Author: julie Page 4 of 103

The Home Improvement Series, Part 8 of 10

HIS_FramedDoor

The problem: Things weren’t quite fitting right.

The metaphor: Squaring up the frame to accept a new door felt like working on the structure of one’s life. Sometimes, one must examine our structured life to make sure it will allow for new ideas and experiences to come in.

It is important to have structure in one’s life, to face the world and come at new challenges from a secure and steady place, but it is possible to become overly rigid. A dear friend once said to me that one of the most important lessons we can learn as we get older is to be flexible.

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New Doors Will Open to New Possibilities

By julie

On November 4, 2018

In Musings

The Home Improvement Series, Part 7 of 10

HIS_OpenDoor

The problem: Corrosion, and in some cases, an incorrect type of door. For example, a door to the garage that houses a gas burner must be fire-resistant, not made of wood. A crappy wooden interior door with no insulation and no deadbolt is not a good idea for an outside door.

The metaphor: I must keep myself secure from negative outside influences and distractions that keep me from my important work. But at the same time, doors allow escape from confinement, and they allow others in.

New doorways can represent new possibilities, as in a direction not previously investigated. As one steps across a threshold, choosing a new direction, one learns more about oneself and the world.

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New Windows, Better Access and a Fresh Outlook

By julie

On October 28, 2018

In Musings

The Home Improvement Series, Part 6 of 10

HIS_OpenWindow

The problem: The windows were broken — hard to open; even more difficult to close.

The metaphor: I am hoping for a clearer vision outside of myself and my immediate surroundings. Also, when the windows are clear, when defenses are cautiously lowered, others are allowed to see in.

In the past, I have had difficulty in navigating access to the outside world. The question has always been: What do you share and what do you keep private? Once you give others complete access, it is difficult to pull that access away. You may be seen as insincere. It is best to have clear boundaries from the beginning. But don’t be too difficult to open.

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A Rasta Hanukkah – The Temple Rockers’ Festival of Lights

By julie

On October 27, 2018

In Indie Music

It seems like an unlikely pairing, yet when you first hear The Temple Rockers’ just-released Hanukkah album, Festival of Lights, you’ll be amazed at how seamlessly (and beautifully) they blend sleek reggae with jubilant, horn-laden traditional Jewish klezmer. The Temple Rockers celebrate Jewish and Rasta traditions, finding common ground for their deeply spiritual and heartwarming music.

The Temple Rockers, based in Ithaca, New York, features members of 10 Ft. Ganja Plant, John Brown’s Body and Big Man Sound Machine. Festival of Lights was produced by their bassist David Solid Gould and is the premiere release on his new label, Fresh Roots Records. On the album, the band is joined by legendary Jamaican singers Ansel “Meditations” Cridland, Wayne Jarrett and Linval Thompson. The album features songs commonly heard during Hanukkah. It’s tremendously uplifting and hopeful, at a time when we need it the most.

Discover the perfect soundtrack for the holiday season (and something to lift your spirits, anytime at all). Download the album from the band’s bandcamp. It can also be purchased on Amazon.

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A Small, Rotting, Rickety Old Porch

By julie

On October 21, 2018

In Musings

The Home Improvement Series, Part 5 of 10

HIS_OldPorch2

The problem: Sometimes something that’s old and no longer viable must be fully knocked down and cleared out before you can begin anew. In a physical sense, it was an old wooden enclosed front porch–tiny, nearly useless and sinking fast into the ground. The entire thing was pitched at an angle, the roof no longer level. Long ago, carpenter ants had feasted and moved on to more fertile surroundings. It was long past time for me to move on as well.

The metaphor: Like the old porch, I had become rickety in my belief and confidence. I needed to break out of the narrow confines of my self-image and into a more expansive space where I had room to grow.

It’s about expanding one’s boundaries, real or imagined, and setting one’s sights on broader possibilities and a wider horizon. The new porch will be made larger and open to the outdoors. There will be expanded vision, out to the ocean and to the open sky, getting out of my comfort zone and out of a restricted space, into the larger world.

Remade of stronger material, we will be resilient in the face of strong winds, challenges and adversity.

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What’s a Little Asbestos Between Friends?

By julie

On October 14, 2018

In Musings

a.k.a. The Vermiculite Abatement

The Home Improvement Series, Part 4 of 10

HIS_Abatement1

The problem: Nasty vermiculite in the attic, under and around fiberglass batting. Extremely difficult to accurately test, as samples can vary and asbestos fibers settle over time. It was tested by the manufacturer for barium, which indicated that it was indeed theirs, and most probably contained asbestos. The presence of this godawful substance seriously complicates the sale of a home and renders the entire space virtually unusable (unless one wishes to take chances with one’s health). Not to mention the fact that it’s as messy as all get-out, and ends up everywhere if you’re not careful. The presence of vermiculite nullifies eligibility for energy efficiency rebates.

A little history: Vermiculite as an insulation material may have seemed like a good idea at the time (1920s, when the mine began operation, until 1990), but as it happened, like so many things, it was a really bad idea. The infamous Libby, Montana mine, owned by the W.R. Grace Company, became embroiled in controversy in the ’90s, when people in and around the mine began dying of asbestos-related illnesses. It was discovered that the mine was contaminated with asbestos. As part of a court settlement, money was eventually awarded to former miners, Libby residents and homeowners who used their Zonolite product (more than 35 million homes).

The metaphor: For a while now, I have been locked inside a mental prison, not seeing or believing that things in my life can change. Removal of mental toxins like old guilt, fear, uncertainty and lack of confidence is critical to my future well-being. I have been existing within narrow confines, not wanting to take changes, but the time has come to stretch out and explore other areas of experience, so I can reach my full potential.

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New Roof, Higher Aspirations

By julie

On October 7, 2018

In Musings

The Home Improvement Series, Part 3 of 10

HIS_NewRoof1

The problem: The roof of my porch had started to leak, and I was fearful that the winter winds would bring further damage.

The metaphor: These past few years, I have been feeling shaky and vulnerable — physically, emotionally and spiritually. This year, I have been fortifying myself for whatever lies ahead, while trying to leave myself open to new ideas and opportunities.

It made sense to construct a protective barrier, like the roof’s new protective barrier against ice and harsh conditions. A ridge vent lets fresh air in, and I try to not close myself off completely from other people and new experiences. After threatening for years to move to the West Coast, I decide to stay on the East Coast for the time being, and focus on bettering my situation and my perception of the situation. Much of everything is perception.

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Cleaning Gutters of Mud and Small Maple Saplings that had Begun to Grow

By julie

On September 30, 2018

In Musings

The Home Improvement Series, Part 2 of 10

HIS_MapleSaplingsInGutter

The problem: Old mud from autumn leaves and maple saplings from prior years had settled nicely and made a home for themselves in the roof gutters. Baby trees were now taking root, preventing water from freely flowing to the ground.

The metaphor: The difficulties of the past months, after losing my parents in 2017, and the subsequent paperwork, purging and self-examination, had left me emotionally “gummed up.” Old debris from my life, sadness and regrets, was getting in the way of creative flow. I couldn’t write. Suddenly, I had nothing to say. It was the worst — and longest — case of writer’s block I had ever experienced. I had the time, but no longer had the will. Not knowing what else to do, I began to unclog things on the physical plane, hoping that the spiritual plane would soon follow.

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Inside Brody Thomas’s Perceptive Stream of Consciousness

By julie

On September 23, 2018

In Boston Bands, Poetry & Spoken Word

Think of Brody Thomas as a 21st century beat poet. He’s thoughtful, vulnerable, eternally on-edge and a little paranoid. As he moves through our world, he picks up today’s fears and phobias, echoing them back to us like a reinforcing mantra.

Everything good that happens to me, is because of me
Everything bad that happens to me, is because of me
Because of these facts, I know that I have what I have
Because I’m supposed to have that
Nothing happens just to happen.

Have you ever thought that we create what we see?
And we see and we dream like deja vu,
except that the place you’ve been before only exists
because of you. – Wanted

This spoken word contemplation floats the idea that our thoughts create our reality. If that’s true, at the very least, we’d better be damn careful of the thoughts inside our heads. The idea of self-creation, if you stop to think about it a bit, can be either empowering or terrifying.

Brody Thomas, a Boston-based musician, has been at it for just five years. Everything is potent metaphor, including the title song of this EP, “Jellyfish Stings & Sunburns.” It’s just life, really — those things that bite hard and other things that stay with you, permanently coloring your world view. The minimalist instrumentation points out the stark beauty and truth of Thomas’s lyrics, which are like religiously chanted meditations. Little snippets bubble up like crystal gems.

I wish that I was small enough to fit under your breath,
’cause then I’d hear all of the whispers
and I’d know just what you meant
when you said you’re fine.
..
I’m realizing now that if I’m begging for metal
then I’ve got to love the rust.

“Hoodie” is about learning to wait, accepting imperfection, embracing change, one’s thoughts versus one’s projected self, crippling insecurity and self-loathing, all expressed through the poignant metaphor of a beloved blue hoodie that doesn’t fit quite right.

In “Bugs,” our fearless protagonist steps outside of himself to wonder about the personal life of that insignificant little bug we just mindlessly squashed.

“Rain” contemplates the loss of one of our senses (the sense of taste, for example), and through this mental exercise, another observation pops up –

Everything I want, wants something in return
Do we forget one thing for every new thing that we learn?

“Cancelled” likens a life to a television show that’s had “a few good seasons and cameos,” but is now possibly past its prime. The title song, “Jellyfish Stings & Sunburns” metaphorically speaks of being transparent and vulnerable like the sea creature, with the sun as a source of (spiritual?) nourishment —

When the sun stops giving you light, the darkness starts to feel alright.

This deceptively simple 7-song collection of contemplations poses many intriquing questions — the kinds of questions that can keep you up at night. Thanks, man. It also feels like the tip of a much larger iceberg.

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Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys Get Cozy Under Your Covers

By julie

On September 16, 2018

In Boston Bands, Indie Music

Having been released at the start of this fast-moving year, this one nearly got by me. I’d glad it didn’t. Boston’s own Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys has always been a personal favorite. This charming collection of cover tunes, appropriately (and somewhat menacingly) titled Under Your Covers, is a loving tribute to a diverse selection of fan favorites — from Iggy Pop’s “The Passenger” to Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” to “The Toys Go Winding Down” by Primus. The choices were specially requested by the band’s Come Black Magic Kickstarter backers.

<a href="http://armyoftoys.bandcamp.com/album/under-your-covers">Under Your Covers by Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys</a>

Having pulled up some of the originals to hear how the Broken Toys’ re-imagingings compare, I can happily report that these songs are performed with due reverence, yet with the Toys’ trademark Gothic elegance and ominous magnificence. It’s “all hands on deck,” with Mr. Sickert on vocals, piano, guitar, effects and programming; Edrie playing with her ‘broken toys’: Rachel Jayson wielding viola and melodica; jojo the Burlesque Poetess making magic on uke and flute; Matt Zappa on percussion; Brother Bones on guitar; Mike Leggio with both stand-up and electric bass; and the legendary Mary Widow lending her vocals and mandolin. It’s a potent witches’ brew.

The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” is given a harsher modern industrial makeover, with male and female warrior vocals making this 47-year-old song seem starkly relevant. Powerful vocals and strings plus driving percussion adds immense tension to the disturbing lyrics of “Chaos & Confusion.” In “Bills, Bills, Bills,” the Army conjures a completely different song and mood, threatening serious damage and retribution. One can hardly expect to improve on Iggy Pop’s masterpiece, “The Passenger,” and in fact, I would normally cringe at the very thought of a cover of one of my Top 10 songs EVER. However, Mr. Sickert and Company do this song justice and are very faithful to the original and respectful of the Master. Rachel’s mournful gypsy viola is a gorgeous addition that I’m sure Jim would highly approve of.

At the risk of insulting hardcore fans, I won’t say which cover versions are, in my humble opinion, far superior in style and depth to the original. Several of them are. Run, don’t walk, to their Bandcamp page, name your price and download this eye-opening yet nostalgic and loving tribute. And be sure to click into each song’s page, so you can enjoy Walter’s mind-melting original art. They’re the perfect visuals for this magical mystery tour through our musical past.