I Didn't Mean To Binge That Korean Drama... :\

So my Mom is officially addicted to K-Drama's. It started near the start of the year. (Time is moving so fast I can't quite remember!) And since then she's watched several drama's. My sister-in-law Lindsay has been into K-Drama's for quite a while now, and both her and Robbie watch a bunch together. For my Mom's birthday they got her "Goblin: The Lonely and Great God." Elsewhere I've seen the drama called "Guardian."

Anywho! She loved it! I didn't watch it with her. Some drama's we've watched together, but mostly I'll watch the first part, go do stuff, and come back to watch the last few episodes. Only a few drama's I've seen in their entirety. 

Well, she's been begging me to watch Goblin with her. She loves the drama so much she even got the CD album off Amazon. Heh, well, after weeks and weeks I finally started watching it with her last week. And I was determined only to watch two episodes a day. No bingeing allowed! This lasted a few days. 0_0 Started with six episodes spread between three days. Then the plot just got so juicy... and I watched six episodes in one day... and the last four episodes the last day.

Dang it! :P Honestly, the drama is really good. It gets into spiritual beliefs with reincarnation, the tea ceremony before passing to the next life, spirits that dwindle before moving on, the gods among them all, and the Goblin cursed with immortality. The topic is interesting. But what was truly captivating were the characters, plots, development, and great casting. 

It's been fun watching different Korean drama's. There's definitely tropes and patterns in the stories whether they're stories of rich heirs or idols. Senior year high school girls dating older and suddenly becoming homeless happens a lot. It's all fun, and I like the concise stories.

Also, I've been digging a little into K-Pop. For about 20 years I've listened to BoA who's Korean and has both Japanese and Korean music. But this whole idol group dynamic in Korean music is just a whole thing altogether.  It's a little crazy. Stumbled upon Girl Generation and Twice within the last few weeks, two major girl groups in Korea. I like Twice's latest mini album and picked it up at Target. Korean music CD packages are another beast on their own. They come with different version with photo booklets and randomly given photo cards, and other do-dads. People will collect sets of the same album, with different packaging, just to collect and trade the cards! Plus getting the different photo books.  It's crazy, but a really creative way to sell so many albums... to the same people.

Anywho... Hope you're having a great day!

Sarah

 

Being Smarter than the Child's Lock

Oh, goodness, when I went to Japan with my sibs Michael and Krista back in 2015 my Mom babysat the kiddos.  They were young and got into everything, so nearly everything got child locks.  This child lock has remained in place since then, not released.  What is it guarding?  Piano/Vocal sheet music.  I haven't practiced in... I can't remember honestly.  Total mental block.  There's sheet music next to the piano I haven't touched as well.  I've been buying sheet music, just haven't been able to bring myself to the piano to practice.

 

That's changing.  I need to play again, face the silly thing in my brain that's stopping me.  I need to play and feel music again.  Step one is organizing what I have, and I can't do that until I unlock this baby.

 

Problem is, I'm not smarter than the lock.  I've tried opening it in the past, but wasn't successful.  So I found another way... (Yeah, I could have consulted YouTube, but what fun is that?)

 

I realized that doorknobs twist off.

And the lock was removed.  Still don't know how it works.

And now to organize and play again.  I'm afraid to find old music that I use to play so well, but may now find difficult.  Is playing the piano like riding a bike?  Well, one way or another, I can't keep holding myself back.

Sarah

 

Changing Seasons, Cilantro, Macarons, and Songs that Fill Moods

Autumn never seems to last long enough.  Summer and Winter are the forever seasons while Spring and Autumn tug back and forth between the first two, never getting a true fair shake.  Last Tuesday was north Utah's last day in the 70's, and now we are in a temperature freefall, bouncing about here and there with a chance of snow on Sunday.  Yippee!! :P 

Anywho, in other news, I told my Mom that cilantro is really good for detoxing.  Read that somewhere, so it must be true.  And it must be why green smoothies always list it as an ingredient.  And then I told her that some people have a gene that makes cilantro taste like soap.  Sadness.  She's never had a problem with cilantro before, but bought a tiny bunch to try.  While having lunch yesterday she ate it and declared, "It tastes like soap!"  I told her it must be in her head, because she's never had this issue before.  After a few chews she decided that it was 50/50.  The cilantro tasted normal to me. *shrug*

Now lavender sometimes taste like soap in things.  But tasty soap!!  Oh my goodness, there's a little shop in the Paseo Nuevo outdoor mall in Santa Barbara called Le Macaron French Pastries, and I just checked and they seem to still be in business.  That's fantastic.  They have a pastry chef from France, and they make Lavender macarons that are so good.  But want to know the best flavor??!!  Rose!!!!  It's so good.  And no other macaron place I've been to has them.  I haven't been to Santa Barbara in well over a year.  It's probably going to be awhile before I get the chance to visit California again.

Please tell me other people are like this... have you ever loved a song so much that it goes on loop, sometimes for days?  A couple weeks ago I was digging "Fallin' (Adrenaline)" by Why Don't We.  Slow beginning, but goes into a great beat.  Then it was Rascal Flatts album "How They Remember You."  That lead me to discover the song "Ocean" by Lady A (formally known as Lady Antebellum), and that song went on loop a full two days.  It fed a mood.  And it crazy slowed down my productivity. -_-;;  Oh, and then I went on a Radio Disney kick and discovered the song "Lie Like This" (clean edit) by Julia Michaels.  It has such a nice chorus.  And now I'm digging the Christian song "Haven't Seen It Yet" by Danny Gokey, which has three versions, and they're all nice.  

Hope you're having a great day! :D

 “Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves.” ~ Humbert Wolfe

 

The Songs That Marked My Childhood

It's amazing how powerful a song can be.  Just a simple tune over the airways, while at the store, through your mind, etc, can take you back in time. Music is the closest to time travel we've got (And, no... I haven't seen that new Bill and Ted movie... heh).  Here are a few songs that remind me of my childhood.

Our House · Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.  It's a 1970's song, but it was played a lot when I was a kid.  There is this vague memory of it playing before a television show.  This song was a favorite of mine, simply because it gives me the warm fuzzies.  It's just a really sweet song.  How can you not be happy while listening to it?

Kokomo · The Beach Boys, 1988.  This was my favorite song!  Oh my goodness.  Every time I heard it I was instantly happy.  There's this random memory I have when I was in a grocery store and it came on, and I just started dancing around.  Oh, this song takes me back.  And now I want to visit the beach.

We Built This City · Starship, 1985.  I actually remember the first time I heard this song.  It was before I was five, and I was visiting my Aunt and Cousin's in an apartment house complex my Grandpa owned in Riverside CA.  I was in the kitchen and my Aunt was playing it off a cassette tape.  It was love at first listen.  Whenever I hear this song I remember living in So. Cal pre Porterville days, living close to Disneyland, with warm afternoons and scattered happy memories visiting the park and feeding ducks. 

Sara · Starship, 1985.  Oh, this song takes me back.  It's the song that haunted me.  It's the song that people would sing to me whenever they heard my name.  Thankfully by the 2000's people stopped doing this, but dang, it lasted just a little too long.  But seriously, when you listen to the lyrics it's a seriously depressing song!!  It's so sad.

Manic Monday · The Bangles, 1986.  This is just one of those songs I would sing whenever I got the Monday blues.  It's just a fun song.

I'm So Excited · The Pointer Sisters, 1982.  I loved this song so much.  Every time it came on the radio or elsewhere I would get excited and dance around. Once, as a kid I was dancing randomly in a parking lot singing the chorus to this song as loud as I could, and my Mom was like, "Do you even know what that song is about?"  And I was like, "... being excited?"  Now that I'm older I get it, and I'm like, "oh".

Grandma's Feather Bed · John Denver, 1974.  Come on, it's a fun song.  'nuff said.  I have always wondered what sleeping on a feather bed was like thanks to this song.

Ballerina Girl · Lionel Richie, 1986. I think the reason I loved this song so much was because I was obsessed with dance growing up, and this song sang to my soul.  Every time it came on I had to turn and practice the simple moves I learned in class.

Dancing On The Ceiling · Lionel Richie, 1986.  My Dad had a home video camcorder, and he would have my siblings and I get on a long table and have us dance, and then flip the camera upside down so that when we watched it back it looked like we were literally dancing on the ceiling.  It was great.

The two records I remember my Dad owning pre-five years old: The Muppet Movie and the Christmas Chipmunk Album.  Somewhere Over the Rainbow is one of my favorites.  All the music from the Muppet album is amazing.  But my absolute favorite is "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday."  Whenever I hear it I get chills.  See, as a Latter-Day Saint I believe in a pre-mortality, and I think of that when I here this song.  Pretty sure it's a song about Gonzo being an alien, but there are really poignant lines.

And to finish it off, the song from the 90's that always takes me back in time. I Love You Always Forever · Donna Lewis.  I don't know what it is about this song that gives me all kinds of nostalgia, but it does.  I do have a memory visiting my Grandpa in Ventura and Star Trek First Contact was in theaters.  We went to go see it, goodness, where was it? Santa Barbara?  Oh, I can't remember where it was playing.  But I remember distinctly this song coming on the radio as we went, and I just started singing along.  Good times.  There are the Backstreet Boys.  BBMak.  Disney songs I would play on the cassette player I carried around (side B of Pocahontas was so good).  And I was obsessed with soft rock radio stations.  Chicago.  My Mom liked playing the Eagles and the Monkees.  Bad Day by Daniel Powter got me through the end of my college days. But this song, it transports me.

 

Finally Finding One of My Favorite Soundtracks: The Secret World of Arrietty

 Every now and then a movie produces a soundtrack that touches the heart and soul in various ways.  Some soundtracks inspire a generation.  Star Wars was one of those iconic soundtracks.  Growing up I was enchanted by Chariots of Fire, Field of Dreams, and the original Muppet Movie.  Then it was Ever After, Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow), A Little Princess, and Sense and Sensibility.  In college I was addicted to the first Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack; Barbossa Is Hungry was played on loop (I have vivid memories carrying my discman around campus, perfectly balanced, steady steps, so the CD wouldn't skip).

For some reason soundtracks haven't really caught my attention all that much in this last decade, but when I heard The Secret World of Arrietty, a movie by Hayao Miyazaki, about eight years ago, the songs jumped off the screen full of enchantment.  The music doesn't sound typical Miyazaki, instead it's whimsical Celtic by Cecile Corbel.  The very first time I heard the music I wanted the soundtrack, but couldn't find it, and that was even after visiting Japan.  Guess I was looking in all the wrong places.  But a few weeks ago I finally found it, by accident, on the Amazon Market Place under the title: Karigurashi No Arrietty.  It arrived in the mail yesterday, and it really is simply whimsical and enchanting.  Celtic is such happy music.

 (As a side note, I'm listening to the Field of Dreams soundtrack off of YouTube, that's another hard one to get, and it's bringing back so many memories.  So haunting.)

The Beast You Feed

"One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, 'My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.  One is Evil: It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.  The other is good:  It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.'  The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'  The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'" ~ Native American Cherokee Story, from a picture meme.

I just got back from the U.K./Ireland.  This is why I haven't had any blog posts in the last few weeks.  All the traveling.  It's been amazing.  Wonderful.  Though I've been overwhelmed by it all.  Right before the trip I realized that I needed to write 15 blog posts in a few days.  And so I froze.  And the blog post I last wrote had a more negative tone that I carried with me to Bath, like an anchor around my neck.  The weight was bothersome, and I went to the blogger app to edit the post a little.  Not too much, but enough to lighten its tone.

Immediately I felt better.  Still sad I couldn't write all those posts, as I usually do before a trip, but at peace and ready for adventure.  And then my mind thought about the story of the two wolves and "the one you feed."  Suddenly I realized the wolf I'd been feeding, and even though I rewrote that blog post didn't make it any less true, I was simply feeding another wolf, and my spirit lifted in the process.  How powerful those two wolfs are.

A couple nights ago I was lying in bed, awake at 1:00 am after sleeping a few hours, unable to sleep due to jet lag, and so I turned on a radio app and streamed classical music.  A host came on and told the story of Beethoven losing his hearing.  He started going deaf around 26 years of age, but later on he wrote a letter to his brothers, explaining his thoughts on the matter.  He actually contemplated suicide, but fought against it.

"but what a humiliation when one stood beside me and heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing, or someone heard the shepherd singing and again I heard nothing, such incidents brought me to the verge of despair, but little more and I would have put an end to my life - only art it was that withheld me, ah it seemed impossible to leave the world until I had produced all that I felt called upon me to produce, and so I endured this wretched existence - truly wretched, an excitable body which a sudden change can throw from the best into the worst state - Patience - it is said that I must now choose for my guide, I have done so, I hope my determination will remain firm to endure until it please the inexorable parcae to break the thread, perhaps I shall get better, perhaps not, I am prepared." ~ Beethoven, to his brothers in the Heiligenstadt Testament, 1802.  It's worth a read.

Ironically a few hours later a video from Twoset Violin popped up on my Facebook feed, all about Beethoven and going deaf, and how his greatest works were written later in life.  Then they did a deaf composition challenge that I didn't watch.  But it got me thinking, how different would Beethoven have been if he didn't face this challenge?  Would he have written his magnificent 9th Symphony that other amazing composers adored and influenced?  Would we honor Beethoven and his genius as highly as we do?  Now that I've read what he faced, what he contemplated, and fought through, it makes me admire Beethoven all the more.

To his brothers he wrote, "It is my wish that your lives be better and freer from care than I have had, recommend virtue to your children, it alone can give happiness, not money, I speak from experience, it was virtue that upheld me in misery, to it next to my art I owe the fact that I did not end my life with suicide . . . with joy I hasten towards death - if it comes before I shall have had an opportunity to show all my artistic capacities it will still come too early for me despite my hard fate and I shall probably wish it had come later - but even then I am satisfied, will it not free me from my state of endless suffering? Come when thou will I shall meet thee bravely."

Let's not feed the beast.  Let's feed that which will give us light, joy, a clearer perspective.  Peace.

The Power of Faith

"Hope on. Journey on. Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe."

~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, from "Lord, I Believe" 

A truly powerful talk.

I've been thinking a lot recently about faith and the World.

And I've been thinking a lot recently about light waves, or more specifically the Electromagnetic spectrum. 

We're suppose to believe what we see, right?  Seeing is believing.

And all we can see, what's been seen for centuries, is apart of the visible light spectrum, the classic colors of the rainbow.  That's all we've known.  Yet it wasn't until the 1800's when William Herschel discovered infrared and  Johann Ritter found ultraviolet. Parts of the light spectrum beyond what we can see, yet bees use ultraviolet sight to find flowers.  So, did ultraviolet just come into being in the 1800's because that's when we found out about it, or has this form of light always existed?  It's always been around.

After the discovery of infrared and ultraviolet came microwaves and x-rays and radio waves.  Waves you can hear.  Waves that allow you to see bone.  Finally gamma rays were discovered in the early 1900's, the last part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

But sometimes I wonder if this spectrum is finished.  Are there other waves we've yet to discover?  Are there other waves of light that are experienced in ways beyond sight?

And where does faith come in?  

Do I need a hard defined spectrum of some sort, "spiritual promptings exists at so and so megahertz", to believe promptings of the spirit to be real?  No, I don't.  What I've felt exceeds anything the scientific community tells me.

One of the greatest trials of faith I've experienced was when I tried to get into the music program at Brigham Young University, Provo, auditioning for the classical voice department.  At the time I was attending Utah Valley State College, now a university, and was going to wait a year to finish my general eds and get an associates.  But when my Mom and I were driving by BYU one early Winter day, we both felt, at the same time, an overwhelming feeling that I couldn't wait, I had to transfer as soon as I could.

After some research I found out that the music auditions were at the end of January, so I had about a month or so to prepare.  And I had to be academically accepted by BYU as well, which I doubted would happen.  I didn't feel smart enough to get into BYU.

Long/short of it.  I auditioned.  Cried after the audition because I thought I messed up, and failed the listening portion by a single point, only to learn I didn't have to take the auditory test due to the fact I completed two semesters of music theory at UVSC.  Got accepted by BYU.  Earned a 1/2 tuition academic scholarship.  And then . . . around March or so I found out I was on the waiting list for the school of music.  I emailed and was told if I didn't hear anything by April/May, to assume I wasn't accepted.

What was I to do?  What was I to say?  I knew I needed to go to BYU, because I felt the spirit so strongly.  What should I study?  I didn't hear anything from the music department, so I signed up for English courses.  The whole Summer passed, I did telemarketing to earn money, and it broke my heart every time I told someone I was going to major in English instead of Music.

The only thing that kept me going and focused, and that I was on the right path, was when I prayed sometime in the middle of Summer.  I pleaded to God, begging to know if I was doing the right thing.  I loved UVSC.  I wanted to go to BYU, but was intimidated.  Then, as I was praying about English, I couldn't say the word in my mind.  I didn't even try to speak it.  I couldn't.  And then, all of a sudden, with my eyes closed, I felt the most amazing feeling of love pour over me.  It was sudden and powerful.  So overwhelming that it felt like I was bathed in light.  That's the only way I can describe this feeling, it was the most exquisite outpouring of love and light.  All my fears were calmed and I felt peace. 

Then, a week before the Fall semester started, a FedEx guy knocked on the front door, handed me a large expedited envelope to sign for, where I found a smaller envelope inside, return address: BYU School of Music.  Shaking I opened the letter, my acceptance into the School of Music, voice department showing in bold letters.  I had 24 hours to accept, or it was going to the next person on the waiting list.  That day I headed to campus, accepted my entry into the music program, met a councilor, changed my schedule, and marveled over the power of faith.

I know God lives.  I have a testimony in the power of the Holy Ghost.  And during this Christmas season I celebrate our Savoir and Redeemer.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Importance of Classical Music; BYU Getting Rid of Classical Music on Classical 89

When I was a kid I loved listening to classical music.  There was a station in California's central valley that played all the greats, and I remember my brother Michael actually falling asleep listening to the station all the time.  It was a nice break from all the soft listening during the 80's that filled the airways, and though I still love a good 80's tune, Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach will always be the masters I keep returning to.  Then, all of a sudden, this classical station I listened to as a child went off the air.  No idea what happened, or why, but we all in my family felt the loss.  I was this elementary kid missing Handel and Mahler, though I didn't know their names at the time, I just missed the music.

Fast forward to today.  A few days ago it was announced that BYU was consolidating and changing up BYU radio and BYU tv.  They're getting rid of their PBS shows, which doen't bother me because we already have a PBS station, and the two stations were showing the same programing.  Now our PBS station will increase in viewership and donations, which is a good thing.  Big Bird ain't going nowhere.

The second announcement pertaining to Classical 89 is what so many people are upset over.  Two petitions on change.org started making the rounds.  Save Classical 89! has now closed with 10,509 signers.  Stop the Elimination of Classical 89 is still open with 3,698 signers.

The station isn't struggling, from what I've read, and there's a very strong listening base.  BYU apparently wants to merge their other station which plays on SiriusXM with Classical 89.  Sadly a void will be created locally as this station is the only one that plays classical music on FM.  Apparently there's an HD station that plays classical music, but I don't have an HD radio, and I don't really know anyone that does.  There's always streaming other classical stations, but that requires a stable Wifi or internet connection, which a lot of people have at home, just not out driving.

It's interesting, if anything this has shown me the power of FM radio.  That even with technology many of us still listen to it.  I have many friends who are upset over the elimination of Classical 89, being daily listeners.  It's also nice seeing how many people love and listen to classical music.

I will always be an advocate for the classics.  I missed having a local classical radio station as a kid.  I remember complaining over its absence many times.  My passion in music is so strong that I ended up going to BYU Provo to earn a music degree.  It's sad that the school I spent hours upon hours studying Mendelssohn, Satie, and Schubert will be losing their classical radio station.

Food For Ear and Soul

I hate wanting to listen to music and not knowing what I want to hear.  It's like being hungry and not knowing what I want to eat.  Maybe I'm the only one who goes through this, but it's been happening a lot lately.  A lot!  Craving music and not even knowing what genre I want to hear: Classical, country, American pop, foreign pop, jazz, new age, soundtrack, Broadway, Celtic, bluegrass, etc.

it's like an itch I can't scratch.

A feeling of wanting to play a song on loop and not knowing which one.

It's like wanting to say a word that stays stuck on the tongue.

Or a foggy memory refusing to come into focus.

So I've settled on the next best thing: natural white noise via www.calm.com.  The meditations on the site are way too expensive, but I like the nature sounds, which are free. Listening to ocean waves right now seems to be doing the trick.

I miss the beach.

. . .

In other news I can really go for a Chimichanga, despite it being breakfast!

My Little Dancing Soul

 My Mom was going through some old papers when she found one she wrote about me when I was really young.  It was fun to read, and shows how I've always had music and dance in my soul :0)

 "Before Sarah could walk she liked to kick her feet.  Her mommy would hold her arms so she would not fall.  Her tiny little feet made a tiny little dance.

"One day Sarah and her mommy and daddy were visiting Sarah's great granny and grandpa's house.  There was lots of family there, because it was granny's birthday.

"Everyone liked to hold Sarah, because she was such a sweet bundle of joy.  Her daddy told everyone there: 'did you know that Sarah could dance?'  Sarah's granny, and grandma, and great aunt said: 'Oh how wonderful.'  But Sarah's aunt Krissy said: 'How can that be.  She can't even walk.'  Sarah's daddy replied: 'You do not need to walk to dance.'  Then daddy walked over and picked up Sarah.  he held her arms and there went the feet tapping and kicking in perfect rhythm.  Aunt Krissy said: 'You're right she can dance.'"

I was born with rhythm pulsing through me. :0)

Harry Potter at the Utah Symphony

Last month Krista and I decided to peruse the Utah Symphony website to see if there was a concert we wanted to go to.  It was she who discovered The Magic of Harry Potter, conducted by Vladimir Kulenovic, highlighting pieces from the first three movies by John Williams, mixed with other delightfully magical pieces.

At the time there was only a Tuesday performance, but due to overwhelming demand the Utah Symphony added a Wednesday date.  As a gift Krista quickly bought tickets so we could all go as a family, siblings + my Mom.  My Dad volunteered to babysit.

The entire hall has sold out, which was awesome to see!!

 

 Erin (Krista's sister), Krista, Michael, and a mischievously looking Robbie.

 Steven and I.

 The pieces we heard performed!  The conductor wanted to mix in enchanting classical pieces amongst Harry Potter, to introduce classical music to those who may have never heard it performed.  Which, trust me, you haven't lived until you've sat in front of a live Symphony.  The power.  The energy.  There's no way to describe the feeling.

Heh, as a note, I've discovered that it's impossible to listen to The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas without seeing Mickey.  The whole time I'm like: "This is where Mickey falls asleep" "This is when the brooms come alive" "Mickey's drowning!!"  It's pretty funny.  The power of imagery and a childhood enlightened by the classics.  Thanks Disney and Fantasia.

We need a new Fantasia.

 I got a circle of 5ths mouse pad.  The music geek in me couldn't resist.  It was an ongoing joke with my Dad and I for the longest time.  When I attended College of the Sequoias back in 2001, my Dad drove me one day to Visalia for class.  On the way back he asked me what I learned.  "The Circle of 5ths," I replied.  "What's that?" he asked.  So I explained it, and with me being me, detailed and all, within 5 minutes my Dad was yelling "Stop! Stop! I can't take any more."  Confused.  I don't know if he was joking about this aspect of music theory being too much, he use to read Calculus books before going to bed, but it was pretty funny.  Since then, whenever I'd start talking about music, he would shout, "Circle of 5ths!  Circle of 5ths!"

 A glass art structure in the Abravanel Hall lobby, in commemoration of the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics.  Whenever I see it I think balloon art or underwater coral.  I believe it's supposed to represent Fire, but I'm not sure.

 

 Right after the performance, which got out around 8:55 pm, we had just enough time to visit Swarovski, which is our favorite store in City Creek.  So many pretty things to look at.  And we were delighted by a water/fire show next to Nordstrom's.

Overall a really fun night, ending with dessert at Denny's.

Vladimir, The Magic of Harry Potter conductor, seemed to have the greatest time, saying really cute jokes between pieces as he explained why some music was selected.  So much fun.

And after a search I just did on the Symphony website, I discovered Video Games Live is coming in SEPTEMBER!!!!!  Do you know how huge that is??!!  Do you know how much I want to go!!!!!?????  Happy thoughts.  Saving up for it.  In the meantime I'll listen to the soundtrack on my iPod.  (The Kingdom Heart piece is the best.)

 
 (I Found this on Facebook)

Music is Magic :0)

My Most Favorite Muppet Song

 

 (Image Info, Public Domain)

 The first Muppet Movie will always be the best.  I love a lot of the sequels, but the first is timeless and amazing.  The music is some of the best movie music ever written.  They're echoes of my childhood.  When I was a toddler I still remember looking at the record sleeve, studying all the pictures as I listened to the music.

Though "The Rainbow Connection" will always be special, my most favorite song is "I'm Going to go Back There Someday."  It's sung my Gonzo as he stares up at the sky, contemplating, feeling his uniqueness.  The older I get, the more powerful the words become.  They're spiritual.

 "I'm Going to go Back There Someday"

"This looks familiar, vaguely familiar,

Almost unreal, yet, it's too soon to feel yet.
Close to my soul, yet so far away.
I'm going to go back there someday.

"Sun rises, night falls, sometimes the sky calls.
Is that a song there, and do I belong there?
I've never been there, but I know the way.
I'm going to go back there someday.

"Come and go with me, it's more fun to share,
We'll both be completely at home in midair.
We're flyin', not walkin', on featherless wings.
We can hold onto love like invisible strings.

"There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met.
Part heaven, part space, or have I found my place?
You can just visit, but I plan to stay.
I'm going to go back there someday.
I'm going to go back there someday."

Written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher.

I love the line "There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met."  How many times have we felt that?  I personally think it's our spirits remembering. :0)

The Most Annoying Game Music Ever Created

I love game music. LOVE it!  All of the music in the various Final Fantasy games are beautiful, and the orchestral/piano versions are a must.

Then there's Banjo-Kazooie . . . -_-;;

The most annoying game music ever created . . .

And my brother Michael was fortunate enough to find the CD in a Chicago thrift store.

Whenever my Dad needs to stay awake on long car trips, or to simply drive me crazy, he pops it in . . . and he keeps playing it until I scream for mercy.

Watch the intro and you'll get a taste.

Imagine a full album of That.

Cerulean Jade Update: 2/25/2013

We are so close to finishing the music video to "Done With Gravity"!  I'm biting at the bit to see it finished.  Pictured above is what the cockpit to the spaceship looks like.  It's a little Tron-esq.  I haven't seen what it will look like when I'm placed inside.  Robbie's working on it.  I just hope it works out!  When he was directing me during the filming he told me where to place my hands, and I had to imagine the spot.  A little nervous to see this bit come together.  Fingers crossed!

Below is an example of what the pit looks like in computer model form.

 

Not nearly as exciting, but it shows the process.

 On February 10th I stumbled upon my Chinese Zodiac, and had a little bit of a laugh over it. It said:

"One of your dearest projects will be delayed. Don't blame the whole world for it. Remain patient and, above all, refrain from spreading yourself too thin; everything will come in time. Water down your conversations if you want to improve your social or family relationships. Your temperament will push you to committing food excesses; this may result in some nervous tensions or an increase in weight. If you want to be loved, just love -- sincerely and wholeheartedly."

Of course that was the week of Valentines, and the whole "committing food excesses" totally happened . . . discovering a fantastic new cupcake place doesn't help.  

We have a goal date in mind when we want to release the music video with an MP3 of Done With Gravity, which will be available for download.  The date is really soon, but I'm not ready to announce it quite yet :0)

Sarah

 

Alex Boye, Soulsaints, and LDC Sing Tribute Song

The beautiful song above is a Tribute Song for the Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown.  There's a lot of information under the YouTube information page, but 100% of the proceeds for downloading this song will be donated to the 

Emilie Parker Family Fund.  

You can download the song here: http://alexboye.redtouchmedia.com

And download to all Sandy Hook families here: http://www.newtown.uwwesternct.org

It's fun to note that the choir singing with Alex Boye and the Soulsaints in this video is called LDC (Latter-Day Celebration), the touring choir at the Orem Institute of Religion at Utah Valley University.

I sang with the choir for two years under the direction of Douglas Brenchley between 2002-2004.  I have many choice memories singing with this choir and made many choice friendships, so I was thrilled and amazed to see that it was LDC singing in this video.  Really exciting.

Singing in LDC during the Canada Tour

Having a fun brake during the LDC Moab Tour

Support Newtown, the families, and this beautiful music :0)

Movin' Right Along

Movin' Right Along from The Muppets.

Sometimes I feel just like this!  The first Muppet Movie is still the best.

Disneyland Helped Inspire My Love of Music

  When I was young, pre-kindagarden young, my family lived only 8 miles from Disneyland.  My parents had friends who worked inside the park, so we visited many times during those short years.  At an early age I was introduced to Ragtime music next to the Gibson Girl Ice Cream parlor on Main-street USA, Jazz in New Orleans, and barbershop quartets.  Not to mention all the countless parades (the electrical parade was in its prime back then.)  Then there was the Plaza Inn stage located close to the mouth of the castle leading into Fantasyland.  Schools and groups performed there, and there was a space between the stage and seats where kids would get up and dance.  Next to that stage I did a fair share of dancing as a little tyke.

 One of the joys for me when visiting Disneyland are the surprise performances, especially in New Orleans.  On busy days you can hear Jazz music about every 15-30 minutes, and once they even had tap dancers (which is a soft spot for me, because tap will always by my favorite genre of dance.)  Disneyland helped influence my love of music beyond the popular, and for that I am thankful :0)

Cerulean Jade Update 12-03-2012

(Showing the size of my Guitalele next to a regular guitar.)

My brothers and I have made a decision in regards to Cerulean Jade: We're no longer going to do cover songs (unless the songs are in the public domain).  It was a big decision we made last night after a long talk.  From the beginning I was nervous doing cover songs, but we went ahead with it because it's the best way to get noticed as independent musicians.  The covers we've done have been great practice in learning to create and master music, and in finding our sound.  Thing is we don't want to be a cover band.  We want to produce original music and make that our focus.

It's a little nerve wrecking.  Will anyone find us?  Will our music get lost and buried in the emptiness that is the intergalactic web?  There's risk here, but then risks must be taken, right?  There's so much music within us that we want to share, both vocal music and instrumentals.  And we're excited to share what we're creating. Our next original song, which I haven't announced the title of, will be released before years end.  It's an important goal of ours.  I'm going to start sharing pictures of the process on the Cerulean Jade fan page and on my twitter feed.  

That means, then, that I wont be putting up a cover to Jason Mraz's "Living in the Moment," though I love the song and it's a lot of fun to sing.  I've learned a lot practicing the song on the Guitalele, which has such a lovely tone, and the lyrics to the song have become my personal mantra.

"I will not waste my days making up all kinds of ways

 to worry 'bout all the things that will not happen to me." 

and

"I'm letting go of the thoughts that do not make me strong."

It's a great song and worth a listen. 

So that is the path we're on.  Exciting things are around the corner :0)

What's Next for Cerulean Jade?

Goodness, where do I start?

The problem with Steven and I is that we have so many ideas . . . and we're in love with all of them

For me I'm working on a cover of a song from Brave, "Into the Open Air."  I'm playing the piano on this one, and overall it's going to be simple.  For starters, I don't have Steven's amazing ability to sit down at a piano and just play.  We're different like that.  He has a couple months of piano lessons.  I have years!  Plus a music degree.  I'm sheet music dependent.  That's going to change!  This project is going to help me with this, but it's a bit scary.  And I don't know what I'm doing.  Music Theory was the easiest out of the Music Theory core for my degree (which also included Music Dictation and Sight Singing).  My fingers don't work the way I want them too!  This is a skill I really want to learn, and this is a great start.  I also want to throw in some Irish flute.  Steven's never mastered anything other then voice and electronic instruments, so this will be good practice for him, too.

The next combined Cover we're doing is Andy Grammer's "Keep Your Head Up."  It's a fun, upbeat, positive song, and it will be a little like the Payphone cover we did.  I'm not going to promise a release date for this!  I've made that mistake before.  Not doing that again.  But it is a really fun song:0)

And . . . wait for it . . . we're working on an online graphic novel!!!  Surprised?  Before my youngest brother left on his mission, he came up with the bases of a story idea.  We promised him that we would turn it into a graphic novel, as a gift, only that hasn't happened yet.  I'm still in script phase and Steven's developing art concepts.  Our goal is to get the first 10 pages up by the end of September, right before he comes home.  I've been having so much fun playing mad scientist with this world  . . . or should I admit to a slowly developing God complex?  Ehhh, I will admit that I'm having way too much fun.  Think slight Steampunk, slight sci-fi, and Final Fanstasy-ish world, and you have something akin to what Steven, Robbie, and I have dreamed up.  Art Concept drawings coming soon!

Oh, and of course original music.  Steven and I are working on an original song, and the sounds he's coming up with are super fun!  That's 2-3 months out.  Then we're going to do an original song based on the graphic novel world we've created (I can't wait to do the music video for this . . . we just got a green screen :0).  And there's a few jazz songs I've written that I was just going to release under my name, but Steven's like "it would be really cool to do electronic jazz!"  And I'm like "What!?"  He thinks it can work.  We'll see.  I'm slightly doubtfull.

Anyway, are we crazy?  Probably, but insanity is fun.
Sarah    

Dream Maze is on Youtube!

I'm so thrilled to show you guys the song my brother Steven and I have been working months on!  And I'm thrilled to announce the Talea website is up and going again.  My brother is amazing!

Also, sometime yesterday Dream Maze got uploaded to iTunes.  It's really cool being on that store.  I'm so glad cdBaby, who we're distributing our music through, makes it easy for independent artist to get music on the web.  They provide a great service.  Another awesome service cdbaby provides is adding a music store to facebook pages.  It looks really snazzy.  you can check out our link here: www.facebook.com/pages/Cerulean-Jade/288513324513244

I hope you guys enjoy the song!  We're working on more originals that I hope will be out in the next few months, and a couple of cover songs for fun.

Always,
Sarah