things we can do in spite of oil nightmares

Trying to figure out how to curb our bad environmental habits and be more in sync with nature can be exhausting.  The deeply disturbing and continuing oil spill in the Gulf Of Mexico means a perfect time to rethink our habits.  It's empowering to sacrifice (yes, that) in the name of easing the burden of our oil addiction.  

Almost everything we use is petroleum based.  Think before using, and reduce what we use.  I could write tons, but I'll let Sheryl Eisenberg of NRDC shares her thoughts "Oil Spill Got You Down?"

More Idol from Abramson & Meyer

Idolers!! Despite the boring solo performances (Crystal was okay), last night’s show actually entertained me. In hindsight I am equally amused and annoyed by the six movies that were represented on Movie Theme Night: Batman Forever, Free Willy, Once, The Graduate, Caddyshack and Don Juan deMarco. Really?? These represent our best/important/inspirational movie theme songs?? Okay... But during the show I tallied 5 laugh out loud moments as follows: 1) Ryan Seacrest trying to fist pound/shoulder hug Jamie Fox while Jamie was holding (cater-waiter style) his “contestant” and “artist” shirts. I absolutely
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Ashford and Simpson's Sugar Bar, first Blues Night

Sugar Bar is best known for it's amazing Thursday Open Mic night, but last night they added a new Blue's Night.  I had to be there for the first one, and luckily had my chance to perform.  I chose my song Easy Come Easy Go and what an honor to have Valerie Simpson join me on the keys. Such a treat.  As I wandered down to the stage, Chester Gregory the fantastic singer Broadway whizkid, (he plays the amazing James "Thunder" Early in the touring production of Dreamgirls) was in the audience with Lillias White-a must see in Fela on Broadway, he took my camera and filmed me.  Double treat.

Music Under New York auditions

I was one of the many judges for this years auditions held yesterday at Grand Central Station, here's a clip that sums it up nicely....the acts were diverse and really talented!  Music in public spaces is such an important part of our city culture and Music Under NY has an amazing program that I'm proud to be a member of.

 Line Up To Be The Next Subway Idol  Wall St Journal by Andrew Grossman

 

NYPost.com by Will Pulos 

Music Under New York contestants square off  By TOM NAMAKO, Transit Reporter and pics by Robert Miller

NY1 TV reviewed the audtions

Music Under NY auditions

Not to be missed, for a truly unique NYC experience Music Under New York Annual Auditions

  • Tuesday May 11th 9:30 am- 3:30 pm

It's such a wonderful event, stop by to take a listen to the approximately 65 artists who will be auditioning!

Grand Central Station Northeast Balcony, take escalators up from main terminal, you can't miss hearing it!

Of longing …why sadly Arizona, Oil rigs and Wars continue……

If you’ve been following my blogging you can tell that I like to speak honestly, I have strong opinions and although I might rant, I choose to see the light in the world. I have longings to see the world in a healthier and balanced place. I do want to believe that as an individual I can make the world a better place. Collectively as individuals we make a huge sum of all our parts and collectively we can change the things that weaken us, make us not so proud. I believe that in order to heal, to grow and change our ‘thinking only of me’ ways so prevalent in America, we need to return to basics in our society. Basics like ethics, do they even teach it in school anymore? Honesty? Integrity? Altruism? These are not ideals, these are not concepts, these are not to be only for a few to understand and pursue. These have to be at the core of our foundation. I sing in the subway, underground

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Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day, we have reason to take at least one day to say Thank You to our beautiful planet.  I have added a Sustainability section to this website where I'll be adding thoughts and suggestions from time to time.

Feel free to also send my your thoughts and comments.

Here's the link to my section called Reduce Reuse, Recycle:  Sustainability Matters 

Happy Earth Day, so precious, full of grace

Can't believe it's been 40 years since Earth Day began.  We've come so far in regulating pollutants (removing DDT for example) and saving precious resources.  But alas, we have so much more to do, for every step forward we make, we take many steps back due to the force of our own nature to override natures commitment to balance.  

The Earth gives and takes (as recent catastrophic events have proven).  We have powerful nations who can make progressive and positive changes to how they can support and protect our environment for us all not just within a border.  We can all make a difference.

Enough about that for now today should be a day of gentle refection and honoring of our amazing planet.

Last week I was upstate and watched a Bald Eagle fly overhead.  Forty years ago when Earth Day began the future of the Bald Eagle was uncertain.

Today reflect on a beautiful natural experience you might have witnessed- For me, it’s a double rainbow last Sunday during a gentle rain, a fragrant flower in Bryant Park, blanket of stars overhead last night and a glorious moon.

 

Idol: Stuck in the middle... (of a boring competish!) Abramson & Meyer

Well kids,

We were hoping for a night full of inspiration, and what did we get?  Nada.  Zilch.  Nothing.  Except some leaves (or butterflies depending on what hallucinogens you ingested before the show) onanother ridiculous outfit from Siobhan and some tears (real?) from Crystal.  Even Alicia Keys was normal / boring as apple pie.  No excitement.  No drama.  And certainly no inspiration.  HUMPHF!!!!  What are we going to do????  Well, all we can hope is that Idol Gives Back tonight in a MAJOR way.  (Like can they give us back the hour of TV time we wasted watching last night’s show?)  And of course we’re hoping for an upset with the eliminations tonight.  C’mon Idol!!!  Let’s get over the hump we’re in and get down to business!!!

Here is who you think will be going home tonight:

Didi 34%   Aaron 15%

Tim  13% Lee      9%

Michael 7% Katie    7%

Andrew  6% Casey    6%

Crystal  1%     Siobhan  0%

Until tomorrow…

Meyer & Abramson – OUT!

NYC Subway Girl on WBAI morning radio show Thursday 21st

WBAI Wake-Up call 99.5 FM 

Sedera Ranaivoarinosy profiles street musicians on WBAI radio “Wake Up Call” morning show (99.5 FM in NYC, or streaming online). She came by Rockefeller Center some weeks ago to hear me perform. Amidst the chaos of a crazy Friday afternoon, (Dora The Explorer was upstairs at Radio City), she interviewed me while the place was teeming with excited children with plentiful smiles and glee.

My 5-minute profile will air this Thursday April 21, 2010 at 7:30 am on Wake Up Call. You can either listen to it online on 99.5 FM or you can stream it live and if you can't listen at the air time, you can go later in the day to WBAI's archives and download Wake Up Call's 7 o'clock hour and skip to the middle!

I hope you enjoy it!

Sedera.jpg

 Sedera and me

thoughts For Earth Day

Catalogs:  don’t just throw them away, certainly recycle, use as wrapping paper, better yet call the number on catalog and get your name removed from the list.  Most company’s products are available to view online and are the most update anyway.

Household cleaning products: step away from your kitchen and bathroom sink cabinets and smell the toxins!  Most household products you’ve been using since well, who can remember when? Most are really toxic and there are great alternatives, and much cheaper too.  For example, save an old window cleaner spray bottle, buy a gallon jug of white vinegar and experiment mixing with water, I use about one cup vinegar for one spray bottle, and voila a great window cleaner.  Same for cleaning floors, vinegar in a hot bucket of water does the trick.

A clothes dryer is energy wasteful and actually destroys the fabric, Where else does all that lint come from. Little by little the dryer is eating away at your clothes.  Okay, I too use a dryer, but not for too much time.  Actually we over-dry our clothes, or over pack the dryer so it has to work that much harder.  Try hanging clothes over the shower bar and you’d be surprised how quickly things dry on their own.  A folding wooden clothes hanger was best investment I’ve made.  Where possible, hanging laundry on a line makes clothes smell fresh and saves energy.

Reuse as much as possible, I know it can be yucky, but come on what’s wrong with reusing a plastic veggie bag from the store?  I rinse and hang on a door cabinet pull (hide away when neighbors drop by, so the kitchen doesn’t look like a plastic factory), plastic is the most intensely disgusting wasteful product we seem to not be able to live without.  Plastic bottles, try switching to a glass one, or refill.  Of course do not leave a plastic bottle to heat up in a car-harmful toxins seep into the drink.  Same with plastic containers, for a long life, hand wash, as the dishwasher heats up enough to release toxins.  Scratching plastic with coarse sponge can also release toxins, so be gentle with them.  When done recycle.

To-Go containers are horrible and here in NY we can’t even recycle most of them.  Look for the lower numbers on the bottom.  Actually, aluminum to-go containers are the best bet as they can be recycled.  Luckily products are coming more and more available that are biodegradable. So try and either support those businesses who use them, or make sure to ask them to make a switch.

So my thought for Earth Day, now in it's 40 years is, we have to take responsibility for our consumption and our waste.  We can't just throw it all away, it's got to go somewhere.  What goes up must come down, what goes in must come out, so just because we can't see it (unless you live near a landfill, or happen to watch a garbage barge float by) doesn't mean it's not there.  What is mine becomes yours, for better or for worse, so let's try and do better.  

 

Tuesday's Spinal Column...a Meditation on Spring

Back that holds the spine, the spine that holds the body together. Where the spine goes, so does the mind? No, I’m strong, resilient and find this a good moment to pause, and reflect. Been laid up, blew out my back from a usual minor event. This time it was picking up a small box of tea from a bag on the floor. Ga-zaam! down on the floor waiting for the pain to subside, laughing at the weirdness of laying there on the floor contorted. Then up, then down

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