Love Letter to a steroid

Dear Prednisone,

First of all, Happy Veteran’s Day. I hope you are taking this time to celebrate our freedom, particularly the very freedom of speech (and song) that you so generously gave to me yesterday, when what felt like moments before, I had lost it to laryngitis.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1 – for acting so quickly

2 – for being so remarkably effective

3 – for not having weird side effects (or if you do, they’re indistinguishable from my normal weirdness)

4 – most crucially, for allowing me to speak and sing and be heard on what was an extraordinarily big day for me with a lot riding on it: our NYC backers’ audition/reading of ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME, followed by a one-song performance at Birdland for the luminary-filled Lilly Awards Cabaret. One of my biggest fears in life is letting people down…and I’m more grateful and happy than I can possibly express that I didn’t let down my collaborators, our producer, the organizers of the Lilly Awards, everyone who has put in SO MUCH effort and countless hours to make these events happen and support us in our creative work.

5 – PS for not being specifically contra-indicated with alcohol – so I could have a celebratory drink after it was all over.

I adore you, stunning steroid…

and after our five days together, I will bid you adieu.

with love and admiration,

Val