welcOMe to morning mantra music

I first heard - literally heard - Jim Carrol (Jim Carrol Band) in the 80s in sOMe dance/concert club in West Orange while attending Montclair State. Later in the 80s, while living in the city, I began reading The Basketball Diaries and Forced Entries. I actually became friends with sOMeone while reading the former (original cover) on the subway; couldn't put the book down.

These NYT articles are worth reading:

Jim Carroll, Poet and Punk Rocker Who Wrote ‘The Basketball Diaries’,… Continue

We're Going To Be Friends - The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Home On The Range - Zero - Nothin' Lasts Forever
Path of Two (drums) - Zakir Hussain - Masters of Percussion

Racing to the Ruins - Syd Straw - Surprise
Sphinx - Syd Straw - Surprise
Look For The Silver Lining - Judy Garland - Over The Rainbow And Other Hits
Get Happy - Judy Garland - Over The Rainbow And Other Hits

Saha Naavavatu - Leslie Freyberg - Chanting With Leslie
Sahanaa Vavavtu - Ravi Shankar - Chants Of India
Sahanaa Va… Continue

Kelly Clarkson slams weight critics
updated 10:57 a.m. EDT, Tue August 11, 2009

Over the past few months, Kelly Clarkson's weight has been a hot topic for critical bloggers. But the outspoken singer -- who has said "Of course celebrities have cellulite!" -- doesn't let the body bullies get her down.

"When people talk about my weight, I'm like, 'You seem to have a problem with it; I don't. I'm fine!'," Clarkson, 27, told the September issue of Self.

She also noted, "My happy weight changes. So… Continue

Nia Vardalos, Actress/Writer/Director summer 2009

It’s just weight. Just 40 pounds of fat now gone from my body, but wow, it’s pretty much all I get asked about. In the last year, I got to star in a movie, wrote and directed my next one, and adopted a three year old from American Foster Care. But guess what I’m asked…how did I lose the weight?

I am embarrassed to be in the position of answering questions about my body again. On the publicity tour of ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ I was asked over… Continue

Hey brother, tell me what it is
Do you think you might forget yourself if you forgive
You don't answer, so long since you did
Am I wasting time just waiting to find out
The answers behind how you live

Hey sister, do you like this place
Don't it seem it all revolves around a pretty face
Don't lose your amazing grace
And keep in control of your heart and your soul
Which no one will ever replace

Somewhere under the rainbow
There's sunlight maybe a sprinkle of gold...

Hey genius, tell me what you… Continue