ACTIVITIES: I've been watching 2 brilliant directors at our Venice Theatre direct rehearsals of 3 plays including Jeff Daniels’ new play, ‘Pickleball’ which was a hoot. I'm also taking acting lessons (learning play analysis & character focus) and receiving positive encouragement (stay tuned for when I put what I've learned into practice). I did write an essay after viewing the profound drama, Black Pearl Sings, and my acting teacher said it was of such excellence that he sent it to the playwright! Sometimes, one's being is touched so much, it compells one to write. I plan to do this more often as I study this engaging artform. I'm now using my new (3rd) IPad 12.9 and ForScore software to download music and use PageFlip Firefly Bluetooth Pedal to turn pages with my foot during recorder performances. Do I tap on the beat - or in between- this does take some coordination! I've also been helping 2 friends with medical research and taking them to appointments and surgeries. Though I've been avoiding politics, I did ask people to sign petitions for the Florida Clean Water and the Women’s Healthcare Rights both which will be now on the ballot next November. They MUST Pass. For more exercise I now attend 2 cardiac classes per week on Zoom, led by a friend I admire who lives in NYC. I've also joined the Venice Isle Book Club and am reading the amazing novel, ‘A Land Remembered’ by Patrick Smith about the struggles and bravery of Florida’s early settlers. I'm sure glad I've always had air conditioning while living in Florida! So, there we are. I'm thankful that my health is good and that I have housing and food unlike so many in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and other places. I naively thought there would not be any more wars, and now we face the horror daily. Let's hope that peace will be restored soon and that the rebuilding will begin. In the meantime, we can support organizations which are helping such as World Central Kitchen (https://worldcentralkitchen.org). I hope you all have an interesting, challenging and delightful New Year. There's so much to learn and enjoy, so many ways to help others, and new thrills around the corner. My best, Cynthia Vance and Star (Check out some photos above)
