I lost out on the opportunity to learn Russian in childhood, because my grandmother from Minsk died so young- my mother was only 16 at the time.

I was named for her.

They spoke Yiddish at home, as my grandfather didn’t know Russian, and so I know many songs in it- [many songs, period... what I don't associate with smell, I associate with music, or literature].

The last time I felt this melancholy, a bunch of us were reading poetry, [much of it multiple languages], and my friend Maria read Anna A.- we were into single malt, curled up like odalisques, and bawling our eyes out…

I LOVE your goatling nostril photo !

I am a Pythonnette,too, and have corrupted my children, so that they know ALL the songs, as well as Tom Lehrer and Patrick Sky’s satire.
We Meisters are a warped bunch…

Food, perfume, books- we share several likes.

I sincerely hope that you find that job, and have that child…

I’m only an honorary Carmelite, but if you pray to St. Ann [patron saint of mothers], or Gerard Majella [Sicilian saint- gets and keeps you pregnant !], it helps.

Do you want me to send you a holy medal, and get it blessed?
I’d be happy to do that for you…

You’ve probably heard this one, but it’s my life motto, from Hillel-

“I get up, I walk, I fall down-
Meanwhile, I keep dancing.”

We ought not to limp through life, but dance our way through the muddle, even if the sight of us doing so isn’t very pretty…

Although I’m an opera singer, I LOVE to see others sing and
dance, whether they actually can or not.

My love to you, and yours…