Intensity

Russ, Flute, Paul Anthony, T, Kenny, Jerry

What an amazing time!

Russ, Carmen, T, Paul Anthony

It was a celebration in honor of Rick James' birthday. Rick's brother Carmen threw a great event with three outstanding bands! I sang a Teena Marie tribute with the All Star Band alongside Kenny, Jerry, Wade, Flute, Russ, Joey, and Paul Anthony. Megan and Shelby (from Buffalo's "Confidance") joined us to dance on Behind the Groove.

Megan, T, Shelby

We prepared, traveled, rehearsed, dressed up, danced, sang and got down with our funky selves. I had the chance to hug people I haven't seen in years and made some wonderful new friends. It was beautiful!

Eric Jensen left me some PHENOMENAL photos that he took from the last Buffalo performance with the Original Stone City Band!

Ty (The Left Handed Bandit) presented his AWESOME sketch to Paul Anthony.

I managed to create some new promotional postcards and T-shirts (with help from New York Marketing and Artden) and launched my NEW WEBSITE!

Click here for the new and improved tanyadiona.com

I'm going to call the whole week "intense" - in a good way.

Love,
T

#Listening

Blog days are tough when it's a travel day too. I had two days of car travel with a napping toddler. The main thing to do was listen to the material for this week's rehearsals. Then this morning, this article found its way to me over breakfast:

Click here for CNN's "The one thing about Martin Luther King Jr.'s greatness everyone keeps missing"

I guess this week is all about listening.

Blessed be...

Love,
T

When You Don't Know...

When you don't know what to do...

Learn something.

I'm living by these words this week. Now, I have to go read.

:)

Love,
T

Inch By Inch

I'm starting small. There is one little shelf of clutter to conquer. Then there will be another.

As the old gets cleared out of the way, space will be made for the new. One meager idea will flow forth. That will be enough.

"Inch by inch, row by row

Gonna make this garden grow

All it takes is a rake and a hoe

And a piece of fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by row

Someone bless these seeds I sow

Someone warm them from below 

Till the rain comes tumbling down

Pulling weeds and picking stones

Man is made of dreams and bones

Feel the need to grow my own

Cause the time is close at hand..."

- David Mallett, 

The Garden Song

Welcome, new year. Here we go.

Love,

T

Last Week / Last Year...

The whole thing was a blur.

I may have just been along for the ride.

At one point, I thought I was an elf.

There were some pretty good moments though.

And I did learn some things.

I remember the really important things.

I know that on the other side of dark clouds, is the sun.

And that we are about to begin a whole new chapter.

Click here for "What Does Auld Lang Syne Really Mean" from Reader"s Digest

Happy New Year everyone!

Love you,

T

xo 

and:

- just cuz.

:)

Meowy Christmas

Graceful I was not. I sprawled out on the curb of W 65th and Broadway almost smacking my chin on the pavement. I hobbled into the theater at Lincoln Center shivering uncontrollably, bleeding, holding back tears, and picking gravel and rock salt out of my coat and my hand. Thanks to the kindness and calming spirit of a most wonderful man who worked there (and who called for first aid), I slowly thawed, got bandaged up and regained my composure. #theglamorouslife

But then there was this:

Congratulations to Nile Rodgers, Russell, and The Chic Organization for their musical contributions to the the new Cats film!

Suddenly, it was a whirlwind of winter wonderland (try saying THAT three times fast).

Now (hopefully) we can settle into a nice cozy holiday.

Here's wishing us all a warm and beautiful holiday filled with Love and the Magic of Christmas.

Merry Christmas,
T

Joyous

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Remember the magic of a really big Christmas tree? (They're all big when you're little.)

The LEGO Store, Rockefeller Center

Even a small one is magical, especially if it's made of Legos.

How about the first snowfall of the season, your first train ride, gingerbread, blueberry pancakes on a snow day, or your mom's fresh baked cookies that are still warm from the oven?

I get to see life through the lens of that enchanting time when you're a kid and everything is brand new. Just riding up and down the escalator is a thrill and sometimes merely a goofy sound can summon up fits of giggles.

One of the readings at church instructed the congregation, "Do not complain..." and it's easy for us all to remember the last time we did THAT. Do we remember the last time we got lost in a moment of pure happiness?

With Rob of the Dancin' Machine disco band

Many Christians celebrate this third week of Advent by recognizing the spirit of Joy. I am so down with that! Let's find things to be joyous about and have a fabulous time this week! There's time for everything else later.

With Gregory K Lathan of the Dancin' Machine disco band

We had a great disco gig on Friday and this week is going to be SO MUCH FUN! I insist.

Love,
T