Everything off the charts!

August 28/11.

Looking forward to seeing the MTV Music Video Awards, LIVE, tonight at 9 on MUCH.

Eminem is nominated for best male video for Love the Way You Lie with Rihanna

Performances coming up from Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Lil Wayne, Adele, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z & Kayne West, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and even a tribute to Amy Winehouse by Tony Bennett! WTF? At any rate, will be a great show to see!

After yesterday's sadness over Mum's birthday - my emotions flying every which way from my heart, ricocheting through the house and all over the city, have been watching some music videos. Got hooked on Justin Timberlake for a while. Only my opinion, but I think he is so freakin' multi-talented he's just off the map - singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, comedian, best SNL host ever - the man can do it all. Just watching him in action in the 'N Sync number Gone (also written by Justin) has always been a favourite of mine. Ya, I know, it's 10 years old. Still love it. The song itself is brilliant, Justin plays Charlie Chaplin so beautifully and the way he portrays loss, missing someone, leaning against walls, then the fridge, sliding down in pain, seems very real to me.




And speaking of Gone, I also think Eminem's song, When I'm Gone. is incredible. Old too, I know (written in 2003, released in 2005), it's a hard hitting video. Love Eminem's work. I find it hard to take my eyes off the guy when he performs. Again, HIS portrayal of pain, mixed with anger, - just mesmerizing.



Ever since Slim Shady - and especially after seeing him perform Stan with Elton John a decade ago. What a stunning performance that was. I was still working at Global when I saw it, and covering the Grammys that night. Knew the moment I watched the two of them together, this would be unforgettable.
Eminem's intensity gives me the chills. Phenomenal.


Eminem and Elton John team up



I've put this one on the blog before, but always worth a repeat. I also covered the Grammys the night Smooth was performed by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas. Again, knew it was magic and have loved it for a decade. Heard it while shopping in a store yesterday and was practically dancing. (almost impossible NOT to!!) Customers likely thought I was off my rocker. And they are probably right.



And with the Jerry Lewis MD telethon coming up in a week (without Jerry), I couldn't help but think of Smile, written by Charlie Chaplin and used by Jerry every year as the telethon theme. This Michael Jackson version features such fabulous footage of Chaplin himself. Killer song too. One of my faves.

So, that's my trip down musical memory lane for now. As for yesterday, while trying to think happy thoughts about Mum on her birthday, I was in & out of tears all day.

Started off OK, but as the day progressed, tears, here, there and everywhere.

At the grocery store - (the camera must have been crying too, lens all blurred up with tears I guess)

At the flower store.

Trying to pretend I'm happy while buying flowers for myself, which should have been for Mum.

Then bringing the flowers home, putting them on the diningroom table along with the Celebration of Life card (created by our friend, Mary Spence-Thomas), and beside the beautiful bowl made for me by my friend Joanne and given to me as a gift when she visited from L.A. this month. Had a toast to Mum and then did what Carrie asked me to do. She was singing at the Rexall Centre last night in the BlackCreek Festival chorus for the production of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Ode to Joy).

In an email, Carrie said to me:
Here's a link to Lorin Maazel conducting the 9th Symphony. There are many orchestral movements BEFORE the choral part. The choral part ONLY is what I've sent you here. So, visualize having heard a lot of orchestra work FIRST.

Suggestion: at 8:00 tonight, listen to this WHOLE clip.
Or, pick and choose bits and pieces, but then listen from the 8th minute of this - on to the end. You will hear the surprise entrance, and the finale. That's where I know I will tear up. Be sure to have your speakers up LOUD, especially after the 8th minute.

Enjoy.
Happy Birthday to Mum!!!!!!!!!!! I toast her influence, celebrate her life, and sing her praises!



Then, Carrie added this as a P.S.

Dang, just realized the clip I sent to you does NOT go to the end of the piece, so you will have to switch to another version for the ending.

Finish with this clip. (Pieced together, sort of!!)



I did it Carrie! I'm sure YOUR version last night was even BETTER than
this one! Either way, Ode to Joy - a fitting tribute to our Mum! I'll bet YOU were choking your way through it, in German no less!! Bravo!!
Love you for doing it (Mum would have too), and for sending me the links so I could be a part of it!!

Mum's birthday

August 27/11.

Mum would have been 84 today. Sigh.

I'll be missing her more than ever.

Yesterday, for the first time in three months, my get-up-and-go, got-up-and-went.

Due to circumstances way beyond my control, the ever-present Intensity Entity, perpetually-charged force that lives within me, took a hike or went on strike or deserted me. After raging out of control all morning, I.E. suddenly decided to vacate the premises, leaving me stranded, energyless, without battery power, without warning. I even fell asleep on the bedroom couch halfway between doing my hair and makeup. This has never happened in my life. By the time I woke up, an hour later, I didn't even have the strength to go grocery shopping, visit Kevan, or run around like a mad fiend, the way I usually do.

I like to think I'm super woman, with an unlimited supply of electricity, but every once in a while, I.E. likes to remind me I'm human without him/it?, pushes me over the edge, leaves me lying in a crumpled heap, unable to move, ready to crash & burn.

It was even tough to take a stroll down to Withrow Park with Max, (where he snapped a couple of park bench pics),

just to prove I went outside!

As for what happened to the energy flow, I think it got blocked or zapped for a day because I've been overextending myself, revving a bit too hard, coupled with hormones and extreme emotion. There are people I want to see, but it's impossible, and I miss them more than words can say. That makes me sad and sometimes exhausts my body, brain and soul. As Uncle Ev would tell me, (if he was here), "What can you DO about it? Nothing." If there WAS something I could do about it, I would! But there's not.

So, took a few deep breaths and headed off to Shoppers for some much-needed items. You know, important stuff, like hair colour.

Also spoke to Carrie on the phone who made me feel better about Mum's birthday.

Carrie will spend tonight performing in the BlackCreek Festival chorus at the Rexall Centre, doing Beethoven's Ninth symphony (Ode to Joy) in German! Carrie says the final movement is "a glorious, dynamic and surprising choral blast-fest," and she feels lucky to be able to do it in celebration of Mum on her special day.

The 80-voice chorus will be accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, (in its first classical concert in Toronto in 30 years), conducted by the famed Lorin Maazel.

Conductor Lorin Maazel

Showtime - 8 p.m.
Nice tribute to Mum!!

Happy birthday. We're thinking of you today, remembering all the good times - (even when we went to Shoppers Drug Mart TOGETHER!!) Will love you always.