New Year, New Day

Yesterday, on New Year's Eve, I woke up and stared at my ceiling. It was the first day in a long time that I had just to myself. Frankly, I had a heckuva time getting out of bed. There was plenty to do but I just plum didn't feel like putting foot to floor.

Then I remembered that the day before, a package I was waiting for finally arrived from Skaggs Family Records, and that in it was one of my Christmas presents to myself: the new Instrumentals cd by Skaggs and his Kentucky Thunder.

Cool.

Feet hit floor, coffee was on, newly arrived gifts were wrapped, errands were run, airborne was ingested (I'd felt my daughter's cold coming on), nap was enjoyed, shower was welcomed, tequila was poured, and Garrison Keillor brought to my living room a line up including Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Robin and Linda Williams, Emmylou Harris, my dear Jerry Douglas and that newgrass hero Sam Bush. Not a bad way to spend the day.

Needless to say, I was also reflecting on the year, the smart and dumb things I did, and what seems to be an inexplicable unraveling of what seemed like a relationship with a lot of potential. Having given up on figuring that out -- although some damn funny articles on the subject of "fadeaways" can be enjoyed here and here -- I'm ready to go to work.

And I had no trouble getting up today. Despite having a hard time falling asleep after that Great Performance last night, I was still ready to roll, and churned out some 6 dozen pineapple tarts, wrote to some friends to wish them a good new year, did a couple loads of laundry, and played a tune or two all before noon. Tomorrow it's back to the day job, and getting ready for family holiday fun next weekend.

I had a good time today also starting to dig into how bluegrass music and musicians are being integrated into our system of education. There are a lot of programs and a lot of teachers that present this music to the youngest audience, developing the musicians and fan base of the future. Bluegrass music also is becoming more regarded as among other American musical forms of jazz and blues, meaning that it is already becoming part of the regular curriculum in some music programs. Where to take it next is the fun.

So it's a new year, and a brand new day. The tunes on the new release by Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder really help with that orientation. There are great people out there, working every day, making great music, making lives better. That's the crowd I wanna rusn with, if they'll have me.

Happy New Year, happy living, happy finding what makes your world spin round.

And treat yourself to a listen of the Instrumentals here. They're all terrific, but I like track three especially, titled appropriately enough, Wayward to Hayward. Enjoy.

Pssst...See Ricky and KT in 2007!