If I Ruled the World

Happy belated New Year to you!

Ah….a new start; a new chapter in uncertainty; renewed resolutions! Okay - Exercise more; eat less; do yoga; read more books - (no…..read ALL the books on my bookshelves!); write more songs - (no… write an album full of the best songs I’ve ever written!); get my year end done in January instead of August; write a book; record a new album; record a Christmas album; be more productive; write you more frequently; find an assistant or manager or SOMEONE who can help me achieve all these things; oh, and help create world peace.

Let’s start with you! How are you faring? I know, I know…It’s not an easy time - we put our fingers in our ears and la la our way past the giant elephant rampaging through our collective conscience. Gee, if I knew that at least half the world was terrified of me, I might be issuing some sort of reassuring statement, feeling somewhat responsible. Oh, but that’s what a normal person would do. Oh…right…hence the anxiety. Seriously though - I just can't bear to watch. 

Random unrelated rant: If I ruled the world, I would insist that film makers cease and desist making the fictional films and “games” that fill our bankrupt souls with a gluttony of images of mass destruction, terrorism, torture (particularly of women), mass murder, rampant assaults with guns and every imaginable weapon, and post apocalyptic horror. It is NOT helping matters. Oh….that’s what sells? Okay, then first I’d have to remove greed from the heart of man. I’ll put that on the New Years Resolution list.  

Being home has given me the opportunity to watch some powerful documentaries. The Showcase Series with Leah Remini exposing Scientology through interviews with past members is powerful and sobering. A study in mind control and cults masquerading as churches. Last night I also discovered a wonderful documentary by british actor Johnny Donahoe called "Every Brilliant Thing". And it is indeed a brilliant piece of theatre. You can find it on the web.

I’ve spent the past few days working with daughter Julia Graff as she mixes the audio and edits the video for songs from our show at Blue Frog Studios last fall. But even more fun has been working with her and Claire Lawrence on the Hometown Band concert we did there in the summer. I was Julia’s age when Claire and I were first in the Hometown Band together, so to watch the two of them working together in such collaboration and mutual respect is indescribably heart warming. I love it when life spins those unexpected threads.

Really - that's what keeps me going - YOU. music, friendship, art, theatre, intelligent loving wise humans.

Hang in there my friend. We have each other, we have hope, there is more goodness and love in the world than....the 'other'. At least that's what Jonathan Byrd says, and I'm choosing to believe him.  

See you out there my friend!
Happy Trails,
Shari