Posted on June 22nd, 2008 by Debs
The inspiration this week came from two places. The first was from last week’s shoe song, which, in turn, came from one of the Luminato Installations with the shoes hanging over a street in the Distillery District. One direction I was leaning in for that song was to write about all the exotic shoes that were hanging, and then about my shoes which wouldn’t be up there because I’d rather not wear any. The second was from a book that a friend lent me called The Four Agreements, which if followed will allow people to live better and more positive lives. One particular point that caught me in the introductory chapter was how we are domesticated: as we are raised, we agree to these beliefs and behaviours, not necessarily of our own active volition, but because that is whatever we’re exposed to. It goes on to discuss how difficult it is to rebel and to change these beliefs which are often negative when they have become such a habitual part of us and everyone around us. I found that true as I read the book and realized what a shift would be required to work these four agreements into my thoughts and actions.
I started today with the very first bit that I banged out earlier in the week that didn’t have any sort of serious statement. It ended up being about the small shifts, which are good practice to make larger and more intimidating shifts like adopting new positive beliefs and attitudes.
It’s definitely the cutest thing I’ve ever written, and I had a lot of fun with it – how could you not have fun when you’re trying to record yourself giggling? It’s intentionally a bit untidy to go with the theme.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
No Shoes Today!
What if I were to wake up and say
that I don’t want to wear my shoes today?
I don’t wanna wear shoes! I don’t wanna wear shoes today!
Just because I’ve always done it that way
isn’t enough of a reason for me to do it today
so I won’t wear my shoes today!
Today I’m going to be a little irresponsible
Today I’m going to be a little whimsical
I say
Today I’m gonna to feel the grass between my toes
because I know
I don’t wanna wear shoes today
Today I’m going to be a little irrepressible
Today I’m going to be little bit impossible
I say
for now, if I may be so bold
to cater to my inner five year old we say
we don’t wanna wear shoes today!
We’re going to let go a bit
and maybe be a little lighter like this
If we don’t wear our shoes today
We don’t wanna wear shoes! We don’t want to wear shoes!
We don’t wanna wear shoes! We don’t want to wear shoes!
We don’t wanna wear shoes today, so put them away!
Jun 22 2008
Posted on June 16th, 2008 by Debs
A quick one this week, started and finished in the space of an hour with one-take recording. I was galavanting around Luminato this weekend and we ran into these fun art exhibits!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Shoe Circus Tightrope Trapeze
Hey, check out the shoes!
No, not the ones on my feet!
The hundred or so dangling way up there
above the Toronto street!
How intriguing, it must be art!
When habitual things don’t play their part
But sway to the whim of the breeze
A veritable flying shoe circus tightrope trapeze!
Hey, look at those fish!
No, not the one on your plate
The hundreds floating all over that room there
In a soft, squishy glittery state
How intriguing, it must be art!
When habitual things don’t play their part
But sway to the whim of the breeze
In an undersea overland aquarium building trapeze!
How intriguing, it must be art!
This habitual thing won’t play it’s part
But sways to the whim of the breeze
In its own little world of a flying, defying trapeze!
Jun 16 2008
Posted on June 9th, 2008 by Debs
This week, I decided that I would open the photography book I was lent to a random page, and draw inspiration from whatever photo was on it. Voila, an eagle (and some information about shutter speed and capturing motion)!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Eagle’s Eyes
The eagle glides through open sky,
he weaves his way unbound,
soaring upward to such great heights,
or spiraling gently down
Would that I myself could grow an eagle’s wings,
and travel easily, untouched, without resistance,
for far below i stumble through the rocky hills,
of my topography,
and keep what clings to me
The eagle perched upon the wind,
he looks down at the world below,
set out before him, he can see far,
and be sure of where he wants to go
Would that myself could look through eagle’s eyes,
and survey the road ahead safely from the sunny skies,
for far below I wonder on and on,
through my topography,
and wish for clarity
Would that I too could dance through
yielding air into the infinite
Jun 09 2008
Posted on June 2nd, 2008 by Debs
And we’re back, I missed you! I had an absolutely wonderful week at the farm in Quebec, full of new experiences like planting, harvesting, and living without electricity or running water. Despite coming back to Toronto and jumping straight into a week of choir rehearsals and concerts, I managed to post up all the pictures, which you can find here.
And now with 7 minutes left of Monday, I’d better talk about the song, partially inspired by the farm, and true stories. It may interest you to know that I recorded it having written down no lyrics or chords, so quite a lot of it (including lyrics) was on the fly. I’m calling it Sight.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Sight
(note: these are approximate lyrics)
I saw the universe through an oven window
I sat on the floor and watched it, self contained and fluctuating
And it said: Everything is different. Everything is the same.
I saw the universe in a darkened sky
And the more I looked the more I saw
World expanding before my eyes
And it said: And it said: Everything is different. Everything is the same.
I saw the universe in a tiny seed
I saw the universe through an open door
And now, everything is different. Everything is the same.
Everything is different. Everything is the same.
Jun 02 2008