A Fresh Start

It's a gorgeous summer day, solstice weekend, and I'm SICK. It's been a comatose day involving naps, zombie-esque football watching, and internet refreshing.

So, let me share some of the gems I have discovered:

Firstly, http://www.theseventeenmagazineproject.com/ is a great blog, by a young woman who graduated from high school this week. All the feminism you need when reading Seventeen magazine, with none of the theory and bitter snark that more experienced/older feminists throw around.

Secondly, what do you get when you cross music with fanfic? Snoop Dogg loves him some Sookie Stackhouse/Tru Blood. He has written a banal song called 'Oh Sookie' and you can watch the video here. I could only get through half the video, but the mere premise is highly amusing.

Day 01 - Favorite song

I don't really have favorite songs. Perhaps loads of songs from choir days. However, this choral piece without fail gives me goosebumps and makes me sit on the edge of my seat. It really does sound like God is coming down from the heavens to kick some ass. Plus in this video Karajan conducts like a god himself.




Listen to this with the volume all the way up, and not while anyone is napping.

ETA: Damn, I love opera.

These kids are my new creative heroes. Parody of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance video.

The San Francisco Bay Area. The place is amazing. In my experience thus far in the world I have to say that it is second only to Juneau for being magical and full of the best, most creative, most welcoming people. The Bay Area has world class opera, cutting edge arts, rich music, a thriving and creative DIY and entrepreneurial community, the best food in the USA, and is a spiritual mecca. The people are interesting and interested. Every one can be themselves. The weather is great. And, if I may wax hippy, there's *just something* there. Like, it must be on one of those earth spirit meridians that I have heard of.

And...... it was choking my soul. I overstayed myself by at least two years. I stopped listening to music. I constantly felt trapped. I felt overwhelmed, oppressed by stuff and motion and thrum. The non-rational part of my being was dying a slow death.

How can I tell this was for sure? I am ecstatic here. The quiet is deafening. I feel like I can hear so much more. My brain is thinking! I have so much more space for others and for myself. I don't feel so panicked. And I'm listening to music again. And singing. I sing all around the house. What am I listening to these days? Still a lot of classical music. Although I'm craving some opera: I don't own any Ruth Ann Swenson or Susan Graham! We recently discovered Florence and the Machine. Sort of like Regina Spector meets 60s rock and soul? Absolutely fab. Adam's been listening to this neat ambient/world stuff that I really like called Angel Tears (which is THE WORST name for a band ever). Right now I am downloading The Corner Laugher's newest album, Ultraviolet Garden.* And, on Tuesday, it's a double winner of a music day: John Mayer AND Hem both release new albums.

My soul is just so damn happy these days. It's almost in a manic state. After being weighed down and deadly lethargic for so long it's like... well, it's like Bennett at bedtime: cracked out.


*Yay for fellow UWLampeter student and Bay Area homies!

Today I woke up and felt like I had been hit by a bus. But in the good way. Once I rolled out of bed (literally, so as not to wake B) I felt optimistic, like I had turned a corner. Bennett is thriving. His nasty tooth sized blood clot/blister thing fell off yesterday afternoon and he looks like he is healing up just fine. I'm letting go of the accident more. Getting a bit more settled in here in the hot but blissfully quiet suburbs.

Prepping for the interview on Sunday is energizing. I'm so excited. Even if I don't publish this (and I can't imagine I won't find an outlet for it!) the conversation is guaranteed to be interesting.

Tonight Adam and I are going to hear William Fitzsimmons. I will probably turn into a pumpkin at the late hour, but I thrill at the very idea of going to hear live music in a small venue.

The night will kick off with a bomb of a dinner: I am going to make snowcalla's Tater Tot Casserole.

*Gallileo by the Indigo Girls always reminds me of the Future Gov. We sang it once with our one-show wonder band.... which was a million years ago.

*Once we get to San Diego we are still going to have to repack many boxes. It's all those damn personal effects, all those little art pieces and altar items and cards and jewelry that just can't be disposed of.

*Holy cow, do we have a ton of stuff to give away at our party tomorrow: jewelry, cds, shoes, clothes, filing things, candles, glasses, dishware, peacock feathers, a glow in the dark Virgin Mary, coat rack, a clock, and even a framed Barbara LaValle print. Oh yeah. Among other things.

*We still need to pack the kitchen, our clothes, the bathroom and the art.

*Only three more nights in the Bay Area. It is truly the end of an era.

For those of you who are cloth diapering your bubs:

Goodmamas is doing a send-your-own-fabric thing. I want a music note diaper! If this fabric gets approved I will be putting together a coop for it. The amount of fabric required makes 20 diapers. Anyone want one... or two?

For the musically inclined: The distorted tunes test.

I got 26 out of 26! Phew.

Last year the Future Gov and I recorded some vocals for rap song that a friend of ours produced. You can hear the song here. Click on the track "We Rock." You'll hear our breathy hoo hoos in the back ground. It's um.... a rather boring song, I think. But still! I'm singing on a rap song, yo.

Yesterday I had a voice lesson in the afternoon. My voice teacher has started coming to my house. It's awesome. And because my teacher has no experience with pregnant ladies, she is charging me only $20 for an hour lesson. A steal! Singing while pregnant is a challenge, but so so great. My voice is becoming richer, more velvety, and my midrange is stronger, especially the transition from midrange to lower notes. Part of it is all the hormones making the vocal chords loose and juicy, part of it is I am more fully in my body and can't rely on things the way they were - my brain just has to get out of the way and let what's there out. It's a good thing for sure.

What's very exciting is that I have been given a new song to learn. Handel's Ombra mai fu! I never, ever would have expected to have an opportunity to learn this song. I never thought I'd have the voice for it and I'm just thrilled because it's a great song. You can hear Jennifer Larmore sing the song here, just hit play and look at something else. The video is horrible, but the singing is very nice. I more often sing stuff like this (this is Mozart, and I sing the piece a bit faster than Ms. Popp). I sing no where as beautifully as these ladies, but hopefully you'll be able to hear a difference in the voice types, as well as the range and style of the songs.