Turned up to see Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony at the local Philharmonic Orchestra with a hot date and hair that had not been washed in three days. No time to shower after a workout, literal months of armpit hair, trying out an interesting new goth perfume scent, black dress, blazer, combat boots, pearl earrings and necklace, chipped nail polish. Had just enough time to lint roll and put on mascara. Steve Rogers looked perfectly dapper as usual in a nice pair of jeans, simple t shirt, boots, and a dress jacket he received as a gift from his father one visit home before last.

We got there in time to share a glass of cabernet before the music started, so we had fun pretending like we were pompous fancy wine snobs, like – “do I detect a note of orange peel or sour candy? sweet cherry? oh, cherry for sure. perhaps a hint of dark chocolate, leather, or tobacco…”

We are, perhaps, the worst people I have ever met.

Just this once I scored us a couple of fairly good seats in the mezzanine rather than up on the balcony, which was a shame because all I could see was the orchestra on stage as opposed to the actual hall itself, which is beautiful. Unfortunately I couldn’t spend the duration of the performance leaning back and staring up into the eyes of my wife my queen my empress (enourmas sparkly chandelier). She brings me a feeling of boundless and unparalleled joy in my chest; when I see her there is so much emotion that it hurts.

Steve thought it would be cute and funny to blast Sia’s hit song “Chandelier” through the speakers in the car on the drive home. He was right.

Prior to the Tchaikovsky, we got to witness a performance from a classically trained garage band called Time For Three, composed of two violins and a double bass. Their encore was a dazzling cover of the classic hit song “can’t take my eyes off you,” which has been stuck in my head on a loop like a broken record for several days now. Audience participation during the performance was encouraged and later described, half sincerely and half in jest, as “like a choir of heavenly angels.”

I am some kind of nostalgic for this one specific time when I was here with friends, back in the day, even though everything is different now. I can’t walk through these halls without thinking of them. It feels important to spend time being present in this space as often as I can, to soak in the beauty of it.

I have but one life to spend and I may as well spend it in places that are beautiful.