Monday night at the MET.

Opening night of Andrea Chenier. An understudy observes intermission.

As a child, going to performances at NYCO with my grandmother, I found the Lincoln Center complex cold and hulking. As an appreciation for mid-century design gradually, over a period of years, slipped into my consciousness, I found new things to admire, and yes, even enjoy. The interior of the MET for one. The white marble staircases that coil and snake with both boldness and elegance.  The gilt fish-scale ceiling. The intricately spiky Sputnik chandeliers that rise grandly to announce the start of each performance. The geometry of it all is really quite breathtaking.

On a beach in Hawaii

Love is like the open sea

And I wish you were here with me

On the beach in Hawaii.

An innocuous winter trip to the Guitar Center to buy a capo turned into a bit of an impulse buy. While looking for assistance, I suddenly ran smack into the ukulele section.  Like the wannabe Brooklyn hipster that I am, I was instantly smitten (Puppy-dog sized! Beautiful wood grain! Surprisingly lovely tone!). Feeling ridiculous (I'd only started guitar lessons a little over a month ago!), I wrenched myself out of the store. Only after texting with a snowbound, Detroit-trapped Molly (trapped in conference hell), who urged me to allow myself a small pleasure like this, even it was silly, did I return and buy one. Not the beautiful ones pictured (too expensive), but the cheapest one that didn't look and sound like it was made with a sheet of plywood and a glue gun. Once at home and parked in front of some youTube instructionals, it was easy to pick up some songs, in a basic sense. The ukulele seems to be an easier (if more limited) instrument than the guitar, at the very least, certainly easier on the fingers! If my travel schedule ever picks up, it will be nice to have something so portable.