Ghost - Kylie Rothfield

This is a quick post.  Kylie Rothfield finally put out the final version of this song 8 months ago. I wish I had known, I would have shared it a lot sooner.  Her voice is gorgeous and I love the final arrangement. Woohoo!! 

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Memories - Maroon 5

I've had a couple of glasses of wine tonight and this music video seems appropriate to the theme o😃

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Labrinth - Jealous

I spent the past hour watching music videos. God! I love music. Anyway, this one came up and it stopped me in my tracks. This song just gets to me. It breaks my heart every time. I listened to it with my whole being...*deep sigh* 

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

OMG! It's been too long...

First thing....my latest song obsession GHOST by Kylie Rothfield, produced by Ester Dean. Love Kylie Rothfield's tone, love the lyrics, love this song. It has so much ache and pain that I can't stop listening to it over and over again. You need to put the close captions on because the words are gorgeous. Before I even put it up on this blog, it was making me well up. So good!!  

Gosh, it's been 6 month since I last wrote on this blog. Nothing much has been going on. Pandemic, protests, looting, fires, working from home...you know, same old, same old. Not! 

This blog was always supposed to be about the creative work, my process and even a bit of whinging. However, my day job has basically hijacked my brain for the past year and a half. That's the very short answer to the very complicated question of, "where have you been hiding?" 

I've been working and reading. That's a fair assessment of the past six months.  I've been binge reading on books because I've been out of pace with my writing. I'd rather navel gaze than pick a pen up to write. My sister Ces is (right now) writing a story that she's so excited about that she's trying to finish it, so she can bring over a draft for me to read. Seriously?!  Ugh, I have no excuses. * head hung low in proverbial shame * 

My friend J gave me a couple of cheesy romance novels to read, very niche, very quirky...I won't even bother with the title but the writer in me was appalled at the simple story. The writer's inability to keep to the story arc. The climax of the story was 10 pages from the end of the book. Terrible! So disappointing and formulaic. I won't get back the couple of hours that this 200 page novel took from me. I'm sure you're asking, "well why didn't you just stop reading after the first 10 pages?" The quirkiness of the language kept me engaged and it had some funny literary references that made me laugh out loud. I admit it, I'm a literary geek and once I'm engaged in some way, I need to see it to the end. 

I digress, my point is that reading this book reminds me I am quite capable of writing my own novel/play/story. Seriously!!!  I can't stop saying that word...even in my own head. 

Next week, I'm taking a couple of days off just to give myself a break from work. I am going to spend those three extra days painting my living room (FINALLY!!!) Can't wait. I love painting, it takes me out of my head and the task itself is almost meditative. I've already taken all the books and DVDs out of the bookshelf and piled them on my dining table. If I can tackle moving the furniture out of the way, then painting on my own won't be quite so overwhelming. I was going to reach out to a friend to see if she has time to help but I have a hard time asking for help. There is a part of me that thinks..."I can do this on my own" and only when I'm in my 6th hour of trying to paint edges will I kick myself for not having reached out to friends or family. Stubborn. Like Mule <said in a Russian accent>  The other part is that it's a small space and once I move furniture, there won't be much room to navigate. Better to do it on my own so no one gets hurt.  Ha!

The last bit that I wanted to share is that I tried out for a playwriting residency with a NYC theater. I received my rejection letter at the beginning of this month. What a bummer! My creative life has taken a dramatic turn AWAY from where I had hoped to have been with produced and published work. Does that last sentence even make sense?  I've read it several times and I still don't know if it's grammatically correct. I'm losing my touch. Where is my Modern English Usage book?  Oh, that's right at the bottom of a pile on my dining room table.

That's all I for today. I don't know if I'm going to keep this blog going but at least for today, just one more entry into the ether.  

-Lily

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Rounding the Corner

We are rounding the corner on 2019 and I thought I would sit here and play ketch-up. It's snowing today.  It's been a grey day all day and we are supposed to get a nor'ester storm later this evening. Gale force winds and snow. I am hibernating. I took the day off before I ever knew about the storm. So glad to be indoors today. I've been playing Ani DiFranco in the background for the better part of the day while I did some creative work. I finally changed it over to some Christmas music.  Mariah Carey is singing All I Want For Christmas. I can't help bobbing along to the song.

I am late on Christmas shopping. It's the first week and I have only bought one gift. Ergh! I think that might be the only one I get this year.  My poor nieces will just have to get an envelope of cash from me.  Poor things!  I have plenty of time to get my family gifts...but I just don't wanna! I am so over the crowded Christmas crowds. Maybe I'll just buy everyone socks this year. Haha!  Just kidding...well kind of. In the grand scheme of things, who cares? It's just more STUFF! Stuff that will get stuffed in over-stuffed drawers never to see the light of day again. I think my capitalist gene died this year. We will be holding a wake for it any day now. Just need to get the bottle of tequila sitting at my work desk to pour one for the homies. Haha!

I'm in a bit of silly mood. I've spent the weekend writing and spending time doing creative work. I feel almost human again. It's been too long.  I put an entry into an Emerging Writing Program with the Public Theater.  I didn't think I was going to follow through with it because on most given days, I feel like that ship has sailed.  BUT...then I think, why not? I have nothing to lose.  Better to put in an application and get a rejection than NOT applying.

My goal for the month of December is to find some creative projects to work on. I'm going to push past my comfort zone and find some new ways to challenge my creative brain. It's been lying dormant for about three years now...no more excuses.  Off the top of my head, here are some things I've been thinking about:
1. Continue to learn French. Perhaps get over my shyness and speak it, out loud.
2. Sign up for another drawing class.
3. Attend art lectures after work.
4. Take a cooking class.
5. Take a jewelry-making class.
6. Learn welding. Yes, for art projects
7. Learn weaving.
8. I've even thought of ballet classes but I can't get the Fantasia image of hippo in a tutu out of my head. Again...working on getting past my comfort zone. 

I will have to try a few things and see what I connect with.

On a last note, I'm going to leave you with Eartha Kitt's- Santa Baby

-Lily

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2019 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Foo Fighters - Everlong (Acoustic)

Just because....

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2019 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Ed Sheeran - South of the Border

I love Ed Sheeran's song South of the Border. I was going to attach the cheesy video but I thought the lyric video would be better. Enjoy!  

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2019 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Beautiful

It's a damp, cool October night, a full moon is out and the clouds obscure it so that there are only slivers of moon peeking through.  I walked down a tree-lined block in Brooklyn at 10:30 pm. I went to see Beautiful, The Carole King musical. I have such a soft spot for musicals and although it didn't give me the emotional payoff that I usually look for in musicals...it was still quite wonderful. I love singer songwriters and seeing her influence in music.


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Bill Joel in Concert - Madison Square Garden

Glass Houses Album Cover - Billy Joel

I went to see Billy Joel play in Madison Square Garden.  What a terrific show!! I grew up with his music and his songs take me back. The Glass Houses album was one of the first albums I asked, begged, pleaded my dad to buy for me. Thank goodness he caved. His songs remind me of Saturdays belting along while cleaning the house and dancing around with my sisters like lunatics. It was crazy fun.

Billy Joel had a couple of surprise musical guests....but I lost my mind when Joe Perry from Aerosmith walked out and played guitar.  He played Walk This Way...and one of Billy Joel back up singers sang it out...and I couldn't contain myself. My rocker chick self was singing along and loving the shred of the guitar. LOVED IT!!!

When Bill Joel sang Piano Man towards the end of the show...my heart expanded. The tears welled up and I was fighting against letting them fall because I didn't want my mascara to run...but the song won out.  I know this is the first blog posting in quite some time but Billy Joel is oh so worth it.  Enjoy.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Rozzi - Never Over You

I love this woman's voice.!!  Enjoy!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Ashley McBryde - Girl Goin' Nowhere

One more to share. Love how genuine she sings her song.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

James Bay - Us

I've gone to mush listening to this song. You'll understand why when you hear it. 

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Alice Merton - No Roots

My latest musical obsession. I can't stop listening to this song.  Enjoy!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Blue October - I Hope You're Happy

A little rock to go with my rhythm and blues. Enjoy!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Rozzi Crane - Uphill Battle

This young woman's voice gives me chills. Rozzi Crane just came out with a new song, check it out.  She is def. worth the listen.  I haven't stopped listening....enjoy. L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Lewis Capaldi - Lost On You

I listened to this song and then couldn't stop listening to it. Enjoy~



All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2017 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Elle King - Can't Be Loved

Just because...

L~



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Learning How to Lose You

I heard this song and couldn't stop listening to it.  Enjoy. L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2017 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Let It Matter - Johnnyswim

It's Thursday, right before a holiday weekend. I'm taking several days off from the day job. I'm in a weird mood. Anxious. Restless. Wanting...something. The sky outside is filled with heavy clouds and it looks like it will thunderstorm later today. Could that be it? Electric current in the air. Hmm. I feel on the verge of a full blown migraine. It's been over three weeks since my last migraine.  I think this is the longest I've gone without one in the past two years.
Let's see, it's been a week since I've sat down to work on my writing. Perhaps that's where the restlessness is coming from. My muse is calling me and I've been ignoring her for far too long. There are slivers of story ideas trying to make their way to the surface and I've been snoozing. The alarm clock keeps going off in the background and I am having a hard time waking up enough to allow those slivers onto a page. What a waste.


Jumping subjects...I've been listening to the duo Johnnyswim and their sound is quite beautiful. This video is an acoustic version of LET IT MATTER and I can't stop listening to it. Her voice is delicious with a soulful, bluesy flavor.  Enjoy~ L

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2017 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Sunday - I will become what I deserve

I woke up with a raging headache this morning. It's not a migraine (thank goodness) but I'm trying to figure out if I should I venture out into the world or if I'm going to stay in my little shell today. Tomorrow it's back to work and I'm having a hard time facing that reality.

The last couple of months I've been looking for a tiny (bookshelf) radio system that can play CDs. I have loads of CDs that I'm no longer uploading into my crappy laptops. I found one that was perfect. I ordered it, played one and a half CD and then it stopped working. That's right, one CD and then with the next CD the spinning mechanism of the machine became louder than the music playing.  It paused on its own and stopped working altogether.  USA made product.  Of course, it's a piece of s***t.  I sent it back.

The next thing I ordered was a speaker. My bright idea was I could hook up my external CD drive  to it, plug in and play.  Brilliant right? I took out the speaker from the box and read the poorly written instruction (China made product). I discovered it doesn't have it's own power supply (nothing to plug in). It's on a 5v lithium battery so it doesn't have enough juice to power the external CD drive.  Argh! Foiled again.

At this point, I may go really old school and buy a car radio that plays CDs and hook that up to speakers.  Haha!

The whole point of this exercise was to get a small radio that I could play my CDs by my bedside. That's all I wanted. I may go back and see if I can find an alarm clock radio that plays CDs.  The problem with that option is the speaker quality is usually pretty tinny. Nothing ruins a song more than bad speakers.

The dream for me is to have a wireless sound system that plays in every room. High end sound system like Bang & Olufsen or even Bose. Imagine what Christina Aguilera's song Bound to You would sound like out of those speakers. * sigh * I won't do it until I own my apartment.  There is just no point going through the expense for a place that I will probably leave in the next year.  Bah!

As I sit here writing this blog entry, I'm trying to figure out if I'm going out. I'm on the fence. If I go out, I don't want to spend any cash.  But if I go out, cash will be spent.  hmmm...this how I teeter from one decision to another.  I'm going to make my bed, sort my laundry and then make a decision. Wish me luck. L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2017 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.