That Autumnal Feeling

It's what comes before that "holiday feeling".

PAMELA ANDERSON Untitled Abstract I 36 x 36
Acrylic, Spray Paint on Canvas (and yes it's for sale)

Break out the sweaters! Start roasting the squash!
Don't panic, there's still 85 day's till Christmas!
Forget March madness. I'm clearly in a Fall frenzy.

Autumn is truly honey to this Bee. I'll gladly trade you August for 2 Octobers. If October were a man I would marry him. Handsome October. It's always so good to see you.

This fall finds me a bit more fractured than usual. The toll of reinventing a business while trying to juggle clients and manage Cassandra has left me a little weary this evening. It's deliciously cool and crisp, perfect for a fire in the place...but I don't think I have the stamina to see one through. The blaze beneath the pan of Jiffy Pop will have to do. For crying out loud, I was painting floors until 2 this morning. Today my body was like "Bitch, please." But I shall soon reap the fruits of my labor, and I will as promised share them with you here. Our grand reopening is November 16th. Keep you're eyes peeled.

There's a new computer in my life. She's still in the box. And I'm sure that's where she'll stay to until after we have our "soft opening" this Friday. Anyway, she's got a lot more 'joie de vivre' than this old girl I'm typing on right now, and we're going to make little movies together, her and I. The virgin effort will be something I piece together from the footage I shot over 11 days in August, on Lake Orlando with Cherrie and Cassandra. I can't wait to share my little slice of heaven with you!

Are you enjoying the Special Guest Series as much as I am?!

If you've missed any, you can access all of them in the Bee My Guest Archive. While I've missed the therapeutic benefits of writing, I haven't missed the pressure of solely supplying all your entertainment! All kidding aside, I want to make this a permanent and prominent feature...so PLEASE! Would you bee my guest? I'd sure like to have you. Write something. Draw something. Film, or sing something. Share your stories with me, here. We'll sweeten the honey pot, you and me.

Alright then beezers, there's a cool pillow and a cozy comforter calling my name. I'm leaving my window cracked open tonight. I've got a date with October at midnight. Ciao.

P.S. If you don't buy Pamela's painting I will. Even if I have to do it in 63 installments.

Musical Treat Of The Week

It's been a long time coming...

"Quote, Unqote" #17: Look Both Ways

"One thing I know for sure is that with time everything becomes clear, questions are answered, what's broken is restored, new trails are blazed, hearts are mended, love returns, and you look over your shoulder, with a tear in your eye, at life's utter perfection."

 ~ Mike Dooley

HOW MYA SAVED JACOB

Originally posted on July 20th, 2010

I was on an airplane making my way to California when I read this touching story about an extraordinary relationship...here's an excerpt:

Mya senses something wrong. Sitting in the back of the SUV as they barrel down a back road, she detects a change in the air. Jacob is driving, on their way to camp in the Grand Canyon. Though Mya met Jacob only a month ago, she knows him better in some ways than he knows himself. With his ‘yes ma’am’ Southern twang and lanky, broad-shouldered, 6-foot-3-inch frame, he can seem like a big, easygoing guy. But there are times, urgent times, when Jacob needs Mya.
 

Outside the window, the desert hills that stretch as far as the eye can see might as well be in the Middle East. A car comes up behind their SUV-the first car they have seen for many miles-and it passes them, kicking up a whirlwind of dust. Mya doesn’t even look to see Jacob’s shoulders tighten. She leaps into the front seat just before Jacob slams on the brakes. They skid to a stop, and in an instant Mya is on top of Jacob, licking his convulsing body so hard she almost seems to smother him.
 

In reality, this highly trained black Labrador accomplishes just the opposite. Her care leads him out of his dark terror and back to the dusty road...

For the whole( tearjerking )  story, visit Spirit Magazine :
How Mya Saved Jacob

Musical Treat Of The Week

Danny & Annie

A very special love story...

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

The Passenger

A sweet lesson on patience...

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away- but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly...

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.'

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired, let's go now'. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse. 'Nothing,' I said. 'You have to make a living,' she answered. 'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.

It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.
We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

Please...RELEASE ME!

Barbraphiles rejoice!
On October 9th Barbra Streisand will RELEASE ME...

From the press release:

"Barbra Streisand's private music vault holds all the master tapes she's recorded for five decades. Now, she's sharing 11 previously unreleased songs, spanning a cross-section of her career from 1963 to the present.

In an unparalleled career, Streisand has released more than 60 albums. Many of the sessions for these albums yielded extra recordings, which weren't included on the albums they were intended for. They've all been stored in her vault until now. Over the past year, Barbra has painstakingly gone through the recordings to come up with this collection, Release Me.

Highlights include: "Didn't We" written by Jimmy Webb - recorded in 1970 for an unreleased album project titled The Singer; the standard "Willow Weep For Me" - an unreleased track recorded in 1967 for Simply Streisand, arranged by Ray Ellis noted for his legendary work with Billie Holiday; A striking version of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going Rain Today," with Barbra on vocals and Newman on piano - from the 1971 Stoney End sessions; an unreleased studio version of "With One More Look At You" from A Star Is Born; Two tracks from the unreleased sequel to the acclaimed The Broadway Album, titled Back To Broadway - "Home" (from The Wiz) and "How Are Things In Glocca Morra? / Heather On The Hill" (from Finian s Rainbow / Brigadoon).

Reflecting on the album, Streisand noted, "The thing I'm happiest about is that I still have great affection for all these songs. They appealed to me at the time...and still do. Listening now, I actually think to myself, 'The girl wasn't half bad. "

With the exception of two songs where the original masters couldn't be located, all the tracks on Release Me were transferred from first generation master tapes. Every attention was paid to preserving the sonic perspective of the sessions as they were originally recorded and mixed."

The hardcore fans (including myself, of course) had been hoping for a larger collection, for we know what the archives hold! In fact there's a whole lot of kvetching going on about the brevity of an 11 track disc when we heard through 'sources' it was going to be a 3 disc set. I instead will bite my tongue and delight when it arrives. Besides you never know, we may see other volumes appear over time....

Here's a delicious glimpse for your ears...an unreleased recording from the Stoney End sessions (with Randy Newman on piano), which marked the beginning of my favorite "era of Barbra's voice". Enjoy!

Barbra Streisand "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" from Columbia Records on Vimeo.

Barbra Streisand's Release Me: I Think It's Going To Rain Today from Columbia Records on Vimeo.
By the way, don't you absolutely love the paintings below and above? They're by the British artist Maxwell. Be sure to check out the rest of his stunning work which can be ordered directly through his hip and sassy website- just click on Barbra to visit!

MAXWELL

A Year Ago Yoday: Tumor Removal & A Lot Of Tea To Follow

by Teamgloria

oh darlings.
has it been a whole YEAR?
since we had our throat slit and tobias-and-his-sisters were removed?
gosh.

We recall the 4am wake-up call and standing outside in the dark shivering from fear and seeing the cheery presence of Cheltenham-Lady walking down the street as if she had just gone to the second-hand bookshop in Norfolk and found a delicious first edition and wanted to show us – she was brilliant – we tried to talk in the Taxi and stay bright and not fall apart and she kept us going – right to the bit at the hospital when they were going to check us in and we’d not known about American things like having-someone-as-an-emergency contact (we have one now) or someone who could make decisions should something awful happen (um, still working on that one) so that was all a bit scary.

The robe was nice – sort of lavender with Very Clever sensors and electrical circuits clipped to our vital organs and a heat pad to keep us warm while they Took Us Down (where exactly is that?).

William had sent us a 1970s Ladybird (yes, that English children’s classic line) book to explain what might Happen.

It wasn’t Exactly like that (the scrubs were blue as we recall, and the operating Theater – love that they call it that – was a Very High Tech “space” full of flashing lights and whirring noises and Many People) but it did help to be a bit prepared. Actually, to be Completely Honest for a second, nothing could have prepared us...and maybe that’s for the Best. Here is our hospital bed that we lay in for a day or so.

 

Usually we make-the-bed but we didn’t have the strength and besides – if you can picture this – it was right before we got Discharged (and had to have a Strong conversation with the Very Young resident – in mime and pencil-on-paper – because we could not speak due to the operation which got Awfully Close to our vocal chords and the Very Tight bandages around our neck) and we were standing holding the tubes still linking us to the drip (on a Not Attractive silver wheel-y pedestal) holding our (forbidden) smartphone device to take a picture.

oh!

We almost forgot we had this one – yes, these are the pumps on the legs that keep one’s blood flowing during HOURS of lying and the oxygen tube stuck up one’s nostrils (not nice) and the drip (saline by this point we believe as our brain had come back nicely – or not-so-nicely – more Dear gods What Just Happened??) in our arm.

Why thank you – yes – that was a nice light tan on the left knee (not just on the left knee, but obviously that’s all that’s showing here) – we’d just been in L.A – Quite Freaked out the week or so before. MC came the next day to visit with a lukewarm milky beverage and a copy of the FT Weekend (we weren’t working, promise, we just like the magazine and the lunch-with-column and the interview with writers about why-they-write).

Then Bf came to get us in his Car (we were very grateful and gosh Manhattan was a shock after the relative solitude of a hospital room) and stayed and made us laugh inside our OUCH bandages, and brought his dog who comforted us with her Huge Eyes. Sob.

and then what happened….?
Well – we stayed at home for almost a month.



Lovely people who lived not-too-far-away came to visit.



So Many Lovely people sent flowers.



...and we spent Many Hours lying on the sofa looking at them...



Listening to Lots of mix-tapes that delicious people sent to us – for every mood and hour and feeling (dear gods, there were Lots of Feelings during this medical leave).



And Many splendid people sent books and parcels and we started to unwind our poor stressed head for the first time in what felt like a decade.



We spent HOURS in bed – sleeplessness being a Distinct Feature of medical leave #sigh. Thank goodness for excellent cotton sheets, silk dressing gowns and Pots of Tea on a Tray.



We had never spent so much time in the bathroom (nausea – we won’t go into this in any detail whatsoever but it was horrid) and here we are – a year on – with a scar on the neck.

We were Most Grateful to T who peered at it and said (in her sparkly Fashion/British voice) "I rather like it."
The pearls help.

"There are a lot of glorious people, places & things that help me get through my day – they make my life great – and so I call them “team gloria” (although they don’t usually know that). So I thought I’d start documenting them, and looking out for new people, places & things on a daily basis, and sharing them with you (whomever you are – do say hello). Oh, and tell me who your team Gloria is. :) " 

She's a writer, photographer, and jet-setting fashionista- who understands the importance of a shimmering chandelier and a good cup of tea. You can get to know her (and see more of her gorgeous photos) by visiting Teamgloria in Manhattan. Yes darlings, that Manhattan. -Ed.

Quote, Unquote #16: Showing Up

"The way we show up for our lives today and tomorrow has an enormous affect on who we will be and what we will be experiencing years from now. If we can remain fully engaged in the day at hand, enjoying all it has to offer and putting our energy into making the most of it, we will find that we are perfectly ready and capable to handle any future when it arrives."

~ Madisyn Taylor

A Thing Of Beauty

“Beauty and seduction, I believe, are nature’s tools for survival, because we will protect what we fall in love with.”  Louie Scwartzberg

When Cherrie sent me a video titled The Beauty of Pollination a few months back, I filed it away in my "must pollinate" stash. And there it sat. This evening while indulging in my new addiction TED Talks, I stumbled across a couple of them by genius filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg. I was completely  blown away not only by his extraordinary technical skill, but the perspective from which he operates creatively.

Mr. Schwartzberg's notable career spans feature films, television shows, commercials and documentaries. He won two Clio Awards for TV advertising, including best environmental broadcast spot, an Emmy nomination for best cinematography and the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award for the feature film “America’s Heart & Soul.” Schwartzberg founded Moving Art to use the power of media to inspire and entertain through television programming, DVD products, and full-length motion picture and IMAX films. His new film "Wings of Life" will be released by Disneynature.

"I've spent my life capturing beautiful images. And whether in wilderness or in the downtown of a giant city, I find connections, universal rhythms, patterns and beauty that I recognize as a part of me, a part of all of us that celebrates life. It's my great pleasure to share with you that energy which inspires me; this great visual beauty of our world."

You can clearly see the gratitude of which he speaks, as it shines through his lens in every frame of these gorgeous films. He's a Killer Bee for sure, just check out this clip. As the gentleman narrator of his film "Happiness Revealed" will tell you, "The only  appropriate response is gratefulness..."