Blessed

I am blessed to have one of the sweetest most talented boyfriends in the world.
I have spent a lot of time focused on what I want to do with my life, my dreams,
my ideas, songs...my my my...oh me.

We humans are selfish creatures by nature. I think it is important sometimes to step away and not let that overtake us. It is ever so easy to give in.

I am glowing. I am beeming with pride...not pride for myself but pride for my boyfriend, konstantine. I have watched him over the last few months so focused and dedicated to his role in Here Lies Henry.

I had never seen him act, so a part of me was worried. What if I didn't like the performance? What would I say? I'm a terrible liar.

I must say however, that Henry is a great liar. Here LIES Henry was amazing. It exceeded my expectations and it crushed my fears. I am blessed to not only have one or the sweetest most talented boyfriends in the world but also someone who is my biggest cheerleader. I find that now, I am the cheerleader, standing on the sidelines watching him make a touchdown and I am jumping up and down, frantically waving my pom poms. Thank You K for being you. I couldn't imagine a person with whom I would rather share my life.

David Letterman=Brilliant

John McCain was scheduled to appear on David Letterman's program, but canceled at the last minute to save the country from economic ruin. haha.
I have to say that I think David Letterman is brilliant.

Here Lies Henry (this Friday & Saturday)

Hey everyone,

I am very pleased to announce that Here Lies Henry, the one man show starring Konstantine Malakos (my very adorable boyfriend) opens this Friday for a limited two show run.
I did the sound design for the show, so it is an exciting new endeavor and I would love to see all of you there....Lotsa Love ---->R

Fri and Sat. (Sept. 26th-27th)
8pm
Drama Book Shop Arthur Seelen Theater
250 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
(Tickets at door if still available)

Ticket Price Info:
$15.00
$12.00 Student (w/ID)
Order Tickets By Phone:
212-352-3101
866-811-4111(toll free)

or through Theatermania's Website

Buy Tickets Online

T-Shirt of the Day

Brilliant. I think I may need to get one of these vulagar T's.

My first cooking show...sorta

I am a foodie at heart. Last night I was cooking black bean quesadillas, a new favorite recipe I've been working on. I make them with chipotle peppers, freshly made achote oil(extra virgin olive oil + Achote), freshly cut cilantro, diced onion, bell peppers, pressed garlic, chili powder, garlic powder, a little salt and black pepper. These ingredients + extra sharp cheddar cheese are sandwiched between two tortillas and cooked to crispy perfection in a pan with Achote oil, which gives the quesadillas a beautuful golden color. Oh, they are soooo good.

On the subject of food, here's a little video with some great information on how to prepare and cook fish from "a Chef at Large" in Hong Kong. Turn up the volume around the 5:11 for a little surprise.

A Chef At Large- Episode 6 "Go Fish"

I go to the church sometimes to pray...to pray for the ones who go there every day. Some of them are so lost that even Jesus bows his head to pray.

I go to the bridge sometimes to think. It helps me clear my head. Sometimes I hear music. It echoes like an invisible drumming.

Where's that chicken been?

Do you ever ask yourself that question? I often find myself looking at cutlets, legs and various dismembered chicken parts stacked in the grocery store meat department, wondering if I can trust that the nature of their previous whereabouts is on the up and up.

Just last night Konstantine and I were led by our neighbor Emma to a new discovery, a place called Western Beef. It's this cross between a warehouse and a regular grocery store. They had cans of beans the size of my head. By nature I stockpile canned goods, readying myself for the next nuclear holocaust or great depression. The really cool or weird thing depending on your perspective is the back of the store. They have a meat area that you must go through double doors to enter. The entire area is a giant refrigerator and by the time we had gathered our meat goods and were ready to leave, I was shivering and on the borderline of hypothermia.

We got home and sorted our bulk meat purchases. We tend to divide the meat into seperate bags and freeze them for later thawing. Our freezer is a meat locker in its own right. Yes, perhaps I've got a bit of midwestern crazy in me. When we were sorting the chicken breasts I found myself in that same suspicious place of wondering....Where's that chicken been? I want stores to start including a note with names, histories and any information that might pertain to my chicken before I lay down the cash.

This leg belongs to Henrietta. She lived a long happy life on a small farm in Ohio where she was fed nothing put premium seed to supplement her free range diet of grubs and wild grass. She died peacefully in her sleep. She is survived by her sister Eloise, a rooster charles and her 200 children. Fried, baked or boiled, she's sure to be a delicious flavor to whatever dish you add her.

Flocks of Paper

snow covered balcony in brooklyn
Flocks of Paper
flipping through the air like birds
little burnt edges falling like broken wings
we closed all the windows and chainsmoked
pretending the smell was from our cigarettes

next day flags waving, so many flags
reminiscent of black and white images of Germany
off to war with a fishy smell in the air

Seven years of war
people disappearing in the night
people with brown skin whisked away for questioning
by men with white skin
never heard from again
torture
murder
lies, lies, lies
death of freedom
death of liberty
death of young men hoping only to pay for a college education
in a failing economy
failing foreign policy
failing war

prices growing
jobs disappearing
cities and flesh have burned
History repeats itself
what have we learned?

Fiber, your friend and mine

Think of your digestive system as a race track and the food you eat as a runner.
Your toilet is the finish line.
Enter your friend and mine, fiber.
Fiber is like giving that runner a pill of speed or a shot of meth(without the scary sunken face and scabs).
That runner is gonna jet to the finish line in record time.
In essence, that runner is gonna win the race.

I've recently begun to eat a salad every day for lunch.
It's just one of the small efforts that one can make in the quest for a more perfect and balanced existence.
As you grow older or quit smoking cigarettes, your digestion slows. If you haven't noticed, old people
can sometimes seem to be obsessed with the speed of their digestion.
You can get ahead of the game today, by adding both soluble and insoluble fiber to your diet.

Now you might be asking yourself "What is the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber?"
Well, Billy or Suzie or Sally or Frank, that's a mighty good question.

"Both soluble and insoluble fiber are undigested. They are therefore not absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead of being used for energy, fiber is excreted from our bodies. Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, while insoluble fiber does not. Insoluble fiber passes through our intestines largely intact."(From Gloria Tsang, RD)

So, why fiber? Why should you do it? Well, here's what the American Heart Association has to say about it...

"When eaten regularly as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber has been associated with increased diet quality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Soluble or viscous fibers modestly reduce LDL cholesterol beyond levels achieved by a diet low in saturated and trans fatty acids and cholesterol alone. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.

Insoluble fiber has been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and slower progression of cardiovascular disease in high-risk individuals. Dietary fiber may promote satiety by slowing gastric emptying, leading to an overall decrease in calorie intake. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin."(AHA)

Fiber is a wonderous thing. The AHA has barely touched upon the splendors that you will find from a diet rich in fiber.

This is a public service announcement brought to you by all of us at the rant...and by all of us, I mean me.. and by me, I mean the crazy person who refers to me as us. Hold that thought. I need to run to the restroom.

Bravo John McCain

I am not a big fan of John McCain, his policies or his party, but I have to give it to him. He is excellent in his role as colonel Tigh on Battlestar Galactica. It's also great to see that John McCain has been able to appreciate the experience that his costar Mary McDonnell has gained from playing Laura Roslin,leading the 12 colonies after the occupation of Caprica. Her years of experience playing a fictional president on a science fiction television show make her ready from day 1 to lead this country. She is the perfect pick for the VP slot.

I couldn't pull myself away from Battlestar Galatica on DVD last night to watch the Republican National Convention. John McCain and Mary McDonnell are just that good.

Jubblies

I first became familiar with Wanda Wisdom & Lucky Bitch Radio
back in late 2006 when I did an interview for the progrum.
I have since become a regular listener to the podcast.
A combination of thought provoking and just plain silly,
it puts a smile on my face to listen.

So, on Sunday, as part of an ongoing discussion regardng jubblies,
I threw together a song called Jubblies and
sent it over to Wanda wisdom.
Recorded in my bedroom over the course of 2 hours
this is just pure silliness.

I highly recommend you check out her progrum
and not just because jubblies is the opening song for this edition,
but because I think you'll find that it might just
lighten your day a bit and provoke your mind to churn.

(Check it out)

One man's shit is another man's fetish

hmm, that doesn't sound quite right. Maybe I should stick with the one man's trash is another man's treasure version of this adage. Regardless, I give this simple phrase to you, Mr. S in Vermont, yes you. There are a few special people strategically place around the globe who have the distinction of being my sounding boards. I send them little clips, demos and unfinished, unmastered versions of songs. I have a hard time keeping a lid on it, I guess, so I trust that these people will listen and do what I'm unable to do, keep it to myself.

Mr Sanford has been kind enough to take a hard listen to a few tracks from the new album. Recently I received a phone message from the illusive Vermont man whose next trip to NYC is long overdue. The voicemail appeared to be a followup to his previous email where he seemed to have taken a very strong liking to the song, Throw that box. However this time around I was informed that one Mr. S could not wrap his head around Mamma Don't Like No Chocolate. I know. It's not for everyone. In fact one person told me that the title alone might foster suspicions of racism when coupled with my last name, German and my pasty white skin.

Music is a marvelous and splendid little thing. There are songs of mine that I think are on the weaker side that others praise and fawn over. Then there are the songs that I think are genius and other people think are silly or just don't get. Sometimes a hammer is a necessary tool as a musician. Sometimes a feather will do just nicely. Sometimes people mistake a hammer for a feather and what was meant to be a gentle caress can send an innocent nipple to the emergency room. Sometimes it's not a feather or a hammer but rather candle wax or cookies and cream ice cream. Sometimes my words are only meant to be understood by a few people who are "in the know."

I feel blessed to have sounding boards. I can't please you all, but if I had more arms, I would try. I'll please you where I can and just have to accept that I may fall short of the mark at times. In the end I've just got to do what needs to be done to complete the tasks at hand whether they be songs or sinking into the carpet and talking to god, while deciding whether I am going to cry or laugh for the devil.

next up.....God in the telephone book.

Life is short

Tell the people who are dear to you how much they mean to you.
Show kindness to a stranger.
Believe in yourself and the impact you can have on others.
Follow your dreams.
Encourage the dreams of others.
Laugh so loud that people stare at you like you're crazy.
Dance awkwardly and unashamedly embrace your age and lack of hipness.
Ignore images in magazines and commercials. They have personal trainers, photoshop, and their only job is to be beautiful.
Accept your body. Nourish it.
Dance around your living room in your underwear while playing cheesy music
(that you'd never let your friends know you enjoy.)
Open your window during a thunderstorm and scream at the top of your lungs
feel the blood course through your chest and your veins.
Smile until your face creases.
Ignore the existence of Botox.
Don't worry too much about what others think.
Life is short.
Live.

Meth=Death (part 2)

See more Kristin Chenoweth videos at Funny or Die

Don't you just want to pinch his cheeks?

Ok, seriously, Aussie diver Matthew Mitcham is absolutely adorable.
On top of that, he is a shining example and role model for little gay boys
everywhere. Yes, You can be openly gay and win a gold medal in the olympics.

Meth=Death

In case you haven't heard, these two dashing young men were
arrested in connection to a possible assassination attempt on presumptive democratic nominee, Barack Obaama. Meth really does equal death, and if you can't handle looking this lovely, then I highly suggest you stear clear of it.

These dear readers are the poster children for the Rant's anti-drug campaign.

She will crush you with her Vagina

Look what crawled out of the rift! (nerdy Torchwood reference)
Madonna kicked off her world tour in Cardiff Wales, and by the looks of these pictures, she will crush you with her killer vagina. Listen, I'm all for fitness and keeping the crusty old body toned and tight, but there is a point when it's too much.

Please dear queen of pop, back away from the thigh master and give those lady muscles a rest...and for the love of god, quit flashing your crotch. Yes, It's a lovely crotch for a 50 year old woman, but I don't even wanna see a 20 year old woman's crotch, let alone one that has been worked to the brink and back. Thank you and god save the queen.

S.O.B. (It's hard to let go sometimes)

I have to learn to let go.
I have such a hard time releasing people from my life
who have hurt me deeply.
I hold onto them.
I mostly forgive them but
hold onto this kernel of pain and resentment.
Why do I forgive them and why shouldn't I?

There are only a handful of people for whom I have written songs.
Recently following the passage of time, I suddenly felt compelled to
send one of these songs to the man who inspired it.
That song was S.O.B., The title track from my first album.

Though I know this is a hard song to swallow and didn't
necessarily expect a reaction (or at least not a good one).
I guess I really didn't consider the possibility
that he would be oblivious to the fact that the song was
written about him and his insane behavior.
I mean, what kind of monster leaves someone they supposedly care about
stranded in Arizona?

Sometimes people really blow me away.

Oh, and where the hell is my box set of Sex and the CIty?
remember? My payment for working at HBO for that event?

MUST LEARN TO LET GO.
Harboring such things will cause a tumor to grow in my heart.
MUST LEARN TO LET GO
Some people are toxic and will slowly poison me.
MUST LEARN TO LET GO
Releasing these crazy destructive people will free up more time to spend with the wonderful caring people in my life.
I believe that all people are inherently good, but that doesn't mean that some of them aren't full of hatred and anger.
That doesn't mean that some of them are not capable of being monsters. I have to accept that I can't fix or embrace every broken person who collides with my life.

Free

Photo by Carrie Thomas

Baby got banana leaves in her bag
she rolls up her sleeves as she gets in the cab
The road to the station is winding and long
as she pass the plantation they be singin' this song

it goes
na na na na na
when we gonna be free
everybody sing
na na na na na
when we gonna be freeee eeeee

The man puts on his suit
ties his leather shoes
picks up the paper
reads all the news
then the elevator takes him to the 31st floor
the people at their desks when he walks in the door

they sing
la la la la la
when we gonna be free
everybody sing
la la la la la
when we gonna be freeee eeeee

free free free free free free free
no more chains now
free free free free free free free
no more pain when you're
free free free free free free
everybody
free