Sunday, January 31, 2010

Lone Tree


Hi ye all! After I get a good eight hours of sleep, I will be in a more positive frame of mind. Currently my body is feeling stabbing pain in my neck and my lungs are filled with gunk from exhaustion. The weekends are a physically challenging time for me with teaching, four hour rock and roll gigs (getting home and to bed by 4 or 5 am), and three to four hours of sleep for about four nights in a row. Hopefully by Wednesday I will feel somewhat normal again, and I will have a few more brain cells working. Thus, it may take me till the middle of the coming week to figure out the posting music to my blog challenge. I also attended a memorial for Edith, my bf's sister, on Saturday. Even though I feel she is now pain free, I feel compassion for the loss her family now is experiencing. Okay, time to post and then curl up in a ball.

Lone Tree
Lone tree
Looking for love
What to do
When surviving overtakes
Most of my life
I grasp for breath
In utter exhaustion
To nurture what is left
Of my bare branches
A drop of true compassion
And understanding to
My struggles
Would help heal my roots
Then my branches
Can grow strong and firm
And once more
They can help support
Other forms of fungi
Copyright 2010 - LAM

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Spiraling Down


Spiraling Down
Spiraling down
Into an abyss
Life is fragile
As a child’s wish
Changing all the time
As I’ve heard
Over in a blink of time
Spiraling down
Into an abyss
I hope I get a chance
To finish my list
Before I hit bottom.
Copyright 2010 - LAM

Friday, January 29, 2010

Mo Bass





Howdy! Okay, I'm in rushed default mode. I have 15 minutes to get ready before I leave to my gig. Ugh! Where are my clones?
I think that will be my next blog - 'Where are my Clones?' The pen & ink drawing I did before today, but I did do the tweaks in photoshop and write the poem today. I think I get a little break to be more creative in two days. Ciao.

Mo Bass
Mo bass please
Increase the groove
Maybe a bossa nova
To make my hips move
Ta tee tee ta tee tee
Boom boom boom pop
Mo bass please
Let the music drop

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Circles with Fashion Makeovers








Hi,
I only have a few minutes to post my blog before midnight (my self imposed deadline), so I'll throw something up and then refine it later. I was inspired for this blog by both Project Runway and by one of my students. My student was circling a number on her music page when her circle started to change shapes on purpose. Then she told me it was a circle with a fashion makeover. Adorable. The illustrations include my original quick watercolor sketch I did while watching Project Runway, and then variations I did in Photoshop. The dress has circles with fashion makeovers as its pattern.

Circles with Fashion Makeovers

Circles with fashion makeovers
Which way to go
Inside outside
Empty or whole
Belted with bracelets
Round and bold,
Loops and hoops
Orbit the figure
Crowned with a wreath
Of global proportions
An arc in sideways
A bend to the back
Curvature to provoke
A sexy look
Copyright 2010 - LAM

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

State of the Union Address 2010



Howdy,
Okay. I'm not into shoving my political opinion into anybody's face, so I listened to the address, did a quick drawing while watching, and I wrote a quick not so great poem.  More in the creative zone tomorrow.


State of the Union Address 2010

State of the Union 2010
Given by our President Barack Obama
Where to begin
I have been cynical concerning politics
Since I was in college
I believe big business runs our country
With payoffs given to our officials
Obama is a good orator
But is president really more
Than a figurehead
I still having a difficult time
Swallowing our bail out program
Outrageous bonuses given to heads of companies
Creating more of the rich getting richer
And the poor getting poorer
Did these people in charge of these bankrupt companies
Have any conscience when they obtained these bonuses with
Their inflated egos
Care one bit about their fellow Americans
How come our government
Had no regulations on
How “our” money was distributed
I don’t know about you
But I think these businesses
Are having a grand old party
With members of our government

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Red Hand


Hola,
Today is the busiest day in my teaching schedule. I teach many students from different ethnic backgrounds. This is my inspiration for today's poem and illustration. I'm still working on being able to post my music to my blog. Bare with me.
I get home really late on Tuesdays, around 9:30 pm, so I haven't had much time tonight to eat and then work on the blog. Maybe I should give up eating, but I still haven't mastered this addiction (just being funny).

Red hand for Eyes

Red hand for eyes,
Legs for arms,
Arms for legs
Can’t do much harm
A blue box for a heart
An ear for a belly button
A triangle for glands
Which is a positive thing
In many purple lands
Uniqueness and strange
Are the pinnacle of beauty
To the red hand for eyes
Creatures of the future plans
Copyright 2010 - LAM

Monday, January 25, 2010

Vague Village



Howdy,

I'm still burning the candle at both ends, and I don't think I have any wick left (hee hee). Some century I'll get some rest. This featured poem/illustration for this post was inspired by a Facebook conversation I was having with my sister, Kristie. I'll leave it at that - nice and vague. Oh yeah, I'm still working on learning how to upload music to the blog. Soon you will be able to hear my sweet and not so saccharine compositions.

Vague Village

Do you remember
What’s her name?
That was in that
One movie
She was staring with
That one guy
Huh!
Do you remember?
Vague Village
We all visit from time to time
Maybe we have more
Important things to think about
Maybe too much stress
Is clouding our minds
Maybe it is a chemical imbalance
Maybe we are sleep deprived
Vague Village
A place we all sometimes
Somewhere reside

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Drunken Bass


Okay, well I have five minutes to complete and post my blog. Last night I got home at 3 am after playing a gig with a blues/punk band, Blue 55. I got about 4 hours of sleep and taught some music lessons today, and then I set up my music studio so that I can compose and post music to my blog. I wrote my first song with the Pro tools set up using a conga loop and my stand up bass. The song sounded like drunken bass, hence the inspiration and title for my poem and illustration. Once I figure out how to post music on here, I'll add the track.

Drunken Bass

Drunken bass
Sliding down your strings
Yeow, woo, woo
That is how
Your song goes
Behind the beat a bit
Then slightly faster
Woo, wo, wo, woo
Is how the
Song of the drunken bass flows

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Saturday, January 23, 2010

My Cat Ate All my As


Hi,

I'm still really tired with a kink in my neck. Ouch! Okay enough complaining. Played a gig last night and taught lessons all day. The poem on this post was inspired by my student Claudia. We were reading music when she said, "What if a dog ate all the Gs?"
Well since I have a cat, Poe -(named after Edgar Allen Poe), my poem has a feline twist to it.

My C_t _te my _s

I woke up tod_y
Deep in a mystery
When I opened the newsp_per
Much to my dism_y
I noticed th_t it w_s missing
_ll of the _s
Hmmm I pondered
How could this be
Wh_t kind of trickery
Occurred
It w_s then I he_rd
My c_t meowing
When I looked at her
I noticed something str_nge
_ cert_in letter w_s
_ll _round her mouth
Why my c_t is guilty
She _te _ll the _s


Copyright 2010 - LAM

Friday, January 22, 2010

Twitter Bug


Hi,
I'm posting my blog early today because later I'll be setting up my studio, going straight to teach some lessons, and then straight to a gig. Disclaimer: I think I slept on my glasses because they are incredible crooked this morning so it is difficult for me to read the screen therefore any misspellings, bad grammar etc. will have to be corrected later when I can see.

My topic for today is the latest craze which I'm starting to do, but only from my computer so far- Tweeting on Twitter.

Twitter Bug

Tweet, tweet, twit away
The twitter bug carries her load
Of 140 characters or less
In the Twittersphere of words
Messages of all types flow
Hashtags used for creating a buzz
A Twitter bug knows
Instantly where to go
Oh know here it comes
An attack of Tweitterrhea
From a Twitterholic
So little time for the
Twitter bug to frolic

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Project Runway - Earthquake Dress








Hi,
I slept heavily last night and woke up with an incredible pain in my neck. Wah! It hurts constantly, and it is making it very difficult for me to concentrate. If I had a pain killer other than asprin I would take it. I think after watching one of my favorite shows, 'Project Runway', I will hit the hay. I did a quick fashion watercolor - I'll call my 'Earthquake Dress.' The other illustrations I tweaked once again in photoshop. Nighty night.

Fashion Passion

Fashion passion
Materials so frill
Cotton, satin, chiffon, or silk to kill
One shoulder
Deep cut in the front
Bow on the side
Designs for girls with bumps
Dresses designed for
Too much junk in the trunk
Fashion week
Fashion weeps
One day you’re in
One day you’re out
“Just make it work”
“Duh!” that’s what we’re trying to do
Create a new design
Which screams the
“Wow!” factor
Absolutely!

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Music for your Eyes


Hola,
My friend Susan told me this evening that Haiti had another earthquake of 6.2 magnitude. I was living in the Bay Area in 1989 when it was hit by the 7.1 earthquake. I was actually in a recording studio in Berkeley when the earthquake was happening,
and we were playing back some tracks when we felt it. At first I was thinking, wow, the bass on that track is causing a lot of low end vibrations. When we went outside a lot of water towers and other buildings were in flames and brick buildings had crumpled.

My poem isn't related to the earthquakes, but I was talking to my friend while I was posting
my blog which influenced me to talk about the earhquakes even though I originally wanted to share my Music for your Eyes
poem/lyrics for today.

This poem was inspired by the background music playing while I was grocery shopping.
I started to think of lyrics to a song, and this is my initial idea.

Music For my Eyes

You are music for my eyes
Only my diary sees
The reasons why
I feel the way I do
Loving you
You are music for my eyes
A clear vision of two
An oracle predicts
For our future view
You are music for my eyes
A melody for my gaze
A symphony for our picture
You are music for my eyes
Copyright 2010 - LAM

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Dullsville


Hi,

Tonight is my cleaning night. I accidently left my front door open
and a wind storm blew through my house.
Washing the floor, dishes, cleaning the rugs, trash out and finishing
the laundry. What fun!!! Where is my maid.
I read in a magazine recently that someone called housework "dull" work.
Yeppers, I must agree. Off to Dullsville as soon as I finish my blog.

To end on a positive note, I should have my music set up to start by Friday!

Dullsville

Dullsville
Is the place I visit
Every time I have
To accomplish these repetitive task
Washing the kitchen floor,
Vacuuming and scrubbing the rugs,
Unloading the dishwasher,
Loading the dishwasher,
Folding the clothes,
Putting away the clothes,
Taking out the trash,
Creating trash,
Dusting a little bit,
Feeding the cat,
Cleaning the litter box
Time to leave Dullsville
Time to change my sheets
So that I can sleep

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Monday, January 18, 2010

When the Earth Roars Last


Hi,
My body feels like it has been run over by a truck.
I am sore all over. The rock band, Brainstorm, that I played bass with
this weekend is quite a work out. I bought some Therma patches, and I'm going to mummify myself with them tonight.
My inner ears feel a little damaged too. The dangerous side effects of rock n roll they never warn you about on
the bottom of the package.

I finally did a little reading about the 7.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated Haiti six days ago.
The death toll is estimated to be up to 200,000, and about 3 million people are in need of food, water, shelter, and medical assistance. Unbelievable!!! When the earth roars watch out!

When the Earth Roars Last

When the earth roars last
Watch out you may crash
Into an abyss
Created from a list of vengeance
The earth is keeping
All knowing and powerful
Our terra firma is aware
Humans are anemic adversaries
When a battle with the earth occurs
How many bodies do you count
In the death trucks that pass
People should tremble with fear
When the earth roars last


Copyright 2010 - LAM

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Raccoon Ant


Hola!

Michael, my son, and I just finished watching 'The Soloist.'
I highly recommend watching this movie. Very dramatic
and moving to my soul. I've always believed that most
of the homeless problem in the United States stems from
not having the proper mental health care for poor people.

Once again I'm beyond exhausted and my body is
frequently coughing as it's signal that I am in need of rest.
Gigged last night, and then taught all day. Spent at least a few
hours with my son before he is off to college tomorrow.

I'll probably need to come back and edit this poem,
but I'm going to attempt to write one in five minutes.

Racoon Ant

Raccoon ant
Doing your dance
Across my mind
In double time
Washing away drips
Of yesterdays
Raccoon ant
I hear your soothing chant

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Lone Wolf


Hi,
Tomorrow night I'll have more time to write.
I just finished teaching and have to get ready
and leave in 30 minutes to go to yet another gig.

Lone Wolf

Lone wolf
In the still mysterious woods
Gliding over tangled underbrush
Moving as a shadow
To find your next meal
Maybe a werewolf you
Truly are
And a lone vampire
You will kill

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Friday, January 15, 2010

Face in the Island


Hi,

In a hurry. What's new. Off to play a gig in 15 minutes.
I still need to pack and dress.










Face in the Island

A face in the island
Whose face is it?
Does the face turn us into prey?
Or is it our hero
Someone to rescue us
We all know the answer to that one
There is only one person
Who can rescue us?
The one standing
In a grass skirt on our deserted shores
Why, you my dear
You are the one you are looking for

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Planet X


Hi,

Still feeling spacey. Who knows maybe I'll be held hostage in this
unfocused state till the end of my days.
Project Runway is on TV in the background. I love this show.
It is truly inspiring watching artist create under pressure.
Plus I love fashion. Hmm, Heidi is pregnant again. Busy girl!!!

Taught some lessons, and then went to the art gallery abstract show
reception. Nice show. My painted shoe was upfront in the window. Wow!
Cool! My friend Karen suggested I do an entire series of painted shoes. Good idea!
Watch out Carrie Bradshaw (Sex in the City), maybe I'll bring my shoe series to a gallery show in New York.

Planet X

Red, blue, green
An atmosphere made out of
Lives unseen
Blue, green, red
Giraffes with no necks
And birds with no feathers
Green, red, blue
High pitch sounds
Penetrate within you

Copyright 2010 - LAM



http://musicbylauriemilelr.googlegroups.com/web/Castaway.mp3?gsc=4AVcFxYAAADuiF3W55uoWmNfF78c-e5qg98yaRS05ZvrN292js8LYQ

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Spacey


☆ spacey or spacy (spā′sē)
adjective spacier spac′i·er, spaciest spac′i·est
spaced-out
very eccentric or unconventional
not in touch with reality; flighty, irresponsible, neurotic, etc.

I love this definition of spacey. It is so me!!!
Okay, I went to the doctor for the first time in
a year and a half
and had my blood test done. I found out on Monday that
everything was good - much to my surprise - except my cholesterol.
It is 386 over 286. Bad, bad, bad. In my defense, I'm not eating fried foods, dripping too much butter on my food, and I do exercise everyday. It is genetic! My dad died of a heart attack at the
age of 49.
I've been avoiding taking this statin medicine for a reason. It makes my tummy feel weird,
and it makes my SPACEY!!!!
I mean spacier than the normal artistic spacey for me. Not good!!!
I'm driving my car to teach a lesson today, and I forget that I'm driving half way there. Not good!!!!
So, if you see me driving your way - RUN!!!!

Spacey

The invasion of the body snatchers
Has happened to me
I can’t remember anything
Not even if I’m allergic to bees
I step in doggie poop
On the path to my front door
Now getting on my hands and knees
And scrubbing my rugs
I get to explore


Copyright 2010 - LAM

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Green Branches



Hi,
I'm posting my poem early today.
Last night I started listening to Dr. Daniel Amen's
'Change Your Brain Change Your Life.' Interesting
so far. He talks a lot about how sometimes behavioral
problems are really brain damage problems.
Maybe I was dropped on my head?
I'm sure my sister and son think so.
I've also decided not to drink coffee anymore after 9 pm.
I was up till 4 am staring at the ceiling. Actually I'm
really blind without my glasses on, so I was staring at a blur spot.

I did try to get pro tools (a music recording application) set up last night, but I think I'm going to
need some help. I may try Garageband instead so that I can get the music
portion of the blog happening.

Green Branches

Dancing in the breeze
The green branches
Sway to the music
Of clouds and dreams
Gentle and fluid
Never stepping on any toes
1, 2, 3 . . . 1, 2, 3 . . .
A waltz they are performing
Their beauty is to behold

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Monday, January 11, 2010

Light of the New Day!



Hi everyone,
It is difficult for me to function in the 'normal' world
once my brain has gone to the creative or as they say 'the right side of the brain.'
I can't even remember my cats name in this condition, let alone if I fed her lately.
Poor kitty. I guess I'll be making kitty soup soon. (Just kidding!)
After starting my blog I decided to make the pictures and poems compliment each other,
and yes eventually the music will too. So, I accidently deleted my 'Light of the New Day'
poem from my computer. Therefore, I wrote a new poem tonight to go with my illustration.


Light of the New Day!


Light of the new day
Streams in my windows
Riding on waves
Of present moments
Not to be lost
On negative thoughts
Always to remember
The past is forgiven
The future I must not worry for
The present is the moment
I must learn to live in
And capture its treasure forevermore
Copyright 2010 - LAM

Sunday, January 10, 2010

My Orange Guitar


I'm still trying to figure out how to add music. So if anybody knows - could you
let me know. I see how to add video, but not music?
Maybe I need to add music in a video format?
Taught a lot of lessons - piano & guitar today.
Updating my blog - forever evolving.
My mind is really good at going sideways, and I'm still
trying to tackle going forward.


My Orange Guitar

My orange guitar
Brings me oddles of joy
Strumming away
It is my favorite toy
La, la, la, ah, ah, oye
Oh boy, oh boy
Which chord shall I add next
G, Z, X or a demolished C
This lovely song I’ve written
With my orange guitar
Should be squeezed into a new jar
La, la, la, ah, ah –
Oh boy, oh boy

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Pink Chair


Hola! Practicing my spanish. I've really been
enjoying writing again. I've missed it a lot.
Writing makes parts of my brain feel so much better.

I'm planning on adding music to my post
possibly tomorrow night, or next week at the latest.

Pink Chair

Pink chair, pink chair
Who has sat here and shared
Their deepest secrets
Their gossipy score
Who has kissed here
Who has done more
Who has stuck gum on your underside
Who has used you to run behind and hide
Pink chair, pink chair
With so much to share
Pink chair, pink chair
Tell me your secrets
Let me know
Please share

Copyright 2010 - LAM

Friday, January 8, 2010

Bug Trail



I've got to leave my house in ten minutes,
so this is a quicky.

Bug Trail

“Ouch.” Bug number 2,010 bit me. I’m feeling itchy.
One bite is on my back in an inconvenient place that I can’t reach.
The number of bugs that have bitten me today is only
Surpassed by my heart rate, currently 3,000 bpm, which indicates
My critical out of shape condition.
I currently feel like an avocado
With a thick layer of green fat covering me.
Ah, if there was an easy way of slicing this fat away
To get to my core
I would swallow that pill in an instant

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Zig Zag



Hi Everyone,

My head has been pounding all day from a sinus headache.
It is chronic due to allergies (everything WA related - molds!)
I've relied on Sudafed to breathe for a long time now so I'm probably well preserved.
I'm still focusing on getting organized. Watching 'Hoarders' on TV just once
has really inspired me to get rid of "stuff" and organize my stacks of papers.
Baby steps, baby steps.
Illustration - Orange guitar is a new drawing I did and then tweaked
with CS4 Photoshop (my son's Christmas present to me.) Very fun!


Zig Zag

I zigged
When I should have zagged
I zagged
When I should have zigged
I dinged
When I should have donged
I donged
When I should have dinged
So now I zig zag, ding dong
Trying to think up today's new song

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Sleep Deprived


Wed. January 6th -
Very, very tired. I was inspired by listening to Dr. Daniel Amen
on public television Sunday night after my gig.
Even though I was feeling extremely tired yesterday, I mentally tried
to talk myself out of it. I ended up doing too much, and I've rendered myself
basically useless today. I was inspired watching Yo Yo Ma on public television at 4 am however.
What did I accomplish today - taught a few piano lessons, and reviewed Teen Town - Weather Report
on the bass to teach my student. Very inspiring to me. Consider it only took me about 15 minutes
to get it up to speed - Jaco speed. Now I just have to lose about 10 more pounds so that I
can make my Youtube videos which will depict me playing Teen Town & Donna Lee.
I was going to work out after I was done teaching, but I think I should get some sleep so
that I can work out harder, stronger, better tomorrow.

Very Tired

Where oh where
are my zzzz's
Where oh where
are my dreams to be
Where oh where
are my snores & sighs
Where oh where
is my fxxxing million dollars
so that I don't have to work
so hard
so that I have time to focus
on my creativity
so that I can get some sleep
Where oh where oh were
are my Ben Franklins hiding from me

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

January 5th - My First Blog


Okey dokey.  It is 11:30 pm Tuesday evening the 5th of January 2010.  I was going to start my blog on the Jan. 1st, but life happens.  My goal is to write a poem, a bit of music, and a drawing/painting everyday for a year to share with the world.  It will be interesting to see when (the exact date) I achieve this goal.  For the moment, I'll share a little of a day in the life of Laurie Miller, and then I'll attempt to write a tiny poem.  Oh yeah, disclaimer: everything that you read, see, or hear in my blog, must be given permission for & then agreed to terms before copying, downloading, or using in any form or manner.
Okay, back to sharing my day, I had an epiphany about how being/feeling tired is all in the mind, and I'm going to try and tell myself I have all the energy and ability I need to accomplish what I wish to achieve anyway.  Positive thinking 101 or old fashioned brain washing I'm sure.
I meditated, cleaned, took a walk, taught piano & violin lessons, and now I must work on mortgage papers (I always seem too tired for this activity?).

To Blog or Not to Blog?
To blog or not to blog?
That is the question I ask of me
Should I really share 
The dusty remnants 
That live in the crevices of my mind
Should I first have a frontal lobotomy
Or the joke a bottle in front of me?
Should I tell my most private thoughts
Or just trivial facts about this and that
To blog or not to blog?
That is the question I ask of me