Thursday, January 19, 2012

THE DAILY SPICE - People & Bikes

Today I went for coffee in Lonavala...and it really is a visual overload! People, bikes, rickshaw taxis and loads of wild dogs...I have never seen so many dogs...walking around, lying down by the roadside...Oh and cows...many cows...
The colors, the smells, the traffic noise, the rubbish, the slums...the market stalls...it all activates your eyes and your heart...take a look at this Flip video I shot to give a tiny taste of Lonavala...


Go to video

Monday, January 16, 2012

THE DAILY SPICE - MONDAY 16




SUNSHINE !!

So nice to step outside and feel the sun jamming down through the blue sky...Had a great day today getting to know the students..leading worship and beginning to teach about Creativity...Always amazes me , that you can cross cultures and experience the diversity of influence and tradition...but the human heart stays the same wherever you are born..fragile yet strong...seeking purpose, navigating the life-maze and loving the truth of being valued...

Unity and Diversity...it goes together like Rice and Dhal!!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

All Things Spice


Here I am at the start of my second trip to India..in a place close to Mumbai called Lonavala. I am teaching at a Creative Arts School DTS and a contributor to an Arts Gathering at the end of January which is 'gathering' artists from all over India. Occasional stand alone worship events in Pune plus a Hotel concert await me...my time is FULL..and I shall keep you informed of the varied happenings that will surely come my way.

My travel day yesterday was eventful with police helicopters on Heathrow runway and roadworks on Mumbai runway...causing delays on the ground both ways...and then a Conveyor Belt breakdown made my luggage wait very intrepid...late night/early morning hour...hundreds of people and thousands of bags...and apparently the closer you stand to the conveyor belt, the quicker the bag arrives!!!! What is that about??

Tomorrow starts early...and if you know anything about me, it's that I do not like mornings!! But it's going to be exciting seeing what will happen here amongst artists who love God..within an amazing and challenging country.

I LOVE Indian food and my first rice and dhal was quite delicious..the same awaits me tomorrow...and the day after...but thankfully the crisp manufacturers will provide in a very India-tastic kind of way!! As you can see...no Salt & Vinegar here!!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

THE AIR THAT I BREATHE

Apparently we are not breathing deep enough! Yes it took a 30 year study to confirm something we already know. Singers are aware that to sing well you need to breathe well. Also as a leader of sung worship, reflections and meditations, there is often an emphasis on 'breathing in' as a way of feeling enlarged and rejuvenated....aka the breath of life!

Trendhunter.com, a great resource for catching the trend waves and observing future patterns, reveals that breathing is the focus of a current trend and an indicator of that trend is found in popular music. An examination of all popular songs over the last 30+ years entitled Breathe reveals that over 70 percent of those songs have been released in the last 10 years.

This is "indicative of feeling a type of communal suffocation. The 21st century has brought an increase in pressures on people and when there are increased pressures on us, physical and mental, we don’t breathe as we should. We use shallow breathing and when we do that we don’t relieve stress. Bottom line: If we don’t take time to breathe, we can’t be creative, we can’t solve problems, and we can’t be truly innovative".

Great how God is originally revealed as the breath of life and as we see in Genesis, 'cosmically creative' PLUS the Hebrew word behind Spirit is Ruach which means 'air in motion' or 'breath'!

So, breathe deep and know where that breath began and that creativity and innovation are by-products of breathing. I love it when futuristic messengers tell the old, old story!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

JUST SAY 'NOT NOW'

Ever felt caught...ensnared...trapped? Have you ever said 'Yes' and within a minute of putting the phone down you wished you hadn't have felt so pressurised into making a decision?

Recently a phone saleswomen did just that to me...and I said Yes. The Carphone Warehouse lady was trying to get me to upgrade my iphone and she was so insistent that even I, usually so questioning and cautious, gave in!! However the phone did not arrive on the day they promised and I cancelled after 4 lengthy calls to customer services, a day of re-arranged appointments in order to be there for the door, a 25 pound taxi bill and quantifiable frustration...

So Carphone Warehouse became Nophone Warehouse...

Note to self...always say "Let me think about it and I will call you back" rather than YES to a persistent seller! Also what a comment on our fast paced NOW culture...I do not need to do things NOW!! Some things can wait...I guess wisdom shows us what things can wait and what things can't!!

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

APRIL ALREADY!

Can you believe how fast time is going this year...?
I have just come back from a great trip in Canada...leading worship, training musicians and singers and teaching on creativity and songwriting. First stop Orillia with Marc DuPont, then Brampton, then Niagara and then Ajax and Toronto...
The Orillia conference was wonderful - great people, great weather and great divine happenings...but 2 other moments stand out to me...

I stayed one night in Niagara Falls and was upgraded to a room overlooking the Falls...it was my personal IMAX. I could not take my eyes off the beauty and marvel of the waterfall...I remember this place as the birthplace of my song CREATION PRAISE - recorded on Personal Worship 3 - and my next blog will feature a link to a spontaneous reflection I videoed whilst staying there this time.

Also special was my time spent with a tamil church in Scarborough, near Toronto - New Strong Tower Church. Once Hindu, now Christian and finding ways to worship and live out their faith with the complexities of mixed cultural perspectives...a YOUNG church, the band and singers were skilled and I had some great spicy food!!! It was great 2 be with them and challenging.

So 2 outstanding memories and both point to a God bigger than I, a God bigger than any celebrity and a God whom creation praises. There are still many unanswered questions.....but this walk of faith is a journey!! Right?

Saturday, June 13, 2009

TIME RACES BY

Well spotted...some of you are saying that I am in blog neglect!! Yes...simply due to the fact that the days are just not long enough...

Well..a quick update...

Been involved in lots of worship events which have been good. Last week near Fleet in a designer village called Elvetham Heath, 40 people turned up for a creativity/music seminar WITH instruments!! That was a challenge... finding something that would allow all 40 to be involved...it was a great time. And those that came were keen for some more consistent training and opportunities to simply TRY...

How true it is that our worship team rehearsals and music practices often attend to learning songs and practicing in order to produce. We are not good at allowing time for the creative energy of collaboration and experimentation to happen... we become producers rather than adventurers and risk takers...Does that sound familiar???

Also.been involved in the live album of the Spring Harvest event this easter. I was A&R for the double album which meant song selection and contributing to the mixes and mastering...and bringing it all together with the artwork...Its sounding GREAT...and I will tell u when it is released..

Enough for now...

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The B Tour

Funny how sequences appear! Recent trip destinations have begun with the letter B. Belfast , Bookham, Budapest and Birmingham. Had great moments of fellowship and friendship. Now an L destination has elevated me up the alphabet a bit - Lancaster!

So what's next in this letter adventure. Oh yes S for Surbiton and Skegness! There we go again!

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

EUROVISION TIME

Much to the amusement of my friends, I have always been a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest. I try and watch it live BUT if I am busy travelling and working, I faithfully record it and watch it later.

Now, I expected great things this year with Lloyd Webber teaming up with the amazing songwriter Diane Warren. However I am sad...very sad. My heart has not gone 'boom bang a bang' at all. In fact quite the opposite! Is it only me who thinks it is a very lacklustre and clumsy, irritating tune with uninspired lyrics?

I am glad Jade is representing us though. She has the full quota of talent to be a star...but has she got enough to make this song fly??
I am relieved the UK voters saw sense and that we didn't end up with the creatively titled 'TheTwins'
What do you all think??

Sunday, September 07, 2008

SINCE WHEN DID COOKING BECOME SO MALE?

I have just finished watching the quarter finals of 'Professional Masterchef'...and the irony of it all is boiling over!!!

Cooking and 'being in the kitchen' has always been seen to be the domestic domain of the wife, the mother, the daughter....actually anyone who is a woman! Whether you wanted to cook or not...whether you were a cuisine terrorist or not, it really didn't matter. If you were female, you were cooking! And yet - with the current Masterchef series, every finalist so far is male, every judge is male and so far every restaurant taster is, yes you guessed it, male!!

So.. when did testosterone decide who wears the apron??

Sunday, July 27, 2008

SCREENAGERS !

Have you noticed how people prefer relating to screens than to faces? All kinds of screens; on laptop's, iphone's, nintendo dslite's, ipod's, television's, psp 2's - and all kinds of people; young AND not so young!

Even I have a confession here! The more time I spend on my beautiful, gorgeous, clever MAC, the less inclined I feel to talk to real people! It kind of numbs me a little. Anyone relate to that?

And how about those people who randomly flick through TV channels, watching nothing in particular, and yet get annoyed when you try and talk to them! Not to mention the times when a game on the screen is considered more exciting than an encounter with another human being! At the touch of a button we can be wildly entertained at any time of any day. It's the era of the non- stop! And is it just me that enjoys online buying so that I don't need to leave my house??? Are we getting lazy?

Now as I say, I am not faultless in this..but it seems more and more the screen is winning and humanity is losing!

Maybe we need to exercise more self-discipline to drag our eyes away from the beloved screen, or maybe we need to nurture a greater sense of respect and interest in others...but something needs to shift before we become even more relationally dysfunctional.

The screenager is alive and well on planet earth...and that's why I am posting my thoughts on a blog rather than actually talking to you!!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Back Soon 2 Blogland

Sitting in Denver airport waiting for my next plane to Bakersfield, California and aware I haven't written here for a LONG time! Many reasons including travel, work and writing projects...but I will get back on track soon. and tell you all about France and my current USA trip.

Already driving some large and wonderful vehicles...so continuing my USA thing of having a variety of different cars 2 drive! So see you soon!

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

U2 in 3D

What an amazing experience! Once you get past wearing those ridiculous glasses, you are virtually on stage with Bono and the boys - feeling the energy and enjoying the glow of the live performance filmed in Beunos Aires, Argentina. You strut the stage, glare at the wood finish of the guitars and almost sit at the drums with Larry! It's incredible!

This 3d thing is close up stuff! Trailers for the upcoming 'Dinosaurs' and 'Sea Monsters' movies were exhilarating! But watching U2 in concert made my heart jump! I was struck again by the simplicity of their music and how brilliantly that works for them. And I was impacted on many levels at the way a message can be communicated so effortlessly but so poignantly! Bono, of course, is a champion communicator! You only have to read his book 'Bono on Bono' to see how he breathes in the importance of justice and breathes out action and change! Throughout the concert he cleverly informs - for example about Martin Luther King - and then melodically inspires a change of heart. Love not hate, generosity not greed, peaceful co-existence not war.

If he can stir up a crowd to sing a rock anthem, maybe he can stir up a crowd to make poverty history! To me he symbolises a leather clad messenger of the cross with shades on!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

WARSAW

How great it was to actually sing tonight! Thankfully my voice is coming back and I can't tell you what a relief and pleasure that is!! About 200 people gathered in the large church and listened to over 1 hour of music. People seemed touched by the songs stories and observations on life, and I spent a lot of time signing Cd's and trying to spell their names!

On a more practical note, take a look at my bathroom bliss

Friday, April 18, 2008

POLAND continued

Well...this is another Polish adventure. I took an evening of rest last night and didn't do the concert that was planned. The hard working team I am with covered it! But today has been full. Spoke to over 1000 teenagers this morning and tonight I SANG in the 500 year old cathedral in Lomza! The Church was beautiful with very natural acoustics, and I was careful not to push voice...but people appreciated the evening. And it was great to be able to sing!!!
Next stop - Warsaw!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

THE POLISH WAY

Still driving round Poland, performing concerts in schools, culture centres and cathedrals.
Unfortunately, I am struggling with a throat and middle ear infection and so have seen 3 doctors so far and been prescribed LOADS of pills and anti-biotics. We have had to rearrange the content of the concerts and today I cancelled tonight's concert in order to give me time to get my strength! And to improve the voice! Keeping going has weakened me, and yesterday after a bumpy 10 hours drive from Barlinek to Lomsa, I felt 'on the edge'!
Anyhow, the concerts have touched people and the performances to the schools have been well received. Here is a map of the route plus the last tour! The stars indicate places I have visited here in other years!!

Monday, April 14, 2008

SKEGNESS TO POLAND

Take a look at this video...I recorded an intro here in Poland for a song we HAD to do at Spring Harvest for the morning all age event! I recorded it to remind myself that we actually did do this!!! Not just once but FOUR times!!

LINK

SPRING HARVEST

What a great time! 2 weeks in Skegness! The first week I was co-leading a Worship Masterclass alongside Chris Bowater, Dave Bilbrough and Ben Cantelon. The day consisted of teaching, skills workshops and question times. It all went brilliantly. In the second week I was leading worship in the Big Top.

There were long days and snow and sleet but it was a great experience...and the musicians with me in the Big Top were wonderful! My friend Andy Booth co-led with me. From there I went to Poland for a 2 week tour but have picked up a viral infection which is pretty bad. Got the doctor in to give me huge antibiotics and medical attention and I am hoping not to cancel too much!

Right now in Nowa Sol and travel to Barlinek tomorrow! Internet access is patchy but I will try to update you.
Every time I come to Poland, I have an adventure!!!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

HAPPY S.A.D

Being spasmodically outspoken!!!!! - at recent events when interviewed about 'single living' and the make-up of this rising population plus the pressures and opportunities etc...I wondered out loud why there was not a day for the celebration or recognition of being single! Especially poignant as Valentines Day was fast approaching.....

Well, little did I know (did u know?) that such a day has been introduced and gaining momentum! It's called 'SINGLES AWARENESS DAY' and the website says,"The goal of Singles Awareness Day is to let singles have celebrations, get-togethers, etc. and to exchange gifts with their single friends. The awareness day was established by single people who were just sick of feeling left out on Valentine's Day, and support of the day is growing every year." (www.singlesawareness.com)

A typical greeting for this occasion is 'Happy SAD day"

Thing is...we just missed it. It's the 15th Feb..the day after Valentines! So another year to wait.....unless!!!!!?????

Friday, February 15, 2008

COLD TANGERINES

I was sent a book by a magazine for review. I so loved the book I thought I'd include the review in my blog!

"Crying, laughing, smiling and whispering to myself in public places are not usually my style! But this book swept me right out of my comfort zone into spontaneous and visible displays of appreciation!

Cold Tangerines is simply and profoundly about life. The sweet and sour, the truth and lies, the divine and human, the momentous and minor are all seen through the eyes and heart of Shauna Niequist who unravels her experiences and hopes through a collection of short stories.

Her journey becomes your journey as you resonate with tales of friendship and family, weddings and funerals, visions and secrets. Along the way you learn about her struggle to lose weight, her memories of a close friend who was accidentally killed, her love for celebration and her awakening as a Mother. But what makes this book so glorious is that you also learn a lot about yourself and about God.

Yes, it's Loaded with honesty, humour and vulnerability. Easy to read and re-read. Written with people in mind!"