Someone at my church told me I played piano like Dave Brubeck. I almost fainted. He didn't think I was familiar with the jazz legend. I corrected the man. I told him I had just seen Mr. Brubeck play live at Ravinia. The man was floored. He used to listen to those records when he graduated college in the '60s. We chatted excitedly. He told me about his favorite songs, and I told him mine. His daughter rushed up to his side and pulled frantically on his pant leg. We started moving away, but our conversation continued. He hooked up a subwoofer to his computer speakers, which made the old CDs sound really great. I nodded and tried not to fall on my face as I rushed back up toward the stage.

I never got the man's name, but he made me the happiest girl alive that day. Thanks, stranger! (Although, you probably shouldn't lie in a church, even if it was a sweet thing to say.)

Thanks to the always fabulous Rachel Elizabeth, I learned of a site called SparkPeople.com. I've only been using it for three days, but I've already cut my calorie intake in half and have put my lazy butt on an elliptical machine for the first time in probably a year. That could all end by tomorrow, but I thought I'd pass along the link to anyone looking for a helping hand in losing weight or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I accidentally woke up this morning at 5:30 a.m. I suppose that would be the side-effect of going to bed early for a week. Lesson learned. But hot dang, this morning's sunrise sure was pretty.

P.S. Don't be hatin' on the screen lines. I was not going to run downstairs, unlock the back door, and bolt out into the backyard for this shot. The view through my bedroom window is going to have to suffice.