{{{Maria}}} I wish I could offer advice. The engineer in me wants to solve all problems, and I know that's not possible. The music lover in me offers this advice. Since you miss music, but the "landmines" want to be avoided. Maybe explore new music that doesn't have any memories attached? If you listen to pop, maybe try jazz. If you listen to jazz, maybe classical/orchestral. I don't recomend show tunes, they just stick in the head and drive you crazy (maybe that's just the theater sound guy talking). If you have cable TV or an AppleTV, or even iTunes, they all have music sources where you can pick by genre. Pick something new. Fill the house with sound. If ya don't like it. Go to the next one. Me? I'd say go for zydeco! It's upbeat, helps me clean the apartment, and not something in most peoples normal CD collection. {{{Maria}}}

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GC, glad to hear the doc put you at ease. Here is keeping fingers crossed all is benign and easily taken care of.

Oh, I like that music advice, o_a. Makes sense.

Yay, for smart and calming docs, GC.

every single tough thing that has happened since that experience has been no big deal. When all around me are flailing arms claiming some huge catastrophe that surely is the end of the world, I just shrug. Whatever. The experience of losing [Stephen] StE left me calm in the face of whatever disasters have followed, and gave me a completely different view of what the hell was important, and more significantly, what was not important.

Laura speaks for me too, Maria. Thinking of you every day.

sj, so happy for you and TCG and how things are falling into place about the house. Free grill! Minor in perspective to the rest of it, but still a lovely gesture.

All possible best ~ma, GC.

well, I do listen to my fair share of NPR, and I know the world events can make me angry, so it's clearly not a good substitute for music.

It's the worst thing about grief, to my mind. You think you're moving forward, then a wall jumps in front of you to smash your nose into. It's not at all a linear progression, more a mad undulating spiral. Only when you can look back on it do you see that there was an improving trend.

You guys! I need a quick makeup check! [link] I usually do lipgloss and I did lipstick instead and I'm heading out the door for vocal lessons and I feel all PAINTED HOOR! Tell me if I actually look ok! (I realize normal people wear lipstick and I'm probably just overreacting because I don't.)

Benign~ma to you, GC.

sj, I'm so glad things are moving better for you on the new property.

Liese, you look great! That is not a lot of make-up.

Ok! Thanks, sj!