Despite being a rainy day, I chanced being a crazy person who went for a nice, long walk through Les Sherman Park. Needless to say it was just me, the wet walking path, and the ducks. I returned home soaked through and through with wet wavy hair all over the place, but it was worth it. It reminded me of those things that I think of when it rains.
Like that time when I was just a kid that Grandpa and Grandma Gilmer had an auction at their log house out at Gooseberry Lake. How it rained all day and was so cool you could see your breath. I think we spent most of the day in the cabin drinking hot chocolate.
When I travelled to Europe in Grade 12, the experience was hampered by rain pretty much the whole time, whether we were in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland or France. I believe it was actually the last day we were there and flying out of Frankfurt that the sun finally made an appearance.
Rain reminds me of that time when I lived in Lethbridge and decided to drive out to BC to see my mom. As I was going through the Crowsnest Past, the rain was coming down so hard that my windshield wipers were having a hard time keeping up, and I was having a hard time being able to see my way through the twists and curves you encounter when you take that route. When it got to higher elevations, it started snowing (in June) and this poor guy coming towards me on his motorbike was having a tough time having to keep wiping the snow off his visor.
It makes me think of the year that my friends Barb and Patti and I decided to take in the Cathedral Arts Festival. It was pouring, so instead of chancing the rain, we made up our own little pub crawl through the afternoon. It was pretty much the last time that all three of us hung out together as everyone's lives went separate ways.
The rain takes me back to that July 1st Sandfly Festival in Medicine Hat when a then unknown Gord Bamford was on stage when the sky let loose and poured cats and dogs. With nowhere to really retreat, we just decided to make the most of it and danced like fools in the rain while he continued to play on. Within 20 minutes, the clouds parted again, the rain subsided and the sun returned for what turned out to be a beautiful rest of the day.
It takes me back to summers at the Craven Country Jamboree where a storm rolls in out of nowhere and suddenly it's coming straight down while everyone is trying to run for cover to the bathrooms or beer gardens. Mud becomes your best friend and the grandstand area becomes the Flip Flop Graveyard. Good luck trying to find a store that has rubber boots in stock still the week leading up to Craven.
The curse of rain follows me every time I go to Toronto. My first visit, it rained every day I was there. All I had for shoes was flip flops and let's just say my feet got a lot of exposure to the rain. My friend Krista brought me her husband's Maple Leafs umbrella. I had never used an umbrella before and ended up wrecking it when I was trying to close it. I felt pretty bad. A couple of months later I went back, this time in November. And again, it poured. I remember being with my friend Brianne in Kensington Market. We had been in this little coffee shop for a bit. When we came out, it was coming straight down so she ran across the street to this little Chinese place and got a cheap $5 umbrella. I think every time we've gotten together when I'm there, it's rained.
Overall, I don't mind the rain. Days on end of it back to back can get a little old real fast, but for the most part, a little time in the rain never hurt anyone did it? At least it's not snow :)
Tia
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Are you Ready to Strike While the Iron is Hot?
I don't often use my personal blog to give insight into the music industry, but I'm going to this time.
Last night on the season finale of Criminal Minds, the final scene of the show was a touching, poignant moment where the character of Emily Prentiss was basically saying goodbye to her team-mates after 6 years on the show. As the scenes are rolling there's an amazing voice singing the perfectly picked song that had words that made that farewell even more emotional.
Pretty much as soon as the show was done, myself and seemingly a lot of other people got onto a computer and starting searching for this song called "As it Seems". It turns out it's by an unknown singer named Lily Kershaw. Upon searching her name last night, very little came up for results aside from a MySpace page from how many years ago. Further to that, under the "music" tab of her MySpace page, she has no songs posted whatsoever, including this one.
My point is, here is an artist who clearly is missing an incredible opportunity. Today everyone wants to know everything about her, but there is nothing current out there "marketing" this singer/songwriter. All those years that she's spent crafting her art and to be given this song showcase on such a hit show, and she may not be able to strike while the iron is hot. In the music business, 15 min of fame is just that, and if she wants to capitalize on it, she's going to have to hurry to get an updated website, pics, etc.
I suspect Lily Kershaw's life today, is not the same as it was yesterday. The moral of the story moreso directed at my music friends still trying to catch their break is: you never know when someone will want to find you, or more about you. Ensure that you've got an updated website, that all content is current, that your latest songs are posted, your contact information is current and that it looks good. The other thing is, ensure there's a consistency in the look and sound between all social media you're utilizing. I've seen some artists maintain a MySpace page that they never update, it's different from their ReverbNation look, and what they're doing on Facebook doesn't seem to be in line with what they're doing everywhere else. You may not have the big record deal, but you have all these tools out there with technology these days to market yourself like a rock star. So just do it!
Tia
Last night on the season finale of Criminal Minds, the final scene of the show was a touching, poignant moment where the character of Emily Prentiss was basically saying goodbye to her team-mates after 6 years on the show. As the scenes are rolling there's an amazing voice singing the perfectly picked song that had words that made that farewell even more emotional.
Pretty much as soon as the show was done, myself and seemingly a lot of other people got onto a computer and starting searching for this song called "As it Seems". It turns out it's by an unknown singer named Lily Kershaw. Upon searching her name last night, very little came up for results aside from a MySpace page from how many years ago. Further to that, under the "music" tab of her MySpace page, she has no songs posted whatsoever, including this one.
My point is, here is an artist who clearly is missing an incredible opportunity. Today everyone wants to know everything about her, but there is nothing current out there "marketing" this singer/songwriter. All those years that she's spent crafting her art and to be given this song showcase on such a hit show, and she may not be able to strike while the iron is hot. In the music business, 15 min of fame is just that, and if she wants to capitalize on it, she's going to have to hurry to get an updated website, pics, etc.
I suspect Lily Kershaw's life today, is not the same as it was yesterday. The moral of the story moreso directed at my music friends still trying to catch their break is: you never know when someone will want to find you, or more about you. Ensure that you've got an updated website, that all content is current, that your latest songs are posted, your contact information is current and that it looks good. The other thing is, ensure there's a consistency in the look and sound between all social media you're utilizing. I've seen some artists maintain a MySpace page that they never update, it's different from their ReverbNation look, and what they're doing on Facebook doesn't seem to be in line with what they're doing everywhere else. You may not have the big record deal, but you have all these tools out there with technology these days to market yourself like a rock star. So just do it!
Tia
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Produce Department
The other day I was at the grocery store and started my adventure in the produce department to get some bananas. There was an older woman in her 60's or 70's getting a bunch of bananas which is what I was hoping to do as well. However, the selection was pretty lack lustre so I moved on banana-less. But I noticed she seemed to be fumbling with the plastic bags, although I thought she would be fine.
I moved over to the bakery section and eyed up some bread while still keeping an eye on her, and watching her still seem to be having some problems in getting the produce bag open. Again, I thought she'd surely be good to go pretty soon.
I mozied over to the deli section and looked back again to see if she had mastered her problem yet, but sadly she hadn't. Part of me thought it would make her feel uncomfortable if I went over to ask if she needed help, but by now 5 min had passed at least and she was still having issues.
I could have moved on, but decided to circle back and pretend I was eyeing up the bananas again. As I glanced over I could see her hands were that of someone who was hampered by arthritis, and she just couldn't get her fingers planted firmly enough to get that plastic bag open. Just as I turned to her to offer to help, she turned to me and said "I'm having troubles here" indicating she wanted help. I smiled, took the bag from her, rubbed the edges between my fingers and opened it up for her no problem and said "these darn bags are always so sticky and tricky," and handed it back to her. She quietly laughed this little laugh and thanked me.
Here was something that was so simple to me, yet so difficult to her. It was really a moment of revelation about perspective. All the things we take for granted about our abilities or potential that someone else physically can't do. I just hope someday when I'm 65 and struggling to get one of those stupid plastic produce bags open, that someone's kind enough to take the time and stop and help me too.
Tia
I moved over to the bakery section and eyed up some bread while still keeping an eye on her, and watching her still seem to be having some problems in getting the produce bag open. Again, I thought she'd surely be good to go pretty soon.
I mozied over to the deli section and looked back again to see if she had mastered her problem yet, but sadly she hadn't. Part of me thought it would make her feel uncomfortable if I went over to ask if she needed help, but by now 5 min had passed at least and she was still having issues.
I could have moved on, but decided to circle back and pretend I was eyeing up the bananas again. As I glanced over I could see her hands were that of someone who was hampered by arthritis, and she just couldn't get her fingers planted firmly enough to get that plastic bag open. Just as I turned to her to offer to help, she turned to me and said "I'm having troubles here" indicating she wanted help. I smiled, took the bag from her, rubbed the edges between my fingers and opened it up for her no problem and said "these darn bags are always so sticky and tricky," and handed it back to her. She quietly laughed this little laugh and thanked me.
Here was something that was so simple to me, yet so difficult to her. It was really a moment of revelation about perspective. All the things we take for granted about our abilities or potential that someone else physically can't do. I just hope someday when I'm 65 and struggling to get one of those stupid plastic produce bags open, that someone's kind enough to take the time and stop and help me too.
Tia
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