<![CDATA[Lisa Downing - Pianist/Composer - Lisa\'s Blog]]>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:24:42 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Random Quarantine Observations]]>Sat, 25 Apr 2020 19:00:25 GMThttps://www.lisadowning.com/lisas-blog/random-quarantine-observations
These are just a few random things I've observed and tips I've acquired  during this Coronavirus Quarantine.  Not in any particular order:

•    If you’ve washed your sheets and take a shower before bed, you can [...]        
[...] wear the same  clothes the next day.

•    Watch all the news you can stand, yell at the TV, then turn it off vowing never to watch  news again. Repeat daily.

•    Since you’re wearing a mask whenever you go out, no makeup is required.

•    If you’re wearing sunglasses with your mask, you don’t even need mascara.

•    Wash your hands. (NOT WITH CLOROX. SERIOUSLY.)

•    Teach your family how to use Skype.

•    Clean up all the things you threw at the walls while you were teaching your family how  to use Skype.

•    Reorganize all cabinets, drawers and closets.

•    Forget where you put everything in your newly reorganized cabinets, drawers and  closets.

•    Remember that you needed something that you actually threw away during  your  reorganization of cabinets, drawers and closets.

•    Overcome crushing self-doubt as you watch other people accomplishing amazing  things while you scroll through Facebook every morning. And every evening. Really all day long.

•    Have daytime TV shows and nighttime TV shows. This will keep you grounded.

•    Yoga. Seriously. Do this.

•    Sit on your porch and drink a cup of tea. Or just sit on your porch - and drink.

•    Did I say Yoga? Do that.

•    Howl into the outside air every night at 8:00 pm. Really good for the soul.

•    Feel the gratitude of the good fortune of living where you are with a loving partner and a  healthy mind and body. Seriously.
]]><![CDATA[The Big Chair...]]>Tue, 14 Apr 2020 03:06:27 GMThttps://www.lisadowning.com/lisas-blog/the-big-chair
Today it’s cloudy and gloomy outside. Here I sit in “The Big Chair” looking out onto the greenbelt behind our house, wondering what’s important.

The world is changing so fast — it feels like “Mother Culture” is dying all around me. Everything I’ve ever known [...]
[...] is crumbling like a sand animation in a super-hero movie — and I’m left in the Big Chair assessing what things really matter.

I would describe myself as a “stuff-done” kinda girl. I usually move through my days with logic, intent and pragmatic purposefulness — aiming to get as much “stuff-done” as I possibly can. “Stuff-done” has always been a huge motivator for me and I have actually been very successful using that method in order to accomplish my larger goals.

But then, it’s now. Gigs are canceled. Concerts are postponed. Larger goals are compromised.

I’ve put a lot of things in my “stuff-done” basket over the last 3 weeks. Piano students are all online now. Drawers are clean, windows are washed and cabinets are organized. I practice piano. I run on the greenbelt. Groceries are stocked and, yes — we actually do have enough toilet paper.

Yet — here I sit in the Big Chair today, wondering. Of course my relationships matter. Friends, family, acquaintances and fans. It’s pretty amazing that I can reach out to the people in my life through technology when all other methods are out of reach. I have plenty of time for that now.

So what behaviors of mine really matter? What actions can I take that will make any difference after I’m gone? Helping my family, my neighbors, friends and even strangers to the best of my abilities, for sure.

Maybe it’s about the things I enjoy the most — maybe it really is about my creative abilities. Maybe the things that matter actually are the things that bring me joy, because if I’m joyful, that’s how I can bring joy to everyone else. Maybe.

Or maybe it’s just about sitting here in the Big Chair, watching Star Trek re-runs…
]]><![CDATA[The Weeks the Earth Stood Still]]>Sat, 04 Apr 2020 19:47:52 GMThttps://www.lisadowning.com/lisas-blog/the-weeks-the-earth-stood-still
I was in Mexico when it started. No one saw it coming. It came suddenly. Unexpectedly. Quietly. At first people didn’t take notice. It really didn’t seem too important when the alarms [...]
[...] first went off. A minor inconvenience — maybe. Not a big deal. People continued their usual routines. Work. School. Vacations. Facebook. Hardly anyone even looked up when the scientists and doctors began to warn us about what was coming. Nothing to worry about, we thought. Other things are certainly more important.

And then it happened. Bars. Restaurants. Hotels. Country Clubs. Malls. Everything came to an abrupt and relative halt for weeks. No one knew how long it would last or if “normal” would ever return again. Some people thought that maybe it would better if “normal” actually did change.

People started to ask “What happens now?”, “How does life on this planet continue after COVID-19?”, “Will humans ever be able to gather for parties, concerts, weddings or funerals?”, “Will anyone purchase entertainment again?” (that, of course, was my question…)

The weeks went by with endless questions and very few answers. Confusion reigned as  residents of the planet tried to redefine life on earth. Everything would be different — forever. Our collective memories would always be branded for all remaining generations with the memory of the weeks that The Earth Stood Still.

I anticipated a long recovery — but I was reasonably confident that recovery would happen. It would all look different, though. We might be greeting each other with the Vulcan “Live Long and Prosper” hand sign. Music lessons might always be online from now on. Family relationships might have to rely entirely on Skype.

Our world is in a brand new episode of this epic human saga and this is our chance to re-create our human existence. We can re-build a society that is more respectful of the Earth that we are only guests upon, a powerful “bionic” civilization that values feminine energies and the rich diversity of all the cultures that we have always shared a home with. We can make it better than it was before.

We’re going to need all of our resources to continue to survive and begin to truly thrive as Citizens of the World — of the Universe.

Maybe we will finally understand those infamous words —
Klaatu Barada Nikto.
]]><![CDATA["Gluey Boots"]]>Fri, 27 Mar 2020 21:51:50 GMThttps://www.lisadowning.com/lisas-blog/gluey-boots
The first time I heard the term “Gluey Boots” was from my son Andy (apparently it’s a Goth dance term). It’s a phrase that seems to accurately describe the feeling of [...]
[...] being emotionally stuck. My parents used to refer to that feeling as “Moving Through Molasses”.

I think I like “Gluey Boots” better.

Lately I literally feel like I’m wearing boots that have glue on the soles that isn’t quite set — like a cartoon character stepping in a big wad of gum. I can kinda move through my life, but every movement feels like it’s in slow motion. All the behaviors that used to seem natural, necessary and effortless — suddenly seem like I’m trying to run underwater.

Motivation seems to be in short supply. Inspiration is fleeting. I even think I might be a little grumpy, but my husband might be a better judge of that.

It’s weird, but I think I will actually miss this time when it’s over — and it will be over -- eventually. I’ll miss not having deadlines, scheduling conference calls and the sense that everything is a desperate rush to some unknown finish line.

But for now, in this present moment, I’m experiencing the feeling of “Gluey Boots”, and I’m practicing appreciation for this time of reassessment.
]]><![CDATA[Does Anyone Really Need This Much Makeup?]]>Sun, 22 Mar 2020 05:18:49 GMThttps://www.lisadowning.com/lisas-blog/does-anyone-really-need-this-much-makeup
So, what to do with no gigs to perform or events to book while on virtual COVID-19 lock-down? Yeah, I just let my natural OCD kick in and I cleaned my bathroom drawers!!

To my surprise, I discovered [...]
[...] that these drawers that I use every single day clearly have a secret life of their own. They apparently have an uncanny ability to reproduce containers and jars and brushes and blushes and foundation and lipsticks and lip gloss and eyeshadow and mascara and eyeliner and sponges — all on their own!

They’ve obviously spent years accumulating cute little travel size versions of all of the above and then, covertly included tiny soaps and lotions that were illicit luggage stowaways, contained in adorable flowered packages that no female human could ever bear to part with.

My drawers are cunning and subtle, hoarding all my secret desires for longer lashes, flawless skin tone, a more glamorous lip color and smokey eye lids.

How do they know me so well, these drawers??

Well, today — things will change. I will mercilessly toss out mini perfume bottles that have lost their scent and the purse sized powder foundation/eye shadow combination in the beautiful mirrored and magnetized holder.

Without looking back I will listen for the “thud” of travel sized lotion bottles that still remind me of a wonderful trip to Mexico many years ago. Gone. Everything is gone that I haven’t used on my face, in my hair or on my body in the last 6 months.

And this evening, I’m experiencing the intense satisfaction and the pure pleasure of the precious emotional space that organized bathroom drawers bring to my life.

Because — seriously. Does anyone really need that much makeup?
]]><![CDATA[Apocalypse or Dream Come True?]]>Sat, 21 Mar 2020 04:32:23 GMThttps://www.lisadowning.com/lisas-blog/zombie-apocalypse-or-kum-ba-yah
Wow! How many times in the past few years have I wished that my world might slow down for a minute? Almost every day!  And now — here we are! I'm a little sad [...]
[...] to see that it has taken such a global catastrophe, but it seems that one “Freak-o-nomic” consequence of this worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is that I have finally found a moment to pause and write down a few thoughts.

Today is the first full day of Spring, but in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, you would hardly know it. Snow began falling early this morning and is forecast to continue all through the night.

There seem to be many other things in the news today.  We’re deep in the 2020 Democratic Primaries — dear friends in Utah were shaken by a frightening earthquake — and although filling out US Census forms online was a simple task while living here in "Elysium", there are serious concerns about reaching out to people surviving in more complicated living situations.

I have personally been hard at work today trying to replace lost income. You see, musicians who perform before a live audience are experiencing a total lack of performance opportunities. In addition — ALL of the gigs have been cancelled for all the performers I have represented during my thirty plus years as a talent agent.

Multi-stream income has always been my fallback over the years, so I’ve maintained a small studio of piano students who come to my home. Come to my home — what could possibly cause that to stop?

So today, I’m rapidly learning how to provide remote learning opportunities for all my students! Just like you, we’re all figuring this out one day at a time.
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