True Friendship has always been a favorite topic of mine. Within my own life span, the roles that friends have played in my life have changed, based on the demands of work and family. My friendships have enriched my life beyond measure, and yet, even the most satisfying of friendships have so often been relegated to the “luxury” category in life, only when family and work schedules permit. There is research to support that strong friendships have a positive impact on the health of women. Why so little attention on this in our culture?

The latest chapter in the history of friendships is of course Facebook, where friendship can be earned with a click of a button. I love Facebook, for all the people (friends past and present) and news it brings into my life, but at times I wonder whether its costs outweigh its benefits. It can make me a little crazy, as though I’m creating My Own Private Idaho. The interactions, though interesting, are controlled and removed from the give-and-take of face-to-face conversations.

I recently read William Deresiewicz’s article about the evolution of friendship and how social networking has eroded our understanding of friendship. It’s got my wheels turning, to the point where I’m writing a song about it.

Check out the article, when you have a moment, and let me know your thoughts, friend!

Welcome to my new scaled-down and simpler website! Thanks to web-builder David Chao and designer Wendy Ditzler for helping me update my web presence as a musician. I look forward to adding news, photos, and songs over the coming months.

The winter has been one full of teaching, parenting, and trying to support the musical growth of lots of singers, young and old. My own music is definitely in a composting phase, as I’ve been spending more time listening to music and reading great books rather than actively creating new songs. Sometimes it feels like the right thing to stop making noise and take in what others are saying!

My Top 5 Music List – in Heavy Rotation at the moment:

1. Penelope Houston, “Cut You.”

2. Fine Young Cannibals, “The Finest.”

3. Stevie Wonder, “Songs in the Key of Life.”

4. The Best of Dionne Warwick

5. Feist, “The Reminder”

Books of my winter:

1. Olive Kittridge, by Elizabeth Strout

2. Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson

3. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz

4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

5. The Warriors Cat series, Books 3 and 4, by Erin Hunter (read aloud with Gavin)

I look forward to seeing what turns up in my songwriting, after absorbing all these influences!