When I was preparing for The Rucksack Cabaret last week, I considered scripting out what I would say in between. My concern was that in addition to the time I would have to spend memorizing, I feel that there is just too much that I want to say and such a wide variety of people that I want to say it to, that scripting might inhibit the flow. So I decided to just go with the flow. As it was, I appreciated being to simply connect with the audience, trying to find out where they were, and how to best deliver what I felt they needed to hear.

Once the show was finished, I had a bit of a strained voice for a couple of days, giving me more opportunity to shut up and listen, but when I finally got back into the musical groove yesterday to prepare for the Not A Silent Night show on Five Points Live, the songs I'd chosen offered me with wonderful little epiphany. I had ridden my new (for me) bicycle to the Bay Shore House to talk to Matthew about setting up another Stories in the Attic for January, and took the opportunity to use the Boardroom for a practice session. The Boardroom is at the end of a long dock, stretching out into Sarasota Bay. I find that it is a wonderful place to do many things, but making music is astounding. You'll hear about the epiphany when it's finished simmering, but it rests somewhere between the subtle truths of the holiday classics Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer and O Holy Night, as well as my original song If Only. If you're not in Sarasota or can't make it out, you can watch it at 5PointsLive.com.