Celebrating a la Mexicana

Let the New Year begin celebrating from beautiful San Miguel de Allende! 

Encantada

De estar en San Miguel de Allende

Pepe Aguilar feat. Natalia Lafourcade - Miedo - Letra

Cannot get enough of this man and his music--one of the sexiest voices out there y como lo canta en Espanol!  Es puro Mexicano!!

Lessons learned

I stopped searching for my soulmate years ago and decided to start living my life. Sometimes lessons learned can be a hard pill to swallow but better to experience such than to be fooled by a soulmate my mind imagined.

2015/Stay thirsty, my friends!

Amen to this! Sadly some very close people moved and some passed on from this life and others it past time to let go! 

I am thankful for new old friends/my Chino-Latino chicas -best travel buds.  Looking forward to our planned adventures for 2016 and the search for the most interesting man in the world! ;-)

Happy Birthday Frank!

Here he's singing one of his favorite songs and definitely one of mine from my favorite Beatles-George Harrison.

On a side note: All is right with the world after my glorious massage today!  A two month gap is too long a time in between!!

A Sweet Persimmon (December 8th)

Just had to give this song another listen before the day was over.

A sweet persimmon
A sweet song
A sweet cd, Winter Rose: Music 4 th holidays
A sweet artist: Ottmar Liebert
A sweet tribute to December 8th, Bodhi day, the day marking the enlightenment of the Buddha.

Tomorrow and the day after as the temps start to warm, Le Cafe (Dream of Snow)

Evolutionary/revolutionary

"Not just evolutionary but revolutionary!"

Sono Grata

Even though I was sick with a nasty cold today...

Drink You Away - CMA's 2015

This is STILL one of the best collaborations of music ever heard!  The audience knew they were witnessing something special.

I've tried Jack, I've tried gin, I've tried Jim, I've tried all of his friends...

The other song these two played at the CMA's was also brillant and another song I can't get enough of...

                  Tennesee Whiskey

and I find myself wanting to pour a fine glass of smooth Tennesee Whiskey.  Well tonight it was 2 rounds of Ashai.

Sans regrets

Adele - Hello

FINALLY! After a three year wait!  The voice on this woman is beyond phenonmenal.  Beyonce could not hold a candle to Adele!!

All Hail the Queen!

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!!

Sanctuary

another late sleepless night filled with anxiety but finding sanctuary in beautiful music such as this.  I could listen to such music for hours.  I picture looking out a window out in a forest and seeing thousands of stars glittering in the night sky and imagining a cosmos where music like this is heard.

Later this morning another trek to Katy for a life changing event--just please God don't let me see the tears in her eyes and if I do remind me to close my eyes and find sanctuary to hold me up in the coming weeks.

Lo que no fue no sera - Pepe Aguilar

The birthday celebration continues and looking forward to seeing this Mexican crooner in concert tomorrow with my Latina chicas.  So love Youtube and all the videos that are helping me get acquainted with his many, many songs.  I remember as a kid going to see his mother and father perform and he made an appearance astride a beautiful white horse in his beautiful traje de charro.  I fell in love then!

#56

Another year has come and gone and my how they go by so fast.  Enjoyed spending the evening at Skyspace at Rice University.  Reminder to go back!!  Just last year I was in Ohio at the county fair with a few of my closest friends! So missing the cooler temps up there and SICK of this heat!!  

On a sad note, I missed my yearly phone call from my sweet Kenneth.  I still can't believe you're gone.  53 is too damn young!!  Perhaps you were here climbing the stairs back up into the skyspace.  I hope you're finally at peace.

Welcome October...

... my favorite month of the year when fall looms, leaves fall and trees are stripped bear along with exotic blooms of night blooming jasmine abound in the night and the sweet shrill of an owl are heard in the darkness. Football is king but the boys of baseball come out to play for a championship.

One of my all time favorite bands, U2 has a beautiful album called October and below is a video from the titled song along with my other fav from the band.  I fell in love with U2 after seeing them on video performing at Red Rocks and OMG, I was mesermized by Bono!  He is the sexiest man alive but the piano introduction from the Edge is beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9rbpiLTmhk

October the trees are stripped bear...

Un poco más

Such a beautiful song from the incomparable Lila Downs!  Still wired from her concert last night at House of Blues--thanks to free tickets from Facebook contest!  She sang this last night and this version does not compare to hearing it live backed by her beautiful band. What a voice!!!   BTW, got to chat with her husband a bit before the show!  My friend thought I knew him but he just happened to walk by me and say hello and I called his name Paul and that's how it started! ;-)

I first heard of her when she performed in the movie Frida and then sang Burn it Blue at the Academy Awards back in 2003.

Learning....

Learning hard this year!

Spirituality

Zen Moments ‏@Zen_Moments  9h9 hours ago

Being spiritual has nothing to do with what you believe and everything to do with your state of consciousness. ~ Eckhart Tolle

Septembro

Finally September got here & sayonara to August-The month I loathe the most. Still I know it will be several more weeks before we even begin to feel first effects of fall here in H town but feeling invigorated again knowing that summer is almost over!  

Alan O'Day -1977- Undercover Angel

For Ken.  R.I.P.  I shall miss your yearly phone calls on my birthday.  Heavy heart on this Sunday.  I remember this song well back in the summer of 1977 and the weekend treks to Astroworld to watch the fireworks.  ;-) 53 is too damn young.

Integrity

For Corinne whose visit I enjoyed this weekend. When we were roomies I was the messy one but you taught me that it was ok to not fit in a box or stay between the lines. That integrity was something to not take for granted or play around with and that loyalty was of utmost importance. Through the ups and downs of our friendship & lives and the miles in between Texas & New York we've remained friends for almost 30 years and I treasure your loyalty. Safe travels home Chica. Take care of you. 

Life exams

Making Sense

On this 1st day of August -a month I loathe because of the heat, long hours at work & what seems like a never-ending summer!! 

Maná - Vivir sin aire [En vivo]

Great concert Tuesday night by the Mexican rock group -Maná at Toyota Center.  So much pride in the band from Mexico and you can bet there was a kick ass song and words about Donald Trump!  Y chinga tu madre puto Trump porque "Somos Mas" cabron!!!



Video above of course was sung Tuesday night and one of my favorites from the band and is dedicated to MJ--for this too shall pass but I can understand your heartbreak and wanting to break free.  Many times, I've wished the same ...



... poder vivir sin aire, (live without air),

... poder vivir sin agua,  (live without water)

... me encantaria querete poco menos, (wish I could want you less)

... poder vivir sin ti, (live without you)

... pero no puedo, siento que murero (but I can't, because I would die)

... estoy hogano sin tu amor (I'm choking without your love)

... como quiseria calmar mi afflicion (I wish I could calm my affliction)

... me encantaria parar mi corazon (I wish I could stop my heart)



y como siempre sigue el Drama y Luz!

Jesse Cook - Havana

Appropriate title song as yesterday it was announced that the U.S. & Cuba have agreed to open the embassy in Havana, Cuba!  Happy to hear this as my travel posse is making plans to possibly visit Cuba in December.  Hoping that everything falls into place as this would be such an exciting adventure!!

It is so ordered

A joyous day in American history! Happy for friends & family & their fight for equality!  #Lovewins

Entre Dos Aguas

Above video is a beautiful tribute song by Tomatito playing the song titled above.



Last day of the month and all I can say is good riddance as the storms and rain were such a heartache to so many who lost lives and valuables by way of the loss of homes and/or cars.  Thankfully, all I lost was sleep especially last Monday night when the big storm hit.  It was said that in May alone- we got enough rain to fill the entire state of Texas with 8 inches of water!   The first week of June looks to be filled with less rain water but it also marks the start of Hurricane season and while I don't live in a flood zone I'm not taking any chances and I went ahead and bought flood insurance!



Now that May is ending and summer begins with the start of June (IMO) so begins the onslaught of the heat, humidity, mosquitos and the endless noise of the cicadas of which I heard already night before last.  UGH!!!  I loathe that sound!!!  What I'd give to escape summer here in Texas and take flight up north somewhere.  So, time for my usual hibernation of retreating indoors. Well at least the next two weeks or so will be busy watching basketball and hockey playoffs!

Islands in the Stream

I

Stopped by Willow Waterhole in the early evening yesterday & I fully believe that flood waters from yesterday's storms were held at bay thanks these new retention ponds at the back end of my neighborhood. Felt great to take in a walk at the waterhole & there was such a nice breeze and as you can see walk was cut short as the two bridges were impassable-more like islands in the stream.

Me either!

Do You Really Wanna Know?!

Never watched the show but I did like the theme song and Fox Mulder was a fox indeed and I always wanted to join the FBI and yes, inquiring minds really wanna know! ;-)

Simple Minds - Don't you Forget About Me (The Breakfast Club)

Dear Mr. Vernon:

We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain... ...and an athlete... ...and a basket case... ...a princess... ...and a criminal.

Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club

I was a BIG fan of the movie, The Breakfast Club and can't believe it's been 30 years since it came out. The directing was genius and the acting was brilliant.  This song became the anthem of a generation and definitely a cry out song in the 80's and even now some 30 years later.  I could listen to song endlessly and watch the movie over and over.  If you've never seen the movie -by all means reach out and rent it!!

Four/IV/Quadri

Ok, so there are five of us that make our newly formed women's group that we call the Chino-Latino Posse.  We are new travel buds and this was our first get-together after our European trip last month. We're already making plans for next series of trips that could include India, and Cuba just to name a few places.  I am so happy to have met these four special women who are educated, talented and beautiful with such diverse backgrounds.  One from Chile, one from China and two from Mexico. Except for Yan we are educators with a zest for exploring and experiencing various cultures from around the globe.  

I always did like the number four and even more so now.  Some things about that magic number that I found on Wiki...

• Four is the sacred number of the Zia, an indigenous tribe located in the U.S. State of New Mexico.
• in Buddhism there are 
• Four Noble Truths
• Dukkha – The Noble Truth of Suffering
• Samudaya – The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
• Nirodha – The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
• Magga – The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering

There are four great elements that have special meaning to me and it exists in my backyard  and there are four corners of white concrete blocks that pay homage to the four elements of earth, fire, water, air as well as the four cardinal directions of east, south, west and north.

Four primary elements[edit]

In canonical texts, the four Great Elements refer to elements that are both "external" (that is, outside the body, such as a river) and "internal" (that is, of the body, such as blood). These elements are described as follows:

• Earth element (pruṭhavī-dhātu)
  Earth element represents the quality of solidity or attractive forces. 

• Water (or liquid) element (āpa-dhātu)
  Water element represents the quality of Liquidity or relative motion.

• Fire element (teja-dhātu)
  Fire element represents the quality of heat or energy. 

• Air (or wind) element (vāyu-dhātu)
  Air element represents the quality of expansion or repulsive forces. 

Thus, it is no wonder that I feel a special bond for my four friends.  Of special note there are...

Fifth and sixth elements[edit]

In addition to the above four elements of underived matter, two other elements are occasionally found in the Pali Canon:^[11]

• Space element (ākāsa-dhātu)

• Consciousness element (viññāṇa-dhātu)

 The fifth element is also important as in the photo linked above in the text- my sis Kym (twin sisters of different mothers) is pictured as she joined our possee last month while traveling to Holland and Germany! Thus four became six and our consciousness element was enlightened.  I am forever grateful for the light they each give.  

Turning the page!

Buddha's Flower - 4 My Sister

Title appropriately borrowed from song by Ottmar Liebert



So on day two in Holland, I met up with my fanmenco sis Kym.    We trekked by train and bus to get to Keukenhof where this photo was taken by some Asian sisters who asked that we take their photo for them.  I wonder where they were from?  Our boots were made for walking and after Keukenhof we hopped a train and spent the afternoon in Utrecht.

Needless to say my trip had come full circle in that meeting up with Kym was the intent of my return to Europe.  Kym and I go way back and Ottmar Liebert is the reason we became friends back in 2004 and we met up in Seattle in Spring 2006 for an Ottmar Liebert concert. She's been to Houston twice and so I promised a trip to Holland as I had been looking for a reason to return to Europe.  Last summer a co-worker and I began talking about traveling to Europe in summer 2015 but summer is peak travel season and thus Spring become the next option.  Also, our travel group quickly grew to five--the more the merrier!  Originally, I only wanted to travel through Holland and Germany for a ten day trip but we got such a bargain money wise for our trip and all the planning beforehand came to fruition in our seven days of travel.   I convinced Kym to join us in traveling to Cologne, Germany and six of us gals laughing, drinking and sightseeing not to mention partaking in the wonderful food was such a blast.  Blessed to have such great friends/sisters near and far and thankful such wonderful memories from our trip.

Netherlands - Dan Fogelberg

I was totally obsessed with Dan Fogelberg way back when!  He was just so dreamy with his poetic music and such a talent!  I didn't know that the album title is a play on Nederland, Colorado, the location of one of the studios used to record the album. Nederland is the Dutchname for the country known in English as the Netherlands.  Seems like everything is coming up Netherlands these days! ;-)

Transcendental Reunion

Transatlantic Sessions 6 - Mary Chapin Carpenter - with Aoife O'Donovan ...

from twenty thousand feet high, I saw the lights below me twinkling just like Christmas. 

 We descended slowly and the curve of the world passed 

with all of that flying above a mighty ocean and now we all are arriving. 

 Grab the carry on baggage and join the herd for the mad line 

to take our place-but where does everyone come from?  

Now I'm stamped and waived through and say my prayers and sing a hymn to the faithful...  

Finally, the tears and embracing that leap over hemispheres 

toward that transcendental reunion where all borders vanish, 

we are all travelers traveling, we are gypsies together, we are going and coming

 and we are  just finding our way to our next destination from night into day. 

 In giant birds belly, I flew over the ocean and from twenty thousand feet high

 and how the lights were glowing toward that transcendental reunion.

The last weekend of March ended with a bang as on Friday, I traveled to Galveston with a friend to see one of my favorite performers- the incomparable Mary Chapin Carpenter perform at the beautiful Opera house.  She sang this song (video linked above) which she wrote when she was traveling to Europe.  The past few years or so, I've been wanting to return to Europe and visit a dear friend and finally all that planning came to fruition on Monday, 3/30/15.  Thus, in a giant bird's belly, (KLM 747) I returned to Europe some 30+ years later and landed in Amsterdam just after 6:30 a.m. (Holland time)  and 11:30 p.m. Houston time.  I was a traveler once again travelling to a far away country with four girlfriends and the adventure began! 

Lakmé, Act I : Flower Duet - Fifty Shades of Grey : The Classical Album ...

One of the greatest pieces of classical music around and no, I didn't discover it because of the book or the movie as I had heard of this piece previously.  Yes, I read the book and saw the movie and while it was interesting it was the music I enjoyed the most.  I downloaded the soundtrack to the movie as well as the classical album released just after the book came out and created my own playlist which has  been on constant replay mode.  Again some really beautiful pieces.....



Spem

Marcello

Bachianas Brasilerias -Aria



Pour a glass of wine, sit back and enjoy!

Pi Day!

This will be the greatest Pi Day ever in the American history, spread the word! pic.twitter.com/am1fdrmZyu
— SciencePorn (@SciencePorn) March 6, 2015

Sugar

Yes, please!!!  This is such a cool song and video by Maroon 5 and just love Adam Levine!  Yes, I need a little sweetness in my life, so come and put it down on me! ;-)

Rise

I remember when this song came out--I was obsessed!  Just magical music and on this song it's all about that BASS!!  ;-)  I've always been a fan of Herb Alpert especially when he played with the Tijuana Brass.

I will not....

Powerful statement indeed!!!

Sara Bareilles - Cassiopeia Lyrics (HD)

Cannot get enough of this song--such beautiful imagery and lyrics put into a song with such a wonderful voice from Sara--just love her!!

Yo Te Amo (Do I Love You)

For the two passengers on bus #8 -it was destiny and may your love continue to grow.

Selena - Si Una Vez (HD)

Still can't believe she's gone--she was gonna be a star!!!  Making plans to attend the Fiesta de la Flor in Corpus Christi in April commentating the 20th anniversary of her passing.  

My Fire

Still learning but getting closer to my fire!

Como Han Pasado Los Años

Sweet memories from this beautiful Spanish song which was played at my parents 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in Corpus Christi eight years ago on this date.  Back then they were still in their prime and it was a special day for our family and friends who came. What I would give for a piece of that amazing cake from that day!  I will never forget the two of them dancing together and the tears flowing that evening.   It was such an honor to plan that day for them that was two years in the making and God willing, I'm going to start planning for their 60th Wedding anniversary here in Houston in 2017.  My thanks to all who those who played a special part to make that day so special.

For those that don't speak Spanish the title of the song means something like this...

My how the years have changed

How things have changed and what a different world

but we are still here side by side like two young lovers

Feels like just yesterday that we stood side by side dancing 

and saying "I love you"and we promised that nothing would separate us.