Nun sells a double-reed piece of her past.

Most of you might not have known that I was a teenage oboist. I played in my local youth orchestra for, what was it, five years? (Remember, I grew up in a college town.) I even made the all-state orchestra a couple of times in the fairly populous state of Florida.

The thing is, I've played my oboe four times that I can recall in the last twenty-three years, and I'm in need of cash for electrolysis. So, onto eBay it has gone. I played it last night one last time, and I have to say it felt good. If I really couldn't live without it, well, I wouldn't have effectively lived without it this long, would I have?

If it makes you feel any better, motherofangels, this wasn't easy. I still have the piano, which has a much bigger literature. On the other hand, if this is the biggest sacrifice I make for my transition, I'll have gotten off lightly.