Playing at Summerstage/Central Park

GREAT DAY. We accompanied this amazing band, my new favorite band, Balkan Beat Box.

Here’s a shot before they let the audience in.

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Here’s a shot from the stage (so much fun to be on a stage!).

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Here’s Balkan Beat Box. The guy on his knees was gorgeous and an amazing performer. They all were, really. The saxophone player was incredible. (But again, they all were.)

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I got an action shot! I wish I had caught a better expression, though. (Note that two guys are in the air. Oh wait, THREE. It looks like the guy with the black hair is in the air, too! He was playing trombone.)

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And here is us with Balkan Beat Box, talking about what we’re going to do. We play different styles, so we’re working out playing them together without the benefit of a real rehearsal. We can’t play our drums because another band was performing and it would have been too loud. I say we don’t really have to, we can use our hands to tap out the various rhythms, and the guy in black says, “Yes, let’s play in our hearts.” Isn’t that a nice thing to say?

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Sneaker Poll

I’ve been dying for red sneakers. Which ones do you like? The ones on the left are kinda flimsy. They’re almost like slippers. But the shade of red is better, and because they are less bulky, they might look better with skirts. The ones on the right are more sneaker-like. Better for walking.

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Here’s another shot, even though it’s not a good one.

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And here is a gratuitous shot of Finney’s belly. BELLY! Worship the belly!

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Playing Small continued …

Last night as I was falling asleep there was a commercial for Budweiser Select, with a GREAT song playing in the background, rap and Indian guitar (or some sort of string instrument). I grabbed a pen, wrote “Budweiser” and the few of the words that I could make out and found it this morning. The universe is trying to tell me something.

The song is by the Chemical Brothers and it’s called Galvanize. Over and over they say, “Don’t hold back.” (If I could figure out how to embed MP3’s I’d put it up for everyone, but I can’t. It’s worth getting!)

Galvanize
(Don’t hold back)
cuz you woke up in the morning with initiative to move,
so why make it harder

(Don’t hold back)
If you think about it so many people do, be cool man, look smarter,

(Don’t hold back)
and you shouldn’t even care, about the losers in the air,
and their crooked stares,

(Don’t hold back)
cuz there’s a party over here, so you might aswell be here,
where the people care,

The world is holding back
the time has come to…

The world is holding back
the time has come to…

The world is holding back
the time has come to…

Galvanize,

(Don’t hold back)
If you think about it too much you may stumble,
trip up fall on your face,

(Don’t hold back)
You think it is time you get up fresh style
like a sit-up come on keep pace

(Don’t hold back)
Put apprehension on the back burner,
let it sit, don’t even get it lit,

(Don’t hold back)
Get involved with the jam,
don’t be a prick, hot chick

(Don’t hold back)

The World

The World
The time has come to –
Push the button

The World
The time has come to –
Push the button

The World
The time has come to –
Push the button

The World

My finger is on the button
My finger is on the button
My finger is on the button
Push the button
The time has come to…

Galvanize

“Your playing small does not serve the world.”

Deb brought up a Nelson Mandela quote, that I vaguely remembered. So I looked for it. Turns out he didn’t say it, it’s actually Marianne Williamson. But thank you for reminding me of it, it’s great.

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson

With that quote in mind I’m going to put together a list for my 50’s. Lists are so comforting. They’re also very practical, because I tend to follow them and actually do things. Not that I accomplish everything, it’s not all within my control of course, but I try, which staves off the loser feeling!