Danny Gregory is someone who has inspired me from the start of my online journaling. Despite the fact that I often disagree with his opinions, I respect and admire him and want other artists to discover his vision. He is wise and wonderful and I have yet to read any of his books, but I hear they are just as inspirational as his “pontificating” on his blog!
Do yourself a favour and discover him:
Just a note to friends and family who know how much I love the band R.E.M.: I got to call in to an online radio program and ask them a question on Monday night. (“What is the most exciting part of making the album?” To which came the snappy reply “Finishing it!” Haa.) You can find and hear the program here. (It’s in the 3rd segment of the R.E.M. link) I was super excited! YAY!:
Lifted from the music blog at WXPN Philadelphia:
“What is Earth Hour you may ask? Well, created in response to the question “how can we inspire people to take action on climate change?”, it is an hour during which people turn off their lights for just one hour. Around this time last year this project was executed in Sydney, Australia.
A reported 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney turned off their lights simply for one hour and it was calculated that if the greenhouse gas reduction achieved in the Sydney Central Business District during Earth Hour was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year!
Therefore, this year on March 29 at 8pm The Philadelphia Zoo along with many residents around the city plan to participate in Earth Hour 2008, and you should too!”
The “Big Flick” as it is also known, includes turning off computers, tvs, etc, but especially lights. So get out your candles and lanterns and do something reflective or fun in the dark! I’m looking forward to it. With all the buzzing energy of technology, I think this will be a good break for me, in addition to the benefits to our earth. I hope you decide to join in…and if I’ve persuaded you, please let me know how it went. I’ll report from my end the next evening or soon after that.
There is more info on the event here: Earth Hour
While I’m at home in my own little corner (my own little room), back here in my parents’ house in the U.S.A., recovering from a relapse of my bipolar disorder and some other life-changing events, I have found myself once more smitten with R.E.M., just as badly as when I first saw them on a video in 1991, and sat bolt upright at the edge of my parents’ bed, watching MTV back when MTV played music.
I have been following all the latest press (what I can without being too silly abt. it) and today I heard the whole new album on iLike, which I recommend highly. It gives you a chance to preview the tunes, see if you want to purchase them..and is up till the album release I think, on April 1. I’m going to buy the CD on April Fool’s day, because, although I use my iPod, I like the tactile nature of an album in the hand! Plus, I can listen to it in the car.
I think the album is tremendous. I’ll admit I wasn’t as thrilled about their last two albums, though I really liked the songs. This album is different…It’s got a really good energy behind it, and the messages are strong, positive and invite change, be it political, or personal.
So, though I am perpetually smitten by John Michael Stipe -as you probably already know- I am falling head over heals for this new album and ALL the musicians behind it. (Mike’s vocals are a welcome return!) Please, go have a listen and decide for yourself. My opinion? It ROCKS!
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