A Thought

It is always amazing how the days and nights end up turning into a New Year.
I have been very grateful for the wonderful surprises that life has given me this year. The struggles I did face, I did not go through it alone and with the help of friends I snapped back to it.

This coming year I wish everyone peace, health, love and prosperity.

Tonight after work, I will snuggle with a nice cup of hot chocolate and relax into the sound of Winter's howling outside my window.

End of the Year Song

Seasonal Reflection by Lorenna McKennitt

December 16, 2011

Dear all,

As we make our way through one more year no doubt many are reeling from the uncertainty and difficulty of the way our lives have become. We may have experienced the loss of loved ones, loss of a job, loss of good health, or the loss of things which were once so familiar and comfortable to us and which provided us with a sense of identity and belonging. Perhaps some of us are stretched to the limit in terms of how fast our lives have become. No doubt we are living in the wake of a certain kind of technological explosion which has left our ability to keep pace with it all lying in tatters.

So at this time of year the instinct to slow down, regroup and reassess our priorities seems like an appropriate one. It gives us time to think about how this journey of life is so fleeting, that the volume of stuff in our lives cannot really compete with the depth of the human experience, that to find the brakes and exert them may very well be one of the greatest challenges of our generation and our time. And so, the darkness of this season allows us to reflect on where we have been and where we are going and gives us the much needed pause to do this internal reflection. It also affords us the opportunity to count, not least of all, and even amongst all the losses, the bountiful blessings which this life and world continue to offer, to reflect on the gifts of those before us and who in turn invite us to consider being of service to others.

Finally, I'd like to thank the thousands of individuals who have “found a place for my music in their lives” and who continue to support and inspire me. I would also like to thank the many individuals in and outside of Quinlan Road who play or have played a very vital but often invisible role in bringing us all together. Their efforts are considerable and much appreciated and can in no way be underestimated. May the spirit of the season bring hope, love and renewal to you and those you hold dear.

Sing to me Otis!

Otis is one of my all time favorites. I hope you enjoy as well.

Water is eternal and constant

Florence + the Machine - What The Water Gave Me [Official Music Video] from Back Alley Journals on Vimeo.

Winter is coming

Icy pin pricks are felt all over my body as the last autumn breeze
reveals winter’s stage.
The play is without words but songs are hummed between the trees and snow drifts.

Thursday Song

In mid December when the swallows are silent. There are dreams that become profound in ones subconscious....

Sunday Morning and all is clear..

Yesterday's fog and stifeling pollution hung over the city.
It painted an eerie landscape that reminded of the brush strokes of El Geco.
And then I thought of this song..

Friday Songs - Massive Attack

And I couldn't resist one more.

Holiday Music

It does seem that many co-workers will be shopping online to find that perfect gift.
I will not be engaging is such a practice but instead will post a song that has always reminded me of the holiday season, from one of my favorite books and favorite artist.

Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying...

Monday~Tuesday Song

The fiery hues of autumn are covered by an early darkness as the skies pull back the curtain for winter. I see the lights lit up in the high rises from my window at work and think that this is the week when we get together with family and friends. This year will be different for me. I will be working for one and on Friday, my sister and I will distribute sandwiches to the homeless in our neighborhood.
So,I wish everyone a good holiday. And those who read this blog from another country who do not celebrate Thanksgiving. I hope you just have wonderful day!

In the meantime, relax with some Tom Waits with a nice stiff drink.

Monday Song ~ 1234

I'm not a morning person or a Monday person for that matter.
So I thought my fellow, I'm not so happy and I despise Monday's could use something a little upbeat.

Friday Song - Veterans Day

Tuesday~Thursday Songs Joy Division and Dead Can Dance

Transmission



The Children's Toy

Monday Song ~ Led Zepplin

Sometimes when the leaves are falling and the fog is rolling over the ridge...

Peter Murphy

I love music! and I have even thought of just turning this particular blog into a song a day, every day, for as long as I live!
Anyway, Autumn is upon us, Halloween is around the corner and the seas of change are churning.

Where has time gone?

I hear a slight humming sound coming from my room.
I turn around and notice that nothing could be making this noise except...
I realize it is the low electrical symphony coming from my brain. I then realize that with the arrival of autumn, I can sit back into my favorite chair, have a glass of wine and tune the world out for awhile. That slight humming sound is my mind switching gears from the tasks of every day to the nocturnal creative beast that is lurking inside.
The summer has faded again and now I see the changes that autumn brings on the horizon. I take several deep breaths and look around. This time of year has always been my thanksgiving. A time where I bow my head and prepare for the following year.
2012 will be upon us soon enough and with the chaos of the world still leaving plenty of uncertainty for everyone. It is always a comfort to know that for now, my mind still has the capacity to take flight into the world of creativity.

Hex

Neko Case has been making her presence known to me these past weeks.
Be it a song or an interview, her music has been saturating my soul.
I don't know what kind of message I'm suppose to be recieving.
Regardless, here are the lyrics of one of my favorites from the fabalous Neko Case.


Hex

When you hear me calling your name in the night
Do you run to your window thinking a coyote might
Be howling
When you hear me knocking at your door again
Do you tell yourself it's only the wind
That's blowing
When you watch the sun sink down in the west
Do you tell yourself that the heart in your chest
Is still beating

Will you know or must I tell you
This is my lover's spell you have fallen into
My dear
My voice is all you'll hear
Only the sound of my heart pounding, darling
You took my heart
Cast it aside
Laughed when I cried
Like it was just no big deal
And here all alone in the dark
I know just how you feel

When you feel my fingers touch your skin again
Do you tell yourself there's just no use
In crying
When the stars in the sky begin to fade
Do you tell yourself, don't be afraid
It's just the night
That's dying

Will you know or must I tell you
This is my lover's spell you have fallen into, my dear
My voice is all you'll hear
Only the sound of my heart pounding, darling

The Itch To Do Something Greater

So maybe it is not to do something greater but is to do something that my heart will be in. I always believed if you are going to spend eight hours or more at a place where your earn your “living” then you should be enjoying it.
I have worked at the same place for 10 years. And lately I have been feeling a heaviness, the type where my legs feel that they are filled with cement and
strong winds are pushing me down. I still mange to walk into my work place but a heaviness sets in.
It is the stagnation, the daily grind of the expected.
I’m about ready to start screaming.

In my past work experience, I have worked in non-profits dealing with education and art. I miss it. And now given the latest punch to non-profits. I feel a tinge of sadness and disgust. Let’s cut back more on art and music.. sigh. But that won’t deter me from finding something that I love doing.
The search will start and continue.

I have been very lucky in these times that I still have a job. I have received raises and bonuses. I’m able to put food on the table and pay my bills. I apologize if this post comes off as being ungrateful in a time when many are having financial difficulties due to the lack of jobs in this country.

What I’m trying to get across is that everyone should be able to find their own niche in the world, love doing it and be able to make a comfortable living from it. It comes from having pride in your work. I don’t care if someone is a waitress or engineer. As long as they “love” doing what they do. I have the urge to move on to do something that I love, and in my search, be able to contribute something that will make me smile at the end of the day.

I Really Feel Your Pain

Many relatives of mine have probably sweated away into oblivion.
I remember those 100 degree days long ago but not what they are experiencing at the present moment. So, I thought I would send them a song of hope and to remind myself
of the state that I came from.

Quote of the Day

"Someday every woman will have orgasms-like every family has color TV
-and then we can all get on with the business of life.

A Few Days of Doing Nothing-Somewhat

I enjoy this time of the year. I get a few days of R&R and get the pleasure of just relaxing.
I've had a pretty busy work season which is why this is going to be more enjoyable.
What is even more enjoyable is that this is the time that I get to travel to our glorious mountains and hike.
Whether it is east of the cascades, or just a quick hike up to Mt. Si. I get to regress and become thankful
that I live in such a beautiful state.

And of course, I will take photographs of my adventure. So stay tuned. I also realized as I'm typing this, I'm
not fully awake. The laptop in the local coffee shop. no makeup and hair tussled (no Starbucks, by the way, EVER).

So I hope everyone gets to relax, take a deep breath and realize that life is not really a rat race unless you make it
that way.

Poetry Friday - Allen Ginsberg

Five A.M.


Elan that lifts me above the clouds
into pure space, timeless, yea eternal
Breath transmuted into words
Transmuted back to breath
in one hundred two hundred years
nearly Immortal, Sappho's 26 centuries
of cadenced breathing -- beyond time, clocks, empires, bodies, cars,
chariots, rocket ships skyscrapers, Nation empires
brass walls, polished marble, Inca Artwork
of the mind -- but where's it come from?
Inspiration? The muses drawing breath for you? God?
Nah, don't believe it, you'll get entangled in Heaven or Hell --
Guilt power, that makes the heart beat wake all night
flooding mind with space, echoing through future cities, Megalopolis or
Cretan village, Zeus' birth cave Lassithi Plains -- Otsego County
farmhouse, Kansas front porch?
Buddha's a help, promises ordinary mind no nirvana --
coffee, alcohol, cocaine, mushrooms, marijuana, laughing gas?
Nope, too heavy for this lightness lifts the brain into blue sky
at May dawn when birds start singing on East 12th street --
Where does it come from, where does it go forever?

By Allen Ginsberg

Many Blessings for the Summer Solstice

Poetry Friday

Every Friday I thought I would start posting a poem.
If anyone has anything they would like to share please feel free to send it to me.

Today is one of my favorites.



A Noiseless Patient Spider. by Walt Whitman

A NOISELESS, patient spider,
I mark’d, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;
Mark’d how, to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,
It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;
Ever unreeling them—ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you, O my Soul, where you stand,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing,—seeking the spheres, to connect them;
Till the bridge you will need, be form’d—till the ductile anchor hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.

Sports and Violence

Last night my sister told me that there was a riot in Vancouver, Canada after the Boston Bruins defeated the Canuks in The Stanley Cup final.

First off, I will never understand the violence that can erupt during or after a sports game. Yes, it is about competition. Everyone wants to win, but most importantly it is about sportsmanship and respect.

What was even more disgusting were the photographs that captured the participants of the riot. Some even smiling and recording the mayhem on their cell phones.
It is a sport! And even though it is usually a handful that can turn the beauty of a sporting event ugly, it is nauseating when the line of too much testosterone has been crossed.

A Poem for Friday

Hug O'War
from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (1974)

I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

By Shel Silverstein

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Maybe someday?

Quote of the day

"Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you. Unfold your own myth."
— Rumi

So long old friend...

It is always difficult when you see the signs of old age take hold of a beloved pet and even worse when you know the inevitable end is near.
My sister’s cat Memnoch lived a wonderful long life. But as with all life, it must come to an end.
So on last Friday, my sister and I said goodbye to Memnoch as he took his last breath on earth.
Now he can really terrorize the neighborhood, eat roasted chicken and run free in the fields of cat Nirvana. He will be greatly missed.

The Destruction of Sennacherib

By Lord Byron (George Gordon) 1788–1824 Lord Byron (George Gordon)



The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.


Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen:
Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.


For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!


And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,
But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.


And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:
And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,
The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.


And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

That's The Way

It is such a beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest.
This song always pulls my happy, mellow cords.

I Really Do Try

I realize that having my own blog(s) is something that has been on the backburner for me. I don’t post very personal stories or get into the glorious details of the gut wrenching problems of my life. My other creative blog does get its dose of poetry and art, etc. But even then, the real material that I want to be published is written on paper, (yes paper) edited and then sent off to publishers, (via e-mail). My main purposes of having the blogs were to incorporate other individuals who are my friends, family and other creative types.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy posting little tidbits here and there. It is fun, and writing is writing right? Whether it is in a journal or on a blog, the feeling is and can be cathartic.
Maybe it is me who needs to let go and break out of this peripheral shell of mine. To let people take a peek into my life and to give them a glimpse of what I find beautiful and beastly in my world. And in return, I get to practice at one of my first loves in life, writing.

O Death

Quote of the Day

"The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places.
But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now
mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater."
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings)

He adds comfort to the day

I just thought that I would post a photograph of an owl. Anyone who knows me, knows I adore creatures with huge craniums. This owl takes the cake. I have been working many hours and really haven't had much time for anything else. But my brain is taking a much needed break from the daily routine.

The Past Me

A friend of mine asked me If I ever thought that I had a past life or a time in history that peaked my interest. I told her that I have always associated myself as someone who lived during the 1930’s and 40’s.
And if I ever had a past life this would be the one I remembered. It is a time in history that speaks to my soul. A sojourn that probably ended quickly for me, but I can still feel the past-life me dancing, smoking and drinking. Only to find myself face down in the gutter with a smile on my face. Maybe that is extreme to say that I went out that way, but at least I can say I had fun.

I find that old life still knocking around inside of me. I love jazz, keep my hair bobbed and reveal in the styles of that time. I prefer garter belts over panty hose, red lipstick, vintage jewelry and Channel 5. I also adore black and white movies and the timeless beauty of some of these Hollywood legends; Louise Brookes, Norma Shearer and Marlene Dietrich. (And of course let's not forget the men of that era as well).

In the year 2011, the past life me misses those times. Was it all champagne and roses for me? The answer I can honestly say is yes.

We Await Warmer Weather

The flowers have begun to bloom but it is still cold and grey.
I'm not complaining by any means but I'm looking for the sun.
I look forward to it warming my constant cold hands and feet.
In the meantime, I will post a song that always reminds me of
the warmer days to come.

Reminders

We are always being reminded how small and how short our lives here on earth is.
Sometimes our lives can seem insignificant when compared to those who are suffering and truly need help. What has happened in Japan is just one reason to remind us that mother nature is king.

But it has not been without warning.

It seems that she has given us subtle signs. The stronger than average storms, the strange weather patterns. But she started tapping us on our shoulders long ago, then stomped her feet, then yelled, then finally released her fury.

These things happen. In the areas where you are raised you are aware of the
natural disaster that hits your particular region. I grew up with tornado sirens blaring in the storm ridden sky. Now, I too live in a earthquake prone region.
It is also a reminder that humans can build the "strongest" of buildings able to withstand a natural disaster. But something that can take years to build can be destroyed in a matter of minutes. Is it arrogance of the human race to assume that they can hold a sceptre next to mother nature? The power of the earth that can easily shakes us off in George Carlin's words, "Like fleas". And in the end we always find out who truly reigns supreme.

To help the victims in Japan
www.worldvision.org/HelpJapan

Rachel Brice

I adore Rachel Brice. And since I will be starting my belly dancing classes again very soon. I thought I needed to become inspired by one of the best in the business.

Robert Johnson

The story has been told a hundred times over.
Robert Johnson went to the crossroads and made a deal with the devil.
When he achieved his fame, the hell hounds came howling for his soul.

L'âme voler libère jusqu'à la hounds venir sniffing à la porte. Et la boîte vous enterré au carrefour phoques votre sort jusqu'à la dernière course avant minuit.

Not Far Away

Tonight the moon is showing her winter splendor over the house. The type of moon that is so bright and illuminating, you swear that you can see every line and dust movement upon her surface. I hear the simmering of the tea kettle as I anticipate that one cup to warm my hands and chest.

And yet, I'm reminded that spring will soon be here.
The tones of the May bells will be pulsing slightly with the increasing warmth of a delicate wind. I can't wait. For the birds to become my alarm clock, to get started on my herb garden, to travel to the mountains. And to look at the many mushrooms that appear around the house, as the neighborhood children down the street call them the fairy rings as they pass by.