Cold Remedies

Getting sick is the worst thing that can happen for a singer. If I didn't use my voice for my "job" it would be so easy to just let a cold run its course. When I get sick, I pull every trick out of the book to get better as fast as possible. Most recently there was a dry cough going around New York City. There were no other symptoms except for a cough. Well I caught it, and coughing is very rough on the vocal cords so I quickly lost my voice. Plan of attack? Tea with honey, personal steamer, mucinex, emergen-c packets, LOTS of water, plenty of sleep, vocal rest (no talking especially on the cell phone), no whispering, zinc lozenges (no lozenges with menthol as that dries me out even more), no dairy or citrus or alcohol...I started doing easy vocal warmups and I got my voice back within a couple of days. I was singing again even though the cough was hanging around! I also placed my voice very forward so it was more nasal and took all pressure off of my throat; plus, I was very careful about singing properly from my diaphragm.

I have had to sing shows where I had no voice at all in the morning but somehow these steps and probably a lot of adrenaline has gotten me through :)

TIP OF THE DAY
Do you have any other home remedies that work for you? I'd love to hear about them!

Avatar

So I finally saw Avatar in 3D tonight. All I can say is WOW. This was also my first 3D movie experience and took movie watching to another level. The special effects, colors, and cinematography were incredible. The characters and storyline were moving. James Cameron has created another epic film and definitely lived up to the hype.


THOUGHT OF THE DAY
I am inspired by James Cameron's vision. He spent at least 15 years on Avatar and even waited when technology hadn't caught up to his 'vision'. If you have an idea, you can achieve it. Just keep the 'vision' alive and everything will fall into place :)

Cell Phones and Your Health

My brother forwarded me a very disturbing article about cell phones and your health:

GQ Article

Over the years I'm sure we have all heard claims that "cell phones cause cancer" and we have brushed it off as "ok whatever". But then you have to stop and wonder...is there any truth to it? Do we need to make a change? Or through natural selection, will future generations be resistant? I use my cell phone constantly as do pretty much everyone I know. I do try to use a headset but it is not always efficient. Hmmm....

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Do you have any evidence of how cell phones are affecting our health? Do you know someone that has suffered from a brain tumor? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic!

Birthdays!

What is your favorite thing about birthdays? The cake? Friends? Presents? A rite of passage? For me, it is that birthdays bring people together. Even if I haven't talked to someone in awhile, if it's their birthday I pick up the phone or send them an email. That's what I love about them! I just had my birthday yesterday and I reconnected with so many friends--it was wonderful! I couldn't help but have a smile on my face all day with all the positive conversations, well wishes, and birthday songs. Thank you to everyone for making it such a special day.


TIP OF THE DAY
Even if it isn't their birthday, call up a friend you haven't talked to in awhile. It will make their day :)

Spring....

Ahh...I feel like I'm being teased.

Case 1: Last night we had friends over and received a beautiful pink tulip plant in full bloom. I want to plant a garden in the back yard so bad but it's the northeast and we are expecting more snow this week. Growing up in Southern California our yard was full of flowers, fruits, and vegetables: oranges, peaches, plums, strawberries, grapes, mint, apples, tomatoes, avocado, lemon, lime, blackberries, roses, etc. Whenever I was hungry, I just walked around the yard picking and eating! My Grandfather has an amazing garden and wins many awards, especially for his onions, at the local fairs and has even had his onions featured in print magazines. Yep he's famous ;)

Case 2: I'm going to an "I'm Over Winter Summer Brunch Bash" where the dress is Bikini, Summer Dresses, and Shorts. Since it is still only 35 degrees outside I will be covering up with my big winter coat but still....all this is messing with my head! haha

Tip of The Day
This spring pick one fruit or vegetable to grow in your yard or apartment (They have those hanging tomato plants that are great indoors). It is much healthier to grow your own food and at least you will have one you can enjoy. Yum!!

Vices Nominated for 8 Carbonell Awards

I'm so proud of Vices: A Love Story. Eight Carbonell Nominations! That is basically the Tonys of Florida!! I was part of the cast for the world premiere of this new musical at the Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton, FL. The show had actually started 10 years earlier with only singers and there were mixed reviews. There were many rewrites and new songs were added. With this production, we added the concept of following a dancer couple. No words were spoken only dance and song. Any fans of "Dancing with the Stars" loved it! It was an incredible concept and one that garnered fantastic reviews, standing ovations, and sold out crowds. I think Broadway has a place for this musical :)


THOUGHT OF THE DAY
If you have an idea you feel passionately about, stick with it. Look at Vices. The writers believed in this show and felt there were so many strong parts to it. They continually worked on it, tweeked it, added songs, subtracted songs, added a dancer couple...now look what they have! A Broadway ready show! They never gave up and neither should any of us!

Daytona 500

I had the unique experience of attending the Daytona 500 this past Sunday. I must admit I did not know much about NASCAR but feel very confident I can now have an educated conversation about the drivers, 'drafting', and techniques involved in winning the race :) The speed is insane! I walked down to the track and stood next to the fence as the cars raced by. I was knocked back by the wind, blasted with pieces of rubber and if I was wearing a hat, most definitely would have lost it! haha

Tim Mcgraw performed 4 numbers and Harry Connick Jr sang the national anthem. They are both amazing entertainers with great voices and a string of hit songs. It reminded me of my time in Nashville when I was writing and recording with Dean Sams (of the group Lonestar). He is a good friend of Nascar driver, Jeff Gordon, so I knew of him going into the race. We had some trouble with a pothole on the track but once that was fixed McMurray took the 1st place spot. It was a very exciting race and so much fun to be there in person!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Try something new every week. Whether it be a new food, a new experience, a new vacation spot, a new restaurant, a new book, a new tv show, a different type of music....Any ideas? Post them here so others can learn from you!