February 20-26, 2010: The best is yet to come!

So I'm going to have to cheat again and write about my last week. It's crazy how little time I have to write these day with job searching, meeting up with old friends, carpooling, cooking, errands, etc. Suffice it to say it's been a fantastic week. Highlights include:

• Getting offered a gig to perform at a theater in my hometown. A paid singing gig at last!
• Receiving a call about a fantastic job at a non-profit to work in publishing again!
• Cooking dinner with my nephews.
• Meeting several great women who live in my area.
• Finding and applying for several jobs that I'm very excited about.
• Seeing my mom and sister everyday.
• Hanging out with my college roommate, Leigh, and getting to laugh like old times again.
• Eating at my favorite pizza place with Ralph and other friends.
• Singing more than I have in years.
• Working on getting my set list together for music gigs.
• Getting in touch with so many old friends via Facebook and other networking.
• Being excited about waking up every morning to a new adventure.
• Talking to Paul on the phone and really investing in our relationship.

Overall, this week has been fantastic. I've had a bit of a head cold, but it's been so great to feel like things are really coming together. I'm so excited to see what is going to happen in my life over the next few months. So far 2010 is shaping up to be the best year of my life. Yay!

Ciao,

Miss L.A.

January 26, 2010: My love for Tuesdays

So even though I've totally lost my voice today, I'm ecstatic. It's New Music Tuesday. While most people have no affinity for Tuesdays, I long for them. I know that each Tuesday, a slew of new albums will be released for my listening pleasure. I can't even begin to describe how much music means in my life. Music has soothed my soul when I've been sad, made me dance when I'm happy, and helped me release stress when I'm angry. It's a constant in my life like nothing else. Most people laugh when they get in my car and see how many CDs I have floating around. (Sadly, my car isn't in the 21st century, and doesn't have an iPod adapter.)

After a long day at work, full of meetings and brainstorming sessions, I raced to the store to purchase two of my anticipated releases. Patty Griffin's Downtown Church and Lady Antebellum's Need You Now.  I was pleasantly surprised to find them both on sale, so I walked out of the store with both albums for less than twenty dollars. Total score!

I'd likely need to write an entire blog entry on Patty Griffin. She is my music icon. I don't like to use the word idol, as I really don't ever want any person to be my idol. I think it's the preacher's kid in me. Yes, I'm a preacher's kid, again, another blog entry. I've been in love with Patty Griffin's music since 1999. That was the first time I heard her sing Let Him Fly. I'd heard the Dixie Chicks' cover of it, and was intrigued to hear the original version. Needless to say I cried when I heard it. And then back in the days of Napster, I found many of Patty's songs online. I fell in love with her. Her music literally opened my soul. She is one of the main reasons I started singing again. I have been singing since I was three years old. My first solo was at age four in church, while standing on a stool to reach the microphone. I sang in every choir imaginable through high school. My childhood music teacher was murdered when I was a freshman in college and that lead me to stop singing for quite some time. I finally began singing again in the fall of 2003 when I performed several songs, including Let Him Fly, at at open mic night after being encouraged by my friends. I haven't stopped singing again since. I've had the pleasure of seeing Patty Griffin in concert many times. I actually got to meet her at my first Patty concert in 2004. It was a moment I'll never forget. I was quite speechless. I'll treasure that photo for the rest of my days. And I got to share it with my BFF and fellow Patty lover, Ally. A few years back, Ally gave me one of the best gifts I've ever received, a portrait of Patty Griffin that she painted inspired by my favorite photo. If my house were burning down, that would be one of the few things I'd grab. It's that special to me and could never be replaced.

Needless to say the new album is incredible. It's a Gospel collection, which happens to be one of my favorite genres of music. Patty's soul creeps into every note, and it resonates. I've listened to the album twice now, and I know that my love for it will continue to grow. I would highly encourage anyone who's never heard of her to check her out. Her music will change your life, it's that good!

That's about all I can write for now. I'll have to get back on the Lady A album in my next post. Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone enjoys the new blog design. I really love how it turned out! Thanks to Penny Lane Designs for all your work. Check out their link at the bottom of the blog.

Cheers,

Miss L.A.

January 12, 2010

Another blah day at the office. I did get to venture into the catering world for a while, but once again the powers that be wanted the standard fare, so all my creative efforts were foiled. I'm also continuing to drudge through marketing packets for everyone in the firm. Let's hope they actually use all the information I'm collecting and don't just trash it.

Work flew by and I ran home to fix my hair and makeup to make it to the game. Once I was sufficiently thrown on my ghastly dress, I made it to the the stadium. Our choir wears the most hideous uniforms. Imagine a black floor-length polyester dress with gathered pouf shoulders, complete with shoulder pads. Throw in an elastic waist and wrists, and a cowl neck to boot. It's a fashion abomination. Thankfully from far away they just look like a black blob.

Once inside I was forced to stand for 90 minutes in my heels on the concrete floor while we completed a sound check and went through the entrance and exit plans. After a long day at work, my heels began to hurt. By the end of the night, my feet were screaming from pain.

The performance went splendidly, and it was very fun to be standing next to some NBA superstars. (One of them just wed a socialite in a hasty courtship. She wasn't in attendance, unfortunately.) I enjoyed the remainder of the game, and sat next to a handsome frenchman. He has duel citizenship, and had a sexy accent. He spoke of his love of soccer, and french food. He's an auditor for the state, and at the end of the night gave me his card. We'll see if I decide to call him the next time I'm in our state capital.

Ended the night by falling into bed and setting a record on how quickly I could crash. There would be no pondering of what tomorrow might hold.