Be in the Moment

Apologies for being gone for much of 2016. September reintroduced me to reading and writing with an academic twist as part of my journey of earning my master’s degree in communication at Northwestern University this coming August. I continue to love my job and I also loyally attend those guitar lessons.

Enjoying my school break, this past Wednesday, I went to the annual food drive and holiday concert at Guitar Works.  This socially responsible store (homage to my strategic communication class) puts together an hour-long performance featuring the talented owner, Terry Straker, and store employees, in conjunction with the guests who donate food for Evanston’s homeless. Ambassadors to Earth, the four-piece instrumental house band, hosts.

I just missed the show in 2014 because I was new to the guitar. As time rolled on and I looked at the photos from that show, I realized I had missed seeing Dan, my guitar teacher of now almost two years, perform “Hava Nagila” on the accordion.  This year, I was so enthralled that I didn’t get to capture EVERYONE who played in photos which bums me out because they are all awesome.

Holiday Levity with store manager, Steve, strumming some strings!

Challenge Accepted

A couple of months ago, Rich Cohen,  a New York Times best-selling author put me on his “read my latest book before everyone else does” list.  This inclusion was very exciting for me because it gives me the needed edge and confidence to promote it on my blog.

Writer Rich Cohen in his home in New York © Pascal Perich 2011

I have many of  Rich’s books in my personal library and I find them to be good reads.  They also make wonderful gifts.

Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football. As the title above indicates, his latest book is about

Girl, I Want to Skate Backwards With You

Some of the best moments of laughter, for me,  are when I am not expecting it and out of nowhere I get sucked in by something really witty and laugh for a long time. It’s therapeutic.

Last night I was catching up on the family sitcom, See Dad Run.  Full disclosure, I watch this show because my brother writes for it. Being the ever devoted sister,  I was multi-tasking so I wasn’t completely paying attention but then I had to hit rewind because I was drawn in because I realized Scott Baio was singing!

It’s just a