Food for thought…
Like Aesop's fabled raven
dropping stones to raise the water
media piles words under the surface
raising the level of consciousness.
Oh happy fools who plug ears
resisting the weight of worry
reserving senses for heaven's rain
more precious than stoney accusations.
Has America's thirst for news
grown so insatiable and needy
it will gorge on half formed thoughts
rather than filter the feed for truths?
Spread Joy up to the Maximum!
Last week I drove to Memphis and back by myself. I've made long drives before so I was prepared with charged cell phone, healthy snacks and a whole pile of CDs to listen to for the journey. There is something completely liberating about flying free. The two weeks of workshops in Memphis were a lot of fun and I took a bit of time to actually get to know the "real" Memphis, not just the Beale Street tourist section. The history of music and civil rights in that city run deep, but today there are shadows around it's former glory. Whole streets of businesses and houses are boarded up and empty while the next block over is alive and thriving.
I returned to my home with a new pile of tunes from the CDs lodged in my head that include artists like Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley, Dr. John, the Drifters, and Professor Longhair. This particular song seems to be on constant "repeat" in my brain. I had a recording of Johnny Mercer singing it, but Aretha is fun too...
What a handy thing to have in your head when you come home to a pre-foreclosure notice in the mailbox and a large two trunked red oak tree across your driveway! I'll admit, the sight made me shed a few tears, but a few calls to the right friends had me on top of the situation quickly. This week began the Mountain Clearance Giveaway. I'm unloading the burden of stuff that has weighed me down for far too long and it's truly liberating. Rather than making a mountain out of a molehill, I'm taking apart the mountain. One of the things I enjoy doing best is helping people find what they need. So...I'm inviting folks to bring a car full of joy by the house this week and take something you can use away with you. We all benefit that way.
Once I'm free of the baggage I don't need, I look forward to spreading joy in my own quirky way to as many corners of the world as possible.
Waterlogged
Blair Martin's Studio
Today I woke to the sound of tin roof rain downpour and the dim light of thunderous weather. Part of me wanted to hide from the wet world in my tree house and just enjoy the cozy warmth of my room looking out at the storm. I did for a bit while I sorted email & voice messages on my phone trying to coax myself out of the house. The past week has brought such a variety of new inspiration that I felt like I needed time to process it all.
I found that serendipitously the rain stopped as soon as I was ready to leave the house. Though the sun still refused to shine, I discovered the brightness and warmth of Blair Martin's Studio in Tryon as I arrived to interview her about her work for the local paper. It made me realize just how heavy and dark my own home is on a gray day. When I returned there I tried practicing the piano and finally, feeling uninspired, returned to the house in Asheville where the tree asks "Y" in the back yard and the living room is sunshine yellow. It's amazing how much environment can impact mood.
I know I was never meant to live my days in a little gray box staring at a screen under fluorescent lights. I find that I cringe at the thought of even checking email these days. I don't want to waste away without being present for real life and real adventures. So, with that, I'll sign off for a bit to find food, friends, and good music as refreshment before getting back to the editing task at hand.
Night Rider
30/30 NaPoMo Challenge
In case you haven't heard, it's National Poetry Month. That means I pick up a few more Poetry Alive! shows and many of the writers I know are furiously hammering out a poem a day to meet the 30/30 challenge. I'm already behind. Is it possible to have word jammage of the brain? Between memorizing Eve-Olution, re-memorizing three Poetry Alive! shows, and writing/editing two articles each week while keeping up with hundreds of emails, facebook notices, and twitters I feel like the letters have started dancing out of place to simply trumpet sound without sense.
That's when I turn to music. Granted if I get caught in song lyrics (I know I've driven 18 hours to Austin without repeating a verse or song) that still includes words. What I'm talking about is the sound without words. Whether its whistling with the birds or jamming with new friends, there's something refreshing about tossing sounds through the air and catching harmony. I feel like it somehow clears my brain. That's why when I reach the end of my day I don't turn on the television to hear the corporate babble-on but instead seek out live music where real people are making the real sounds of change.
So, if I ever catch up with myself this month, my 30/30 Challenge may just have to include a few "tone poems" or songs without words to be able to communicate clearly what's jammed in my brain.
Simone
I had the joyous pleasure of meeting and interviewing Lisa Kelly Simone for the Tryon Daily Bulletin today after hearing her sing and field a million questions from the kids at Tryon Elementary. I feel blessed to have been in the presence of such a bright star sharing her light with the world.
It's a gorgeous day today as I finish up the computer work on my porch listening to the sounds of birds and watching pileated woodpeckers flirt among the locust trees. What an amazing spot to call home!
This evening will bring a reception for Simone and in some ways it feels like Nina Simone has finally come home to Tryon through her daughter. May her spirit receive the love from this town that raised her on music even though the politics of the time sent her away feeling like she could never come back.
Songs lyrics in my head recently in no particular order
Never was I - Mad Tea Party
Paper Moon - (Arlen & Harburg)
It's All Right With Me - (Cole Porter)
Love will Come to You - Indigo Girls
Christine - Screaming J's
The Pearls - Jelly Roll Morton*
Shadows of the Night - Pat Benatar
Rock & Roll Music - Chuck Berry
Dream a Little Dream of Me - (Andre, Schwandt, & Kahn)
My Inspiration is You - Annette Henshaw (Levant, Rose, & Dixon)
*Okay, this one doesn't have lyrics that I know of, but the tune has been insistant lately.
A Wiley Westward Caravan of Sound
March 26, 2009 starts the Redwood Jazz Festival in Eureka, CA. I've been informed "this is the one to go to" this year.
I had a great time road tripping from Seattle to Sacramento last May for that festival and learned so much and met so many amazing people I'm eager to get to another festival. I'm also due for a visit to my parents in Washington since I skipped the holiday madness. I was considering trying to buy a plane ticket, but then started thinking...
Do I actually know enough people from my travels that I could drive across country and back with a couple musicians in tow and find enough gigs to let us eat, sleep and buy gas along the way? It would be a great way to visit some of my favorite people while the money I make here continues to feed the house as a place for other travelers to rest on their way through my neck of the woods.
I'm working on hashing out some details on my end, but suggestions, ideas, and contacts are certainly welcome!
I love…times 10
I'm sitting here listening to the sound of the rain outside and just read the lovely Miss Caroline's blog about her 10 awesome things that happened yesterday and couldn't help but be inspired to list some of the things making my own world a brighter place this week.
I love...
1. The roaring sound of rain on the tin roof outside when the world around me has seemed far too flammable lately.
2. A furry, purring cat by my side and a fluffy puppy at my feet while sitting on the couch and writing on the computer on a cold night.
3. Taking a detour to discover something new and a home cooked meal.
4. Listening, dancing, playing, singing, and just plain being in the middle of talented, inspiring, live musicians nearly every day.
5. Friends who don't assume to have the answers, but help to find the questions that allow us to grow together rather than apart.
6. People willing to share stories about themselves.
7. A quiet, warm house when I've grown world weary and need rest.
8. The smell and taste of fresh ground coffee brewing at home.
9. Mistakes that allow you the freedom to change your perspective and salvage what's good while you rid yourself of baggage.
10. Turning a grimace of frustration into a smile and laughter.
You are under no obligation, but please feel free to post your own ten things and keep the love flowing to brighten the dark.
Something's burning
Chopper flying over my house to bring water from Town Lake above my house to Melrose Mountain
I feel like I've been under fire the past week. I'm behind on my work and making more mistakes trying to help other people while hurting myself. Yesterday, as I tried to buckle down to solve some problems for myself, I stepped outside to refuel the kerosene heater and noticed it was oddly warm. I looked out to see the mountain across the valley on fire.
As I climbed my driveway for a better view, I noticed that firefighters were hard at work and had already saved the houses in the valley, but were still fighting for control. When I returned from trying to handle my own "forest fire" of finances there were spotters at my mailbox delivering information to the folks on the ground and the choppers gathering water from the lake above my house. As the day wore on, the rain arrived to help the humans control the blaze and prevent damage to human structures. At the same time yesterday, my own finances seemed to rage uncontrollably and I felt like for all the work I did to save myself, the debt I owed to others grew.
The view across the Pacolet Valley from my porch 2/2/2009
However, as I watched the flames smolder and dim after dark I realized that sometimes the only thing you can do is control the burn and thank the heavens for their help. I have a feeling this spring there will be brilliant new growth now that the fire has burned the useless baggage of old leaves and vines on the mountain.
I went to sleep trusting that the same lesson will apply to my own life. As long as I keep working hard to prevent the fire of my frustration from spreading to those I love, the dead wood in my life can burn and, with some help from above, fertilize the blossoms of spring.
Times they are a changing
I admit, when the "xmas muzak" starts playing I want to run and duck for cover. I was trained from youth that those songs signal when the stress level starts rising. The world becomes a obstacle course of trying to stay pleasant and keep moving while my body wishes to hide under the covers until things get brighter. This year I survived the crash just barely and feel a sense of relief heading into the new year. I believe one key factor was remembering that my time was the most valuable gift I could give to most of the people I know, as long as I kept my own self together.
I also realized that I know more people than I have time to really visit with in one short month of holiday-ness. When it came down to the "big day" I gave myself a good solid 12 hour long winter nap before spending the next ten hours communicating one on one with those who fed me in many ways this year. Oddly, the one person who literally and figuratively fed me the most through the year (including cooking the food I reheated for my dinner) was one I did not exchange any words with yesterday. Perhaps the greatest gift we could give each other was the time to share ourselves with others. I still haven't talked to everyone I'd like to and hope this blog will suffice for now.
I'm looking forward to a new year filled with many new adventures. As the financial world slides into chaos, I'm still juggling a odd assortment of tasks to keep the roof over my head. The trick is to find those tasks that feed both my spirit and pocketbook and not worrying over the dollar signs. More than anything this year, I discovered that when I keep myself busy putting my talents to good use, the rest seems to balance out and take care of itself.
Ukulele Rockstar Ami Worthen posted a blog about picking a word for the new year. The word that keeps returning to me is "joy." When I am writing, singing, and playing I open up the gates and let my joy out into the world. I also find that joy floods back to me in ways I could never imagine.
I offer to you joy through this blog today and hope that whatever changes are rocking your world shift you to a place where your joy flows freely. We are all stars and can defy the shadows of our fears when we share our light.
Feed the Muse!
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