I think of writing as my second act. After a first act as a public-school music educator, I have raised the curtain on a writer who has been patiently waiting backstage for a long time. She is cautiously stepping into the spotlight, well aware that there may be a few flubbed lines and miscues, but she’s excited to finally be on stage.

Writing has always been trying to get my attention, but I got (happily) side-tracked into music. I spent 34 years teaching strings in a wonderful school system in south central Pennsylvania where I’ve lived my entire life. I’m still a musician, teach one day a week at an urban charter school and love choral singing. But now, at last, it’s time to write.

My topics will be random and written from the perspective of someone who’s never been this old before, so there may be a touch of nostalgia. I want to capture some of the things that drift by us on a daily basis and hold them fast for a moment. I hope to make you think and make you smile and say, “Oh, yeah, me too.”

I will probably write about my husband, my pets and my church, all driving forces in my life. There may be an occasional rant but I’m not here to promote any political agendas, although my left-leaning tendencies may peep through from time to time. I have no special skills to share. I won’t tell you how to dress or lose weight or when to plant your tomatoes. I just want to learn to write well and these blogs, to use a musical analogy, are the scales and etudes, the groundwork needed before attempting a concerto.

You, my readers, are my teachers and I invite your feedback, positive and otherwise. Curtain up. Welcome to Second Act Stories.