Ode to Newfoundland

Matthew_Hornell_High_and_Lonesome_at_The_Rose_and_Thistle

It was about eighteen years ago when I headed East for the first time. Me and my guitar playing friend decided to journey to Newfoundland in pure adventure style, packing his '81 Firebird to the brim with amps, guitars and whatever an early 20's version of myself needed; clothes, cd's books, hope, desire and a whole lot more! My knees were pressed against the dashboard the entire journey and it didn't hurt a bit! The night before we left for "The Rock" (as I would come to learn was Newfoundland's nick name) we saw the most spectacular display of the Northern Lights, dancing across an Ottawa sky... It was a sure fire sign for me, that destination East was indeed the right direction.

A_view_of_the_St._John's_Narrows

Fast forward all these years (with numerous visits of course!) and traipsing through the streets of St. John's never felt so good! All of it's history (the OLDEST city in North America!) and all of those memories (I bought my first guitar here, and fell in LOVE with Irish/Newfoundland Trad. music among many other things) What a privilege to get back to Newfoundland & Labrador (a home away from home) to play some gigs, to spend some quality time with friends, family and the MUSIC...I am ever so grateful that I was given the opportunity all those years ago, living in St. John's, developing a great Love that continues to grow... Here are a few shots from the past few weeks....

My_beautiful_friend_Jenina_alongside_Jelly_Bean_Row

The views around St. John's are in constant change; due to wind, clouds, sky and all these fabulous salt-box houses in their colourful splendour. Every street has something new to offer but mostly HILLS!! I definitely grew some some "St. John's Legs." The hills are also a pretty great way to remove a hang-over!

Ralph_Best_and_I_cheersing_with_a_dark_rum_and_Coke

Family, friends and music. The THREE most important things to me. All of which are not lacking over there on that Island off the East Coast of Canada, standing strong in the Atlantic Ocean. There were just SO many people to see and music to hear... I don't know which photos to share! Here's one of my FAVES taken on the Folk Festival grounds, where I was lucky enough to run into some Wakefield friends... Small (and Lovely) world indeed!

Sheesham_and_Lotus_and_Son_and_Son

Music is alive and well and there are too many shows/performances to choose from, I most certainly could not be everywhere, but I tried!!!

Some_of_the_best_players_Colin_Carrigan_Graham_Wells_Curtis_Andrews_Tom_Power

Erin_Best_a_great_friend_sista_singer

There_is_something_special_about_seeing_your_poster_on_the_streets_of_St._John's

Playing my first show on Water street at The Black Sheep (with Sean Panting no less!) was a stellar night and a great introduction to my favourite Canadian city. It was so great to see so many Loved and familiar faces out there smiling in the audience... I am ever so thankful! I don't actually have a shot of me from that night, but here is one of me on my last night, singing at the Legendary Ship as part of Folk Night. It was a Lovely send off, if a little weighty with sadness.... Saying good bye ALWAYS sucks.

Singing_at_The_Ship_Pub_on_my_last_night_in_Sin_Jawns_for_awhile

So I would like to say thank you to everyone out there who made my trip East so very memorable. I am so grateful for everything!! Hopefully I can get back to you sooner than later... I will leave you with one last photo (second last!) of the BEST Seafood Chowder I have ever tasted, featuring the likes of Salmon, Scallops. Lobster, Cod, Cream and more! Thanks to my Uncle Jamie (of Nova Scotia) and his beautiful lady friend, Deb, for ensuring that my last night in Nova Scotia was also a great success.... 

Best_EVER_Seafood_Chowder

Lindsay_on_a_rock_on_The_Rock_out_to_Sea

Song Block!

I guess it's a good sign when you wake up with a song in your head, day after day, and it's especially cool if it's your own... Personally I am almost driving myself crazy with it on repeat, replay, repeat and again! Waaaaaaaaaaaa! This melody has been with me for a week now as well as most of the lyrics, but I just can't seem to find the missing puzzle pieces!  I wanted to post it today, to actually present some MUSIC for a change (after all, it is what I have this website for.)  But it isn't always easy to finish something (there are over six hours of unfinished songs in my Iphone!! What am I like??) Sometimes I wish I wasn't so finicky (okay, SOMEtimes I am not! But in most cases, when you are writing a song, every word counts. I remember doing a songwriter's workshop with Singer Songwriter extra-ordinaire Lynn Miles a few years back and she made a point to remind us that every lyric she places in a song has it's own important place. Each "The" and every "and" are intricately considered. Some songs just flow on out, effortlessly, but not today.

So I thought to go out for a hike, to see if the lyrics would reveal themselves. Maybe the creeks and rivers would spark something in me...

There_is_a_waterfall_in_them_thar_hills

Me_in_my_happy_place

And now I have a bunch more words to consider. But not quite the perfect fit! 

HOPEfully I will be able to share with you some NEW MUSIC next week, or maybe even in the next few days? Gotta dream big... ! I have pages and pages of "brainstorming" happening... The living room's a mess!! Yes,  song writer lives here..... 

GreeNER

Lindsay_connected_to_Mama_Nature_in_Flowers

Recently (more and more!) it seems like I am being reminded daily, by the Universe, that what we do, how we choose to live our lives each day has an effect on our land and world. Yeah, I don't want to be preachy, but lately all the signs being thrown in my direction are "be better to the planet"  and, in turn, "be better to ourselves." My guess is that we aren't being forced to learn about the Environment in school and instead it's an elective? In my experience, I never knew ANYTHING about it when I was growing up. I used to think that throwing a cigarette butt out the window was totally okay! I never felt an ounce of guilt about flicking that toxic P.O.S to the ground (I know better now, also, I don't smoke anymore.) But it never mattered to me, and now, as "Future Lindsay" I am astonished at myself for the lack of care, which is, inevitably tied into the lack of education. I mean the amounts of chlorine I used to swim in daily, the amount of 'OFF' bug spray I would let seep into my pores on a daily (Summer) basis. It is unimaginable now that I think of it.

The sunscreen we smear all over our kids is also crazy (zinc aside, HERE is an awesome article) All the tests they do which connect cancers to the shit in that cream that go directly into our bloodstream... and from the get go! Right from birth! Bug Spray, Sun Screen, Hair Spray, Anti-Perspirant... what we do to our food! Processed, frozen, canned, greased. What are we like?? We are bombarded daily with facts, lies and opposites. Do this, don't do this!! How are we supposed to make healthy, right choices when there are so many options tugging us in various directions. What is right, what is wrong? (I read once that 'there is no right,  there is no wrong but YOU know what is right, and you know what is wrong.) I get that somehow, and I have really made a conscious effort follow my gut instinct more. The way I see it, is, our instinctive nature is really a super power that we all have. So let us be more aware of this super power, listen to it, USE it!  

After watching the Documentary "COWSPIRACY" (and being a meat Lover) I realized that it will take a LOT more than flicking off a light in a room that we are not using, picking up (and disposing of) the garbage we find in nature (though, that DOES help, check out the initiative my friend in Thailand has started,  he is a 'Trash Hero' check out his site HERE.)  or turning off the tap when you are soap-sudding up in the shower/brushing your teeth... Yes, SO much more MOSTLY in the form of cutting back on our meat intake  (which we are now doing in our house-hold.) Creating a new habit in your life, in those "small" ways of recycling, composting, gardening, walking more, using public transit... eating less meat... They all seem like easy enough ways to help out ourselves, our planet, our land, our life, yet so many folks out there must be unaware! I see more Tim Horton coffee cups discarded on the side of the road, dotting farmer's fields, scattered in ditches and it's 2016. I mean, again, what are we like??  Is it lack of education? We must be more vocal about teaching our children and our friends how to dispose of garbage and how to use less plastic (without seeming so preachy or snobby.) I am not a snob, but I feel so passionate about this subject and I get so heated about it that I am sure you can "hear" it in the tone of this essay. Sorry to make you feel uncomfortable, eh?? Here is a link to my friends website where your WHOLE LIFE can be transformed... "Life Without Plastic" is amazing. I bought a glass straw for my nephew, and it DOES crash to the ground and NOT smash into a million pieces. The bamboo toothbrush works wonders as well.

Yes, EVERY little bit helps, and starting this new HABIT for ourselves is what is going to help us in the end. A little extra discipline can and will lead to bettering ourselves and our environment. Do not be afraid to stand up for our Mother Earth (in turn, standing up for our Life longing for itself!)

Home_grown_garden_from_seed

It goes without saying that eating local based and seasonal based foods is also something we could do more of. For years, it never once occurred to me to read the labels. The other day even, the sight of Asparagus had my mouth watering so I grabbed a bunch... then I saw it was from Mexico so I put it back, deciding that SOON it will be in season, and I can wait. It came a LONG way to Europe and who knows if the standards used to grow food in Mexico (or China for that matter) would be legal in Switzerland (or Canada for that matter.) If we read labels and start buying more local food, we would be doing what is right. Plus, helping out a local farmer is BIG time awesome. So to sum it up, buy local, eat less meat and try to use less plastic. Tuck a bag in your purse or in your car and use IT instead of another plastic bag that will never ever compost. The world does not need more plastic... 

END RANT.

Ten Life Hacks

Change_it_up_sometimes_black-haired_Lindsay

1) If you want to do something new in your life, do it. Stop listening to that little voice inside your head that says "NO! You will fail!!" Fight that voice, go learn the mandolin or train yourself to get fit, or take a cooking course. Go out and be YOU. You can always change into something that you never were! Who says one has to do one thing their whole lives. With change being the 'one true constant' why not go out and try some new stuff on for size??? Who says?? The only one getting in the way of you, is you. Go out and hunt for life, for LIFE!

2) There are always two sides to every story. You can pick one side, for sure, but you have to be open to the fact that there IS another side. It IS there. Don't discount others because they don't choose the same side as you. Unless they are sociopaths or murderers. Then you are right. But only then. 

3) Be nice to people. If you don't want to be nice to people, fine, that is your choice. BUT don't be mean, being mean serves no one. Even if you are right to say mean things, because you are RIGHT, it won't change things. Telling someone who is over-weight NOT to eat the bag of cheezies will make the person feel worse than they already do, but it won't stop them from eating the cheezies, unless they don't want to eat the cheezies, then they will stop. Giving shit to someone because they smoke... There is no point. Everyone who smokes (or over-eats) knows what they are doing might not be the best thing for them, but we all have choices, and we will make wrong choices and right choices. That is life. We are human.

4) Go outside and take a deep breath (preferably not around a smoker, or on the busiest city street with bus fumes etc) But when you get home, stand there for a second, inhale deeply. Put some new air into your lungs. Shallow breaths only get you so far. Deep breathing can really give you a sense of something better, deeper,  and can calm you. Also, stopping to really breathe it all in means you are stopping. They didn't come up with the cliché "Stop and Smell the Roses" for nothing. It is okay to press pause for a moment. Pressing pause can also be like a reset button. 

5) If you are REALLY REALLY angry, take a second to breathe. If you swear and yell and accuse and blaim and be angry at someone right when you are angry, you won't get it right. Things won't come out right and no one likes to be yelled at so pretty much your emotions will fall on deaf ears. So, press pause and then get back to whatever it is 'eating you' and talk about it when you are calm, like the next day. Plus, all that waiting will put stuff into perspective a little, and you might just be able to make your point. A screaming match can feel great from time to time, but never, ever does all that yelling change things. Calm and Peace change things.

6) If it looks like someone is being an asshole, i.e cutting you off while you are driving, or letting a door slam in your face while entering a restaurant or shop or whatever... There might be a good reason. They MIGHT be pregnant and racing to the hospital or they might be rushing through the door racing after their three year old. Look, there is always another side to things. Unless they are just being an asshole, then it is still not your problem, unless they are holding a knife up to your throat, then yeah, it's your problem.

7) Don't marry someone unless you feel it deep in your bones that it is a good choice. If you have serious doubts, then LISTEN to those serious doubts. Before I got married, I asked around to folks who had been married for years and years (out of curiosity people!) What are the most important things/advice you can say to a gal who is just about to tie the knot? The one that sticks out the most is that you have to be okay with the things you don't like about the person. They will, most likely never change. So (as an example) if you are marrying an addict, they will most likely fight those addiction demons for a huge part of their life. Are you ready to help? Because only you can change YOU. When you know who you want to marry, you KNOW. There are no doubts. When there are doubts, don't do it. This goes with all things 'relationship' just give it time, time will always tell.. Of all the people I know who had doubts before marriage, they are all either a) divorced/separated or b) unhappy. Seriously listen to your GUT right from the start.

8) Get outside. Move your body. Your body will carry you to every single concert, family dinner, movie, meeting, dance, restaurant, bedroom, back yard BBQ that you will ever go to. It is not just a thing, it is your entire life. Do you want to be able to continue to do such things?? Go outside. Or, okay,  buy a treadmill, but move. Move your body. Stretch, move. Breathe. Getting out, moving, stretching, breathing etc etc WILL change your negative perspective on life to positive. When you get your blood pumping, you will be amazed at how you are able to resolve those pesky little problems. This stuff will also, and here's the kicker, PREVENT problems from happening as well!!

9) Suss out a room when you walk in to it. If you are not the Birthday Boy or Honoured Guest, then walk around and get to know who the folks are before you make an arse of yourself.  Look around, suss it out before you howl at the moon because it's full. No one likes a loud mouth or a perceived attention seeker. First impressions last a long time. No, it isn't important to worry about what people think, but there might be someone of importance in there that could help you in the future. Oh and here's another kicker; don't burn bridges because of alcohol. 

10) Nothing is 100% unless the person is a socio-path or murderer. Then some things are 100% but only then. Be open. Don't be closed. Life is long, things are gonna come, things are gonna happen! Unless life ends tragically, then life is short, but then and only then, life is short. For all others, who live for 80 or more years, it is LONG!! Put some stuff in there, some stuff your friends and family will remember you for. Be the dude who howls at the full moon at a party. Remember, nothing is 100% and there is an exception to every rule.