Hi there: I can't believe Nov. 22 was the last time I posted. Well, actually I can believe it. I've been undergoing a medical trial, and it has been a trial. It has taken over my consciousness, but

not completely. I was able to sing two gigs and write part of a new bossa nova on piano. This part of the trial will be over by Monday, and then it's either over with, or goes into the permanent phase. I know this sounds oblique, but I don't feel like sharing exactly what it is I'm being treated for. Suffice it to say it's not life threatening, but it's a chronic dysfunction of one of my organs.

Singing Handel's "Messiah" was a pure high. The huge University Chapel at Princeton University was where it took place Monday night Dec. 13. It was filled front to back with sopranos, altos, tenors and basses singing the masterwork, plus there were soloists and instruments. This music was directly inspired by God.

Merry Christmas --- talk to you in 2011.

11/22

Monday's almost over. Rewrote the lyrics to "I Don't Get That About You", played the song for two people, and went back to reclaim the lyrics I wrote the first time. You can't please everybody but you can try to please yourself.

Had a rehearsal for the private party coming up. I'll be singing mostly standards and bossa novas with my trio. It's so comfortable singing this material, like putting on a comfy old bathrobe. But it's too safe. Plus who thinks like that any more? "Taking a Chance on Love", "These Foolish Things" are about a world that doesn't exist any more. True, the emotion of love is timeless and universal, and these are very romantic songs. Maybe this world we live in will never be romantic in that way again.

Or maybe I'm just tired!

Possible idea for the next song: family equals suffering times how many? Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi Ceil, Jeffrey, Jazzbird, Marilyn, and whoever else has stumbled upon Side B:

It's been a couple of weeks since I've been here - my goal is to post once a week on my progress on writing new songs for my new CD that doesn't exist yet but will. A tentative working title - "The Wonder Years". Yeah, middle age - is it wonderful? It can be, but it can also really suck. I have been undergoing a very uncomfortable medical trial for a device that could help me a lot if it works, but we won't know if it works until going through it. Ugh.

If it was Biblical times, we would all be codgers and crones - people didn't live nearly this long then.

Back to the song - my first effort since starting this blog started out with the title "I Can't Accept That About You" - a little harsh. The title has been changed to "I Don't Get That About You" - I like that much better. Thank you, Richard! Richard attended the Lambertville Songwriters groups that Mindi and I founded, and suggested the change in the title.

I played the song for Miss Annie, and she really liked it. So now it's time to learn it.

I tweaked a few words in "Hungry", another song for the CD, so that makes two. I'd also llike to include a piano piece I wrote years ago called "Escapism". It will have to be re-imagined with different sounds in addition to acoustic piano.

It is a beautiful Fall day out today - still lots of red, orange and yellow foliage. I wish it could just stay like this until Spring, with no Winter.

I think I'm rambling so it must be time to stop. Till next time....Crow

10/28 Now that I've figured how to get in and out of this blog, I'm ready to let more folks know about it! Thank you, Ellen and Mindi, for your comments!

I continue to work on my new song "I Can't Accept That About You". I've got a chorus (it starts with the chorus), three verses and a bridge, though I'm struggling with the last verse. That's OK. It takes as long as it takes. I never had this kind of patience before - it feels like a divine gift!

I'd like to tell you why this blog is called "Side B". The old 45 records of my youth had Side A -the side with the hit on it - and Side B- a less commercial song which was sometimes not as good, but sometimes just as good or occasionally even more interesting. I have most of my life been a Side B person. Somewhat shy, happy to be in the background, not comfortable in the spotlight. That has changed in recent years - I am OK with being out front now - but I will always relate to the B side.

I'm reading a great book called "Tunesmith - Inside the Art of Songwriting" by Jimmy Webb. He wrote "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Up, Up and Away", "Wichita Lineman" etc. I saw him perform solo this summer and he blew me away. Just him and a grand piano, no charts,

and a great personality too. In his book he says the songwriter's workplace needs some magic symbols for inspiration. I have a poster of "Desiderata" that needs to be hung on the wall. He also said to think of a perimeter around your work area that's like a power circle. I liked that idea a lot, and this morning took my hula hoop and placed it under the chair at the piano - LOL. That's my power circle for now.

Hi from Carol- my first post in 2010. I decided to get back into blogging to help keep me on track for writing songs. I want to have enough songs to do my third CD, and discipline has not

lately been my strong suit. So here I will be, talking to myself and anyone else who will visit this blogspot about song ideas; how ideas change immediately when you write them down, play them, or sing them; frustration and self-criticism, and the joy of writing a great phrase/harmony/song! And much, much more!

My blog is called niacrow because I teach Nia, a great dance/martial arts/yoga practice. And Crow was my nickname in junior high because I was taller than all my friends and had very dark hair.

I just had shoulder surgery on Tuesday. I'll find out today if I can play piano and type as much as I want, or if I have to watch it. This is a great time to work on songs since I'm not teaching due to the surgery recovery.

My newest song's working title is "I Can't Accept That About You". It started out in d minor, but that made it sound too much like my song "Pull of the Moon". So I moved it up a step to

e minor. I'm enjoying harmonizing with sus chords - hello Steely Dan!