NEW ALBUM PICKS

Aha. I have some cool album picks that I'd like to recommend.

1. Maroon 5: It Won't Be Soon Before Long.

Of course, it would be nuts if you don't own their other album called Songs About Jane with the classic "She Will Be Loved" and "This Love". This album is a must-have. Their second try also does NOT disappoint. Stellar songs include "Won't Go Home Without You" and "Goodnight Goodnight and the sad, "Better That We Break". I like the rest of the songs---so well produced and fun to listen to.

2. Emilie-Claire Barlow: Tribute

I have to also interject that Barlow's other CD entitled Like A Lover is equally satisfying. It seems an anchrony that Barlow's girlish voice is actually a jazz instrument so finely tuned it simply demands attention. Que barbaridad! Listen closely to her cover of Sting's "La Belle Dame Sans Regret" when she breaks into a duet with the piano. Every note is dead, spot-on technically and aesthetically perfect it's insane--nevermind that the demanding and technically difficult improv is filled with impossible grace notes and runs that she perfectly mimics vocally. Casi na! She is my new favorite jazz singer. The only other female jazz singer who is her contemporary that I would recommend is my #3 pick.

3. Jane Monheit: Surrender

She rocks! I believe that outside of Brazil, Monheit has to be the true ambassador of the Samba. Listen to her duet with Ivan Lins singing in beautiful Portuguese, Rio de Maio. Oooh la la! Beautiful. Her cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" is a wonder to behold, if you can pardon my dumb pun. Her slower, more emotional cover of the classic Brazil 66 song, "Like A Lover" is heart-wrenchingly haunting. Okay, I just love every song on this album.

4. Florante Aguilar: Tipanan: A Celebration of Filipino Guitar

Yes, he is Filipino...and how! This album, a collection of Filipino love songs known as "kundiman" is so romantic that after listening to his guitar interpretations, I am taken back to the days of yore when pretty Filipina maidens used to be serenaded outside their window by a heartsick suitor carrying a guitar and a hope that she will open her window, light a candle and gift him a smile. Those scenes definitely and definitively trump John Cuzack holding up his boombox outside Ione Skye's window in the movie "Say Anything". This is definitely worth the investment.

5. Kenny Barron and Stan Getz: People Time (Live from Copenhagen, 1991)

Nothing, absolutely nothing, can trump Barron's piano and Getz's saxophone duet in "Night and Day". It was as if the jazz gods generously sprinkled fairy dust on this moment and created this perfect melding of piano and sax embodied in a familiar melody. Wow. Wow. Wow. Now, turn off the lights, pump the volume, close your eyes and listen to "First Song". I thought I was going to swoon. This collection, recorded live, memorializes an enchanted night of pure, heavenly jazz. It's as close to Copenhagen, 1991, I can get. And I'm not complaining.

TO DO LIST

One may think that the top item on my list would be to lose weight. Oh yeah. I've given up on that farce. With an empty nest looming in the very, all too near future, I've begun to evaluate my goals. In fact, my goal-less life is now full of new ones that I am excited to accomplish. I don't have any grandiose items on my list---just small doable items.

1. Learn three good pieces on the harp that I can use in church. I purchased my lever harp yesterday and at $5,000 clams, I thought it was a good deal considering how pretty it is on top of sounding great. Plus it's a Lyon and Healy harp. I would have preferred to purchase a pedal harp ($15,000 more...yikes!) but for now, while I am yet a beginner, this lever harp will do the job. I've already mastered two easy pieces and am working on a hymn that I can play at church---if I can have the confidence to do it without making a fool of myself. But those two pieces don't count so I have a long ways to go.

2. Keep a scripture journal. I've already started doing this but my notebook is so random and disorganized. My goal is to keep a GOOD journal that's not all scribbles and random thoughts all over the place. This helps make my scripture studies more meaningful and hopefully, powerful.

3. Take jazz piano lessons and learn ALL the jazz and blues scales in all keys. I start piano lessons again in September taking Hannah's spot who will be leaving late August for BYU. I am so excited.

4. Learn French (and maybe German). I already have the Rosetta Stone version of German. But I am more gungho about learning French. I can already sing a couple of songs in French so I am happy about that but I really need to become conversational in French. There's French bistro that I frequent and Bernard, the owner, likes to talk to me in French while I look stupid. But I will get better.

5. Learn to draw. Yep. I want to take drawing classes at the art studio nearby. All I really want to learn is to draw faces. I think this should be doable.

Yeah. Age creeps up on yah only if you don't keep on learning.These are my top 5 goals for the year. I am stoked about each one and looking forward. I think that's the secret to looking young. Also, I may be teaching seminary next year---not quite sure---but it's a possibility.

MY PAST WEEKEND

I had a fabulous time visiting with the bride's family! I really admire how they are so close to each other. When they were taking pictures, I felt very tender towards them and how they comport themselves with each other. The bride's two siblings and their spouses each have very sweet countenances and clearly love each other. Her maternal aunts, uncles and cousins were all there and clearly, their unconditional love and support were all but palpable. It was a magnificent sight. The bride and groom were just so happy together. I feel very good about this marriage. In fact, I feel very good about her siblings' marriages too. They all married well and I tried very hard not to get all emotional seeing the bride's parents and how proud and joyous they were.

The wedding breakfast was so much fun. I was seated next to the groom's paternal grandparents...well, his grandfather had just recently married and I sat next to her. What a magnificent woman! She claims she is 73 years old but clearly, she looks decades younger. And I'm not exaggerating. I asked for her secret and she said she went back to school in her 40s and then obtained her PhD in literacy studies. We talked in great detail about her work and she was fascinated by my ability to read in three languages. She said that was awesome. (But so many Filipinos can read at least in two languages so I'm not unique...) Anyway, she inspired me.

I also met the groom's maternal aunt. She is an accomplished Juilliard-trained concert pianist. We also had a very stimulating conversation. I was just happy and privileged that I got to sit with amazing and inspiring people! It was like an answer to a prayer.

The best part of the day was spending time with my beautiful Lucy. We checked into the Little America hotel as soon as we arrived and met up there. Catherine is just beautiful too! I just love her so much. Everytime I see her with Lucy, my heart just pumps with pride and gratitude that she is my daughter-in-law. Forget the "in-law". I love her as if she were my own already. It was also so heart-warming to see my daughters together. They just love each other so much. They got to catch up with each others' lives for most of the day. They did not attend the wedding brunch so Leland, Catherine, Kurt and I went together. Lucy feel asleep and did not wake up until shortly before we got back. Natascha and Hannah ordered room service and had lunch together while tending Lucy. It was just a fabulous morning for our little family.

I feel so blessed to have the family that I have. They are so amazing. I wish that Jordan were with us but he is having a wonderful time in London and we will get to spend time with him when we fly up to London in a mere THREE weeks! Whoa. I better get our days planned. We get to fly to Berlin for 4 days as well so I'm excited to take Jordan and Hannah there and experience new things together.

We left Utah early the next day and got back in time to prepare for church...which turned out to be a good meeting. It was just a perfect weekend.

As far as the other elements that could have put a damper on the beautiful parts of the day, I simply decided to focus on the bright and happy parts. I find it incredulous that despite years of being completely absent and uninvolved that there would still be enough fodder for stewing, gossip and murmuring about me and all my faults complete with assumptions unverified...which could be easily resolved by a mere phone call. What a waste of valuable time! I simply decided that that ship has sailed a long time ago already...without me. And I'm completely okay with that. That's all I have to say about that. All in all, it was a wonderful time with plenty of happy, bright and grateful people around me.

FEELING NOSTALGIC

I was looking for a song or poem written in Tagalog that expresses what a mother feels for her children and I couldn't find one. I thought perhaps that I would find success in the form of a lullaby but then, there was none that I could unearth anywhere that sufficiently expressed what I was feeling. So, arrogantly, I decided to write one myself. I hadn't written or spoken elegant Tagalog in years so I thought I would be daunted. But I discovered that the words flowed so naturally when I began to think about how I felt about my children. I don't think I can duplicate that moment anytime soon so this may be my only attempt at Tagalog formal prose...but hopefully, not.

Meme na anak, bunso kong mahal

Sa duyan ng puso ko, larawan mo'y nakadungaw

Tulog na, anak, langkit ko at araw

Bituin ng buhay ko sa aking kandungan

Di mo ba alam ang lawak ng kaligayahan

Na inihandog ng Bahala pagka't ikaw ay akin?

Kaunting ngiti lamang o yapos na mahigpit

Likas na kayamanan ng aking pinaginip.

Meme na anak, pikit na at matulog

Habang mahinahon ang mundong gumugulong

Tulog na anak, sandaling malambing

Kasama mo si nanay sa bawa't himbing

Meme na anak, matamis kong himala

Tulog na bunso ko, mahal kong alaga.

Copyrighted. All rights reserved. FauxPerspective,Inc., May 21, 2007