Lately, Brandon and I have been splendidly fortunate to spend time in the presence of true musical greatness, wrapped up in the talents of two ordinary yet extraordinary guys named Bruce and Bob.
1. Bruce
www.brucekatzband.com
Maestro Bruce Katz, a virtuoso keyboard genius in the organ vein of Jimmy Smith and Des Moines' own Sam Salamone, gave us a night to remember at www.bluesongrand.com last week. It was one of those midweek sparsely attended shows, yet how very lucky were we to be witnesses to such awesome talent at such close range. Brandon has been privileged to interview and review Bruce and his band before, see www.midnightwine.blogspot.com and www.DesMoinesMC.com. So when we arrived, Bruce greeted us by name and with hugs at the door, as did his stellar bandmates, drummer Ralph Rosen, bassist Rod Carey, and an enormously inspiring guitarist named Chris Vitarello, www.chrisvitarello.com.
Simply put, it was like going to school and to church at the same time, in all the best of ways. Bruce and his posse showed us "the meaning of musical grace" as they served us up a gourmet banquet of musical "v" words: vitality, vigor, vivaciousness, and again, virtuosity. Before the first set was complete, they explored country, blues, rock, soul, jazz, and again, this was all in just the first set. It was the kind of "kaleidoscopic" musical approach that I dream of daily, vividly painted right before my grateful eyes, and ears! I came away with the reaction I've had at only a few magical musical moments in my life, including nights with Wynton Marsalis, Gov't Mule, and 2 of our 3 Stevie's--Wonder and Nicks. That reaction is this: I wish every musician and music-lover I know could have been here.
Bruce told us that he's working on an offshoot project featuring jazzy/bluesy interpretations of Aretha Franklin songs, to be coming this fall. Meanwhile, here is your several-month notice to make plans now when this group comes back to town in 2010. (By the way, I got so excited about their music as I write this, that I totally spaced the fact that little old me got to get up and do a tune with them--he mouthed at me from the stage asking me to come up--I still haven't quite recovered from the glee of this--and we did a slow 12-bar blues in D that the late great Irene Myles herself gave me on the back of a "Mel's" menu, called "Mean and Evil".)
2. Bob
Bob's Soundclick website here
There's a bar in our neighborhood called Smokey's Saloon, a pool table haunt with a nice-sized stage and dance floor, which is sometimes our last stop on the way home after a night on the town. This particular Saturday night, we were excited to learn that the entertainment was none other than Bob and company. The trio usually performed country blues stuff, but someone was present who had a serious birthday hankering for some Hendrix. So Bob gave the enthusiastic group of fans a moment to remember. He came off the platform, pulled up a chair right next to his lively listeners, and kicked into some serious birthday Hendrix (thanks to his wireless guitar hookup--he was mobile). After we were all enthralled to the point of overwhelming, Bob sauntered on over to one delighted Mr. Findlay, took off his guitar as the band continued, and handed it right then and there to him, as if to say, your turn now--show us what you've got! And boy, did he ever! Mr. Findlay went on to play while seated, with fiery passion and "Hendrix-ness" right under the nose of his hero and mentor.
So after those hoots and hollers subsided, Bob took his guitar back, segued into "Red House", and edged back over to none other than Mrs. Findlay, gave me that look, and I launched into some shouting blues with him, right from my chair, totally unamplified, totally lacking agenda or baggage, just for the pure joy of the music and the moment.
Of course the Bob I'm referring to is the one and only Bob Pace, who I'll be sharing the stage with a few more times this year, after many years of admiring his talents from afar. And to share it all with my husband makes it even sweeter. Bob could play rings around guitarists way more famous than himself, yet has remained "under the radar" to be completely approachable and accessible in intimate, unpretentious settings, like Smokey's Saloon, or Blues On Grand most Tuesday nights, or other neighborhood holes-in-the-wall.
Luckily, you don't have to wait until 2010 to enjoy and be inspired by this musicianship. You can connect with Bob all over our city, a wonderful example of how much more rewarding it can be to support the musical greatness of someone local that you can actually converse with, and find out firsthand about their creative inspirations. (Another place to connect with Bob is www.myspace.com/bobpaceandguitartown.)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
In Transition--the personal angle
"Knowing that you don't know is the first and most essential part of knowing, you know?" --from the movie 'Synecdoche, New York', written and directed by Charlie Kaufman
It's May Day 2009 and I am once again in transition. Actually, when are we ever not in transition? However, that sense of "moving on up" into a higher, deeper place is even more palpable than usual. Some things in life are grrrrrreat, some things greatly suck. Same with the world at large (see previous sentence for my assessment of Obama's first 100 days). I've aged, and so has the world.
Have you ever seen those "life coaching" exercises where you break your life up into slices of a pie, and take the proverbial "good, long look" at them all, the "searching and fearless moral inventory" of twelve-steppers fame? They say that the unexamined life is not worth living, and a few also add that the unlived life is not worth examining. Well, this life has so far been anything but both unlived and unexamined. And that's just this past year; and that's really just this past week.
No big earth-shaking developments, just a gently growing internal virus of...dare I call it wisdom? Another good word would be surrender. Battling the good in life, keeping it out with addictiveness, doubt, fear, and other varying degrees of utter behaviorial madness -- it's time to surrender and say, once and for all, I was not born for unhappiness. My best days are ahead of me, and come what may, I'm going to live in freedom, because somebody somewhere said "freedom is a beautiful thang..."
It's been a serenity prayer year, filled with all kinds of personal upheaval, plans made and unmade, people passing through as their reasons and seasons of presence in my life come to a screeching halt. God has been his usual perfect, awesome, patient, and grace-extending. My husband Brandon continues to be "the brightest spot" in it all, even as he perseveres through his own changes.
Without going into any specifics at all, I'll just say that lots and lots of smoke is finally starting to clear, revealing an increasingly focused picture of my destiny and dreams. Less outcome-based, more organic and principle-based. Less controlled and controlling, more openness. Less tolerating, more celebrating. Less knowing, more not knowing as a kind of knowledge of its own. Less lost in the land of the found, more found in the land of the lost.
In light of the upcoming launch for our new band, this space and time probably should have been devoted to rhapsodizing about bella soul. All in good time, not everything has to be about that. Snoop us out, keep tabs, follow the creatiVEntures here (still under construction):
www.bellasoulmusic.com
www.myspace.com/bellasoulmusic
www.twitter.com/bellasoulmusic
I will only be posting here on a monthly basis, unless I get real ambitious and literary lightning bolts strike. I'll be posting more often at www.bellasoulmusic.com.
"Life is good, life is grand, when I'm holding the hand,
Of my strong pure-hearted man, who always loves me for exactly who I am"
--from 'Life Is Good' by me
I'm in transition. So are you though you may not acknowledge it. In times like this, we find out what the water is, and what the rocks are, in our lives. I'm learning that the so-called rocks tend to flow through, and that after all this time, it's the water that is the constant.
PS--Listen to these if the mood hits ya; I speak better about life, and my own life, through song.
www.twiturm.com/phbi
www.twiturm.com/38rc
It's May Day 2009 and I am once again in transition. Actually, when are we ever not in transition? However, that sense of "moving on up" into a higher, deeper place is even more palpable than usual. Some things in life are grrrrrreat, some things greatly suck. Same with the world at large (see previous sentence for my assessment of Obama's first 100 days). I've aged, and so has the world.
Have you ever seen those "life coaching" exercises where you break your life up into slices of a pie, and take the proverbial "good, long look" at them all, the "searching and fearless moral inventory" of twelve-steppers fame? They say that the unexamined life is not worth living, and a few also add that the unlived life is not worth examining. Well, this life has so far been anything but both unlived and unexamined. And that's just this past year; and that's really just this past week.
No big earth-shaking developments, just a gently growing internal virus of...dare I call it wisdom? Another good word would be surrender. Battling the good in life, keeping it out with addictiveness, doubt, fear, and other varying degrees of utter behaviorial madness -- it's time to surrender and say, once and for all, I was not born for unhappiness. My best days are ahead of me, and come what may, I'm going to live in freedom, because somebody somewhere said "freedom is a beautiful thang..."
It's been a serenity prayer year, filled with all kinds of personal upheaval, plans made and unmade, people passing through as their reasons and seasons of presence in my life come to a screeching halt. God has been his usual perfect, awesome, patient, and grace-extending. My husband Brandon continues to be "the brightest spot" in it all, even as he perseveres through his own changes.
Without going into any specifics at all, I'll just say that lots and lots of smoke is finally starting to clear, revealing an increasingly focused picture of my destiny and dreams. Less outcome-based, more organic and principle-based. Less controlled and controlling, more openness. Less tolerating, more celebrating. Less knowing, more not knowing as a kind of knowledge of its own. Less lost in the land of the found, more found in the land of the lost.
In light of the upcoming launch for our new band, this space and time probably should have been devoted to rhapsodizing about bella soul. All in good time, not everything has to be about that. Snoop us out, keep tabs, follow the creatiVEntures here (still under construction):
www.bellasoulmusic.com
www.myspace.com/bellasoulmusic
www.twitter.com/bellasoulmusic
I will only be posting here on a monthly basis, unless I get real ambitious and literary lightning bolts strike. I'll be posting more often at www.bellasoulmusic.com.
"Life is good, life is grand, when I'm holding the hand,
Of my strong pure-hearted man, who always loves me for exactly who I am"
--from 'Life Is Good' by me
I'm in transition. So are you though you may not acknowledge it. In times like this, we find out what the water is, and what the rocks are, in our lives. I'm learning that the so-called rocks tend to flow through, and that after all this time, it's the water that is the constant.
PS--Listen to these if the mood hits ya; I speak better about life, and my own life, through song.
www.twiturm.com/phbi
www.twiturm.com/38rc
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Lyric Excerpt--Out Of Eden
I'm on a composition bender these days, and the words are coming from some pretty deep places (don't they always...). Here's your latest psychic snoop:
Out Of Eden
Living out these consequences
Of the things that I did wrong
Out of Eden, hope still holds me
Another garden keeps me strong
I believe in wild salvation
I believe in ancient dreams
Destiny's on my horizon
And I still know what grace means
Woo, let's take a breath after that one. Yes, I'm all for songs in the "cheesy party classic" category. But occasionally, my soul says "let's go swimming in the deep end." Maybe you can relate to these words, maybe you can't--although that would basically mean you're perfect or at least have a very short memory.
Last night Karen and I went to a discussion about the upcoming Des Moines Civic Center stage production of "The Color Purple", which is much more based on the novel than the movie was. We discussed evolution of the spirit, triumph over horrific abuse, Celie's personal renaissance, "stepping into creation" as she says in the story, into a land full of wild salvation and grace.
I'm going to see the show next week. But more importantly, I'm going to live in what it and the little song up above both represent, vast expanses of wild salvation and grace. It's not too late for a personal renaissance, for me or for you.
Out Of Eden
Living out these consequences
Of the things that I did wrong
Out of Eden, hope still holds me
Another garden keeps me strong
I believe in wild salvation
I believe in ancient dreams
Destiny's on my horizon
And I still know what grace means
Woo, let's take a breath after that one. Yes, I'm all for songs in the "cheesy party classic" category. But occasionally, my soul says "let's go swimming in the deep end." Maybe you can relate to these words, maybe you can't--although that would basically mean you're perfect or at least have a very short memory.
Last night Karen and I went to a discussion about the upcoming Des Moines Civic Center stage production of "The Color Purple", which is much more based on the novel than the movie was. We discussed evolution of the spirit, triumph over horrific abuse, Celie's personal renaissance, "stepping into creation" as she says in the story, into a land full of wild salvation and grace.
I'm going to see the show next week. But more importantly, I'm going to live in what it and the little song up above both represent, vast expanses of wild salvation and grace. It's not too late for a personal renaissance, for me or for you.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Lyric Excerpt--Treasure
One man's trash is another man's treasure
One man's poison is another man's meat
One man's pain is another man's pleasure
One man's trial is another man's treat
You made a big mistake when you held my love at bay
You made a big mistake when you damned my love to hell
You made a big mistake when you threw my love away
So I will give the treasure of my love to someone else
Yeesh, them's fightin' words! But fighting a good fight..the fight for being treated right! One of our family mottos is "avoid where you're tolerated, go where you're celebrated, avoid where you're tolerating, go where you're celebrating." Life is too short, friends. Let's fill it with the lovely colors of healthy relationships, not the grays of the unhealthy. I'll hopefully be singing this new song in its entirety tomorrow (3-28-09) at an appropriate place, which was actually my mental inspiration for the lyric, The West End Salvage and Coffee Place downtown, during a performance by an up and coming young talent named Dan Berry. (It's from 2 to 4, come on down!)
And when I do, it will be a great reminder that I'm worth being treated well, by others and by my own self.
One man's poison is another man's meat
One man's pain is another man's pleasure
One man's trial is another man's treat
You made a big mistake when you held my love at bay
You made a big mistake when you damned my love to hell
You made a big mistake when you threw my love away
So I will give the treasure of my love to someone else
Yeesh, them's fightin' words! But fighting a good fight..the fight for being treated right! One of our family mottos is "avoid where you're tolerated, go where you're celebrated, avoid where you're tolerating, go where you're celebrating." Life is too short, friends. Let's fill it with the lovely colors of healthy relationships, not the grays of the unhealthy. I'll hopefully be singing this new song in its entirety tomorrow (3-28-09) at an appropriate place, which was actually my mental inspiration for the lyric, The West End Salvage and Coffee Place downtown, during a performance by an up and coming young talent named Dan Berry. (It's from 2 to 4, come on down!)
And when I do, it will be a great reminder that I'm worth being treated well, by others and by my own self.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Feast of One-Season Wonders--TV on DVD
1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip -- Aaron Sorkin's next project after "The West Wing" was a little disjointed in terms of tone, which made it a little awkward at times to view...should we be laughing, crying, thinking those deep Aaron Sorkin political platitude thoughts? But when his writing was "on", the resonance was gripping. It didn't help matters that "30 Rock" came out about the same time and struck such a witty, comedic chord. But this show is definitely worth a view - it takes a few episodes to grow on you, and no doubt would have become even better if given the chance. Alas, this budding TV tree was chopped down too soon.
2. Commander-In-Chief -- Speaking of "The West Wing", this show came across a little bit like the cheaper-budget version. It aspired to be a bit more relational than TWW, and that distilled the potential power of the executive, military, presidential stuff. This was a compelling concept, born from a really good movie called "The Contender" with Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen. And with Geena Davis as the title character, the fantasy version of the first woman and independent president, in an awesome, perfectly-cast, grand-slam performance, this show could have been a crowd and critic favorite. Alas, this budding TV tree was chopped down too soon.
3. The Comeback -- And now for my personal favorite of the three, this Lisa Kudrow vehicle on HBO was her first big thing after "Friends", and Michael Patrick King's first big thing after "Sex And The City". So it doesn't get much hotter than that, except that the heat didn't translate to fan love. This creative, poignant, unorthodox, category-defying gem, with a superb leading lady comedic turn very worthy of "cherishing" (that's a take on the lead character's name), was just too smart for its intended audience. Its brilliance gets even brighter upon repeat viewings. Alas, this budding TV tree was chopped down way way way too soon.
http://www.tv.com/studio-60-on-the-sunset-strip/show/58214/summary.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_in_Chief_(TV_series)
http://www.hbo.com/comeback/
2. Commander-In-Chief -- Speaking of "The West Wing", this show came across a little bit like the cheaper-budget version. It aspired to be a bit more relational than TWW, and that distilled the potential power of the executive, military, presidential stuff. This was a compelling concept, born from a really good movie called "The Contender" with Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen. And with Geena Davis as the title character, the fantasy version of the first woman and independent president, in an awesome, perfectly-cast, grand-slam performance, this show could have been a crowd and critic favorite. Alas, this budding TV tree was chopped down too soon.
3. The Comeback -- And now for my personal favorite of the three, this Lisa Kudrow vehicle on HBO was her first big thing after "Friends", and Michael Patrick King's first big thing after "Sex And The City". So it doesn't get much hotter than that, except that the heat didn't translate to fan love. This creative, poignant, unorthodox, category-defying gem, with a superb leading lady comedic turn very worthy of "cherishing" (that's a take on the lead character's name), was just too smart for its intended audience. Its brilliance gets even brighter upon repeat viewings. Alas, this budding TV tree was chopped down way way way too soon.
http://www.tv.com/studio-60-on-the-sunset-strip/show/58214/summary.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_in_Chief_(TV_series)
http://www.hbo.com/comeback/
Monday, March 9, 2009
Lyric Excerpt--Blessing In Disguise
Just recorded a demo version of this, a power lash-out ballad I wrote which includes the following:
Blessing In Disguise
Chorus:
I loved you, but you did not love me
What was then, was then, and what will be, will be
So thank you for saving me from your pack of lies
For your absence has become a blessing in disguise
Amazing to look back at the loss of someone/something you cried for, craved for, never believing for a moment you could ever live without it/them, only to discover much later that gone equals good. Whoo--let's take a breath and say that again...gone equals good! Whatever the dysfunctional toxic person, relationship, compulsion, behavior, etc.., if being present equals bad, then gone equals good. No fill-in-the-blank is better than a bad fill-in-the-blank (lover, employer, system, belief, food, bike route, bowling ball, you name it).
Seriously, life is short, too short for settling in any way, shape or form. Let's keep our standards at the tippy tippy top when it comes to love, truth, beauty, freedom, peace, clothes, closets, ice trays, potholders, everything and everyone! Our Who's, What's, When's, Where's, Why's and How's all merit our very best response at any given moment. And the more I get in sync with this, the happier and healthier human I am becoming, and it feels great! More hard, sad losses continually reveal themselves as "happy blessings in disguise".
When it comes to less-than-the-best, gone equals not just good, gone equals GREAT!
Blessing In Disguise
Chorus:
I loved you, but you did not love me
What was then, was then, and what will be, will be
So thank you for saving me from your pack of lies
For your absence has become a blessing in disguise
Amazing to look back at the loss of someone/something you cried for, craved for, never believing for a moment you could ever live without it/them, only to discover much later that gone equals good. Whoo--let's take a breath and say that again...gone equals good! Whatever the dysfunctional toxic person, relationship, compulsion, behavior, etc.., if being present equals bad, then gone equals good. No fill-in-the-blank is better than a bad fill-in-the-blank (lover, employer, system, belief, food, bike route, bowling ball, you name it).
Seriously, life is short, too short for settling in any way, shape or form. Let's keep our standards at the tippy tippy top when it comes to love, truth, beauty, freedom, peace, clothes, closets, ice trays, potholders, everything and everyone! Our Who's, What's, When's, Where's, Why's and How's all merit our very best response at any given moment. And the more I get in sync with this, the happier and healthier human I am becoming, and it feels great! More hard, sad losses continually reveal themselves as "happy blessings in disguise".
When it comes to less-than-the-best, gone equals not just good, gone equals GREAT!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Portfolio Soul
For your consideration (a.k.a. snooping), here are the daily learning tools I've been using for refueling and refocusing purposes. I highly recommend them, as well as all other works associated with their authors. So with the hope of bringing a few more fans to these extremely well-deserving sources, here are the 3 latest & greatest selections from my personal Soul Portfolio:
The Artist's Way--original book/Julia Cameron
Devotional Classics/Richard Foster/Renovare
Walking On Water/Madeleine L'Engle
The Artist's Way--original book/Julia Cameron
Devotional Classics/Richard Foster/Renovare
Walking On Water/Madeleine L'Engle
Friday, February 20, 2009
Feast of Funky Soundtracks/Portfolio Song
Three of my latest audio fetish sources, all of which have given me delighful moments of laughter, tears, and bittersweet inspiration, are as follows:
1. Soundtrack to "Grey Gardens" - the award-winning Broadway musical -- Having been a fan of the original documentary for quite sometime (and I can't wait for the HBO film with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange), I had to procure this collection. Believe me, it did not disappoint. It brlliantly captures the beautiful absurdity of the Beale's, and of life in general.
Tear-up alert: "Another Winter In A Summer Town".
2. Soundtrack to "Once" -- the little musical movie the media called "the anti-Dreamgirls" -- No stars, just talent, with so much raw passion, sincerity, and love. The lead male was in "The Commitments" a few years back, and has matured wondrously, with a voice of fiery melancholy wisdom.
Tear-up alert: "Falling Slowly" - the big song from this work, an instant classic
3. Soundtrack to "Beethoven's Last Night" - a non-holiday multi-media event by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, edgier and more creative than its longtime competitor, Mannheim Steamroller. It's a dark ode to the meaning of life, fate, and faith.
Grey Gardens the movie
Grey Gardens the musical
Once
Beethoven's Last Night
Try 'em out yourself, or projects like them over at my Pandora page--see my Some of Me links.
Let's keep broadening our horizons, and make our own personal Song Portfolio the eclectically marvelous masterpiece it deserves to be. What do you think? Response welcomed now...
1. Soundtrack to "Grey Gardens" - the award-winning Broadway musical -- Having been a fan of the original documentary for quite sometime (and I can't wait for the HBO film with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange), I had to procure this collection. Believe me, it did not disappoint. It brlliantly captures the beautiful absurdity of the Beale's, and of life in general.
Tear-up alert: "Another Winter In A Summer Town".
2. Soundtrack to "Once" -- the little musical movie the media called "the anti-Dreamgirls" -- No stars, just talent, with so much raw passion, sincerity, and love. The lead male was in "The Commitments" a few years back, and has matured wondrously, with a voice of fiery melancholy wisdom.
Tear-up alert: "Falling Slowly" - the big song from this work, an instant classic
3. Soundtrack to "Beethoven's Last Night" - a non-holiday multi-media event by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, edgier and more creative than its longtime competitor, Mannheim Steamroller. It's a dark ode to the meaning of life, fate, and faith.
Grey Gardens the movie
Grey Gardens the musical
Once
Beethoven's Last Night
Try 'em out yourself, or projects like them over at my Pandora page--see my Some of Me links.
Let's keep broadening our horizons, and make our own personal Song Portfolio the eclectically marvelous masterpiece it deserves to be. What do you think? Response welcomed now...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Stimulus shmimulus--a wise word
One of my "authors of the year" is Brian McLaren, who recently posted this powerful response to the "stim" situation. His words are always right-on-point, and this piece is no exception. Be blessed by the wisdom you find here:
Brian McLaren/economic recovery (there are several entries with this theme throughout February--read 'em all!)
Down with addiction, both personally and nationally!
Brian McLaren/economic recovery (there are several entries with this theme throughout February--read 'em all!)
Down with addiction, both personally and nationally!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Glove--Tina helping Tina
The glove of addiction and overconsumption continues to be peeled off in the Findlay household. However, one thing I've had trouble with is commitment to daily fitness and exercise. We have a treadmill in the basement, and I was doing ten minutes a day for a little while. The treadmill is beside a wall, facing a wall, beneath a low ceiling, in a chilly basement climate. And a constant torment was this: what to use as the soundtrack, music, spoken word, peppy music, rock or soul peppy music, library audiobooks, Bible on CD, what, what, what??? Talk about absurdity--this is one of those things that shows the backlash of being such a music-loving creative type. There's no such thing as "just throw any old thing on, and go with it."
So along comes the savior of this torment, my Sarah Palin-esque Emmy-winning namesake, Tina Fey. I'm a big fan of 30 Rock, and have been needing to seriously lighten up emotionally, get my stress-induced blood pressure level under control. A wonderful idea emerged--turn the treadmill toward the TV, pop in 30 Rock, and let that be the focus while I break my daily sweat.
One episode per day has been working like a charm. From the warmup during the pre-opening sketch, to the turbo burn during the closing credits, giggling all the way in between, this has rapidly become a valuable tool for my body, mind, and soul. I'm calling it my sitcom slimdown plan. Five days in a row so far, I'm on a roll!
Let's do whatever silly, unorthodox, creative things we need to do to keep peeling off our "gloves" and let our real selves emerge as radiant and energetic as they are meant to be. What crazy things work for you?
So along comes the savior of this torment, my Sarah Palin-esque Emmy-winning namesake, Tina Fey. I'm a big fan of 30 Rock, and have been needing to seriously lighten up emotionally, get my stress-induced blood pressure level under control. A wonderful idea emerged--turn the treadmill toward the TV, pop in 30 Rock, and let that be the focus while I break my daily sweat.
One episode per day has been working like a charm. From the warmup during the pre-opening sketch, to the turbo burn during the closing credits, giggling all the way in between, this has rapidly become a valuable tool for my body, mind, and soul. I'm calling it my sitcom slimdown plan. Five days in a row so far, I'm on a roll!
Let's do whatever silly, unorthodox, creative things we need to do to keep peeling off our "gloves" and let our real selves emerge as radiant and energetic as they are meant to be. What crazy things work for you?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Spaghetti For Breakfast Indeed
Did you know that you really are allowed to consume spaghetti for breakfast? And did you know that there are numerous principles in life generally accepted as "the way you're supposed to do things" that in fact, are just crying out for reinvention, renovation, reinvigoration? That's what the "spaghetti for breakfast" principle means to me, knowing that life is a journey from A to B, and absolutely everything in-between is negotiable. Every single day is a condensed version of the same thing, A to B, sun-up to sundown, and all that lies therein is a clean slate ready for a new daily masterpiece of life design.
I think because I am of mixed racial origin, this is something that comes easier to me, because in a way it is inherent in my code. I've always been a bit more able to embrace paradox and strange combinations because I myself am just that, a strange combination. We all are, but very quickly get assimilated in life to "the way you're supposed to do things" and even more so, "the way you're supposed to BE things". Today it's a miracle that something which has caused me so many growing pains in the past, my "mutt" heritage, has been the source of my greatest blessings of insight, openness, and adaptability.
It's amazing to note that I now share this precious principle with someone very special, the new leader of the free world, President Barack Obama. Much has been made (and rightfully so) of having an African-American President leading us. But in reality, he is also of "mutt" heritage, recently grieving the loss of his Caucasian grandmother (which I am also doing--mine passed away this past month, too, though instead of Hawaii, we grieved in the little Alaska known as Fenton, Iowa). Though I don't agree with him on everything, I am proud to have had the chance to cast my vote for someone who has obvious eaten a little spaghetti for breakfast in his life. Since that amazing moment at the Kerry convention when his star was born, and then throughout his campaign until now, he has consistently shown me that he gets it--he comprehends the whole spaghetti for breakfast thing. Rick Warren and Dianne Feinstein onstage at the inaugural together--beautiful. That's only the first of many more examples to come where I believe we will see the power of strange combinations come to life for us in our government and in our culture.
So on that note, I pray that we will all see that same power unleashed in our lives a little closer to home. Amen--not bad for my first time back in blogland. Enjoy your spaghetti for breakfast, and pancakes with scrambled eggs for supper, too! Comments welcomed...
I think because I am of mixed racial origin, this is something that comes easier to me, because in a way it is inherent in my code. I've always been a bit more able to embrace paradox and strange combinations because I myself am just that, a strange combination. We all are, but very quickly get assimilated in life to "the way you're supposed to do things" and even more so, "the way you're supposed to BE things". Today it's a miracle that something which has caused me so many growing pains in the past, my "mutt" heritage, has been the source of my greatest blessings of insight, openness, and adaptability.
It's amazing to note that I now share this precious principle with someone very special, the new leader of the free world, President Barack Obama. Much has been made (and rightfully so) of having an African-American President leading us. But in reality, he is also of "mutt" heritage, recently grieving the loss of his Caucasian grandmother (which I am also doing--mine passed away this past month, too, though instead of Hawaii, we grieved in the little Alaska known as Fenton, Iowa). Though I don't agree with him on everything, I am proud to have had the chance to cast my vote for someone who has obvious eaten a little spaghetti for breakfast in his life. Since that amazing moment at the Kerry convention when his star was born, and then throughout his campaign until now, he has consistently shown me that he gets it--he comprehends the whole spaghetti for breakfast thing. Rick Warren and Dianne Feinstein onstage at the inaugural together--beautiful. That's only the first of many more examples to come where I believe we will see the power of strange combinations come to life for us in our government and in our culture.
So on that note, I pray that we will all see that same power unleashed in our lives a little closer to home. Amen--not bad for my first time back in blogland. Enjoy your spaghetti for breakfast, and pancakes with scrambled eggs for supper, too! Comments welcomed...
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