Last night The Magician was attacked by a mad man while spinning his records, he is better now and put out this statement on his Facbook page:

“Hello,

Yesterday around 2.30 am at Club Bonsoir in Bern/Swiss, The Magician was playing and has been attacked by someone with a chemical liquid that he threw to his face.He had to stop playing and went to the hospital at emergencies. He is better now.

To all the people who were there yesterday, if you have any information, video, pics,.. Can you please send them to info@the-magician.be To help local Police, we want to find this person and punish as appropriate.

Thank you.”

MToK wishes the Magician a speedy recovery!

Here is The Magician’s newest single with Jeppe on the vocal:

   The Magician ft. Jeppe “I Don’t Know What To Do” (Original) by TheMagician

From the Vault: Peter & The Magician New EP “Twist”

Recently I noticed that after we rearranged our living room, there crept in, slowly, over the course of two or three weeks, several plastic bags with recently purchased craft products and clothing. And that’s when I panicked a bit. I knew I had to clean, to organize, to figure out where to put away all the stuff I had bought. **Note: these were not random purchases. I am making most of the decorations for my May wedding and I had to buy new clothes since I had put on some medicine-induced weight**

I stood about 5 feet away from this bookshelf

I stood staring at the bookshelf, not knowing what to do. I was paralyzed. There was so much going on, so many new decisions to make in order to organize this bookshelf and the surrounding floor (which also showed this newly returned plastic bags), that I could not figure out where to start. If anyone has ever had writer’s block, this is what I felt like. I had organizer’s block. I looked around the floor in the living room, attached dining room, and its attached kitchen, searching for anything that could spark my ability to organize. Then I saw an empty cardboard box that would fit on my bookshelf. That was where I would start.

I thus announced my decision proudly to John. “I’m gonna make boxes!” I exclaimed.

John stared at me, with a chastising “Really?” And the fact that he doesn’t see covering cardboard boxes with fabric as work, even if those boxes are going to let me pick up and organize my stuff, and get rid of those damned plastic bags, popped back into my head. It really pissed me off. First, I wanted to do work on my own: he wasn’t cleaning the kitchen and expecting me to do what he considers to be “equal” work. Why should it matter that I’m just gluing fabric to cardboard? But I had to explain to him, again, that making the boxes is part of the way I can break out of my cleaning paralysis, my organizer’s block. It was the only way I could start tackling that bookshelf.

I was hurt, frustrated, and angry. He belittled the one thing I could decide to do, and I felt ashamed that I couldn’t figure out anything else to do. I certainly wanted to do something more visible, more useful, but I couldn’t. So, then, why should I even try if what I come up with doesn’t even count? I shared these thoughts with John, and we talked out how useless it made me feel that something that is a move in the positive direction wasn’t good enough. And while he eventually understood my perspective, I still think about why I reacted that way, and I was blocked in the first place. I guess what happens is when I’m faced with a mass amount of choices to make, with all of them equally as difficult to accomplish, I can’t figure out where to start.

I suppose this kind of decision-making block is pretty common for me. It happens when I have to decide where I want to eat, what kind of craft product I need for a project, and when I write. And so often my paralysis turns into apathy, and I just walk away. I ignore the problem, I don’t look at it, I don’t see it. That’s when something like this happens:

Now his computer chair is pretty much right next to the couch, so when he is at his computer and I’m on the couch, we are next to each other. My computer and craft stations are on the other side of the couch, and so I am localized on “my” side of the living room.

Though it makes things much nicer when we’re doing work or relaxing, my living room is a mess again. All the organizational work I did feels like it has been undone. I have piles of craft supplies on my bookshelf, and I have piles of books on the floor where I will place a new bookshelf, when I buy it. We moved all our stuff, but I haven’t resorted all of it.

It seems that once I feel pretty good about my space, I do something to disorganize it again. I had time this weekend, but of course, I got sick. I’m looking around me, knowing that I have stuff to clean up, but totally not having the energy to do it. It is often the way with me. When I have some time, I find a reason, valid or not, to avoid doing the organizational work that faces me.  I know that my hesitation is due, in part, because I don’t know what to do with all the stuff I relocated. I need more storage containers, I need to sort through my craft supplies, I need other organizational supplies, and I need to figure out a way to utilize the space I have effectively. Wish me luck.

But how can a few words describe how important you are in my life?

I’m not that great of a writer to make you realize both my love and hate for you.

I just wish that someday I would know that you feel the same way.

Fine Line blogged about her (totally justified) love for The Magician, and so this is a happy post for FL indeed. His new song ‘I don’t know what to do’ feat. Jeppe is out October 3rd on Kitsuné Music, and it is a certain treat. A bit o’ disco never goes amiss with FLBC. Nice, danceable, upbeat track. He can add this to his impressive list of tricks (magic puns abound).

Also, we can all enjoy this track from Toro Y Moi in advance off the EP ‘Freaking Out’, out Sept 13th. Standard, quality Toro Y Moi; almost a little like pop, but, as ever, that is no bad thing. Lots of repetitive sounds to get your groove on to! Help yourselves.

‘All Alone’- Toro Y Moi

Photo countryliving.com

1.  Textiles – Consider textiles as art.  Display quilts on the walls – rotate them if you have several that you love.  They are large, colorful and add warmth to any room.  Even clothing can be art – hang a kimono, a pareo or a batik sarong.  Kilim rugs are also fabulous on the walls.  You can also simply stretch pieces of fabric over stretcher bars or insert a vintage scarf or doily into a frame – an easy way to add a splash of color to walls without painting.

Photo homedecorcenter.com

2.  Rugs – Lay a rug colorful rug on the floor.  This works whether your floors are wood, tile, vinyl or even wall-to-wall carpeting– layer the floor with texture and color – a great treat for your eyes and your toes.

3.  Throws – Add warmth, color and increase the cuddle factor of any room with cozy throws.  Drape them over the back of the sofa or arms of the chairs.

Photo worldmarket.com

4.  Tablecloths and runners – Increase your color impact by adding fabric to bare wood or glass tables.  Tablecloths and runners add color and texture to bare wood or glass tables – including dining, sofa and end tables.

Photo amazon.com

5.  Pillows – Toss pillows add big color impact.  Select great prints, stripes or plaids for a mix of color or if the pillows are solid, increase the color quotient with contrasting piping, fringes or tassels.  

6.  Flowers and Edibles – Flowers provide an easy way to add color in a room but they can get expensive when your garden is not in bloom.  While waiting for spring, try fruits and vegetables as a colorful addition to your table.  Heap limes, lemons, apples or other fruit into clear glass jars or pile them into big textural baskets for a blast of color.  

7.  Treasures – Pull collections and keepsakes from their storage spots and use them to create interesting vignettes by clustering items by color.  Show off bright pottery, colored glassware and even your kids’ toys! 

8.  Hobbies – If you work on hobbies while housebound during the winter, you might be able to use the color of your hobby materials as a bright spot in the room.  For example, if you knit, instead of stashing yarn in a knitting bag, show off skeins in a big open basket.  Keep a landscape or floral jigsaw puzzle in play on a game table or bowls of pretty jewelry making beads in sight.

Don’t let the part of your brain that loves to fill your mind with doubts stop you from running toward your heart’s desire!!!

You are so beautiful and so deserving of the wonderful life that your heart wants to have.  You REALLY, truly are!  I promise!  But you really shouldn’t take it from me, you should take it from your OWN heart!  Your heart knows that this is true, it is just that sometimes the brain gets in the way and tells you things that just aren’t true.  But YOU get to decide if you believe them!  Next time your brain tells you that you don’t deserve what your heart wants, you just tell your brain that it is wrong and go ahead and take a step towards following your heart.

Your heart is so amazing and so perfect!  Just follow it!

It is okay if you are scared to follow your heart.  In time, you will see that it was a good decision as the results you truly desire unfold!!!  This will then give you more confidence to follow your heart in the future!

Follow your heart TODAY!  There is no sense in waiting till the “right moment” to follow your heart.  That moment may never come.  The right moment is now!  Just do it!!!!

It is never too late to follow your heart!  I am going to say that again; IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART!!!!!  You still deserve it now, today!  No regrets!  If you start to regret not following your heart sooner then just push it aside!  This life is YOUR journey and YOU decided to follow your heart today and not yesterday.  That means YOU are in control of your life!  So it is okay!  You did it the way that was yours for this lifetime!  Yesterday cannot be changed anyway and regret does NO good.  However, today is yours to do whatever you want with!!!

Do not listen to other people who advise you not to follow your own heart.  They are not inside of you and they don’t know YOUR heart!  Whether their intentions are good or not, YOU are the only one who TRULY knows what YOUR HEART wants!!!

What if what your heart wants does not conform to society’s norms?  DO IT ANYWAY!!!!!  It will make YOU happy!  What could be better than that?!

You don’t know what your heart wants, you say?  Take a little bit of time to get quiet.  Sit by yourself for a while or meditate.  Do whatever works for you.  Getting in touch with your heart can often require taking a step out of the craziness of life for a bit.  Just do it!  You deserve it!  If you want the answers, they will come. 

It is all within YOU, right there in your heart.

Please follow your heart today.  You can do it!!!  I know you can!  You are so fantastic and you really, truly can do anything that you want to!!!

~Spread LOVE~

~Tanni

Image via Wikipedia

I have no idea what it is about singing and choral music and singing in choirs and taking choirs that makes me like it so much but I really do.  There is something so awesomely emotionally raw about the human voice.  And something so great about singing with other people and creating music.  It is so raw and bare and naked and simple.

I remember vividly singing ALL THE TIME during my childhood.  Remarks being made to my Mum in supermarkets about how it must be nice to have a constant juke box.  I used to sing walking all the way from the train from school at the top of my voice.  Weirdo.

I sung in every possible choir at high school.  And then I went to Uni and sang sang sang.  And then I went to teachers college and sang sang sang.  And then I started teaching and sang and sang and sang and sang.

I never ever lost my voice.  I could sing for days and days and days and days and never lose it.

But now I have lost it and it SUCKS.  And it has been almost 9 months of having lost it and I am well over it.  And I am stuck with a rather large dilemma.  I love doing what I do.  But doing what I do is not helping my voice to get better.  But I need to work.  So I can have things and do stuff and generally survive.  And the things that I am good at, and have spending the last 26 years training and practicing to be good at are not good for my voice.  And I am not quite sure what to do.  It is really weird not being able to do something that is engrained as being a part of who you are.  Quite a big part of my personal identity is tied up with being able to sing.  And now I can’t.

I read the book ‘The Element’ and felt affirmed that I was doing the best thing for ME to be doing.  The career path that I could NOT choose not to take.  I did not end up here by accident.  And I am good at it.  And I have extreme job satisfaction.  Job satisfaction that other people envy.

But now I perhaps need to do something else so that I can do this again.  But I don’t really know what to do.

They called me last week, to see if I was really interested, I said yes of course! It’s a full time job in the area I want to work in. She said she’d pass my application to the Nurse Manager and they would let me know. Well… today they called! I really didn’t think about it much more, thinking they would probably hire someone closer. But NOPE! So today I’ve been searching for airfare rates, which all turned out horribly high! Plus trying to find a BLS (healthcare CPR) renewal class in my area since mine expires tomorrow! eeeek… but, I found one for tomorrow night. The cheapest ticket I found to this place was $340, plus I’d have to drive 3 hours to the interview, but I’d have a free place to stay with friends and get to go home. I haven’t been back since I left almost 7 years ago, so that is enticing to say the least! Good food, the city, I’m so homesick at this moment I can’t describe how I feel about going back. I want it with every fiber of my being. I just want to run around downtown screaming like a maniac and kissing the dirty sidewalks! Knowing I’m close enough to spend weekends and such with friends would mean the world to me. It’s just not quite close enough.

It’s a good job though, pay is great, free health ins. from the state, awesome benefits. It is essentially what I want to do for the rest of my life, working with the criminally insane, and get my nurse practitioners license in mental health. Downside, a smaller town than even where I am now and nothing close to give me a break. It’s also not exactly where I wanted to live the rest of my life. Ugh… I don’t want to have to move AGAIN in 2 years. I want to get to the Northwest BAD. I need NEW culture, something less southern, something, different, totally different, from what I’m use to. Small town, big city, doesn’t matter when the culture is totally different, and where I came from and where I am now, are both similar cultures.

I’m so torn about this. I want to go, I don’t want to spend the money, even if it’s a cheap buddy pass from my brother it will still cost me around $300+ by the time I’m done with eating and all that stuff. Would the decision be easier if it was somewhere I WANTED to live? I think so. I’m going to buckle down and focus on that as well, for the next few weeks. I’ll tell the state I’m working on getting a airline ticket, and put them off another week, see if I can line up prospects where I want to be. The good side of all of this is it gives me hope, it lit a fire under my ass, to get things started again, looking where I want to be, focusing on what I need to do to get there.

The weird thing, has also brought up this huge amount of emotion about going back. I mean permanently. I walked away from there feeling that there was nothing left for me there, that I was moving on to bigger and better things. Going back almost feels like defeat to me, even though I have a new career, another degree under my belt, and a new outlook on life. I know who I am now, so in a way, I fear going back will bring back who I was, which wasn’t the best place for me. I realize I’ve been in a bad place lately even here, probably the darkest place I’ve ever been, but, I’m still not who I was 7 years ago. I can’t really describe who I was, probably because I didn’t know, so going back to face that scares the living crap out of me. Then, in another sense, I feel like even if I don’t take the job, going back and facing my past might be a big, important step for me in personal growth. It could make me feel better, get me out of this funk I’m in, I can get some of the adrenaline rush things I want to do out of my system for sure! I know where to go and what to do there! I’m so torn now, I doubt I’ll sleep tonight…

.

"Decisions are the hardest thing to make especially when it's a choice between who you should be and who you want to be"

Which in turn confuses me.
I know a guy who claims not to be a ‘player’.

Please note ladies, anytime a guy says that, he almost most certainly is a ‘player’.

This guy of course is someone I am so smitten with, that it should be illegal. Actually, I should just stop liking him.
Everything about him screams my name, the perfect fit for me. Which really means ‘Danger! Danger! High Voltage!’
He claims to not be a player but never has the time to do anything with me, but always says he will eventually.

Sidenote: when we do hang out, he treats me like such a lady, and kisses me so sweetly that my ridiculous behaviour is almost warranted.

And while I am torturing myself by having even the slightest affection for him, I’m declaring a change right now!

I..will not ..uh. I will not ask him to hang out anymore.

There. Baby steps.

Today I went to a friend’s house and she was all tensed up and angry and frustrated. You know the hum-drums of human relations. Someone said something and she said something and she has to maintain being friends with the rest of the Condo although they will be talking behind her back about her. Confusing isn’t it?

It is the same for everyone. Human relations are so miserably complicated. Not only one has to make it work with the  parents, siblings, husbands, wives and their relatives- dancing in the periphery are colleagues, bosses, neighbours, kids friend’s parents and so many more. How many relations can one person handle. Even when one doesn’t have to say anything more than a polite hello there are a million thoughts going on – should I just say a polite hello, should I also smile with it, should I be the first one to say hello… the list is endless… We all identify with it.

Human relations are the sanity and bane of one’s existence.

And then there is the virtual world. SIGH.

You can talk to your blog friends, and read their nice blogs and see absolutely gorgeous pictures in the blogs and be inspired and spend your time and feel in heaven. You can mail these friends and they are nice to you. With them there are no uncomfortable rituals to keep up with. They hadn’t heard you fighting with your husband in the middle of the night or know that you didn’t spend X amount of money for a friend’s birthday. With these people its all about the love of their and your blog.

So I would say when the going gets tough in the real world rather than going shopping run for cover. Run to your house and read some blogs you love. Life will become better immediately.

Here are some pics of an absolutely heavenly house (from blogs) because it’s heavenly and because as you can see there are no neighbours

Click here to watch all 5 videos and an interview with the duo. Below is “Relator.”

por Bárbara Bom Angelo

São 28 minutos e 59 segundos de música com cheiro de alegriazinha. Daquelas para balançar a cabeça de acordo com o compasso e elevar os pensamentos para bem longe do tumulto da cidade caos. Break Up, álbum do dueto Pete Yorn e Scarlett Johansson, me conquistou no primeiro acorde e está tocando por aqui incessantemente.

A primeira música de trabalho, Relator, já tinha marcado presença nesse caderno sem linhas e o rastro de quero mais só pôde ser sanado na terça-feira, quando o conjunto completo foi lançado oficialmente. Em apenas três dias, as 9 canções, que nasceram inspiradas pela união sonora de Serge Gainsbourg e Brigitte Bardot nos anos 60, já são as mais compradas no site da Amazon. O preço ajuda, 7,99 dólares.

Fazer meu ouvido ficar obcecado não é tarefa fácil. Normalmente, ele gosta de saracotear por artistas diferentes a pequenos intervalos, mas sempre há tempo para a redenção. Culpa das letras charmosas de Yorn, da voz delicada de Scarlett e da melodia folk que as entremeia. As melhores faixas? Clean, I Don’t Know What to Do, Blackie’s Dead e Someday. Para adentrar o fim de semana com um sorriso solto nos lábios.

April 3 – Greatness is Service

My children, I am here, your waiting Lord, ready at your call. I am among you as one that serveth, Meek and Holy, ready to be used and commanded. Remember that is the finest quality of greatness — service. I, who could command a universe — I await the commands of My children. Bring Me into everything.

You will find such Joy as the time goes on in speaking to each other of Me, and together climbing higher. Always humble, meek, and lowly in heart.

Learn this — no position — just a servant.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” Philippians 4:4