Michael and Amy's Blog

The Mystery Meat of Airports

  PHL - Philadelphia International Airport is the mystery meat of airports. It's packaging is interesting but once you bite into it you never know what you're going to get. Case in point. On one of our recent trips, Amy and I we're flying into PHL on a US Airways flight. We fly with US AIR, or a Star Alliance code share partner as often as possible. Our Dividend Miles account is a Godsend, given how frequently we're in the air. US AIR upgrades us to First Class on over 90% of our trips. When you travel as often as we do, every little perk is particularly appreciated. BTW - I'm presently seated on a US AIR 767 in coach. That dreaded 10% has to happen sometime.

Back to the meat - So, we're flying into Philly when our pilot announces that we'll be arriving 30 minutes earlier than expected. Amy and I are stunned! If you've ever flown into Philly you know why. PHL is notorious for delays. Flights, bags, even the toilets flush slow at this airport! We were shocked to be arriving early. Oh, but don't start celebrating yet.

We descend over the Walt Whitman Bridge, downtown Philadelphia's lights twinkling over to the west. The night is crisp, clear, and full of promise - and we're going to be able to enjoy an additional thirty minutes of it's pleasure. The runway is in sight. Touch down. We're giddy! The entire plane, apparently full of veteran PHL nomads, comes alive with the unexpected thrill of an early arrival at this clogged drain of aviation architecture.

We taxi. The terminal is growing larger through the plane's windows. Closer. Closer... And we stop... about 20 feet short of the jet bridge. Hmmm? An uncomfortable moment of silence passes and then comes the announcement, "Ladies and Gentleman. From the flight deck this is your Captain. We're happy to welcome you to Philadelphia thirty minutes earlier than expected. Uh... Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a push-back crew available to get us up to the gate...sooo, we'll be parking here until a crew can be found."

Ok. No big deal. We're still early. What's a couple of minutes on the tarmac going to ruin? The night is still young. Well, a couple of minutes pass… and then a few more… and then another ten. And another. The natives on this flight were getting restless. We could almost reach out the windows of the plane and touch the terminal, but a pushback crew no one could see!

Finally, 45 minutes later, we have a crew and wheel in to the gate. We're now 15 minutes late. Only at PHL can you arrive 30 minutes early and still be 15 minutes late. It is the mystery meat of airports. One other note. The reason I've had time to jot down this little story while sitting here on a 767... I'm heading back to PHL and am on an ATC delay in CLT once again sitting on the tarmac. I wonder what's for dinner?

Fantastico!

Amy and I are currently in Riviera Maya on the Yucatan. We performed last evening at the Fairmont Mayakoba for an enthusiastic audience of 500, who sang, laughed, danced and rose to their feet in appreciation 4 times throughout the show. Needless to say, we had a blast, although we were a little panicked at one point.

Toward the end of our first act, I noticed that my harmonica, which I pre-set during our sound check, was missing. This doesn't sound like it would be a big deal except that my harmonica is a key part of our closing number, so much so that without it we can't do it. During intermission the event and hotel staff got busy trying to locate my mouth harp. It wasn't until Amy and I were being escorted back to the stage that one of the hotel staff approached with a smile grande and harmonica in hand. Someone had moved it after our sound check from its pre-set spot on my piano to a hidden location inside the piano underneath the music stand. Since we perform with the lids down there was no way, sans x-ray vision, to have located it during the show. What a relief!

We finished up our second act and smiles abounded. Our client was ecstatic. Their guests uber-happy. And Amy and I so thankful to be able to be together doing something we love that touches people's lives.

Today we're off and getting ready to bask in the sun on the shores of the Caribbean. It's a more than welcome change from a very rainy, grey season we've been experiencing back home. God is good.

Summer Performances

 Amy and I are looking forward to a busy summer of performances around the country and in the Yucatan. We fly to Cancun later this week for a show in Riviera Maya, the San Antonio for Independence Day, back to Riviera Maya, Cleveland, OH, Meridian MS, Philadelphia, and more. Hope to see you at one of these shows!

For more information and show dates visit our website at www.michaelandamy.com

Ah Dinner

Amy and I just landed in Billings, MT. We still have a long drive ahead of us to get to the Big Sky Resort where we'll be performing a special show for Wells Fargo Banks tomorrow night. But now... We're hungry! Can you guess where we're having dinner from the photo? And why am I blogging such a silly thing? Well, I spoke with my dear friend Rob Kelly this afternoon on a layover in Denver and he gave me a hard time about not posting to this blog more regularly. So this one is for you, Rob!

Off to Portland

 

What a busy day! Amy and I awoke before God this morning, got ready and hauled our two grand pianos to church to provide music for our service. It was hot, humid, and well worth it! This evening we're sitting on a plane getting ready to fly to Portland, OR to meet our new niece who is less than a week old. We're very excited. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try out my first mobile blog post. They're getting ready to close the main cabin door so I should be brief. I don't want to get busted by the flight crew! There went the door! More later.

The Best Decision I Ever made

This morning I celebrate with a full and thankful heart. Today Amy and I have been married for five wonderful, amazing years! In fact I can say without hesitation or reservation that these past five years have been the best years of my life. Now I know some dutiful husbands may feel obligated to make such a claim at least once per year, if for no other reason than to woo the "nookie monster." And though I am not above occasionally mustering up and and strategically setting out all the sweet sugary ingredients necessary for, and in hopes of, cooking up a great "nookie," on this occasion my words are sincere and not just an attempt to pre-heat the oven. You see, I've lived some. I've been around the block more than once and, like most, have a story.

Bundle of Joy

It's very exciting around here today. We just received a call that Amy's sister Mary is in labor this morning with her first baby! We're so excited for Mary and her husband CJ. Looks like we'll be taking an impromptu trip across the country to Portland to welcome our new niece to planet Earth!

Seems there are babies galore around us as of late. Amy's best friend from school delivered her first baby earlier this month. Amy's sister Mary is in labor as I post this and my little sister Sue will be delivering her first in October. So the pressure is on, let me tell you! If Amy and I should decide to have a family I just pray to God our babies will be out of their diapers before I'm in one!

Ray, Fats, Jerry Lee - Who Could Ask For Anything More

I received an email from a good friend yesterday - someone whom I've not yet actually had the pleasure of meeting face to face (we've corresponded over the past three years) and he sent me a link to a video of epic piano playing performers. In this video, which you just have to see for yourself, playing together on stage are legendary pianists Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Fats Domino. Additionally, playing in the band is Paul Schaffer from the Late Show with David Letterman. It's a veritable smorgasbord of ivory tickling virtuosos! Thanks Bruce! You can watch the video here. http://www.dailymotion.com:80/video/xe5w0_ray-charles-jerry-lee-lewis

There's more information about the concert here 

Come Fly With Me!

Last year Amy and I logged close to 90,000 air miles each as we traveled from performance to performance and back home again. We love to travel. More specifically we love to travel together. I can't imagine traveling like this apart from the one I love, though I know so many today have to do this very thing. In fact Amy's Dad traveled extensively around the world by himself when Amy was growing up. That kind of travel can be very lonely. Amy and I are very thankful to be able to share so much of our life literally side by side or piano to piano!

Travel, by and large, is considered a glamor industry, and for many this is the case. Travel often times means an adventure beckons! An exotic destination awaits! New sights, new sounds, new tastes, new experiences, new stories to be written, lived, and recounted once back home again embody the hopes and realities of the yearly or semi-yearly trip. Of course, when you travel as often as we do, the sense of being on another "trip" takes on a definition more closely related to a Grateful Dead concert rather than the Brady Bunch goes to Hawaii!

Perhaps the Finest Dueling Pianos Moment in History

This morning while doing my usual dueling pianos research surfing I came upon this recording of what may be the finest dueling pianos moment in the history of modern music. Treat yourself to eight and a half minutes of Herbie Hancock and Oscar Peterson performing "Billie's Bounce" together live. It's truly amazing.

"Billie's Bounce"