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!

Olympics!

The Olympic Games! Tradition. History. The lighting of the flame. What an amazing accomplishment. These athletes have trained their entire lives to fulfill this dream. They come from all over the world to share in this experience. Wow. "Let the Games Begin!"


THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” --Gail Devers

Superbowl Sunday

Colts vs Saints. I am very sad that the Jets did not make it into the Superbowl this year. Three reasons they have become my pro favorite: 1) Mark Sanchez and I both went to USC 2) I have been spending a lot more time in New York 3) They are my boyfriend's favorite team since he was pretty much born haha

Football is definitely one of my favorite sports. I grew up playing football at recess, on Thanksgiving with family, and with the 4 boys across the street in gradeschool. I went to every Atascadero Greyhound game with my Grandfather ("Papa") and my family when we lived up there, sang the national anthem at my high school football games, attended every USC game, and now have my USC season tickets. I even made a video of the USC vs Notre Dame game to my song "Just Like That" which you can view here:

USC vs Notre Dame

By default, I'll be rooting for the Saints today. They have another USC alum Reggie Bush, and have yet to win a Superbowl...Time to get my numbers from my football pool and watch the pregame! Any other football fans out there?

TIP OF THE DAY
Have an amazing Superbowl Sunday! And if you aren't into football, enjoy the commercials ;)

#1 out of almost 4 million songs!

Wow! My song "Sextape" (actually about NOT doing a sextape haha) has reached #1 out of almost 4 million songs on Soundclick! This is amazing! It all started with a beat that Naydee and Julian provided, and a title. Melody and I wrote the melody and lyrics over video chat (since she is in LA and I am in NY). The song was so much fun to write and record and came so naturally. I can't wait to write another with this team of people! YAY!


TIP OF THE DAY
The first song I ever wrote was with my sister. She had written some poetry so we sat at the piano, reworked the lines to create verses and a chorus and sang a melody using very simple chords. We recorded the song at our high school music teacher's home studio. I played piano and sang lead, while Joanne did background vocals and our teacher put a drum beat down. It was called "Broken Promise". If you have ever thought about writing a song but didn't know where to start, try taking a piece of poetry and putting music to it. Or if words come easier, take a song already done and change the lyrics. It's a fun exercise and gets the creative juices flowing :) Happy writing!

The Grammys

The Grammy Awards. Music's biggest night and highest honor. I loved the show this year- the big productions numbers, the fashion, the Michael Jackson tribute, the number of amazing artists all under one roof. I've grown up watching the Grammys believing that one day... :) Did you watch the Grammys this year? What were your favorite parts? What would you like changed about the award show?

TIP OF THE WEEK
As I watched the Grammys, my producer text me "U better be watching the Grammys right now :) Visualize!!" You better believe it! "See yourself where you want to be before you are even there." It is such a powerful tool! It has been said in so many ways and written about in so many books: Think and Grow Rich, Ask and it is Given, The Secret. Visualization techniques have been used by some of the most successful athletes, businessmen, you name it. Try it for yourself and see what happens!!

Visualization Exercise by Susan Pilgrim, Ph.D.
Here's the basic visualization process. You'll want to make whatever adjustments necessary to maximize the effectiveness of this technique. It will get easier each time you do it.

* First, find a quiet place away from distractions. Get into a comfortable position and relax your body. Take a number of slow, deep breaths. Release tension, concerns, and anxieties as you exhale. (They'll be waiting for you when you've completed the exercise -- if you still want them.) Clear the screen of your mind's eye. See the number one (or any other non-emotive symbol) on your mind's screen. Focus your attention on the number one. Allow other thoughts and feelings to dissipate.

* Next, allow the number one to fade out as you begin to visually create what it is you want to accomplish with this exercise. [The point-of-view you'll use will depend on the purpose of your visualization. We'll explore the specifics later in this article.] Visually create each figure, the scenery, the setting, filling your picture with the minutest details. Add vivid colors to your picture. Make the colors bright and dramatic. Once your picture is in technicolor, add the sounds that are associated with your picture. You might hear yourself saying words, others talking, birds singing, waves crashing, or balls bouncing. Once the volume is turned up, fill your picture with the aromas and tastes that are associated with it, such as the fragrance of flowers, salt in the ocean air. Add the sensation of touch. What does the picture feel like in the sense of textures and temperature? Is the hand you're shaking warm and soft or rough and calloused? Now, enjoy the full picture you've created.

* Add the critical element to your visualization -- your emotions. It's the emotional element that expertly transfers your picture into your brain's memory cells. With your picture in full array, add to it the emotions you want to feel when you find yourself in this situation. Whatever the emotions -- pride, confidence, patience, gratitude, love -- feel them fully. Allow your body to actually respond to the feelings associated with your picture. Smile, beam, gesture, whatever way you express your emotions. Hold your feelings in concert with your picture. Fully be in the picture you've created for yourself.

* Once you've held your picture strongly on your mind's screen for a few minutes, let it fade gradually until you return to your focus symbol -- the number one. Then commend yourself for using this tool for affecting change in your life.

FULL ARTICLE

Voiceovers

The other day I had the opportunity of reading the script for Stream 57's phone system. They had just been bought by West Corp. (yay!) and I had to do an update with that information. I am occasionally referred to as the "Voice of Stream 57" hehe.

I LOVE voiceover work. This is definitely when my diction classes come into practice! It is so much fun to take on different characters. For example I did the voice of the snobby receptionist for the cartoon "Yu-Gi-Oh" :

www.larajanine.com
Direct Link

Since it had already aired in Japanese, we had to dub the original picture in English. Therefore, I had to watch the cartoon as I read the lines and match the words with the mouth of the character. It was so exciting to watch the final cut and hear my voice!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
If you have ever thought about voiceover work, the best thing to do is put together a demo. Find scripts online and practice recording yourself with Garageband or whatever program came with your computer. Then when you are ready, take a class and get a professional recording done. Happy recording!! :)

SNOW!

I was a little slow to get out of bed this morning. It was 8am and I had to get ready for an audition. Then I remembered there was a chance of snow. I ran to the window and jumped up and down at the sight of my backyard and trees covered in white! AND it was still coming down! I rushed to take pictures and get on my warm clothes. Being a Southern California girl, I am ecstatic at the sight of snow :) After two years in New York, I still get excited! I admit I am not a fan of cold, but snow is another thing entirely. I was so quick to open the door my alarm went off, but luckily I was able to turn it off before the cops were called haha. As I walked to the bus, I was grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't help but take in the beauty all around me as I stepped into the powdery, fresh snow. Needless to say it was a great way to start the day and the smile still hasn't left my face!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Smile :) It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.

TOP 10 REASONS TO SMILE

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide
Updated April 26, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Smiling is a great way to make yourself stand out while helping your body to function better. Smile to improve your health, your stress level, and your attractiveness. Smiling is just one fun way to live longer!

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive
We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away -- but a smile draws them in.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood
Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious
When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress
Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System
Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure
When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin
Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger
The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day -- you'll look younger and feel better.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful
Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive
Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Negative Ions

I had an audition the other day and was amazed at how energized I felt. Electricity was pulsing through my veins, a smile was plastered on my face, and I was overwhelmingly confident going into the room. It was a 5:10pm audition, the end of the day, and after I sang the casting director even said "you hit that one out of the park". So I started to wonder what it was that I had done differently that practically erased all nerves and brought such a positive energy into the room. I had spent the afternoon working in the living room where we just set up an Ionic Pro. It basically produces negative ions that trap irritants and allergens and in turn, purifies the air. I have read that negative ions can "lift your mood", and are found in abundance after a thunderstorm, at the beach, in the mountains, in the country, in pine forests, and near waterfalls. I found this statement on numerous sites:

"The normal Ion count in fresh country air is 2,000 to 4,000 negative Ions per cubic centimeter (about the size of a sugar cube). At Yosemite Falls, you'll experience over 100,000 negative Ions per cubic centimeter. On the other hand, the level is far below 100 per cubic centimeter on the Los Angeles freeways during rush hour."

Wow!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
Check into Ion producing purifiers. Anyone else know much about the Ionic Pro or machines like that? Anyone have a positive experience having one in the house?

Hello :)

I'm actually having a hard time posting this first blog. We are currently experiencing flash floods and wind gusts up to 70 mph (Really?? Is that possible here?). I am surprised the roof hasn't fallen off! My internet connection keeps dropping and I have to reset the router...wait...hope it connects...wait some more...yay it's back up!

First things first. I want to THANK YOU for reading my blog...commenting...adding your own tips...asking questions. I want this blog to be interactive, fun, educational, and inspiring. I am just a girl finding my way in this crazy entertainment business. So enjoy my blog and I look forward to hearing from all of you!

xoxo,
Lara

TIP OF THE WEEK: A friend sent me a text last night asking how to keep her voice strong and healthy so I thought I'd post some dietary tips I sent her. They work for me but are not always true for everyone. Let me know if there are others that work for you!! I am in no way a doctor but my ENT has passed this info on to me :)

Foods to avoid when singing a lot: dairy, caffeine, salty foods, chocolate (so sad...), citrus fruits, acidic foods like tomatos, spicy foods, alcohol