Pungent Lily Performs for SOP Convention

Last weekend Nyle Steiner, Kristin Lish and I (Pungent Lily) performed for the Sons of the Utah Pioneers National Convention here in Utah. There was lots of history recounted, and the convention center was decorated with both a pioneer handcart and an authentic 'prairie schooner' working replica.

We had a great time playing our favorite 'Americana with a twist' for over 400 attendees. When we play old tunes like 'Clementine' etc. it's so neat to see the faces light up and the audience sing along. The fun part for us is adding unexpected chord changes, odd rhythms and my take on 'lyric invention'.

What's lyric invention? I take the written lyrics, then just jumble them up, creating new phrases that incorporate the original words in different order!

Pictured here, from Left, is Pungent Lily's genius inventor, Nyle Steiner, myself 'lyric inventor', and Homer LeBaron, Past President of the local Chapter of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers.

The conference award banquet was held at Zermatt resort, Midway, Utah, right in my own backyard (practically!)

The Heber Valley Railroad!

Wow, was this a busy Fall weekend! Friday, I grabbed my three singer-friends, Cass Ho, Koryn Hafen and Jennifer Ruff, and headed for the Heber Valley Railroad, where we sang songs from my musical, The Journey Home.

The Journey Home Train gig was created for the National Convention of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers, here in Midway/Heber and was a perfect program for that organization. The Journey Home was written by myself and David Kowaleski for the 2002 Cultural Olympiad here in Utah, and told the story of a Swiss family of emmigrants who traveled the Mormon Trail with a handcart company, eventually settling in this beautiful valley.

The weather was really cold and rainy, and while we were recounting the story of the pioneer's three month journey on the frigate Columbia, we all felt like pioneers!

The train was lurching and jerking through Provo Canyon as we attempted to sing, keep the PA from falling over, and keep ourselves from tumbling into someone's lap!

It really was fun, and lots of laughs.

The train was full with 320 convention attendees who loved the music and could relate to the stories and songs about the pioneer's journey as they finally came 'home' and settled in Midway, Utah.

The Fall colors were magnificent and a great time was had by all! The Journey Home is a great story with beautiful music written and fully orchestrated by Dave Kowaleski, a musical genius. If you'd like to hear music from The Journey Home, go to the 'products' page of my website: vivalavoice.com

Pioneer history is fascinating, and I think you'll really enjoy this new musical!

Indulge your creativity!

While I was living in Bellevue, Washington I had the opportunity to sing several times at the Evergreen Church of Religious Science. Reverend Jeanette Keil is a wonderful writer and I wanted to share this entry from her newsletter. If you are last on your own list of things to do, take some time to indulge in your own creativity. It will be time well spent.

"This is a great time of year to be thinking about what you want to create in your life. The choices are limitless. What is it that you loved to do when you were eight or ten years old? What do you still long for in your life? What word comes to mind when you think about what it would take to make you feel fulfilled? Is there something missing from your life? If you came up with easy answers to any of the above questions, pursue it. If the answers didn't come easily to you, that’s not a problem. Maybe you can't run with the wind like you did on the high school track team, but perhaps it's time to re-establish the pattern of a morning walk that slipped away so easily in the busy-ness of things. Or, maybe you long to have time to write or paint. Those activities, too, can be re-introduced into your life, perhaps not as a profession, like you once dreamed of, but maybe as an avocation that you indulge in for a couple of hours once a week. Our ability to create is unique. Going within and bringing forth our creativity can be a very enriching experience - for a day, for a week, for a lifetime."
- Rev. Jeanette Keil, Evergreen Church, Bellevue, WA

Have you listened to my podcast? Just click the orange button.

Viva La Voice Podcast #1!!

Wow, what a journey! I'm going to jump in (finally) and upload my first podcast. This is kind of experimental, as I have one podcast in two formats. So the links will be for an audio mp3 file, AND an enhanced podcast that has photos. Hopefully, they'll both work!

The next challenge is setting up the 'link' button. Understand that this is a steep learning curve for me! Most of you out there who even listen to podcasts are probably rolling your eyes at my baby steps here at Viva La Voice. You know, it's okay to venture into unknown territory, and that's what I'm doing.

This podcast isn't perfect! In fact, I've noticed that the actual content is very short (under 4 minutes - it's a test remember!), but the podcast length is something over 8 minutes! So whether the images make it longer (I don't think so), or I just failed to edit the podcast remains to be seen. Rather than go back and spend another few DAYS editing, I'm choosing to upload the thing and get it out there!

I'd appreciate feedback, i.e. can you see the images on PC and Mac in the enhanced version, or are enhanced podcasts simply a Mac feature? I believe the Mp3 file is audio only, it is in my test, but if someone finds something different, let me know!
Are the files too big? Do they take too long to download?

OKAY! HERE ARE THE LINKS TO MY FIRST VIVA LA VOICE PODCAST!:

Enhanced version:

Mp3 Podcast:

Podcast coming soon!

Last month I created my first podcast. For the first two weeks of September I've been learning how to upload it!! Please check back in the next couple of days to get the link to my first podcast!

This whole world of new technology is so fascinating; but also so frustrating!

I'm really trying to wrap my shrinking brain around all these tech applications and learn how to conceptualize the flow of information, then integrate it all.

Whew! It helps me to visualize the pathway (or is it the 'information highway'???!!) for all this information, and how each step in the creation and uploading process moves the podcast to a place in cyberspace where others can access it.

It makes me feel good to be able to master some of these steps, which at the outset are supposed to be EASY, but Ha! aren't that easy for even some seasoned techies. Just when I feel like I know nothing, I'll ask a question like "do you have wi-fi available", and the young girl behind the counter at the coffeehouse will say 'what's wi-fi'? That kind of stuff astounds me, and yet, my questions about uploading a podcast probably astound the guys at the MAC store! So it's all relative.

Tomorrow, after rehearsal and lessons, I'll look through my volumes of notes (mostly tutorials from my webmaster/marketer Nashlah) and ATTEMPT A PODCAST LINK TO MY BLOG!

Once that's accomplished I want you all to get the podcast and let me know you got it. It's an enhanced podcast which means it has photos along with the podcast. (Don't ask me how it works!....)

So tune in soon for a short podcast. I'm planning interviews and interesting content related to all things 'performing arts'. Have any suggestions? Let me know!

I'm also getting my Joyful Singing/Vocal Mastery CD set and booklet ready for press! Lots of new projects in the works which I'll be posting soon.

Beth Lawrence's Viva La Voice Podcast coming soon!

Words From Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter

"I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusiasm helps push an educational message." --Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter)

Just last week, a Stingray barb killed Steve Irwin as he was filming another of his educational shows. Some folks thought he was crazy and took too many chances. Others thought he was positive, loved his life, and went at it full tilt. Whatever you may have thought about him, most everyone will agree that he lived life to its fullest, and isn't that what we should all aspire to do????

Steve was driven by his passion for animals, for the environment, for education. He put himself in a lot of scary situations which compelled us to watch and wonder at the outcome. He faced his fears and didn't back down. You can say that it's really sad that his life was cut short while he still had so much of it to live. But what would be worse is living a long, safe, uninspired life without passion or challenge.

Everyday I'm reminded that you've got to grab Life with both hands and shake things up a bit. What good is playing it safe if you never really LIVE? If your life isn't filled with passion, with energy, with wonder, maybe it's time to get out there and chase some crocodiles! We all have fear in our lives, but facing that fear, no matter the consequence is what makes us come alive. Are you standing safely on the shore as a bystander to Life, or are you plunging into the water and wrestling head to head with the challenges that stand in the way of a fulfilled life?

We all stand as an example to others. The Crocodile Hunter may have been a bit extreme for most of us, but his example shows me that there are a lot of areas in my own life where I can be more brave, more open, and more authentic. What good is a life lived in the shadows, hiding in the dark so that we won't have to face our fears? Live fiercely, live well, live courageously so that others will admire your passion and find the strength to hunt their own crocodiles!

End Of Summer Allergies

Lately I've found my nose a bit stuffy and my throat a bit scratchy when I wake up in the morning. All I have to do is walk through the garden to see that almost everything from my glorious cosmos to the prickly thistle are going to seed. So it makes sense that most of us will be suffering from some type of allergy in the next few weeks.

When I was living in Las Vegas I had a chronic bout with a low grade flu, with headache, sore throat, fatigue and achey body. I knew enough to know that flu is a virus and isn't 'chronic'; it should run its course in 5 days or so. When I went in to see the Doctor and gave him my symptoms, he said 'you have allergies.' I couldn't believe that allergies would give me the same symptoms as a flu bug, but less than an hour after taking the allergy medicine he prescribed, I felt better! I was shocked, but now when anyone tells me they've been sick for over a week with similar complaints, I suggest that they probably are suffering from dreaded allergies.

If you're having dry, scratchy throat or other symptoms, why not try my fantastic 'VIVA LA VOICE TONIC RECIPE'?? It tastes so good, soothes the throat and clears up phlegm. It's a great general cleansing tonic for the whole system. Best of all, I want everyone to try it, so you can find it on my website ('Products') for an introductory price of only $3.97!!! Can you afford not to try it?! Let me know how it works for you! www.vivalavoice.com

Enjoy your last days of summer in health!