Lisa Higbee

Here is some great info for parents of preschool children who are wondering if their child is stuttering and what to do about it... Check it: www.stutteringhelp.org, then click on 'Parents of Preschoolers.' I ABSOLUTELY love this website. You can also find speech language pathologists who specialize in fluency at www.asha.org, the website of the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Thanks to all the great fluency practitioners out there!!!!

Oscar the fledgling had a fun-filled day. He jumped out of his box 3 times. Luckily Manolo the cat didn't notice. He chirped a few times. He seems to like it when I sing. He likes recorded music also, especially my musical theater mix. I gave him some birdseed. I think he might be ready to fly soon. I wonder how I will know when he's ready to face the world?

On my summer solstice walk tonight, I rescued a baby bird that would probably otherwise have been food for a wandering cat or dog. He is a cutie. I think I'll name him Oscar. So far he is enjoying living in a white box that is meant for storing school papers. He has a birdbath (plastic plate filled with water) and some bread crumbs. I think he's settling in. So far Manolo the cat hasn't really noticed him. I think that's a good thing. More to come soon!

Tonight there were fireworks in Washington Heights and Inwood. I heard them as I left the church and crossed the street with my friend Jessie-- suddenly the evening was alive with the tumult of celebratory explosives. My friends from the class I'd just attended walked decidedly back toward the cacophony of sound. Wanting to join them, I quickened my pace... then remembered that I've been sick and need my rest. Somewhat reluctantly I parted ways and walked toward the peaceful slope leading to my home. Shining faces were all turned to watch the fireworks above the trees in the distance. For a few, brief, happy moments, strangers chatted about the festivities in Fort Tryon Park and enjoyed the beauty together.

Has anyone ever read or seen this play? I saw a guy reading it on the subway and the title was catchy. Read a synopsis and it looks totally cute.

I saw 'The Miracle Worker' on Broadway yesterday, and Yes! It was incredible. Yes! Go see it if you can, or at least see the film version or your local theatrical production. Or read the play by William Gibson. There was so much richness there... class struggles, family struggles, giving service, searching for meaning, dealing with loss, losing pride, finding love. I absolutely loved this show and highly recommend it for children and adults of almost any age. May God bless the creative people who brought it into existence.

I'm having another flashback. I'm remembering the first time I saw Les Miserables. It was an epic event. It began when my sister got the original Broadway soundtrack for her birthday. She listened to it over and over. I begged her to let me listen to it over and over. I was amazed. I was moved. I'd never heard anything like it. I think I was about 12. We bought the piano vocal music. I learned the songs by heart and could sing and play them. I read the book, the unabridged version. I think I read it a couple of times. I would come straight home from school, go to my room, and just digest that book. Some of the French history was lost on me, but the courage and goodness of the priest and the transformation of Jean Valjean and the drama of Fantine and the romance of Cosette and Marius and the suspense of the chase from Javert kept me awake long into the nights. Then an amazing thing happened. Les Mis came to our home town on tour. I couldn't eat, I couldn...

I'm having a memory of the first time I ever sang in a parade on a float. I was surrounded by my friends, and our group was called the Young Citizens of America! We wore red, white and blue, and we waved flags. I don't think I realized at the time quite how cool it was to roll down Constitution Ave on a float on July 4 in our nation's capital. I even got to sing a solo, albeit lip synching to a track of my voice. I hope that's not too scandalous. I guess a track was easier than miking a whole bunch of kiddos. The reason I'm having this memory is because I just met the founder of the Dance Parade in New York City this week. We met through my friend Amber and got to know each other a little over some salsa. So I asked him, "can I be in the parade and stand in the middle of a float with dancers all around me singing big band music?" He had to think about that one. I will be interested to see how this will turn out; I'm sensing a little bit of sy...

Today, one of my students read me a story about the first African-American woman in outer space. She'd also graduated from medical school and worked as a doctor in developing countries all over the world before deciding to go up into the blue. I wonder what she said she wanted to be when she was little. When I was little, whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said, "a singer."

I woke this morning with a big headache and a sore throat. Which is kind of a bummer because tonight is my monthly self-planned and executed singing gig, which I have been looking forward to all month. The show must go on? Let it go for this month? I'm a little bit torn. Maybe I'll wait a few more hours to decide for sure. Either way I think it will still be a lovely evening for everyone, since we also have another lovely singer and a very talented painter on the menu for tonight's performance. I'm leaning toward singing. I just hope I don't get anyone else sick. Maybe I'll wear a surgical mask and bring hand sanitizer. People could still hear me through a surgical mask, right?

I'm afraid my body hasn't liked me too much the last few days as I've forced it to get up early and put it to bed later than I should have. It's wondering, "where is all the sleep you gave me last week? And how come you're not making me those incredible gourmet lunches anymore and giving me occupational therapy by knitting an hour a day?" I'm sorry body, it's just that I went back to full time work this week. Of course, full time work has its benefits too, like getting me up at a reasonable hour and out to see the sun. And helping me support myself an a very cute cat. Though sometimes I'd just rather be sleeping in.

I dressed. I warmed up. I packed up all my audition gear: music, make-up, change of clothes in case I want to go to dance class afterwards. The door buzzes. I ignore it. It buzzes again. "Hello?" I ask tentatively, hoping for the UPS guy, something not too difficult. "It's the missionaries!!" Happiness. Indecision. "What's up?" The missionaries happily tell me that they've had a great chat with one of my neighbors. One whom I've invited to church several times without results. I'm listening. "Come on up." The missionaries greet me with their normal ebullience. Since they're not allowed in my apartment we have a great discussion on my doorstep. One of my neighbors walks by. The missionaries invite him to church. They ask if there's anything they can do for me. I tell them, actually, yes, that I'd been meaning to say hi to one of my new neighbors but just hadn't had the drive. The...

I started to write an entry in the form of the children's book Fortunately/Unfortunately. Fortunately, it's a fun way to write. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I can't flip flop between fortunately and unfortunately evenly like they do in the children's book! It seems I just have to write fortunately or unfortunately as it comes, and it ended up being mostly fortunately. So here's what came pouring from my fingers tonight: Fortunately, I went to auditions today for Pittsburgh Light Opera's fabulous season which includes some shows which have music I really love, like The Student Prince and Hairspray. Unfortunately (for me), the auditioners were seeing only members of equity, the actor's union. Unfortunately, I am not yet a member of actor's equity. Fortunately, I had brought food and a couple of knitting projects so I could at least sit down and eat my lunch in a friendly place before going home. Fortunately, I at least got to see Abby Bra...

I'm auditioning for Meet Me In St. Louis today!!! I think this audition is long overdue since I've been learning and singing this show since I was about 12. I went to meet a friend for breakfast this morning, and on the way home I found myself in an empty car. An idea hit me... time to warm up. So I busted out into my best Judy Garland showstopper! Only the orange-painted seats and maybe the people in the next car heard me.

I wrote a song on my way home on the subway. That's the first time I've written a song in a few years. Within the last few weeks I've also crocheted my first project in a few years as well as knitted my first project ever. Am I experiencing a resurgence of creative energy? What is up with all this song- and yarn-crafting? All I can say is that writing a song and crocheting a case for my blackberry are two of the most satisfying things I can remember doing in some time.

I'm deciding what to sing on Saturday. It'll be a fun group, well-fed and warmed up. What will they be in the mood for? Something quaint? Something new? Something familiar? A debut?

Last night my friend Stacy called and wanted me to sing at Teddy's baptism. YES! I said. I want to sing a hymn and figure out how to make it come alive for the very humble and striving people who will be in attendance at the baptism. "Come Follow Me" seemed like a good choice... I'd never realized it was a hymn about baptism, though there it was, listed under the topic of baptism in the hymnbook. As I sang all 6 verses, I realized it was about following Jesus both now and in the eternities. I'd never thought before about how we'll be following Jesus into the eternities. Even as immortal beings, we'll still learning from Him and growing, becoming what He knows we can be. Amazing. I hope Teddy liked it.

Last night my friend Stacy called and wanted me to sing at Teddy's baptism. YES! I said. I want to sing a hymn and figure out how to make it come alive for the very humble and striving people who will be in attendance at the baptism. "Come Follow Me" seemed like a good choice... I'd never realized it was a hymn about baptism, though there it was, listed under the topic of baptism in the hymnbook. As I sang all 6 verses, I realized it was about following Jesus both now and in the eternities. I'd never thought before about how we'll be following Jesus into the eternities. Even as immortal beings, we'll still learning from Him and growing, becoming what He knows we can be. Amazing. I hope Teddy liked it.

Things I learned at Time Square last night: How to handle public smokers-- politely How to make the best of a big, crowded situation-- be a little silly and plenty friendly How to have fun with friends-- make movies while you wait How to organize a Time Square New Year's gathering-- do it with a little more planning than we did also: Get a gig performing there so that you and all your friends will be treated as VIP's Fly into New York well before Jan 31 so your body can acclimate, and sleep plenty before you go down to Time Square Leave your luggage at home or find a home for it outside Time Square Keep your umbrella down before the final moments or people might throw snowballs at you Catch the fireworks in Central Park after the ball drops Who's up for next year? We're going, we're going strong, and we're going prepared!!!!!!! Happy New Year, Lisa