Ian's New Recording!

Ian has been busy writing new music all year, and it's been so awesome watching and hearing his process and progress. More than anything, I'm just so glad that he does what makes him happy (his music!). He's devoted to it. I've noticed all aspects of his music growing in leaps and bounds, as he has continued evolving artistically in such a mature, beautiful, pure way! He is an a true artist! I just love being in his presence whenever he is creating.

He started recording his new single, Absent Today, last week with the finishing touches put on it yesterday. He works with a great local sound engineer, Tim Sandusky here in Chicago. And he has some outstanding local musicians on bass and guitar. Ian writes, sings, plays drums and keyboard:)

You can buy the single at CDBaby.com and iTunes.

I took this shot of Ian last week on one of our morning walks to the beach. That might've been the day we found a frisbee, and Ian did an awesome dive to catch it, which landed his cell phone in the water. Miraculously, it still works. Ian's web site is www.ianmusic.com You can hear his other songs there, too. Enjoy!

Moleskin Sketches...Compassion

Just let compassion fill your whole being, even for those who carry animosity towards you.  Any ill will you harbor will just make you physically, emotionally sick and will accumulate as Karma. That's what I believe. You might not. That's cool:)

Notice the Tiny Things

I was out walking this morning with my husband when I looked down and saw the most marvelous thing. This tiny dew-covered leaf was sparkling in the sunlight. I picked it to have a closer look. It was one of those moments when your mind shuts off and all your attention and focus goes to an object so much so that some of the other senses shut off. For example, looking back, as I was holding this leaf in awe I realize I wasn't hearing the traffic passing me by, or the birds. It almost feels like you're no longer in your body.  So in some ways, this was an unexpected meditation, a union between the object and the person (me:) concentrating on the object.  Take notice of when this happens to you. When you see something so incredibly beautiful that all you can do is stare, finding yourself in a zone, disconnected from everything else around you but that object. Eckhart Tolle would say that's one example of "living in the Now" (and I would agree:). Soak it up, take it in, and savor those peaceful moments.

20 Things That Went Really Well Today

1. I was able to sub last minute this morning for an instructor who took ill. Thank you, fellow yoga teacher.
2. People showed up to class and I was able to teach! Thank you, students!
3. The sound system wouldn't work. That's ok. Thank you, sound system, for working the other day.
4. I wanted coffee, but turns out, didn't have my wallet. The guy at Panera gave me a free one. Thank you, coffee guy!
5. My internet and email worked. Why shouldn't it? Why should it, is the question. It did. Thank you, internet and email.
6. A client paid me to draw something - amazing that this is a reality for me. Thank you, client!
7.  I taught again at noon - people showed up again! Amazing! Thank you, students!
8. Husband Ian came home for lunch. He gets to do that. Frickin' awesome! Thank you, Ian's job!
9. I practiced Yoga after having taught two classes, and it was only 1pm. Thank you, yoga mat!
10. Body cooperated. Thank you, body.
11. Breath cooperated. Thank you, breath.
12. Mind cooperated. Thank you, Mind.
14. My cat, Tucker, sat with me rather unexpectedly during meditation. I liked his cold nose on my skin. Thank you, Tucker.
15. We went grocery shopping and got everything we wanted and needed. Thank you, grocery store.
16. I talked to a friend and offered some words of encouragement, then got some back. Thank you, dear friend.
17. I received good advice from my teacher. Thank you, Teacher.


..... As I type this, it's 11:06pm. The evening is not quite over. But I'm off to bed. So I'm hoping to be able to (18) fall asleep quickly, (19)rest deeply, (20)have beautiful dreams. I suspect that will all go really really well.

My Moleskin Sketches -8/24/10