Do it anyway...

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.

Mother Theresa

mmm...;)

something about friendship...

Max & Lino

(María´s sons)

*No birth certificate is issued when friendship is born.
There is nothing tangible.
There is just a feeling that your life is different and
that your capacity to love and care has miraculously
been enlarged without any effort on your part.
It's like having a tiny apartment and somebody
moves in with you.
But instead of becoming cramped and crowded,
the space expands, and you discover rooms
you never knew you had until
your friend moved in with you.*

Steve Tesich

*****************************

I have always believed that there is

a special kind of Love in Friendship.

But Frienship is a very important part of Love.

In fact, I believe one of the most important parts.

My Stage Fright...

*Sigh*

It´s been two weeks after not having a ear & vocal training class and I discovered that I chose a very difficult song to sing on my end of semester exam, not because it is difficult to *imitate*, but because I can´t find a style that suits my taste to sing it very different than the original singer who is Alicia Keys, and I don´t want it to sound as an *arrangement* of the song.


I studied all my excercises from the Ear Training Book,( from Berklee College of Music), which I found easier to understand than the ones I used to study almost 18 years ago at the Universidad de los Andes, when I was *planning* to become a professional singer. Yes, the methodology is different, it´s easier to understand and more logical, and also, I don´t have a 65 year old *Classic School* European teacher, but Alejandro Calle, a young Colombian teacher/performer who studied at Berklee and is specialised in Jazz, Soul and Bossa Nova. BIG difference. !!!

But, the part I am concerned today is that even if I had studied my lessons well, even if I could sing them very good and my pitch was correct and my breathing was correct and I thought the song was going well, my throat started to ache last night. This morning it was a very very bad sore throat. I looked and it was all red and swollen and it hurt a lot. I wanted to think that it was because of the medicine I am taking for acne ( Isotretinoin, known as Roaccutane) which *dries* all my body, incluidng hands, eyes, nose, mouth and of course throat, and also the fact that I´ve been smoking a lot in the past months.

I went to the music academy, and told Alejandro that maybe I was not going to be able to sing *very good* because of the sore throat, but that I had studied my lessons and that we could give the song a try. He agreed. I had to sing the excercises, and then the song , many times. I felt scared to sing because there were people outside the classroom and they could hear me. I thought it was awful, but I had to sing. Alejandro knows that the reason why I quit studing music when I was in the middle of the career was specifically my stage fright, and he´s focused on giving me tools to overcome this damn phobia. Also he says, - Even if we have to stay here until 12pm, you WILL sing.- So I had to sing, and slowly my throat wasn´t hurting that much. And I said well, I´m feeling better maybe it wasn´t a virus or something.

But when I left the academy, and I was coming back home I discovered that my throat was perfectly fine. I got here and I checked (I had checked in the mirror at the office and it was ugly) and it was perfectly normal. It doesn´t hurt anymore.

Conclusion, it´s coming back. The phobia is coming back. But I won´t let it win. I will do whatever it is necessary to really banish it from my life. I have to be able to show other people that I love music that I have a good voice and that I can *communicate* a message through singing. All those emotions, lyrics, music...I want to share them with others. And people who have heard me sing say I do it very good. It´s not only the *technique* but the feeling you put on it. So? yes I am insecure in *this area* and also I am a perfectionist when it comes to the things I do. And therefore, maybe deep deep inside I don´t feel that I am *good enough* to perform in front of an audience. Strange thing this phobia...

I will work with my Reiki and Sacred Stones Master, and we´ll definitely have to do something about this.

Here, some links I found, which I will read and see what I´ll do about this. I can´t get it back. Full stop. !!


http://www.anxietycoach.com/social1.htm



http://ezinearticles.com/?Natural-Cure-For-Stage-Fright&id=563472



http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/149024/how_to_cope_with_stage_freight.html



http://www.eddielandsberg.com/stfreigh.html

Anthony Bourdain No Reservations in Colombia 2008

Colombia: Vacation Wonderland

By Anthony Bourdain on July 10, 2008

It's all too common in Latin America, where the divide between rich and poor is usually very wide, to hear stark differences in outlook and attitudes at the table. When dining with the rich, the poor are often referred to with varying degrees of fear, condescension, and outright contempt. Unsurprisingly, conversations at the tables of the poor express an entirely predictable desire to see the heads of the rich paraded on stakes. Seldom do the two strata of society agree on anything beyond soccer.

So, imagine my surprise to hear--again and again--expressions of optimism, hope, good feelings, and a general belief that things were going pretty well--in Colombia. In Medellin, no less, not too long ago the murder capital of the world! In expensive restaurants frequented by the well to do, the kind of people whose cars are bulletproofed, who travel with armed drivers--and later-- in what was the toughest, poorest barrio in the city, I heard the same thing. That the government seemed to be doing a pretty damn good job, that things were getting better and better, that the future looked bright--and that it was very good thing to be Colombian, and from Medellin in particular.

In a world where the bad guys seem to win with a relentless regularity, and where even the presumed good guys appear, usually, to be their own worst enemies, it's really gratifying to see things get so dramatically better somewhere--especially a place where at one time, it really and truly looked hopeless. It is inspiring, when you've gotten used to the notion that some problems probably won't ever be fixed in your lifetime, to see some of the very worst kind of seemingly insurmountable problems so quickly and effectively improve. When you see a real change in the conditions and in the human hearts of a place where just a few short years ago, one neighbor couldn't walk twenty yards over without risking death from another, where drug cartels recruited their murderous young footsoldiers by the hundreds, where even the police feared to tread--it makes one hopeful again--about the whole world.

Colombia. Vacation Wonderland? Yes. Absolutely.

I can't think of another country where the No Reservations crew has been welcomed so enthusiastically everywhere we went. Absolutely everybody we met seemed delighted and proud that we'd come to point our cameras at them. And we were allowed and enabled, I should point out, to point them any damn where we pleased. Someone less...forgiving in temperament, less zen-like than me might feel tempted to point out to some other tourist boards the wisdom of letting us go and do whatever we want--no matter how uncomfortable the official organs might be about some of our interests--compared to the result when officialdom tries to "manage" what we see and don't see. . As it turned out, it was the uncontrollable elements, the poor fishermen, the inner city market workers, the residents of the neighborhood in Medellin with the very worst reputation who did their country most proud.

What you might not know about Colombia is that it's beautiful. That the food is really good--with the same kind of fantastic mix of African, European and indigenous influences that makes Brazilian cuisine so interesting and vibrant. That they actually like Americans down there.

It was against this backdrop of bubbly goodwill, that I watched Ingrid Betancourt and her fellow hostages freed from captivity a couple of weeks ago--in what appears to be yet another in a series of spectacular and effective strikes against the FARC, a particularly unlovely bunch of hardcore commie/narco-terrorist kidnapper/"guerillas" who've been getting knocked back on their heels in recent years.

On one hand, the government seems to be killing and capturing bad guys with skill and vigor. On the other hand, the local government in Medellin (for instance) has been improving transportation and social services for the working poor--and throwing an incredible FORTY percent of total budget at education. It looks and feels like a working combination.

As you watch the episode, the pride you see in the faces of the people I talk to--and hear in their voices--it's real.

It was a very good episode, but it´s sad though that Bogotá,

the capital, was not *showed* as it could have been.

Peppa Pig, *Stars* :)

CUTE :P

Stones and Crystals. 1. *Obsidian, The Stone of Truth*

Obsidian

The Stone of Truth

"Obsidian is a natural glass of volcanic origin that is formed by the rapid cooling of viscous lava. Obsidian is extremely rich in silica (about 35 to 80 percent) and is low in water. Obsidian is made of the same minerals as granite but cooled so quickly that they do not have time to crystallize. Obsidian has a glassy lustre and is slightly harder than window glass. Though obsidian is typically jet-black in color, the presence of hematite produces red and brown varieties, and the inclusion of tiny gas bubbles may create a golden sheen. Obsidian in attractive and variegated colors is used as a semiprecious stone. Varieties: Black patterned obsidian with greyish-white inclusions which resemble snowflakes is often called snowflake obsidian. Other colors include: brown, gray, red, blue and green, clear, orange, yellow.

Energy: Projective

Magical Properties:

A stone of protection, Obsidian will bring out the Warrior Spirit in you. It can help to deflect negative energy from you, and also help keep your thoughts from turning negative. Emotionally beating yourself up can be just as damaging as when it comes from someone else. Obsidian reflects the dark and absorbs the light. Reflect negativity (don’t take things personally) and only absorb the good. This does not mean to ignore the bad. Obsidian can not reflect negative energy without first acknowledging its existence and it can teach you to do the same.Its mirror like surface reveals its special ability to provide clear insight into problems. With the help of Obsidian you can see past all the fog and get to the truth of the matter. It will also help you see your own flaws honestly and provide insight into correcting those flaws.

Obsidian’s ability to hold a good cutting edge and it’s quick transformation from one substance to another can help you to cut away harmful behavior patterns or life situations and achieve profound changes very fast.

This powerful stone makes a strong shield of protection around the wearer. It is an excellent grounding stone, helping to release negativity and to stabilized. As a scrying tool, obsidian can offer an accurate reflection of the changes that need to be made. Its answers can be quick and somewhat pointed, as obsidian walks the shadow side of the void. It will help to provide a clear course of action, and let you know what challenges are the most necessary to face -- but not always the easiest or most pleasant lessons. Obsidian blades are excellent for cord-cutting workings.

This is a powerful stone so use it for this purpose with caution. Some people do not adjust well to change and may be better suited to a slower process.This is a great tool for scrying. It can strengthen prophesy and desire to see new horizons.

Healing Properties:

Its energies can help with circulation for those hands & feet that seem to be constantly cold. It is also good for vision problems, weight loss and healing old wounds from violent acts.

Obsidian, BlackObsidian

Is a very protective stone, and is excellent for removing negativity. It is also excellent protection against psychic attacks. In particular obsidian protects the gentle from abuse. It is a very grounding stone, and very healing. Physically it benefits the stomach, intestines, muscle tissue, and can rid one of bacterial or viral infections. It sharpens and focuses internal and external vision, and helps get in touch with buried issues before they explode.

Obsidian, Snowflake

Snowflake obsidian has the property of bringing things to the surface. The things brought to the surface could be positive or negative, love, anger, secrets; but with snowflake obsidian, these things are brought to the surface more gently that they might be otherwise. Snowflake obsidian can provide balance during times of change. It aids in seeing patterns in life and recreating them in a more beneficial way. It is a stone of serenity and purity, and can shield against negativity. It is associated with the root chakra and is beneficial for the veins, skeleton, and smooth skin. Snowflake obsidian gives protection from physical and emotional harm."

Attuned at: Muladhara or Root Chakra

Element: Fire

Planet: Saturn

Sources:

http://searchwarp.com/swa9026.htm

http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysicalproperties_o.html

http://www.serioussilver.com/gemstone_crystal_lore/magick_of_gemstones_o.html

http://crystal-cure.com/obsidian-gem.html

http://www.etherealpath.com/chakras.html

HOW WILL WE LOVE?

It´s really worth watching it till the end.

Rebel Yell

Doña María Rebelde!! :)

Aquí le tengo una canción.

BILLY IDOL

REBEL YELL

Buena música ah? ;)

Inside My Mind (Blue Skies) Groove Armada

Inside My Mind (Blue Skies) - Groove Armada

Quote of the day. April 9

*Let's not push it under the rug, or push it to the side because, no matter what, it's going to keep coming up. You know, if you never deal with that dirt up under the carpet, it's going to get larger and larger, and it's going to keep coming up.*
Herschel Walker


I associated this with Pluto Retrograde, and it was in my INBOX ! :)