Gramma's Garden

A couple of times lately, I’ve noticed the pretty peonies in full bloom a few blocks down the street from where I live. Those flowers take me back, as if it were yesterday, to what I will call Gramma’s Garden. Anyone who’s read my memoirs knows my paternal grandmother was a bright light in my childhood and I spent every moment I could with her. Gramma had a huge yard full of flowers, fruit trees, and berry bushes.

Of all those plants, the three peony bushes are most vivid in my mind. They were planted in a row, set apart from everything else. They were the garden highlights! One was white; one was rose pink; the third one was deep maroon. When I was a very young child, I would eagerly await the opening of their petals each Spring (once I had realized that it was at this time of year that they did appear and open). One year when I was about five or six years old, the day came when I found I could not wait for them to open. I’d looked at their buds for several days in a row. Each firm bud was round, with neatly and tightly folded petals ... petals that revealed a bit of their color. I remember manually trying to open many of the buds with my fingers, especially on the maroon bush, which was my favorite. It didn’t work and I remember my disappointment, followed by the fearful realization that I’d done something I shouldn’t have done. Later that week, Gramma went out to check her peony bushes, probably wondering why there were so few fully open flowers visible from her kitchen window! She went out and inspected them and then asked me if I knew anything about it. I confessed. She said something about the maroon peonies being the most expensive and hard color to find and I could see how sad she was, but then she let it go, because she knew how guilty I felt. I never went near the peonies again, but always admired them from a distance.

Of course, Grampa was the one who did most of the manual labor in the huge yard and mini farm. He did this evenings and weekends, because during the week, he worked a regular work day schedule as the manager of a big factory in New Haven. Nonetheless, I always thought of the vegetation as "Gramma’s Garden".

#s, #s, #s

Of people. I wrote a post about human overpopulation a few months ago. All of our efforts to "go green" will miss the mark unless we become willing to talk about putting a halt on population growth, which is really at the heart of the world’s most serious and pervasive problems. I’ll copy and paste here a portion of an e-mail response I sent to a friend of mine recently (he’d sent me a website URL about overpopulation).

"Yes, the burgeoning human (over)population is at the core of almost every problem the world is dealing with. I count the exponential growth of US population as a big part of it, as we are big "users"/consumers. Recently I put up a blog post that talks about population and how no politician is willing to mention or even acknowledge the population factor. Without humane human population control (war being a popular but inhumane method of population control), recycling can never be enough. Al Gore mentioned the factor of population growth in his book "An Inconvenient Truth", for which I give him a lot of credit (although the topic needs a book of its own)...the author, though, would need to be very brave and probably would be majorly criticized and could even be imprisoned or assassinated".

Tweakdom

There I go again with my words. When I compose/write a song (music and lyrics), during the initial days following the song’s birth (yes, it is a laborious, deliciously painful process – the spiritual analogy to physically giving birth), I work out the major facets of its arrangement, then add enhancements, the intro and the ending, and during this time, too, develop the vocal component. Once all of that is working, the song enters into the phase I think of as "tweakdom"!

Tweakdom begins intensely – a vocal gymnastic here, a register change there, and ends quietly ... somewhere down the line, maybe in days or maybe in weeks ... when all the subtle touches have been put into the arrangement.

In recent weeks, I found myself composing a song intended to inspire and honor a musical partner who was finding it necessary to step away from music (our music and, perhaps, music in general). Because it’s a ballad (he likes ballads), it’s very techy and not easy to sing and play, but also is quite pretty. It’s called Here In The Moment. I recorded it this past Wednesday evening at Songwriters Studio here in Knoxville.

For this song, tweakdom continued almost right down to the wire, with the last tweak the day before the recording was done!

Grieving Pet Loss

Grief is the price we pay for loving our pets, for endearing them to us – but it’s worth it. Worth it, of course, for the companionship and affection they share with us, for their unconditional love. Even more than that, though, having a beloved pet connects us in such a deeply spiritual way with something much bigger than ourselves, something hard to describe with mere words – the tapestry, mutuality, and interconnectedness of life. I recently was talking about these things with a very dear friend who is mourning the recent passing of his cat who had been with him for almost 17 years.

On my website at http://claralandau.home.comcast.net I have a link entitled The Story Of Lucky. It may be helpful to readers who are going through the grief process. Time, after all, is the best healer, but there are people and books that can be of great help in a more immediate sense. I talk about some of them on the Lucky link.

Mid-April Cold In East Tennessee

Here in Knoxville, we managed to avoid a replay of last year’s April hard freeze (when every tree’s new leaves and flowers totally froze, turned brown and crispy, and fell to the ground). Following a couple of weeks of balmy, warm weather, it turned raw, rainy and cold this past week; the rain was followed by several nights of freeze warnings, as a cold weather system settled in.

So out of the closets came the bedsheets, beach towels, and quilts to cover the azalea, lilac, mock orange, newly-planted blueberry bush, and flowers. Into the house came the hanging baskets of flowers and the houseplants that had been so happy to go back outside on the porch when the balmy weather had showed up two weeks before. My house looked like a jungle for three days with all the plants camping in! Although we got awfully close to freezing temperatures outdoors, thankfully, things hovered just above that mark and plant-life was spared ... even my treasured smoke tree (which was too large to cover).

While I’m talking about plants, I’ll mention that I’m looking for a good home for a two-year-old maple tree; I grew this tree from its spinner seed. It’s in a grower’s pot, is about 3 feet tall and very nicely shaped. I have no space in my yard for another shade tree. This tree would like to get into the ground this season.

Make A Garden Spot

Have you noticed the rise in food prices? There are many trickle-down tentacles that are resulting from our nation’s economic and international trade problems. Have you also read the headlines about people in various nations rioting in the streets over food prices? It will undoubtedly get worse as the populations and need continue to increase.

Here in our country, I honestly believe we have put ourselves at risk by becoming conditioned to getting all our food from grocery chain stores and restaurants. What if the trucks couldn’t roll to deliver food to stores and restaurants (maybe due to gas prices) or if food imports were curtailed (a lot of our food is imported and our own farms are being devoured by developers and housing) due to famine, economics, government feuding?

At a time in our not-too-distant past (my grandparents and parents actually did this when I was a tot), people grew food in their yards and canned it every autumn. It supplemented what they bought at the store ... or maybe it was the other way around. We’ve attained the convenience of just selecting and paying for what we eat and driving home with it ... but forgotten or never learned how to produce it. I think we need to remember or relearn how to farm. Now if this idea catches on, we can possibly expect the prices of seeds, tillers, and vegetable plants to sky-rocket. So I plan to get in on the "ground-floor" so to speak. That huge, back-yard-sized, fenced dog run (which is mostly unused by the dogs who prefer to be leash-walked) is my future garden or farmette spot. I think I just coined another word.

Herds (this is more interesting than it sounds)

The animal herd instinct to follow the leader is based on the desire to survive. Of course, animal leaders are chosen for their strength, courage, and ability to lead. Survival isn’t always the outcome though, if the leader doesn’t choose the right path of escape, the right location to breed, etc. In the face of danger, some of the herd might escape at the expense of the frail, infantile, or just unfortunate members. With humans, whoever the leader is has the ability to majorly impact every facet of our lives. This we’ve especially realized under the rule of the arrogant Bush team. A leader needs to know (and care) about much more than how to wage or continue war. So if Americans are swept up by herdism this November, our entire population can suffer the consequences. The "polls" being published are an affront to us. Their authenticity and credibility depend on their origins. For example, a poll that originates with Fox (even if elsewhere published) will reflect their strong Republican leanings. The intent of published political polls is not to inform, but to influence.

If McCain is really on a poll par with Obama, something is really askew. If we’re to believe that most Americans want change regarding war, economics, torture, and health care, how can we then also believe that many of those same people would vote for a man who is steeped in war, knows nothing about economics, and doesn’t have a plan for health care? Polls are propaganda tools being passed off as legitimate information. Mentioning the word "torture" above reminds me that I recently read the post of a fellow-blogger (and one whom I greatly respect) that says there are now reports of Rice being considered as McCain’s VP; the post also reminds us about Rice’s sanctioning of torture.

Getting back to my thought on herds and "herdism" (I was tempted to look that word up to see if it exists, but decided to just go ahead because you know what I mean), for the love of whatever we hold dear, please let’s be thinking people and not follow herds and pollsters.

Nostalgia

This past Sunday I had to drive across town to meet with a friend. I allowed a bit of extra time so I could stop in the Hallmark store there (where I often shopped when I lived in that area). With about 20 minutes to spare after Hallmark, I drove past my former house and property to view "my" (they’ll always be mine) trees. With about two acres of what was partially wooded when I lived there (the new people are cutting things down), I’d planted many additional trees, mostly ornamentals, and named each of them. So I had to drive around the block three times so I could cruise by from different angles and check on Brenda, Maggie, Gerald, Clara, Harry, Marc, and all the others. Sadly, one of them (none of the above-named) had died, probably from last summer’s drought. It was still a young tree and would have needed some watering to survive the severity of the drought. Nostalgia is such a bitter-sweet thing, isn’t it?

Here In The City

In contrast to my former abode, residing in the city offers its own pleasant features (besides city services which are lacking in the county suburbs). Here neighbors communicate with each other. If you happen to have good neighbors, this is really nice. While covering my trees and plants the other night (see post above about freeze warnings), my neighbor, John, was also covering many of his plantings, carefully wrapping them and neatly fastening the coverings so they wouldn’t flap in the wind (unlike some of mine that were indeed trying their best to flap). He commented to me about what plant-lovers we are. Moments later, the voice of Chris, my neighbor on the other side, rang out with a comment typical of his style: "This weather’s crazy, man", as he shivered with no jacket.

Spring Cleaning

Removing all cobwebs, literally and figuratively!

Is She Calling You?

Is she? Yes, she is! This is the title of my just-done CD, which is named for its opening track. The song's genre is Latin-Jazz. Audiences liken it to a Santana sound, even when I’m playing it solo on split keyboard (with bass). The lyrics refer to the Lady Wolf (me) and the wolf’s expressive vocal intonations and range. I love this song. Of my dozens of original songs (all of which have various elements of my feelings and experiences in them), this is the only time I found myself writing a song about myself, although the listener probably doesn’t realize that until near the end of the song.

Also on the CD are two 12-bar blues tunes: I Remember The Day and Clara’s Slow, Steamy Blues (it is); a light classical ballad called Spring Is In The Air, another classical song called Shadow & Light, a new age instrumental named Call To The Day; kicky jazz Ba da ba da ba da; my peace/protest/activist song (eclectic blues) called One Woman’s Blues, and the completed arrangement of a very special song, a ballad, called I Could Really Fall For You, which I’ve described in my promo article with the following words: "In 2001, a singer-songwriter-guitarist-recreational drummer, who was destined to become my drummer and close friend, gave me the lyrics and minor key music progression for this song, along with his request that I complete and sing it. When I’d spent a bit of time with it, I realized it needed a bridge renovation (different chords) and asked him if it would be OK for me to do that, so the song would work for me. He agreed to consider it – but then I didn’t bring it up again and time marched on. We went on to develop a solid music commitment together and a deep, meaningful friendship. He died in September 2006, after a valiant battle with cancer. A year later, I rummaged through my boxes of music sheets in my basement and found the crinkled, yellowed lead sheet he’d given me ... I knew it was time for me to complete the song and sing it! Here it is with my intro, bridge, and major key 9-bar ending ... and Philip’s beautiful and haunting lyrics and minor key theme. Here is my tribute to the vast talents and beautiful heart of the late Philip Knight."

If you’d like a copy of this CD, or any of my others, please let me know via e-mail at claralandau@comcast.net.

Save The Wolves

The May issue of Men’s Journal magazine has a poignant and compelling ad and an article; the items are about two related travesties – the Bush Administration’s plan to slaughter hundreds of gray wolves and the Bush Administration’s handing over our public lands for use and abuse by off-road vehicles. In each case, pandering to political and industrial special interests and friends is responsible.

You may recall the post I put up recently (please scroll down) about the wolves and I promised I’d post about them again when I learned more. The Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund headline "Using Tax Dollars To Shoot Animals On The Endangered Species List? The Bush Administration In Action", begins the one-page article that sums up the situation well. A visit to the organization’s website tells us more and goes on to say "Bush Administration Takes Aim at Wolves – In Greater Yellowstone and across the Northern Rockies, gray wolves are facing mounting habitat destruction from industrial development and other harmful activity. Nonetheless, the Bush Administration recently stripped these wolves of endangered species protection, leaving them vulnerable to mass killing. Both Wyoming and Idaho are planning to use aerial gunning, as well as baiting and trapping, to exterminate hundreds of wolves.The comeback of gray wolves in the Northern Rockies is America's greatest wildlife recovery story. But the Bush Administration's ‘License to Kill’ plan could drive these wolves back to the brink of extinction".

Gray wolves were almost completely wiped out of existence by every vile means imaginable. Finally put on the Endangered Species List, there are now about 1,500 of these beautiful animals in the northern Rockies area, where they have revitalized the region’s environment and enhanced the tourist industry. Bush has recently removed the wolves from the Endangered Species List and now plans to sanction a wolf-kill, in which wolves would be mass-killed by any horrific means. We must let Congress know we do not want this to happen.

The Bush-Cheney Administration has done and continues to do damage of epic proportions to all things environmental, ethical, and humane. Now is the time to speak up in defense of the wolves. The truth is that there is not an over-abundance of wolves; additionally, ranchers already have the right to kill any wolf that may harass livestock; and the elk population is at an all-time high across the northern Rocky Mountains, providing plenty of elk as targets for "sport" hunters to shoot at. The Bush Administration is obviously determined that not one component of our ecological and natural heritage be left unmolested ... using our tax dollars to fund the killing and destruction.

Please visit the website of Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund at
www.callofftheguns.org
for all of the facts and to tell your U.S. Representative to oppose Bush’s wolf-killing plan.

Public Lands

The related article chronicles the devastation of land and resources and the dangers to and injuries of hikers at the hands of or, I should say under the wheels of, off-road gas-powered recreational vehicles. Bush has pandered to the self-serving political interests of friends and allies in the motorized recreational vehicle (gas-powered) industry. Of course, given today’s situation with high gasoline prices and the belt-tightening we ordinary drivers are faced with at the gas pumps, the ORV issue stands out as a particularly sore thumb.

Fragile desert lands and forest ecosystems are being destroyed ... and other land users such as hikers are fleeing from dangers such as being run over by "a 12-year old on an ATV he can’t control". The report goes on to tell of cows being run to death; extensive vandalism and intentional destruction of flora and land; the seeming ineffectiveness of BLM (Bureau of Land Management), the agency charged with overseeing this and other public land matters; and the Forest Service’s shrugging off of complaints they say they can’t do anything about. Bush has opened these previously protected lands for this plundering use and, of course, it’s an industry dependent on gasoline and ... you guessed it ... Oil.

Hard Times & Good Times

There is what I'll call a Value System that I try to keep in mind, for myself and in relation to others, particularly in times of financial stress. Regarding money and feeling balanced, it is this:

Pull in spending,
Sock some away, and
Give some away.

Footing The Bill -- U.S. Economics

You know, if you or I go out and run up a huge bill on our personal credit cards for a luxury item or a needed item, we then need to pay our bill but we can, at least, look at that item, use it, wear it, drive it, whatever ... and know it is the source of our debt. We in the U.S. citizenry have a huge, mind-boggling national debt; the ironic question is, what have we lavished on ourselves to incur this debt? Our national debt is our bill – the tab we are paying – for an ill-begotten war, corrupt politics, cronies and the good ol’ boy thing. The "items" we can look at and experience for this expenditure of ours are the millions of home mortgages in danger of or actually in foreclosure, business collapses, lost savings, a blatantly abused and suffering environment, neglected bridges and roadways, White House-sanctioned torture, invasion of our privacy, a badly damaged national reputation, and a horribly deformed and unbalanced health care non-system. Now there isn’t enough time left to impeach the scoundrels – the administration that brought our economy from a surplus into a deep and terrifying deficit.

The next president will have a fearsome job righting the wrongs committed over the past seven years and those currently ongoing, some of which probably cannot ever really be fixed. Hopefully, we won’t find ourselves with a Bush-like new president. McCain has admitted he knows nothing about economics (but he knows lots about war). Folks, the country is at the brink of economic disaster. I know it’s too scary to think about ... I don't want to think about it, but it’ll be even scarier if we just coast along the way we are. We need to think about it, talk about it, write about it, and vote about it. Vote for sound economics, a national health care system, peaceful resolution to political and world issues, honesty, true ethics, humane treatment of U.S. citizens and political prisoners, protection of our earth (forests, oceans, animals, air, rivers). Put our tax dollars to work on positive national efforts.

How About Something Frivolous (amid all this serious stuff)!

Where’s the showbiz glitz? Or the inspiring message about Spring’s arrival? Or an amusing anecdote about my dog ... or some music news? Okay, yes, nothing makes my typing and piano fingers sing (actually, I guess what they do is more like a dance) as do these, my favorite topics.

Right now, Spring is on my mind and in my heart; I feel more optimistic and energized at this time of year than any other. I rather like the early daylight savings time, too.

Musically speaking, I’m looking forward to doing the outdoor gigs and need to be making my calls this week. I spoke fondly of sequins and glitz in an earlier post; they are (a treasured) part of the past. In these contemporary times, gig-wear is geared for comfort. Well, it needs to be, as we pack, carry in and out, set up, and break down so much equipment. But it’s all worth it for the joy of playing music.

Dixie, my dog, loves the extra daylight we have now. During each November, she develops the same winter seasonal funk I get, so she and I are on the same wave-length and get revitalized in March! She’s playing with her toys again and fully enjoying our trips to the park. See pictures of Dixie and read about her on my personal website at http://claralandau.home.comcast.net, where you'll find three of my song clips and lots of pictures!

So, for a little while, shall we all take our minds off the candidates’ campaigning, tax time, the economy, the state of the world, the wars, the fears ... and pause to look out a window at the daffodils, blossoming saucer magnolias, forsythias, flowering crabapple and wild cherry trees; even better would be a walk along a greenway, country lane, or city street, just to enjoy and welcome Spring. I’m even glad to see the dandelions – when I was a child, dandelion greens were our "salad vegetable" all season long and it was my job to go out and pick them (they’re very nutritious, but I haven’t eaten them since those childhood years). How wonderful it is that the seasons faithfully turn and turn and the renewing spirit of Spring visits us each year!

Moderated Comments

I’ve very recently re-set my Blog so that comments will come to me to be moderated before being posted on the blog. Comments can still be submitted anonymously (or with your Google or other account) ... the only difference is there will be a bit of time elapsing (during which I’ll review incoming comments) before they are accepted on the site. A few days ago, an anonymous person posted a website address (nothing else) as a comment to my post about pet and human food safety, food imports, and government and industry ties. I quickly removed the potentially dangerous web address, to protect readers from clicking on a site that could possibly carry some kind of malware. Now that I am moderating incoming comments, I have the ability to prevent any questionable web URLs from reaching my readers. As always, I welcome my readers' comments.

Giving, Volunteering, Doing --

Yesterday I got a book which is authored by Bill Clinton and entitled "Giving (How Each Of Us Can Change The World)". I’m a couple of chapters into it. I agree with its philosophy. Doing things and giving things that help others -- especially when it’s to help others help themselves, improve their lives and have a higher sense of self-worth -- is at the top of my list of what could be called "angels’ work on earth". Remember my post about my prison concert and how good it made me feel, as well as the obvious benefit for the inmates? (scroll down into Older Posts). I’ll be going back to prison, hopefully, in a couple of months to do another concert. Volunteer work, whether local or large-scale is very satisfying and can make a major difference in the recipients’ lives, too. Some of my most glowing experiences are and have been my volunteer work with children, animals, and the elderly (and now prison inmates). Whether you’re wealthy, comfortable, (not-so-comfortable) middle-income, or on the struggling end of the economy ... if you’re looking for a new lease on life or a new experience or venture, I heartily recommend the "giving and doing" concept.

Cartoons Of Note ...

I don’t know how widely published the Bizarro cartoon is; however, it does appear in the Sunday issue of the daily newspaper here in Knoxville. I read it because it really isn’t bizarre, as the name implies; rather, it often puts a type of unique, artistic focus on topics that would be hard to bring up in discussion. Well, that surely is one of the main purposes of the art forms ... I know, from my own experience, it is characteristic of music to express truths, even socially suppressed and/or repressed truths, that the artist feels need airing. The cartoonist, Dan Piraro, really is both clever and wise. This past Sunday’s strip shows a peaceful garden scene with a man and a woman and animals of several different species, against a peaceful tapestry of trees and foliage. From a cloud in the sky, the voice of God is heard speaking to the two people and it instructs them to eat fruit and to learn how to multiply and it explains that, in so doing, they would be healthy, would not negatively impact the planet with animal farming methods that would cause pollution or pain, and they would, by virtue of their math multiplying skills, know enough not to populate the earth with more people than the planet could sustain. In the next frame, the couple realizes that they should have written down the instructions ... they then sum up what they remember as ‘be fruitful and multiply’.

I’ve been aware for some time that no politician or industry wants to talk about overpopulation, (Al Gore mentions it briefly in his excellent book, "An Inconvenient Truth") even though our species has passed the 6-1/2 billion mark and is growing exponentially. Several years ago, a minister at a church I attended asked the congregation to submit their questions (on little pieces of paper) around which he would later prepare his answers and build a future kind of smorgasbord sermon. I remember carefully wording a question about the topic of human population growth and its impact on earth’s resources and the other species with which we share the planet. He later told me that he could not include my question because the topic is too controversial; I did notice, though, that there were several other questions in the smorgasbord sermon that were about very serious issues. Anyway, kudos to Mr Piraro, for his courage and artistry. The strip’s website URL is http://www.bizarro.com/.

Another comic strip I admire is entitled "Mutts". It is animal-friendly and always warm and fuzzy, even when conveying an important humanitarian message. The two main characters are a cutely-drawn cat and dog named Earl and Mooch; often included are their pals. They and their friends shine light on the concept of kindness to animals, adopting homeless animals, getting pets spayed or neutered, and taking good care of the earth that is home to all. Patrick McDonnell is the thoughtful and gifted cartoonist and the website URL is http://www.muttscomics.com./.

Let's Demand Safe Food For Ourselves & Our Pets!

Remember the pet food recall, brought about by the illness and deaths of many pets due to poisonous, chemically-tainted ingredients imported from China? Our federal government really needs to be prodded to actually do something to prevent this from happening again. We are the only ones who can do the prodding.

At this very moment, there is a so-called website for public comment about Docket 2007n-0487 (regarding the FDA's need to regulate the processing and labeling of pet and human food ingredients). I say "so-called" because it has been inoperable and inaccessible since its supposed inception. Do a web-search for Docket 2007n-0487 and you'll find plenty of comments ... from people who want to access the site but can't; you'll find the site address there, too. I just have to wonder if the site is a planned failure or hoax being perpetrated on the public -- you know, maybe the industry or importers want it to be inoperable; or, maybe it's just another government blunder. I just finished writing a letter (yes, I know that takes more time and seems like a hassle, but it feels important to do) to my two U.S. senators and U.S. congressman, requesting that the FDA institute effective regulations regarding importation, processing, and labeling of food ingredients for pet and human food products.

Our pets have been the canaries in the mine-shaft ... alerting us, via their illnesses and deaths, to the dangers of foods and additives imported from China. Last summer, there was a comprehensive, revealing magazine article I read while in a doctor's waiting room; it was either TIme or Newsweek ... I think it was Time. It had photographs I will never forget -- about the thousands of Chinese "factory" workers (folks, we would call these places something other than "factories") who are lined up like robots in long lines that stretched on and on, uniformed and hooded and masked from head to toe, as they stood there, very close to one another, working on whatever product line to which they were assigned; their uniforms were color-coded by product; each photo showed a different product and its workers. The article said that they live in dormitories above the work area and one photograph showed massive amounts of garbage that had been thrown out the little dorm windows to the building surface below. I had to wonder how any product made under these conditions -- where everything was being done as cheaply as possible -- could be trusted to be safe or reliable. Also, in my mind, these are inhumane conditions under which workers should not be forced to work (and live) ... all so that we in the US can see "made in China" on practically every product we buy at our favorite stores? But, see, that label doesn't appear on food product ingredients.

I would like to see the imports from China stopped or restricted ... and, most definitely, regulated!

Hard Drives...

I have a way of fusing my energies with the machines that are important in my life. I've written about Lance, my truck (see earlier post "Vehicles And Their People") and Buddy, my piano. Of course, my computer, Clarence III, got to know me really well.

Over the past month or so, I became aware of what I'll call e-mail fatigue ... or, if you prefer, electronic overload. The subscriptions to listservs and a volley of e-mails generated in relation to committee work, were taking their toll. I'd noticed that my houseplants, usually the picture of health and meticulous care, were reflecting the affects of the minimal attention they'd been receiving from me lately. Dixie Lee, my dog (see mention of her in various previous posts, on my website, and on Dogster) was sometimes wearing a furrowed look of concern. Yes, the e-mail volume and, in some cases, intensity, was gobbling up huge chunks of my time and energy. I was stressed. The result? Brain Cell Rebellion -- but not only mine -- Clarence's, also. Last Thursday, after several weeks of intermittent, teeny-tiny brownouts, Clarence bit the dust, due to a problem with his hard drive and probably something more. I think he can be salvaged, or at least, most of his parts can be (he's just 16 months old).

So the past week has been a strange mix: a time to step back and think about the reasons for and ramifications of "overload"; affirmations to re-order my life; a time of exasperation because I couldn't take care of anything needing a computer (a writer without a keyboard and needing to revert to handwritten scribbles on many odd pieces of paper is a very off-kilter entity); and, last but not least, a time of smug bliss because I actually had a bona fide reason for not playing in electronic traffic!

I decided to share this experience, just in case a reader may be going through similar energy and time crunches.

Thanks to a very generous friend, I was able to get online and take care of some important matters. One of those chores was unsubscribing to two lists and one daily cartoon!

As an aside (and I know I do a lot of asides), it crossed my mind that maybe Clarence didn't like being Clarence III; maybe he'd have preferred to have his own identity instead of being number 3 of the Clarence ilk. Last night, I bought a new computer, an updated, close relative of the stricken Clarence III. The new computer has been named Dexter. And let's give him a middle name, too: Dexter March. February was a rough month for me, so the advent of March is welcome! Happy pre-Springtime!

What's In A Name?

I mean, there are people with surnames of Roach, Ratz, Katz, Cabbage, Pope, Rich, Queen, Prince, King, Butts, Bugg, Buffalo, Bird, Worms, Mutz, Pigg, Stout, Ruff, Little ... and people with first names of Cookie, Candy, Rose, Lilly, Earth, Summer, Spring, April, Mae, June, Leo, Tuesday, Dakota, Washington, Georgia, and Carolina. If you had time and desire to pursue this, probably many more names that are descriptive of animals, plants, seasons, months, days, locations, constellations, confectionaries, and regal position could be found just by looking in telephone directories. The names I've mentioned above I've personally come across in my life wanderings. It's interesting to ponder how people react to their own names and how they are or are not influenced by the name of another person if it happens to be on the unusual side.

For a while during my youthful show biz life, I often found myself cast in the same productions as another girl whose main act was dancing, although she would precede her dance number with a sung verse of the song. Her stage name was Sheila Rose. Now, doesn't that have a beautiful sound?

Someone told me he had never eaten, and would never eat ... yogurt ... because its name sounds so "homely". If "they" would change its name, he said, he could be convinced to try it.

As a babe in arms, I was compared to a "loaf of pumpernickel bread" by one of our neighbors, thus dubbing me "Pumpkin". This was the explanation given to me when my parents, neighborhood kids, aunts, uncles, and cousins called me by the evolved version, "Punkin", with my cousins later innocently shortening it further to "Punk". I didn't think too much of it until my other acquaintances overheard it and were quizzical. Fortunately, it gradually faded out, though my father clung to it out of habit, as did my step-father.

My mother often told me she'd wanted to name me "Melody". I do love my name of Clara (which was also my mother's name), though "Melody" reminds me of the song "A pretty girl is like a melody", a sentiment that I like.

I began this post about names because I wanted to tell how Dixie Lee (my dog) got her name. She's a very regal, pretty, rather aloof, intelligent, and polite dog -- so any name that conveys those qualities (Monique, Celeste, Athena) would have been appropriate for her. She likes the timbre of her name. When I say the two names together, she immediately pays more attention than if I just say "Dixie", much like a child when his mother says "Gregory Peter, you come here this instant"! Gregory Peter has a bigger, better punch than just "Gregory". I once knew someone whose son had these names.

My dog was named after Dixie Lee Junction (!), a crossroad, where Route 11 intersects with Route 70 in Lenoir City, TN. When I first moved to Knoxville (in late 1986), I heard someone mention Dixie Lee Junction ... probably they were trying to tell me how to get to places in the area. The name sounded exciting to me and I pictured a glitzy, busy, touristy place and wanted to see it! For those of you who are not Tennesseans or familiar with the area, DLJ has none of the above-mentioned characteristics; it is quaintly picturesque, mainly marked, at least in my mind, by a fireworks store, a liquor store, and a gasoline station; there is a Dairy Queen several miles down further on Route 11. It was rural, too, back at that time. But the name was rhythmical, intriguing, even melodic. My Dixie Lee, by any other name, would be a Rose, an Athena, a Monique, a Celeste, or a Dixie Lee!

Friends ...

The people who give of themselves in order to help -- their time, their goods (even when it costs them money), a sense of caring -- that would be my definition of "friend". I've always been an autonomous kind of person. When I was a kid, my lifestyle didn't really allow for close friends; plus, during times when I wasn't thrown in with a bunch of people, I really valued my solitude. Later, as a teen and young adult, I probably took my friends for granted. I'd like, if I could, to reach back across the years and miles and tell them "thank you". Today I know I'm very fortunate because I have true friends.

Horses, Wolves & Polar Bears...

There is legislation pending in Washington, DC that would protect American horses from being shipped into Canada and Mexico, under horrendous conditions, and then being cruelly slaughtered for a foreign market. These beautiful animals, so much a part of American history, can only be helped if enough people write, call, or e-mail their senators and congressmen as soon as possible, requesting passage and enactment of S. 311 (Senate) and H.R. 503 (House), the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. For complete information, contact Front Range Equine Rescue at info@frontrangeequinerescue.org; visit http://www.frontrangeequinerescue.org/. Get names and addresses of senators and congressmen at http://www.senate.gov/ and http://www.house.gov/.

Unfortunately, the powers that be recently removed U.S. wolves from the protection of the Endangered Species Act. This is bound to result in resumption of the large scale and inhumane killing of wolves that stained so much of our country's domestic history. When I have legislative word on what can be done to undo this blunder, I'll report it on my blog.

Similarly -- polar bears are in trouble. Unless they are recognized as the important part of our ecosystem that they truly are, rather than as disposable impediments to North Pole industry, our world will soon have no more polar bears. We can't let that happen.

Sequins Are A Tough Act To Follow

And I say that only because it feels so true. I wrote about sequins in a very recent post and I’m enjoying their picture right at this very moment! Oh, the drama and dazzling allure of them! Please scroll down and read about them.

My Guardian Angel Deserves Overtime Pay

Why? Because, after all the near-misses over the course of my childhood and adult life, I still have occasional need of his rescue and safe-keeping.

Very recently, I had one of the flu formats that is going around and mine was heavily punctuated by asthma. Anyone who has experienced asthma knows it is a very mean-spirited malady that visits whenever it has the chance. That it is "the bane of all good singers" was explained to me years ago (of course, making it a blessing as well as a curse)! Uh-huh, right.

During this respiratory onslaught, my angel’s first feat was keeping me alive during the initial night of airways constriction. Fast-forward about $800 and two weeks ... and I was feeling so-o-o much better! I decided to take myself out for a little celebration luncheon – nothing fancy, just something to mark the occasion of my being well again. I went to the nearby Shoney’s, ate, exchanged some pleasant conversation with the server and other staff, paid my tab, and walked out into the afternoon. It was an off-peak time of day for restaurants, so all of the parking spots along the front of the building were empty.

I stepped off the curb and started walking the 20 or so feet to my truck. Seconds later, I saw a car hurtle into the far end of the parking lot and zoom toward me. You guessed it – it aimed directly at me and the parking space I happened to be traversing. It really is fortunate that I saw the car approaching, as the driver never slowed or attempted to avoid hitting me; rather, he came to an abrupt halt just as his car was about to go over the curb and into the front door of the restaurant. Meanwhile, I’d jumped several feet to the side and sort of did a momentary reality check to be sure I’d made it. In those seconds, an assortment of reactions rushed through my mind – including anger, emotional hurt, and some healthy cautionary feelings that told me to keep my silence, as the driver emerged from his car and strutted toward the door. In the space of those few seconds (that seemed to be playing in slow motion), I realized that the most appropriate emotion I should be feeling was appreciation of the fact that I was unhurt.

So I’m quite serious when I commend my ever-vigilant guardian angel (which is why I wrote the song "An Angel At My Shoulder" a few years ago). I’m reminded, anew, how precious is the (literal) breath of life.

Those Anticipated Tax Rebates...

Personally, I think this plan will contribute to our burgeoning Bush national debt and not do much to spike the economy via people's spending, but many people are now painted into a financial crunch corner; these few dollars coming their way will be of some help to them for the moment, so bring it on! Because the economy is down-turned and has noticeably worsened during the past year, individuals and small businesses are having a really rough time staying afloat. Dear reader, if you're not at the top of the corporate food chain, you're already well aware of that. So this particular post of mine is probably more of a journal entry ... you know, the type of thing a person writes when venting about a topic beyond his/her control.

National Health Care System

We need it – we need it – we need it!
Please vote with health-care in mind.

What Is Love?

What is love? What a loaded and electrifying question!

"What Is Love?" happens to be the title of an enjoyable, enlightening book I got at Carpe Librum this past Spring when Bill and I played music there. The sub-title is "A Simple Guide To Romantic Happiness". The book’s author is Taro Gold. He’s written a number of other books, as well. I just visited his website at www.TaroGold.com for the first time. It is awesome. In particular, his February 7th update is soul-touching. Taro appears to be a very young man. So how he can already be so wise about such a mind-boggling topic as love is amazing. He is telling me, in his book, things I’ve tried to figure out myself, maybe have figured out myself, but needed someone else to articulate or validate for me. The book approaches the topic from a Buddhist standpoint, acknowledging and aligning the fantasy, illusion, reality, and core truths that make and/or break romantic love. There are numerous pages of fabulous quotes throughout the pages of text; they run the gamut of profundity, humor, and so much more and they’ve come from a wide variety of sources. It’s hard to choose a favorite of these quotes and I thought I would pick one to include here, but found, instead, I need to include three of them. The first is "People change and then forget to tell each other" – Lillian Hellman; the second is "Love one another; but make not a bond of love; let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls"– Kahlil Gibran; the third is "To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance"– Oscar Wilde.

This is a beautiful and wondrous little book and I heartily recommend it to anyone who loves, ever has loved, or would like to!

Sequins, Prez Candidates, Vibrations!

Silver Sequins --

My childhood having been, for the most part, on the stage -- resulted in many, many show biz people, props, and situations leaving vivid images in my mind's eye and ear. I remember the awe of the "orchestra pit", even empty, but especially when it was full of musicians. Most of the productions I performed in were at night and the footlights on the edge of the stage served well to blind me to the presence of the audience, as I wasn't tall enough to see beyond the lights. When the audience would erupt into applause, it seemed to loom up out of nowhere.

All the men in the business, I recall, wore suits and ties, whether they were managers, directors, or talent agents. Most of what I did were vocal and/or piano performances, though I also did some dance and some acting. It's funny how the one thing that stands out as my fondest and most longed-for theatrical link, is sequins. Especially, I loved the dancers' sequined costumes -- to me, they were thrilling and breathtaking! To this day, I really can't resist sequined items: purses, handbags, jackets, headbands, particualrly if silver-sequined. There is just something about them that has the power to transport me to a glamorous, exciting place. I may take a "group" picture of some of my sequined treasures and post it -- just to add some pizzaz to my blog -- and for your enjoyment, in case you share this particular passion!

Most of the costuming I saw was on the people I met backstage, when I'd be huddled with the rest of the crew, waiting for our cues and those electrifying words -- "you're on"!

During one such occasion, when I was an impressionable teen, I struck up a conversation with a stripper who had jet black hair pulled up into a ponytail ... and lots of deep green eye shadow on her eyelids. Among other things that she advised me about during those fleeting backstage moments, was that I must never (and she emphasized this) put perfume directly on my clothes. Actually, her exact words were "Never pour perfume on your clothes!" Well, this was useful information because I knew nothing about perfume application -- and I can still hear her voice, with its New York City accent, every time I apply my favorite (vanilla) scent onto my skin. During her act, when the light would hit her in a certain way, I noticed that she must be wearing those early-style contact lenses, as every so often, the light would bounce off them for a split second. And, oh yes, she had sequins -- lots of them!

So I really have two (fashion) selves: the one that loves and usually can be found in a friendly flannel shirt (over whatever else) and the one that admires the look and feel of sequins and silky stuff!

Presidential Candidates...

The presidential primaries are in full swing and it’s exciting and awesome to realize the U.S. actually/finally has a woman candidate and a black candidate in the running. Although Clinton and Obama differ in their approach, background, and personalities, I consider either/both of them to be very worthy of my vote. It was sad to see Edwards lose so much ground in the nomination process, as he had promoted a lot of needed concepts since early on in his presidential efforts. I believe, though, in Clinton’s intelligent, very conversant, savvy and well-informed approach and in Obama’s energetic, inspiring, and enthusiastic plans to restore our economy, rescue the struggling middle-class, bring home our troops, and establish an efficient, uniform system of health-care for all citizens – including those of us who currently have none.

I am afraid of the consequences a McCain victory would bring, if he were to be elected – I consider him a war machine (with little knowledge about economic matters, or anything other than career war).

I hope Americans will vote prayerfully – and when I say that, I mean spiritually, universally, not according to dogma. Look at where Bush’s dogma and insistence that he was God’s chosen one have gotten us ... unending war, a horribly battered economy, and even more horribly battered environmental and humanitarian policies and practices, a severely widening chasm between rich and poor, and a blight on our reputation in the world.

We need a president who can solidly approach the restoration of our country and who will make ethics, humane policies, addressing climate change, and preservation of the environment (and of the other species who share the world with us – the animals, our fellow travelers) – major priorities to be addressed. The fate of the world is literally at stake.

Good Vibrations & Excitations!

Sometimes people inquire about the music and color vibrational studies I’ve done (and around which I created my music therapy program). The core principle is that every sound and sight is made up of vibrations. Here are some introductory paragraphs (copyrighted in 2005) from my booklet "Music And Color – The Principle Of One and Both".

"... Every sound, whether the human ear can hear it or not, is made up of vibrations – vibrations produced by the ocean, weather, earth, plants, every creature, and every activity (think of carpenters working on a building; children playing in the schoolyard the howls, barks, mews, roars, growls, hisses, chirps produced by animals)."

"As a life-long songwriter and performing artist, I’ve experienced profound emotional, physical, and spiritual benefit in creating and presenting music. Also, I’ve had the opportunity to see truly remarkable benefits of music on listeners; for example, when I present music programs to residents of assisted-living facilities, frequently people put aside their walkers and get out of their wheelchairs, to dance. They leave the performance with obvious new energy, emotional zest, and a sense of connecting. Music can be exhilarating, electrifying, thrilling, sensuous, uplifting, soothing, or calming. There are times and needs for each of these."

"As a visual artist and nature-lover, my interest in color values also began at a young age. Colors have a full range of influences on us. The advertising industry and many businesses know this and utilize the colors that promote particular products and services."

"As a scientist, I’ve spent hundreds of hours studying the correlation of music, color, the body’s seven energy centers, and the relation of all of this to us, our health and well-being, our earthly environment and, beyond that, to the universe. Again – those inescapable and marvelous mathematics and vibrations!"