Hello friends . . . I've been in The Ocean State for a month now . . . ?settling in! I've just concluded a month of teaching vocal technique to young performers. These talented kids have a "really big show" next week! I started working on the music with them this week . . . it was fun to share music history with them -- they'd never head of Cabaret except for this. It's been a while since I've taught tweens . . . it's exhausting, but in a good way. I only had to do two or three Tween Smackdowns for talking during rehearsal.

I'm still planning my wedding to Mr. Big, so I spend time online looking for the perfect little hair accessory (still looking) and flower ideas, and when I can't stand that any more, I flee to my favorite blogs and websites. I'm listing my top favorites here.

1. Conversion Diary.?Raised atheist, Jennifer Fulwiler is now a practicing Roman Catholic. How on earth did THAT happen? Her blog makes a lot of the head-scratching questions about faith and Catholicism easier to think about. (She's also writing a book.)

2. Christus Vincit. Brian Michael Page is an organist, composer and self-proclaimed "Snark" living in -- Rhode Island!! I found his blog several years ago while googling "terrible liturgical music" after a particularly rough weekend, and I landed in a wonderful sinkhole of snarky comments about bad sacred music and how to battle it. Other bloggers are more diplomatic, but I like Brian's misanthropic tone. I can't believe we now live in the same state. We haven't met yet, but that's but a matter of time. Brian. . . we're gonna snark at a Starbucks soon, man.

3. Musica Sacra. The go-to website for all things related to Gregorian chant and traditional sacred music. I attended the Sacred Music Colloquium hosted by CMAA back in the mid 1990s, after I converted to Catholicism. . . ?I still use the skills I learned there. Glad to see that the Colloquium is thriving!

4. Cote de Texas. "Interior design porn" for those attracted to Americanized French decor. Won't ever do it in real life but there is no harm in looking, right? Unless it leads you to buy?here. Then, you have a problem and you need professional intervention.

5. Intimate Weddings. This site helps me maintain perspective as I hurtle into planning my fall wedding. It reminds me to focus on?the relationship and the marriage, rather than the wedding. (Been there, done that.) Small is beautiful! It can be done!

6. And here's the polar opposite. Good for flowers, but awful in other respects because it makes me think I am a Bad Bride for not canning my own preserves as wedding favors. Why do we have wedding favors, again?

7. Garden Design is my new favorite magazine . . . I still like Fine Gardening and Better Homes and Gardens but I love the ideas I'm getting from this one! And the blog is great, too.

What? Did you think I'd tell you that my surf history also includes visits to here, here, and here?