I'm trying here. It's almost impossible but I WILL DO IT.
I am catching up one platform at a time. FB and IG: I am coming for you next! I am also going to get enough sleep, exercise and stay healthy. I am going to eat well and take care of the house and the boy. I will find time for myself and I will thank every single person I need to thank.
Also, I promised the boy that I would take him to the farm, pick apples and make applesauce. No really, I CAN do it all.
There is no such thing as "I can't." Meanwhile, this applesauce is delicious!
"Those people who believe in you - who support you, encourage you, motivate you, inspire you, who are there for you to come home to... are priceless. This is a reflection of all the love and support that I got here from you all and I am eternally grateful."
"It takes a village and I am Buffalo raised."
There will never be enough thank you's. I'll be working on expressions of gratitude forever.
Thank you Nancy Parisi for capturing these moments in photographs!
Remember that vocal journey I started back in October? I've been posting video snippets on TikTok, but maybe I should post them on IG and FB - even Twitter too. What do you think?
It started like this:
I've just put up day eighteen of the thirty-day journey, and another, deeper journey is unfolding. I'm reminded to be grateful and make time for precious moments.
This week, I'll look up and appreciate the beauty all around.
I might be losing my grip. There's way too many things to do and not enough time to do them. The dishes are piling up in the sink (nobody wants to see THAT picture) and the suitcases are piling up by the door. I haven't unpacked yet, but need to pack again. I'm STILL not completely sure where I'll be for Thanksgiving and there are seven shows on the horizon to prepare for.
On the bright side...
It was a great disco gig on Friday. (Friday night, and the strip is hot, HOT, Sun gone down and...)
Oops. I launched into a verse of Bad Girls. #SeeWhatIMean
And despite all the craziness and lack of sleep, I'm deeply grateful for the opportunities to do what I do, work with a wonderful cast of fine and talented characters, and fill my days with life and song.
The really cool thing about this week is that I had the pleasure of numerous unexpected guests. They were all family members who stopped by for visits and I loved it! I had wanted to make the rounds visiting people before the end of summer and some of them beat me to it.
It always seems a little sad to me when summer winds down. The beach and the little ice cream shop close for the end of the season. Patio furniture and bikes will soon be put away for winter. The air is getting cooler (although that's a welcome change THIS year). There's the overwhelming feeling that something is coming to an end. Extra family visits seemed to make up for that though - or at least take the edge off somewhat. It's the perfect thing to be grateful for this week.
Here's to finding the bright side!
"Dancing in the Moonlight" has been stuck in my head this week.
It's featured in a television commercial that keeps airing.
These past couple of weeks, I've been sending out mass emails and links and posting things all to do with our song "SuperHero (Song for St. Jude)." Something seemed missing. There are so many people we know who we greatly admire, and are dear friends... a mass email felt impersonal. We sent them out that way so that they could be easily forwarded, but it still felt strange.
I remembered my intentions for the New Year about wanting to reach out and spend more quality time with loved ones. Why not spread some love? Why not reach out personally? Why not tell people how much I appreciate them? I started to send out copies of the song as gifts.
iTunes has a feature where you can either buy the song for yourself or "Gift This Album." You can also share on social media sites or copy the link.
In the weeks and months to come, we'll be working hard at spreading the word about the song and posting and sharing. We've only just begun this adventure. I will make it a point to keep in mind the spirit of the song and all the people who inspire me. I'll send out the song with a little note (you get a section to send a message when you "gift" the song to someone) and tell people how much they mean to me. I'll keep meeting new friends and share with them too.
I'm so grateful for all the heroes. All the people who inspire us have a profound ability to influence us in a most positive way. Thank you to the superhero kids at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, who inspire us so, and to all those who move our hearts toward appreciation and gratitude for all they do. You teach us so much! :)
It’s not exactly my favorite time of year – when the patio
furniture and the bikes get put away, the sky goes gray and the night comes early.
“A lot of people like snow.
I find it to be an unnecessary
freezing of water.”
– Carl Reiner
I’ve been searching for somethingpositive… Soup is good. :)
As I dig out the winter coats, boots and scarves, I’ll try
to keep focused on the positive. I’ll find some of my favorite soup recipes,
get the Crock-Pot going, fill up the house with the smell of cinnamon apples,
and replace my dresser drawer of shorts with long sleeve shirts that I forgot I
had.
There’s no use in complaining. I’ll keep finding things to
appreciate and smile when I do. Maybe I’ll make a snowman.
I’ll wear my Gryffindor sweatshirt. I’ll look around outside
and remember the crystal shaped beauty in a single flake of snow, then zoom out
and realize how much beauty surrounds us. I’ll place battery operated candles
in all the windows and smile when I come home at night to see their glow.
It’s just winter. It’s not that bad. It’s not really bad at
all. :)
Tan: No. I don't know what to write about. I got nothing. So, I'm organizing my closets.
Mom: Write about that.
In church today, the lecturer spoke about distractions. She reminded us about how we are all connected to each other and to the Divine and that we are ALWAYS connected that way - but sometimes we forget. Sometimes we have "Divine Attention Deficit Disorder." That explains a lot. Could that be the reason why we can feel lonely for no good reason at all or why good friends can feel like unfamiliar strangers all of a sudden? Is this why it can feel like we're not going anywhere or don't have anything - when in reality we have absolutely everything we need and are exactly where we are supposed to be? It reminds me of the holidays and how easy it is to get distracted. It's all too easy to do what we, in our family, call twirling. Twirling is what you do when you're not sure which way to go. You start to go one way, then something catches your attention in the other direction so you turn and go that way instead. This keeps happening until pretty soon you feel like you're running all over, but you're really going nowhere except around in circles. If it happens when you're Christmas shopping - that's when you know it's time to go home and get organized. Make a list and stick to it.
Okay. Can't we apply that solution to the spiritual twirl as well? Let's see... if a list were to help me out of a spiritual twirl, what would that list look like? Something like this?
This week, I'll try to stay focused. I'll make lists for tasks to be accomplished and get something done. I'll also carry around this spiritual reminder list. If I feel myself beginning to twirl, I'll go home and regroup. Maybe I'll organize my closets or something. :)
Namaste,
T
P.S.
Ever since thinking of this title (Making a List, Checking it Twice), I've been walking around the house singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." So, I found this on Youtube:
First of all, words can not express how proud I am to be a member of SAG-AFTRA. Through that affiliation, I stand with some of THE MOST AMAZING AND TALENTED PERFORMERS IN THE WORLD!
I began the week attending SAG-AFTRA meetings/events in NYC. There, I felt absolutely privileged and Blessed to be present among some truly wonderful Angels who walk around masquerading as people. I am blown away by the incredible talent of fellow members, but even more so by their incredible spirit. This week, I've reconnected with familiar friends and met new friends who share a drive and dedication to the art and business of music and entertainment that I find beyond inspirational. To be a part of this family of performers is a most amazing honor.
(Highlights from SAG-AFTRA's 2013 Inaugural National Convention)
#ilovesingers...
The camaraderie and family spirit among performers, entertainers and those who share a passion for the arts truly warms my heart. Over the years I've often felt that way, with so many groups of people with whom I've worked. There's just something magical about the bonds that you forge working side by side on stage (AND off) to make a show, a recording, and/or a performance into something special. There's such a feeling of community and team spirit.
L to R front: Janice, Dennis, Felicia, Me L to R back: Sidney, John, Antonio, Louis, Carlos, Randy, Noah, Dan
L to R: Ada, Dennis, Me, John, Keith, Felicia, Carlos
#nostalgic...
By Friday it was time to make my way to Buffalo, where I had a gig with some very special singers from NYC who traveled all the way to my hometown to perform for a gala event there. Nostalgia was running high as we remembered the "good ol' days." Gordon and Wondress were the singers in the very first club date band I played with in NYC - and it was Gordon who introduced me to this band of performers and to Russell Graham (their keyboard player) who would become my husband. (That first show was at "The Greatest Bar On Earth" - part of Windows on the World at the top of the North Tower of the World Trade Center - where the band played regularly until our last scheduled show there on September 11th, 2001, when the tower fell many hours before any of us were scheduled to arrive.)
There they both were, in my hometown of Buffalo, and Russ and I were both on the gig. Joining us would be musicians from NYC and fellow Buffalonian Ken Witman on saxophone. The show was great and we all expressed how wonderful it was to work together again.
with Gordon and Wondress
with Russ, Gordon and Wondress
with Ken
with Wondress
with Russ
Russ and Gordon
#gratitude...
As I write this on Sunday, finally relaxing for the first time this week, I recall all the events of the week and smile - thinking of the spirit of family, pride, nostalgia and gratitude that seemed to follow me around. They were such profound and lovely feelings. As I begin this week working on new music with my beautiful family of entertainment, music and studio professionals, I'll carry with me the spirit of last week. I'll remember all of the amazing performers in history who fought for performers' rights and wages. I'll remember the passionate spirit, friendly warmth and incredible talent of today's industry veterans. I'll carry the memories of those first gigs in NYC, and reverence for those musicians who welcomed me, and for the journey itself.
This week, I'll walk with confidence and pride. This week I'll carry all those exquisite people in my heart - with warmth and gratitude.
