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You are here: Home / Archives for music

music

Goodbye Old Friends

January 20, 2016 by admin

It’s been a tough 2016 so far for us Baby Boomers. So far we have lost Natalie Cole, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and now Glenn Frey. All were in their 60s — far too young to me now. At 57, I can’t imagine the thought of having a decade or less to live.

We came of age with most of these icons (Alan Rickman came later). Bowie fascinated with his endless reinvention and enigmatic creativity. The Eagles formed a soundtrack for my restless, confused young adulthood. Later, in his solo career, Glenn Frey recorded one of my favorite songs, Soul Searchin’.

Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable, which used technological wizardry to allow her a duet with her late father Nat King Cole, was stunning. Though she grew up in his shadow, she forged her own unique style and career. When she died, I recalled how I felt at age six when I learned of her father’s death, also too soon.

Ours was the generation determined to make the world different. We were sure we would conquer aging, illness, and death. Yet here we are, unable to transcend our impermanence, just like every other generation.

The most stunning part of these deaths is the sheer weight of contributions made in life. They all leave behind an impressive body of work that will live long after them.

Most of us don’t know any of these celebrities, but their deaths hit us hard. They remind us to get busy, to make our lives as meaningful and rich as possible. Bowie managed to release one last album right before he died, and he reinvented himself to the end.

We cannot conquer old age or death, but we can let these icons teach us by example to make every day count. We could be here for decades, but we could be gone tomorrow. We might as well go for it.

—

What She Knew is now available for pre-order! Ebook will be available February 29. Release date for the paperback is March 29.

Filed Under: Life Changes Tagged With: aging, baby boomers, creativity, death of icons, living fully, music

Friday Fun and More

October 26, 2012 by admin

Hi, everyone!

Thanks to those of you who submit comments to the blog! You’ve given me some food for thought for future blog posts, and that’s the way I like it. I am hoping that together we have a dialogue about what matters to us. There’s definitely some “overwhelm” going on in our little creative community, and I know how that feels. Together, let’s get through it! I even received some information in my in-box this morning that I think will help, so I’ll share that next week.

In the meantime, it’s Friday, so let’s have some fun! I met Brooklyn James at a writers’ conference last year in Austin. I approached her because I wanted to know the secret to her toned arms (um, lift weights, Nadine), and we ended up having a lively discussion about books and writing.

She’s not only an emerging novelist, but a talented musician as well. Her first novel, The Boots My Mother Gave Me, is a touching coming-of-age-in-a-dysfunctional-family drama. She felt inspired to create a soundtrack as well, and recently made a music video, which I share with you today. I love Can’t Get It Right because I think it captures the complexity of the female experience. The scenes in the video make sense if you read the book, but the song stands on its own. Enjoy!

Can’t Get It Right

Filed Under: fun Tagged With: Brooklyn James, Friday Fun, music, The Boots My Mother Gave Me

Die Vampire Die! (And Other Inspirational Songs)

October 24, 2012 by admin

A sign we saw on our recent trip to Forks!

Since Hallowe’en is coming, I’ve been humming one of my favorite Broadway show tunes. A few years ago we saw [title of show] (which isn’t a typo, that’s the name of the show, complete with the brackets), and we use many of its songs as a source of creative inspiration. Die Vampire Die is a ditty about the creative “vampires” that can suck our creativity dry, and it has a way of bringing me back to a place of determination and resolve.

Sometimes we have a family crisis, or a crisis of confidence, but a lot can get in the way of our creativity. When that happens, we need a little boost to keep us going, to prevent that short break from turning into a long one.

When I get into those funks that make me want to give up, I use music to bring me back to the present moment so I can believe in myself again.

Some other songs to light the creative fire:  How Bad Do You Want it? by Tim McGraw; The Resolution by Jack’s Mannequin; The Rising by Bruce Springsteen; Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson; and God’s Promise by Ellis Paul (lyrics by Woody Guthrie). Enjoy this musical interlude!

How about you? Do you have favorite songs to lift your spirits when you’re feeling discouraged?

Filed Under: creativity Tagged With: blocked creativity, creativity, music, musicals, overcoming doubt, self-doubt

Theme Songs and Motivation

August 31, 2009 by admin

Yesterday we found one of NYC’s great bargains: the Fringe Festival of plays and musicals, a massive undertaking involving several venues and a plethora of new and emerging work. We went to see Mom: A Rock Musical by Richard Caliban, one of Henry’s playwriting teachers. For $10, we were enthralled for two hours by the story of a group of moms who form a rock band and find unexpected success, along with the challenges of sudden fame.

As a middle-aged stepmother, the story hit home. It’s so easy to take care of other people and to not nurture our own dreams. I’m getting better, but it’s still a challenge. I find comfort and motivation through music, often in the musicals that we attend in our visits to New York. One of my favorites is “A Way Back to Then” from Title of Show. And, as of yesterday, I have a new song for when I need that extra boost. It’s called “Don’t Hold Back,” from Mom. It’s a tear-jerker, a song about what a middle-aged woman would sing to the five-year-old version of herself if she had the chance.

All of us who create, whether through writing or other arts, have to deal with those days of sinking spells, discouragement, and frustration. A little bit of music, whether it’s heavy metal to shake us out of lethargy, or lullabies to soothe our nerves after a rejection from a publisher, goes a long way to heal wounds.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: art, books, creativity, independent publishing, music, nadine feldman, nadine galinsky, writing

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