Impressions of Life

I came out to the PAR TR for a weekend of fun, to shuck off a couple of difficult weeks and to just relax. What I’ve experienced turned out to be much more. In a world that grows more expansive each day via the Internet, people seem to be growing more isolated and lost feeling;…

Pack and Play

After almost two weeks of talking mainly to myself, plants, and inanimate objects, I need some socialization. Yes, an introvert just wrote that sentence. I too, am surprised. I’ve figured out that introversion is how I process the information I take in over time, but it doesn’t really define my personality type, now that my…

For the joy of dance

In my everyday life I can be scattered, clumsy and downright hazardous to myself. Not so with dance. It is like someone else lives in my body, perhaps that wild, free part of me that wants to take over now and again to just be. I’ve seen more of her out here on the road,…

Looking back over my shoulder (aka 2016 in Review)

My goal is to make a post a day to wrap up 2016 and teeter into the unformed abyss of 2017 🙂 Carapasces of Dreams The dry wind chattered Winding through the carapaces of dreams Discarded in corners Shrugged off during a mental molt   Raw skin couldn’t decide Whether to embrace the nakedness For…

Last Grasping of Solitude

For almost seven years of widowhood, I have lived in solitude, with the exception of a one year stint with a co-worker roommate. She opened her home to me for a pittance while I was struggling to get back on my feet upon returning to work and I will always be grateful. I am comfortable…

Fifteen minutes ago

Fifteen minutes ago It was that day. The day I flew. The day I decided not to counteroffer on a house I really liked. The day I last heard “I love you so much.” The day I last shared a newspaper with anyone. I wonder when this day’s awareness will fade from my brain. When…

Things that make me scream, take notice or engage me

Politics.  That’s a screamer for me. I’m happy you have an opinion – please, keep it to yourself. Just for the record I support neither party, registered Independent, and try to vote on issues when I vote.  What’s in the political news lately?  The damned Fast Track Trade agreement.  I’m currently neither for nor against,…

How to Impersonate a Calliope and other sickly fun

Ah yes, I bet you thought the topic would be  more romantic when I caught up on the blog, yes?  Actually, I’ve been so mentally busy that the title choices were difficult to narrow down, but since I’m coming off of a serious (for me) illness, this was that one which stuck. I should back track…

The Intimacy of Moving

Just like going to the Doctor for a check up is not intimate when compared with the touch of one who knows you, neither is having professional movers wrangle your stuff from one place to another.  But to have people who know me trail their fingers through my things is something quite different for me.  It is…

Who are you and what have you done with my Mother?

I can tell you first hand that widowhood sucks.  Just like when you marry, you learn to blend, compromise and bend to fit into a pair and it is a little awkward – stops, starts, spills, so too, is widowhood.  In a culture that practically elevates partnership to sainthood status, suddenly finding oneself pulling in…

This and that and other things

It has been a long and pensive non-public time for me, kicked into gear by the emotional trip to my property followed fast on the heels by Thanksgiving with family, and then as usual, ruminations on all kinds of things. While I’ve written some offline to keep the creative trickle alive, the rest of me…

Hitchhiking ghosts on road trips

I have made this run up 75 North so many times I should be able to do it in my sleep, but this is the first time in ten years I finally did it without taking a printed map. I’m directionally challenged in many ways and so I often don’t trust myself.  But in the…

11.3.14 Monday Music Mention – City ‘Am Fenster’ (At the window)

I’ve not done one of these in a long while.  During a mini-blog catch up session last night I came across this song on wederwill’s blog.  I had never heard of the band or the song.  But there is something gripping about it, haunting in its melody, musical composition and beat.  I thought I would…

9.8.14 Monday Music Mention – Imogen Heap

I know, I missed last week.   Last Monday was a no-work day and almost a no-computer day too.  Hopefully y’all were off doing fun things like dancing, grilling, grabbing some end-of-summer fun. I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus due to stress, and hope to be back writing again soon.  In the meantime,…

8.25.14 Monday Music Mention – Jack Savoretti

So much emotion roiling in me this week made it a challenge to choose a musical talent to highlight. Jack won out because of the rawness of his emotion in the music coupled with a connection that I feel  internally. My connections are always mental.  I love a good and active mind 🙂 This song…

8.18.14 Monday Music Mention – Idan Raichel Project

The Idan Raichel Project will probably be someone most of you’ve not heard of unless you’ve a penchant for Israeli music.  The project attempted to gather  the voices in Israel together in music – cross cultural and cross linguistic, it focuses on working together in a place where such an idea is often only a…

8.11.14 Monday Music Mention – Brian Crain

Happy Monday all!  I know everyone is rip roarin’ ready to return to well, whatever  it is that you do on Mondays 🙂 This week’s mention is another accomplished pianist, baseball player turned artist,  Brian Crain.  He is a majestic composer, and has produced several solo piano offerings and others including strings and piano duets…

A day of silence and fullness

I don’t have much to say today really.  If you’ve a mind, I ask you to visit my poetry site here: She Doesn’t Mourn Well Life is for the living, but sometimes living is harder than you expect. To those who have helped me along the way, my gratitude is truly inexpressible even for me…

8.4.14 Monday Music Mention

I. Can’t. Stop.  (smile)  This is one of my favorite weekly posts, sharing music that someone may not have stumbled upon yet. Music does so much for us: mentally and emotionally.  It is often the backdrop of many writers of all genres. Today I want to introduce you to one of the pianists that form…

7.28.14 Monday Music Mention – Adam Hurst, cellist

It is difficult to pick a ‘favorite’ instrument for me, as I appreciate all of them.  Participating in the Symphonic band and the marching band when young and geeky (still geeky), I was able to hear them closely. But strings, in the hands of the right people, reach into my body and elicit something that…

7.27.14 Sunday Snippets

Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. ~ Hans Christian Anderson Things on my writing mind… 1. Good gawd, could anyone come up with more things that women are ‘supposed’ to be? Badass. Baker. Power Executive. Mom. Construction supervisor. Submissive wife. Activist. Feminist. I get tired reading about…

7.25.14 Friday Frivolous Foolishness

Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit’s Friday 🙂  You get only a small ‘wooT’ out of me because I am plum tuckered out.  International clients were in house for the last four days, so the office was all atwitter and off schedule due to excess meeting-itis, kow-tow-itis and general executive angst. It all ended well, so, you know “All’s well…

7.21.14 Monday Music Mention – O-Shen

Everyone should start their Monday with a little Reggae mon 🙂  This week’s artist is a personal favorite of mine primarily because it is one of his songs that became my personal theme song a few years back.  I enjoy this genre very much, finding the music uplifting, catchy and very easily stuck in your…

7.18.14 Friday Frivolous Foolishness

Did you hear that sound just now?  Kind of like a deflating balloon, that weird ‘Eeeeeeiiiiiiiiii’ with a whoosh accompanying it?  I think that was my energy.  Yes, it is FRIDAY, and not one minute too soon I might add. I may have to change the title to Friday Frazzles & Frustrations if something in…

Monday Music Mention – Blackmill

Today I thought I’d pull in one of my artist favorites that is quite a bit different from the ones I’ve introduced in the past. Music is truly a smorgasbord for me, and I find things to like  in almost every genre. This artist I listen to often when I’m doing things that require a…

Monday Music Mention – PassEnger (Michael Rosenberg)

Well, I know everyone has been sitting around in foot-tapping anticipation for this week’s artist mention…(snort!), so without further ado and delusion, let’s get on with it!

This artist has been on my YT play list for years, and I remember when I first heard one of his songs on prime local radio.  I was so proud.  Following an artist when they are unknown, recognizing that they have talent, and finally seeing others recognize it too, is a very sweet feeling – the feeling of knowing someone else that stuck with their dreams, is realizing them.

Michael David Rosenberg (aka Passenger) has been busking around England and Europe for many years now on the folk circuit.  If you don’t know what ‘busking’ is, it is when one plays in streets or parks for donations. While it is probably apparent by now that I have a strong preference for acoustic guitar, what drew me over and over to this guy is his abilities as a lyricist.  The words of his songs have really touched me, so choosing what to refer you to for a great experience might be tough.  I’ll probably link to more of his songs than the normal three I do, just because there is so much meaning in many of them.

Without further yakking on my part, I hope you enjoy Passenger.  I employed the older spelling variant in the title that was used when it was a full band, and I hope no one confused it with the rock band.

The first song is a new one out, and the irony of the fact that I’m sharing it with you via online probably won’t be lost on you 🙂  Funny thing is, I’m knocking out time behind a computer hard-core, so that I can go live in nature.  Irony there too…

This tune is called “Scare Away the Dark”.  Warning: there is some nudity in the video, in a ‘naturalist’ kind of setting.

Next up is one that starts a bit oddly, “Walk in the Rain” but the words are just , well, give it an ear and see for yourself.

The following song got a lot of play by me after the death of my husband.  I think the title is probably self-explanatory 🙂  “Life’s for the Living”

I’ll wrap up with one that sits near my heart “What You’re Thinking”:

I could go on, and on, lol! Ask, if you’d like further recommendations 🙂

Enjoy, and I hope that Passenger joins your playlist, and that you’ll support the artist by purchasing their work.

Oh, and in line with “M” and Monday – quick movie recommendation if you’ve not seen it. It’s older, and I’m always wayyyy behind on movies. “The Magic of Belle Isle” is just a feel-good movie, and it’s about a writer, played by Morgan Freeman.

Have a marvelous morning/evening/day, wherever you are reading from, and thanks for stopping by!  Please leave comments or feedback or queries about the musician if you have them.

~SE

EDTA: And I FINALLY figured out what was ‘breaking’ my YT links.  Bolding  the text wrecks the link for some reason. Thought I’d add this in case anyone else has struggled with that 🙂  Benefit from my struggles, lol!

Monday Music Mention – OrtoPilot

I discovered this group via an ongoing love for YouTube, and a penchant for original music.  While this group (primarily one guy) does do covers, in the original music the talent really shines through in my opinion. Matt Hutchison is another fab product exported from the U.K.  Perhaps it is the single-minded pursuit of a dream that endeared me to this guy. Dreams are important.

A Day to Remember

Driftin’

Time

And if you find those a bit too folksy, here is one of my personal favorites, with a bit harder of an edge.

Black Rain

As always, I encourage you to support the artists by purchasing their art via your preferred method.

OrtoPilot site

Enjoy the music!

~SE

Monday Music Mention – Tina Dico “New Situation”

I am a music junkie, I confess.  I have music on my phone, on my computer, CD’s still stacked high.  I own no functional television, but have multiple types of music players. Each Monday, I’ll point out a song or artist that particularly reaches me and perhaps introduce someone or something new to you.  Musical…

The similarities between people and flowers…and dancing!

Last weekend I had some macro photo fun, and then more playtime with the photo editing software afterwards during the week.  Flowers are so delightful to me, from the tiny blue flowers that appear in the weeds in the alleyway, to the velveteen simplicity of the magnolia, and everything in between.  This flower is a…

Windy by the sea, dropping temps and clear skies = pure physical pleasure

Just a mini-break postlet of sorts.  I just returned from a long walk with the dog.  I love nights like this, where the sea winds are rather blustery due to the cold front, it is in the 60’s and heading downward, the skies are perfectly clear and out of the lights you can see the…