Under a Red Roof

Sounds Like Fall Playlist 2010

September 10, 2010 in Learning, Listening, Spotlighting by Colleen | 2 comments

Twangy, lofty, earthy, and ready to party. It’s back to school!

“High on Your Love” – Kings Go Forth

“California Stars” – Billy Bragg and Wilco

“Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” – The Allman Brothers

“What I Wouldn’t Do” – A Fine Frenzy

“Search Your Heart” – Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson

“Big Jet Plane” – Angus & Julia Stone

“I’mma Break it Down” – Eazy-E

“Une Annee Sans Lumiere” – Arcade Fire

“I Summon You” – Spoon

“Cornbread and Butterbeans” – Carolina Chocolate Drops

“Girls” – Beastie Boys (A little trivia – according to the Oxford English Dictionary, they have the first recorded use of the word “mullet!”)

“A Pillow of Winds” – Pink Floyd

“Sigh No More” – Mumford & Sons

“So Far Away” – Carol King

“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” – She and Him

“Rien de Rien” – Osi

“Love Street” – The Doors

“Dead Flowers” – The Rolling Stones

Tags: Music

On Yoga

August 27, 2010 in Admiring, Being, Practicing, Spotlighting by Colleen | 3 comments

As many of you know, from this space and my life in the physical world, I practice yoga. What initially began as neat way to get exercise has become a deeply invigorating physical and spiritual practice. By God’s (or maybe Buddha’s or Shiva Nataraja’s) grace, I have the privilege to be led through asanas that bring me closer to what I believe is most important in this world: body, mind, and spirit connecting and strengthening, not just within me, but to human consciousness, and all that lives, breathes, and moves. As a result, I have changed. I am more integrated, physically stronger yet softer, more understanding, caring, and connected. I still have a long way to go, but the journey, with yoga, is far more joyous and centered.

At the center of this is Shiva Rea. I have had other teachers, but none has inspired me or encouraged me to continue as she has (despite never having met!). Were it not for the discovery of the brilliant Yoga Shakti DVD more than five years ago, I don’t know that I would still be practicing. It’s not only Shiva’s way of teaching, of leading, but the steady evolution of her yoga, rooted in the ebb and flow of life, not to mention those fabulous matrices that allow me to mix it up according to my needs and time.

These four DVDs are my favorites and are the foundation of my practice. They are challenging, fun, beautiful, and as ever changing as I am. Difficult one day, a breeze the next, they enable me to be exactly where I am and embrace it.

As for each video – Yoga Shakti is closest to what I would call a traditional vinyasa practice. I think, too, if you are new to yoga, it is the best place to start, as she offers some basic postures and forms. As you progress, it can be very challenging, too. Even after more than five years, I can, by no means, complete all the postures as shown. Shiva is strong and incredibly flexible! My goal is to have this video mastered in 2013. The body and mind open slowly, over time.

Trance Dance – I’ve written about this before, and my love for it is simple. Dance! Invigorating, fluid, sacred, and totally fun!

Daily Energy – I was so jazzed when she made this DVD! Sometimes I don’t have a lot of time. With this video, I can have a complete practice in as little as twenty minutes, which is pretty awesome. Since it also has a yoga matrix, I can make it a whole lot longer, add some core work, forward bends, and a complete shavasana, too.

Creative Core + Upper Body – Though the practice is centered around 108 push-ups (not all at once – thank goodness!), it is definitely not just for the upper body. The legs and core get a terrific workout, too. Speaking of the core – in all of the DVDs except Trance, she offers core cultivation in very creative and fun ways. I’d never seen or felt anything like it – very good! Oh, and this one is also pretty short, running at 35 minutes.

Tags: Shiva Rea, Yoga

Norse

August 13, 2010 in Spotlighting, Watching by Colleen | 1 comment

I’ve got two terrific titles for you today, and a little alliteration, which is always fun. Both are Norwegian and awfully good.

Buddy follows Kristoffer, a young and carefree billboard hanger who chronicles his everyday life via film. Nothing is kept from the camera – laughter, the heartache of a recent breakup, and crazy behavior receive equal time. When he and his friend/roommate Geir decide to jump from a third story window into a dumpster at a local news station, the pair are nearly caught, and Kristoffer loses some video tape in the process. The station actually likes what they see, forgive his and Geir’s trespassing, and offer them a weekly spot on a popular show. They and their third roommate Stig (who hasn’t left their apartment complex for two years) become local celebrities. The future looks bright for rising star Kristoffer, but problems ensue when his increasing popularity causes his friends and his relationships with them to suffer. It’s a great story about true friendship – what it really means to be a Buddy.

Hawaii, Oslo follows the paths of several strangers on the hottest day of the year. Frode and Milla are overcome with grief that their newborn baby might die. Two young boys search for their mother after the loss of their dad. Institutionalized Leon has a date made ten years earlier to meet his childhood sweetheart Asa. Leon’s brother, Trygve has a weekend leave from prison to visit him on his birthday. At the center, touching all of their lives, is Vidar, a nurse who can see the future in his sleep, or can he? It’s a great story about the power of dreams and finding what is most meaningful in life.

Tags: Movies

Daniel’s Songs

August 6, 2010 in Admiring, Listening, Spotlighting by Colleen | 1 comment

Pride is a funny feeling. At times, it can be an almost overwhelming presence casting an enormous shadow and causing a lump in the throat. Other times, it is more subtle, that rosy glow on a smiling cheek. Or, as it is for me in this moment, a flash of joyful tears.

The source of my joyful tears is the fantastic music of a former student from my ever so brief period of teaching high school English. It was a rather unfortunate beginning for me and Daniel, actually. I came in two weeks after the school year started to help with overcrowding, and though I was excited and academically quite prepared, I never anticipated the hard feelings being uprooted from other classes would stir up in my students. Daniel was among the worst instigators, making it very plain that my presence was not welcome. Fortunately for both of us, I turned out to be something unexpected and likable and was forgiven in time, even praised by my big hearted students, and again, Daniel led the pack.

So when he found me on Facebook recently, I gladly accepted his offer of friendship. What I didn’t expect was the music. Though Daniel sang in the choir at school, and was quite good, I might add, I could never have fathomed that this sweet and oftentimes goofy (we have that in common, to be sure) boy (ahem, man, Ms. Sohn – he’s in his twenties!) would have such great lyrics and music to share. Seriously, the more I listen, the more I like it, and not just because it is his. I am not that kind of person. It is marvelously layered and just the kind of music I enjoy – with a little of this and a little of that to make a fine package.

What’s more is Daniel’s fearless nature about his music. He is out THERE, promoting, recording, packaging, selling and generally believing in himself. I am just so proud of him and truly believe that with his passion, talent, and smarts, he’s headed for the stars! But you don’t have to take my word for it – give his music a listen (please buy some, too, I did!) and remember the name Daniel Van Dyk.

Oh, and Daniel, let’s get a picture together sometime soon – the ferris wheel, while not at all shabby, is a poor substitute.

Tags: Music

Visioneers

July 9, 2010 in Being, Spotlighting, Watching by Colleen | Permalink

I read somewhere recently that the purpose of school is to make people learn to conform. I have to admit that a tight knot formed in my belly upon reading it. Fighting words. School is so much more. Then I thought a bit more about it and found myself conforming to whomever’s idea it was. Sit here, be nice, 2+2=4, oh, and you better agree with me. I’ve spent a lot of my life agreeing with people. Sometimes even when I really don’t. It is easier and kinder and usually feels right. What about those times when it doesn’t? When I quit the charade and speak my mind? It surprises people and I don’t get invited back to that cool clique on the playground. Someone I used to know called it my hard nugget. “See, you’re petite, and have such a sweet smile, and then POW! out comes the hard nugget.”

I would rather be alone than not be me. It’s that simple. Which is a rather roundabout way of getting to Visioneers, the topic of today’s spotlight. It is a weird and wacky black comedy about the power of corporate America to infiltrate our lives (and the government), and one man’s struggle to discover his authentic self, no matter the cost.

When the number of people exploding from some mystery ailment drastically increases, Visioneer George Washington Winsterhammerman (played by Zach Galifianakis of The Hangover fame) begins to worry. He’s got the classic symptoms – insomnia, loss of interest in sex, binge eating and, most frightening of all – he still dreams.

I really liked this movie. First off, in the aforementioned wacky way, it totally made me laugh. People at the company where George works flip each other off and say, “Jeffers Morning” to greet each other. The insignia for the company is this same gesture (see it there in the poster?). They are terrified by chaos, but they call it “chay-os.” They are an uber efficient and detached group of conformists, with an extreme terror of exploding. Especially George.

Yet there is a certain pleasure in his work, a connection with his level four boss, Charisma. She calls and is friendly, human even. She attaches sticky notes with smiley faces to his work. But, when she gets fired and disappears, George starts to unravel and descend into chay-os. His already troubled marriage takes a turn; his weird, drop-out brother starts to make sense, and his dreams intensify. Is he going to explode? It was terribly worthwhile to find out.

Tags: Movies