Send-A-Pyrate-To-Camp 2012 Fund

SO VERY much going on right now, my friends.... much of which I can't talk about yet because it would spoil the surprise.  But I'm working on a couple of things together with some newly discovered allies and... well, just you wait!!! You will be pleasantly surprised!


In the meantime, that kid of mine, The Pyrate, is doing thangs too!  This semester, which should have been his second semester of 8th grade, has been challenging for him because, he's been advanced to 9th grade after completing 8th grade in ONE SEMESTER!  9th grade has been more demanding of him in terms of organization, and we've had to go through some real exercises in self discipline and independance and learn some lessons in making decisions for the big picture instead of the little one.  He's doing really well.  Grades are great and he's chugging along.  For more on his fantastic school, check out K12 now!
We went to a college fair a month or so back and that alerted me to the fact that since he is accelerating through two years of school in one, I might want to ummmm.... perhaps facilitate the beginning motions of planning for college.  We started researching and have the beginnings of a solid list of schools that have solidly funded marine biology programs.  It's been fun and very exciting to start exploring each school and it's different pros and cons.  On his list are schools of every size and ranking... some state funded and some private, and a couple of the Ivy Leagues even.  He's been really gaining perspective about the big picture since we started that exploration.

During this exploring we looked at requirements and admissions strategies for both the state-run colleges and the Ivy Leagues so that we would be prepared with a well-rounded resume to be not only eligible for admission, but that the next 3 years represent him appropriately as a rockstar and what that means to the admissions officers at the different schools.  You can read about what I'm finding out on my notes tab on facebook.  It's interesting stuff.  Especially when it comes to the Ivies and their admissions process.  These days, you have many options... You can go straight down the middle or shoot for the stars and save the middle for your backup and, armed with the right information set out on a master plan to make your aims pay off.
One of the things the Pyrate is doing is applying to volunteer in his field of interest.  He will hopefully be accepted this summer to work as a volunteer docent at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium's aquatic nursery and as a youth counselor at the Long Beach Marine Institute's summer camp.  He's also applied to begin the L.A. Zoo's youth docent program in the fall.  All of these are pretty exciting tidbits.
In the fall, he starts 10th grade with honors and ap courses and will take two courses at a local community college as well.  If this sounds like a lot, you don't know the Pyrate.  Today he finished his entire day's worth of school work by 11am.  This kid has the opposite problem from my own... he has TOO many hours in the day.  We are attempting to fill some of them with things he will enjoy, learn from, and build confidence socially.  His summer will be full with these adventures!
Can you believe we are already planning for next summer?  There are two summer programs he wants to apply to.  One is the Summer Institute for Gifted Learners... an academic program that takes place on the campuses of the countries top universities, and the kids stay for three weeks (!!) on campus, and attend academic classes in their subjects of interest and fun supplement classes to help them with different sorts of study and learning practices.  He is aiming to attend the program at UC Berkley next summer.
The second of the two programs is the Brown Environmental Leadership Lab in Rhode Island.  This two week program is right up the Pyrate's alley, as attendees will stay in tents right on the shores of a beautiful bay, and study issues related to the environment, shoreline ecosystems, and more!  It looks like a wonderful program.  We hope to send him to that one too!
These two camps are extremely expensive so we are establishing a fund to raise the tuition  and airfare to send the Pyrate to them.   If we get 50 people to donate $200 each (you could do a lump sum, or that's $20 a month...), we would be able to send him off on this voyage!  We invite you to participate via the link to the right in the column or visit the website we've set up for the purpose of raising funds.  All donors will receive a monthly newsletter directly from the Pyrate with updates on his fundraising progress, school work, summer volunteer adventures, and more.  And the best part is that you'll receive a personal and exclusive invitation to a donor appreciation/bon voyage party in May 2012.    Whatever amount you are able to donate is appreciated!
Well, I've got to get back to this secret stuff I'm cooking up over here.... My news is coming soon!!!!
Til then love and light... xoxoxo

A Movie in the Making...

Be a part of this very special project headed up by my friend, singer/songwriter/score composer/film director (yes, and so much more) Patsy Moore! *You'll need to scroll to the bottom of my blog page and turn off my music player there.*

A REAL FEEL-GOOD PIECE OF WORK from Patsy Moore on Vimeo.

The Plight (flight) of the Polymath (butterfly)

The other day I received a message on twitter that caused me to take pause and contemplate.   
"  (By the way), I thought I was a polymath.....you may have me beat. ;)  "


Now, I kinda knew what the word meant but I would in no way have ever held that perspective of self, so I stopped and looked up the word to make sure I understood what it meant, because, by my definition, he must have me confused with someone else who's a lot less disfunctional than I am. 

I often find myself stuck unable to decide what to do next.  About what?  About most anything.  It's not because I lack imagination or education, or resources.  It's not because I lack initiative. It's not because of fear of failure.  It's not because I'm depressed.  It's not because I'm lazy.  Although most of the time when I feel stuck, these things are exactly what I've been conditioned to think of myself, mostly due to being diagnosed as such throughout my life at one time or the other by well meaning grown ups who never really took the time to actually get inside my head.    Occasionally, I get up the gumption to get things done, and there's almost always some sort of measurable success. 

I have, in my lifetime an innumerable collection of these small successes.  But I have always put a lot more credit (or charge, as it were) towards the long periods of time in between them, when I was stuck in seemingly endless bouts of ruts asking myself "What to do, what to do?"  This has always made me feel like I lack direction... like I can't make up my mind who I am.... like a need to stop hopping around from one thing to the other and just choose something reasonable and stick to it.  But that's not who I am, so attempts to do this have always ended in disappointment and injury to my self esteem.   I used to dread anyone asking me what I do.  What should I tell them?  I'm a mother, I'm a volunteer at the pyrate's school, I'm a hobby gourmet...soon-to-be cookbook author and home cooking teacher, I'm a writer, I'm a vocalist, I'm a songwriter, I'm a blogger, I'm a former makeup artist, I'm a poet, I'm a bridge connecting many people, I'm a painter, I'm a crafter, I'm a business partner, I'm a supporter of the arts, I'm a wife, a daughter, a friend to many, I'm a motivator, I'm a teacher, I'm a truth seeker, I'm an entertainer.  Those are the things I am everyday.  On occasion, I am my family's hub, I am an activist, I am a therapist, I am a world traveler, I am a speaker of several languages, I am a healer, I am an employer...
I suppose I could go on and on if I think about it long enough.  Most of the time I don't think about it like this.  All I see is that over the last year I didn't accomplish any of my goals from the year before... except getting married... and that feels like failure on first pass to me when i'm in a rut.  I've been as hard on myself as those who would, in the past, judge me harshly without knowing me... almost as if I don't know myself.  All those things that I am... collectively they can feel very overwhelming if I hold myself to the high expectations in my head.  When I sort of finish something or it comes to a halt for some reason, I find myself unprepared with the next thing because I've dedicated my focus on doing the one thing with some sort of grand ambition.  Then all of a sudden that space in my head is wide open, and all the other things that I am come flooding in and I realize how many things I want to be doing, should be doing, have to be doing, in order to feel authentically me, but I'm overwhelmed.  I get so overwhelmed sometimes that I can't even think about it all.  I have to just be silent and pretend like I am none of those things... don't answer my phone, don't check my mail, just shut down and allow my mind to be silent and still until the feeling passes and I can pick something to focus on... It never occurred to me that it would be okay to just be them all at once.   That's the way it is to be multi-talented I suppose.... but I never really would have called myself this.  These many facets of me felt like indecision at best.  Most people, after all don't even understand what it means to have so many options so to them, I just look flighty.  It would be so much easier to just have one title. 

The newer stuff that I do is the hardest.  The music I make is good.  But I often feel like I cheated because I've not been doing it all my life.  I don't practice it for hours everyday til it's perfection.  I just do it, with some degree of organic movement and emotion.  It is an expression and not a science for me.  I expect to not get acclaim because I feel that there are so many others who work harder at it for a lot longer than I and they deserve to reap the benefits of their labor.  I can't even tell you how many times I walked into a room full of fellow artists and felt like I would be exposed for the impostor that I surely must be.  Because, how could I be a music artist AND all these other things? 



Then the other day, this message came, from a virtual stranger, a cyber friend, who doesn't know me from Joe Schmoe.   I thought to myself "Huh?  Polymath?  Me? Yeah, right... quit yankin' my chain bro."   That's what happens when you're a grown ass woman and someone pays you a compliment that seems to be a bit superfluous by definition.  You think your chain's gettin' yanked.  :) 


But I didn't respond right away because experience has also taught me to take a pause in moments like that and utilize my resources.  So I did just that and looked up the word.  Here is the wikipedia definition of the word.  Scroll over the little icon:

 Polymath






Now, in the first few lines of the definition, I was still convinced there was no application where this word related to me.  I'm certainly no expert at anything... at least not by my own allowance.  After all, there's an artist's rendition of Leonardo Da Vinci there as an illustration.  That's a lot to live up to.  lol..

But as I read on I began to see things in the definition that actually sound a lot like me... if I put aside those judgements ordained upon me in my youth and allow for a different perspective. 


I am a Renaissance (Wo)Man.  That information is quite empowering in this particular moment, when I've been having one of those periods of being stuck that seems to have gone on for almost 2 years now, since just after the release of my debut album.  Which if I allow myself to be honest about it, was a huge accomplishment.   Ever since, I've been bumbling around doing a little bit of this and then a little bit of that, but doing nothing with any significant amount of commitment because I felt ridiculous to do so.   The wedding planning distracted me for about 8 months, but that ended very quickly when all the festivities were over.  (Another hugely successful accomplishment considering it was mostly do-it-yourself styling and planning for 250 guests...)    But now, I think I realize, this is just who I am.  I have to just give my all, to all of it, in the best way I can, and be thankful for the multiple gifts that I may enjoy including never being forced to endure boredom. 



There comes time in ones life when one must rename themselves, redefine who they are, based on who they are, and put aside all of the externally projected judgments, labels, names, and definitions one trusts in one's youth.


There comes a time when you must either embrace yourself, in all that you are and celebrate or resign yourself to the misery of dissatisfaction with your life.  

I am a Polymath.   Like a butterfly, I may light upon many a different flower and that may seem like "flightiness" to some, but in truth, I pollinate each petal I light upon with life and love and in those visits the world is hopefully in a small way improved for myself and others and life is perpetuated.

I am a Renaissance (Wo)Man, and I am now aware of becoming enlightened to what I must do.  I must stop allowing myself to be overwhelmed with not meeting other people's expectations, and allow myself to just DO what I do,  the best I can do it... all of it... like...
my very own little symphony of ME.

This year's composition includes plans to write and produce a new cd, take a summer trip to Austria to visit the Austrian's parents, get my Cook 'n Dine sessions up and running, write a cookbook, perform live more, a trip to the UK in the fall for my cousin's wedding, the whole family getting scuba certification (which means classes and two dives), start brainstorming for the rock opera I want to write, work on some substantial health and wellness improvements, and somewhere in all of that make a baby! 
So I guess this year I'll just attempt to do it all with some astute choreography.  Let's see what happens.

Me. Live.

It will be a while before I'm on stage again.  I've got a lot going on.  Here's one last show for the year and then I'll be focusing on the new!  So, if you're in Los Angeles this holiday season, don't miss this show!!!   I'll be performing most of your favorites from the Love and Light Volume One cd.  The band will feature actor/activist  Donn Swaby on guitar, P-funk All-Star drummer Karoly Kiss , bassist to the stars Les King, and extraordinary rock violinist Jennifer "Spags" Spingola.   I'm telling you, don't miss this show!!!

Much Ado About Nothing

I've been doing real good with the "new posts daily" thing... I've only missed a few days in the month I've been blogging.  It hasn't been difficult to find something to share. When I've missed it's been because I couldn't spare the 3 hours it takes to write, edit, and post a blog article. 
Today was different.  I don't know what it was... Perhaps that I was a bit preoccupied with planning the projects we are going to do in my house for christmas giving. We give handmade items for the holidays instead of participating in all that shopping foolishness.    Perhaps I was preoccupied with the show I have coming up in a few weeks... one of only two shows I've done in the last year and a half.

I sat for about an hour trying to start a blog.  But everything I started bored me silly, so I know it would have bored you sillier!  So this is it.

NOt much to tell.

I'm doing a show on December 30th... Reflections at Zanzibar in Santa Monica, CA.   I will keep you posted as to what time I'm scheduled to go on.  It should be a good show.  There are two other fantastic artists lined up as well, so I hope to see all of you who are in L. A. out that night for a pre-new years eve warm up!   The band is excited.  We've got a phenomenal guest bassist sitting in for Dave Henning, and the rest of Chrysalis Child is fully intact!   Expect to see guitarist/actor Donn Swaby, P-Funk Allstars drummer Karoly Kiss, and Jennifer "Spags" Spingola on electric Viper violin, all rockin' out with me on stage.   I'm making my way back on my own terms now, and I hope you'll all be there to be a part of that new energy!

On December 13th, my good friend, jazz/soul artist  Nailah has a holiday concert and toy drive and probably a couple of other things going on.  Check her calendar for details here!  Any effort you make to get out to see this woman perform will be for sure justified.  She is a force of nature!

On December 17th, my good friend, the soul songstress Jimetta Rose will be celebrating the release of her debut album "The Barber's Daughter".  9 pm at Stereo Love at the Little Temple 4519 Santa Monica Blvd.

I'm sure there's more going on!  If you've got an event you want to share, post it here as a comment.

Alright.  It's now officially the next day and I've missed my "new posts daily deadline"...

But better late than never, right?

To sleep I go...

Japanese Addresses... Derek Sivers

Check out the 2 minute talk Derek Sivers gave at the TED Conference in India.  Good stuff...

Derek Sivers Doesn't Know It But....

... he's one of my secret mentors.  I have a few.  But this founder of the website CD Baby is someone I've been following since he sold his company and set out on a journey of new awakening.
What's so special about Derek Sivers?

I have my music on the CD Baby site.  They sell downloads and actual physical CD's, and they are responsible for my music being on every major form of online distribution... including iTunes long before there were any other ways to get onto iTunes as an independant artist.
When someone buys an artist's cd from their website, they keep track of all your stats, and I don't know... once a week, I think it is, you get an email letting you know how many cd's you sold and how much money you made.
At the end of that short and simple report, there was always this message from Derek saying:

Yes it's good to get paid paid paid paid for making music!
I hope I write you a million more checks.
I hope you write a million more songs.
I hope you get a million more fans
who give you a million kisses
all because of CD Baby.

Derek Sivers


Yeah, I know that went to every cd baby artist.  Did that make me feel any less warm and fuzzy?  No.  He made sure his name followed it.  As broad sweeping as that little message may have been distributed, he put his name on it.  That meant something to me.  It said that if I ever ran into him, and asked him to recite those lines, he probably could, because he wrote them himself as his personal sign-off on every business transaction. That notion made me feel somehow protected.  Like Derek Sivers and his company had my back. He put his name on it.  What a genius bit of psychological marketing!

When he left, I was very skeptical about what would come of my relationship with that company.  But so far, nothing has changed... it's as if in his leaving he required certain things to be kept intact when he was gone.
The message at the end of the sales report is still there.
Humorously, it now is signed The Money Person.

What is he doing now?  Well... lol... Mr. Sivers has a blog.  That's right.  He left his highly profitable business behind and for the last couple of years, has been writing a blog.  I've been reading it for the last year.  When I first started reading it, I did so reluctantly... I didn't want to go on.  I didn't want to hear the same old stuff that all the industry gurus try to spew.  Most advice out there fits comfortably into the category of Status Quo.

I was so tired of the same old crap being repackaged and perpetrated as a new idea.  I didn't need that.  I needed to learn something new.  The music industry is falling apart because of its stoic exploitive nature.  It disgusts me and often makes it very difficult to function on a business level.  A little more than a year ago, I had a manager, who was also a long time friend of the family whose advice and direction lost me enormous amounts of money and the ability to promote my debut album.  I was devastated and years worth of jade came down on me in the course of that one moment in time.  I have little or no tolerance anymore for wasting time, money, or heart on the words of people whose actions don't match.

Derek Sivers' blog has kept me from going completely cold on this journey.  Everytime I'd think I was going to toss it aside, another blog  update would show in my email inbox and I'd read what he had to say and heal a little.  I can't even tell you how many times I felt like he was writing to me personally.  I could relate so well to his journey.

Lately he'd been writing alot about being idle, the concept of being completely free, not having any place he had to be, nothing he had to do, no obligations, and no schedule.  One blog he wrote about just doing nothing... that day he was just going to sit around and read and sleep and then read and sleep some more, because the book he was reading was inspiring.   I thought to myself, "yeah, right... what are you reading, Mr. Sivers??"  I tried to post that question as a comment and for some reason it wouldn't take my post.  So I went to the email update I'd received and did something I never do.  I reached out to a total stranger, who, in my estimation is in a whole other league than I.   Short and sweet, I wrote, and asked him what he was reading.
He wrote me back within 24 hours.  I was a bit floored by his accessibility.  Here's what he wrote...

Hi Brig -
Awww thanks! :-)   Heheh, I was reading a programing book actually.  Not that interesting. 
I just get excited about that kind of stuff.
Thanks again! 
I'm so glad you're liking the blogs!  Very cool!
More to come!  :-)

I knew he had something up his sleeve.  Who reads programming books for nothing in their leisure time? Something new is in the works.   I am pretty excited to find out what it is...

Recently the TED organization commissioned him to speak at their Talk in India.  This organization excites me too and you should check them out.  (Which reminds me, I plan to join them to stay in the loop.)   Anyone interested in technology, entertainment, and design should be hip to TED and its adventurous conferences.

I feel like I'm wasting time writing all of this gushy stuff, when all I need to do is give you the darn link.  His writing is inspirational.  It's not just about music and the sale of it.  It's about living life to the fullest, how to find your niche in the world, being a maverick, getting up off your duff and making things happen instead of waiting for them to happen, or in the adverse, stopping full halt and contemplating what the hell you're doing...  It's a good blog and his insights are very honest and to the point.

The blog update I received today, led me to his blog page to read an entry that moved me more than any blog he's written in the past.  I would love for you to read these words and be enriched by the poignant wisdom in them.
I have to run...
We are on our way to the California Science Center to take part in a conference about the human genome and the medicalization of race.  Yeah.   I am the mother of a budding scientist... That's how we roll... :)


Derek Sivers' Blog