The Guest House

"This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond."

-Rumi

{I can't take credit for finding this poem, but I saw it on another blog today http://johnpaulroney.blogspot.com/... how wonderful...}

st st studio

People always ask me, do you love to be on stage?  I wouldn't say that exactly, but I've definitely gotten better at it.  It's like a ride... doing something that causes fear, you do it anyway, it's over, and then you want to do it again. 

I'd say, what I love the most, is the studio.  I love being behind closed doors and putting a song down with really talented and creative people.  Probably one of my favorite things in the world.  I never get bored of it, it never takes too long.

I feel very comfortable in that little box, with a microphone and a headset on.  I can close my eyes and there is nothing else going on in the world, except living the lines of that song at that moment.  AND, it's usually a whole lotta fun... aka, check out the video below, especially when in the studio with your best friends...

http://youtu.be/NXTxjM4YJHE

So pretty much, I love everything about taking a new creation, letting it fly around the room and then getting a 3-D "picture" of it in fixed form.  I guess in the studio I'm not afraid of taking chances and making mistakes, they can be erased and no one will hear.  Playing it live?  I'm a perfectionist, so I like it to always sound perfect (which you can't always control)... But I'm learning to just let it go.  And somehow the less I care about being perfect, the more perfect it becomes.

Love Doves

Birds, trees and the forest keep entering my conscious and subconscious these days.  Their themes interwoven with the themes in my life, and I don't know why exactly, but I'm going to go with it.  I was reading about doves and how they sit on their branch and "coo" to attract their lover. And I thought, that is exactly what I will do...

My house has 2 beautiful trees out each of my favorite windows.  I am going to sit here on my branch and sing... until someone hears my song.

Is that silly?  I think not.  It works for love birds!

Here are some other things they do... sound familiar?  ;*)

• Singing: Singing is one of the most common ways birds can attract a mate. The intricacy of the song, or the variety of different songs one bird can produce, help to advertise its maturity and intelligence – desirable characteristics for a healthy mate.  For some species, only one gender will sing, while other species may create a duet as part of the bonding ritual.
  
  
• Displays: Flamboyant plumage colors and elaborate displays of prominent feathers, skin or body shape can show off how strong and healthy a bird is, advertising its suitability as a mate. 
• Dancing: Physical movements, from daring dives to intricate sequences including wing flaps, head dips, or different steps can be part of a courtship ritual. In many species, the male alone will dance for his female while she observes his actions, while in other species both partners will interact with one another. Dance mistakes show inexperience or hesitancy and would likely not lead to a successful mating.
  
  
• Preening: Close contact between male and female birds can be part of the courtship rituals to help diffuse their normal spatial boundaries and aggression. The birds may lightly preen one another, sit with their bodies touching or otherwise lean on one another to show that they are not intending to harm their partner.
  
  
• Feeding: Offering food is another common part of the bird courtship behavior for many species. Typically a male bird may bring a morsel to the female, demonstrating that he is able not only to find food, but that he can share it and is able to provide for her while she incubates eggs or tends the brood. For some species the male may just bring food and transfer it to the female for her to feed, while in other species he will place a seed or insect directly in her mouth just as he might be expected to do when helping feed hungry nestlings.
  
  
• Building: Some birds seek to attract a mate by showing off their architectural skills. Constructing nests before the female arrives is a way for males to claim territory and show the suitable nesting areas they can defend. They may also decorate the nest with pebbles, moss, flowers or even litter to make it more eye-catching. The female may then choose the nest she prefers, or she may still build her own after mating with her chosen male.

Ghost music clip... Can anyone identify this song?

I recorded a song called "Meet Me at the Beach" in the studio with Eric Fritsch.  He was recording the guitar parts through his amp.  When he got to the very end of the song and hit the last note on the guitar, this music came through the amp... We don't know what song it is or where it came from.  It was captured on the recording and has always been on my album at the end of the song.

I've tried to find out what song this is.  Eric turned up the volume and made a "loop" of the piece of the song we recorded.

Can anyone identify this song?  I think it's from the 1930's  or 1940's...

(I took down the link, email me and I'll send you mp3... if you know of anyone who specializes/knows old music, PLEASE let me know... I want to find out what song it is!)  I think I danced to it, in another life...