Sep. 2, 2024

What I'm up to — September 2024

Now

Updated while visiting friends in Ann Arbor, MI.

Summer's over

It's Labor Day, college football is in full swing and summer is over.

We traveled a lot these past few months to visit family and friends. Our trips included Louisville, Detroit, NYC, Ohio, Traverse City and Ann Arbor.

Edison's workshop

The above photo is at the Thomas Edison Laboratory at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, MI. Much of Edison's original machinery and tools from Menlo Park were moved there.

Not much gigging

My music calendar was pretty light this summer, with only the occasional wedding gig or Irish session. But it was still a musical summer.

When my wife and I visited NY, we swung by the Broadway show The Wiz, which was a touring production I had worked on last winter in Chicago. It was great to see some familiar faces in the orchestra, and it was nice to actually see the show for once!

Photo in the orchestra pit

Hanging out in the pit of The Wiz with guitarist Robin Macatangay,

I've also kept up with my new hobby of learning the Irish flute. It's still early days of playing an instrument that requires an embouchure. Some days I think my tone production is really improving. Other days I feel like I've made zero progress.

Even when the notes don't sound so good, I'm happy and motivated to keep learning. I can already tell that this new instrument is working different musical muscles than the ones I'm used to.

Here's where I'm at, warts and all:

I've been listening to…

Country music artist Morgan Wade. Her single "Wilder Days" was an easy on-ramp for me as it mentions "Chicago" in the chorus. Thanks to my brother-in-law for hipping me to her.

I've been reading…