After feeling cooped up in a lot of January and February, I’ve had a few chances to get out and about again, which has been really nice. It wasn’t too busy, but things are starting to be added to my calendar again, and I’m not mad about it. So here’s what I’ve been up to over the last month or so.

One of the most fun and exciting things that happened over the last month was filming a short segment with my sister for Pittsburgh Today Live. It was such a cool experience – they came to our house to film, which was great and made it super convenient. Being hooked up to the microphone, being told where to sit for the camera – it all felt so official! And of course, it was a great opportunity to talk about SMA, Rare Disease Day, and more.

I also made it back to the Benedum to see Hamilton while their tour stopped here. I had to skip a few shows in January and February because things just didn’t feel safe enough for me to be in a packed theater for two plus hours, so it felt especially great to be back. Hamilton never disappoints, and because I hadn’t seen a show in a few months, everything just felt extra exciting and electric. I have tickets to a show at the Cabaret here later this month, and a few more tickets to shows that are touring here, and I’m really looking forward to them.

I’m not a huge drinker (not judging! just isn’t my thing), but I did pop open a mini bottle of prosecco to celebrate when I got the news that I had won the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival Open Call. It was the perfect chill, low-key way to celebrate.

We had a little taste of early spring with a weekend of weather in the 60s! It felt so nice, so we pulled out the projector and the screen plus the Solo Stove for a patio bonfire movie night. It was the perfect weather for a little bonfire – warm enough that we weren’t freezing, but chilly enough after the sun set that we really appreciated the warmth from the fire. We watched the new West Side Story, which I loved – the women who played Maria and Anita were especially impressive. It’s on HBO and Disney +, and I highly recommend!

Finally – I was off work this past Friday, so my sister, my friend and I all headed to the grounds of The Frick to catch up and hang out. Sadly, we left too late to be able to pick anything up from the cafe, so we grabbed snacks and drinks at Starbucks and brought them with us. It was kind of chilly with the wind, so we didn’t stay too long, but it was so nice to have the chance to go somewhere else for a bit! It really set just the right tone for the weekend ahead.