On a photography field trip, I snap, zoom, focus my way around mounds of bright berries and shiny lemons. Perhaps I over saturate my mind's eye, because upon reviewing the photos, I find the light to be most pleasing through black and white leafy greens.
I listen to gospel music like most people in the Pacific Northwest practice yoga. Although slightly incongruous with my life, it lifts my spirits, makes me feel small - like part of a bigger picture, makes me feel strong and flexible... makes me sing. I am somehow connected to something that makes me better.
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Twinkie Clark and the Clark Sisters are [in my opinion] some of the best vocalists. ever.
U-tube them if you like sub-par recordings of super-fantastic stuff.
This song's been getting me through the last couple days, so I choose to pass it on.
Fast-forward to 1:15 if you don't want a holy-ghost rant in your face! Enjoy:)
I'm taking a photography course and therefore will now be using this [blog] as a pet photo album. Also, there's a handsome old tree in my yard, so apologies in advance for future repeat subject matter, but I love the beauty and personality surrounding me.
I asked my mother to play this song - Nola, by Felix Arndt - countless times throughout my childhood. And when guests were over, sometimes I'd have to beg to get her to play it; I wanted/want the world to know the greatness of both my ma and this song:
I recently helped recreate a photo of Rita Hayworth taken by Hurrell. As lovely as the original is, I'm glad for the focus on my face, with body in [fun blocky] shadow. I think we achieved a modest yet adventurous take on old hollywood glamour portraiture.
photo by Hurrell. 1941. photo by peter onys. 2011.
Here's a photo that would never have been taken intentionally, but thank lucky stars and accidents that the shutter closed at the 'wrong' time with the camera on the 'wrong' settings.
Charlie Wilson, born in 1953, was the lead singer of The Gap Band. After the breakup of this successful group, Wilson did what so many musicians with inflated and/or bruised egos do - went on a bender that lasted a couple decades. He has now been sober for 17 years and is back to winning Grammy awards and topping the charts as recently as 2009. The list of current, popular musicians who have collaborated with Wilson is... seemingly endless... He is a living legend. I'm not sure why Snoop Dogg and his [real life, highschool sweatheart of a] wife are the stars of this music video, but shit! is it ever endearing.
This song appears on The Roots album, Things Fall Apart, 1999. Jill Scott (!) co-wrote the song and recorded vocals with The Roots, but MCA Records wanted a bigger star than Scott, which lead to a re-recording with Erykah Badu. The Roots did/do perform live with Scott whenever possible.
First, the Record Company-sanctioned music video. Which I love.
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and now a vicious, delicious take on the song. Hey, it's theirs, they can do what they want with it:)
A Tribe Called Quest has been a long-standing favourite of mine. Electric Relaxation, off the album Midnight Marauders, was written with a three-bar beat loop, which is rare and lovely. (most western pop music cycles in 4 bar loops)
I've listened to this song countless times, but I'd never actually watched the video until just now. It's a believably beautiful glimpse of a chilly New York day, and the racy lyrics just serve as dreamscape... thanks Tribe, for giving me something I can sink my teeth into...
A friend of mine recently took a foundation photography course. We discussed many different photo ideas, then fell promptly to procrastinating.Finally, with deadlines looming, we sketched a story of a tired, hard working, blue collar soul just trying to make it through the day. oh wait, that's not a story, that's an autobiography.
I love and hate that this day was captured; it was a low one. (pre: 'long life revelation')
Overwhelmed by emotion, underwhelmed by life. Tired, tense, lost in sadness; I smoked a cigarette.
Thankfully, the photographer allowed me to assume my favorite role, which lies somewhere between muse and artistic director.
One perfect formula for mental and emotional relief is a combination of being outside, observing light and shadow, and helping someone achieve their artistic goals.
With increased focus and a renewed willingness to head back into the battles of life... With sun on head and feet in mud and shadow, let smiles slip throughpuffy, tear weary eyes.
I had never hoped to be around too long, but the idea of a long life grows more appealing with age. With a heart problem, then depression and anxiety that sets my heart to pounding its way through this minimum-security Cage called Body... I was almost resigned.. Then there was a funny conversation, the summer of my 26th year while on the road with Grimskunk, that made me wish for longevity for the first time. Hours of driving lead us to listing all the musicians we could think of that have died at the age of 27. There's a lot, it's spooky. I remember a) wishing for more than a year, and b) appreciating the fact that I was with folks that had made it over the hump and still rock hard.
Prior to that, I really romanticized the general obsession society has with artistic potential cut short:
But last night, as I stood swaying to the sounds of a Nirvana cover band, with NO plans to dwell on emotional pain OR smoke a cigarette, I realized I want to keep living for as long as life will allow.
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... and life may allow a lot; I am blessed with two grandmas who still live on their own...
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I will leave you with an article of a woman who loves the art of movement, recommends a positive outlook, and unwittingly marched her way into the Guinness Book of World Records: http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/oldest marathoner.
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*I chose this for the list of celebrities; I do not endorse this 'zine, or any other hip, half a** guides to seeming informed. For example, I personally wouldn't call Roman Polanski a "genius", and I wish Screamin Jay Hawkins (and others!) would come back from the grave to smack someone for calling Buddy Holly the "rock and roll inventor". *RAGE*LIES*DOYOURRESEARCH*
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As an aside, I must state that I wholly support euthanasia, and I strongly believe that a lot of (successful) suicides are acted out through a sense of necessity. I don't wish a long life on anyone who doesn't want it.
Thoughts being forged from the hell of quitting smoking:
- sympathy and support are two of the greatest things a human can give or receive.
- empathy is a myth. If you haven't experienced it yourself, sshhh...
- your romantic partner is NOT your therapist. They WILL mistake your fears for complaints.
- nicotine is a powerful drug. This is NOT a psychosomatic experience, it's chemical warfare!
- everyone limps through life on their own personalized crutches.
- adversity breeds success, unique ability, invention, creativity, power! and much, much more. It sparks ideas and flexes muscles. Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year, Joni Mitchell had polio as a child, so did my man Arthur C. Clarke, so did this guy:
Bboy Junior + one weak little leg.
One weak little leg + lust for (life+music+dance) + practice = one massive upper body.
One massive upper body + a slightly altered centre of gravity = FRESH NEW STYLE!
Adversity gives birth to story... no one wants to hear about the awesome guy who had it awesome his whole life.
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Today, Kipling's poem reads like a list of personal failures, but I still find it motivating.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
My incredible family withstanding, the best relationship I've ever had is with my cigarettes (first 10 years - Benson and Hedges Ultra-Light Menthols, last 5 years - Belmont Milds). They've been through everything with me. They will be missed, but it's time for them to go...
Needless to say, I'm a wreck. Let's watch a couple uplifting videos.
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Georgia Anne Muldrow, Run Away
"I feel like I'm running, not away
But to take off and fly
Using this life as a runway."
I, too, was born to be a heard song.
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Jamie Lidell, Another Day
(another way)
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To quote a co-worker, "Quitting smoking is a %#@*ing war. There will be so many different battles, and some you will probably lose, but you have to keep on fighting!"
If anyone out there has advice or needs support, please contact me...
I love the idea of tackling almost certain failure; knowing you're going to suck at something, but doing it anyway. I also love the idea of mashing unlikely skill sets together.
Two great MJ's get together and teach each other their craft - humbly, amusedly making fools of themselves in the process. So good!
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Also, I'm sure Michael Jackson would have wanted me to mention:
