Road to Zion

I heard this song via Tom... his music tastes are pretty diverse too. You can really feel the beat. I have been dancing in my seat a little while making a new layout. :P I'm happy with what I've come up with. It'll be finished by tonight (I hope!) if I can figure out all the behind the scenes things - HTML and uploading it to Tom's server.


Damian Marley - Road to Zion





Walking on the road to Zion... yeah, that's what we're doing. Someone commented on the woman's voice in the YouTube comments and I think they are haunting and pull the song together beautifully.

There ya go my dears... possibly my last blog in this place.

Love,
Cathrine

Still Real

I read this article on the SMH website about how listening to music with positive lyrics makes you a nicer/more helpful/considerate person. *laughs* I have known that for ages. It's why I stopped listening to Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Tool, etc. I got rid of my 'angry/hate' music because it was affecting me too much. A year after I gave up the last remnants of that music, George released their album Unity (2003). It blew me away with it's hopeful message. It contained within it all my deepest longings for beauty, goodness, honesty, truth, nature and love. I listened to it over and over and felt my heart and thoughts change dramatically.


George - Still Real





I still really admire Katie Noonan and her desire to make this kind of music. In a world that is so hurt and hating, she is so different. She hasn't lost her ability to see life's goodness either after so many years of being in the industry or being now married with two young sons. Marriage and children can sometimes distract you from these higher ideals as you get caught up in the busy-ness of life... but I believe she still holds firmly to those ideals. Plus she likes jazz... and the Beatles... haha I think she's great. When I was 18 and listening to this music, she helped me hold firmly onto goodness and believe that was still worth fighting for.

When I listen to music, I often can't help but sing along. The lyrics are powerful, so I thought I'd post them... :)



I wonder how long I can sustain this mystery
I wonder how we thought we'd get here without strife
I try to recall the beauty
that brought us here
And I cling to that, I cling to that, I cling to that for my life

They say they understand the turmoil that unsettles you
And I say you just fulfill your end of the deal
and I'll fulfill mine
Once we reveal ourselves we're so quick, so quick to analyse
I just want you to be free and enjoy this ride

So go on I'll tell you it's alright
Go on, please tell me you're fine
Don't ever let them get you down
'cause everything that really, really matters
is still real

I'd love to see you shine with every possible radiance
And ignore any thoughts that weren't planted by good
And let intention motivate and stimulate, that is all
And let the cloud that hangs above drift off into the sunset
night

So go on I'll tell you it's alright
Go on, please tell me you're fine
Don't ever let them get you down
'cause everything that really, really matters
is still real


Love,
Cathrine

I Know You Are, But What Am I?

I'm home again. The Philippines was incredible. I met my mum's family for the first time. I met my uncles... one of them in particular is really into music. He sang in choirs from primary school right through to university and he bought me three CDs of a Filipino singer he likes. Her name is Regine Velasquez. :) I looked at him and felt a sort of kinship that I did not expect to experience. This is what it is to have family! He really took care of mum and I too, taking us out almost every day. He took us to dinner and bought us ice creams. We went for walks at night around the local parks - a whole truck load of us (we often travelled in groups of 10+ people). He took mum and I to the night markets and to their huge malls (SM! - Super Mall)!

I also met loads of cousins and great aunts and uncles (I have around 24). We sang karaoke at every party and danced to the same pop songs until I was nearly destroyed by them - Nobody But You, I Got A Feeling, Poker Face, etc. It was fun, but crazy! I spent so much time around people that I nearly lost myself. I became so much more outgoing and brave. I really didn't get as much time as I'd hoped to spend in bible reading and prayer. I was almost never alone!

I came home and have found myself stronger for the time spent away. I feel more confident in my decisions. Is it because I know better who I am? :) I also now have a deeper understanding of where my mum comes from and why she thinks and acts the way she does. I saw lots of things in her that I admire and love about her. She's naturally generous and is able to at times say "this is what God has done for me" without self-consciousness. It surprises me, when her faith shows it's face. It suprises me when mum lets go of her fear of spending money and sees how she is able to help and do good and does it cheerfully.

And I came home to Tom. Two weeks away may seem like a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things but it's funny what time can do. Not having him there showed me even more how much I love him being a part of my life. I value so much what we have. Since my return I've had so much fun with him, sharing our excitement and passion for life/art/God. I am filled to the brim. I feel like I'm home in so many senses of the word. I feel very lucky. :)

So I spent some time this afternoon buying music... I got a $20 iTunes gift card in my bible study secret santa and I bought this song. It's an instrumental piece I found a long time ago and had forgotten about. I quite like the video made to go with it.


Mogwai - I Know You Are, But What Am I?





I'm also planning to pack up and move. I asked Tom for a subdomain from his shupface website and I have hopes that it'll be up in a week or two. It'll cover more topics than music including - nature, art and poetry also. :)

See you 'round,

Cathrine