Monday, October 30, 2006

Hello Friends

Hello to all my friends and faithful readers who keep checking back to see if I have posted anything new. Thanks for all the emails wondering if I'm okay and encouraging me to get back to writing. I've been working on a major life-changing project since May 11, which I have officially now completed. Although it did not keep me from writing, most of my psychic energy went to reaching that goal. I'm not ready to announce what it is yet, but someday I might.

My new goal is to write something on my blog at least every two days. I'm working on a book report on local author Gary Forrester's new book, Houseboating in the Ozarks. Our reading group met last night and discussed the book with Gary, who was with us by telephone from New Zealand. I'm also working on a report on the new Martin Scorsese movie, The Departed. At least one of those reports should be up by tomorrow. I've committed to fellow blogger, Patry Francis, that I will put up a report of Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on November 3rd as part of the Third Day Book Club that Patry has started.

For those of you who know my son, Chris, the violinist, when I last reported on these pages, he was about to go to Lucerne, Switzerland, with his quartet, Jack, and to play as concertmaster of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra under the renowned conductor, Pierre Boulez. Chris had a successful trip, and his quartet has been asked to return next year as one of the featured quartets. They have also been asked to play at other places in Europe and a New York debut may be in the offing. Meanwhile, Chris is performing with pianist/composer, Richard Carrick, in Encinitas, CA on Nov. 1. Carrick has a very impressive bio here.

8 comments:

Lauren D. McKinney said...

Hey! I was just about to de-blogroll you. But now I don't have to. Good to see you back.

rdl said...

Welcome back! I just committed to blogging everyday for the month of Nov. or should I change that to I should be committed for even considering it.

Jess D'Zerts said...

Hey, John, glad to see you lookin' all bold and important on my Bloglines list. It's good to know you're well and happy! Awesome news about your son. Looking forward to your upcoming posts.

Patry Francis said...

Glad you're reading! And yes, wonderful news for your son. What could be better than having a musician in the family?

Lori Stewart Weidert said...

Yay! Nice to see you again. Whatever life-goal you've been working towards, always nice to hear someone made it! Congrats.

Will remain tuned in, as always.

Anonymous said...

Since May 11th, major life changing goal, required psychic energy, now accomplished, may announce it someday. What could it be ? Intriguing ! I'll keep checking in if only for that news.

Glad that you're back. Book and movie reviews are welcome.

Anonymous said...

Happy to read that you're posting again!

Trucking Fiddler said...

Wow, I'm probably one of Chris's biggest fans. Couldn't be more proud of him myself. Tried that contemp - scary music for awhile; gave up on it. There's too much of the gorgeous, lovely, thrilling, magnificent, intimate, moving music in the world. No time for academic music that has no other point. But more power to the intellectual musician who can do that stuff, really! This comes from an Oklahoma City truck stop after being up all night...