To say I am a Beatles fan is the understatement of the century... haha I am a militant Beatles lover who will seriously question our friendship should you turn out to not appreciate the Fab Four!
So it was with trepidation that I embarked on choosing a song of theirs to cover for my SheBeat music project!
First of all I needed a song simple enough to play cos I ain't no Jimi Hendrix (or Paul McCartney for that matter haha) and I also wanted to bring something new to something old - cos really if you're just doing it like they did, why bother? Just listen to the original! So I stripped this song right back to the simplest form and sang it like SheBeat might if I'd written it myself...
Hope you like :)
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
I Told You I Was Sick (And Other Excuses)
So I've been near death. Seriously! That's how it has felt! But lucky for me I live in a society that chooses to medicate this kind of sick... and I have been dosed up since Saturday last, with light at the end of my sickly tunnel... but my oh my do I wanna know what's in them drugs! I have been high as a flippn kite this last few days... my fever finally subsided today (after an impressive 6 days holding) but still the anti-biotics were making me feel like a space cadet! And I mean it about being lucky! As I lay dying in my bed pre-docs I honestly felt like this was how poor people died in the old days... the common cold saw people off! Turns out I have a chest infection too, that defo woulda been the end of my peasant ass in the olden days... But thankfully we live in 2013 and for a few quid a global pharmaceutical company will kiss it better #happydays
What's been interesting about this last few days is the things that have stood out for me... I was reading an old copy of New Scientist, in particular an article called Who Are You? and apparently reality is an illusion created by our own brain... (I haven't finished the whole Who Are You? section I'm classic at taking a little information and running off without listening to the ending haha) but how can I feel so poorly if none of it is real?! And do I have to go back to the diseased office if reality is an illusion???
Other things that have stood out during this sick period... KINDNESS is underrated! This is a footnote perhaps to my earlier theories on NICE is underrated... my brother offering to pick me up from the docs, my mum taking me on a supermarket drugs & fruit run in the rain, a sympathetic tweet from a stranger brought warmth to my self-pity party haha ;) #allgood It's been quite emotional actually... I am usually only a few ideas from tears this last week... the human body is a complex machine alright!
Before I started my course of anti-biotics I was warned off them. They don't understand that my fragile being finds it nearly impossible to fend itself despite being a 'healthy adult'. Who knows what I'm lacking. Probably (according to my mother) sleep and the right food, but you know what? I eat pretty healthy! I confess I do little/ no exercise at this time in my life, whereas before I used to work out regular but I live on the top floor with no lift (that's a lot of stairs in heels!) and I'm sure I used to get ill then too... LOTS of people -- too many in fact -- tell me this is all because I'm vegetarian, because with conscience comes ill health? haha this argument makes no sense to me - I take vitamins and eat a heck of a lot more fruit and veg than most people... hell I guess I need to drink more Guinness ;) haha if only it were that easy...
Meanwhile I am a third of the way thru my over the counter bug-killers and to bed I must go...
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Alchemist
No not the book... though I'm pretty sure I did read it about 10 years ago... but here I wish to talk People Alchemy...
A friend of mine, who I only met recently and pestered (just about within reason) to give me guitar tips, popped round to say hi and hassle me about my guitar homework... while he was here we stumbled onto a mutual love of People Alchemy!
This has all the signs of being a recurring theme for me this year... but I'm embracing it since I'm pretty good at it!
People Alchemy is simply mixing together people you know and seeing what happens! You have no idea what a thrill it gives me... I wonder if others are equally thrilled when they make a connection in this little universe of ours...
I was meeting a gal in the pub to talk about Beerdfest - the first one I organised last December and plans for the next one this coming November... this girl was someone I had met through a social off-shoot from the first Beerdfest called LiverBeards and she had to talk to me for part of her studies... no problem, a quick half of Guinness in a nice pub in the Georgian Quarter and we'd be all done... or so I thought!
She explained before we chatted about my beardy ambitions that she was also part of a project to bring about a Jacaranda Reunion.. oh. my. The Jac pub in Slater Street Liverpool is currently closed for business but has long been a fav watering hole of mine and my friends, and The Beatles before us! I was immediately in alchemy mode! How could I help?!
She said one of the most frequent fond memories she was hearing was of the Open Mic night ran by Col & Fieldy, that she had tried to get in touch thru the new venue they took the night to when the Jac was no more but alas no luck... but wait! Jodester knows Col & Fieldy! I called Fieldy* on the spot... I hadn't spoken to him since October 2011 when I'd bumped into him outside the Smithdown Asda but here I was making the connection for my new friend! haha I got Col's number from Fieldy while talking and explained they both needed to be a part of this reunion, both chaps eagerly agreed it was not to be missed. I gave the deets to my new friend. I felt the universe had given me a reason to be there that night. Then we talked beards and my new friend offered to join Team Beerdfest. Good girl!
Alchemy to me is second nature... and I genuinely get a thrill from it so it must be what I'm here for! I can heartily recommend it as a past time ;)
*Fieldy has known me since I was about 5 years old. He is friends with my mum and apparently in the 80s we all went to London on a CND rally! Fast fwd to the early 90s. I'm in Liverpool city centre handing out leaflets for one of my 3 part time jobs and a guy comes up to me: "Hello, is your mum Babs?" well surely it is sir, who are you? Fieldy explained he recognised me from when I was a babygirl and he'd carried me on his shoulders that day in London!!! How is that possible? My cheeky face is once seen never forgotten clearly! haha LOVE that story... xo
A friend of mine, who I only met recently and pestered (just about within reason) to give me guitar tips, popped round to say hi and hassle me about my guitar homework... while he was here we stumbled onto a mutual love of People Alchemy!
This has all the signs of being a recurring theme for me this year... but I'm embracing it since I'm pretty good at it!
People Alchemy is simply mixing together people you know and seeing what happens! You have no idea what a thrill it gives me... I wonder if others are equally thrilled when they make a connection in this little universe of ours...
I was meeting a gal in the pub to talk about Beerdfest - the first one I organised last December and plans for the next one this coming November... this girl was someone I had met through a social off-shoot from the first Beerdfest called LiverBeards and she had to talk to me for part of her studies... no problem, a quick half of Guinness in a nice pub in the Georgian Quarter and we'd be all done... or so I thought!
She explained before we chatted about my beardy ambitions that she was also part of a project to bring about a Jacaranda Reunion.. oh. my. The Jac pub in Slater Street Liverpool is currently closed for business but has long been a fav watering hole of mine and my friends, and The Beatles before us! I was immediately in alchemy mode! How could I help?!
She said one of the most frequent fond memories she was hearing was of the Open Mic night ran by Col & Fieldy, that she had tried to get in touch thru the new venue they took the night to when the Jac was no more but alas no luck... but wait! Jodester knows Col & Fieldy! I called Fieldy* on the spot... I hadn't spoken to him since October 2011 when I'd bumped into him outside the Smithdown Asda but here I was making the connection for my new friend! haha I got Col's number from Fieldy while talking and explained they both needed to be a part of this reunion, both chaps eagerly agreed it was not to be missed. I gave the deets to my new friend. I felt the universe had given me a reason to be there that night. Then we talked beards and my new friend offered to join Team Beerdfest. Good girl!
Alchemy to me is second nature... and I genuinely get a thrill from it so it must be what I'm here for! I can heartily recommend it as a past time ;)
*Fieldy has known me since I was about 5 years old. He is friends with my mum and apparently in the 80s we all went to London on a CND rally! Fast fwd to the early 90s. I'm in Liverpool city centre handing out leaflets for one of my 3 part time jobs and a guy comes up to me: "Hello, is your mum Babs?" well surely it is sir, who are you? Fieldy explained he recognised me from when I was a babygirl and he'd carried me on his shoulders that day in London!!! How is that possible? My cheeky face is once seen never forgotten clearly! haha LOVE that story... xo
Thursday, January 31, 2013
the importance of being earnest
ask anyone who knows me, I am a very earnest girl... if I'm on your team, boy! am I a great champion for you and everything hope to achieve!
I don't really know where this conviction came from, this 'why not' attitude that has seen me through many adventures, but I have come to realise today that it is the secret of any success I've had in this life... and by success I mean in the task of being a great human being! cos even though I struggle to make the rent and feel sometimes forlorn that I don't have all the trappings of modern life, being a greathuman being is all I am interested in... the amazing friends and family I have, the music I'm making, the life I'm enjoying, goddamn I feel blessed!!!
it occurs to me that everyone you meet, cross paths with, fall in love with, fall out of love with, all leave you with something you didn't have before that helps you join the next dot in life... I have written some kickass songs about heartbreak and without that experience would I still have any songs? hard to gauge but other examples abound...
an ex love of mine helped a friend of mine publish his book, still reeling from that sweet story!
a really old friend of mine came to see me play last night for the first time, he probably doesn't realise it but his encouragement of me over the last 18 months has been priceless!
also at that same gig a guy who picked me up in his taxi couple of times lately turned up to listen to my songs, he is a lapsed teacher and I'm putting him in touch with someone who can probs give him some work, all this just because we were chatting in his cab... ! <3 it="" nbsp="" p="">
but what is also key, everyone who is leaving me with a little something, is getting a little bit of earnest from me! think about what kind of dog you'd be... I'm a Jack Russell! haha energetic, excitable and supercute! ;) haha
the universe delivers everything we ask for, so make sure you're asking for the right things! and if you see me in the street say hi because you never know how we can make each other's life better or at least more interesting!!!
www.shebeat.co.uk
Sunday, January 20, 2013
follow your dreams
This is a book written by a friend of mine...
Aristotle said one time "We are what we repeatedly do", good and bad habits maketh the man!
So Gene stuck to his guns and wrote. And wrote. And wrote some more. And now he has a book to show for it! You can buy it here ;)
I am using this soundbite of Aristotle's myself this year with regards my musical efforts...
I gig therefore I am a musician! #simples altho Descartes gets a nod for delivery ;)
Hear my sounds at www.soundcloud.com/shebeat if you please :)
lippy power
This is me...
To me this is a perfect example of how simple pleasures can make your day :)
A fabulous hat, a fringe tidy and a new lippy made me smile and how lucky am I to live such a life? And don't think I'm not being serious, I am a big believer in the little things in life (for example did you see my post about Be Lovely Day?!)
Another thing that made me smile today since you asked ;)
my mate Chi wrote this ace song with a lyric that lingered in my head since I heard it on Wednesday... "what's the use of living in the past/ it ain't ever gonna ask you to come back" #wow
love it so much hear it here...
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Be Lovely Day
Remember Remember January 12th because you're about to witness something lovely!
Well if you choose to take part and spread the word among friends family and colleagues that is, because Be Lovely Day is recruiting!
A friend and I concocted our lovely plan a few weeks before Christmas... wouldn't it be lovely we mused, if on one day we got everyone together to be lovely to each other and send a lovely ripple into the Universe! :o
So simple and yet so effective - no cost required, just word of mouth and a helping hand from our friends on social media - making something happen that could really make a difference!!!
And here we are - preparing for Be Lovely Day a week on Saturday - get involved! tell your friends and your mum's friends and your son's friends cos this is going GLOBAL! haha
Pay a stranger a compliment, make dinner for a friend, call a long distance relative for a chat, bake a cake for your class, so many little things that can put a smile on so many faces and send a ripple of lovely-ness into the atmosphere - pay it forward darlings!!!
Find out more via www.twitter.com/belovelyday
Saturday, December 01, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
"you make the world a smaller place"
six degress of Kevin Bacon ain't got nothing on Jodester ;)
let me tell you a story about the sort of thing I like to do when the opportunity arises...
I am a big believer in simple pleasures, in the little things that get us thru the daily grind...
so when I heard a friend of mine from across the pond had a gig in NYC on his birthday I plotted a way to surprise him with some english treats*
my friend G drives a cab in NYC and you can read his blog about his adventures here
I thought it would be fun to send G with said treats to meet my friend but Hurricane Sandy tried to thwart me! well Mother Nature can try harder next time, cos my friend received my packet despite the weather and delivered said packet despite work restrictions!
I won't lie, I had the biggest smile on my face when I got the email from my friend explaining what happened when he received this surprise packet -- sufficient to say he was thrilled and that made me so happy...
a friend told me tonight I make the world a smaller place -- and I can tell you that's probs one of my most favourite compliments of all time!
to give is to receive my friends... simple pleasures ahoy!
*McVities Ginger Nuts since you ask ;)
let me tell you a story about the sort of thing I like to do when the opportunity arises...
I am a big believer in simple pleasures, in the little things that get us thru the daily grind...
so when I heard a friend of mine from across the pond had a gig in NYC on his birthday I plotted a way to surprise him with some english treats*
my friend G drives a cab in NYC and you can read his blog about his adventures here
I thought it would be fun to send G with said treats to meet my friend but Hurricane Sandy tried to thwart me! well Mother Nature can try harder next time, cos my friend received my packet despite the weather and delivered said packet despite work restrictions!
I won't lie, I had the biggest smile on my face when I got the email from my friend explaining what happened when he received this surprise packet -- sufficient to say he was thrilled and that made me so happy...
a friend told me tonight I make the world a smaller place -- and I can tell you that's probs one of my most favourite compliments of all time!
to give is to receive my friends... simple pleasures ahoy!
*McVities Ginger Nuts since you ask ;)
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