Thank you Tweed for helping me find my way back to this topic...amazing where a little blue clicky can get you these days...! Okay, I'm beginning to find my way out from under the piles of clothes, notes, empty airplane cracker wrappers, etc and soon I'll be able to tell some more of the story. There are so many layers to all this...it is going to make a fine book!!

I'm hearing about various people who risked being thrown out of Carnegie to smuggle in recording and camera contraband...(not to be confused with a Contra-Band..). Supposedly the goods are on their way to me and I'll for sure share what I get with you all.

(**IMPORTANT NOTE:If you are a Carnegie Hall VIP, Trustee, Boardmember, etc., I'm just kidding about the cameras and recording equipment...)

I had mentioned somewhere in all these conversations that we had run through Ivan's music at rehersal. I spoke of some "tweaking" needing to be done, etc but hadn't been specific about it at the time (because I was in such a rush..) I think there were several things that happened..one being that I was so overwhelmed by the sound of the symphony, the first go 'round, my hands just stopped playing the guitar and my eyes began to leak water. I looked at Arlo and said that when a person is 51 years old, there are not a lot of "firsts" happening anymore...and there I was in the middle of a whole group of "firsts" at one time. Carnegie, Arlo, the symphony, my song translated into written musical language, ...wow. Arlo looked back at me with a smile I will NEVER forget. Comments from the musicians were all suportive and encouraging... all were touched by the huge effort Ivan had made. Another thing that was a handicap, was the fact that I can't read music. I wasn't able to look over the written music and make sure we all were "on the same page" so to speak. If there had been a little more time for me to adjust, I'm sure we would have pulled it off beautifully. But we didn't have any extra time. Everyone needed to get food, changed and "the show on the road." The final decision was left up to me. I appreciated the serious effort of so many people, but realized that I could not be perfectly sure I wouldn't bungle it myself...which would undermind everyone. I could not risk that. But again I have to emphasize that the director and players were impressed with the song and the arrangement. They expressed heartily a hope that we would one day perform this song in full arrangement... I haven't touched base with Ivan since then, but am hoping that he will be willing to work with me on this till we have it finished...Ivan..?? ...Ivan..?? You out there??....