Hi! I'm Lauren Maxwell. I live in Greenville, SC, with my brand new husband and our dog-child, Herbie.
It’s not over till the fat lady sings. After spending 11 years and two degrees training to be an opera singer, I discovered I wanted more. Though the transition was scary, it turned out to be a gift. Now, I spread the word about SC's Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, one of the best schools of its kind in the country, and by night, I write and manage community for Prosper Public Relations, a marketing firm that believes in combining purpose and profit.
Herbie the Silky Terrier. I rescued Herbie in Baltimore, and we’ve never looked back. I needed him, he needed me, and occasionally he still likes to think we don’t need anybody else. He’s a sweet little sidekick who tries to lick your eyes if you cry and insists on holding your hand. It didn’t take him long to accept John, who’s now my husband, as part of the family, but not before he tried to vomit on him the first time he came over - twice. In his calculating (endearing) quest to protect me, he climbed on John’s shoulder like an adorable parrot. Just when I retrieved the camera to capture such a cute, innocent moment, the truth came out. Of his mouth.
Speaking of my husband, he makes makes me coffee and packs my lunch. Every day. I don’t know how I got so lucky. He tells me to sit down while he does the dishes. He tells me to stay in bed while he walks the dog. He's my caretaker, my comedian, my cheerleader, my best friend.
You can take the girl out of the South...or maybe you can’t. I love the bustling Northeast and didn’t ever expect to be back in South Carolina after leaving. But it turns out that after several wonderful years in Baltimore, Cleveland, and Brattleboro, there’s little I love more than a good dose of Carolina Vitamin D. I didn’t believe it growing up, but there really is something special about the elegant strength of Southern Women. The gracious personalities are hard to resist, too.
This blog began in 2010 as a place to document my new start in a new city, and it filled a creative void when I left opera. Now, it's a place to tell our story.
That story started with two professional musicians who discovered that sometimes, joy really is in the little things. So, we got married. We work on our careers, meet wonderful people, practice yoga, and eat as much great food as possible. I'm so glad you stopped by. Thank you, as always, for reading.
