Pro-Gun Legislation

I Love Florida's Gun Laws

Ezra Pound on Marriage

Bold Not Boring!

This Saturday, I am attending the LRMA Gala and I will be in costume.  I am going as Sally Bowles from Cabaret played by Liza Minnelli.  As I was researching the character, I came across this wonderful interview in which Liza defends her honor (and her mother's, Judy Garland).  I love how bold she is.  She is bold, not boring!

Two Cards

This first is the card I promised to post a while back.  It is the one I had made for my parents for their arrival home:

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The other is another I made for my best friend, Natalie.  I was having a really bummer day Monday, so I made this card to reflect upon how my life is sometimes like a train full speed ahead, with music always on my mind... and that, well, Natalie is that friend that is always there for me when all gets insane and rough:

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Curatorial Assistant

It's super official at LRMA; all I need now are my business cards!

It's Offical! I Work in a Museum!

Hello World!  It is official: I am pleased to announce that I am the new assistant to the associate curator and registrar at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, Florida!  I start at 9:00 Monday (January 24, 2011) morning!  I am so thrilled to finally have a job that pertains to the Masters degree/Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies that I worked so hard to earn.  Other perks include being close to home and working with a group of folks that are great people!  I will be a part-time employee (20 hours a week), which suites me well considering I also run my own business and will continue to work for my parents as their manager.  Yesterday's news is today's dream come true; I couldn't be in a happier place!

Artist: Abraham Rattner, American (1895 - 1978)
Title: April Showers
Year: circa 1950
Medium: Silkscreen, Signed in Pencil and dedicated to Robert Gwathmey
Edition: AP
Size: 22.75 in. x 28 in. (57.79 cm x 71.12 cm)
Size (in frame): 31 x 37 inches

My Relationships: What I Want

I just want people in my life that are fun to be around, that don't bore me or stress me out, that are creative and energetic, and that care about themselves enough to care about the people that surround them.  

My First Time at the Stamp'n'Scrap Club

So, this past Wednesday night, I went to my first St. Petersburg Stamp'n'Scrap Club meeting. I showed up late because I was trying to open a safe... long story, but trust me, it was legit. So anyway, once I found myself in Bayfront Medical Center's Salon A, I was relieved to see women sitting there, diligently working on, what Liz, the instructor, called, "paper matting cards." I only had time to make two cards, but they really mean a lot to me. I am posting the one I made for my friend, in fear that my mom and dad will see the other one on here before in person tomorrow. So, stay tuned, because I will post the other one shortly.

This card is dedicated to my best friend, Natalie:

Front 

Back

Some comments I made about the SnS's Club on meetup.com:

"I had such a wonderful time last night! It was a pleasure to be around artistic-like-minded people who really made you feel welcome. I can't wait to go back and learn more about the craft of making cards, stamping, scrapbooking, etc.…"

Group Review: "LOVE it. I can't wait to bring people with me next time! Also, there is just something about seeing your final product that makes you feel really good about yourself. I can't stop staring at the card I made for my parents..."

True Peace

You know when you are at peace when you can watch 1,000 Ways to Die before you go to bed, and have a dream in which all is surreal enough to inspire you to crack up laughing, knowing that everything happening at that moment is just a dream.  True peace has found me; or perhaps, I have found her.

Dream Details:

At first it was scary; I was being chased by these weird men, but there was this portal, but not for their bodies, but their minds, to make them think they were somewhere else and that anything they heard they thought was real.  So, I pretended to be a motor boat, and I made a diesel sound, and I started cracking up because they believed they were really being transported on a boat. HAHA.  It still makes me laugh...

Perhaps this is a sign that I need to write a happy song, something about not taking life too seriously... something maybe someone would want to dance to, or listen to on a road trip with a huge stoner-esk smile on their face.

Frightening & In the Bay

Last night, Peter and I commenced once again to combine our powers of musical genius.  We ended up practically perfecting our song "Nightmare" and I was pleased to know that his dad thought it was really good (not to mention, he said he loved my voice three or four times.)  We also completed roughly two songs, with the third on it's way.

"Frightening," a song about love's complexities, is finished in terms of melody, but I need to lyrically add two more verses.  "In the Bay," originally written for a friend of mine who consistently has relationship problems, is turning into one of the most gorgeous slow songs I have ever heard.  Peter, after listening to my rough recording improv, came up with something so beautiful on the guitar, that we think the song is worthy of piano.  I still have yet to type up those lyrics, and structure it.  Lastly, we briefly touched on "Betty Lane," but it still needs a lot of work...  but, so far, I like the direction it is headed.  If we continue to work this steadily, I imagine we could start professionally recording in March.

If Peter and I didn't live 60 minutes away from one another, we would probably have 12 songs by now... but alas, the distance makes things a little harder... but honestly, it's our ONLY complication.  Everything is so stress and drama free.  I am so thankful he's in my life, and I would never want to imagine a world without him...  <3

Betty Lane & Nightmare

Currently, Peter and I are working on a new song I wrote the lyrics and melody for called "Betty Lane."  Peter is adding guitar to the song, and informed me that we may change it from its gospel roots to a funk progression... we shall see.  I have to wait till Friday to hear what he has come up with... should be interesting.  The song also needs more lyrics... perhaps one more verse.

We already wrote another song called "Nightmare."  90% of the guitar melodies come from Peter; I added a bit via the chorus.  The lyrics come from a poem I wrote back in February of 2008.  Crazy how something from a while ago can become today's new song.  But I love that; I have so much poetry on my hands (I studied poetry as an undergrad), and I have been writing poetry and melodies with lyrics since I started journaling (which was around the age of 8.)

The evolution of a song is something so organic and pure, that it reminds me why writing is so cathartic, and how singing and playing an instrument are close to divinity... "Perhaps that is why I have loved the artist; creation is the closest we come to divinity." -Anais Nin

"Dirty Boy," "Must Write," and "Fall from Grace" coming soon...

It's 2011 and it's time for something NEW

I am bringing this blog back after a few months of dedicating my time to another blog of mine: The Real Food Pyramid.  I plan on utilizing this site to update my progress about my main passion for and struggles with music  I also plan to use this blog to write about my professional endeavors, and perhaps some of my other artistic ventures.  Either way, I read this really great article today, recommended to me by my brother, about how important it is to write down your goal's progress to get yourself motivated to stick to it.  Here goes.

So, as far as music is concerned, I have started a whole new project after so many failed projects in 2010 (seven, to be exact...).  I feel this time around, I am finally doing what I want to be doing: steadily learning how to play the guitar and piano by ear, while writing songs and singing for my new band.  This time, it's only me and another buddy of mine; I am so thrilled that he and I do NOT want to work with a rhythm section... it's just him on guitar and me on vocals and guitar.  We are both going to be writing music and lyrics.  THIS is what I have been wanting to do, and I am so, so excited and thankful that I have someone I know I can trust; someone I know who isn't an asshole.  Thanks Peter.

Note: 2010 wasn't a complete failure by any means.  I wrote roughly 12 songs, four of which I have rough recorded.  You can listen to them here.