>i’m getting more and more in touch with the starving artist phenomenon. although, clearly, i am not starving, i am working in a limited funds situation, at least for the next couple of months. today, i went out to pick up the saturday dallas morning news from my leafy green yard, and i brought it in to read over a few cups of coffee. and i was completely overwhelmed. sort of the same feeling you get when you go off to college for the first time, and you realize you are surrounded by the top 5% of every graduating class in america. no more big fish little pond, if that had previously applied to your life place. there are millions of multi-cultural opportunities. even in choosing what grocery store to shop in. millions of recipes to try. millions of art installations. i read the whole thing, front to back, and i sat stunned. i have been living for the past three years in a situation very much unlike this one, and i had to stop and pray and ask God to help me focus on being who He wants me to be. and to make wise choices about what to do with my time and where to seek my place.

but i still have been nursing a few new fantasies. thus the title of this entry.

first, in the paper yesterday, i learned that there is a new IKEA store opening in nearby Frisco, Texas. (all gift cards and donations appreciated!) that’s big fun, because it is simple and affordable and will likely be unapproachable until after i start making my real new salary! which made me start thinking about this funny girl i met in nashville once who declared, “if i’m not married by the time i’m 35, i’m just going to start registering for stuff i want to see if people will give it to me out of pity.” too funny.

second, i am listening to some music this morning, and i’m really being encouraged to re-start guitar lessons which i took in nashville years ago from a fabulous teacher named rob jackson. he was taken aback at how quickly i took to the guitar, and how i had hands large enough to make bar chords, “most girls can’t make a good bar chord. you’re good.” and why am i sitting here in this house with fine acoustics not practicing the guitar? because i’m a chicken, i guess. so i took that fantasy one step further and said, “well, if i really hone that skill, then i can take voice lessons to remind me how to sing properly and find that voice i know is in there and maybe actually sing in front of people.” sheryl crow was well into her thirties before anybody really cared who she was, right? i don’t have any need to be famous, i’ve seen how that milks the joy out of too many talented people. but, i think it would be fun to sit around a camp fire with friends and have a valid contribution every now and then. which led me to ponder, “what are the first songs i would learn how to sing and play?” should fantasy find its way to fruition?

1. broken things / julie miller
2. you don’t even know who i am / gretchen peters
3. delta dawn / alex harvey & larry collins
4. echoes of love / kim richey & tim krekel
5. mil besos / emma elena valdelamar
6. you take me for granted / leona williams
7. from the ashes / austin cunningham & hilary lindsey
8. less like scars / sara groves
9. if you want me to / ginny owens
10. i would be stronger than that / gary burr

we’ll see. that’s all i have for now. time to continue my self-pedicure.