From her jail cell in Italy, where she’s been imprisoned for nearly two years, Amanda Knox (alleged murderer of roommate Meredith Kercher) signs her letters home with the above mentioned phrase meaning “even when I am alone I’m not alone.”

I, not alone, think she is innocent. Soon enough the jury will decide.

Also, as a side note, not that any of you were holding your breath, but I have been gainfully employed for more than a month, in a real, big girl job where there isn’t a child in sight.

Tomorrow I leave for Austin to see four of my favorite people and my absolute favorite dog.

Asalamualaikum

maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf…maaf

Yup akhirnya saya kembali pada pangkuan dunia maya…diiringi oleh lagu armada band ‘buka hatimu’ yang sebenernya ga da hubungannya sama suasana kali ini…jiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaa…

Mohon maaf bila selama ini komen-komen yang masuk belum sempet di balas, ourkami jga ga up date2…beberapa bulan kebelakang saya sempet berniat meninggalkan ourkami bahkan udah sempet mengklik tombol ‘delete’ karena ada sesuatu yang harus ditata kembali dalam diri.

Here iam now…siap menghadapi dunia kembali dengan senyum

Terimaksih masih setia dengan ourkami

]]> http://c2cministry.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/blog-11-13-2009/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:52:13 +0000 c2cministry http://c2cministry.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/blog-11-13-2009/

Friday

PRaP 11-13-2009

“Here I Am Lord”

Here I am Lord waking up this morning.

Here I am Lord getting prepared for the day ahead.

Here I am Lord getting breakfast.

Here I am Lord getting the children ready for their day.

Here I am Lord getting into my car.

Here I am Lord stuck in traffic.

Here I am Lord late again.

Here I am Lord doing my job.

Here I am Lord having lunch.

Here I am Lord talking to a friend.

Here I am Lord heading to pick up the kids from school.

Here I am Lord making dinner.

Here I am Lord getting ready for bed.

Here I am Lord waiting patiently.

Here I am Lord praying fervently.

Here I am Lord weeping myself to sleep again.

Here I am Lord sleeping peacefully.

Here I am Lord dreaming of what You have in store for me tomorrow.

For He is the Great I Am and we are to wait patiently for His return and live our lives according to His plan giving up our free will to follow His will for us each and every day.  But it will come at a price, a price that most are not willing to pay.  But He is always here waiting for you each and every moment.  He is saying to you, “Here I Am waiting patiently for you.”

2 Corinthians 12, Revelation 22

Key Verses:

2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 12 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
Revelation 22:11-13 (in Context) Revelation 22 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Revelation 22:12-14 (in Context) Revelation 22 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 22:16
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Revelation 22:15-17 (in Context) Revelation 22 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:19-21 (in Context) Revelation 22 (Whole Chapter)

Jesus Bless you,

Pastor Steve

Here I am playing with those memories again
And just when I thought time had set me free
Those thoughts of you keep taunting me

Holding you, a feeling I never outgrew
Though each and every part of me has tried
Only you can fill that space inside

So there’s no sense pretending
My heart it’s not mending

Just when I thought I was over you
And just when I thought I could stand on my own
Oh, baby those memories come crashing through
And I just can’t go on without you

On my own I’ve tried to make the best of it alone
I’ve done everything I can to ease the pain
But only you can stop the rain

I just can’t live without you
I miss everything about you

Just when I thought I was over you
And just when I thought I could stand on my own
Oh baby those memories come crashing through
And I just can’t go on without
Go on without
It’s just no good without you

Without you, without you, without you
Oh baby, those memories come crashing through
And I just can’t go on without, you

Part one of my endeavor is shojo manga (and some series that are more on the josei side, I believe) coming out in 2010 (next is shonen/other manga). This started out as a list of shojo manga (that have their first volumes coming out next year) I thought would be good finds, and kind of turned into a list of all the shojo manga starting next year (that I know of)…apparently I’m not very picky… It’s still not all of them, but it’s a good majority of them.

And seeing how long this is (and only being part 1) should show you how easy it was for me to basically bankrupt myself on manga. xD

English covers were used if they could be found; if not the Japanese covers were used. They are arranged by release month and then alphabetically. If the Japanese name is commonly used in fandom, I put it in parentheses next to the official English title to help. I also used official summaries if I could find them, if not I used ANN, after that I went to myanimelist.net, and in some cases I had to go to mangaupdates.com.

I will gladly update this list if I’m missing something you think is going to be a good shojo manga find in the next year! :]

Happy Cafe (Shiawase Kissa Sanchome) by: Kou Matsuzuki
Complete at 15 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 January 2010, Volume 2 April 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Welcome to the Happy Café, where romance and happiness are the specials of the day! Meet Uru: She’s a little short, a bit disorganized, often is mistaken for an elementary school kid, and lives by herself after her mother gets remarried. When she decides to pay the bills by working part time at the Happy Café, she meets Ichirou and Shindou, two of the most unsociable guys she’s ever met! And to make matters worse, it turns out that Uru is not exactly meant for the waitress world, as she’s a HUGE klutz. But as this hilarious shojo tale unfolds, 1 happiness–and even true love–might be lurking just around the corner…
My ramblings: This series just looks adorable, and looks like one that has a whole lot of potential, though I’m a little leery about the length, since 15 volumes can be a little tedious in some series. To be honest, I don’t know a lot about the story, but from the little that I do know, it should be fairly interesting.

Natsume’s Book of Friends (Natsume Yujincho) by: Yuki Midorikawa
Ongoing with 8+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 January 2010, Volume 2 April 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he’s a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko.
My ramblings: I watched the anime on Crunchyroll, and it’s a fantastic series. The art in the original manga seems to be a little bit different from the art from the anime art based on the cover of the first volume, but it still looks great. I can’t wait to read the source material. And who doesn’t love Nyanko-sensei?!?

Crown of Love (Renai Crown) by: Yun Kouga
Complete at 4 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 May 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: After a chance encounter, Hisayoshi ”Kumi” Tajima falls madly in love with teen idol Rima Fujio. Bewitched by her beauty, he only wants to get closer to her. As a fan, he lives in a separate world. But if he becomes a fellow idol…
My ramblings: Crown of Love is, from what I’ve heard, a fairly early work from Yun Kouga, this time a part of the Shojo Beat line from Viz. This isn’t a title I know much about, but Yun Kouga’s work is sure to be pretty at least. Hopefully it will live up to what little of Kouga’s works I’ve read (I think only a oneshot in FAUST, but it was absolutely fantastic!).

Panic × Panic by: Mika Kawamura
Complete at 2 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 February 2010
Price: US $10.99
From this press release: PANIC X PANIC, a paranormal series by Mika Kawamura, combines comedy, fantastical action, and a budding childhood rivalry. Mitsuki, an only child at a Shinto shrine, grew up across the street from Kakeru, the son of a priest. They never got along growing up, and still don’t get along as teenagers. However, a strange encounter with a demon seals their fate forever: the pair discovers they are the descendants of priests who had sealed away disorderly demons. With the demons becoming a problem again, Mitsuki and Kakeru must inherit the mission of their ancestors—and somehow get over their mutual dislike for each other.
My ramblings: I’m a little leery about adding this one, since I don’t see much about it online (it took a lot of searching to find a summary), but it looks cute, and I’ll try to check it out.  I don’t think this is going to necessarily going to be a series that will be a major hit, unless it’s one of those series that’s a sleeper hit. It does sound rather cliché though, which is a little off-putting, but that could be a plus if you know you like stories like it.

Portrait of M and N by: Higuchi Tachibana
Complete at 6 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: February brings us PORTRAIT OF M & N, starring two students in high school with something to hide. Created by the bestselling manga-ka of GAKUEN ALICE, Tachibana Higuchi, M and N refer to Mitsuru and Natsuhiko: she’s masochistic; he’s narcissistic. All they want is to be normal high school students!
My ramblings: I believe this is for slightly older audiences, as the M and N refer to masochist and narcissist, but it looks promising. I’ve read some good reviews of this series so far, so I think it should be fairly good, but I’m not entirely sure, since it’s not one you hear of much. The synopsis does seem rather interesting though, so I think I’ll check it out.

Cactus’s Secret (Saboten no Himitsu) by: Nana Haruta
Complete at 4 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 March 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Miku Yamada has a longtime crush on classmate Kyohei Fujioka. But no matter how many times she tries to show him how she feels, clueless Kyohei just doesn’t get it. Frustrated, Miku gives up on him, only to have him start calling her “Cactus” for being prickly when he’s around. Will Kyohei ever figure out Cactus’s secret?
My ramblings: This is Nana Haruta’s first manga to be published in the states, and I want everyone to get it, so that the chances of getting more of the adorable goodness that is Nana Haruta are better! I don’t really know much about this series itself, but I’m sure it’s great, from what I know of her other works. And how can you pass up that adorable cover?

Haru Hana The Complete Collection by: Yuana Kazumi
Complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
March 2010
Price: US $16.99
From the publisher: HARU HANA tells the story of Hana Yamada, who has just moved to Tokyo and isn’t doing as well as she’d hoped. Her new school life starts poorly, and to compound her various problems, she breaks out in hives whenever a hot guy touches her!
My ramblings: Looks like another omnibus edition from Tokyopop, and the art looks adorable, so I think I’ll be checking out this 3-in-1. Apparently the “breaks out in hives from touching the other sex” is a much more common them than I though. I’ve seen it in Beauty Pop, Zodiac P.I., and MariaHolic and now this series. I didn’t realize it was so common. It’s kind of a strange theme to be so common. The series still looks cute, and since it’s just an omnibus, there’s not much to lose by picking it all up at one time.

Pink Innocent by: Kotori Momoyuki
Complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 March 2010
Price: US $10.99
From this press release: Kotori Momoyuki’s PINK INNOCENT, a quirky teen comedy, follows the romance behind an unlikely pair. Ditzy Cocona Sakuranomiya, a wealthy 16-year-old used to getting everything that she wants, is completely clueless about how to approach the super-serious Renji, who happens to be more interested in the stock market and his laptop than any girl.
My ramblings: I looked around the internet and heard good and bad things about this series, but it looks adorable (though that hairstyle is crazy!), so I’ll try and check it out. I think the biggest problem people seemed to have with the series is that the main character is apparently a huge ditz, but I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, so hopefully it’ll turn out better than some people thing it is.

Stepping on Roses (Hadashi de Bara wo Fume) by: Rinko Ueda
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 April 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: A rags-to-riches romance from the creator of Tail of the Moon! Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi’s financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition–he’ll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi pull off fooling high society into thinking she’s a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth it to give everything up for this sham of a marriage?
My ramblings: I can’t emphasize enough just how good this series is. It definitely needs to be read by anyone who likes shojo manga! Sumi is a great heroine, and just look at Rinko Ueda’s art, it’s absolutely gorgeous! I’m so glad that Viz picked this up, and will definitely be buying it right when it comes out, job or no.

Flower in a Storm by: Shigeyoshi Takagi
Complete at 2 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Love is like a storm. Riko Sassoku is trying to lead a normal high school life when Ran Tachibana bursts into her classroom carrying a gun and telling her that her life is now his. Ran, the richest, most powerful 17-year-old in Japan wants her as his wife, and he’s not taking no for an answer! If Ran can’t capture her by five o’clock the next day, he’ll give up on her, but he has all that money can buy at his disposal. However, Riko has one trick up her sleeve–she has superpowers!
My ramblings: This is only a two-volume series, and it looks interesting. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly interested until I saw the cover for the first volume, and the art is just so nice, that I really hope the story is just as nice. The fact that the heroine has super powers is kind of interesting, but I’m not sure how it’s going to play out in only 2 volumes, and I have a feeling it might be kind of rushed.

Songs and Laughter (Boku ga Utau to Kimi wa Warau kara) by: Natsuki Takaya
My Song, Your Smile, Just Because is listed as the title in this Press Release and says title subject to change, and Amazon lists it as Songs and Laughter, so I’m not sure what the official title is yet. EDIT: Tokyopop said they’re still working on the title.
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
May 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: TOKYOPOP presents MY SONG, YOUR SMILE, JUST BECAUSE: STORIES FROM THE CREATOR OF FRUITS BASKET, filled with unforgettable tales from Takaya-sensei, including a side story to TSUBASA: THOSE WITH WINGS.
My ramblings: Another of Tokyopop’s Natsuki Takaya offerings trying to ride on the coat-tails of Fruits Basket, this time it’s a collection of one-shots. I know there’s a Tsubasa: Those With Wings side story, but past that I’m not sure what is included in this volume. I’m not really a huge fan of earlier Takaya art (her new/Hoshi wa Utau art is so much nicer), so I’m not sure if I’ll pick this up, though the Tsubasa: Those With Wings side story is rather tempting.

Yokai Navi Runa by: Miyoko Ikeda and Michiyo Kikuta
Ongoing with 3+ volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $10.99
From myanimelist.net: Luna Rindou is a klutz who loves to daydream and relies very much on her best friend. Her greatest treasure is an amulet that once belonged to her mother. One day, she runs away only to have the amulet stolen by a boy and girl who turn into animals when they come into possession of the amulet. What is the meaning of this!?
My ramblings: I have an old issue of Nakayoshi with this in it somewhere and I have some furoku for the series as well, which makes me want to try it out (a silly reason I know), but I haven’t really heard much about the series. The summary sounds rather all over the place, but I’m hoping that it’s not as crazy as it sounds. I’d like to try it, but I’m not completely sure yet.

Library Wars: Love and War (Toshokan Sensou: Love and War) by: Hiro Arakawa and Kiiro Yumi
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 June 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $9.99)
From mangaupdates.com: During the 31st year of Seika, the battle between the Library Force and the Media Improvement Committee reached a new level of violence. Each group has armed itself for either the freedom of expression or the “protection” of society from the bad influences of media. Kasahara Iku joins the Library Force with the intent of finding her “Prince” who helped her during a censorship exercise by the Media Improvement Committee and with her strong will of protecting books.
My ramblings: I am a huge fan of the Library Wars series, and the fact that even just the shojo version of the manga has been licensed is a huge plus (and heck, it’s the shojo manga version!)! The only thing that would make this better is if the novels were licensed too (here’s looking at you, Viz/Haikasoru). This is a definite purchase for me, but I have an unfortunate feeling it will only do well with people who are already familiar with the series.

Here I Am! (Koko ni Iru Yo!) by: Ema Toyama
Complete at 5 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 Fall 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $10.99)
From myanimelist.net: Hikage is a reclusive 8th grader who no one seems to notice. She finds comfort in her blog, and the people who comment on it. Everything changes one day when a cute boy tells her something Hikage’s always wanted to hear– she might not be so invisible after all.
My ramblings: From what I know of the premise of this series, it’s somewhat like Kimi ni Todoke. Hopefully it will be like Kimi ni Todoke in a good way, and be one of those series that just pulls at your heartstrings (in a good way). This is another series I haven’t heard much about, but it looks like something I’d really enjoy, and I’m hoping it’s as good as I expect it to be.

Grand Guignol Orchestra (Guignol Kyuutei Gakudan) by: Kaori Yuki
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 October 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $9.99)
From myanimelist.net: The beautiful singer Lucille and his orchestra invite you to the city of fear where puppets hunt down humans. The puppets are playing an oratorio of magic and illusions!
My ramblings: This is Kaori Yuki’s newest series (it’s only up to 2 volumes in Japan right now), and I think it will be a definite buy for any fans of either her or just gothic manga in general. Her art is always so gorgeous and detailed and her stories are usually fairly complex. From what I’ve seen of this particular series, it’s just as grotesquely beautiful as her previous series, and there’s actually a little bit of gender bending if I remember correctly. Again, a great asset to the Shojo Beat family.

Wild @ Heart (Wild Damon) by: Natsumi Ando
Complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Omnibus October 2010
Price: TBD
From myanimelist.net: A girl’s life s going to change because of her father who is an explorer. He always bring her presents and this time he brought a boy that he found living in a jungle and took him home. Now she has to take care of him and guide him as he tries to adapt to the city life.
My ramblings: I’m a little worried about this early work by Kitchen Princess and Zodiac P.I. author Natsumi Ando, since Amazon originally had it listed as just the first volume, but now lists it as Wild @ Heart 1/2/3 (though I certainly don’t mind omnibus versions, it’s a little strange) and it isn’t available for pre-order (though it is a little early). But hopefully Del Rey pulls through (I expect them too, since Kitchen Princess seems to be a big seller for them and they picked up ARISA just recently also) and we’ll get this early Ando work sometime next year.

ARISA by: Natsumi Ando
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 November 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $10.99)
From myanimelist.net: Tsubasa and Arisa are twin sisters who haven’t seen each other for three years due to their parents’ divorce. They have communicated through letters, but finally decide to meet each other again. Arisa, the more gentle of the twins, suggests that Tsubasa take her place at school for a day, just for fun. However, there are things about Arisa and her school that she hasn’t mentioned to Tsubasa–dangerous things.
My ramblings: Natsumi Ando has a great record with manga, and I know this will be another big hit for her here in North America. This is certainly not a series I would give to a child, but it’s one that I don’t think shojo fans should miss. It’s one of the hot series in Nakayoshi right now, and there is certainly a reason for that (well, apart from the fact that it’s sort of riding on Kitchen Princess’s coat-tails), it’s really a great intriguing series!

Nice to Meet You, Kamisama (Kami-sama Hajimemashita) by: Julietta Suzuki
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 November 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $9.99)
From ANN: Nanao Momozono suddenly becomes homeless after her dad disappeared and left a huge debt behind, which forced her to leave the apartment. On the street Nanao rescues a strange man from a dog. To thank her, he gives her his house, which proves to be a run-down shrine, inhabited by a hostile fox-eared young man. Confused and tired with no other place to go to, she decides to stay, but this proves to be more difficult than expected…
My ramblings: If the press surrounding Karakuri Odette is any indication, Viz’s decision to pick this title up from the same artist was a fantastic one (bet they’re kicking themselves over not getting Karakuri Odette too). The premise behind this series looks rather interesting to me, and I can’t wait to read it. If this is half as good as Karakuri Odette is (I’ve only read the preview on Tokyopop’s site, but it was really good), then this series should be another hit.

Bunny Drop (Usagi Drop) by: Yumi Unita
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 September 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Returning to his family’s estate for his grandfather’s funeral, thirty-something bachelor Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a much younger lover! Needless to say, the rest of the family is shocked and embarrassed by this turn of events, and not one of them wants anything to do with the little girl, who refuses to say a word. In a fit of angry spontaneity, Daikichi decides to adopt her! But is living with an overgrown teenager who can barely take care of himself the key to making Rin come out of her shell?
My ramblings: This is definitely josei, and it looks like one of those stories that would just break your heart. Of course, it could go the other way and just be terrible, but I think this looks incredibly promising. From what I’ve read online it’s a very slow slice-of-life that is none-the-less fantastic.

I wrote this on some stickies on the twenty-first floor, when it was only me at the front and Manuela in the back. I was surprised on my third day when somebody told me in the make shift kitchen, hovering over the one button instant coffee machine, that she wasn’t friendly or kind or even good with a sponge. I find that hard to believe and when she pushes her cart at night, I stop shuffling my papers and we talk. Back and forth, it’s mostly about nothing or the construction downstairs but sometimes, like on Fridays, we talk about our plans and once she asked me where I got my scarf.

I brought them home two weeks ago but they’ve been lying by the books on the printer by the really dusty window ledge and now they’re all crumpled up and I have to strain my eyes to read the fading pencil marks and messy scratch. At the time, I thought I’d stick them in an envelope and mail it back but I never got around- which truth be told, it’s probably for the best because it’s all written half handedly and now, even I couldn’t tell you.

That morning, he threw his arm around me and grinning like a boy he took my cup, swallowed and twisted up his lips in disgust, said my tea had gone tasteless, cold. Still the village and I don’t mind things like this because the seasons keep passing, the clocks keep changing and just today there were leaves wet, stuck to my boots. I grabbed a stick from a pile by the station and began to flick the thin, limp foliage from my shoes. The scrapper snapped and I used my fingers to peel away the rest before I walked down the first flight. Still, I can’t remember little things like how to get home from west fourth and where the closest mailbox is and neither one of us knows anything about anything or even the right questions to ask so in a effort to clean the ledge, I stuck them in a book and dropped them down the shoot.

I’ve just never lived no place like this before, never been done like this before. I keep bending for pennies, never knowing which side means luck so each time I find one I pretend it’s the right one, no matter what. But I swear to you and I’m not just saying this, the sidewalk sparkles on Lexington and I wonder if they do that for the fancy hotels uptown or to keep us from remembering that we can’t see the sun. First thing when I go back down, I’m gonna ask that steeple on 3rd before the clock tower if they saw it today. And then I’m gonna stay and stay and stay until I can’t stay no more.

One year ago tonight, I was sitting in Benny’s with friends and thirty or forty other Denverites, drinking margaritas and taking tequila shots, eyes glued to the TV, toasting our new President.

Twelve months later, living in New York City now, I’m hoping to toast the Yankees as they win the world series tonight.

If the latter should happen….well, that’d be great, but it wouldn’t hold a candle to that night in Denver.

have the same exact haircut. For that I am happy. Also, for a kick ass spin class tonight, getting paid time and a half for overtime and for being asked where Avenue B was while I was walking down Houston blaring Papa Don’t Preach on my headphones 30 minutes ago.

To read Winona’s Blackbook interview click here.

OUTERNATINAL VERSION!!! @ MSPACE BLOG [ENTRIE: 03 Nov. 09]

Mais do que um grupo de Roots Reggae moderno, os Groundation são hoje uma referência por todo o mundo, do que de mais criativo se faz dentro do estilo.
Depois de 10 anos de constante inovação e evolução, os Groundation lançaram, passado mês de Junho, o 6º registo de originais, Here I Am, uma autêntica ode á presença e importância da Humanidade como um todo, neste início de século conturbado.

Em lugar de repetir a formula (ou uma das muitas!) que o grupo criou em qualquer outro dos álbuns, Here I Am volta a inovar e demonstra uma nova fase da vida dos Groundation, desta feita criando um verdadeiro som colectivo, onde, á semelhança dos extraordinários espectáculos ao vivo, cada elemento têm naturalmente o seu espaço, para dar o seu melhor e único contributo!

O trio central do grupo, Harrisson Stafford, Ryan Newman e Marcus Urani, fazem agora acompanhar-se por novos elementos: David Chachere (trompete), Kelsey Howard (trombone), Dr.Jason Robinson (saxofone), Mingo Lewis Jr. (Congas) e Tekanawa ‘Rufus’ Haereiti na bateria, talvez o grande destaque nesta ‘nova’ formação, trazendo um singular jazzy Groove á secção rítmica do grupo.

As novidades não se ficam por aqui, com as vozes femininas Kim Pommel e Stephanie Wallace a saírem da posição única de backing vocals e darem a voz em temas como a title track Here I Am, So Blind ou Not So Simple.
Lendas do reggae jamaicano, como o percussionista Sticky Thompson, Pablo Moses e o trio original dos The Congos, são os convidados especiais em Here I Am, mais uma vez complementando a intrigante voz de Harrison Stafford, que chega mesmo a surgir apenas como back vocals no tema Time Come, onde os The Congos confirmam o porque de serem, provavelmente, o melhor trio vocal jamaicano de todos os tempos!

Musicalmente, a construção rítmica em Here I Am é soberba, mantendo a base clássica do Roots Reggae que sempre apaixonou o grupo; não deixando de ser óbvio um retorno às origens do jazz, bem marcada pela presença do primeiro tema instrumental de sempre dos Groundation em álbum, Walk Upright, ou a jam em formato improviso de Not So Simple!

Sendo obviamente um disco para o fanático dos Groundation (como qualquer outro do grupo será certamente), Here I Am, não se apresenta no entanto como um disco para puristas, deixando no ar uma tentativa de quebrar barreiras musicais, e tanto abrir os horizontes dos puristas como introduzir a música jamaicana a todos os outros!

(Groundation ao vivo (You Can Profit) no programa – Radio Arbyla – da televisão grega!)

Musicalmente único pela elaboração dos temas, Here I Am e os Groundation, destacam-se mais uma vez pela originalidade lírica. Sem cair em clichés, e ainda assim directo ao assunto, as letras de Harrison Stafford, são aqui simultaneamente apontadas ao sistema, que parece querer espremer todo e qualquer momento final da sua soberania; e a cada um de nós, apelando para a esperança, e urgência da União e Comunidade verdadeira entre todos nós…Run the Plan, By All Means, Blues Away ou You Can Profit, são algumas das mais inteligentes, verdadeiras e emotivas letras de sempre dos Groundation! A fechar, a complexidade do simples bem presente em Golan to Galilee, num cryout único para a união, onde todas as vozes do álbum se juntam para cantar:
‘From Golan to Galilee/Onto Jerusalem
that´s what I want to see/ All Love and unity
stretching through creation/As far as the Eye can see

I Rasta, I Rasta, I Rasta, I Rasta’

Se para muitos, Here I Am, não será o melhor álbum de sempre dos Groundation, certo é que este é até á data, o melhor momento musical do grupo, transpirando originalidade e em muitos instantes, toda a força e criatividade que o grupo apresenta ao vivo!

Seguem-se as Tours de alerta por todo o mundo; e grandes novidades para o ano de 2010; primeiro com o anúncio do lançamento de mais um capítulo dubwise, da série Dub Wars!
E o lançamento de Holding On to Jah, um dos mais aguardados documentários da história da música jamaicana, produzido por Harrison Stafford!
Aqui fica um pequeno avanço do que esperar!

Mais INFOS@
GROUNDATION
&
GROUDATION MUSIC
&
HOLDING ON TO JAH

Lamberto Roque Hernandez will be here tomorrow  Sunday November first @ 3.p.m to discuss his first book in English Here I am. This is the link for more information on the program…

Following is the comment on his book by Linda Sandsmark published in San Leandro Times on October 14.

Author Follows His Dreams

As a boy, Lamberto Roque Hernandez lived in a village so small there were no books except those in the elementary school.

Now Hernandez is a Sheffi eld Village resident, college graduate, teacher, parent, bilingual author, and founder of a library in his hometown.

His new book, “Here I Am,” is a close-up look at why people from around the world still seek the American dream.

Anyone interested in his books may contact Lamberto Roque Hernandez at lambertoroque@yahoo.com, or by calling 632-9039.

You would not believe how hard it is to find eight cheap baby dolls the day before Halloween.

(why didn’t they just go ahead and make one of them a boy? You’ve got to love the use of “Li’l”—found this gems just a few blocks over on 14th street after searching in nearly every discount store, neighborhood in Manhattan. And don’t even get me started on the places I called to ask in advance.)

Tomorrow marks my first ever Halloween in New York City. Obviously, we’re going to the village parade with 80,000 other people. The New York Times calls it, “the best entertainment the people of this city ever give the people of this city.” Apparently this is one of those things you just have to do once but from what I hear it’s so traumatizing that in years to come you’ll want to venture miles, no, boroughs away from the the west village madness and even the thought of watching it on TV will make you queasy. I’ll let you know how awesomely painful it is.

PS. The theme this year is “Terra Incognita/Hic Dracones Sunt” which means “Here Be Dragons.” This year the parade is also doubling as a Michael Jackson tribute.

Iata cateva dintre piesel lor pe care le stie toata lumea, fie ei fani, fie nu

Iata cateva dintre piesel lor pe care le stie toata lumea, fie ei fani, fie nu

Reason #67 to never leave New York City: Talented underground musicians

Lexington/53rd street stop

Rhythmic compulsion in rock most often feels like a resonance effect.  Boom BOP Boom BOP Boom BOP, I can’t stop hopping with the boom bop, my limbs chiming in.   The nuances of timing and dynamics can greatly affect how I feel I’m being moved; the resonance experience can engulf me like a pitfall (so that I’m dropping with the bop, another good rhyme) or jerk me violently like a puppet on strings.   Utopia’s “Hammer In My Heart” is a great puppet-master track, for example, cleverly layering its resonance cues.

But there’s another way of being rocked that is more like going through a wringer.  The chorus of Al Green’s “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” squeezes me like I’m toothpaste yet somehow regathers me every measure for a new spurt and makes this threatening process feel delightful.

How do they do that?

The high, faint wail of Green’s vocal style, winding back and forth across the falsetto line and the audibility horizon, has much to do with this.   Making us feel just able to do what we’re barely able to do, it’s the perfect vocal specification of the squeezed sensation.  But the groove does something else crucial too.   The band’s rhythmic insistence is felt more as a horizontal shifting than a vertical striking.  Instead of the repeated stimulus of a bopping beat, there is the repeated discovery of having being dragged a little ways across the floor.

The divine Al Jackson on drums is at the center of this effect.  He maintains throughout a chugging, slightly-surprisingly-slow tempo (a killer tempo, I’d say).  The heavy third-beat in his basic 4/4 pattern—that is, the third beat of every four in a pulse, four pulses in a measure—gives as much a feeling of a stopping point as a sign to continue.[1] His elegant fills and hi-hat variations just squeeze the groove along with subtle lagging and thickening.  Then in the chorus, where we’re boosted into a major key and a peppier horn part so that we feel it’s a new ball game, Jackson’s open hi-hat emerges as the MVP.  More conspicuous than before, it generally bursts out (X) near the end of a four-measure unit, but not with mechanical predictability:

……………………X
Aaah, here… I

…………………………………………………………..X
1…….2…….3…….4………1………2……..3……..4……..
am…baby……come & take me…..here I am,

…………………X
1……2……3……4……….1………..2………..3………..4………..
ba.-.by……..come & take me…………take me by the

………………………..X
1……2……3……4……1………2………3………4………
hand…………………show me……..here I am,

…………………X
1……2……3……4……
ba.-.by

If you want to put your finger on when exactly they dragged you across the floor, those are the places and that’s what the dragging sounds like:  a buzzing cymbal that rakes everything over but comes to a definite term in half a beat, holding everything firm.

Last week I really did get laid off with no warning, no notice, no pay and by no fault of my own. Following the call (yes, I was notified by a telephone call, I mean voicemail and then email—cruel, not to mention tacky) I curled up into a pathetic ball (again), cried er sobbed (again), shut off my phone from the world (again) and finally called to say, “Mama, I wanna come home.” (What every mother loves to hear, what every daughter hates to say)

At home I saw a few friends that were still bumming around our little town, ate a ton of great, free food, remembered how it felt to drive and won a shitload of boardgames. And then something funny happened—I got a job. A friend of a friend was leaving her job and I was lucky enough to get my resume passed along just at the right moment. I flew back Sunday evening, interviewed Monday at 10:30, got the job and was working by 11:15. And now I’m really tired. It’s hard–but I get to wear fancy clothes (the fun of that will soon wear off I know) and say things like ‘in summation’ and ‘in appendix c you’ll find supporting documentation.’ Also, there’s not a child in sight.

This afternoon it started to rain and from the 21st floor I watched the streets gloss over and umbrellas pop up on every corner. I ran home from the second avenue subway stop and smiled the whole way, jogging down the street, dodging puddles, clutching my purse close, sans a coat or an umbrella or anything, anything at all.

I love it when it rains here–washes everything away.

Here I Am

Bryan Adams

[C]Here I am

[G]This is me

There’s [Am]nowhere else on earth I’d [Em]rather be

[F]Here I am

It’s just [C]me and you

To[Dm]night we’ll make our dreams come [G]true

It’s a [C]new world

It’s a [G]new start

It’s a[Am]live with the beating of [Em]young hearts

It’s a [F]new day

It’s a [C]new [G]plan

I’ve been [Dm]wait[Am]ing f[F]or you [G]

Here I am[C]

[C]Here we are

We’ve [G]just begun

And [Am]after all this time our t[Em]ime has come

[F]Here we are

Still [C]going strong

Right [Dm]here in the place where we be[G]long

It’s a [C]new world

It’s a [G]new start

It’s a[Am]live with the beating of [Em]young hearts

It’s a [F]new day

It’s a [C]new [G]plan

I’ve been [Dm]wait[Am]ing f[F]or you [G]

Here I am[C]

[C]Here I am

[G]This is me

There’s [Am]nowhere else on earth I’d [Em]rather be

[F]Here I am

It’s just [C]me and you

To[Dm]night we’ll make our dreams come [G]true

It’s a [C]new world

It’s a [G]new start

It’s a[Am]live with the beating of [Em]young hearts

It’s a [F]new day

It’s a [C]new [G]plan

I’ve been [Dm]wait[Am]ing f[F]or you [G]

Here I am[C]

It’s a [C]new world

It’s a [G]new start

It’s a[Am]live with the beating of [Em]young hearts

It’s a [F]new day

It’s a [C]new [G]plan

I’ve been [Dm]wait[Am]ing f[F]or you [G]

Here I am[C]

I took this about two hours ago on the new iphone. Notice the great Iron & Wine song on the radio.