85 Year Old Friends

April 1st, 2013
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All of my friends are gifts.
Friendships, no matter what your age, are healing and can help you maintain your mental balance.   Friends connect you to the dynamics of life and all it has to give.  Friends keep me going and remind me what life is truly about.  Hashing the ups and down of life cements my friendships, for they help me try to make sense — or least laugh — at what has happed to me or to them.
It’s always great to make new friends but there is something about the chemistry of an old friendship that is … Read More

FullSet — A Hot Irish Band

March 14th, 2013
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I just discovered the infectious and energetic sounds of an Irish band called FullSet, recently named “New Group of the Year” for 2012 by the Live Ireland Music Awards. Just listening to their music makes me feel better! Music definitely has healing powers and therapists have found that music’s curative powers can alleviate pain and help not only those of us recovering from a loss but also people recovering from strokes and other medical traumas. Music unlocks differents parts of the brain depending on the music’s pitch, harmony or rhythm and provides a medium for creative expression whether your are… Read More

Lessons Learned

March 4th, 2013
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I try to clear my brain on the weekends and taking long walks or short runs usually does it for me.  I like to make an effort to wipe my mental slate clean of whatever happened last week and get rid of it so I don’t carry it into the next week. However, this weekend I am fighting a cold and the weather in Washington, DC was just too cold and windy to allow me to get out in the elements. Instead, I exercised indoors on my stationary bicycle and the only way to break the monotony of  being in… Read More

“Loved You First” Cover – Owen Danoff

January 10th, 2013
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Music can change my mood in an instant! If you are anything like me, you probably have songs in your iPod that you listen to only when you exercise and those songs are probably different from music that you play when you want to relax or just chill. I think from the moment we are born we are sensitive to sounds and how those sounds make us feel. Listening to music can be therapeutic and soothing; truly a stressbuster.  I believe that music can truly heal your soul.  Or it can get your creatives juices going and help to push… Read More

Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”

December 19th, 2012
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Cast of NBC’s “The Voice” singing a tribute to victims in Newtown, CT A good friend who tragically lost a loved one in the Newtown, CT mass shooting yesterday posted on her Facebook page this beautiful and haunting video of the coaches and artists from NBC’s hit show, The Voice, singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in a tribute to the 20 children and six adults who died in the halls of Sandy Hook Elementary School. I think it is the simplicity of the song’s message that makes it so powerful.  Let the healing powers of the music fill your soul and… Read More

Being All In

December 12th, 2012
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This holiday season, I am appreciating the endless decorations of bows, bells and evergreens, listening to the traditional Christmas music that seems to be playing everywhere and trying to find wonderful presents for those that I love. I’ve been to a few Christmas parties and also donated to schools and other groups who are dependent upon help from others so that they may continue their community work that is so crucial to helping men, women and children who are homeless and without a place to go for regular shelter and meals. I am trying to give of myself and think… Read More

Friday Tunes — “What’s Going On”

November 9th, 2012
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It’s been an emotional week with Election Day happening on Tuesday and all of its rollercoaster effects still going on.  I know I am getting older because I stayed up until 2 am on Tuesday night to watch the election results and most of the candidate speeches and I am still recovering from it.  It’s sad but true! How are you fairing? So I thought it would be fun to end the week with some soulful music because listening to tunes always feeds the soul and heals the heart. This is an oldie, a flash from the past as they… Read More

Your Inner Artist

September 28th, 2012
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Free Your Inner Artist Without any notice, life can change direction.  Finding that you have to suddenly walk down a new path can be scary. One of the ways that I have found to deal with life’s anxieties is to do something creative.  Being creative can take you out of yourself.  Working with your hands — whether gardening, painting, writing, playing a musical instrument, crafting, sewing or cooking — allows your mind to take a rest from what is happening in your life. Doing something artistic also allows you to express your emotions and possibly bring about healing. Sometimes, things… Read More

Pip’s New Song: Who Cares

September 12th, 2012
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  Exciting News:  Pip, who was a finalist during the second season of  NBC’s The Voice, yesterday released his long-awaited debut single, Who Cares. I know you remember him because Pip has a beautiful voice, he was on Adam Levine’s team and he is the one who wore the bow ties. You have to give a listen to Who Cares (available on iTunes) because it will get you jazzed and make you want to move and groove!!  Also, music is just plain fun and a proven stress buster.  Almost everyone I know (including me) can use a break from stress… Read More