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
Showing posts with label Portfolio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portfolio. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
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...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Portfolio Soul
Once again, it's time for a glimpse of the diverse sources I've recently been calling upon in the formation of my "frame of life reference" mentally and spiritually, so savor the proceeding wackness:
1. Paula White/televangelist and inspirational speaker - Yes, I think she's a bit crooked financially and I hope Senator Grassley calls her to the carpet in that area. But I am captivated by her enthusiasm and dynamic charisma. I don't think discussion of spiritual things needs to be boring and irrelevant. Her speaking always peps me up and makes me smile. Sometimes, that is precisely what is needed to propel me through the day.
2. Marianne Williamson/New Age guru of "Course of Miracles" fame - Yes, I think she's a bit crooked in a few nutjob beliefs from "the course". But lately I find myself in surprising agreement with a heckuva lot of her stuff. Ten years ago, I would have held her opinions at bay based on narrow-minded labeling. Thank goodness I've grown enough to be open to viewpoints from sources not so obviously lifted from the evangelical assembly line.
3. The Shack/recent bestselling spiritual fable - Anyone who knows me knows I'm not much of a fiction person, but this work has intrigued me greatly and I highly recommend it for those looking for a fresh view of God which is, again, not cut from the same old Christianese cloth.
www.paulawhite.org
www.marianne.com
www.theshackbook.com
What's in your soul portfolio these days?
1. Paula White/televangelist and inspirational speaker - Yes, I think she's a bit crooked financially and I hope Senator Grassley calls her to the carpet in that area. But I am captivated by her enthusiasm and dynamic charisma. I don't think discussion of spiritual things needs to be boring and irrelevant. Her speaking always peps me up and makes me smile. Sometimes, that is precisely what is needed to propel me through the day.
2. Marianne Williamson/New Age guru of "Course of Miracles" fame - Yes, I think she's a bit crooked in a few nutjob beliefs from "the course". But lately I find myself in surprising agreement with a heckuva lot of her stuff. Ten years ago, I would have held her opinions at bay based on narrow-minded labeling. Thank goodness I've grown enough to be open to viewpoints from sources not so obviously lifted from the evangelical assembly line.
3. The Shack/recent bestselling spiritual fable - Anyone who knows me knows I'm not much of a fiction person, but this work has intrigued me greatly and I highly recommend it for those looking for a fresh view of God which is, again, not cut from the same old Christianese cloth.
www.paulawhite.org
www.marianne.com
www.theshackbook.com
What's in your soul portfolio these days?
Monday, June 9, 2008
Portfolio Song/Portfolio Soul
Today I launch 2 series on the concept on the "Portfolio" approach to song and soul, one which I'm embracing more and more as I age. I'm realizing that to achieve the most effective frame of life reference, I must cultivate a varied song/soul diet from a plethora of sources. So here's my snapshot of Portfolio Song:
1. Tori Amos - I love this lady's music. And I love her book, too. Though we would probably have some lively debates in the religion and politics arenas, I am such a fan of all her radiating passion and creativity. You MUST see her live - it defines epic. Her latest project, American Doll Posse, takes her artistry to a whole new level only glimpsed at in "Little Earthquakes".
2. Michael Crawford - He was the original Phantom onstage in "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and in my mind, will always be the absolute best. I'll never forget going to the Jordan Creek Mall theatre with Karen and seeing the movie version, then dragging Karen over to Barnes and Noble after it was over, finding Michael C on the Broadway soundtrack, popping earphones on Karen's head and gleefully proclaiming, "Now that's the REAL phantom!" When I need soul soothing, Michael Crawford's voice will do the trick. If you aren't moved by his version of "The Music of the Night" from "Phantom of..", then yours is a stone heart indeed.
3. Amy Grant - Once again, I love this lady's music. We kind of grew up together in a way. I had the Amy LP's, the Amy 8-tracks, then I even sang Amy songs with background tracks, then I sang along with her on (gasp!) secular radio and even MTV and VH1 for a while, then on down the line to the Hymns CDs, then most recently, a fascinating trip down memory lane through her new bio called "Mosaic". In my forties I'm learning the value of an artist's whole body of work, what has transcended, what was before its time, what I didn't dig before but understand better now, etc.. Amy's body of work is a beautiful collection of honesty, no-frills forthrightness, accessibility, and endurance. And like so many former blockbuster artists whose quality has gone up as their sales have gone down, Amy's vibe these days is better than ever in my opinion, shining on as someone who really understands "the meaning of grace."
Next post--Portfolio Soul--so stay tuned and don't forget to add your portfolio choices when you reply...
1. Tori Amos - I love this lady's music. And I love her book, too. Though we would probably have some lively debates in the religion and politics arenas, I am such a fan of all her radiating passion and creativity. You MUST see her live - it defines epic. Her latest project, American Doll Posse, takes her artistry to a whole new level only glimpsed at in "Little Earthquakes".
2. Michael Crawford - He was the original Phantom onstage in "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and in my mind, will always be the absolute best. I'll never forget going to the Jordan Creek Mall theatre with Karen and seeing the movie version, then dragging Karen over to Barnes and Noble after it was over, finding Michael C on the Broadway soundtrack, popping earphones on Karen's head and gleefully proclaiming, "Now that's the REAL phantom!" When I need soul soothing, Michael Crawford's voice will do the trick. If you aren't moved by his version of "The Music of the Night" from "Phantom of..", then yours is a stone heart indeed.
3. Amy Grant - Once again, I love this lady's music. We kind of grew up together in a way. I had the Amy LP's, the Amy 8-tracks, then I even sang Amy songs with background tracks, then I sang along with her on (gasp!) secular radio and even MTV and VH1 for a while, then on down the line to the Hymns CDs, then most recently, a fascinating trip down memory lane through her new bio called "Mosaic". In my forties I'm learning the value of an artist's whole body of work, what has transcended, what was before its time, what I didn't dig before but understand better now, etc.. Amy's body of work is a beautiful collection of honesty, no-frills forthrightness, accessibility, and endurance. And like so many former blockbuster artists whose quality has gone up as their sales have gone down, Amy's vibe these days is better than ever in my opinion, shining on as someone who really understands "the meaning of grace."
Next post--Portfolio Soul--so stay tuned and don't forget to add your portfolio choices when you reply...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)