Patron of the Arts

Have you always wanted to be a patron of the arts? Have you imagined being able to support someone like Michaelangelo? But you say you are not made of money and there's no way?

I say, there is a way!

I have posted about musician and singer Victoria Vox before, but this time, you can be a part of her future, and a part of music history.

We first discovered Victoria at the Wine Country Uke Fest this fall. We were treated to her lovely, lovely voice and ukulele and a whole day of top names in the ukulele field for FREE!

We did buy one of her CD's while we were there (Victoria Vox and Her Jumping Flea), and we loved it so much I downloaded her other CD Chameleon from iTunes. It's in the car, and we listen to it on the way to school every day. Allie really loves a couple of the songs and is even thinking about performing one at her next school talent show. How's that for inspiring the youth of America?

As I stopped by her website yesterday, I saw that she was looking for sponsors to help her produce her next album. What a great idea! There are several levels of sponsorship, from just $15 (you'll get a download of the CD before it's released) to $1500 (or more) for a house concert (and a bunch of other goodies). What really sold me was the $100 level--a signed CD, a t-shirt, a postcard from the road, and the best part I think, is a listing in the "Thank You" section of the CD liner notes! Wow, that just really caught my attention! It's like the Beatles listing you on one of their albums!

So, I decided to become a sponsor and have Allie's name listed in the liner notes for posterity.

Isn't that a great idea? You could do that for a loved one for a birthday present or Christmas! (She even has a special EP Christmas album/mailable card you can buy!)

So, I want you to go right now to Victoria's website, listen to her latest album, (buy them all!), and become a patron of the arts by helping to sponsor the production of her next CD!

www.victoriavox.com

And here's a YouTube of "Beautiful Home" a new song that will be on that album. And check out her "mouth trumpet!"

New Profile Pic

I have a slightly new profile picture that I have just uploaded. I had my hair cut a little differently and I like it a lot more...I love that shirt, so that's the same. AND FYI...DD (8 years old!) took the picture!

At some point I will have to break down and go get a real portrait taken. It's just that that is so involved, all the planets have to align...getting a good haircut, having a good hair day, complexion is clear, having an open day to get into Santa Rosa, having time to actually do my hair and make-up AND drive to Santa Rosa, and making an appointment for a day that is all going to happen. How is it I see into my future again..oh yeah, I need that crystal ball....

NaNo Catch Up

I am slowly catching up with the NaNoWriMo writing. Still way behind, but making some progress. With luck, I can take a few hours this weekend and really jam on that word count. I'm making great progress on setting the scene and describing characters. Plot? There's supposed to be a plot? Oh yeah..I'll work on that! This is my NaNo picture I'm using...it's from when I was about 17...the last time I thought I'd be a writer. When I reach 50,000 words, I will update it.

Hopefully, I won't look much older! I just got a new haircut and without my mom realizing I had a new style, she said, "You look younger with your hair down." Yes! Younger is a good thing! Apparently bangs take a couple years off you!

Hijacked by a cold!

Ugh!

I am way behind on my NANo writing. I came down with a doozey of a cold on Monday, Day 2 of the NaNoWriMo, and haven't been able to write a word until today. I'm trying as hard as I can to catch up, but the cold still has a hold...and I have a conference to attend on Saturday. (I already missed one on Thursday! :()

But I'm trying...doing whatever I can....

mpp

Ready...set...go!

Even though I didn't start writing at midnight like all the other NaNoWriMo fanatics, I do have an extra hour of sleep under my belt, so hopefully I am well-rested and the quality of the writing will be stellar.

Allie had a good idea this morning – wear our glow-stick necklaces (from trick-or-treating last night) on top of our heads and we will be "Queens of Novel Writing." I think I am understanding more why this starts on November 1 – an extra hour in the month to write and a sugar buzz from all the candy on October 31!

Write-on!

Margaret

National Novel Writing Month (November!!!)

I know, I know...as if I have nothing better to do than write a novel in November. Not even an advance, just the honor of being declared a "winner" if I write 50,000 words by the end of the month! Luckily they don't read the books, just count the words, so spelling can be atrocious and typos may abound.

Hey, if you want to be a character in my book, give me a name you'd like to be and maybe what kind of person you want to be (if you don't want me lifting all your real life qualities and circumstances, that is!). And of course, I may still take a few liberties with your character...hee hee heee.

I'm not sure if I should tell you much about the story. It's not one of those "adult" books, rest assured. (You may wind up in one of those anyway, but I'm not gonna tell you until it's published...hee hee hee.)

It's really a blueprint for what I'd like to do when DH and I are "retired" that is, what kind of work we'd like to do before we are too old and tired to do much of anything.

The working title is Beadboard, Sea Glass and Driftwood and it's the first in the Trilogy Cottages Mystery Series, and the protagonist is Abigail Steele. You, my friends and family, may find her eerily familiar...

There, that's enough to keep you guessing for now....hee hee hee.

Margaret

Noses, gallbladders and ukuleles, oh my!

I've just finished my 10 days of Augmentin, and things are OK. I still get that smell in my nose very now and then, so I'm not convinced it's really gone away. I'll see how I fare this weekend and e-mail the doc on Monday if it comes back. I love being "special" but not in this way! I would much rather have something common and easily diagnosed! The intestinal blues have calmed down, thank goodness.

Russ came out of his gallbladder surgery just fine on Wednesday, and is recovering nicely. Lots of resting, sleeping, TV and testing what kinds of foods are OK right now. The surgeon wasn't convinced there was anything wrong with his gallbladder since it looked so healthy (as he removed it). This may or may not alleviate his symptoms....

We had a great time at the Ukulele Festival last weekend in St. Helena. We got to see/hear/meet the infamous (in uke circles) James Hill and the lovely Victoria Vox. I'll include a couple YouTube videos here. They are not mine and not from that day. But these are wonderful young talents.

Enjoy! (and buy some of their CDs!)