Beyond the Laughter

#1 & 2– In my early 20’s I remember wanting what Ani DiFranco had – not to be a musician, but to be able to express my deepest self. The soul made visible. That is my kind of power. Last Thursday I wrote a song that for me comes close to that. I’m really into it. It was fun because it mostly came easily/all at once. However, originally I had a list of names in the song. When I played it for a cousin on Saturday he had a couple great suggestions, one of which was to add more than just the name.

On Monday I was feeling sad and I started playing this song. Then I made this recording and the song lifted me from the sad place. Whenever I have a spare moment now I’m researching the names in the song (never had a song that needed research before) or rearranging the names in the song. So that part wasn’t finished in this recording. If you have a name you think should be in there let me know, I’m still figuring it out. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed working on a song as much as I have this one. And since much of that work is a result of a suggestion, I guess it’s my first song with a co-writer. Thanks Ryan.

#3 – I have a quart of coconut milk that I am not using fast enough. Today it occurred to me to try making my steel cut oatmeal for breakfast with it instead of water. It neither tasted better or worse, but still fun to change it up.

#4 – I debated whether to bike to yoga as it looked rainy and cool. I didn’t want to drive as I just went to an Earth day rally at the capitol yesterday. It wasn’t raining when it was time to go, so I just wore a raincoat and accepted it may be when I came home. When I left the studio, there were just the barest sprinkles. Once I was inside again, it began to rain.

#5– I told the owner of the yoga studio about the non-chemical pool being built in Minneapolis. I knew she would be excited as she talks about the environmental impacts of chlorine bleach and had me do research to find someone to wash their towels who didn’t use it.