The 12 Months of '25 (Overflow & Lessons Learned)

Doing my 2025 end-of-year newsletter was SO HARD.

I could only cite one thing per month.

It killed me not to share all the other things.

So here they are.

Plus what I learned - so good for me to remember, maybe helpful for you?

IN THE 1ST MONTH OF ‘25 - (aka January)

I said, oh what the heck. I'll get a pass for the Readers Room - into which you can bring very little, so you need to use a locker -

LESSON LEARNED: ALWAYS TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR LOCKER

I thought I knew where it was...but I had to call the guards three times to come unlock "my" locker. I almost missed curtain time at the West End!

IN THE 2nd MONTH OF ‘25 (aka February)

I visited my doctor who told me - with much pride in his skill - that my formerly-huge thyroid nodule was 84% smaller - and continuing to shrink.

LESSON REMEMBERED - challenge the system. Especially a medical one. In 2023, I managed to get this procedure done in Paris - from finding the doctor to completed procedure - in 10 days.

Nodule shrunk by +83% in 1 1/2 years. Merci Dr. Benhamou!

A SECOND LESSON FROM THAT: I first read about the ablation procedure ten years ago. I really wanted to to do it, rather than removing the nodule. But it was very experimental, only done in Asia. But I kept my eyes on it. And finally - doctors were doing it, but mostly in France. Lucky me - my doctor was one of the pioneers there. IF SOMETHING "magical" appears - one day it could be real.

On that Paris trip, I also visited Louvre Couture

LESSONS LEARNED - let the past and present feed each other, like it does fashion designers.AND when I got home, I went on my first trek with Antibes Rando. Not usually my thang...

LESSON LEARNED: sometimes you have to stop working and smell the mimosas

(even if they have no scent)

We joined the Rando - hiking - club. Yes, moi.

IN THE THIRD MONTH OF ‘25 (aka March)

I visited the Renoir Museum in nearby Cagnes-sur-Mer.

LESSON LEARNED - keep going. Even if you're in a wheelchair and have to tape the paintbrush to your hand.

IN THE FOURTH MONTH OF ‘25 (aka April)

I said, Oh what the heck - Let’s do our show in London!

LESSON LEARNED - Though I love building a bridge to a new world - it almost ate me up alive. 10 hours a day, for five weeks. Worth it? Do it again? WE'LL SEE.

2ND LESSON LEARNED (last month) - HURRY AND GET THIS SHOW DONE,

since Netflix shone a spotlight on it in "Death By LIghtning."

The Oneida Community - front-page news then - and after Netflix, a little less forgotten - I GOTTA HURRY!

IN THE FIFTH MONTH OF ‘25 (aka May)

I went to BEAM in Birmingham and lost then found my computer.

SO MANY LESSONS LEARNED -

SLOW DOWN!

DON'T CHANGE your systems (from backpack to separate tote, eg).

DON'T TRUST lost and found services in France (they had my Mac but didn't put that into the system and didn't answer their phone. So I bought another one -for nothing! Which, luckily, I could return.)

ACTIVATE "Find my Mac."

BACK UP THAT MAC. Make it a pre-departure priority (I tried but ran out of time before I left)

NEVER GOT LOGGED INTO THE SYSTEM - I cried when I got it back. I should have yelled at the Lost and Found people!

IN THE SIXTH MONTH OF ‘25 (Aka June)

I said, Oh what the heck

I'll fly back to NYC/Hanover -

LESSON LEARNED - NEVER SKIP THAT REUNION (I still regret not being able to go to New Trier East High School one this year.)

NEXT LESSON - DON'T LET THOSE UNFINISHED CHAPTERS STAY THAT WAY.

For me, that means singing again.

Of course, I sounded better in rehearsal than at the Memorial Service- but I didn't screw up.

ALSO: Pick an easier song next time.

AND BREATHE! (that's why my eyes are closed here, group inhale moment.)

LESSON LEARNED - there are so many art-y people in my class - not just all doctors, bankers and lawyers! Be grateful for that tribe.

IN THE SEVENTH MONTH OF ‘25 (AKA JULY)

I said, Oh what the heck

If you're invited to a wedding, go - even it it's going to be 40 degrees Celsius. That's Corsica in July.

QUESTION APPEARING: I have a real thing for the stocks. I take my photo in them every chance I get.

IS THIS ANOTHER PAST LIFE?

The Three Stages of Marriage? Just like our wedding invitation - "Til Death Us Do Part"

 IN THE EIGHTH MONTH OF ‘25 aka August

I said, Oh What the heck

I’ll turn our road trip into the Joy Tour

LESSONS LEARNED - 28 days is too long for a road-trip. Apartments beat hotels. Staying in 12 hotels over a month is TOO MUCH MOVING AROUND.

Click on photo to for your Welcome speech

  LESSON REMEMBERED

I can stand anything -

even climbing 200 steps in baking sun -

if I can write about it.

IN THE NINTH MONTH OF ‘25 aka September

I said, Oh What the heck

I’ll have a little surgery (basal cell on my eyebrow)

Before...

...and a week after.

LESSON LEARNED - ask for what you want from the medical people. Risk being a pain (a big no-no here). Ask the visiting nurse to come a day early to change a bandage you think may cause an infection. Call and double-check the doctor's orders, even though the nurses are adamant. It could make a big difference (may have kept me from getting a bigger scar).

IN THE TENTH MONTH OF ‘25 (aka October)

I made my third of four trips to Paris to teach (yes, playwriting).

LESSON LEARNED: It felt really good. And people seemed to love it. So it may be time for me to start "giving" back like this.

ALSO - I wrote a parody song inspired by our times...

LESSON LEARNED: sometimes I need to take the gloves off and stop being nice. My scree for No Kings day.

IN THE ELEVENTH MONTH OF ‘25 aka November

I kissed a real relic!

I had to to go back to Notre-Dame twice to kiss Jesus's Crown of Thorns - but it was worth it.

I actually put my lips on the crystal/gold enrobing the thorns.

A priest does wipe it off between lips - but not super well.

LESSON LEARNED: sometimes the "touristy" thing is so worth the wait! (almost two hours).

(And aim for upper right/left to minimize the germs!)

IN THE TWELFTH /LAST MONTH OF ‘25 aka December

Sometimes...vaccines don't protect you.

I caught - something.

And had to cancel our holiday party. I debated it. But it became clear.

LESSON LEARNED: do the right thing. I could have gotten away with it - I was mostly well by the day-of, but the fear/guilt would have ruined it.

Sick singing here!

AND LOOKING AT MY ‘26

What is my wish?

More of the same!

No wait, EVEN MORE of the same.

EXCEPT FOR ONE THING: THE BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED:

SPEND LESS TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

GET READY FOR SHORTER POSTS, PEOPLE!!