Why Didn't I Think of That???

The other day I was listening to WFUV, the Fordham Radio Station, call letters 90.3 and the d.j. made mention of the fact that artist, Jill Sobule, had her fans pay for her new record. What!!! I just went on the website www.jillsnextrecord.com and sure enough, Jill Sobule did indeed do that. What a feat. In a nutshell, if you donated money to Sobule's musical cause (her goal was 75K), then she would provide things like a signed CD, your name used as executive producer (for $2,500), or for 10K, she allowed you to sing on her CD. Okay, my friends, get ready because that's what I'm doing for my next release! My soon to be released CD, No Expiration Date, costs me some serious money. Had I done it Jill's way, than I would be up to my ears in debt. Why didn't I know about this earlier? Oh, well, live and learn.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook? That is the question!

As much as I didn't want to, I recently joined Facebook. The reasons I didn't want to join was because I was worried about spending too much time on it. Time is so precious and these days, it seems like my free time is more and more limited. I also was afraid that people whom I didn't want to connect with would try to connect with me and if I didn't desire to do that, then I would have to reject them. Listen, being the rejectee is not my idea of fun. But much to my surprise, my fears in joining Facebook were unfounded. I enjoy being in contact with people and this is a great way to network. However, I do have on issue with Facebook. It seems to be a contest on how many friends you can collect. Some people have hundreds of friends. What's that about? I have a handful of friends who are very precious to me. If I were to have hundreds of friends, I would lose my mind. I'd never have time for any of them! But back to the Facebook deal. You can find me there and be in touch that way, if you'd like.

However, even though I'm trying to be progressive, I have yet to join Twitter and by the time I do join it, something else will have come along. The methods by which people communicate in this day and age are pretty incredible. I have a feeling that it's just the tip of the iceberg.

No Money Honey

So many people are in such a negative head right now. Worried about the recession, the increasing oil and food prices, yada yada. It's not looking like a pretty picture right now. People are struggling to make ends meet. But in a way, it's been an eye-opening experience. We can no longer be as impulsive as we used to be. We think twice about what we're purchasing and where we are putting our money. We are budgeting and doing what we have to do. We are separating "need" from "want." But on the other hand, I do feel that the media is putting an additional burden on the consumer mentality by constantly bombarding us with the "sad realities" of the the financial crisis. I'm not saying it's not real but I do think they're making the situation worse by feeding into our fears. There's no confidence because we are being told we should have none. You know me. I'm a believer in thinking positive but sometimes outside forces try to do infiltrate that thought system. Guess what? I won't let them. Neither should you!

Why We Shouldn't Judge a Book by Its Cover

I love the story on 47 year old singer, Susan Boyle, who is currently on Britain's version of American Idol, a big hit on YouTube and the latest media star (octo-mom gets a break). What an inspiration! America is in love with this woman whose incredible voice seems to be coming from "somewhere else." Who would have ever expected it? She's been called homely, ugly, matronly and plain but the truth is that when you hear and see her sing, none of that matters. When she sings, her voice just holds you hostage. You no longer see her physical being, you see her true essence. You see and hear her gift. You can't help but say, wow, she's amazing! That she is.

People are so used to judging a book by it's cover. Susan Boyle proved why we shouldn't do that. We have to look and examine at what's going on inside. Now, everyone is talking about whether she'll be given a major makeover. Why? Because, from a physical standpoint, our society can't deal with accepting her as she is. We need her to be visually acceptable before we accept the whole package. Wouldn't it be beautiful if we didn't feel a need to make her over? If we just let her voice be what really matters?

The Mind of An Artist

One of the great things about being an artist is that your mind can be creative. It can also be overly creative. As a musician, a Latina and a creative individual, I am not "normal." I react to things in a different way. Sometimes, I can be overly sensitive, overly dramatic and make more of a situation than I should. I realize that. But by the same token, those attributes also allow me to write lyrics and verses that reflect the intense feelings of love, passion, disappointment, suffering and more. If I didn't feel as deeply as I do, than I could not be a good songwriter. I am glad that my brain is wired differently than others. When my friends ask me, why do you think or act that way" I say, "I'm an artist, that's why." My friends laugh but they get it. Most people know that artists think and act differently than others because he is creative and doesn't just see things in a normal way. It's part of the job description. I consider it a blessing. My friends might just disagree...

: )

Rain, Rain Go Away

It's raining in lovely New York . Nice day to stay inside and drink white hot chocolate by the fire. I don't like the rain but it definitely is matching my mood today.

I'm working on a new song. I have most of the lyrics and verses down. Just have to tweak it. Unfortunately, it's not a happy love song. It's more about doubt. We, as human be-ings, are prone to face suffering and pain. We also have happy moments but, sometimes, they seem to be far and few. I just want to have a smile on my face and on my heart and have it stay there for at least an hour or two. But unfortunately, there's a gray and heavy cloud hanging over my head. Mostly, because my personal life is up the creek right now. I have decisions to make that will affect my future. Not fun. But I will prevail either way. I have hope that there will be better and sunnier days ahead. I'm a survivor.

Cracks in the Foundation

Sometimes the universe is intent on teaching me lessons. It puts me on a path that I have been on in the past and in the interim, the journey is riddled with painful reminders of how I may be older, but I'm not necessarily wiser. Case in point. I still believe that people are capable of changing for the better. But the universe keeps proving to me that I am being foolish in thinking that. From the time a person turns 18 years of age, their character is formed. If there are defects in character at that age, there will be the same defects at the age of 40 or 50. Granted some people might try to be better versions of themselves, but the reality is that the basic foundation is pretty much set in stone and nothing or no-one is going to change or move the structure. The cracks are there to stay. It's a hard lesson for me to learn...

A Beautiful Day

Last night, I went to see Lucy Kaplansky in Centerport. She was performing for the Folk Music Society of Huntington. The event took place in a local congregational church. I've had the pleasure of seeing Lucy perform several times in the last few years. The last time was at Joe's Pub in the city. Seeing her in a church environment was totally different, to say the least. She sang and played her Martin guitar while a big wooden cross hung over her head. I'm sure God was proud of her too. While I was listening to her, I became inspired myself. Lucy was at the grand piano doing a lovely version of the Beatles' Let it Be. All of a sudden a lyric came out of my head, so I pulled out a pen and a piece of paper from my purse and quickly wrote it down. I kept writing. That's the way a new song was born. I worked on it at length today. I like the melody and the structure of it. Seeing other artists perform is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. To me, songwriting brings me a level of contentment and joy...nothing quite like it.

Today I also went to the beach for a little while. It was a beautiful day; about 65 degrees and sunny. I watched the seagulls glide overhead. I felt a peacefulness in my soul, that I haven't felt in a while. Being surrounded by Mother Nature relieves stress and makes you connect to the beauty of life. I like it!

Spring is Here But I'm Falling Behind

It's April already. I can't believe that life is going by me so quickly. I feel like I've boarded a fast moving train that's making absolutely no stops in between. I know I'm supposed to enjoy the journey but when life is flying by it's hard to appreciate all the little nuances. It's hard to sit back and take a breathe and contemplate the beauty of the surroundings. I have to remind myself to relax once in a while.

As a singer/songwriter/performer/guitar player (www.mariedelacruz.com) I've poured my heart and soul (and money) into trying to make a debut CD that I'm so proud of. Of course, when it is released, is it going to be judged by many people. I hope and pray that people enjoy it. It's been a intensive labor of love, to say the least. Yes, it's taken longer to make this album than I planned but for some reason the universe wanted me to spend some time on it and make it as good as it can be. Once thing for sure, it's definitely wasn't an overnight project. So in the next month or two, the album will be out for all to see and hear. It's like giving birth to a baby. Here it is, like it or not!