one of the best.

if i have to back-it-up (no pun intended) and watch it again, then it's a dance that has really caught my attention. there were several from season 6 of sytycd that did just that, but here's one that really made my jaw drop during the finale. when jakob does that double-fist punch to the ground, i kinda' lose it.

soon it's gonna' rain.

and actually it's already begun. i think it rains here more than it stays dry. in all four seasons.

today is especially dreary. it needs the right accompaniment to fully hone in to this kind of weather.

today is the kind of day where i would normally put on one of my barbra streisand records and let it be my soundtrack for the afternoon.

so, since i don't have my vinyl right now, youtube will have to do.

here is barbra singing, soon it's gonna' rain from the fantastiks.


and here are the lyrics:

Hear how the wind begins to whisper
See how the leaves go streaming by
Smell how the velvet rain is falling
Out where the fields are warm and dry
Now is the time to run inside and stay
Now is the time to find a hideaway
Where we can play
Soon it's gonna rain, I can see it
Soon it's gonna rain, I can tell
Soon it's gonna rain, what are we gonna do?
Soon it's gonna rain, I can feel it
Soon it's gonna rain, I can tell
Soon it's gonna rain, what will we do with you?
We'll find four limbs of a tree
We'll build four walls and a floor
We'll bind it over with leaves
Then duck inside and play
Then we'll let it rain, we'll not feel it
Then we'll let it rain, rain pell mall
And we'll not complain if it never stops at all
We'll live and love within our castle
Hear how the wind begins to whisper
Feel how the rain is falling now

laura veirs is my new favorite, favorite, favorite.

obsessed. i'm obsessed with laura veirs' new album, 'july flame'. it's not out yet (coming january 2010). but she's so cool to offer two free tracks. and they are so good. like i can't get enough of them, i play them on repeat all day, so good. i think this will be one of the best albums of the year. you have to hear for yourself. please download. and then leave a comment if this post was helpful to you. because i'm really sharing some love here. after all, music is for sharing. and this, here, is an honest form of sharing. so go.for.it!
this album is too.wonderful.for.words, yes?
this is what good music is supposed to do to you.
it does something to me.
bah-rilliant.

wisdom.

i've loved this song for about six years now. which is some time to let it really settle in and take root in my prayers. it speaks time and time again. i'm reading about wisdom again these days. with a proverb a day. also soaking-in some nouwen [here and now: living in the spirit] to accompany this song. grateful for reflection. and grateful for the pursuit. of making wisdom the first step and the last thought when the day's done.

Humble yourself before the Almighty
That’s where you find true wisdom
Make it your first step, make it your last thought
Lying in bed when the day’s done

Hear it calling out your name
In the busy streets, in the center of town
Who will turn their face to truth and then live it out

Wisdom is greater than any fleeting
Pleasure that money brings you
Answers will come to those who pursue
The pathway to life that few choose

Hear it calling out your name
In the busy streets, in the center of town
Who will turn their face to truth and then live it out

Knowledge awaits you filling your arms
With more than they ever could grasp
Blessed are you who hunger for truth
And keep your eyes fixed on what lasts

Hear it calling out your name
In the busy streets, in the center of town
Who will turn their face to truth and then live it out

love of an orchestra.

this song is making me particularly happy today.
it's new from 'noah and the whale'.
check it, yo.

i especially like these lines:

i know i'll never be lonely
i've got songs in my blood
i'm carrying all the love of an orchestra
gimme the love of an orchestra...

although, i must say, i find it difficult to understand why they're releasing a new album titled 'the first days of spring' right as the thrust of autumn is taking shape. it messes with my season mo-jo.

no strangers anymore.

while updating my couchsurfing [cs] profile this week (elle & i are trying to score a place to stay in prague in two weeks time!), i decided to fill in the cs field that asked:
'personal philosophy: what is your personal philosophy? why do you live your life? feelings? thoughts?'

whew. i could write a novel. we all could. but this patty griffin lyric came to mind instead. it says so much. in so few words.

...and we'll grow kindness in our hearts
for all of the strangers among us
'till there are no strangers anymore...

-- Patty Griffin
(song: 'No Bad News' from the album 'Children Running Through')


so for now. that is my philosophy.
on life.
on community and humanity.
on sharing and travel.
on hospitality and embodying a spirit of 'welcome'.
on listening and learning from one another.
on movement and growth.
on love in action.
and on and on...

a time to love.

i think we could all benefit from takin' a look
at the times which presently surround us.
the u.s. news is chalk-full of stories about
so.much.name-calling.and.bickering.
and.finger-pointing.and.blame-gaming.
just all-around negativity goin' down.
my daily podcast reel (thank you AC360)
continues to show how divided people are.
on all fronts. on all issues. on all 'isms'.

but stevie is here to remind us (& ms. india.arie backs him up)
what time it really is.
please read. and ponder. and act.
let's.act.in.love.
it's the time.

We have time for racism
We have time for criticism
Held bondage by our ism's
When will there be a time to love

We make time to debate religion
Passing bills and building prisons
For building fortunes and passing judgments
When will there be a time to love

At this point in history we have a choice to make
To either walk a path of love
Or be crippled by our hate

We have time to cause pollution
We have time to cause confusion
All wrapped up in our own illusions
When will there be a time to love

We make time to conquer nations
Time for oil exploration
Hatred, violence and terrorism
When will there be a time to love

At this moment in time
We have a choice to make
Father God is watching
While we cause mother earth so much pain
It's such a shame

Not enough money for
The young, the old and the poor
But for war there is always more
When will there be a time to love

We make time for paying taxes
Or paying bills and buying status
But we will pay the consequences
If we don't make the time to love

Now's the time to pay attention
Yes now is the time... to Love...
A time to Love... Love...
A time to Love
Please, please won't you tell me
When will there be a time to Love...

-- Stevie Wonder, "A Time To Love"

i dig these fresh beats.

i just can't get enough of this live set from the oh-so-delightful esperanza spalding. she tore it up at the newport jazz festival last month. she's been one of my new fav women of jazz/soul/rhythm [she plays the upright bass and sings!] ever since i discovered her music last winter, but this live set has been quite the show-stopper to top all that i've heard from her so far.

please listen in. all the way through. and then repeat.
she's great. reeeally great.
as always, thank you npr for providing such treats and sweet jams. you're my favorite.

party like it's 2100.

i fell in love with travis wall in season 2 of sytycd.
and i've been so happy to see him as a choreographer now.
so.happy.
i love his non-verbal response to ellen's costuming comments.
classic.
and i love the dance too. the song really drives it.
mia's right; travis does have it going on.

ruby blue

my favorite dance from this week's show (way to go wade robson!)
also. brandon and janette are true performers.
they commit to their characters all.the.way.
and. i like this roisin murphy song too. it's a good one.
another and. i love wade and amanda robson.
one of the cutest couples ever. ever.

dust jacket project

i've been meaning to put a link on here to joel p west's dust jacket project for nearly a year now. so now i finally am.

a very inspiring project. believe me, you'll thank yourself for looking into it and for participating in it yourself. share your art and receive some of joel's music. all for free. a brilliant exchange of created goods. beside's the album being wonderful, the blog is updated daily with each new submission, so that is always a treat to look through. enjoy friends.

i'm missing mj too.

with all of the memorable mj tributes that i could post (where to begin?!), i am thankful for this fellow stevie fan who recorded stevie just being himself at one of his concerts last week. mourning but also celebrating the brilliance that is michael jackson. this is the total essence of stevie live but taking a break to remember a friend.

on stevie's left is his daughter aisha (as in "isn't she lovely" -- love her!) and then my faaaaav stevie back-up singer is on his right: keith. he's rocking, as usual, the silver music note earring that i kept trying to convince cody to also rawk last year. but to no avail.

like the rest of the world (quite literally) i'm missing mj too.

get.high.like.planes

meet my sweet swinging friend from bangalore.
just a lil' taste of an indian side street for you.
not too busy, but luckily you get some flava' from the rick-shaws, cow cameo, and passers-by.
love.love.

you can dance if you want to

So my mom just sent me the link to this video, and I immediately knew it was worthy of posting on here. We've all seen the group-choreographed vids' on youtube, but this one has found a special place in my heart. It's especially pertinent because:

1. I'm becoming more and more convinced that my one constant these days is a train station. I live in them. I even stopped at the very station that this video takes place in while passing through Belgium last summer. Euro train stations are always a-buzz, always a-flutter, and this video does the atmosphere, my seemingly one true constant, justice.

2. I'd say the number-one reason why people knock musicals is because they argue that "it's just not realistic to have people spontaneously breaking-out in song and dance". Oh contraire. After watching this video, you'll see why the ol' "realistic" argument is just rubbish. Rubbish, I tell you. It's obvious that song and dance, whether choreographed or spontaneous, is simply a normal part of life. I know it is for me.

3. Um, hello -- this is the Sound of Music! Do.rey.mi.fa.so.la.tee.do in Europa! And to top it all off I'm going to Austria this weekend! I'll be in Vienna and then Salzburg... I'll be standing (and of course dancing) in the very places that made this song so beloved, so treasured. Life-long dream being fulfilled here... after having the line about 'my birthday being on Tuesday and wanting a pink paracel' and all that jazz quoted to me too many times to count, it's about time I explored Salzburg first-hand.

Here I come!

don't look back

bob or bust.
in berlin.
for my birthday.
that's right.

.can.not.wait.

talking heads

I am posting this Talking Heads video simply because I just realized how insanely cool it is.

"This Must Be The Place". I love this song. You could say I dig it. Big time.

And is it not way ahead of its time? Or maybe we are now just living in the throw-back of this era... I mean just look at the background video and the clothes -- especially on the three ladies... hello 2009 -- except this was 1984. Much of today's art is just echoing this video. We're trying to emulate this look, this vibe. Look closely and tell me I'm right? Or, you have groups like The Arcade Fire and MGMT trying to cover this song -- and they're stylistically good, real good, but there's still nothing like the original.

Go ahead and pull out your best lamp dance moves for this one (David Byrne's the man here). Or just rock-it-real-cool-like, just as the background singers do. This, my friends, is what we call a jam.

signed, sealed, & delivered to stevie

What a treat, actually I'd even say what a gift, to be able to watch Stevie Wonder honored at the White House on-line just now. He received The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize a few days ago, but I didn't have a chance to watch it until tonight. PBS has the whole special on their website -- in its entirety -- no clips to have to shuffle through, and of course no commercials. I love PBS. Really, I do. Follow the link in Michelle Obama's quote (I echo her words) to watch the special for yourself. 60 minutes that is well worth your time.

Tonight it is a huge thrill for me as we honor a man whose music and lyrics I fell in love with when I was a little girl.... It is with tremendous pride and delight that I now introduce one of the world's greatest artists, and one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Stevie Wonder - in performance at the White House.

-- Michelle Obama

Two of my all-time favorite artists are included in the special as well: Ms. India.Arie and Paul Simon! So great. And the love that India and Paul both have for Stevie is so very evident. They get what Stevie is about. It's also fun to see Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Mary-Mary, and one of my more recent favs: Esperanza Spalding all honor Stevie, but in truth, no one sings Stevie as well as Stevie does. It's the truth.

Here's what President Obama had to say about Stevie:

Stevie has always drawn on the incredible range of traditions in his music. From them he's created a sound that at once uniquely American, uniquely his own, and yet somehow universal. Indeed, this could be called the American tradition - artists demonstrating the courage and talent to find new harmonies in the rich and dissonant sounds of the American experience.

Tonight's prize is also personal for me. As Stevie knows, I'm a huge fan. And he has been a great supporter. When I was first discovering music, just like Michelle, it was Stevie's albums that I found and his songs became the soundtrack of my youth. Through them I found peace and inspiration, especially in difficult times.

And I think it's fair to say that had I not been a Stevie Wonder fan, Michelle might not have dated me. : ) We might not have married. The fact that we agreed on Stevie was part of the essence of our courtship.

And I'm not alone. Millions of people around the world have found similar comfort and joy in Stevie's music, and his unique capacity to find hope in struggle, and humanity in our common hardships. This gift that music affords us, transporting us from the here and now, relieving us of our burdens, even if it's just for the length of a song. And this gift given to us by artists like Stevie is something we can all share.

So, it is my extraordinary privilege to present the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular song to an artist who has stirred our hearts and our souls for a generation, whose music knows no boundaries, an inspiration to us all. Please give it up for Mr. Stevie Wonder.

-- President Barack Obama

Finally, here's one of Stevie's best quotes from the night, while he was graciously accepting the award:

And to those in this country and throughout the world - if you can put down your spirits of hate, and open up your hearts to receive God's ever commitment of love, then we can be a united people of the world. If we can think that big, and feel that strong, then I believe, as is said to me by my God, impossible is unacceptable. We don't know the miracles that will be bestowed on us because of that. So I'm looking forward to you doing that, so that in my lifetime I can write some more songs about love, about unity, and real songs of passion.

-- Mr. Stevie Wonder

That's it. He says it. He speaks to the human condition. And ultimatley he speaks of love. Word, Stevie.

grapefruit-ginger tea bread -- & a lil' m.i.a.

This recipe is from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times and this one's a real keeper (you can't find the recipe on their web-site, so I thought it'd be worth sharing on here). Tami and I made this today, and let me just say it was quite the labor of love. "Supreming" grapefruit is no easy task --- but in the end, it was sooo worth it.

I'd recommend the 'Slumdog Millionaire' soundtrack for your background music; the Indian vibes are a quick remedy to help you recover from the inevitable grapefruit-juice-in-the-eye incident(s). Make this with a friend, and then let me know what you think.

The Bread:

• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 6 oz. nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 grapefruit, surpremed, segments coarsely chopped, all juice reserved with 2 tsp set aside separately. Do not be afraid of how much juice is left over... just add it in!
• 1 tbsp. grapefruit zest
• 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

The Glaze:

• 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tsp grapefruit juice

1. Preheat the oven @ 350 and spray a 9X5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl. Set aside.

3. Whisk together yogurt, milk, eggs, and canola oil in a medium-small bowl. Stir in grapefruit segments, remaining grapefruit juice (except the amount for the glaze) and grapefruit zest. Make sure everything is mixed together well.

4. Fold the wet mixture into the flour mixture until just moistened and no lumps remain. Fold in crystallized ginger and chopped pecans. Transfer to prepared loaf pan, and bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until deep brown around the edges, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Cool for 1 hour on wire rack; remove from pan, and cool completely.

6. To make glaze: whisk together confectioners' sugar and 1 and 1/2 tsp. grapefruit juice in small bowl. Stir in additional 1/2 tsp. juice to achieve thick, but pourable, consistency. Place foil beneath wire rack to catch drips. Turn loaf upside down so flat side is up, and drizzle glaze over loaf. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

7. Enjoy with a warm cup of tea. After all, we're talkin' about tea bread here. Believe me, you'll be glad you did. mmm--mmm! Seriously folks, this is a good one. A unique recipe with an equally unique taste.

De-lish'.

vienna waits for you

Last night, while I was driving, Billy Joel's song "Vienna" came up in the shuffled selections from my ipod, and it was just what I needed to hear.  In an interview, I heard him explain why he wrote this song and why Vienna was a metaphor for the way he wanted to approach life... as well as the realization that he didn't want his life to just slip by...  I feel ya' Billy.  I feel ya' big time.

I have so many dreams, so many ambitions, but even with those, I'm asking, "Where do I go from here...?"  These three weeks in San Diego have been such a gift -- space for both reflecting and asking hard questions while processing with people that I love and respect so much.  And while the world suddenly seems so open to me now that everything in Riverside has dissolved, I still am mourning all that has transpired in the past few months.

Mostly, even while I am in a season of grieving and introspection, I want to live fully in the moment -- again, to embrace what is present... to not let life pass me by.  And while I have months suddenly at my disposal, I want to take advantage of them... to travel, to explore, to try something new, to be shaped by something unfamiliar -- to have another adventure.  And as much as it is hurting to be leaving not only San Diego now, but the state of California altogether (that is just crazy), I think I am walking forward, making the best decision in the midst of crazy and unexpected circumstances, and taking advantage of some time to be immersed in the blanket of a Colorado winter.

A friend recently told me, "The world is your oyster right now."  And, I like that, a lot.  I think that same sentiment can be found in these lyrics from the piano man.  And, since I am exploring the possibility of serving as an Au Pair in Europe, who knows, maybe Vienna really is waiting for me?  : )  (Austria is one of countries that I've been seriously considering.)  As, I listened to this song last night, after saying goodbye to such treasured friends, not knowing when or where we'll see each other again (this is killing me!), I was comforted to know that: life is still there to be seized - in every season, in every place, and that, my friend, is the kind of person I want to be.  "When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?"

Oddly enough, this song confirmed that I made the right decision to be in Colorado for the month of December, as well as again confirming that I made the right decision to be in San Diego during this month.  Today, it's still so difficult to be leaving San Diego, a city that is full of so many people and places that I absolutely love... that have become home to me for the past five years... but Billy's helping me get through today.  Sing us a song.

Slow down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
Are you still so afraid?
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight (tonight)
Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right (you're right)

You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize...
Vienna waits for you.

And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through

Why don't you realize...Vienna waits for you
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

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